Thursday 28 March 2019
Assignment on Women Characters in "The Swamp Dwellers"
Name: Dharaba Rayjada
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 14 African Literature
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
“The Swamp Dwellers” is a play written by Wole Soyinka. In this play he has portrayed the conflict between city life and village life and also the generation gap, which we can see in the different thinking of father Makuri and his son Awuchike. Here we are focused on the women characters in this play. There are two female characters in this play. One is Alu, the wife of Makuri and mother of twins Awuchike and Igwezu. The second one is Desala, the wife of Igwezu. Desala is not present on the stage physically but she was present in the talks of Igwezu, Alu and Makuri. On the other hand Alu was present on the stage most of the time.
Alu and Desala both are totally opposite characters from each other. Soyinka has portrayed two opposite point of view of women in one play. Both the characters are different from each other but in some cases both are same. Alu is a woman with traditional thoughts. She likes to stay in village. She found her happiness in her husband’s happiness. With every good and bad behaviour of her husband, she choose to live only with him. While on the other hand Desala is fascinated towards the city. She has demanded on her wedding that Igwezu has to take her to the city after marriage.
“Alu: … she (Desala) made him (Igwezu) promise to take her there (the city) before she would wed him.”
When they were in the city and Igwezu fails to make fortune in the city, she choose his brother Awuchike and left Igwezu. Awuchike was well settled in the city and that is why Desala choose to live with him.
There are some similarities between Alu and Desala. Though Soyinka has portrayed both of them opposite of each other but then even both shares sameness at some extent. Soyinka has portrayed both of the women as pride of their men. Both men, Makuri and Igwezu, take their wives as their property. As on one side Makuri is happy and satisfied because Alu has remain faithful to him and never tried to betray him. She has choice when some men from cities ask her to come with them to city, but Alu rejects all of them. Here is one line which Makuri says about Alu, that...
“Makuri – There wasn’t woman anywhere more faithful than you, Alu; I never had a moment of worry in the whole of my life.”
On the other side Igwezu is not happy because his wife has left him. Igwezu was not able to make money in the city and Desala left him for his twin brother Awuchike, who is wealthy in the city. This Igwezu feels as a attack on his pride. He replied angrily when Kadiye – the priest, ask him about his wife. This shows that both men are taking their women as their pride and their property.
Secondly, both the women characters don’t have their own identity. Both are dependent on men. Makuri is a man, who used to abuse his wife. Some times Alu reacts, she don’t like his way of behaviour but then even she will tolerate everything and will remain with him only. While on the other hand, Desala has choose her happiness but she has to be with some men. When Igwezu failed to sustain in city, she didn’t think to do anything by her self. She just choose the man who is settled already, to fulfil her dreams about city.
Apart from this, there are vast differences in both the women characters. The first difference which as per my point of view, is the major difference. This is what make both of them opposite from each other. It is the difference in their thinking. Alu thinks that, to be loyal to husband, tolerate every insult and don’t wish to go to the city are virtues of woman. While Desala takes her dreams and happiness more in to consideration then anything else. To go in to the city and enjoy the materialistic life was the dream of the Desala, which Igwezu failed to fulfil and that is why she choose to go to Awuchike, to live her dream life.
The thing which make their thinking different from each other is the idea of happiness. Both of them have different idea for happiness. For Alu, happiness is in serving husband and guests and in taking care of home and children. Alu is happy in completing the orders of his husband. She finds her happiness as wife in her husband’s happiness. But the feelings of being a mother will overpower her feelings of being a wife. She readily fights with Makuri for Igwezu. When she comes to know that Igwezu has lost everything in the city, even his wife, she becomes dumb. The problems of her son affects her more than anything else. We can also see her concerns about Awuchike, which she tells everybody in the house that he is dead. She says this frequently that Awuchike is dead but then even she wants to know about him that what is he doing in the city. So ultimately what matters for Alu more is her family. While on the other hand, for Desala wealth is everything which matters. She left her husband because of wealth. She goes to the Awuchike, the twin brother of Igwezu, without thinking about the feelings of Igwezu to get dumped for his own brother. When Igwezu came back to the village, while talking about Desala with Kadiye, he remembers all the oaths which were taken on the wedding day and all the promises which both of them have made for long and happy life with children. These things are remembered by Igwezu, we didn’t find anywhere in the play Desala talks about all these oaths and promises. Wealth is the only thing which make her happy and for that she is ready to left her husband.
As per my opinion the only thing which make both of them different from each other is their generation gap. Both of them belongs to different generation and both of them are behaving in same manner as their generation people would behave. Alu belongs to the older generation, who believes in family values and hate city for its materialistic lifestyle. While Desala belongs to new generation, who believes village as dark side and have no opportunity to grow and city and materialistic life as the best. They also don’t believe in family, wealth is the only thing which is important to them. This is not true only for women characters, it is also true for the men, as they also think in the similar way.
To conclude, we can say that Soyinka has very aptly captured the conflict between the new generation and the old generation, between city and village, between wealth and family. These all conflict we can find in both the women characters, which are discussed here. We can say that by putting two opposite characters Soyinka is trying to create binaries between old and new ways of living life. May be he is favouring the new way of living life, because we did not find anywhere Desala feeling ashamed about her decision or regretting her decision. Also when Igwezu came back to the village he feels that village also can not fulfil his need and it is not cleared whether he committed suicide or went back to the city, but he did not stay in the village. So, we can say that Soyinka is trying to accepting the new ways of living life.
Work Cited
Soyinka, Wole. The Swamp Dwellers. 1958.
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 14 African Literature
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
“The Swamp Dwellers” is a play written by Wole Soyinka. In this play he has portrayed the conflict between city life and village life and also the generation gap, which we can see in the different thinking of father Makuri and his son Awuchike. Here we are focused on the women characters in this play. There are two female characters in this play. One is Alu, the wife of Makuri and mother of twins Awuchike and Igwezu. The second one is Desala, the wife of Igwezu. Desala is not present on the stage physically but she was present in the talks of Igwezu, Alu and Makuri. On the other hand Alu was present on the stage most of the time.
Alu and Desala both are totally opposite characters from each other. Soyinka has portrayed two opposite point of view of women in one play. Both the characters are different from each other but in some cases both are same. Alu is a woman with traditional thoughts. She likes to stay in village. She found her happiness in her husband’s happiness. With every good and bad behaviour of her husband, she choose to live only with him. While on the other hand Desala is fascinated towards the city. She has demanded on her wedding that Igwezu has to take her to the city after marriage.
“Alu: … she (Desala) made him (Igwezu) promise to take her there (the city) before she would wed him.”
When they were in the city and Igwezu fails to make fortune in the city, she choose his brother Awuchike and left Igwezu. Awuchike was well settled in the city and that is why Desala choose to live with him.
There are some similarities between Alu and Desala. Though Soyinka has portrayed both of them opposite of each other but then even both shares sameness at some extent. Soyinka has portrayed both of the women as pride of their men. Both men, Makuri and Igwezu, take their wives as their property. As on one side Makuri is happy and satisfied because Alu has remain faithful to him and never tried to betray him. She has choice when some men from cities ask her to come with them to city, but Alu rejects all of them. Here is one line which Makuri says about Alu, that...
“Makuri – There wasn’t woman anywhere more faithful than you, Alu; I never had a moment of worry in the whole of my life.”
On the other side Igwezu is not happy because his wife has left him. Igwezu was not able to make money in the city and Desala left him for his twin brother Awuchike, who is wealthy in the city. This Igwezu feels as a attack on his pride. He replied angrily when Kadiye – the priest, ask him about his wife. This shows that both men are taking their women as their pride and their property.
Secondly, both the women characters don’t have their own identity. Both are dependent on men. Makuri is a man, who used to abuse his wife. Some times Alu reacts, she don’t like his way of behaviour but then even she will tolerate everything and will remain with him only. While on the other hand, Desala has choose her happiness but she has to be with some men. When Igwezu failed to sustain in city, she didn’t think to do anything by her self. She just choose the man who is settled already, to fulfil her dreams about city.
Apart from this, there are vast differences in both the women characters. The first difference which as per my point of view, is the major difference. This is what make both of them opposite from each other. It is the difference in their thinking. Alu thinks that, to be loyal to husband, tolerate every insult and don’t wish to go to the city are virtues of woman. While Desala takes her dreams and happiness more in to consideration then anything else. To go in to the city and enjoy the materialistic life was the dream of the Desala, which Igwezu failed to fulfil and that is why she choose to go to Awuchike, to live her dream life.
