Module- 1A

English A

Compulsory Language Course

Fluency in English

[Units 1 – 18]

Module Co-ordinators: Neeta Gupta and Nalini Prabhakar

Unit Writers:

UshaAnand

Seema Suri

Neeta Gupta

Anil Aneja

P K Satapathy

Nalini Prabhakar

Content Editors (Unit 1-3): Seema Suri

Content Editors (Unit 4-18): Neeta Gupta and Nalini Prabhakar

Contents

• About the Module

• Module Description

• Module Objectives

• Units in the Module:

• Unit 1: Reading Strategies: Inzy Lets Things Flow Over Him By Kadambari Murali

• Unit 2: Ways of Reading: It’s only a Game, Enjoy by Tarun J. Tejpal

• Unit 3: Telling Stories: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

• Unit 4: Understanding Points of View: Girls by Mrinal Pande

• Unit 5: Understanding Poetry I: An Exchange by Payal Kapadia

• Unit 6: Understanding Satire: A Ten Day Fast by Harishankar Parsai

• Unit 7: Understanding Values: Go, Kiss the World by Subroto Bagchi

• Unit 8: Understanding Poetry II: Amalkanti by Nirendranath Chakrabarti

• Unit 9: Understanding Arguments: Hitting Dowry for a Six by Kalpana Sharma

• Unit 10:Understanding Humour: Chocolate by Manju Kapur

• Unit 11: Understanding Biography: A Gandhian in Garhwal: Chandi Prasad Bhatt

by (Ramchandra Guha)

• Unit 12: Understanding Poetry III: Process by Shrikant Verma

• Unit 13: Reading Reviews: Lost and Found: Benegal’s Bose by Mihir Bose

• Unit 14: Understanding Narrative: Soapnut Leaves by Chasso

• Unit 15: Understanding Poetry IV: The Lost Word by Esther Morgan

• Unit 16: Reading Between The Lines: Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl

• Unit 17: Understanding Poetry V: Some People by Rita Ann Higgins

• Unit 18: Understanding Drama: Routes and Escape Routes by Datta Bhagat

• Appendix 1: Sample Question Paper

About The Module

This Module is for BA Programme Ist Year English A Stream students. In the first year each student is

required to study the following:

1. Fluency in English Part 1 (Delhi: Macmillan 2005)

2. Advanced English Grammar by Martin Hewing Units 1-62

You are advised not to treat this module as a substitute for the prescribed texts. You shall have to procure a

copy of the prescribed text books mentioned above. This module will help you with your study of Fluency

in English Part 1. So far as the Grammar component of the course is concerned the text prescribed is a

practice book and already contains a key to various exercises. Hence you will not be provided with any

study material for the same.

This module is on Fluency in English Part 1 only. In this module all the Units given in the text book have

been analysed and explained with solved exercises from the text as well as some activities for additional

practice. The module is written in a format that will enable you to work without the help of a teacher. You

will benefit much from this module provided you approach each Unit after reading the corresponding Unit

in the text book Fluency in English Part 1. You are further encouraged, wherever possible, to work in small

groups to extract the maximum possible benefit from this module.

Module Description

Each Unit in this Module is designed to help you in the best possible manner in understanding the lesson in

the text book. Each Unit broadly contains the following:

• Brief Introduction

• Learning Objectives

• Summary/Critical Commentary (the lesson has been divided in short sections for better clarity

and understanding)

• Check Your Progress: At the end of each section you will find questions related to that particular

section. Try and answer the same and cross check your answers with the key provided to these

questions after the Glossary

• Let us Sum up: A brief overview of the lesson and the learning objectives achieved.

• Glossary: Meanings to the difficult words and phrases in the lesson have been provided here.

• Key to ‘Check Your Progress’ Questions

• Key to some of the Vocabulary and Writing Exercises given at the end of the lesson in the text

book

• Activities: To be attempted on your own

• Sample Question Paper has been provided at the end of the Module to give you an idea about the

pattern as well as the type of questions you will be expected to attempt in the examination.

Module Objectives

The main objective of this module is to introduce you to various forms of writing such as narrative, poetry,

essay, biography, drama, review to name a few. This module, through a detailed analysis of the selection of

these writings included in your textbook Fluency in English I, will also make you familiar with the specific

features of each kind of writing. After having gone through all the Units in this Module, in conjunction

with the relevant piece of writing in the textbook, you will be able to:

• Distinguish between prose and poem

• Identify poetic features

• Reconstruct a narrative

• Formulate arguments

• Describe a murder scene

• Identify humour

• Read between the lines

• Recognize point of view

• Recognize fantasy

• Understand features of drama

An additional objective of this module is to enable you to relate these pieces of writing to your

surroundings and life experiences and by extension enable you to acquaint yourselves with what is

happening in the world around you. For example, a story like ‘Girls’ deals with the issue of gender

sensitization while a poem like ‘Some People’ highlights the economic disparity that exists in society.

These and many such issues are taken up for analysis in the various Units of this Module.

The various pieces of writing will also give you practice in language learning, vocabulary enhancement

and writing. The same is achieved through the exercises included at the end of each Unit, solutions to

which have been provided to help you check your work.

1

Unit 1

Reading Strategies

Inzy Lets Things Flow Over Him

by Kadambari Murali

Dr. Seema Suri

1.1 Introduction

In addition to books and magazines, we read a variety of text-types without, perhaps, even

realizing that they are texts. The newspaper you read in the morning, the instructions on your

bottle of shampoo, the rate-chart at the Metro station, the e-mail/ sms you got or the prospectus for

college that you bought - all these are examples of text-types as are the

charts, diagrams, cartoons or photographs which accompany texts.

We read primarily to seek information or increase our knowledge. People also read for

pleasure, to communicate with other people or to seek inspiration from religious texts. There is a

wide spectrum of reasons, ranging from the purely functional to the religious or spiritual. The text

book, Fluency in English, provides you with a wide variety of authentic texts and sensitizes you to

differences in style. The first unit in your textbook is a feature article on former Pakistani cricket

captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq.

1.2 Objectives

The main requisite of reading comprehension is the ability to read a passage without failing to

grasp the general meaning of the text. Moreover you must also train yourself, not only to pay

attention to what is said but how it is said. This unit of your study material aims to,

- familiarize you with the characteristics of a feature article,

- recognize the writer's technique/ style, and

- evaluate the article in terms of organization and writer's intention.

It includes a critical commentary, some self-check questions at the end of each section, answers to

these questions ( 1.7 ) and a key to the exercises in your text-book ( 1.8 ).

1.3 Profile Feature Story

Newspapers have,in addition to news reports, feature articles on different subjects.Unlike current

news stories on the front page, feature articles do not become irrelevant after a couple of days.

They are written in a style different from the news; they are longer and have a human interest.

Feature articles are of many types; ranging from travel stories and scientific developments to

analyses of electronic gadgets or fashion trends.

A feature article that focuses on a famous personality to create a profile or a picture in words is

known as a profile feature story. Most profile features use an interview to create the profile.

2

The first unit in your text book `Inzy Lets Things Flow Over Him' is a profile feature article on

Inzamam-ul-Haq, former captain of the Pakistani cricket team. He is regarded as one of the

greatest Pakistani batsmen of the modern era. In International Cricket Council rankings between

1995 and 2007, he was consistently ranked among the top twenty batsmen in the world.

The feature is written by Kadambari Murali, the sports editor of The Hindustan Times at the time

the article was written and the first woman to hold that position. Kadambari was accompanying the

Indian cricket team for a Test match between India and Pakistan, being played at Multan, Pakistan

in 2004. It was an exciting event for cricket fans as it was the first Indo-Pak match being held in

Pakistan after fifteen years.

Kadambari Murali steers clear of the technical aspects of the game and the excitement

surrounding the historic event. Neither does she try to cram the article with a biography of the

sports icon. Instead she interviews Ghulam Mujtaba, close friend of Inzamam-ul-Haq and presents

us with what we could call a close-up of the sports icon.

1.4 Critical Commentary

Para 1-3

Read the first two lines of the first paragraph carefully. They summarize the content of the

article. As we are told; it is not about the Pakistani icon but a `human tale; of two friends'. We can

guess that though the title of the article is about Inzamam-ul-Haq, or Inzy as he is known, it will

focus on his friendship with Mujtaba.

Kadambari observes Mujtaba in the lobby of the hotel, busy preparing for Inzamam’s arrival, placing photographs and banners. It is indeed unusual for a person to take so much pride in

a friend’s achievements. The unassuming Mujtaba does not hesitate to ask the author if the English on the banner is correct.

We are informed that Mujtaba and Inzamam have been friends for twenty years and in

Multan, their hometown, Mujtaba is as well-known as the famous cricketer.

i. Where is the interview with Mujtaba taking place? What is the occasion?

ii. What is Mujtaba's full name?

iii. How long have Mujtaba and Inzamam known each other? How did they meet?

Para 4-9

The interview is in a simple style. Murali uses a method that allows the human aspects of

Inzamam to come to the fore; presenting the Pakistani captain through the eyes of Mujtaba. She

allows him to talk freely about Inzamam, without intervening or interrupting with any questions of

her own. Direct quotations comprise a large portion of the article. Note how the paragraphs

begin:

According to Mujtaba………………. (para 5)

3

Mujtaba recalls how ………………… (para 6)

Inzamam, it appears….……………… (para 7)

Mujtaba recalls the early days of their friendship, before Inzamam became a world famous

cricketer. We learn about many facets of Inzamam's personality. Each incident that Mujtaba

recalls with nostalgia gives us an intimate picture of Inzy: their first meeting, Inzy’s love for

food, his basically shy nature, his dedication as a player and his meteoric rise to fame.

Mujtaba was sad when Inzamam left Multan to join the Lahore Club on Imran Khan's

invitation. In the 1992 World Cup semi-final against Australia, the relatively unknown Inzamam

was included in the batting line-up and noticed by fans and experts. Inzy was only 22 years old

at that time. Again, in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in 1992, he hit 60 runs from

only 37 balls and led his team to victory. It is regarded as one of the finest World Cup

performances.

Inzamam soon became a national celebrity and when he visited his home after the victorious

match, Mujtaba, conscious of the wide gap in their social position, did not join the cheering

crowds welcoming their hero at the airport. But when the motorcade was passing Mujtaba's shop

Inzy went in and made his friend sit next to him. Mujtaba gets particularly emotional while

recalling this incident.

The picture that emerges is endearing, of a man who is loyal and unaffected by status. Inzamam

has not allowed his rise to fame to affect his friendship. Mujtaba, to his credit, takes genuine

pride in his friend's achievements and is protective and defensive about Inzamam.

i. Where did Inzy practice ?

ii. Who is Inzamam’s father ?

iii. Who is Imran Khan ?

iv. During which crucial match did Inzamam fall ill? What had happened ?

Para 10-12

The bond between the friends is a touching one. It is obvious that Inzamam, in spite of his

success, treats Mujtaba as his confidante and depends on him. Mujtaba defends Inzamam's silence

during allegations of match-fixing that marred his career. In 2006, while playing against England

at The Oval, there were allegations of ball-tampering against his team and Inzy protested against

the umpires' decision by remaining in the dressing room and not coming out to play. The charges

were later cleared. Mujtaba tells Murali that during all these controversies Inzy never reacted and

kept silent;

He is still laid back and has nothing bad to say about anyone. In fact that’s the best and worst thing about him- his tendency to let things flow over him.

4

You must have now understood the significance of the title by now. It refers to Inzamam's

characteristic personality trait; not reacting to either praise or criticism. Mujtaba, however, points

out that Inzamam has changed and now started to assert himself.

The article ends with a surprising bit of information. We are told that Mujtaba runs the barber's

shop in the hotel. This sudden revelation about Mujtaba's humble occupation only increases our

respect for Inzamam. The article succeeds in presenting a side of Inzamam that most fans might

not have known about and makes him a more lovable character. It is indeed rare to find a man so

untouched by his fame or a friend like Mujtaba, whose affection is not contaminated with

jealousy or envy.

i. Which quality of Inzamam does Mujtaba draw our attention to ?

ii. What is Inzamam’s son’s name ?

iii. Do you think the title of the article is an appropriate one ?

1.5 Summary

In this unit you have read a feature article that profiles a sports star. The main point to note

is how the personality of the writer remains in the background with the focus on Inzamam, seen

through the eyes of Mujtaba. Inzamam is an international cricket star and we can sense the level of

his popularity in the references to the crowds at the airport in Multan, when he returned after

winning the World Cup in 1992. Interestingly, the author notices Inzamam come down for

breakfast at the hotel while she is interviewing Mujtaba but she does not ask him anything.

Kadambari Murali has created an endearing close-up of Inzamam and Mujtaba’s friendship, as narrated by the humble Mujtaba.

1.6 Glossary

skipper : the captain of a sports team

icon : a famous person, admired for a particular quality

painstakingly : with a lot of care, effort and attention to detail

laidback : calm and relaxed, not worrying about anything

heady : exciting

1.7 Key to check your progress questions

Para 1-4

i. Kadambari Murali is interviewing Mujtaba in the lobby of a hotel in Multan, where both

the Indian and Pakistan teams are staying, during a Test match in 2004.

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ii. Inzamam and Mujtaba have known each other for twenty years. They met through

Inzamam’s elder brother Intezaar, who brought him to Mujtaba’s shop one day and they became friends.

iii. Ghulam Mujtaba

Para 4-9

i. Inzamam would spend the whole day at the Multan Cricket Club, practicing with his bat.

ii. Mujtaba’s father, Pir Intezam-ul-haq, was one of Pakistan’s most prominent spiritual leaders.

iii. Imran Khan, Pakistan's most successful cricket captain, led his country to victory at

the 1992 Cricket World Cup. He played for the Pakistani cricket teamfrom 1971 to 1992.

iv. It was during the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, in 1992 that Inzamam

suffered food poisoning and went to play straight from hospital.

Para 10-12

i. Mujataba says that Inzamam’s tendency ‘to just let things flow over him’ is the best and worst thing about him; good because he remains unaffected and does not react to criticism

or praise. And the worst thing because, at times, being a celebrity he needs to clear up

some things, which he doesn’t.

ii. Ehtesham

iii. The article, based on an interview with his close friend Mujtaba, is almost entirely about

Inzamam-ul-haq. Mujtaba talks about their friendship and fondly speaks about Inzamam’s nature, which is laid-back and easy going. Considering that it his perspective on Inzamam

that is offered to the reader the title is quite suitable.

1.8 Key to Exercises in Unit 1, Text-book

As a student learning through the distance mode you might feel isolated and disadvantaged

as you are learning on your own. Try to do the exercises in your text-book and check your answers

with the help of this key.

Reading Comprehension

1. This article is easy to understand because it is written in a simple, straightforward style.

The article on Inzamam-ul-Haq is written by Kadambari Murali, well known sports

journalist. She was the sports editor of ‘The Hindustan Times.'

6

As the first paragraph ends we know that this article is based on a conversation between the

journalist Kadambari Murali and Ghulam Mujtaba, close friend of Inzamam-ul-Haq or Inzy, as

he is known by his friends. The conversation takes place in the lobby of a hotel in Multan

where Mujtaba is busy preparing for Inzy's arrival. Mujtaba and Inzy have been close friends

for twenty years and Mujtaba narrates old incidents to Kadambari, telling her how Inzy and he

would spend whole nights chatting with each other. He also tells Kadambari about Inzamam's

early cricketing career, his rise to become a cricket sports star, his success and his problems.

We get to know that Inzamam has never been assertive and only recently started to assert

himself.

2. This article tells us more about Inzamam, though it is based on a conversation between the

journalist and Mujtaba. In the Indian subcontinent cricket is a religion and fans love to read

about their favourite players and Inzamam is a sports icon. He was captain of the Pakistan

cricket team from 2003-7.

3. The style of the article is informal and conversational. Kadambari Murali does not go into

details of Inzamam's career or his achievements as a cricketer. Instead she adopts the human

approach and focuses on Mujtaba's reflections (reflective) on Inzamam's personality and his

narration (narrative) of the early days of their friendship.

