THEMATIC BOOK REPORTEMMA SHAPLAND

CCS CLASS 6X11-18-2009

Keeping Corner

Keeping Corner’s:

SettingReligious and Other BeliefsHistorical Events and FiguresMain CharactersPlotConflictsThemes Author

Setting:

The year is 1918, nearly 100 before 2009

We are in India British rule over India as a colony Hindu religion Caste system

In a small village called Jamlee No cars or pavement, but

carriages driven by livestock on dirt roads

Many fairs, events and dinners In a Brahman Household

Dirt floors Shed with a Bullock Courtyard Extended family living

Religious and Other Beliefs

Hinduism: polytheism, Rama is key godCaste System: several social classes of traditional

Hindu societyBrahman

Hindu belonging to the highest caste Subject to strict rules Example: Widows must “keep corner”

– stay confined to your house for a year Widowhood

Keep Corner Mourn the loss of your husband Shave head Shunned by all

BRITISH RULE- AND -GANDHI

Historical Events and Figures

British Rulewww.flowofhistory.com

Origins

• British East India Co. founded in 1599

• Objective was peaceful trade

• Trade turned to rule

Importance

• India became crowned jewel of British Empire

• Many influences – words like pajamas, games like playing polo, activities like drinking tea and taking showers

Demise

• Indians tire working for England

• Indian National Congress gives Hindus some political power

• World Wars cause British to trade more power troops

Gandhiwww.camat.comwww.flowof history.comwww.indianchild.com

• How you act is more important than what you achieve

• Let Satygarah against British rule• Satygarah = peaceful resistance

• Saty = truth• agrah = insistence

• Willing to go to jail for Satygarah• Went to jail many times • Spent 7 years in jail

• Gandhi became voice of Indian National Congress in 1920

• Forced Britain to give India independence in 1947

• Killed in 1947 by one of his followers

Main Character

Leela is a 13-year-old Indian girl of the Brahman caste

She lives with her Ba (mother) Bapuji (father) Kaka (paternal uncle) Kaki (uncle’s wife)

She was engaged at two, married at nine planning at 13 to move

into the home of her husband

Plot

Plans •Leela plans for her anu, (ceremony for a bride before she moves into the home of her husband)

Tragedy •Leela’s husband is bitten by a poisonous snake and dies, leaving her a widow

Effect •As a widow, she must shave her head, take off her jewelry forever and wear the brown chidri (sari, or Indian dress) of the widow instead of bright and colorful saris.

•She also must stay confined to her house for one year. This is called “Keeping Corner”

New Beginn

ing•Her former principal offers to help Leela continue her studies. Leela accepts with no real interest

in studying, but as time goes by she becomes a diligent student.

Struggle •She studies she becomes interested in what is going on with her country and Britain. She also

reads about Ghandi and Narmad, a writer who believes widows should be allowed to remarry

Freedom •As her father decides to follow Ghandi in satyagrah against the British, Leela comes to believe that

she has the “right to wage satyagrah” against the unfairness of widowhood.

Conflict

Leela’s husband dies and society

wants her to follow the path of

a widow

She wants an education and a

life beyond confinement and

loss

One conflict is between Leela wants for herself and what society expects of her: “A widow’s life is a living death.”

Conflict

Britain is trying to hold onto its rule over India

Gandhi and his followers are fighting for freedom

There is also a conflict between India and Britain, which rules India

Freedom can overcome oppression

You should be willing to find a new way

Leela was oppressed by tradition and beliefs about widows “A widow’s arms are

forever quiet.”The Indian people

were oppressed by Britain

Both Leela and the Indian people had to decide which path to take: the old way or the new way Being a widow means

keeping corner for the rest of your life.”

When society paves the road, you do not have to follow it—Emma Shapland

Themes

Author

Name: Kashmira ShethBiography:

Born in Bhavangar, India Moved to U.S. to attend Iowa State University at 17 Earned microbiology degree Decided to become author after inspiring letter from uncle Currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband and two daughters

Other Books: Blue Jasmine, Koyal Dark, Mango SweetLanguages: Hindi, Gujarati, English and SanskritFavorite Genre: Historical fictionAwards:

2006-07 Iowa Children’s Choice Award Nominee; Oklahoma’s 2007 Children’s Sequoyah Award Masterlist; Paul Zoindel First Novel Award; 2005 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award; ALA Great Middle School Reads; CCBC Choice 2005 (source www.community.livejounal.com)