The thing which make their thinking different from each other is the idea of happiness. Both of them have different idea for happiness. For Alu, happiness is in serving husband and guests and in taking care of home and children. Alu is happy in completing the orders of his husband. She finds her happiness as wife in her husband’s happiness. But the feelings of being a mother will overpower her feelings of being a wife. She readily fights with Makuri for Igwezu. When she comes to know that Igwezu has lost everything in the city, even his wife, she becomes dumb. The problems of her son affects her more than anything else. We can also see her concerns about Awuchike, which she tells everybody in the house that he is dead. She says this frequently that Awuchike is dead but then even she wants to know about him that what is he doing in the city. So ultimately what matters for Alu more is her family. While on the other hand, for Desala wealth is everything which matters. She left her husband because of wealth. She goes to the Awuchike, the twin brother of Igwezu, without thinking about the feelings of Igwezu to get dumped for his own brother. When Igwezu came back to the village, while talking about Desala with Kadiye, he remembers all the oaths which were taken on the wedding day and all the promises which both of them have made for long and happy life with children. These things are remembered by Igwezu, we didn’t find anywhere in the play Desala talks about all these oaths and promises. Wealth is the only thing which make her happy and for that she is ready to left her husband.
As per my opinion the only thing which make both of them different from each other is their generation gap. Both of them belongs to different generation and both of them are behaving in same manner as their generation people would behave. Alu belongs to the older generation, who believes in family values and hate city for its materialistic lifestyle. While Desala belongs to new generation, who believes village as dark side and have no opportunity to grow and city and materialistic life as the best. They also don’t believe in family, wealth is the only thing which is important to them. This is not true only for women characters, it is also true for the men, as they also think in the similar way.
To conclude, we can say that Soyinka has very aptly captured the conflict between the new generation and the old generation, between city and village, between wealth and family. These all conflict we can find in both the women characters, which are discussed here. We can say that by putting two opposite characters Soyinka is trying to create binaries between old and new ways of living life. May be he is favouring the new way of living life, because we did not find anywhere Desala feeling ashamed about her decision or regretting her decision. Also when Igwezu came back to the village he feels that village also can not fulfil his need and it is not cleared whether he committed suicide or went back to the city, but he did not stay in the village. So, we can say that Soyinka is trying to accepting the new ways of living life.
Work Cited
Soyinka, Wole. The Swamp Dwellers. 1958.
Assignment on Ambiguous Relations in "The Sense of an Ending"
Name: Dharaba Rayjada
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 13 New Literature
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
In this world, relationships are core of the society. Without relations people are nothing and without relations society can’t exist. But these relations are very clear. What if the relations are ambiguous? What if people can’t understand the base of their relation. It would be better if we say that what if human can’t understand their relation it self. It makes life curious and ambiguous for the person also and for the society also. Same way in the novel “The Sense of an Ending” which was written by Julian Barnes, has described so many relations. Relations which can not be understood or justify. In nutshell Julian Barnes has presented ambiguous relationships in this novel. We will see how relationships are ambiguous.
In this novel there are characters like, Adrian Finn, Tony Webster, Veronica Ford, Sarah Ford, Jack Ford, Jr. Adrian, Margaret, Colin, and Alex. These are the characters in which we can found ambiguity. Let see all characters one by one. Of we starts with friendship then Tony, Colin and Alex were friend and Adrian was included later in the group. Tony was the one who goes to Adrian for friendship. We know that Adrian was intelligent student in the class and to have his friendship will be a kind of status for others a d that is why Tony and other two were interested in having this friendship. But the question is why Adrian was befriend with them. Adrian has never considered them so important. In school he will listen all about those three but he has never get involved in their talk. He has also keep most of his life secret from those three. Tony, Alex and Colin wants appreciation from Adrian but Adrian was never in such need. We can also question that Adrian was never so closed to any three of them but then even why he has asked permission of Tony to date Veronica. So reason of Adrian’s behaviour at some times remain ambiguous.
Tony’s relations with his wife Margaret are also somehow ambiguous. First they both got married and have a daughter then Margaret elope with one restaurant owner then that restaurant owner left her, then again Margaret and Tony started meeting. After some time when Margaret again asks to get back together Tony refuses. After refusal also they both didn’t stop meeting. Then Tony started telling her about Veronica, every time Margaret shows him path but one day she just said that he is on his own now. So what is the meaning of keep telling and meeting ex wife and also not getting back together. So their relations are not clear. If they are only friends then why talk of Veronica bothers Margaret. If Tony don’t want to be again in relation then why he keeps telling everything to Margaret until she told him to be on his own. So their relations are some where in between which can not ne defined and that is why it remains ambiguous.
Relations of Tony with almost everyone is ambiguous. If we starts with Veronica then their relations are quite hard to understand. On the other hand Tony’s relation with Veronica’s mother Sarah also remains in ambiguity. While on this Dr. Arpit Kothari, assistant professor at Manipal University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, has said something like this.
Sarah and Tony had frequent sensual encounters that Tony, with the passage of subsequent
decades, had suppressed this meetings in his memories. The first meeting happened when Tony
came for a weekend visit at Veronica’s place in Chislehurst. It is portrayed that on the first morning
of his visit only Sarah is in the house when he wakes up. As Tony remembers that it was Veronica
who told the rest of the family that he desired to have a long sleep, resulted in leaving Tony back
at home and went for a walk without him. Of course, since Tony was apparently asleep at the time,
he could not have known whether the family walk truly was Veronica’s idea or actually Sarah’s.
Sarah’s mysterious “horizontal gesture at waist level” (SE 95) in response to Tony’s goodbye wave
at the end of the visit indicates to the reader that something unusual has taken place between them.
But Tony has not reminiscence of their encounter. Tony tells us that Veronica is unwilling to have
“full sex” (SE 70) with him, but rather limits their physical intimacy to what he refers to as “infra-
sex.” (SE 71) Even after the breakup of Tony and Veronica, he recollects bouncing into Veronica
at a pub, returning to her room, and having sex with her. He is shocked to know about the
Veronica’s skills at rolling a condom onto him while he is of the opinion that Veronica is a virgin.
Tony of course recalls this as an encounter with Veronica because he cannot bring himself to
accept that it was actually an encounter with Veronica’s mother. The manners of his partner do not
match with that of Veronica, giving a hint to the reader that his partner was actually a far more
practiced woman and not at all Veronica.
Forty years later, as it is learnt in Part two, new memories begin to emerge in Tony’s mind
of other episodes with Veronica that he has forgotten for decades. In one of the memories, he
recalls that he is dancing with Veronica, who actually never danced, to 45s played on his record
player. Another incident he remembers is that when he was with his friends, he observed the
reversal of the Thames in the middle of a night. He suddenly recalls that Veronica was there as
well, and that when the rest of the group ran off with torches (flashlights) to watch the reversal, he
stayed behind and lastly, he recalls his version of memories of his weekend visit to the Ford family.
He remembers that Veronica walked him to his room on the second night of his visit, leaned him
against the door, kissed him on the mouth, and whispered into his ear, “Sleep, the sleep of the
wicked.” (SE 342)
Each of these recollections remains partly suppressed, the facts blurred and ambiguous. It’s
apparent to the reader that Tony recalls each of these incidents as involving Veronica because he
cannot bear to believe the monstrous truth that he had an ongoing but an affair between Tony and Sarah is the only plausible explanation for Sarah’s leaving 500 pounds and two documents (one of
them is Adrian’s diary) to Tony in her will. There arises a question that without any intimate
relationship with Tony, why Sarah leaves him money and documents in her will, as he was her
daughter’s ex-boyfriend forty years ago and that too for a very short period of time. Moreover,
according to Tony’s memory he met Sarah only once when he visited on a weekend to their family.
Barely an association that would be reminisced in one’s will and testimony.
This is quite new reading of the relation between Sarah, Tony and Veronica. On the other hand Adrian also has relation with Sarah. To leave girlfriend for girlfriend’s mother that is sort of way too far step. The possibilities are that Sarah was pregnant by Adrian at very late age. Adrian has also described some relations through mathematical equations. b = s – v + a1 or a2 + v + a1 × s = b?. Here in one equation he omits Anthony (Tony) but in second one he made equation with Anthony. This shows how complicated relations are there.
There are complications in relation of Adrian and Veronica. When they first meet Veronica was knowing many things about Adrian. Adrian was also knowing about Jack, brother of Veronica. But then they both comes in relationship but then Adrian end up with Sarah. So what has happened no body knows. Brother Jack’s behaviour with Tony was also complicated. When Tony visited Ford’s house Jack was not talking much to Tony. He also didn’t came for saying good bye to Tony when he was leaving. But then when Tony email him he replied like they both are friends. He also gives details about the place. May be he is playing with Tony. Brother Jack’s relation with his sister Veronica is also complicated. Once Tony says that may be Veronica was sexually abused by her brother and that is why she is not interested in having intercourse. He also mentioned the unusual cuddle of brother sister. So this is also shows the ambiguity in relations.