4. The main features of formal and informal styles are:

Formal Informal

complete and grammatically accurate sentences hesitations, false starts, interruptions

well organized, well-structured paragraphs short and often incomplete sentences

precise and accurate use of words contractions or short forms

simple and compound sentences complex sentence structures

use of jargon or technical terms clichés, repetitive use of words

Below are two examples, one each of a formal and informal style. You will find all the above

mentioned feature s in both these extracts.

Informal style

The Woman : Are you happy?

The Older Girl : Yes, very.

The Woman : Sit down. Tell me the truth. Is there anything…?

The Older Girl : No. Nothing and yet…everything!

The Woman : For instance?

7

The Older Girl : For instance…everything?

The Woman : So you mean?

The Older Girl : I mean…that…before I got married I thought I knew Manoj very well. But now…

The Woman : Hmm. Is he unfaithful?

The Older Girl : No.

( From Aadhe-Adhure, Mohan Rakesh)

Formal style

We shall outline the four major subfields of anthropology that have emerged in the

twentieth century: physical anthropology, archeology, linguistics and cultural anthropology.

Physical anthropology deals with human biology across space and time. It is divided into

two areas; paleontology, the study of fossil evidence of the primate, including human

evolution, and neontology, the comparative biology of living primates, including population

and molecular genetics, body shapes (morphology), and the extent to which behaviour is

biologically programmed.

Archeology is the systematic retrieval and analysis of the physical remains left behind by

human beings, including both their skeletal and cultural remains. Both the classical

civilizations and prehistoric groups, including our pre-human ancestors are investigated.

( D. E. Hunter and P. Whitman: The Study of Anthropology, Harper & Row, 1976)

5. The style of the article is quite informal. The language used is simple, everyday language and

includes many colloquial expressions. (Read the table in the answer to the next question.)

Kadambari allows Mujtaba to speak about Inzy, without intervening and there are a large

number of direct quotations. On the whole both the language and subject matter of the article

are simple and easy to read.

Informal Style Formal Style

(i) Now he has gone far ahead. (iv) He has greatly improved his position and

status in life.

(ii) We hit it off immediately. (ii) We soon developed a warm, friendly

relationship.

8

(iii) He would hang out at my home. (vii) He would spend a lot of time with me at

my home.

(iv) He played that match coming straight off

the drip.

(ii) Immediately after being discharged from

the hospital, he played that match.

(v) I wouldn't fit in with his new life now. (vi) I would feel out of place in his new

lifestyle.

(vi) He just lets things flow over him. (iii) He remains unaffected by criticism or

praise.

(vii) He runs the barber's shop in the hotel. (i) He manages the barber's shop in the hotel.

Writing

1. When Mujtaba recalls the early years of his friendship with Inzamam-ul-Haq we learn that

kInzamam did not make friends easily and was shy and reserved. Mujtaba tells Kadambari how

they would stay up all night, chatting and eating omelettes and then go straight to the mosque

for the early morning namaz. There is no doubt that he is a big eater, requires little sleep, and is

deeply religious as well. Mujtaba and Inzamam have been friends for more than twenty years,

in spite of Inzamam's rise to fame. This proves that Inzamam is a loyal friend and not at all

status conscious. The cricketer Imran Khan observed Inzamam practicing cricket at the Multan

Stadium and most probably saw the potential in him and invited him to Lahore. Inzamam went

and joined the Lahore Club; it is clear that he was ambitious and saw a good opportunity.

During the semi-final against New Zealand in the 1992 World Cup Inzamam was unwell but

still went on to play the match, demonstrating his dedication to the sport.

2. Mujtaba, we get to know at the end of the article, runs the barber's shop in the hotel in

Multan, where Kadambari Murali has interviewed him. Although Inzamam has become a world

famous sports person, Mujtaba is not envious but takes pride in his friend's success. His

friendship with the cricketer is unusual because it has not been affected by the disparity in

status and position. His attachment is evident in the preparations he is making for Inzamam's

return home and the pride with which he tells Kadambari that Inzamam's son also wants to be a

cricketer, like his father.

Mujtaba comes across as a simple and affectionate man, whose friendship with Inzamam

is, as the writer says, is truly `a human tale'. However if you read closely you may notice some

contradictory qualities. When Mujtaba recalls Inzamam’s victorious return to Multan after

winning the World Cup for Pakistan in 1992 he says he did not go to the airport to welcome his

friend as he was reluctant to impose. But during the interview his preparations for Inzamam’s arrival and the ease with which he looks after Inzamam’s family and talks about his career

show that he is now quite comfortable with his friend’s lifestyle and shares a close bond with the cricketer.

3. Here is a recipe for an Indian omelette.

9

Serves 2 Time taken: 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 eggs 1 tbsp oil

1 onion salt, pepper

1 green chilli 1 tbsp milk

a) Break eggs and put in a bowl. Add milk and beat the eggs till the mixture is fluffy.

b) Chop the onions and green chilli finely.

3) Heat a non-stick pan. Add oil. After a minute add onions and chilli.

4) Fry onions till transparent and add egg-mixture.

5) Fry on both sides till brown.

6) Serve with toast and tomato ketchup.

1.9 Activities

1. Where and when was this article first published ?

2. Look up the places mentioned in the article on a map of Pakistan.

10

Unit 2

Ways of Reading

It's Only a Game. Enjoy

by Tarun J. Tejpal

Dr. Seema Suri

2.1 Introduction

The second unit in your textbook, It’s Only a Game.Enjoy, like the previous one, is also a feature

article. However, it is a very different type of feature article. It is an analysis of the troubled

cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. Whereas the article on Inzamam was written in

extremely simple language with the author in the background, Tarun Tejpal’s style incudes many

difficult words and sophisticated concepts to analyze his subject matter and make a clear statement

of his message.

2.2 Objectives

This unit of your study material aims to provide you with a brief background to the article by

Tarun Tejpal. After going through this study material you should be able to

- explain the meanings of difficult words, and there are many of them, used in the article,

- identify the main points being made in it, and

- formulate an opinion of your own on the subject of Indo-Pak cricket.

Also included is a critical commentary, glossary, self- check questions, answers to these

questions (2.7) and a key to the reading comprehension exercises in your text-book ( 2.8 ).

2.3 Historical Background

The history of India's sporting ties with Pakistan is a troubled one. After the partition of the

subcontinent, Pakistan toured India for a test series in 1951-52 and India played in Pakistan in

1954-55. After the 1965 and 1971 wars, no cricket was played between 1962 and 1977. Cricketing

ties were resumed after 17 years in 1978-79. Pakistan's resentment over India's role in creating

Bangladesh and India's indignation over Pakistan's alleged support to separatists in Kashmir; these

are some of the reasons why there has always been an undercurrent of hostility in the stadium.

Political tensions have always affected the game of cricket. For instance, in 1999, after the

Kargil war, at the behest of the then Sports Minister, Uma Bharti and the intervention of the Prime

Minister, India withdrew from the Asian Test Championship. Bilateral matches were banned,

except ICC sponsored multinational tournaments such as the World Cup. After the Mumbai terror

attacks on 26/11/2008 the 2009 tour to Pakistan was cancelled. It was not until December 2012

that the Pakistan team came to play three One Day International and two T 20 matches in India.

11

Cricket is by far the most popular sport in both countries and always generates a lot of

excitement, even in countries like UAE and Canada, which are not cricket playing nations. In 1978

satellite television brought cricket into the drawing rooms and the shift from five-day matches to

one-day matches also increased interest in the game. The semi-final World Cup match between

India and Pakistan in 2011 attracted around 150 million television viewers. You may be interested

to know that for the 2015 World Cup, held in Adelaide, Australia on 15 February 2015, the 50,000

tickets for the match between India and Pakistan were sold out in less than 12 minutes. A game

between the two countries, often described by the media as ‘arch-rivals’ or ‘traditional rivals’, is an important sporting event. Sample his headline; ‘Adelaide Oval to experience India versus Pakistan rivalry at 2015 World Cup’.

Players from both countries admit to feeling a lot of pressure when playing against each other.

Fans have resorted to violence when they see their side losing. In 1999 during a match at Eden

Gardens, Calcutta, Sachin Tendulkar was declared out and the crowd, believing the umpires were

being unfair, went on a riot and the police had to be called in to chase them out. Harbhajan Singh,

in an interview on television, mentioned that a loss to Pakistan often results in fans pelting stones

at the cricketers’ houses.

Uma Bharti, former sports minister once said, ‘We see cricket not just as a game but as a symbol of a nation’s sentiments.’ In 1991 Shiv Sena activists dug up the pitch in Mumbai to disrupt the match between India and Pakistan and it was eventually cancelled. Spectators, even in the VIP

stands routinely hurl abuses at the players. These are just a few examples that illustrate the tension

that accompanies Indo-Pak cricket. As former all-rounder Madan Lal says, ‘Cricket is more than a sport here. It is an extension of being an Indian.’

Tarun Tejpal's article is a plea to sports lovers, journalists, politicians and players from both

countries to disassociate the game from politics or nationalism. Taking a position different from

those who mix up cricket with politics, Tejpal appeals to cricket fans to focus on the game.

2.4 Critical Commentary

Para 1-4

The article begins with general observations on the game of cricket. Tejpal’s main argument is that sports are meant primarily to amuse us. He admits that a good game of cricket can be

enjoyable as it is an opportunity for players to display their physical abilities, such as speed, skill

and strength. It can be both entertaining and exciting as it encourages a healthy sense of

competition. To underline the point that he is trying to make Tejpal, in a lighter vein, reminds the

reader that cricket does not improve the lot of the human race, either by finding a cure for diseases

or improving our understanding of human existence

Tejpal extends his discussion to talk about sports lovers; people for whom a game is `a

metaphor for life', `a morality-play', and a `surrogate battle'. This group of inter-related metaphors

reinforces Tejpal's argument that for cricket-lovers, a good game has moral, religious, and

philosophical lessons. He rightly observes that more articles are written in praise of sportspersons

than on spiritual readers or scientists, whose work has benefited humanity.

12

Sports lovers identify with their players' loss and victory and see reflected in a game their own

everyday struggles. Belief in certain values is reaffirmed through the operative rules of the game.

There is a suggestion that games provide ‘a controlled setting with rules and boundaries’ where there are visible and immediate outcomes, ‘rewards and punishments’; this is something that is rarely found in real life.

To his main point that sports are meant primarily to amuse us, Tejpal adds another

function. Using insights from psychology and biology, he asserts that games provide a safe

outlet for the aggression that is a natural part of a man's physiological make-up. He sums up his

discussion in this line,

The game exists to take the violence out of us, to drain us of real blood

thirst. If instead it generates violence, it loses its purpose, remaining

neither amusement nor catharsis.

The opinions are based on modern psychological insights and Tejpal displays his ability to view

the excitement of sports lovers in a rational way. In an almost scientific manner he analyses the

reasons for the passion that a game can generate.

i. What, according to Tejpal, is a good game of cricket all about ?

ii. Why do sports lovers view a game as ‘a metaphor for life’ ?

iii. Mention some of the values that sports reaffirm.

iv. What are the two main functions of a good game ?

Para 5-8

After this Tejpal switches to Indo-Pak cricket encounters. He strongly believes that political

troubles should not be allowed to affect sporting ties. Read the section on the historical

background ( 1.3 ), in which I have discussed this phenomenon in detail. Underlining the common

regional identity of the two countries, he is critical of all those people who contribute to the

entanglement of sports with politics, whether politicians, sports commentators or the players

themselves.

A misplaced sense of patriotism can make players feel that they have let their country down if

they lose a match. Echoing the sentiments of many he feels that cricket should become a unifying

factor instead of a divisive force, especially in the context of the troubled relations between India

and Pakistan. He concludes the article by repeating his opening statement:

`A game is fun only if it remains a game. We must not make it anything more'.

For that we have to change our attitude and learn to appreciate good cricket. Disassociating talent

from national identity is the first step towards that. We need to learn to admire talent, even if it

belongs to a sportsperson of the other side.

i. Explain ‘a people divided by political quirk’

13

ii. Being aware of the function of a passage is vital to its comprehension. One of the

first things a student should do is to find out whether the text aims to convince the

reader, criticize something, etc. What is the writer's intention in this article?

▪ to amuse the reader

▪ to criticize sports-lovers

▪ to appeal for a rational approach to cricket

▪ to increase our knowledge of cricket

iii. ‘It’s Only a Game. Enjoy.’ Whom is Tejpal addressing in this line?

iv. In newspaper articles some sentences sum up the main point and rest of the text consists of

supporting details or expansions of different kinds. In order to read efficiently one must be

able to recognize the topic sentences, which are the ones that contain the main ideas of the

passage. This helps us understand the organization of the article.

The following points are all mentioned in the text. Write down M if you think it is a main

idea and S if it is a supporting detail.

a. More prose is written on a single game than in praise of seers or scientists.

b. The surrogate warrior and the surrogate battle must never become real.

c. Cricket doesn't cure diseases.

d. A game is fun only if it remains a game.

e. Let the teams play without feeling some cataclysmic national honour and shame

ride on their shoulders.

f. Shoaib's thunderbolt is as much a thing of beauty as Sachin's straight drive.

2.5 Summary

You must train yourself to notice the technique of the writer and understand that a literary style is

not the exclusive domain of the novelist. As you must have observed, even advertisements

incorporate some extremely poetic expressions and sometimes fiction can include some very

dull and flat prose.

This article, though about cricket, uses plenty of figurative language; similes, metaphors and

images. Tejpal’s tone is strongly persuasive, appealing to cricket fans, not to view the game

through the prism of politics. You may not agree with his opinion but it is presented very

convincingly.

Compare it to the previous unit on Inzamam, which is a study in contrast. Kadambari Murali

has written a simple article where she lets the humble Mujtaba present Inzamam-ul-Haq in his

14

own way. No mention of nationality or the fact that the occasion was historic; an Indo-Pak match

being held in Pakistan after 15 years. Murali’s personality does not intrude in the feature whereas,

in Tejpal’s article, each sentence is a strong statement of his opinion.

In this article Tejpal has, in the first four paragraphs, attempted to explain why sports generate so

much excitement. He draws upon modern psychology to give us a rational perspective on it. In the

next four paragraphs he appeals to cricket fans, journalists, politicians and bureaucrats associated

with the game to stop viewing cricket as a kind of proxy war and learn to enjoy the game.

2.6 Glossary

frisson of combat :feeling of fear/ excitement before a battle

imbue : give it meaning

metaphor for life : a metaphor is a figure of speech in which two dissimilar things are

compared

pirouettes : a dancer's spin on one foot or the point of the toe

vaulting prose : language that praises excessively

seers : people who have the power to see the future

morality play : English medieval drama of the 15th century BCE, teaching a moral

lesson

testosterone : chief, male sex hormone

surrogate : substitute for a person in a specific role or office

catharsis : feeling of emotional release in drama, freeing of repressed emotion

by association with something

overburdened with baggage : affected by prejudices that influence our thinking

political quirk : here, it refers to the partition of India and Pakistan , a political

decision that was forced on the people

palliative : anything used to soothe pain or anxiety

sated : to satisfy a desire

hype :to exaggerate the qualities of something in order to get public attention,

as in advertisements

cataclysmic : violent upheaval or disaster

15

Shoaib's thunderbolt : Shoaib Akhtar, recognized as one of the fastest bowlers in the

world; setting a world record by docking 100 miles per hour

twice. He has been nicknamed the `Rawalpindi Express'.

Sachin Tendulkar : one of the greatest batsmen the Indian game has ever seen.

straight drive : one of the most classical shots in a batsman's repertoire

Chamb-Jaurian : a place on the Line of Control in Jammu. In 1965 Pakistan launched

Operation Grand Slam in order to capture Akhnoor and cut

India's only road link to Kashmir.