This is how Julian Barnes has portrayed complex relations. Where everybody is some how connected with each other but then their connections are not clear at some point. So we can say that in this novel “The Sense of an Ending” Julian Barnes has portrayed ambiguous relationships.
Work Cited
Barnes, Julian. The Sense of an Ending. Jonathan Cape and Knopf, 2011.
Kothari, Dr. Arpit. "Deconstruction of the Complex Human Relationships in
Julian Barnes' "The Sense of an Ending"." Language in India (2019): 8.
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 13 New Literature
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
In this world, relationships are core of the society. Without relations people are nothing and without relations society can’t exist. But these relations are very clear. What if the relations are ambiguous? What if people can’t understand the base of their relation. It would be better if we say that what if human can’t understand their relation it self. It makes life curious and ambiguous for the person also and for the society also. Same way in the novel “The Sense of an Ending” which was written by Julian Barnes, has described so many relations. Relations which can not be understood or justify. In nutshell Julian Barnes has presented ambiguous relationships in this novel. We will see how relationships are ambiguous.
In this novel there are characters like, Adrian Finn, Tony Webster, Veronica Ford, Sarah Ford, Jack Ford, Jr. Adrian, Margaret, Colin, and Alex. These are the characters in which we can found ambiguity. Let see all characters one by one. Of we starts with friendship then Tony, Colin and Alex were friend and Adrian was included later in the group. Tony was the one who goes to Adrian for friendship. We know that Adrian was intelligent student in the class and to have his friendship will be a kind of status for others a d that is why Tony and other two were interested in having this friendship. But the question is why Adrian was befriend with them. Adrian has never considered them so important. In school he will listen all about those three but he has never get involved in their talk. He has also keep most of his life secret from those three. Tony, Alex and Colin wants appreciation from Adrian but Adrian was never in such need. We can also question that Adrian was never so closed to any three of them but then even why he has asked permission of Tony to date Veronica. So reason of Adrian’s behaviour at some times remain ambiguous.
Tony’s relations with his wife Margaret are also somehow ambiguous. First they both got married and have a daughter then Margaret elope with one restaurant owner then that restaurant owner left her, then again Margaret and Tony started meeting. After some time when Margaret again asks to get back together Tony refuses. After refusal also they both didn’t stop meeting. Then Tony started telling her about Veronica, every time Margaret shows him path but one day she just said that he is on his own now. So what is the meaning of keep telling and meeting ex wife and also not getting back together. So their relations are not clear. If they are only friends then why talk of Veronica bothers Margaret. If Tony don’t want to be again in relation then why he keeps telling everything to Margaret until she told him to be on his own. So their relations are some where in between which can not ne defined and that is why it remains ambiguous.
Relations of Tony with almost everyone is ambiguous. If we starts with Veronica then their relations are quite hard to understand. On the other hand Tony’s relation with Veronica’s mother Sarah also remains in ambiguity. While on this Dr. Arpit Kothari, assistant professor at Manipal University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, has said something like this.
Sarah and Tony had frequent sensual encounters that Tony, with the passage of subsequent
decades, had suppressed this meetings in his memories. The first meeting happened when Tony
came for a weekend visit at Veronica’s place in Chislehurst. It is portrayed that on the first morning
of his visit only Sarah is in the house when he wakes up. As Tony remembers that it was Veronica
who told the rest of the family that he desired to have a long sleep, resulted in leaving Tony back
at home and went for a walk without him. Of course, since Tony was apparently asleep at the time,
he could not have known whether the family walk truly was Veronica’s idea or actually Sarah’s.
Sarah’s mysterious “horizontal gesture at waist level” (SE 95) in response to Tony’s goodbye wave
at the end of the visit indicates to the reader that something unusual has taken place between them.
But Tony has not reminiscence of their encounter. Tony tells us that Veronica is unwilling to have
“full sex” (SE 70) with him, but rather limits their physical intimacy to what he refers to as “infra-
sex.” (SE 71) Even after the breakup of Tony and Veronica, he recollects bouncing into Veronica
at a pub, returning to her room, and having sex with her. He is shocked to know about the
Veronica’s skills at rolling a condom onto him while he is of the opinion that Veronica is a virgin.
Tony of course recalls this as an encounter with Veronica because he cannot bring himself to
accept that it was actually an encounter with Veronica’s mother. The manners of his partner do not
match with that of Veronica, giving a hint to the reader that his partner was actually a far more
practiced woman and not at all Veronica.
Forty years later, as it is learnt in Part two, new memories begin to emerge in Tony’s mind
of other episodes with Veronica that he has forgotten for decades. In one of the memories, he
recalls that he is dancing with Veronica, who actually never danced, to 45s played on his record
player. Another incident he remembers is that when he was with his friends, he observed the
reversal of the Thames in the middle of a night. He suddenly recalls that Veronica was there as
well, and that when the rest of the group ran off with torches (flashlights) to watch the reversal, he
stayed behind and lastly, he recalls his version of memories of his weekend visit to the Ford family.
He remembers that Veronica walked him to his room on the second night of his visit, leaned him
against the door, kissed him on the mouth, and whispered into his ear, “Sleep, the sleep of the
wicked.” (SE 342)
Each of these recollections remains partly suppressed, the facts blurred and ambiguous. It’s
apparent to the reader that Tony recalls each of these incidents as involving Veronica because he
cannot bear to believe the monstrous truth that he had an ongoing but an affair between Tony and Sarah is the only plausible explanation for Sarah’s leaving 500 pounds and two documents (one of
them is Adrian’s diary) to Tony in her will. There arises a question that without any intimate
relationship with Tony, why Sarah leaves him money and documents in her will, as he was her
daughter’s ex-boyfriend forty years ago and that too for a very short period of time. Moreover,
according to Tony’s memory he met Sarah only once when he visited on a weekend to their family.
Barely an association that would be reminisced in one’s will and testimony.
This is quite new reading of the relation between Sarah, Tony and Veronica. On the other hand Adrian also has relation with Sarah. To leave girlfriend for girlfriend’s mother that is sort of way too far step. The possibilities are that Sarah was pregnant by Adrian at very late age. Adrian has also described some relations through mathematical equations. b = s – v + a1 or a2 + v + a1 × s = b?. Here in one equation he omits Anthony (Tony) but in second one he made equation with Anthony. This shows how complicated relations are there.
There are complications in relation of Adrian and Veronica. When they first meet Veronica was knowing many things about Adrian. Adrian was also knowing about Jack, brother of Veronica. But then they both comes in relationship but then Adrian end up with Sarah. So what has happened no body knows. Brother Jack’s behaviour with Tony was also complicated. When Tony visited Ford’s house Jack was not talking much to Tony. He also didn’t came for saying good bye to Tony when he was leaving. But then when Tony email him he replied like they both are friends. He also gives details about the place. May be he is playing with Tony. Brother Jack’s relation with his sister Veronica is also complicated. Once Tony says that may be Veronica was sexually abused by her brother and that is why she is not interested in having intercourse. He also mentioned the unusual cuddle of brother sister. So this is also shows the ambiguity in relations.
This is how Julian Barnes has portrayed complex relations. Where everybody is some how connected with each other but then their connections are not clear at some point. So we can say that in this novel “The Sense of an Ending” Julian Barnes has portrayed ambiguous relationships.
Work Cited
Barnes, Julian. The Sense of an Ending. Jonathan Cape and Knopf, 2011.
Kothari, Dr. Arpit. "Deconstruction of the Complex Human Relationships in
Julian Barnes' "The Sense of an Ending"." Language in India (2019): 8.
Assignment on Basics of Communication
Name: Dharaba Rayjada
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 15 Mass Communication and Media Studies
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Communication is very basic need of day to day life. Not only human beings but Nature also need the communication. Though their way of communicating with each other is very different then humans, but we can’t deny that there is no communication in nature. In general when one person gives some message to the other person we call it communication. Merriam Webster dictionary gave definition of communication like this, “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviour” Now it can be extended to the group also and to the non verbal or virtual communication. Apart from this there are other types of communications in many other ways.
According to Denis Mcquail, “communication is a process which increase commonality but also requires elements of commonality for it to occur at all”. If we try to understand this definition in simple language then it means that because of communication the commonality between two groups or people increases. But the definition is not complete in it self. It further says that for incensement of commonality people also requires those elements which can be found common in between of them. We can take example of culture. Whose culture are similar they can have more commonality in their communication. There is one Sanskrit term “Sadharanikaran” which comes closest to the meaning of common or commonness in communication.
Need for Communication
Human beings need for communication is as basic as the need of food or shelter. Without communicating our thoughts with others people can’t survive. They need someone to talk and share. Because of this we can say that the punishment of living alone, which have given to the prisoners are worst and hardest one to give. Communication requires active participation of mind, body, society and nature. Without this effective communication is may be not possible. It is basic need to share experiences of doing something with others. This is why one requires active participation of mind, body, society and nature. Excommunication might lead people to the anxiety, sensory deprivation, depraved judgement, and strange vision. For the basic human growth communication is necessary.
How Communication Works?
There are parts in communication which are important for having meaningful communication. It starts with sender and ends with having feedback from receiver. Sender has an idea, which they wants to give to someone else. Then sender will encode their idea in meaningful way. Then they will choose the channel through which they will exchange their idea with other person. The person on the other side will receive the encoded message. The receiver will decode the message which was encoded by the sender. After decoding it the receiver will get the message and then they will give feedback to the sender. This is how the chain of communication will keep moving.
Functions of Communication
As we have seen that it is basic need of humans. One person or society can not move ahead without interaction with each other. This is how there are some functions of communication.
Information Function
Information makes our life better. The more we know the more we have better opinion about the things then others. Communication makes it happens. By various types of communication people get their information and then use it for the betterment of their life or in larger scale for betterment of the society. Having information about nation, war, other countries makes our point of view better. To know about our health care and police system also makes life better in some ways. With these good sides of communication there is bad side also. As information which we have got can be fake or half truth also. So people have to check the authenticity of their information and then they should communicate those information with others.
Educational or instructional Function
The other function of communication is to provide education or to instruct people. It doesn’t matter if the way of providing education is in formal communication or not. Education starts from home. By education or instructions society functions in better way. That is why to do this type of communication is necessary and helpful also.
Entertainment Function
Entertainment is am essential part of people’s life. Through this communication they get their all emotions wash out. This makes people feel happy, sad, angry and many more. Radio, TV, Cinema, Social media, these all make entertainment communication with people.
Persuade Function
Now with the rise of social media and E – news this function of communication has become lot more easy. Now it is easy to convince people in either way of the thing. Mostly this type pf communication is done by politicians. When election comes they persuade people to give them vote. This communication they do by pamphlets, TV news or E – news.
Types of Communication
Communication don’t have only one way, it can happen in multiple ways. So here are some types of communication.
Transpersonal Communication
This types of communication refers to a interaction with spirit or god. It can be good spirit it can be bad spirit. But it has to be something more than human. We can call it spiritual or paranormal communication. People may call it religious or monastic life.
Intrapersonal Communication
This is type of communication which person do with their own self. In this communication person thinks about their own self and also before talking to others they talk with their self. This can be called as one type of meditation also. It is a kind of self evaluation, which help people to be a better human being and also improve their self on their own way.
Extra personal Communication
This type of communication includes communication with animals rather then humans. People who communicate with their pet animals or birds are doing the extra personal communication.
Interpersonal Communication
This is a type of communication in which two person are talking face to face. This is one of the effective type of communication. Because it is face to face communication. It includes person’s body gesture also which help other person to understand the talk in better way. It is also beneficial because both the participants can have instant feedback.
Group Communication
As the name suggest it is a communication which occurs between group of people. It can be formal or informal group. The group can have members according to their convenience. It is also a kind of inter personal communication. The group can communicate which share common interest. Group communication is effective in resolving problems. The role of group leader is important in group communication.
Mass Communication
This type of communication, communicate with large number of people by using mass media. In this communication newspaper, radio, television, and internet can use as mass media platform.
Mass Media
Mass media is very important part of our daily life. It influence our life more than anything else. It is our main source of getting news and entertainment. Now a days we can’t imagine a life without mass media. People use mass media for various purpose. Most use of mass media is done by politicians, business persons and any kind of authority. These people use mass media to influence common people towards them, or to pass their message to the common people. Common people use it to express their idea or to express their sufferings. There are several types of mass media communication.
Print Media
Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the moveable metallic type in the fifteenth century paved the way for proliferation of the print media. The invention of printing press was something extra ordinary in the field of print media. It has played very vital role to make print media so popular and easily available. Before printing press the books were very costly and because of that only rich family was able to afford the books. But after printing press the movable types of sources were available in very less price and almost every where. This leads to the rise of newspapers, magazines, books and other textual documents.
Electronic Media
Electronic media has started with the rise of radio. Radio stations were established by Brits in India. After that radio has become very popular. Radio were used to give news and then it plays songs also. After that came TV. In radio one can only listen but with TV one can see visuals also. Because of TV, the use of radio has been decreased. Now on TV people used to watch news and many other things. TV were providing entertainment, information and also education. There are some channel which are for educational purpose only. Cinema has also played very vital role as electronic media. It is also used as entertainment and some times it also gives some lessons. This is how electronic media was used in mass communication.
New Media
Online and digital means of producing, transmitting and receiving messages are called new
media. The term encompasses computer mediated communication technology. It implies
the use of desktop and portable computers as well as wireless and handheld devices. Every company in the computer industry is involved with new media in some manner. The forms of communicating in the digital world include CD – ROMs and DVDs. Internet facilities WWW, bulletin boards, email etc.
Social Media
With passing of time use of social media has increased than any other form of media. Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter, blogger, WordPress, these all are the platforms which has rise in really significant way. This media has brought speed in the life. With speed it has came with the risk of fake news. Social media is a platform which has made communication easy.
Work Cited
Pradeep, Dr. Lakshmi. "Introduction to Electronic Media." School of Distance
Education. Calicut: University of Calicut, 2014.
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 8
Paper No.: 15 Mass Communication and Media Studies
Email id: dharabarayjada021@gmail.com
Year: 2017-19
Submitted to: Department of English, Maharaja Krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Communication is very basic need of day to day life. Not only human beings but Nature also need the communication. Though their way of communicating with each other is very different then humans, but we can’t deny that there is no communication in nature. In general when one person gives some message to the other person we call it communication. Merriam Webster dictionary gave definition of communication like this, “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviour” Now it can be extended to the group also and to the non verbal or virtual communication. Apart from this there are other types of communications in many other ways.
According to Denis Mcquail, “communication is a process which increase commonality but also requires elements of commonality for it to occur at all”. If we try to understand this definition in simple language then it means that because of communication the commonality between two groups or people increases. But the definition is not complete in it self. It further says that for incensement of commonality people also requires those elements which can be found common in between of them. We can take example of culture. Whose culture are similar they can have more commonality in their communication. There is one Sanskrit term “Sadharanikaran” which comes closest to the meaning of common or commonness in communication.
Need for Communication
Human beings need for communication is as basic as the need of food or shelter. Without communicating our thoughts with others people can’t survive. They need someone to talk and share. Because of this we can say that the punishment of living alone, which have given to the prisoners are worst and hardest one to give. Communication requires active participation of mind, body, society and nature. Without this effective communication is may be not possible. It is basic need to share experiences of doing something with others. This is why one requires active participation of mind, body, society and nature. Excommunication might lead people to the anxiety, sensory deprivation, depraved judgement, and strange vision. For the basic human growth communication is necessary.
How Communication Works?
There are parts in communication which are important for having meaningful communication. It starts with sender and ends with having feedback from receiver. Sender has an idea, which they wants to give to someone else. Then sender will encode their idea in meaningful way. Then they will choose the channel through which they will exchange their idea with other person. The person on the other side will receive the encoded message. The receiver will decode the message which was encoded by the sender. After decoding it the receiver will get the message and then they will give feedback to the sender. This is how the chain of communication will keep moving.
Functions of Communication
As we have seen that it is basic need of humans. One person or society can not move ahead without interaction with each other. This is how there are some functions of communication.
Information Function
Information makes our life better. The more we know the more we have better opinion about the things then others. Communication makes it happens. By various types of communication people get their information and then use it for the betterment of their life or in larger scale for betterment of the society. Having information about nation, war, other countries makes our point of view better. To know about our health care and police system also makes life better in some ways. With these good sides of communication there is bad side also. As information which we have got can be fake or half truth also. So people have to check the authenticity of their information and then they should communicate those information with others.
Educational or instructional Function
The other function of communication is to provide education or to instruct people. It doesn’t matter if the way of providing education is in formal communication or not. Education starts from home. By education or instructions society functions in better way. That is why to do this type of communication is necessary and helpful also.
Entertainment Function
Entertainment is am essential part of people’s life. Through this communication they get their all emotions wash out. This makes people feel happy, sad, angry and many more. Radio, TV, Cinema, Social media, these all make entertainment communication with people.