Tiger Peak : the peak of Tiger Hill, on the Line of Control in Drass sub-sector

where 25 Indian soldiers 40 Pakistani intruders were killed in a

battle to recapture the peak in 1999.

2.7 Key to Check Your Progress questions

Para 1-4

(i) A good game of cricket is an opportunity for people to see talent and skill on the field. It

provides viewers with the opportunity to escape real life and experience fun and

excitement.

(ii) In a good game the side that has greater talent and hard work on its side usually wins.

Sports lovers would like to believe that in real life too, hard work and capability are

rewarded with victory. That is why they view sports as a metaphor for life.

(iii) Some of the values that sports reaffirm are- hard work, discipline, a sense of fair-play and

team spirit. Sports lovers find watching games an inspirational activity.

(iv) According to Tejpal, the two main functions of a game are ‘amusement’ and ‘catharsis’.

He believes that games provide us with an opportunity to enjoy ourselves. Another

function that games perform is to provide people with a safe outlet for aggression that is

normal part of a man’s physiology.

Para 5-8

(i) The reference is to the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. It was something that,

according to Tejpal, was forced on the people of the subcontinent, resulting in tragic loss

of lives and displacement and division of a people who had a common history, language

and culture.

(ii) The intention of the writer is- to appeal for a more rational approach to cricket.

16

(iii) In this line Tejpal is addressing sports lovers, journalists and players. He feels that they

should stay away from presenting Indo-Pak cricket encounters as battles, as they routinely

do and instead focus on the game.

(iv) a. S c. S e. M

b. M d. M f. S

1.8 Key to Exercises in Unit 2, Fluency in English

Reading Comprehension

1. Para 1 (D) The game of cricket is first and foremost a game though it also depends on speed,

skill, and strength. It also provides excitement and entertainment.

Para 2 (J) Most people attach deep emotions and numerous meanings to games. They are seen

as a metaphor for life and teach its lessons. More is made of a cricket match than of

scientific discoveries or great philosophy.

Para 3 (G) This is because games, like films, plays and novels, where the settings and rules are

made by us, can easily show us laws of good and bad, reward and punishment

operating as we think they should with good winning and evil being punished. And

games also provide us with the thrill of war without exposing us to its dangers.

Para 4 (I) Games provide people with safe outlets for their aggression. If instead they lead to

violence, they have failed in their purpose.

Para 5 (F) The people of India and Pakistan share a common history, culture and genetic make-

up but have been divided by politics. If the disharmony between India and Pakistan

could be worked out through a cricket match we would not need to fight wars with

each other.

Para 6 (H) The writer appeals to the public and to writers and commentators not to get too excited

during an India-Pakistan match. Neither team should be made to feel that they have

betrayed national pride if they lose.

Para 7 (A) Too much emotional involvement with our own team should not prevent us from

appreciating the skills of players from other teams.

Para 8 (E) A game is fun only if it remains a game. We must not make it anything more.

2. (ii) People should not take cricket too seriously.

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Vocabulary

1. You will find the meanings of all these words in the Glossary. Of all these words, the only one

you may have heard frequently and are likely to use is hype. It is used frequently in

newspaper articles and TV programmes to refer to exaggerated praise of something.

2. Column A Column B

i) vaulting prose (e) showy language, expressing undeserved praise.

ii) morality play (c) play teaching moral lessons of victory of good over evil.

iii) pumping testosterone (a) chemical substance in the body; male hormone that

excites.

iv) overloaded with baggage (d) prejudices that influence how we think and behave.

v) in full cry (g) noisy and excited behaviour

vi) frisson of combat (b) excitement of competition

vii) exertions and pirouettes (f) stress and strain

3. (i) fair and foul

(ii) loss and triumph

(iii) reward and punishment

(iv) exhilaration and despair

(v) honour and shame

(vi) mate and foe

(vii) better or worse

Writing

`Is cricket killing all other sports in India'. Write an essay on this topic, with the help of the

following points.

Is cricket killing other sports in India?

▪ Cricket is a religion in India and has a massive fan following and player base.

▪ The biggest problem lies with the non-performance of the national teams at the

international level.

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▪ Lack of professionalism in broadcast of non-cricket events and the poor quality of

commentators have resulted in poor commercial gains. The BCCI earns massive

revenue through advertising and does not depend on government funding.

▪ Mismanagement and a lack of vision in football and hockey has ensured that these

mass sports don't have even a fraction of the fan following that cricket does. In spite of

a better show at the international level, with eight Olympic Golds and one World Cup

triumph, hockey has failed to deliver. Not many know that the Indian football team had

qualified for the 1950 World Cup finals in Brazil, but could not appear as they still

played with bare feet.

1.9 Activities

1. Where was this article first published ?

2. Search the internet for articles on Indo-Pak matches.

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Unit 3

Telling Stories

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

by Salman Rushdie

Dr. Seema Suri

3.1 Introduction

The first two units of your text book were written by journalists. The first one was in easy-to-read

colloquial language and Tarun Tejpal's article, though on the subject of cricket, used figurative

language quite liberally. This unit comprises a very different genre. It is an extract from Salman

Rushdie's novel Haroun and the Sea of Stories about a twelve-year old boy Haroun and his quest

to restore his father's lost gift of story- telling.

The extract is from the beginning of the novel, from the chapter titled `Shah of Blah'. It is a

brilliant illustration of Rushdie's ability to create a magical world through his rich, innovative

language. Rushdie wrote this novel after a long gap when his ten year old son Zafar complained to

him that he never wrote anything for children. Rushdie had written The Satanic Verses in

1988, which was banned in many countries, including India, for its irreverent depiction of the

Prophet Muhammad. Copies of the book were burnt and many people lost their lives in the violent

protests following its publication. Ayatollah Khomeini, Supreme Leader of Iran, issued a death

warrant or fatwa against him. As Rushdie was a British citizen, the British government provided

Rushdie protection and he remained underground for nearly ten years.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories, in 1990, was the first book that he published after going into

hiding and it is dedicated to his son, Zafar. It is written in the fairy tale tradition, like The Arabian

Nights, Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz but there are autobiographical elements in the

troubled relationship between Rashid and Soraya, the love between father and son, and the

writer's/ storyteller's predicament when faced with the loss of his freedom to tell stories. Many

readers have noticed the similarity of the names Rashid and Rushdie.

Read the extract carefully, paying special attention to Rushdie’s brilliant use of language. His ability to use words in unexpected and unique ways is the hallmark of his style.

3.2 Objectives

This part of your study material aims to,

▪ familiarize you with the background to the extract from the novel Haroun and the Sea of

Stories,

▪ draw your attention to Salman Rushdie's literary style and his brilliant imaginative power,

and

▪ help you understand the underlying theme of this story.

20

This unit includes a summary of the plot of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, a critical

commentary, glossary, some self-check question, answers to those questions (3.7) and a key to the

exercises in your text-book (3.8).

3.3 Summary of the Plot

Haroun is the only child of the famous storyteller Rashid Khalifa, the Ocean of Notions or the

Shah of Blah and Soraya. Rashid, busy with his storytelling and travelling, begins to neglect

Soraya. One day she elopes with their neighbour Mr. Sengupta, a dull clerk who convinces her that

she will be happier with him. This leaves Rashid heartbroken, and he loses his gift of storytelling.

When he opens his mouth all that comes out is a barking sound ‘Ark, Ark, Ark’. Haroun feels he

started the problem, by asking his father ‘What's the point of telling stories that aren't even true?’, when his mother left him so he must fix it and help his father. Soon, however, Haroun

discovers that Rashid has already cancelled his subscription to the magical story waters of

Kahani, which give all storytellers their imagination and in order to reverse the cancellation

Haroun must go to Kahani, a hidden moon of the earth.

Thus Haroun embarks on a magical journey to Kahani, meaning ‘story’ in Urdu, in a quest to

restore his father's powers. Kahani is divided into two sections, divided by a twilight zone. There

is the land of Gup where it is always daylight and stories are everywhere and the city of Chup,

ruled by the evil villain Khattam-Shud, whose name means `The End,' or `completely finished'. He

is attempting to poison the Sea of Stories and render Kahani silent. His followers in the land of

Chup are working round the clock to manufacture a giant Plug to stop the source of the stories

under the sea. He has also started a war with Gup, the central city where stories are made, by

kidnapping the king's daughter, Princess Batcheat and angering her fiancé Prince Bolo.

Haroun, along with various interesting characters such as Iff the water-genie, Butt, the

mechanical hoopoe, the eggheads at the P2C2E (Processes Too Complicated To Explain)

House, Mali the floating gardener, the Walrus and a pair of rhyming fish; Goopy and Bagha, set

out to stop Khattam-Shud, thus saving Rashid, Batcheat, Kahani, and the stories of the world.

They have many magical adventures and in the end Khattam-Shud is killed by a piece of his own

ice-statue. Rashid regains his powers, Soraya returns home and Haroun’s family is together again. The sad city remembers its name and cheerfulness returns to the city.

3.4 Critical Commentary

Page 12-13 : the `sad city' and the `cheerful storyteller'

Read the first two paragraphs carefully. Notice how Rushdie creates the overpowering image of

the sad city in Alifbay. He uses a cluster of closely related adjectives, metaphors and similes to

create an overpowering atmosphere of dull despair.

the ‘sad city’ is `ruinously sad', `the saddest of cities', `stood by a mournful sea'

it has `sadness factories' whose smoke was `like bad news'

the sea has `glumfish' that made people 'belch with melancholy'

its ruined buildings ‘looked like broken hearts'

21

Against this sad backdrop the cheery storyteller Rashid Khalifa stands out by contrast. Rashid

is famously known as the Ocean of Notions and the Shah of Blah. Don't miss the brilliant use of

rhyme to create these titles for Rashid. His son Haroun is `a happy young fellow' and his wife

sings sweetly. Rashid is ‘stuffed with cheery stories’ and into this picture of the happy family

Rushdie introduces a sense of impending trouble. Suddenly Haroun's mother stops singing. It is a

sign that something is wrong but no one knows exactly what.

i. Describe the city in Alifbay ?

ii. What is the difference between Rashid’s two nicknames, ‘Ocean of Notions’ and ‘Shah of Blah’ ?

Pages 13-14 : Haroun and Rashid

Haroun travelled frequently with his father, who was a very busy man and in great demand. When

he started telling his winding tales, even animals and birds would listen. The charismatic Rashid

tells stories like a ‘juggler’ and ‘magician’; weaving fascinating elements together. Not only are his stories full of interesting characters and plots, they have catchy tunes accompanying them.

With a child's natural curiosity Haroun pesters his father with questions about the source of his

stories. Every time he asks he gets the same reply: `From the Great Sea Story…'. Rashid tells his

son that he drinks the hot water from an invisible tap installed by a Water-Genie. He is a

subscriber to the Great Sea Story which is located on Kahani (Hindi word for story), a hidden

moon of the earth. Haroun does not believe him and when he becomes too inquisitive Rashid asks

him to be content with the stories and enjoy them.

Towards the end of each section Rushdie builds up the reader's sense of anticipation by

hinting at tragedy around the corner:

Except that one day Haroun asked one question too many and then all hell

broke loose.

There are clear hints that Rashid Khalifa, busy with his storytelling, rehearsals and public events,

does not notice the change in his wife's demeanour but trouble is slowly building up.

i. What effect did Rashid’s stories have on the listeners ?

ii. What metaphors does Rushdie use to indicate Soraya’s growing resentment ?

iii. Mention the different characters that made up Rashid’s stories ?

Pages 14-15 : Haroun's house and the Senguptas

Don't miss the rather unusual simile of a cake to describe Haroun's colourful house. Rushdie

knows how to create a fantasy world that will fascinate children. There is the description of the

city, with its poor and rich inhabitants. The atmosphere of impending tragedy becomes more and

more explicit,

22

So the truth is that Haroun was lucky: but luck has a way of running out without

the slightest warning. One minute you've got a lucky star watching over you and

the next instant it's done a bunk.

Haroun is a typical child, constantly pestering his parents with questions. He wants to know why

they did not have any more children. His mother sadly expresses their failure but Rashid, as usual

gives a more colourful answer.

At this point the Senguptas, Haroun's neighbours, are introduced. Mr. Sengupta is a clerk and his

wife Oneeta is fond of Haroun as they do not have children of their own. The dull Mr. Sengupta is

the exact opposite of Rashid the storyteller; practical, unimaginative, cold and lacking a sense of

humour. He is described as ‘the man who hated stories and storytellers.’ Whereas his wife is fond of Haroun and gives him gifts and hugs him all the time, Mr. Sengupta is indifferent towards him.

Mr. Sengupta spends a lot of time chatting with Soraya and Haroun frequently overhears him

talk ill of his father, but one sentence sticks to his mind and troubles him:

`What's the use of stories that aren't even true?'

This question is significant as it is indicative of an unimaginative attitude to life, without the

fun, laughter and creativity that Rashid Khalifa represents. Haroun, with a child's instinct, perhaps,

senses Mr. Sengupta's dishonourable intentions and dislikes him. It is clear that the lonely

Soraya, neglected by Rashid and full of resentment, is getting influenced by her neighbour.

You must remember that Rashid and Mr. Sengupta represent two opposing attitudes to life. Not

only are they different temperament-wise but their physical appearance is also contrasting. Rashid

is plump and `stuffed with cheery stories', symbolizing the abundant joy that he shares with

everyone in the form of stories whereas the peevish Mr. Sengupta looks mean and `sticky-thin.'

Even his voice is ‘whiny.'

i. How is Haroun’s house different from the others in the neighbourhood ?

ii. What does Mr. Sengupta do ?

iii. Why does Oneeta pamper Haroun ?

iv. Compare Rashid Khalifa and Mr.Sengupta.

Pages 16-18: Soraya's elopement and the aftermath

One day Haroun returns home to find his father crying and he learns the terrible news; his mother

has run away with Mr. Sengupta. In a fit of rage Rashid has broken all the clocks in the house and

the clocks stop at exactly eleven o’clock. Soraya has left a note that blames Rashid, saying that his

brain is `full of make-belief'. She apologizes to Haroun for going away. Traumatized by being

abandoned by his mother Haroun shouts at his father:

'What's the use of stories that aren't even true?'

23

It is the same question that Mr. Sengupta asked Soraya and which Haroun overheard. Without

realizing it Haroun echoes the question. The result is catastrophic because, soon after this, ‘the Unthinkable Thing’ happened. Rashid loses his storytelling powers. It is indeed a tragic

consequence because Rashid is famous for his storytelling and it is the only work that he has the

talent for. As soon as Haroun says the words he wishes he could undo the damage.

i. Describe the weather on the day Soraya ran away ?

ii. What did Soraya write in the letter for Rashid ?

iii. What was the effect of Haroun’s question on Rashid ?

3.5 Summary

Rushdie succeeds in creating a fantasy world for young readers. There is an imaginary city

where sadness is manufactured, an ocean of stories, water-genies, and a loving father with magical

powers. It is in the classic fairy tale tradition, where a young hero travels to a magical land, is

helped by supernatural creatures to defeat the villain and succeeds in his mission. On one hand

there is the `cheery' Rashid, busy entertaining people, full of gripping tales, and a man who never

gives a straight answer. His immense popularity is clear from the fact that all types of politicians

woo him and even animals pause to listen to him. Against him is the sad city which has forgotten

its name and the unimaginative clerk Mr. Sengupta, who is obviously jealous of

Rashid. Mr. Sengupta wins a temporary victory by running away with Rashid's wife but in the end

of the novel, in true fairy tale tradition, Soraya comes back to her family and Haroun gets his

father's storytelling powers back.

Salman Rushdie wanted to write a story that celebrates the triumph of the imagination and

freedom of expression against fundamentalism and powers that seek to curb and stifle the writer's

voice. Rushdie spent many years underground and in isolation, experiencing first-hand what it

meant to be the target of forces that sought to repress his voice.

The novel is an assertion of the importance and value of stories/ literature in our lives. In the

novel when Haroun finally confronts the evil Khattam-shud, who is the ‘Arch-Enemy of stories

and the Prince of Silence’, he asks him, ‘But why do you hate stories so much?.....Stories are so

much fun.’ He replies that stories constitute a world that he cannot rule or control.