Persuade Function
Now with the rise of social media and E – news this function of communication has become lot more easy. Now it is easy to convince people in either way of the thing. Mostly this type pf communication is done by politicians. When election comes they persuade people to give them vote. This communication they do by pamphlets, TV news or E – news.
Types of Communication
Communication don’t have only one way, it can happen in multiple ways. So here are some types of communication.
Transpersonal Communication
This types of communication refers to a interaction with spirit or god. It can be good spirit it can be bad spirit. But it has to be something more than human. We can call it spiritual or paranormal communication. People may call it religious or monastic life.
Intrapersonal Communication
This is type of communication which person do with their own self. In this communication person thinks about their own self and also before talking to others they talk with their self. This can be called as one type of meditation also. It is a kind of self evaluation, which help people to be a better human being and also improve their self on their own way.
Extra personal Communication
This type of communication includes communication with animals rather then humans. People who communicate with their pet animals or birds are doing the extra personal communication.
Interpersonal Communication
This is a type of communication in which two person are talking face to face. This is one of the effective type of communication. Because it is face to face communication. It includes person’s body gesture also which help other person to understand the talk in better way. It is also beneficial because both the participants can have instant feedback.
Group Communication
As the name suggest it is a communication which occurs between group of people. It can be formal or informal group. The group can have members according to their convenience. It is also a kind of inter personal communication. The group can communicate which share common interest. Group communication is effective in resolving problems. The role of group leader is important in group communication.
Mass Communication
This type of communication, communicate with large number of people by using mass media. In this communication newspaper, radio, television, and internet can use as mass media platform.
Mass Media
Mass media is very important part of our daily life. It influence our life more than anything else. It is our main source of getting news and entertainment. Now a days we can’t imagine a life without mass media. People use mass media for various purpose. Most use of mass media is done by politicians, business persons and any kind of authority. These people use mass media to influence common people towards them, or to pass their message to the common people. Common people use it to express their idea or to express their sufferings. There are several types of mass media communication.
Print Media
Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the moveable metallic type in the fifteenth century paved the way for proliferation of the print media. The invention of printing press was something extra ordinary in the field of print media. It has played very vital role to make print media so popular and easily available. Before printing press the books were very costly and because of that only rich family was able to afford the books. But after printing press the movable types of sources were available in very less price and almost every where. This leads to the rise of newspapers, magazines, books and other textual documents.
Electronic Media
Electronic media has started with the rise of radio. Radio stations were established by Brits in India. After that radio has become very popular. Radio were used to give news and then it plays songs also. After that came TV. In radio one can only listen but with TV one can see visuals also. Because of TV, the use of radio has been decreased. Now on TV people used to watch news and many other things. TV were providing entertainment, information and also education. There are some channel which are for educational purpose only. Cinema has also played very vital role as electronic media. It is also used as entertainment and some times it also gives some lessons. This is how electronic media was used in mass communication.
New Media
Online and digital means of producing, transmitting and receiving messages are called new
media. The term encompasses computer mediated communication technology. It implies
the use of desktop and portable computers as well as wireless and handheld devices. Every company in the computer industry is involved with new media in some manner. The forms of communicating in the digital world include CD – ROMs and DVDs. Internet facilities WWW, bulletin boards, email etc.
Social Media
With passing of time use of social media has increased than any other form of media. Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter, blogger, WordPress, these all are the platforms which has rise in really significant way. This media has brought speed in the life. With speed it has came with the risk of fake news. Social media is a platform which has made communication easy.
Work Cited
Pradeep, Dr. Lakshmi. "Introduction to Electronic Media." School of Distance
Education. Calicut: University of Calicut, 2014.
Listening Skill Project
Language is the soul of any society. We can not imagine the world without language. Language contains four basic skills. To learn any new language, acquire these four skills are necessary. These skills are listening, speaking, reading and writing. I am the student of M.A English department, Bhavnagar University. I am in the last semester of my Masters. Me and my classmate Mahir has decided to analyse the listening skills of our juniors, who are in second semester.
Process
We have decided to do one survey to analyse their listening skills. We have done this by using WhatsApp and google form. In WhatsApp we have created the temporary group for this survey. We have added 13 students from which we have received 12 responses. One was having some medical issues and that is why, that person was not able to give responses. So in that WhatsApp group we have given them two audios of two English short films. We have trimmed it in to 2 or 3 minutes audios. One audio was having Indian accents and second audio was having Foreign/Native accents. We have asked participants to listen the audios one by one and write down what they listen. But the condition was they were allowed only once to listen the audios. So in first try whatever they understand they have to write and then give it to us. After their submission of this task we have created a google form and gave it to all participants. There were some questions related to the activity which they have done and they have to respond.
After submission of their first writing, we have analysed what they have written. In the first audio which was having Indian accents, we have expected that all will be able to get everything, but we were wrong. They were making some mistakes in listening. Like in first audio with Indian accents they have made mistakes like...
Narrate – Read, Tell
Lived in – living, live in, living in
At all – at tone, at home
Deer - near
Play by your self – play over your self
With an eye – within eye
These words from audio they have got wrong for example “lived in” becomes “living, live in, living in”. Except for two or three students all others were making these mistakes. Most of the sentences were rightly written. The second audio was with foreign accents. In this audio participants have made mistakes like...
Your not sitting down – you know
I don’t mind standing – I know my standing, stand in
Post Its – postcards, posters
Box – parks, parts
Plenty of room – its your room, painting in your room
Insurance company – trends company
Elroy – All right, all way
It could be – good/glad/nice to meet you
These are the words from audio which they have got wrong. Most of the sentences were half written and the write up which participants have sent was not making any sense.
If we look comparatively then participants are more comfortable with Indian accents. In foreign accents all have made mistakes. In google form we have asked than in which accents they are more comfortable and majority of them have selected Indian accents.
As we have done this survey by using WhatsApp, we asked them, do they think WhatsApp can be helpful in listening skill. Then most of them said yes but some of them said may be. So they are not clear if this social media app can help in listening or not. As per my point of view it does help. Because it has audio recorder, people can talk in audio messages. It has video call also and it supports every type of media to transfer so it does help in listening.
Outcome
After analysis, if we evaluate participants with BULATS parameters then overall we can say that they are at A1 or A2 level. Some have quality of B1 or B2 but large number of students are having A1 and A2 level listening skill. Here they are not quite able to follow the conversation and also facing problem in having meaning from conversation. They are not able to understand some words which are spoken at speed or have similar pronunciations for example, “dear” and “deer”. So at the end we can say that participants are very poor when it comes to listening. May be they have never focused on this skill. They all are studying English Literature but then even they are lacking listening skill. We can give reason that why this is happening. Because participants have written exams and no oral exams. They are more focused on their writing and reading skills rather then listening or speaking. So the half part of a language is not focused and that is why the language it self is not acquired or learned properly. There is only one solution for this and that is practice it. These are the skills and they should acquire and for that it should be practiced on daily basis. Listening more in target language will give people the basic structure of the language which will help them in speaking also.
My experience
The experience of doing this survey was quite good. It was planned in hurry. It was not pre – planned and that is why we have to face problems. When we have created group we asked participants to listen then write and send it in the group, but we have not thought that other participants in the group can read it and they will read others response and than they will listen than it will not serve our purpose fully. It has happened also. Some have read others response and then they have listen the same thing as others, so they are making same mistakes. Other thing which we have faced is some of them are very lazy in giving responses. We have to ask several times for their response which will hardly take their 8 to 10 minutes. Our google form was also not well thought. We have prepared questions in hurry. For example there was one question that, with which accents they are more comfortable and first we have only put two option either Regional or Foreign. After some responses I have realized that there are some who may be comfortable with both and then I add another option of “both”. One question in google form which askes, whether they have done this activity honestly, is now seems useless and foolish question to me.
So after experiencing all these things I can say that surveys and researches needs planning. Without proper planning you will face problems. It also requires patience. Overall it was good experience and now it will help me to do more effective survey or research next time.
Thank you.