However, even without being aware of the autobiographical elements and the deeper

meaning underlying the story the plot of the novel is entertaining. In the extract in your text-book,

although Khattam-Shud does not appear it is Mr. Sengupta who embodies the mechanical, dull

approach to life. Rashid and Mr. Sengupta represent two opposing attitudes to life.

What you need to pay attention to is Rushdie’s literary talent; using innovative language and creating an imaginary world where the young Haroun sets out on a thrilling adventure. If you

have enjoyed reading this unit you could read the complete novel.

3.6 Glossary

Alifbay : an imaginary country. Its name comes from the Hindustani word for

alphabet.

24

glumfish : Rushdie's own coinage. It means sad fish.

Haroun and Rashid : Haroun and Rashid are both named after the legendary Haroun-al-

Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad, who features in many Arabian Nights

tales. The surname Khalifa actually means Caliph.

Ocean of Notions : this nickname of Rashid's would mean full of ideas

Shah of Blah : another name for Rashid, means the king of nonsense

raggedy : torn, frayed clothes

alley : a narrow back-lane

saga : a long, detailed story

wobbly stomach : shaking because of the layers of fat

witchy : here it would mean magical

great Story Sea : in the book from which this extract in taken the magical story

waters are on Kahani, a hidden moon of the earth

Water Genie : there is a water-genie in the novel and he is called Iff.

mingy : mean, stingy

politico : politician or a person who is interested in politics

panjandrum : mock title for an important person

3.7 Key to Check your Progress Questions

page 12-13: the sad city and the cheerful storyteller

i. The sad city in Alifbay has forgotten its name. The sea, the fish in it and the people who

ate the fish were all very sad. There was so much sadness in this city that it was

manufactured, packaged and sent to other countries.

ii. The two nicknames of Rashid Khalifa are Ocean of Notions and Shah of Blah. People who

admire his cheerful stories call him the Ocean of Notions, which is a metaphor for his

abundant store of stories. Those who are jealous of his popularity call him the Shah of

Blah, or the king of nonsense.

page 13-14 : Haroun and Rashid

i. Rashid was a professional storyteller and whenever he started to tell his tales everyone,

including cows and monkeys, would stop to listen to him. It was as if he had magical

powers and cast a spell on his listeners.

25

ii. Rashid’s stories were full of all types of colourful characters that he made up. He knew the art of entertaining people and his tales were full of heroes, villains, princesses and

gangsters. The stories were set in faraway lands, had exciting plots and even included

some music.

page 14-15 : Haroun’s house and the Senguptas

i. Haroun’s house had a very cheerful appearance- pink walls, lime-green windows and blue-

painted balconies. Haroun thought that it looked like a cake. The poor people of the sad

city lived in shacks that were made of cardboard boxes and plastic sheets whereas the

super-poor did not have homes and slept on the pavements or doorways of shops.

ii. Mr. Sengupta, Haroun’s neighbour worked as a clerk at the Office of the City Corporation. He was an extremely thin, mean and with a voice that sounded as if he was complaining.

iii. Mr. Sengupta’s wife, Oneeta was always pampering Haroun. The Sengupta’s were childless and maybe that is why she paid so much attention to Haroun.

iv. Rashid and Mr. Sengupta represent two opposing attitudes to life. Not only are they

different temperament-wise but their physical appearance is also contrasting. Rashid is

plump and `stuffed with cheery stories', symbolizing the abundant joy that he shares with

everyone in the form of stories whereas the peevish Mr. Sengupta looks mean and `sticky-

thin.' Even his voice is ‘whiny.' He is the man who ‘hates stories and storytellers.’ Whereas Rashid has a store of endless tales. Mr. Sengupta, as Soraya writes in her letter,

has no imagination at all. Even his job is dull and boring.

page 16-18 : Soraya’s elopement and the aftermath

i. It was the first rain of the season on the day Soraya ran away with Mr. Sengupta. The air

was cool and clean as the rain had washed away the smoke. For a change, even the sea

was full of pomfret, instead of glumfish.

ii. Soraya’s letter echoed the words that Mr. Sengupta spoke against Rashid. She wrote that

he did not take life seriously, was only interested in pleasure and that his head was full of

make-belief. Soraya told Rashid to tell Haroun that she loved him.

iii. When Rashid discovered that Soraya had run away he broke all the clocks in the house in

a fit of anger. The time was exactly eleven o’clock at that moment.

iv. Haroun was upset that his mother had run away and he shouted the exact words that he

had heard Mr. Sengupta use against Rashid. Soon after this something terrible happened-

Rashid lost his storytelling powers.

3.8 Key to Exercises in Unit 3, text-book

Reading Comprehension

26

1. Haroun was curious to know where the fantastic stories his father told came from. When

Rashid, his father told him that the stories came from the Great Story Sea, Haroun wanted to

know where his father kept the hot water from the Great Story Sea. Another time Haroun

wanted his father to tell him why he didn't have any sisters or brothers but Rashid did not give a

straight answer and told him that since Haroun was as good as four or five children they could

not have more.

The third question that Haroun asks his father is when his mother Soraya runs away with

Mr. Sengupta, their neighbour. Haroun is upset and angrily asks his father," What's the use of

stories that aren't even true?"

2. Rashid Khalifa is a professional storyteller and he is used to creating imaginary worlds. It is not

surprising then that he does not give straight answers to any of Haroun's questions. Rashid is

the Shah of Blah and always takes the ‘longer, twistier road available’.

3. Haroun feels terrible after asking his father what use it was telling stories that were not true. He

realizes that it is precisely what Soraya has written in the note that she has left for

Rashid. Soraya has run away with Mr. Sengupta because she wanted to be with a man who was

practical, not like Rashid whose head was full of make believe. As soon as he asks this question

Haroun regrets hurting his father. After this Rashid loses his powers and cannot tell fantastic

tales.

4. Soraya is tired of her husband who is a professional storyteller and lives in a make-believe

world. Maybe she feels that her husband is not practical enough or neglecting her but there is a

hint that she feels unhappy. During the early years of her marriage she sings sweetly all-the

time but then one day she stops singing all of a sudden. Mr. Sengupta is obviously jealous of

Rashid and takes advantage of Soraya’s loneliness.

5. Politicians pretend that they are telling the truth but the public could understand that they are

lying. People were not fooled by their claims that they were telling the truth. Rashid's stories

interested people because he would insist that they were his creation and they trusted him.

Moreover Rashid wanted nothing from the people he entertained.

6. In this extract from the first chapter of the novel, Haroun and the Sea of Stories there are many

indications how the story will proceed. The ‘sad city’ in the country of Alifbay has forgotten its

name. We can presume that it is under some sort of curse or spell and, as happens in all fairy

tales, be free of its spell in the end.

There are references to the magical source of Rashid’s stories. As Rashid explains to the inquisitive Haroun, he gets his tales from the great Story Sea. He drinks its warm waters that

come through an invisible Tap installed by a Water Genie. It is apparent that all these magical

elements will reappear at a later stage of the tale.

A complete story has a beginning, middle and end and fairy tales always end happily. In this

extract we can predict that Haroun, who feels responsible for his father’s lost power will embark on an adventure to restore them.

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7. There are many fantastic elements in the story. The sad city, with its glumfish, sadness factories

and the magical source of Rashid Khalifa’s stories; these are some of the imaginary elements. The bond between Haroun and Rashid, the troubled relationship between Soraya and Rashid,

resulting in her running away with Mr. Sengupta are the realistic elements in the tale.

Vocabulary

Commonplace combinations Unusual combinations

sweet voice witchy fingers

loving husband mournful sea

bad news sad city

ruined buildings sadness factories

hummable tunes raggedy children

huge audience super-poor

pink walls child-stuff

delicious pomfret sticky-thin

huge audience wobbly-fat

nasty things whiny-voiced

serious business squiggly metal-railings

2. The nicknames for Rashid, Ocean of Notions and Shah of Blah rhyme very well and have an

equal number of syllables.

3. ‘Iffing’ and ‘Butting’ are not Standard English words. Such words are coined by people who use them in their everyday language and then others follow and they become common. One

such word that has become very popular these days is ‘selfie’ referring to one’s own photograph taken with a mobile phone camera.

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UNIT 4

UNDERSTANDING POINTS OF VIEW

GIRLS

MrinalPande

— Dr Anil Aneja& Dr Neeta Gupta

1.1 Introduction

Have you observed any instances of discrimination between girls and boys in the society and

community you live in? Do you feel that boys often get preferential treatment as compared to

girls in many Indian families, even today, although girls are capable of excellence in various

fields and walks of life? Despite education and career opportunities that have open out to girls as

compared to earlier times, society continues to have a male-dominated outlook.

The story Girls by Mrinal Pande is narrated from the point of view of alittle girl. It explores the

issue of gender-bias towards the girl-child. The young narrator is the second of the three

daughters of her parents.The three daughters represent three different attitudes of victims of

gender bias:The eldest daughter is quiet and submissive and plays the role thata girl ina male-

dominated society is docilely expected to fulfil even though she is keenly conscious of the bias

against her and her sisters.These cond daughter (the narrator of the story) is rebellious. She

raises her voice against the unfair discrimination and constantly questions it and revolts against

it even at such a oungage.She represents awareness of one’s rights. The youngest girl is too

young to understand what is going on, and represents innocence and ignorance on the part of a

victim of gender injustice.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you have read this Unit you will be able to:

• Identify point of view

• Distinguish between various perspectives in a story

• Recognize gender bias towards the girl child

• Critically analyse the story

1.3 What is Point of View?

Point of view is a literary term that refers to the relationship between the storyteller, the

story and the reader. It indicates the way a story is told. It establishes the perspective or various

perspectives through which the author presents characters, actions, events, setting and situations

which together constitute the narrative in a work of fiction. To understand point of view we

must notice whether the story comes directly to the reader or is it being filtered through the

mind of another character or more than one character who are the narrators of the story. The

narrator may or may not be a participant in the action. It all depends on which window or which

key-hole you get to see the action from. There may be just one key-hole which may limit what

we see or there may be many which give us diverse perspectives on the action, on the characters

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and on the theme of the story.

Different points of view give us different perspectives on the same situation. Therefore

we can say that understanding points of view involves a reading of various perspectives in a

piece of writing. In Girls,we find three main points of view---first, the point of view of the girl-

child; second, point of view of the older generation of women; and third, more indirectly, the

author’s pointofview. You need to beat tentive and alert while reading, so that you can get into

the habit of reading between the lines and discover different perspectives in a piece of writing.

1.4 Summary (Page21-22)

The narrative begins with the narrator recounting the events of the day they were to

leave for her grandmother’s house. The narrator’s mother is expecting her fourth child. She

fervently hopes that this time she would give birth to a boy, otherwise, she would have to go

through the whole process of another pregnancy and delivery. The mother is always stressed out

and irritable, often giving vent to her irritability to her children, particularly, the little girl

child.The narrator observes “ToMa, everything in life is a problem. As far as she is concerned,

whether we are at home or at school, ill or just playing around, we are a problem.”The narrator

next recounts her experience at the railway station which only highlights her naughtiness and

her sensitiveness towards being treated as secondary and as a nuisance.

Critical Commentary

The narrative is in first person and we know that the events of the story will be narrated

from the little girl’s point of view who is the second child in a family of three girls. The girl-

child’s playful spontaneity is curbed, and she istreated as a lesser mortal in a male-dominated

society. Though we can see that the story is narrated from the young girl’s point of viewyet

other perspectives too come into play. There is themother’s perspective who is tired of repeated pregnancies in the hope of bearing a male child; there is the author’s perspective where MrinalPande points to the elder women’s plight and pressures of living in a society where men hold most of the power and importance.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is narrating the story?

b. What has the little girl observed happening in her home?

c. What opinion do you form of the narrator?

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1.5 Summary (Page22-24)

Themothergoestoherparents’ house for her delivery, with her three children.The

children’s Mama and Maami (that is maternal uncle and aunt) are there to receive them at the

station. The mother is indifferent to the inner feelings of the children and accuses the middle

daughter of being “the cause of all” her problems. The young girl is not excited about going into

hergrandmother’shouse. The driver who comes to pick them up from the station is indulgent of

the narrator and her younger sister and lifts them both out of the jeep when they reach Naani’s house. On entering the grand mother’shouse,the narrator is asked to bend properly and touch her

grandmother’s feet. She is told, “You are bornagirl and you willhavetobendfortherest of your

life, so you might as well learn.” The mother is absorbed in the large

sympatheticcompanyofaunts, grandmother and maid-servants. The feelings and needs of the

female children are often neglected by the elder women: if the children try to go near their

mother they are warded off by the statement, “Let the poor thing have some rest at least while she is here.” The mother also gives vent to the woes of being a woman and behaves as if her

three daughters always harass her at home. The mother once again reiterates her wish of bearing a

male child this time so she could be rid of ‘the nuisance of going through another pregnancy.’ The

narrator remembers her father and states how he never accompanied them to their grandmother’s house. Naani prays to the goddess to protect her honour and let Lali take back a male child with

her this time.

Critical commentary

The grandmother’s statement that if one is born a girl one has to bend for the rest of

one’s life is significant because it depicts the conditioning of women and also the discriminatory

attitude towards females in a male-dominated society. It is a direct reference to the subjugation

of women in Indian households. The old lady from the neighbourhood as well as the

grandmother wish and pray that a boy would be born toLali (the children’s mother) this time.

Clearly, there is no welcome for another girl child in such a set-up. It is not only men who

discriminate against women, even women themselves frown upon girl-children and are

indifferent to their tender feelings, the author suggests in this story. The children are ignored in a

world of grown-ups, where women are engrossed in their own problems and preoccupations.

The children are left to their own devices to comprehend the world of adults.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. Identify some of the things happening in the household that point towards gender

discrimination.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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b. From whose perspective are we seeing the events now?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

c. Why is no one named in the story except the servants?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

1.6 Summary (Page24--26)

The narrator overhears the conversation between her mother and the maid servant Tulsa

Dai. Once again the pressure to bear a male child surfaces in their conversation. Seeing the

Dhruv star in the sky the narrator recalls a fond conversation with her father who had told her

that if she worked hard she could become whatever she wanted. However when she pertinently

asks whether she can become a boy, the father, like all adults, puts on a serious look and tells

her not to argue with her elders.

At night, the women in Naani’s house gather together and voice their concerns and woes

about the plight of women. The little girl over hears one of the aunt’s crying softly and saying,“I don’t even get as much as respect as a dog does in that house”. She also overhears her mother’s

response, “All of us suffer like that, one just has to endure it.” When the narrator refers

indirectly to this incident in the morning, she is beaten up by her mother. The mother is

perpetually angry with her. Troubled by the double standard s of women towards young girls,

often thwarted by elder women in her playful and inquisitive attitude to life, the little girl sits

outside the house, and watches birds flying. She wishes she was born a bird, and woefully

reflecting on her own status in the family, asks, “Do mother birds too think their girl birds are

inferior?” The narrator’s elder sister warns her not to question grown-ups or else she will get

beaten up badly. A little later she pesters Hari’smother and refuses to let her carry her tray full

of glasses of tea till she agrees and says that girls are nice.

Critical Comments

We are getting multiple perspectives on the situation here even though the story is still

being told from the first person narrator’s point of view. The eldest of the three daughters has

found a way to survive in this biased world. She is aware of the discriminatory treatment but

submits to the expectations of the elders regarding female children, as that seems to be the only

way to peace. The younger girl is too young to decipher the power-games of elder women and

the marginalization of girls. It is the middle daughter of Lali that is the narrator, who raises

gender-sensitive issues and questions. One of the important queries the narrator has is when she

responds to her father’s (Baabu’s) remark that if she were to work hard she could become

anything she wanted, “just as Dhruva became a star”. The little girl’s stubborn responseis, “But I cannot become a boy, can I?”