Tuesday 26 March 2019
Preface to the Plays of Shakespeare by Samuel Johnson
“Preface to the Plays of Shakespeare” by Samuel Johnson. In this essay Johnson has analyse both the side of Shakespearean plays, good as well as bad. Shakespeare as a writer has a great name in literature. In this essay he has described how Shakespeare was able to make his name immortal. Johnson in this essay says that Shakespeare has created only characters, which are like normal humans. The situations are also same as the problems of normal human beings. In time of Shakespeare all writers were writing about Queens and Kings but Shakespeare has choose to write about normal human beings. It is also written in the essay that Shakespeare was more comfortable with comedy than tragedy. His comedies are far better than his tragedies. It seems like he made efforts in writing tragedies but comedies comes naturally to him. He also has every elements in his plays. There is always something for everyone. These are the good points which Johnson has said about and he has also write some faults of Shakespeare. In bad side of Shakespeare’s writing Johnson has said that in plays of Shakespeare everything happens by chance. There are no Ifs and Buts. Second thing is that Shakespeare is clear about the start of his plays but not the ending. At the end he just made chaos and then either he made every character die or he made everyone meet at the end. This is how his plays ends. Johnson also describes that sometimes plot of Shakespeare’s plays are loosely connected. So this is how Johnson has described the good and bad sides of Shakespeare’s writing.
How Literature Shaped Me?
I can definitely say that because of studying literature for last five years, I am a whole new person right now. Literature or any form of art is a whole new and different world. It enables you to live as many lives as you want in your one life. It also enables you to meet thousands of different people, everyone having their own different personality. This reminds me of one quote by Jhumpa Lahiri, “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”
Literature has helped me to grow as a better human being. It helped me to understand my self and has given identity to some of my weird feelings. If I forced my memory to remember the first work which has left an impression on me, then I remember that it was Leo Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does A Man Need?”. The answer of this question has drag me out of my comfort zone. From this to the poem “Joe and Woe Are Woven Fine” by William Black, has taught me to accept miseries in life.
Literature is made up of feelings, but it does not make people emotional fools. It does not teach only feelings, it gives you history the way no one gives. It provides you the critical eyesight which only few have. Derrida tells you that you can deconstruct the well built building by finding the loose stone of that same building only. There is no need to attack from outside. Literature has taught me that life is not black or white, it has grey shade. It has rainbow. The symbol of rainbow and queer theory has taught me to accept the things the way they are, even though it looks strange to some. It has taught me that nothing is perfect not even nature. It has taught me that there can be multiple views of same thing. It has taught me that there is nothing like one and only truth, it differs and every point of view should have given place some where.
Literature has made me an individual from the herd of Sheeples. Through Criticism, it has made me see which others can’t. It taught me that constructive criticism is not a bad habit, rather it is good habit of mind. Literature has taught me how to think. When I choose to study literature, I choose to study Humans. Humans are always complicated, but then even can teach you the great things about them. For example Gogol has taught me identity crisis and diaspora. Yank, Vladimir and Estragon has taught me existentialism. Existentialism is a weird feeling, I’ve felt it before but I was not knowing the name of feeling. Literature also has given name to those weird feelings.
Not only feelings, but it has taught me some harsh realities also. For example, Mr. Gessler taught me that how industrialisation has eaten up his business and how quality is sacrificed in mass productions. Pecola through her entire life, has taught me how racism works and how harmful it is. Oliver Twist has told me the situation of orphans in his time. Gulliver has told me about the politics of his time. Hester has taught me to stand alone and fight for our own rights. Lily Briscoe has taught me to follow the passion. Hamlet taught me to think and Othello taught me to act. Doctor Faustus taught me to seek the knowledge. Milton’s Eve taught me to question. Santiago taught me to never give up. Adrian taught me the importance of last art and Tony taught me to doubt our own memories. Harry Potter taught me that chosen one also fails sometimes and they also has to face struggle in their life. These all are characters of literature, but they all talk to me. They show me their world. They show me the history and also give me sense of not repeating it.
In these five years, I have learned so many things, which might take many more years for others who don’t study it. People will underestimate us because of our selection of “Arts and Humanities”, but after studying literature, we grew older mentally, not physically. We understand our self better and we understand others also better. It taught us to put our feet in to the shoes of one who is front of us. This makes us understand the different point of view. Literature also brings unrest to you. When you grow with literature, you are definitely different from others who doesn’t and there should be difference between those who study literature and those who don’t. To adjust your self with people of your same age but with vast difference in thinking makes you feel the anxiety. You start expect maturity of your level into others, but when you don’t find it, it disappoint us. But with this dissatisfaction, anxiety and unrest, we became strong. It taught us to accept. Now literature don’t teach only to accept, it also taught you to refuse and rebel. With all these things we grow strong, always stronger than yesterday.
Literature provides comfort to the people but it also has the axe to broke the frozenness inside the peoples’ mind. It drags you out of your comfort zone. It makes you feel the things which has never happened to you. It puts you in the situation of “To be or not To be”. But at the end it also taught you that, “Readiness is all”.
Literature has taught me not to be dependent on someone else. By doing that literature has made me free. Free from every shackles and bondage of life. It has given us wings and vision of Eagle and also the stamina to fly high. Literature has given me the meaning of freedom. So what is freedom? According to me freedom is there, where are choices, then acceptance of your choice and free will to act upon those decision based on that choices.
Literature is like an ocean. You dive in it, go deep in it and it will unfolds those secrets, which are buried inside its heart. After passing five years in literature, I believe that I have looked at ocean from outside only. I know what it looks like on the surface, still I have to dive and go deep in it, to know it more.
At the end I want to say that literature has made me realise the power of the words. It has provide me all feelings. It has expand my imagination and creativity. Literature has made me whole new person. Literature has made me water. Water which flows and which never become rigid.
“But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away, not ever. The only way out is in” – Junot Diaz, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”.
What is Literature?
Literature is mirror of society. This is what we have first encountered as the definition of literature. Which means that literature is the mirror which shows the real face of society and that is why it is mirror of society. To counter argue this there is other metaphor given to literature which is literature is photograph. Literature shows photograph of society. While taking photograph people forget their worries to show them selves happy in picture and that is what literature does. It shows photographed reality of society. Some say literature is an axe to break the frozenness of society. According to this metaphor people are froze in to the rigidity of society and religion and literature should be the axe to broke that frozenness inside society or people. Another metaphor for literature is X – ray report. Literature is X – ray report of society. It is ugly but it is real. It shows where the problem lies. So some say literature is like X – ray report which shows ugly face of society.
We have seen literature already has many definitions. To define it again will be hard but here I am giving my understanding. Though to define something means to limit something in some kind of boundaries but literature is limitless it doesn’t have frontier. Then even for me literature is a Train. The first station from where train starts its journey, it will be your first book. As soon as you sit in to the train the train starts moving. Now there is no destination, there will be halts. The train will only stop if you stop reading otherwise the literature train will never stop. With the changing of book, the train will also change its appearance. You are suggested to not to judge its ride by look of train. The writer will be the driver of train. There will be other people in the train but those are the characters whom you find in a book. They will change with the book. Now there is also not fix route of train. Sometimes it will take you to utopia and sometimes to dystopia and in between it will also show you the real world, with that it will show you fantasy world also. It will also show you, different types of people. Some are good some are bad but it will be best if they have grey shade. Some you may like some you may not but what important here is your journey. Because you know there is no destination and you have not pick up this train to reach some where. You just pick up this train to travel, travel where that you don’t know and it is also not necessary to know. What necessary is that you pick up the train. Everyone who choose to travel in this train they have their personal one. Your train is only for you. Sometimes it will be electronic train sometimes it will be local train. We can not assure you how your ride will be, because it can be anything. It can be either smooth or roller coaster. It is not necessary that it will give you happiness only. It can give you tears, fears, and at most it can give you unrest also. But what is need to pick up one train, when there is no particular destination and when it can give unrest then why would one wants to travel in such train? Well, because you like to take risk and pick one. You will pick it by your choice and will left it also by your choice. At the end of the day, the journey of this train will give you Something. Not necessarily a thing, but I assure you that you will not return with empty mind or heart, lets not say hand because it might not give any physical things.
 |
| Literature is kind of Maze from which, one don't want to come out. |
Sunday 17 March 2019
Mini Reviews of Harry Potter Series
1) Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone
In the very first film, we see our hero, the boy who lived is suffering in the house of his muggle aunt. Hagrid comes and save Harry. Now all children are getting ready for going to the Hogwarts for the first time. The owls, frogs, mice, cat, broomsticks, candles hanging in the hall, ghouls, seeing all these things for the first time give gothic feeling and excitement also. Voldemort is very weak here, he wants Philosopher’s stone because it can make him immortal, but he fails. Apart from all these fantasy things, there are points like friendship, love, sacrifice, desires and some moral lessons. The Mirror of Erised is very interesting thing here. It shows people their deepest desire. But the happiest human will see themselves. When Harry see his mother and father in that mirror, Dumbledore suggest Harry to do not dwell in it and don’t forget to live life. The Devil’s Snare was also interesting. It gives very good lesson. It asks you to relax in your hard times. When problem comes, just relax and you will be out. The first year of Hogwarts was so magical. The movie also talks about racism, as Malfoy abuse Hermione because her parents are muggles. If we look deeply then it is problematic from feminist point of view. Wizard is the word for the man who knows magic which contains good connotation. Witch is used for woman who knows magic which contains very bad connotation. Over all the movie gives thrill till the end. With Harry, Ron and Hermione, viewers also wait for the next year to go to Hogwarts.
2) Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets
Second year at Hogwarts. Seeing Harry in trouble from the very beginning at Diagon Ally gives tension, but he has got luck at that time Hagrid finds him. This part falls under the category of stereotypical children literature, where princess is kidnapped and prince has to save her. This part is more boy – centric, as Hermione was also patronised when she is most needed. So only hero is at work no heroine. Voldemort is here as memory in the diary of Tom Riddle, which was one of the horcrux and Harry destroyed it. Apart from this there are things in this part which we wish we have in real life, like floo powder, invisibility cloak, phoenixes, and of course Parsel tongue ( I wonder if Harry can teach me this tongue I love snakes). Racism continues here. Hermione says fear of name increase the fear of thing and that is why they don’t afraid to speak Voldemort’s name. Choices are very important here. Voldemort and Harry have same abilities but it is their choices which makes them different. The chamber of secret is closed and one another year passed of Hogwarts.
3) Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban
Gothic elements are becoming stronger, as we see dementors in the very beginning. They are the guardians of Azkaban prison. One prisoner Sirius Black has escape from the prison and dementors are searching him. Sorrow attracts dementers and they suck the soul of people who are in grief, that makes them stronger. In this part Harry is showing his dark side. He is more eager to kill Sirius as he believe that he is the one who has betrayed the his parents. Which at last Harry and we come to know that he is innocent. We come to know something new about Ware wolf and Animagos. Ware wolves are who can’t control them selves turning in to wolf but Animagos are those who can be any animal when they want. This part has time traveling also. With that time travel we also come to know that we have to save our self, no one comes to save us. Also that loved ones never dies they always remain alive in our heart. The character of Hermione is strong here. She is doer of the things and Harry is driven here. Another year at Hogwarts ends.
4) Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
This part starts with Voldemort. They are discussing Harry Potter. In this part kids are becoming elder now. Love and Ball is part of this film. The whole move is based on Triwizards tournament. The goblet of fire choose the name of participants. Harry’s name is chosen, though he is not qualified by age to take part in this tournament but, everything is planned by the servant of Voldemort. The trophy was transferred in to the portkey, which is a thing when one touches it they reach at another place. At the end of this movie Voldemort possesses his full body. This part gives very interesting idea of pensive the memory keeper, in which we can preserve our memory. We can also see the reporter Rita Skeeter here and her way of writing in to the newspaper. We can also question news in real world. At last Dumbledore gives Harry a rational advice that dead people can’t come back and also warned him to be ready, because now he has to make choice between right or easy. With this another year at Hogwarts ends.
5) Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix
Order of Phoenix is a secret society which was established by Dumbledore. Umbridge has become one of the professor at Hogwarts and Hogwarts is now no more that lively. Power politics is playing main role here. Umbridge is from Ministry of Magic, and she started binding everybody in the rules. Practical knowledge is no more practiced in the Hogwarts, only theory. This is satire J. K. Rowling doing on the education system. They are more focused on the examination. Journalism is also criticised here as it is tool or puppet of power. Harry built Dumbledore Army. He told everyone that working hard is important but to believe in own self is also important. The lesson worth taking, only hard working will not help if you don’t trust your self. Again the matter of choice, where it is said that everybody has good and bad side it is just what you choose to be. Hogwarts is no more fascinating now and one more year at Hogwarts ends.
6) Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Slughorn is a new professor at Hogwarts. He is friend of Dumbledore. Voldemort is becoming more powerful and it is task of Harry to find out that what has given Voldemort power. Bellatrix who is one of the follower of Voldemort has escape from the Azkaban. Now to kill Voldemort is more important. Slughorn has given some information to the Tom but he feels guilty and that is why he has manipulate his memory. At the end he gives his actual memory to Harry and then the task is to find all the horcruxes of Voldemort and destroy them. Without memory we are nothing, this is what this part is saying. Severus Snape has killed the Dumbledore. Now the main task for Harry, Hermione and Ron is to find all the horcrucxes and destroy them. The last year at Hogwarts ends, and now coming back to the Hogwarts will not be important any more.
7) Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows – 1
Now there is no Hogwarts. Things have become worst at Hogwarts. The school is now under the control of Voldemort. Death eaters have become professor at Hogwarts. Racism is at its height. They are on the project of killing every muggle born and half blood people. Ministry is also working in the favour of making wizard world pure. Radio and other media has just becomes the puppet of the ministry. Harry, Hermione and Ron has to destroy every horcrux before Voldemort found the Deathly Hallows. It is made up of three things, the invisibility cloak, elder wand and resurrection stone. If Voldemort gets these three things then to kill him will be impossible. This part gives one important lesson that sometimes we have to fight with our own self. Dumbledore in his will has left all three of them something, which will be helpful to them in finding their way. They found some horcruxes and destroyed but some are still there.
8) Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows – 2
Harry, Hermione and Ron are still on the search of some last few horcruxes. Voldemort has got the elder wand now. He has attacked the Hogwarts to get the Harry. Now fight has come face to face. Voldemort and his followers have killed so many at Hogwarts. Voldemort says that so many people has dies for Harry. Here the heroism of Harry is questioned. Every time it is hero who dies for people but here others are dying because of him. After that he has choose to go alone in the forest to fight with Voldemort. He knows that he has to die. Dumbledore also knows this, but it was not told to Harry. It is said that waiting for the right time is necessary. Harry willingly goes to sacrifice himself. He wins over death. There is talk also between Dumbledore and Harry, where Dumbledore told him to pity living not the dead and to pity those who has lived without love. Harry and Voldemort are similar at some points and that is why it is something like to fight with self, which is very hard and necessary also. At the end Harry broke the Elder wand because he says that invincibility is dangerous, fear is what make people human. At the end the children of Harry, Hermione and Ron are going for the first time at Hogwarts and Harry tells his son that choice is what ultimately matters. This is how Harry Potter series ends.
Harry Potter series are full of adventure, thrill, magic and fascination. With all these things Harry Potter is also about Good vs. Evil, Tolerance vs. Intolerance, Equality vs. Inequality and many more. Wizard world gives lessons which can be very helpful in our muggle world. To watching these series is wonderful experience.
Thank you.
Saturday 16 March 2019
Web Quest of Harry Potter
This blog is part of my academic activity. To know more about activity click here.
Harry Potter series are those on which lots of internet source can be found, and also on mostly any topic related to Harry Potter. So for our academic purpose we have asked to do web quest on selected topics from Harry Potter. To open the table of web quest click here.
In case if links in the table don’t work then here are every topic with embedded link.
1) Children’s literature and Harry Potter
2) Theme of Choice and Chance in Harry Potter
3) Moral and Philosophical reading of Harry Potter
4) Feminist reading of female characters in Harry Potter
5) Discourse on Purity of Blood and Harry Potter
6) Self Help culture and Harry Potter
7) Confronting reality by Reading fiction – Harry Potter
8) Discourse of Power and Politics in Harry Potter
9) Speculative literature and Harry Potter
10) Theme of Love and Death in Harry Potter
11) Christianity in Harry Potter
12) What do you think about this image?
I think that what is said in this image is right. Harry Potter books do argue for intolerance and do plea to end bigotry. We can say that from the very choice of making hero a half blood. This suggest that division on the name of race or blood does not matter. Dobby as free house elf also speaks to end the class discrimination. Further, yes, this can be the reason why people don’t like the books. But as the image says that it pass on very healthy message which younger generation should know. People always believe that to question authority is disloyalty towards authority. Well no, it is not disloyalty, in first place; and in second place, in democracy people have right to ask question to authority and to know things which authority is doing. So asking question is not disloyalty. We live in post – truth era, so to doubt or to not believe without evidence should be the habit of people. We see that in Harry Potter also how Rita Skater manipulate the truth. So we should also not believe what authority or media says to us.
Thank you.
Harry Potter series are those on which lots of internet source can be found, and also on mostly any topic related to Harry Potter. So for our academic purpose we have asked to do web quest on selected topics from Harry Potter. To open the table of web quest click here.
In case if links in the table don’t work then here are every topic with embedded link.
1) Children’s literature and Harry Potter
2) Theme of Choice and Chance in Harry Potter
3) Moral and Philosophical reading of Harry Potter
4) Feminist reading of female characters in Harry Potter
5) Discourse on Purity of Blood and Harry Potter
6) Self Help culture and Harry Potter
7) Confronting reality by Reading fiction – Harry Potter
8) Discourse of Power and Politics in Harry Potter
9) Speculative literature and Harry Potter
10) Theme of Love and Death in Harry Potter
11) Christianity in Harry Potter
12) What do you think about this image?