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It is interesting that the narrator shares a warm relationship with her father who unlike

her mother is ready to listen to her and encourages her to become something in life. But he too

gives a tacit consent to the injustice against girl children when he curtly silences her and tells her

not to ask too many questions when she wants to know whether she can become a boy.

The perspective of the elder women surfaces once again in the conversation they are

having at night. The discrimination they face and the injustice they endure in the world

dominated by men is evident in ChotiMaasi’s complaint that her life is worse than a dog’s and Ma’s reply that they all suffer in a similar fashion and they just have to endure it.There is an

element of suppressed violence in the story. The narrator is often threatened with a beating when

she obstinately persists in asking her disturbing questions. The author is making it very clear

here that though the elder women are sufferers of the injustice against women in society yet they

are also the perpetrators of the discrimination being practices against girl children. Through the

narrator the author is voicing her own concerns regarding gender injustice, and expects there

ader to situp, think and take a just stand.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Why are the major characters not named in the story?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b. What are the two disturbing questions that the narrator asks?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

c. How is the narrator’s elder sister different from her? Is she more acceptable to the family? Give reasons.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

1.7 Summary (Page 27-29)

The narrator wants to sleep with her Naanibut is told that there is not enough space for three

people in the bed. The grandmother shows marked preference for her grandson when she

33

tells the narrator that there was no room for her in her bed and sends her back to her own room.

The elder sister’s suppressed anger shows that she is also keenly aware of how girls are

constantly being discriminated against. On the festival of Ashtami, however, little girls are

worshiped as “Devis”. Naani puts a crimson tikka on their foreheads and gives them halva puri

and some money as well. When the narrator playfully runs around pretending to be an engine,

her mother threatens to beat her. At this the elderly neighbour intervenes and stops her saying

that her daughter is a ‘kanyakumari’ and it would be a sin to beat her on the day of Ashtami.

While all the other little girls quietly participate in the celebrations, the narrator rebels

sharply against it. Keenly perceiving the negative attitude towards girls in everyday life, the

elements of violence and suppression meted out to female children, she refuses to be worshiped

as a “Kanyakumari”. She breaks out in anguish, “When you people don’t love girls, why do you

pretend to worship them?” Rejecting the ceremonial offerings, she screams, “I don’t want to be a

goddess.” Critical Comments

The story reaches its climax here when things fall into perspective. All along in the story

girls have been treated as secondary to boys. The three sisters are only a ‘nuisance’ and a

‘problem.’ The desire for a male child dominates all discussions of Lali’s pregnancy. Yet on the

day of Ashtami they are suddenly seen as goddesses. The narrator is deeply hurt at the hypocrisy

of it all. She rejects a part in the charade. A single day cannot undo years of injustice that girls

like her face daily in their homes. Through the narrator we are also getting the author’s perspective on the problem who has successfully exposed the duplicity in our society. The

disturbing fact is that women themselves are shown to be responsible to quite an extent for the

gender discrimination so deeply ingrained in our social framework.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. What happens on the day of Ashtami?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b. “I don’t want to be a goddess” says the young narrator. What does this tell us about the way women are treated in our society?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

1.8 Let Us Sum Up

After having gone through the story we have been able to understand some key thematic issues

and also some technical ones:

34

• We have understood what is point of view. We have seen that Girls is narrated from the

point of view of a young eight year old narrator.

• We have identified various other perspectives at play in the story for example there is

the perspective of the older women in the household, of the neighbour, of the servants

and ultimately that of the author.

• We have recognized gender bias against the girl child and have understood the key issue

of gender discrimination as it is witnessed in Indian homes.

• We have understood that there is a need to question and expose this injustice.The same

is done constantly through the narrator’s pertinent questions and through her rebellious outburst in the end.

1.9 Glossary

nuisance botheration,burden

preoccupied fill the mind completely

pathetic Arousingpity

Ashtamiday

Literallyitmeanstheeighthday.Inthecontextofthisstorytheword refers

to an auspicious day occurring twice a year according to Hindu

religious customs. This day is dedicated to the worship of the Mother

Goddess

Kanyakumari

Inthecontextofthisstorythewordreferstoyoungunmarriedgirls regarded

as the symbol of purity and the image of the Mother Goddess

andworshipedontheAshtamiday

1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The story is being told by a little girl

b. The little girl has observed that she and her sisters are always considered to be a

‘problem’ by their mother. c. The narrator though young is sensitive and rebellious and bold too. She is quick to

observe the bias practised against her sisters and herself and is outspoken enough to

speak her mind.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Some of the things happening in the household that point towards gender

discrimination are:

▪ The three sisters are always considered a problem

▪ Desire for a male child is very strong

▪ It is observed that if you are a woman you have to bend all your life which

means that you will have to submit and accept things rather than assert your

own will.

35

b. We are seeing the events from the perspective of the young girl narrator but the

story manages to give us other perspectives at the same time.

c. There could be two reasons why no one is named in the story. It could be so

because the story is being told from the point of view of a young girl and she

would naturally not address her mother, father, grandmother and other relatives by

name. She would address them only by the relation she has with them like Ma,

Baabu, Naani, Maama, Maami etc. The servants on the other hand would be called

by their names.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. One reason why we are not told the names of the major characters in the story is because

the author wishes to point out the universal nature of the problem. The deeply ingrained

injustice against women and girls is not limited to one family only. It is the story of

almost any Indian household. Another reason for doing so is because the story is being

told from a young eight year old girl’s point of view. She is the one who is narrating the story so she is obviously not going to call the elders by name. Only the servants would be

addressed by name. The major characters would only be addressed or referred to in terms

that express the relation they have to the young narrator.

b. The first question the narrator asks is why she cannot be a boy. The second question is

about her Maasi when she wants to know what her Maasi has to endure.

c. The narrator’s elder sister does not rebel like her younger sister. She quietly submits to the expectations that the elders in the family have from her. This is the reason why she is

more acceptable to the family. The Naani calls her ‘precious Lakshmi’.

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. On the day of Ashtami, all the girls in the house are worshipped as goddesses. A

crimson tikka is put on each of their foreheads and they are given halva puri and some

money as well. b. The narrator’s angry retort exposes the hypocrisy in our society where women are

marginalized and discriminated against every day and yet on one particular day they

are suddenly elevated to the status of a goddess

1.11 Key to exercises given in your textbook at the end of Unit 4.

Vocabulary

1. The Hindi words used in the story are:

Ma, Baabu, Naani, surahi, Emli, Eekh, samosa, Maama, Maami, Maasi, beedi, dai, zari,

chhoti, maasi, Bari Maami, goli, halwa, puri, devi, tikka, aarti, ghee, kanyakumari,

prasad.

2. English substitutes for some of the words are:

36

Hindi word English substitute

Ma Mother; mom

Baabu Papa, dad

Naani granny

surahi pitcher

emli tamarind

eekh sugarcane

maama Maternal uncle

maasi Maternal aunt

zari Sequined border or lace

Chhotimaasi Younger aunt

Barimaami Elder aunt

halwa Sweet preparation, dessert

puri Puffed balls of flour

devi goddess

tikka Mark on the forehead

aarti prayer

ghee Clarified butter

kanyakumari Young unmarried girl

prasad Offering to the gods

You can see from the table above that we can find English substitutes for the Hindi words in

the story but if we substitute them and then read the story it changes the tone of the story

altogether. We no longer get a feel about the particular social setting in which the story is

placed. The relationships also sound quite impersonal if we substitute ‘maternal aunt’ for maami or mausi. Thus the mood of the story changes to quite an extent.

Writing

When we write a dialogue the stage directions have to be given within brackets and are in a

different type-face or font to make them stand separate from the words that are meant to be

spoken. If we were to write the last part of the story in dialogue form then it would read

something like the dialogue given below:

Naani: [carrying a tray of crimson powder in her hands]. Where are you girls?

Come on, let me put a tikka on your foreheads. [Lighting the camphor for

aarti]. Come now let me do aarti to all of you. [ Puts the tikka and rings a

bell and also blows the conch].

Mili [racing around the courtyard like and engine] Poo-ooo

Naani [in the background to Mili] Come on dear; let me put the tikka on you.

You are my Kanyakumari, aren’t you?

37

Mili [retorting angrily] No. I’m an engine.

Ma [waddling towards Mili with her face filled with rage] I’ll mke an engine out

of you this very minute.

Elderly

Neighbour

[catching hold of Ma’s hand] Have you gone mad Lali?[Signalling to Mili to

obey]. She is after all a child, a Kanyakumari. Today is Ashtami, the devi’s

day; you mustn’t hit a Kanyakumari; it is a sin.

Maasi

[irritably to Mili] Go on. Take the Prasad from Naani. Why do you make

your mother cry when she is in this condition?

Mili

[breaking into a sob] When you people don’t love girls, why do you pretend

to worship them? [Chokes back her tears ].

Hari’s mother

[putting her hand up to her cheek and speaking in a tone full of wonder].

Ma-ri-ma, just listen to her. What a temper for a girl to show!

Naani

[distributing a rupee and a quarter to each girl. Holding out the amount

towards Mili but addressing the wall].You can buy twenty sour golis with

this money. [the tip of her thumb has a mark of crimson powder on it].

Mili

[screaming and moving back towards the wall]. I don’t want all this

halwapuri, tikka or money. [screaming loudly this time] I don’t want to be a

goddess. [Sound of pigeons taking off in a flurry].

Speaking

The unfinished sentences in the story can be completed as shown below:

i. ‘Ah, a woman’s fate is her own’.

ii. ‘Oh, three girls have really finished my life.’

iii. ‘Be sure you put the oil vessel under the bed, or one of the children will tip it over.

iv. ‘Who knows perhaps even this time I will be cursed with a girl child.’

Completing these sentences does not improve the story. In fact it leaves nothing to our

imagination and limits the sense or interpretation to just a single meaning. If on the other

hand the sentences are left unfinished then there remains the possibility of each reader

attaching his or her own meaning to it thus adding to the richness of the story.

38

Activity (Writing)

Three friends are having a discussion about women’s safety in the city and what measures should be adopted by women to keep themselves safe. Write a dialogue between these friends,

complete with stage directions. You may name these friends as Kavita, Anu, and Rita.

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UNIT 5

UNDERSTANDING POETRY I

AN EXCHANGE

Payal Kapadia

-- Dr.Neeta Gupta

1.1 Introduction

Reading and understanding poetry is different from understanding narrative. The most

obvious difference is that a poem is generally short. A poet does not have the luxury of space that

a novelist may have. So in a poem a great deal is said in very few words. This makes a poem a

very concentrated piece of writing. The same is achieved through suggestion, implication, use of

metaphors, symbols and other poetic devices. One has to constantly read between the lines to

understand the implications of what is being actually said. A detailed discussion on the special

features of poetry is included in the Introduction to Unit 8. Please refer to the same before reading

this poem.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you have finished reading this lesson you will be able to:

• Recognize some key elements of poetry.

• Get some idea ofhow poetry is different from narrative or prose.

• To read between the lines.

• Understand how drastic the effect of time can be.

• Understand the many meanings of the word ‘exchange’ and see what it means in the context of the poem.

An Exchange

Who is that? I asked my father as we flipped through

an old photo album.

It’s Dadi-he, proclaimed, my grandmother

What time can do to one!

Drooping sacks of age under her eyes today,

Her skin has turned from soft and shiny

To wrinkled, spotted and flaccid.

She did not deserve this change,

She was always a strong woman

Following her heart, causing revolutions within the family

Where did that strong hearted woman disappear?

Into the depths of time, replaced by a weak and humble one

Obsessed with religion.

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1.3 A Note on the poem

The poem is a short 13 line poem. There is no attempt to break the poem into stanzas. It

appears as a single piece but if we read it carefully it can be split into three parts based on the

ideas being expressed therein.

• The first four lines identify the subject of the poem who is the speaker’s grandmother.

• The next four lines describe how much the speaker’s grandmother has changed over time in physical appearance.

• The last five lines compare the change in her personality – how from being a

strong revolutionary woman she has become weak and humble.

Let us read the poem and try and analyse it. 1.4 Critical Commentary Lines 1-4

Who is that? I asked my father as we flipped through

an old photo album.

It’s Dadi-he, proclaimed, my grandmother

What time can do to one!

The first person speaker asks her father a question – “Who is that” as they flip through a photo album. On being told that it is her grandmother, the first thought that comes to her mind is

how much change has come over her with passing time. As explained to you in section 1.1, in a

poem we have to read between the lines to understand the implications of what is being said. It is

obvious that the poet must have pointed at a photograph of her grandmother taken when she was

young. Since she is familiar only with her old grandmother she is shocked to see how much her

appearance has changed over time. Comparing the two in her mind her sad observation is that

Time can be really cruel and bring about such unpleasant changes in people: “What time can do to one!”

Since the poem is titled ‘An Exchange’ we have to try and infer the different ways in

which this word ‘exchange’ is being interpreted in the poem. An exchange takes place when we get one thing in return for another. The first ‘exchange’ has already happened and is at the level of physical appearance.The difference between the young and the old grandmother is so stark that it

is almost as though one person has been exchanged for another. The young woman in the

photograph is gone for ever and only the old one remains. It is Time that has brought about this

exchange.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is the subject of the poem and how is she introduced?

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b. What is it that the narrator finds shocking about her grandmother?

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1.5 Critical Commentary Lines 5-8

Drooping sacks of age under her eyes today,

Her skin has turned from soft and shiny

To wrinkled, spotted and flaccid.

She did not deserve this change,

In the next four lines we are told what that physical change has been. The grandmother’s eyes are now puffy with age. Her skin is no longer soft and shiny but has turned spotted and

wrinkled and hangs loose on her. The use of these adjectives helps us to almost visualize two

different images albeit of the same person.

The changes that have come about in her grandmother are very obvious changes that age

can bring about in people and the description would fit any old woman. But then why does the

narrator say that her grandmother did not deserve this change? Is it just because she is her

grandmother or was there something in the grandmother’s personality that could have defied the ravages of time? The narrator’s sad observation prepares the ground for the lines that individualize

the poet’s grandmother for us.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. Describe the changes that have come in the grandmother’s physical appearance.

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b. What is the narrator’s observation about her grandmother after noting these changes?

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1.6 Critical Commentary Lines 9-13

She was always a strong woman

Following her heart, causing revolutions within the family

Where did that strong hearted woman disappear?

Into the depths of time, replaced by a weak and humble one

Obsessed with religion.

The above lines focus on the change that has come about in the thinking of the speaker’s grandmother. We are told that she used to be a strong woman and always followed her heart. Once

again the poem works through implication and suggestion. A person who follows the heart does

not bow down to conventions and traditions. That she was a revolutionary again implies that her

actions must have caused turbulence within the family.

Another exchange however, has happened over time. Earlier it was the image in the

photograph that was so different from the present reality that it seemed almost as though one

person had been exchanged for another. In the concluding lines of the poem the exchange is

42

between the bold, daring and strong willed revolutionary who has been replaced by a timid and

humble one.

The concluding line of the poem says that the old grandmother is now ‘obsessed with religion.’ The implications of the observation are many. A person who is obsessed with religion would in all probability become dogmatic, irrational and superstitious and would bow down to

convention. It does come as a sad shock that from someone who charted her own path in young

age the speaker’s grandmother has now been reduced to depend so heavily on religion to be almost obsessed with it. Her bold independent thinking that caused revolutions within the family

is gone and she now bows down humbly to convention. She is almost pitiable in her old age and

we understand why the speaker had observed earlier that her grandmother did not deserve this

change.

The ‘exchange’ in both cases is between the past and the present.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Describe the kind of woman the grandmother was when she was young.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. What is the change in her personality now?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.7 Let Us Sum Up

After reading the poem ‘An Exchange’ we have learnt a few things. Let us try and sum up all that we have learnt:

• We have seen how a poem is to be read and how it is different from a narrative.

• We have seen how simple words carry innumerable associations and resonate with meanings.

• We have learnt to read between the lines and catch the pathosin the poem.