I think that what is said in this image is right. Harry Potter books do argue for intolerance and do plea to end bigotry. We can say that from the very choice of making hero a half blood. This suggest that division on the name of race or blood does not matter. Dobby as free house elf also speaks to end the class discrimination. Further, yes, this can be the reason why people don’t like the books. But as the image says that it pass on very healthy message which younger generation should know. People always believe that to question authority is disloyalty towards authority. Well no, it is not disloyalty, in first place; and in second place, in democracy people have right to ask question to authority and to know things which authority is doing. So asking question is not disloyalty. We live in post – truth era, so to doubt or to not believe without evidence should be the habit of people. We see that in Harry Potter also how Rita Skater manipulate the truth. So we should also not believe what authority or media says to us.
Thank you.
Friday 15 March 2019
Theme of Love and Death in Harry Potter
Harry Potter with lots of other elements has not left out the age old theme of Love and Death. The very first scene of love and death comes together is murder of Harry’s parents. They sacrifice themselves because they have loved the Harry and that has given protection to the Harry. Same thing Harry does. He goes to the forest willingly to sacrifice himself for the sake of Hogwarts protection and it also has provided protection to the Hogwarts. In matter of love Dumbledore also says that don’t pity dead, pity living and pity those who does not get love. So this is how the theme of love has portrayed.
Death is also one of the theme of Harry Potter. It gives very good insight for death. It says that one can not cheat death. One or the other day people have to die. Other thing it says is that no one can bring dead ones back to the life. Dumbledore also says that there is no such spell which can bring dead back. It also says that to win over death means to win over the fear of death. If you don’t fear dying then death can not do anything wrong to you. This is what Harry also does. When he was going in to the forest to Voldemort he thinks about death and he very calmly accepts the death. This gives very good insight. There are those people also who have feared the death and now they are Ghouls in the Hogwarts. So if someone fear death they remain in between. But Harry has very bravely overcome the fear of death. One last thing which it says about dead and dear ones that they can’t come back but they live in the heart, they don’t go away. They are always with you.
Christianity in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter series are one of those where there is complete denial of God or Religion. Hogwarts and all the characters in the novels have gone through hardest time of their life. But then even we did not find anyone who is praying to God for help. There is not a single church also in the setting of the novels. When hard time comes people choose to act rather than pray. We also didn’t find that any where it was God’s miracle that save any of the characters or anywhere the God is coming and saving characters from catastrophe. So in one way J. K. Rowling has denied the existence of God or Religion in her books. May be these all are the reasons why some Christians are not happy with the books and they are asking people to not to read it. They believe that this books are celebrating Satanism. Because magic and witchcraft are symbols of Satan worshiping in the Christianity.
If we look from another angel then we can find some of elements of Christianity here. The very survival of Harry and then took him to the safe place by three person it self is like story of a Jesus. Then in last parts Harry is referred as “Chosen one”, which it self is similar as Christ. So these way we can also find Christianity in to the Harry Potter series.
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Power Politics in Harry Potter
Whole Harry Potter series has the dynamics of power politics. Questioning authority is base of good democracy, but when power is not ready for criticism or in the name of reformation when power controls and separate people then they don’t accepts questions as something good, but rather they take it as disloyalty towards the authority. This started happening in Hogwarts also when government started interfering the education. Education is base of people. They learn to ask question when they are educating themselves. But when people from Ministry of Magic has become professor in school the atmosphere has started changing. Umbridge is a member of Ministry of Magic, she came in to education. Very first thing which she did was she started giving punishment for asking questions and started separating those who asks question. When fellow teachers ask her anything she accuse them of being disloyal to the authority. She has taken all the freedom of students. There are more restriction on students in the name of discipline. Whole Hogwarts has changed because of her large list of rules and strict application of those rules. This is how they have controlled the resistance.
After all these things Voldemort is coming in to the power because the death eaters are now becoming professor at Hogwarts. Those professors has strictly act on the idea of Voldemort. That idea was of pure blood. They have started catching those who are not belongs to pure blood. This is how they make the non pure bloods, Others. On this idea of Others they have started killing muggles and half blood people. So this is how power politics works in the Harry Potter.
Confronting Reality by Reading Fiction Harry Potter
The writer of fantasy books have never thought of only write it for entertainment. Fantasy books always have some moral lessons or some lessons which people can put in to the real practice. Harry Potter is also same kind of novels which helps us in living our real life, but it told us by fantasy story. The first and important lesson according to me is accept the failure. Harry is hero of the novels but then even some times he can not win some battles, but then he accepts his failure and move forward. This gives another lesson worth putting in to real life practice is persistency. Failure or success doesn’t mean stop. One should have to keep on doing the same till they don’t achieve the height. This means one should never give up. Another important thing is love and sacrifice. It was Lily’s love and sacrifice which keeps Harry alive.
Other important lessons which we can take from Harry Potter is questioning the authority. It always happens in real world that people thinks what authority does is always good but it is not so. One should always question the authority and one should also stands for the right thing or rights of the people. Some lessons which can be helpful in developing self is that everybody has good and bad side. No one is thoroughly good or bad. People have both, most people have balance, in some case one is over powering other. So while thinking about ourselves also we should remember that no one is thoroughly good or bad. Second one is over coming the fear of death. In nature, who take birth, they have to die. No one can be immortal. So fearing the truth of the life is not so good thing to do, so one should overcome the fear of death. These are some points through which Harry Potter series can help people to confront reality by reading fantasy books.
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Harry Potter as Speculative Fiction
Speculative Fiction is an umbrella term, which includes many other terms like science fiction, fantasy, horror, history, utopia, dystopia and super hero story. There are many terms which can be applied on Harry Potter books. We can say that Harry Potter series are fantasy books, as it take us to the world of magic and mystery. Though it is world of magic but it gives scientific reasons also, as it shows process of every magic so it can be considered as scientific fiction. With science and magic it gives elements of horror. All those dark forests and giant animals, at some place give feeling of horror. These books are not connected with real history. It does have the events of present world. But it obviously is talking about the history of the Hogwarts school. So it includes history also. At last we have super hero tale also. This is the story of a “boy who lived” and “chosen one” so we can take Harry as super hero. All these terms makes Harry Potter a speculative fiction.
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Harry Potter as Self Help Books
Harry Potter has given many lessons which can make these books as self help books. For instance, finding happiness in dark times, doing duty honestly even if people don’t like you, recognize friend in disguise, loyalty, sacrifice, friendship, persistency, these all are the topics which can be taken as self help. But there is something more than this which make this books different from others self help cultured books. Those books asks to find reason of failure in one’s own self. It sooths the political agenda of government, who tells people that there is something lacking in you and not in the system. Harry Potter differs from these culture. Harry Potter teach us to question the authority. It teaches to doubt power also not only own self. It also teach us to fight against the power. We can take example of Dumbledore’s army, which was trained by Harry. That army was to fight against the Ministry of Magic. So it doesn’t sooths the agenda of government. It is rather teaching that question authority is betterment for society.
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Discourse on Purity of Blood in Harry Potter
Pure blood, Half blood and Mud blood, these are the terms which are used in the Harry Potter books. These terms are to discriminate people, and also to show power of related to blood. Every where there is concept of superior and inferior, the base might differ. Here the base is blood. People in Harry Potter series used to think that those who have belongingness to pure blood family, have more talent and those who doesn’t belongs don’t have talent. But here making hero Half blood and Hermione, Mud blood, J. K. Rowling is showing very clearly her stance. So it proves that talent can not be inherited, it should be acquired. Secondly pure blood don’t give certificate of goodness in person. We can clearly see that Malfoys who belongs to Pure blood family are in the favour of Voldemort and Harry who is Half blood and Hermione who is Mud blood they are fighting against the evil. So everything does not come with blood.
Then we can see racism also. As Rowling her self has not portrayed any other race then white as leading or main characters. All other races are just there as crowd or supportive characters. We can also see the master race and slave race as there are house elves and goblins, who serves wizards. Goblins are inferior to the wizards. House elves are same as slave in real world. They treated very badly by their masters. We can see two house elves here. One is Dobby, who later on becomes free elf, but before freedom we can see how badly he has treaded by Mr. Malfoy. Second is Kreacher, who is house elf of Black family. So in these ways we can see the discourse on purity of blood in Harry Potter series, in which by making hero from Half blood family we can see the sign of Rowling that she doesn’t believe in master race or pure blood idea.
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