• We have seen a fresh perspective on old age -that it can be seen as an ‘exchange.’ • We have been able to deduce the theme of the poem which is the way Time works to bring

about changes not only in a person’s physical appearance but also inhis/her thinking as well transforming them into different personalities.

• We have understood the title of the poem.

1.8Glossary

Flipped through:turn over

Proclaimed:announced

Drooping:sagging and loose

Flaccid: loose

Obsessed:fixated

43

1.9 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The speaker’s grandmother is the subject of the poem. She is introduced through a photograph in an old album which the speaker has been flipping through with her father.

b. The speaker is shocked on seeing the difference between her grandmother as she knows her presently and the person in the photograph who is also her grandmother but at a time when she was young. The line ‘what time can do to one’ is the cue that highlights this difference..

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Old age has brought about quite unpleasant physical changes in the grandmother’s appearance. Her skin is no longer soft and shiny but hangs loose on her and is spotted

and wrinkled. Her eyes too are puffy with age.

b. Having noticed these changes in her grandmother’s physical appearance, the speaker is very disturbed and observes that she did not deserve this change. What she means

here is that Time’s relentless march has transformed her grandmother so drastically

and so pathetically that being the kind of woman she was in her young age she did

not deserve to become the pitiable figure that she has become in her old age.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. The speaker’s grandmother was a strong woman in her young age. She was

unconventional too and had caused many a revolutions in her family.

b. Time has brought about a drastic change in the grandmother’s personality. Of course she has aged and looks old and weak now but more importantly her thinking has

undergone a radical change too. From being a bold and courageous woman she has

now been reduced to a weak and humble person who is so insecure that she is now

almost fanatical. In other words she has lost her independent and rational thinking and

has become heavily dependent on religion.

1.10 Key to Exercises given in the textbook at the end of Unit 5 Vocabulary

The poem uses a number of words to describe Dadi, hercharacter and appearance, in the past

and in the present (wrinkled, strong).These words are adjectives. They express an attribute of

something by qualifying the noun (in this case Dadi). List at least five more such words that

have been used to describe Dadi. List at least three words you would use to describe the poem.

1. Five words used to describe Dadi:

• Wrinkled

• Spotted

• Flaccid

• Weak

• Humble

44

2. Three words we can use to describe the poem:

• Nostalgic

• Meaningful

• Descriptive

Writing

You have been asked to write two paragraphs about your own Dadi. Some ideas have been

given and you can work around those to develop them into interesting paragraphs. But let us stop

and try and recall what a good paragraph should contain.

Paragraph Writing

The three basic components of any good paragraph are:

• Topic sentence

• Supporting sentences

• Conclusion

The Topic sentence: This is the first sentence of the paragraph and contains the main idea of the

paragraph in a nutshell. The sentences that follow will build on this main idea. For example if you

want to write about how bold your Dadiwas in her young age then your topic sentence might be:

‘Dadi may be meek and old now but in her young age she was bold and fearless almost like a tigress ’ The Supporting Sentences: Thesefollow the topic sentence and bring in details to support the

main idea. These details can be in the form of examples, instances, illustrations etc.

For example the supporting sentence for the above topic sentence should illustrate the

boldness that you have highlighted in the topic sentence. You can give some examples that would

illustrate her courageous personality. She might have flouted conventions; broken some rules;

fought to be educated etc. You can write about how her nature impacted the family - whether her

boldness was resisted or encouraged.

Conclusion:This is the last sentence of your paragraph and ties up all thoughts together. Most

often the conclusion is a rewording of your topic sentence. So our concluding sentence in this case

can be

“Who would believe that such a frail looking old woman could have been a trailblazer in her young days?”

Now try and write the required two paragraphs on your Dadi keeping the above points in

mind.

1.12 Activity

I. Try and write two paragraphs on any member of your family/ a friend/ a teacher that you

look up to.

OR

II. Write two paragraphs on a profession of your choice.

45

UNIT 6

UNDERSTANDING SATIRE

A TEN DAY FAST

Harishankar Parsai

— Dr. Anil Aneja

1.1 Introduction

In the first five units of Fluency in English, you have learnt how to understand poetry, how to

understand humour, how to understand various points of view. Unit 6 of this book has been

intended to teach you how to understand satire. Do you know the exact meaning of the word

“satire”? The word incorporates “the use of humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to reveal and criticize people’s bad points.” In literature, the term refers to a type of novel, poem or play, whereby a particular subject, vice or folly in human nature or in a system is ridiculed.

A Ten day Fast was written by Harishankar Parsai around twenty years after the independence of

India. Through this piece of writing, Parsai holds up to our scrutiny the picture of an independent

country where some people with vested interests use various strategies to manipulate public

opinion and the political system. By using such a method, the writer satirizes the functioning of

democracy in the nation.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After going through this unit you will be able to:

• Understand satire

• Understand how the author uses humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to achieve his

objectives

• See how democratic rights are misused by some influential members of the society to

manipulate public opinion and the political system

1.3 What is Satire?

Satire, in simple words, is the use of, humour, irony or exaggeration to reveal the foolishness or

wickedness of some people or some ideas in a society. We often see the use of satire in literature,

films, theatre and other literary forms. In short satire is a form of criticism that involves humour

irony or exaggeration. It is often used with the intention of making people aware of the negative

aspects of certain things or certain group of people who pose a threat to the smooth functioning of

a society and thereby urging people to change it before it becomes too late. In this piece of writing

the writer is concerned about the degeneration of democratic values in the post independent India.

And the writer uses satire to bring this issue into focus.

1.4 Critical commentary (Diary entry of 10thand 11th January)

A Ten Day Fast is written in the form of diary entry. Episodes between the dates 10th January to

21st January in the life of Bannu and his supporters are recorded. Bannu goes on a fast for an

46

unworthy cause that is to procure another man’s wife. The diary form of writing, seen together with the contents of the story, gives a tone of mock-seriousness to this satirical piece of writing.

The diary entry of 10th January sets the stage. The fact is that Bannu had been unsuccessfully

pursuing Savitri, the wife of Radhika Babu for more than 16 years. At the outset the narrator

points out that nothing in this country functions on its own, whether it is the parliament, the

judiciary, bureaucracy, or anything else. Everything has to be influenced and manoeuvred, in

contemporary society. According to the narrator, all major demands can only be met through

threats of fast or threats to kill oneself by burning (self-immolation). The narrator offers to show

Bannu the way to achieve his heart’s desire: he suggests that Bannu should go on a fast to obtain his goal. {There was a time when the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi used to go on long

fasts for a noble cause that is the country’s independence}. By juxtaposing the tradition of such fasts with a frivolous cause in Bannu’s case, the writer satirizes the degeneration of contemporary

political and social systems. Initially, Bannu is unsure whether it is possible for someone at all to

go on a fast oversuch a matter; and whether such a thing would work. However, he is persuaded by

the narrator that much “depends on how you set up the issue … If the issue is set up well you will get yourwoman”. He suggests that they visit Baba Sankidas to procure expert advice and guidance. Then arrator thus reveals that through manipulative and expert strategies, it is possible to twist and

mould situations, and use them for a negative end. Thus, under the able guidance of the narrator

and Baba Sanki Das, Bannu proceeds on a “fast unto death”.

On January 11, He is found sitting in a tent. A holy atmosphere has been contrived :incense sticks

burn near him, and a group of people vigorously sing the favourite song of Mahatma Gandhi. A

deceptively pious ambience is built up. {But the reader can discern the wide gap between the kind

of noble purposes for which Gandhi ji used to undergo a fast unto death and Bannu’s base purpose.}Baba Sanki Das craftily drafts the Declaration of Principles on Bannu’s behalf. Hecamouflages Bannu’s desire for another man’s wife in such a way that it sounds exalted and philosophic. In the Declaration, Bannu declares that he has been prompted by his soul which is

incomplete without Savitri: “My soul calls out to me saying, I’m as only one half. My other halfis in Savitri. My soul says, Bring the two halves together and make them one. Or else set me free

from this world.” Bannu declares that he has gone on a fast to bring the two halves of his soul together. The diary record made on this day, that is 11 January, shows how Baba Sanki Das, the

master strategist, uses language to manipulate others and influence public opinion.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. Why does the narrator suggest an indefinite fast to Bannu?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

b. Mahatma Gandhi used fasts as a political weapon against the British. We see Bannu going on an

indefinite fast to procure another man`s wife. What is the writer trying to achieve by juxtaposing

both?

47

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

c. How does Baba Sankidas help Bannu?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.5 Critical commentary (Diary entry of 13th, 14th and 15th January)

Bannu finds it difficult to go through the fast as he has little tolerance for hunger. He asks whether

eminent personalities such as Jayaprakash Narayan and Vinoba Bhave had come to see him. Some

journalists come to see him and want to know if the fast is for a public cause. Baba Sankidas

shrewdly replies that the priority was to do something to save Bannu’s life. He adds, “When someone goes on a fast, he makes such a sacrifice that any cause becomes pure.” The queries of the journalists show how the media gets attracted to any public display. People like Baba Sankidas

exploit the media to shape and sway public opinion. Baba Sankidas continues to shape public

opinion. On 14th January, he gets a statement by Swami Rasanand published in the papers. Swami

Rasanand claims that his ascetic acts have given him the power to see both the past and the future.

These (so-called) powers, Rasanand asserts, have revealed to him that “Bannu was a sage in his previous life, and that Savitri was his wife.” He adds that it is a sin that a sage’s wife should now

live with Radhika Prasad. This statement has a great impact on the people. Many people start

taking Bannu’s side. This extract shows how religion and media can be manipulated to influence public opinion.

It is clear by 15th January that public opinion has emerged in Bannu’s favour. News papers are full of the story of Bannu’s fast. People in the city are heard saying that Savitri’s husband is a shameless man and that it is “a great sin to keep a sage’s wife as your own.” Such shocking public

views are the writer’s way of satirizing democracy in the country. The author shows how even immoral demands meet with public approval through artful manoeuvering. Also on this day,

arrangements are made to send a small crowd of people to the Prime Minister’s residence to appeal to him to intervene in the matter. Jayaprakash Narayan visits Bannu that evening. {It must be

borne in mind that in the process of writing a satire, the author uses imaginary scenes. The events

are not meant to be seen as real episodes, but rather, their value lies in exposing negative social

and/or political systems in a humorous way.}

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. How does Baba Sankidas build up public opinion in Bannu`s favour?

48

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

1.6 Critical commentary (Diary entry of 16th, 17th and 18th January)

Jayaprakash Narayan, who has been persuaded to mediate and see the Prime Minister on Bannu’s behalf, is not successful in his mission. The narrator feels discouraged, but Baba Sankidas remains

unshaken. The latter says that at first everyone rejects a demand; and that the time has come to

intensify the struggle. The Baba instigates the media as well as the caste system to create ripples of

effect in society in Bannu’s favour. (Bannu is a Brahmin and Radhika Babu is a Kayasth).

On 17th January, the newspaper headlines and a deliberately created advertisement further shows

the use of media by a group of manipulative people to present the case in Bannu’s favour. Bannu’s supporters also go to the extent of hiring four local goondas (miscreants). These people are paid in

advance to throw rocks into Kayasth homes, and then go and throw rocks in Brahmin homes. We

see how the politics of caste- rivalry can be played and misused in ademocratic set-up such as

India.

Fierce fights take place between the two caste groups. As a result of all the animosity kindled by

the supporters of Bannu, such as the narrator and Baba Sankidas, Section 144 of the Indian Penal

Code is imposed on the city as a result of all the provocation and violence. The government has

been watching the situation carefully, although there is a dead lock as far as the talks are

concerned. Thus we see how a trivial matter can be pushed to proportions of nation-wide interest

by a handful of people with vested interests. To expose this social evil is one of the primary

purposes of this particular satire.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. On the 16thof January, the fast is given a new twist. What is it?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

b. The introduction of the caste dimension leads to social unrest. What does it tell you about our

society?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

49

1.7 Critical commentary (Diary entry of 19th, 20th and 21st January)

By the 19th January, after so many days of fasting, Bannu becomes weak. He raves and rants that

he has been led into a trap. The narrator is worried that if Bannu reveals such a statement to the

public or the press, people such as the narrator and Baba Sankidas will be exposed. Bannu’s condition continues to grow worse. The narrator and his advisors issue a public statement on

Bannu’s behalf: “I may die but I shall not retreat”. There is much uproar in the nation regarding the issue of Bannu’s fast. The Brahmin Sabha threatens, “If the demand is not met, ten Brahmins will immolate themselves”. Savitri attempts suicide, but is saved. Praye rmeetings are held all over the country. Heightening the tone of satire, the author states that a telegram has been sent to the

United Nations.

On 21st January all the crooked tactics of Baba Sankidas and the narrator finally yield results! The

government accepts Bannu’s demands in principle. Baba Sankidas gives a glass oforange juice to Bannu, as a token of breaking the fast. Bhajansand prayers are loudly recited. The author satirizes

the functioning of democracy in the country as Baba Sankidas says triumphantly,“In a democracy, public opinion has to be respected.” The misuse of Dharma or religion is also mocked at, as

hundreds of men and women come to touch Bannu’s feet, and people shout “Victory to Truth!” “Victory to Dharma!”

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. What makes the government accept Bannu’s demand?

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. The success of the fast brings lot of benefits to Bannu. What implication does it have for the

society?

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Let us Sum Up

After going through this Unit we have become familiar with satire and the use of satire in a piece

of literary writing. In this unit we have seen how one man is steered by “well-wishers” and experts to go on a fast unto death so that he can procure another man’s wife. Theaim of the satirist Harishankar Parsai is to expose the loopholes in a democratic system, where by a handful of

people with vested interests can manipulate a situation and subvert political ideology.

50

Throughout “A Ten Day Fast”, ideas and means reminiscent of India’s struggle for independence are used satirically to achieve unworthy goals. We see how various kinds of people and agencies

such as media, common man’s religious sentiments, and the opinion of masses, the caste system and social miscreants can be manipulated to achieve petty personal gains.

1.9 Glossary

roughed upbeaten up

set up the way in which something is organized or positioned

whimpered feeble sound expressing fear or discontent

crystallized became definite and clear

unanimous fully in agreement; being of one opinion

devout religious, holy

deteriorating becoming worse

deadlocka situation in which no progress can be made

skirmishes spell of unplanned fighting between small groups

Dharma in Indian religion, the eternal law of the universe

1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The narrator is of the view that nothing in this country functions on its own, whether it is

the parliament, the judiciary, bureaucracy, or anything else. Everything has to be

influenced and manoeuvred, in contemporary society. According to the narrator, all major

demands can only be met through threats of fast or threats to kill oneself by burning (self-

immolation). Consequently he suggests that Bannu should go on a fast to obtain his goal.

b. There was a time when the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi used to go on long fasts

for a noble cause that is the country’s independence. By juxtaposing the tradition of suchfasts with a frivolous cause in Bannu’s case, the writer satirizes the degeneration of contemporarypolitical and social systems.

c. Baba Sankidasis a master strategist and it is under his able guidance that Bannu goes on a

“fast unto death”. Baba Sankidas craftily builds up a holy atmosphere with incense sticks burning in the tent. He then drafts the Declaration of Principles on Bannu’s behalf. Hecamouflages Bannu’s desire for another man’s wife in such a way that it sounds exalted andphilosophic. In the Declaration, Bannu declares that he has been prompted by his soul

which is in complete without Savitri: “My soul calls out to me saying, I’m as only one half. My other halfis in Savitri. My soul says, bring the two halves together and make

them one. Or else set me free from this world.” Bannu declares that he has gone on a fast to bring the two halves of his soul together. The diary record made on this day, that is 11

51

January, shows how Baba Sankidas, the master strategist, uses language to manipulate

others and influence public opinion.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Baba Sankidas exploits the media to shape and sway public opinion. On 14th January, he

gets a statement by Swami Rasanand published in the papers. Swami Rasanand claims that

his ascetic acts havegiven him the power to see both the past and the future. These (so-

called) powers, Rasanand asserts, have revealed to him that “Bannu was a sage in his previous life, and that Savitri was his wife.” He adds that it is a sin that a sage’s wife should now live with Radhika Prasad. This statement has a great impact on the people.

Many people start taking Bannu’s side. This extract shows how religion and media can be

manipulated to influence public opinion.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. On 16th January Baba Sankidas decides that he should introduce the element of caste in

this issue. The plan is that some people should work on the Brahmins (Bannu is a

Brahmin) and some others should work on the Kayasths (Radhia Babu is a Kayasth)

thereby creating social tension in the area. This action actually leads to social unrest and

subsequently imposition of Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code in the area.

b. It tells us that even after so many years of independence we, as a society have not moved

forward. We remain divided along caste lines and modernity and scientific progress has

yet to take roots in our minds and hearts. In this piece of writing we can see that people are

easily manipulated by people like Baba Sankidas and other politicians who have no

qualms in playing one caste against the other.We see how the politics of caste- rivalry can

be played and misused in ademocratic set-up such as India.

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. The government accepts Bannu’s demands because the situation had become serious and there was large scale social unrest. There is much uproar in thenation regarding the issue

of Bannu’s fast. The Brahmin Sabha threatens, “If the demand is notmet, ten Brahmins

will immolate themselves”. Savitri attempts suicide, but is saved. Prayermeetings are held all over the country. Consequently the government gives in.

b. This has disastrous consequences for the society. If people are allowed to manipulate and

arm twist the government to give in to such petty and immoral demands the society will

collapse. In The Ten Day Fast we see how various kinds of people and agencies such as

media, common man’s religious sentiments, and the opinion of masses, the caste system

and social miscreants can be manipulated to achieve petty personal gains. The aim of the

satirist Harishankar Parsai is to expose this deplorable tendency in our political and

religious leaders.

52

1.11 Key to exercises given in the text book at the end of -Unit 6

1. Vocabulary

Column A Column B

sarcasm remarks which clearly mean the opposite of

what they say and are meant to criticize in an

amusing way

mock-serious tongue-in-cheek; saying something funny very

seriously

slapstick a type of amusing acting in which the actors

behave in a silly way, such as slipping on

bananas

comedy a play or film written chiefly to amuse its

audience by appealing to a sense of superiority

over the characters depicted. It ends happily for

all.

irony device used by an author to express a meaning

different from the surface meaning of the words

1.12 Activity (Writing)

You have seen in this Unit how a diary is maintained. Examine the format of The Ten Day

Fast and then maintain a diary in the same format for ten days. At the end of it you can get it

checked and edited by your teacher.

53

UNIT 7

UNDERSTANDING VALUES

GO KISS THE WORLD

Subroto Bagchi

— Dr Neeta Gupta

1.1 Introduction

Before moving on to a reading and discussion of the Unit, it is important for us to know what

success means to the writer. Success is a relative term and there can be many different ways of

looking at success. For some people, being successful means having a lot of material wealth while

for some others it may mean being famous. There are people for whom success means having

excelled in their chosen field of work while some others simply think that if they are happy with

what they have then they can be seen as successful too. Go, Kiss the World gives us a very

different and personal view about what success means. The extract is from the 'Welcome Address'

by Subroto Bagchi, Chief Operating Officer, Mind Tree Consulting, to Management Students at

the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. This 'Welcome Address' was delivered on 2 July

2004.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you finish reading this Unit you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of basic human values in our lives.

• Recognize how success can be defined in different ways and how it can depend to a

considerable extent on the values you have in life.

• Critically analyze the essay and understand how teaching of good values can be achieved

through simple acts.

• Answer the questions on the Unit in your prescribed textbook.

1.3 Summary (Para 1-2): The Beginnings

Bagchi begins by giving a brief family background and tells the audience/reader that he was the

youngest child in a family of five brothers and that his father was a government servant in

Koraput, Orissa. Koraput was a small, backward place with no electricity and no primary school

nearby and no taps. Since there was no primary school, Bagchi says that he was home-schooled

till the age of eight. The family lived frugally and his father was transferred every year. Bagchi

discloses that his mother was an orphan and had been brought up by a widow who was a refugee

from East Bengal. At the time of her marriage Bagchi's mother was a matriculate.

Critical Commentary

The essay is autobiographical and Bagchi begins by taking us back to his childhood. He is not at

all embarrassed to tell us that his father was a humble government servant and that the family was

not materially well off. When he says that the family belongings fit into the back of a jeep, he is

implying that they had such few material possessions that they could all be accommodated in a

small storage space.The district of Koraput is described as ‘back of the beyond’ which means a

very backward place.We are told a little bit about his mother.Even though an orphan and brought

up by a refugee,she is still educated and is a matriculate at the time of her marriage to

54

Bagchi’s father. We learn indirectly that education is valued in this family. It is obvious that the writer comes from a humble background yet at the same time we must not

forget that he is a very successful businessman heading an important business organization. We

are curious to know what has made him what he is today. Bagchi admits with pride at this stage of

his address that his parents together set the foundation system of his life and gave him the value

system which has made him what he is todayand which has also defined success to him in his

personal terms. He then goes on to list those values one by one, illustrating each one of them with

examples drawn from his personal life.

1.3.1Check Your Progress

a. Where did Bagchi’s father work and as what?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

b. What kind of a place was Koraput?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

c. Was the family rich?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

d. Was Bagchi’s mother educated?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.4 Summary (Para 3-4): The early lessons learnt and values imbibed from his father

In the next paragraph Bagchi tells us that as District Employment officer his father was given a

jeep for touring the interiors. That jeep was never misused by his father for his personal comfort.

He never used it to go to office and even his children could sit in it only when it was parked and

stationary. The driver of the jeep was also treated with a lot of respect and the children were told

to call him ‘dada’ and never to call him by his name. Critical Commentary

55

Bagchi had said earlier that he was given his value system by his parents. Now he moves on to

illustrate those values by drawing on stories from his childhood.The first of these values is learnt

when he sees his father not using the office transport for personal use. 'Not to misuse power and

privileges' was the first lesson in governance learnt from this simple example from life. Bagchi

calls it his first lesson in governance.

The second lesson is learnt from the way his father makes sure that the driver of his office

jeep is treated with respect and that children do not call him by his name but refer to him as 'dada'.

The lesson learnt is spelled out at the end of the paragraph: 'It is more important to respect your

subordinates than your superiors'.

1.4.1Check Your Progress

a. What was Bagchi’s first lesson in governance?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

b. How were the children asked to address the driver and why?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

c. What lesson did the writer learn from this?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.5 Summary (Para 5-6): Why reading the newspaper is important

Bagchi next recounts how a typical day in his family would begin. He tells us that they would all

gather around the chulha and his mother would make tea for all. While having tea his father would

ask all of them to read the newspaper aloud. The children did so even though they could not

understand completely what they were reading. After the reading was over their father would ask

them to fold the newspaper and keep it away neatly.

Critical Commentary

In this paragraph Bagchi underlines the importance of newspaper reading. From the simple routine

of reading the newspaper everyday heand his brothers learnt good English despite having

studied in an Oriya medium school. The newspaper also made them aware of the fact that the

world is not just limited to Koraput district but is a very large place. The simple act of folding

56

back the newspaper neatly taught him another lesson which was 'to show consideration to others'. Bagchi observes that any business begins and ends with this simple rule. What seems

to be gradually emerging is the fact that to be a good business man one needs to be a good human

being first. The values that Bagchi is talking about here are all simple and basic values which

together contribute to make a person a good human being.

1.5.1Check Your Progress

a. What did the Bagchi family do while having the morning tea?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

b. How did reading the newspaper help the Bagchi children?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

c. Which other lesson in life is connected by Bagchi to the activity of newspaper reading?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.6 Summary (Para 7): How important are material possessions

In this paragraph Bagchi remembers that they did not possess any radio or transistor and

whenever they asked their father to buy one he would always point to his five sons and say that he

already has five radios. The family did not even possess a house of their own and Bagchi’s father would always again look at his sons and say that he did not need any as he already has five

houses. Even from this Bagchi learnt another valuable lesson. 'It is important not to measure personal success and sense of well-being through material possessions'.

Critical Commentary

From the above passage it is reinforced that Bagchi's father did not hanker after

material possessions. Earlier it had been mentioned that the family did not possess much and all

their possessions could fit in the back of a jeep. Now we see how Bagchi’s father sets an example

for living a simple life. He never gives in to the children's demands for things like a transistor or

radio or even a house. He is a man of principles and is quite content with what he has. He knows

how to live economically without unnecessary expenditure. He is a loving father but knows

how and when to be firm. Bagchi gets a lesson in success from observing his father live his life

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according to certain rules. He learns that material possessions cannot be a measure of one’s success or well-being.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. What did the Bagchi children demand from their father and what was his reply?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

b. What lesson did Bagchi learn from this?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.7 Summary (Para 8 ): Lessons in success learnt from his mother

Bagchi next describes briefly how his mother strove and worked hard to beautify

whichever house the family lived in. She took great pains to plant flowers and make the

surroundings beautiful even though she knew at times that the flowers she has planted may bloom

after the family has been transferred. Nevertheless, she continued in her efforts saying that she has

to leave a place more beautiful than what she had inherited. This, says Bagchi, was his first lesson

in success: 'It is not about what you create for yourself, it is what you leave behind that

defines success.'

Critical commentary

At the beginning of the essay, Bagchi had proudly admitted that he is what he is today mainly

because of the strong value system put in place by his parents. In the first half of the essay he

familiarizes us with his father’s principles and what he has learnt from him by merely observing him. Now he moves on to tell us about his mother and how her principles influenced his thinking

and his approach to life. From reading the above paragraph it emerges that Bagchi’s mother was a hardworking woman who valued beauty and worked painstakingly without looking for any

rewards or an enjoyment of her efforts. By observing his mother Bagchi’s first lesson in success teaches him to look beyond himself; to open his horizons and work not just for himself but with

the thought of what he can leave behind for others.

We must remember that Bagchi is addressing future corporate managers and it is an

important lesson for them. In the business world the usual definition of success would include

money, power, control, influence, fame and so on and all of it for oneself. What Bagchi learns

from observing his mother is not new but something which we have all forgotten in the race to be

successful in this highly commercialized world.

1.7.1Check Your Progress

a. What does the writer remember about his mother in the above section?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

b. What lesson does Bagchi learn from observing his mother’s act of beautifying a place?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

c. Do you think it is important to think of others and not just about yourself?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

1.8 Summary (Para 9-10): Is imagination important for success?

We as readers are next taken to that time in Bagchi's life when his mother developed

cataract in her eyes. He remembers that he was a young child at that time and used to read the

local newspaper for her. This in turn developed in him a sense of being connected with the larger

universe. The year being 1965, India was at war with Pakistan and Bagchi recalls that he read the

war news with immense interest and imagined himself catching Pakistani spies in action. This act

unblocked his imagination. The two lessons learnt from those early years were:

• You have to measure success in terms of a sense of a larger connectedness.

• Imagination is everything. If we can imagine a future, we can create it, if we can

create that future, others will live it. This is the essence of success.

Critical Commentary

The indomitable spirit of Bagchi’s mother comes out strongly in the above paragraph.

Despite her cataract and her unfamiliarity with the Oriya script she makes sure that she gets the

daily news from the papers that the writer reads out for her. Knowing about the events happening

in the world, discussing the news makes the writer and his mother feel connected to that larger

world. From this daily reading of the newspaper two very important elements get added to the

emerging definition of success. The first is that we cannot measure our success in isolation. It

hasto be measured in terms of a sense of a larger connectedness.

The second element too has its root in the newspaper reading because reading about the

war sets the writer’s imagination racing and he imagines himself fighting the war, saving the

village and so on. The lesson learnt is that imagination is as important as anything else to be

successful. It may seem that in the corporate business world there would be no place for

imagination. But it is only people with imagination who are able to look beyond the mundane and

usual. They are the ones who are capable of bringing about a change in whatever they do and

point out the endless possibilities that are waiting to be tapped. All it needs is a mind that can

imagine that change and then work towards it. Unless you imagine you cannot achieve that

change.

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1.8.2 Check Your Progress

a. What do you learn about Bagchi’s mother in the above paragraphs?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. How did Bagchi benefit from reading the paper aloud for his mother?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

c. Why is imagination important in a business?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.9 Summary (Para 11-12):A sense of Independence is also important to be successful

Bagchi next recounts how his mother’s eyesight kept getting worse day by day. She was operated for cataract and after the operation when she sees her son clearly for the first time she is

amazed at seeing how fair he is. Unfortunately, within a fortnight she develops corneal ulcer and

goes blind in both eyes. Yet when her son asks her whether she sees darkness she replies that she

sees only light. Bagchi writes that for 32 years till his mother’s death in 2002, despite being blind she continued to do her own work and never became a burden on anyone.

Critical Commentary

The above account of Bagchi’s mother brings out her fortitude and her courage in times of great difficulty. She is able to ‘see the light’ because of her positive outlook and her optimism. Seeing the light is used in the symbolic sense here and indicates that Bagchi’s mother is able to see how valuable the gift of life is and how each individual has a special and intrinsic worth. The

lesson learnt is that 'Success is not about seeing the world but seeing the light. ’What Bagchi means here is that one must always be optimistic in one’s approach even under adverse circumstances. If one can see the light one can live with a sense of independence, one can live

with a sense of self-worth. If one doesn't have to depend on others for simple things, that itself

becomes one measure of success.

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1.9.1Check Your Progress

a. Describe the qualities that Bagchi describes in his mother in the above paragraph.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

b. What does the writer mean by being able to ‘see the light’?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

1.10 Summary (Para 13-16):Success is about the legacy you leave behind

As time passes, Bagchi briefly narrates how from a clerk in a government office he went

on to become a well-known name in the IT industry. He traveled all over the world and worked on

challenging assignments with outstanding people. Then at one point of time he learns of his father

having suffered third-degree burns. Bagchi describes the few days spent at Delhi's Safdarjung

Hospital where his father was admitted. His father is bandaged from head to toe and needs to be

attended to by a nurse at one point. The nurse comes after much delay but rather than

reprimanding her Bagchi’s father shows his concern for her realizing that she is overworked and needs rest too. This basic humanity and sense of inclusiveness that we see leaves a lasting

impression on the writer’s mind. Bagchi surmises that ‘There is no limit to how concerned you

can be for another human being and the limit of inclusion you can create’. His father teaches him

that ‘Success is your ability to rise above your discomfort, whatever may be your current state.

Success is not about material comforts. Rather, Success is about the legacy you leave behind in

the form of a continuity of your ideals and values.’

Critical Commentary

The above section again emphasizes the basic human values held so dear by Bagchi’s father. His simplicity, his concern for others, his courage and his inclusiveness all become part of

the legacy that Bagchi can recognize in his father’s life. His father teaches him that success is not about material comforts but about the legacy one leaves behind in the form of one’s ideals and

values.

1.10.1Check Your Progress

a. What happens to Bagchi’s father?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. What important lesson does Bagchi learn from observing his father in the hospital?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.11 Summary (Para 17): Success lies in dialogue, in diversity of thought

Bagchi next reminisces about the arguments that his parents had on political issues

because both held differing opinions. His father was a firm believer in the British Raj while his

mother was the exact opposite. So the Bagchi household saw differing political perspectives on

situations. At the same time neither thrust his/her views on the other. This created a healthy

environment at home where there was diversity in thinking and one was free to have one’s opinion. Instead of dogma there was dialogue. Bagchi tells the audience/reader that he learnt

another lesson. Success is also about ‘the unfolding of thought processes, of dialogue and continuum.’

Critical Commentary

This part of the essay stresses on the fact that it is possible to disagree and yet live in

harmony. The writer’s parents may have different political beliefs and opinions yet they are tolerant of and respect each other’s views and give each other the freedom and space to express those views. Success is not about being dogmatic. It is about having a dialogue and a variety of

views which can include many thought processes.

1.11.1Check Your Progress

a. The writer’s parents hold different political beliefs. Does this fact create disharmony at

home?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. What lesson does the writer draw from observing his parents here?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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1.12 Summary (Para 18-19): The Title

Nearing the end of his Address, Bagchi comes to the point where he talks of his mother's

illness after a paralytic stroke. He leaves work to be with her but her condition remains what it

was, neither getting better nor moving on. Since he has to return to work, he goes to kiss his

mother goodbye. Bagchi describes how even in that paralytic state his mother has only words of

encouragement for her son. She tells him ‘Why are you kissing me,go, kiss the world.’

Critical Commentary

Bagchi’s mother is once again able to rise above her ‘immediate pain’. Marked by

adversity, lying on her deathbed, this woman is telling her son to go kiss the world. She is telling

her son to go be a winner in the world but a winner who would be able to leave a mark of his own

humanity. To kiss the world would imply to touch the world with love and affection. These values

may not find a place in today’s business world which is riddled with cut-throat competition. But

success is not just about winning. Success is about vision, about inclusion, about imagination,

about tolerance about connectedness, about personal tenacity. As the writer says, it is about

‘creating extra-ordinary success with ordinary lives.’

1.12.1Check Your Progress

a. What are the last words of Bagchi’s mother to him?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. What do you think is meant by her last words?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.13 Let Us Sum Up

In this lesson we have seen how Bagchi has given us a personal insight into what success means

to him. He has also talked in detail about the values that helped him achieve that success. We

have seen how throughout the essay he draws examples from memories of his childhood days

and of his upbringing in a middle class household by his parents of strong principles. He recounts

how the lessons that he learnt from his father and mother, helped him understand the essential

truth about success, that success is not what you achieve in material terms but it is the legacy that

you leave behind in terms of ideals and values upheld by you. Success is not just about winning

the world but also about leaving an indelible impression of your own humanity on it. Success is

important but it is equally important to be a good human being and to be remembered for your

values and not just for material success. This is surely a very different way of defining success.

The title of the piece thus becomes very suggestive and meaningful. The last words of Bagchi’s mother carry within them the essence of what success should mean to any

63

human being. ‘Go kiss the world’ thus means to go and make the world your own by practicing the values you uphold and the legacy you leave behind for others to follow.

At the end of the lesson we have understood that:

• Basic human values are important in our lives.

• Success can be defined in different ways and it can depend to a considerable extent on the

values we have in life.

• Teaching of good values can be achieved through simple acts.

1.14 Glossary

back of beyond remote

establishment a place of business or residence

commute travel some distance to and fro

resource Available

reiterate say or do again

stationary standing still

cringe to shrink in fear

huddling Sitting closely together

precept rule or guide especially of conduct

enamoured inspired with love or delight

alluding referring

infested Over-run

raged at its height

coined invented a new word or phrase

galvanized forced into action by excitement or shock

fervour passion or zeal

deteriorated became worse

intervening occurring in time between events

perpetrators those who commit a crime or blunder

dehumanized having no human qualities

relented relaxed, gave in

stoic control of one's feelings and passions

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mimetic of or practicing imitation

diversity variety

continuum thing having a continuous structure

stint allotted amount of work

garbled confused

confluence coming together

1.15 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.3.1

a. Bagchi’s father worked as a District Employment Officer in Koraput in Orissa.

b. Koraput was a very backward place. Bagchi describes it as ‘back of the beyond’. There was no electricity, no primary school nearby and no taps out of which water would flow.

In all probability water was sourced from ponds and wells.

c. Bagchi’s family was not rich and did not have many material possessions. We can say this

because whenever Bagchi’s father was transferred and they had to move, their family belongings were so few that they would all fit into the back of a jeep.

d. Yes, Bagchi’s mother was a matriculate when she married his father.

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. Bagchi’s first lesson in governance was not to misuse expensive resources given by the government for official use. He learns this lesson from observing his father when he

refuses to use the office jeep for personal use and stops his family also from doing so. He

refuses to use the jeep for commuting to office and uses it to only tour the interiors. The

children could sit in it only when it was stationary.

b. The children were taught not to call the driver by name but to use the suffix ‘dada’ whenever they were to refer to him in public or private. This was to ensure that the driver

of the jeep was also treated with respect which was extended to any other member of the

office of Mr. Bagchi.

c. The writer learnt an important lesson from the way in which the children were taught to be

respectful towards the driver. He learnt that it is more important to respect your

subordinates that your superiors.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. While having the morning tea, huddled around the chulha, Bagchi’s father would ask his children to read aloud the editorial page of The Statesman’s muffasil edition which used to

be delivered one day late.

b. Despite having studied at an Oriya medium school Bagchi’s English is very good and he

gives credit for it to this daily newspaper reading activity. Reading the newspaper helped

in improving their English.

c. One other lesson that the children learn from their newspaper reading activity relates to the

way their father makes them fold the newspaper neatly before putting it away telling them

65

that one should always leave one’s newspaper and toilet the way one would expect to find it. This teaches them consideration for others. Bagchi applies this rule to business and tell

us that ‘business begins and ends with this precept.’

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. The Bagchi children were attracted towards the advertisements for transistor radios

whenever they saw one. They asked their father when they would be able to possess

one like the others did. Their father would always tell them lovingly but firmly that he

had no need for a transistor as he already possessed five of them hinting at his five

sons thereby. Similarly when his children asked him when they would be able to live

in a house of their own, their father would reply jokingly that he had no need for a

house because he already owned five houses – once again alluding to his five sons.

b. When his father brushed aside his children’s desire for a transistor or a house, it taught Bagchi an important lesson. He learnt that ‘it is important not to measure personal success and sense of well-being through material possessions.’

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. In this section of the essay Bagchi remembers how his mother tried to beautify

whichever place the family was transferred to. He tells us how in the afternoons his

mother would take her kitchen utensils and with their help dig up the rocky, ant-

infested ground and plant flowering bushes. When the ants destroyed them she would

not give up but would mix ash in the earth and plant the seedlings all over again. By

the time they bloomed Bagchi’s father would be transferred and they could not enjoy the beauty of the flowers they planted with such hard work and care. It would only

benefit the people who would occupy the house next. When asked why she would be

working so hard when there was no surety of their stay there, she always replied that

she had to leave a place more beautiful than what she had inherited.

b. From his mother’s selfless efforts Bagchi learns an important lesson which he calls his

first lesson in success. He learns that ‘it is not about what you create for yourself, it is what you leave behind that defines success.’

c. It is important to not be self-centered, to be able to look beyond oneself, to be able to

think of others and not just about yourself, to be able to include others in the vision that

you might have created and towards which you are working. If we work only for

ourselves then our success will not be able to touch others, it will not be able to benefit

others. Our efforts will remain limited and we will never be able to achieve great

heights. We should not forget our basic human values in our race for success.

Key to Exercise 1.8.1

a. In this section of the essay we learn that Bagchi’s mother began to develop cataract in

her eyes and consequently her eyesight dimmed. When she moves to Bhubaneswar to

help her eldest son, the writer moves with her. When she faces problems reading the

newspapersbecause of her eyesight, she makes the writer read them aloud for her. Her

desire to stay connected with the larger world, to know what’s happening beyond the confines of the home tells us about her curious mind which can break through barriers

and find a way. The fact that she does not have much formal education or even the fact

that she is just a housewife does not deter her from staying connected to the world. We

get a taste here of her keen mind and her indomitable spirit.

66

b. Bagchi is asked by his mother to read the paper aloud for her. He recalls how this

created in him a sense of connectedness with the larger world. The time was around

1965 when India was preparing for war with Pakistan. Reading about the war set the

writer’s imagination at work. He began imagining as though he too was fighting the war. Both he and his mother discussed the daily news and thus established a

connection with the larger reality. The writer’s imagination took him much further and he would dream of catching enemy spies. The writer recalls these valuable times for

the manner in which they unlocked his imagination. According to him ‘imagination is everything. If we can imagine a future we can create it, if we can create the future

others can live in it. That is the essence of success.’ c. Imagination is very important in a business too. We would be able to create a different,

a better and a new future only if we can imagine it first. If we cannot think beyond the

given then we cannot change the present, we cannot move towards betterment. With

imagination come new perceptions, new visions, and new insights into things. Only if

we can imagine all this can we dream about creating it. Without imagination it is

impossible to bring about a change or create anything new. Even for a business to

succeed it is important for us to first imagine where we want to take it and how we

want to do so. Only once we have imagined it can we move towards making it a

reality.

Key to Exercise 1.9.1

a. This section of the essay further highlights the courage and resilience of Bagchi’s mother. She goes blind in both eyes yet when her son asks her whether she sees

darkness, her reply is full of positivity and optimism and she says that she sees only

light. When she says that she sees light what she means is that she sees hope. She is

able to rise above her personal difficulties and be optimistic about the future. She is

able to retain her independence and in the thirty two years that she spends without

sight, she never becomes a burden on anyone. To be able to remain independent is

itself a measure of success.

b. To be able to ‘see light,’ is used in the symbolic sense here and indicates that Bagchi’s mother is able to see how valuable the gift of life is. Seeing the light also means being

able to see the sense of self-worth that is intrinsic to every individual. The light is also

the light of hope, of optimism which can help you overcome any adversity. The lesson

learnt is that ‘Success is not about seeing the world but seeing the light.’ If one can see the light one can live with a sense of independence, one can live with a sense of self-

worth. If one doesn't have to depend on others for simple things, that itself becomes

one measure of success.

Key to Exercise 1.10.1

a. Bagchi’s father suffers a third degree burn injury and is admitted at Safderjung hospital for treatment.

b. Bagchi’s father is on his deathbed, in all probability he is in excruciating pain yet he is more concerned about the overworked nurse than his own state. He is concerned enough

to ask the attending nurse why she hadn’t gone home in a situation where every

patient in that under staffed burn ward would be clamouring for her attention. Bagchi’s father is stoic enough to set aside his own pain and spare a thought for the overworked

67

nurse. Bagchi learns an important lesson from this experience. He learns that there is no

limit to how concerned you can be for another human being. There is no limit to the

inclusion one can create. Bagchi’s father dies but leaves a legacy of his ideals and his principles behind.

Key to Exercise 1.11.1

a. The writer’s father was a fervent believer in the British Raj whereas his mother was

the exact opposite and participated wholeheartedly in the freedom struggle. It was

inevitable that they both could never agree on any major political issues concerning the

world. The Bagchi household saw disagreements but never disharmony. The writer

states that in his parents he recognized the power of disagreements, of dialogue and of

diversity of thoughts. Their harmonious coexistence was the spirit that generated a

healthy atmosphere at the writer’s home. b. Having observed his parents livingtogether amicably despite following different

political ideologies makes the writer recognize that life is not about being rigid in

one’s views but to be open to different thought processes. Success lies not in creating

an absolute and unchangeable state of existence but to allow different thought

processes to exist together and give space to different opinions, different viewpoints.

Key to Exercise 1.12.1

a. Bagchi visits his mother in the hospital where she is lying critically ill. When he is

about to leave he kisses her goodbye. At that time his mother tells him that instead of

kissing her he should ‘go kiss the world’. b. When Bagchi’s mother tells him to ‘go kiss the world’ she is in fact asking him to go

and be successful in the world. She is also asking him to “Stay connected to a larger

world existence”. She is asking him to not limit his vision to just his personal world

but to rise above it and connect to the larger world outside and win it, to make it his

own. In the light of the essay we can easily understand what is implied in her words.

Anybody can call himself successful or a winner if he or she is prosperous and

successful in the business. But the real winner is the one who is able to leave an

indelible mark on the world in the kind of person he or she is. Bagchi’s mother wants him to be a real winner – a person whose values would touch the world with kindness,

care and consideration.

1.16 Activity(Writing)

I. Listed below are a number of insights that Bagchi gained from his parents. Give at least one

example of each from your own experiences (and not taken from the essay) so that its meaning

becomes clear. [The terms have been explained. Examples have to be given by you].

1. Showing sensitivity to small people: means being considerate not onlyto their needs but

also their feelings

2. Showing consideration to others: means being aware of their needs and expectations and

taking care of them

3. Seeing the light: means being hopeful and optimistic

4. Lesson in governance: means to learn to be honest in life, and not misuse the power and

the privileges given to you.

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5. Imagination is everything: means imagination helps you think about the future and shape

it too.

6. Having a larger vision: means to not be limited to just your personal world but be

inclusive and be connected to the larger world.

7. Having personal tenacity: means having the ability to persevere in your effortsagainst all

odds; to stick to your goal

II. Write a 300 word essay on things you would like to achieve in life or write about the type of

person you would like to grow up to be.

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UNIT 8

UNDERSTANDING POETRY II

AMALKANTI

Nirendranath Chakrabarty

-- Dr. Neeta Gupta

1.1 Introduction

Understanding poetry is a very different exercise from understanding narrative because a

poem is a very concentrated piece of writing. A poem is generally short because the poet does not

have the luxury of space that a novelist may have. So a great deal is said in very few words.

Whatever is left unsaid is implied and we have to read between the lines or understand the

implications of the various images, symbols and metaphors used by the poet. Even the ordering of

words or repetition of some words can carry a thought in a poem. Words are chosen with great

care and not only for their meaning but also their sound. A good deal of thought goes into the

structuring of words because in a poem words are used keeping in mind their connotations and

subtle nuances of meaning too. For example in ‘Amalkanti’ the title of the poem which means radiance, is itself a guide to an understanding of the poem for it gives us an idea of what the poet’s response is towards the subject of the poem. In fact it is very important to remember that a poem

is written not just to be read but to be read aloud so the sound of the words used becomes

important as it can help create the entire atmosphere and tone of the poem. At times the tone of the

poem is itself an indicator of what the poet is actually trying to say. For instance in ‘Amalkanti’ the tone of the poem reveals that there is a distinction between the viewpoints of the speaker and

the poet and the same creates an irony within the poem.

By now you probably have some idea of the things to be alert to while reading a poem.

Let's move on then to the poem under consideration and take a detailed look at it.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you have finished reading this lesson you will be able to:

• Recognize some key elements of poetry.

• Identify how poetry is different from narrative or prose.

• To read between the lines.

• Identify differences in points of view.

• Recognize and understand irony.

• Understand the given poem ‘Amalkanti’ and appreciate the difference in a translated and original piece of writing that is at times difficult to overcome.

1.3 A Note on ‘Amalkanti’ ‘Amalkanti’ is a poem written originally in Bengali by Nirendranath Chakrabarti but made

available to all non-Bengali but English knowing speakers in an English translation of the same

by Sujit Mukherjee and Meenakshi Mukherjee.The poem deals with a very common situation in

70

the lives of school-going children who often discuss what each one of them wants to be when

grown-up. Amalkanti is a friend of the speaker and the two are classmates. The speaker tells us

that Amalkanti was not very bright and in fact quite dull at studies. But he had a dream unlike any

other student in class. He wanted to become sunlight! While the rest of the students followed

conventional paths and had common expectations in life which even got fulfilled, Amalkanti's

dream was very different. 'He wanted to be sunlight'. This desire is very strong in Amalkanti's

heart but the poem ends by telling us that he could not become sunlight. In fact he got a poorly

paid job in a printing press and worked in a dark and dingy room. It is left to the reader to read

between the lines and determine as to who are the really successful people in this poem. Is it the

group of those youngsters who become doctors and lawyers without caring too deeply about it or

is it Amalkanti who is content with his lot even though not at all successful in the conventional

terms?

1.4Critical Commentary Stanza 1

Amalkanti is a friend of mine,

we were together at school.

He often came late to class

and never knew his lessons.

When asked to conjugate a verb,

he looked out of the window

in such puzzlement

that we all felt sorry for him.

The poet begins the poem by introducing us at once to the person who is going to be the

focus of the whole poem. He begins by telling us that Amalkanti is a friend of [his] and they were

together at school. When asked to do even a simple grammar exercise as ‘conjugate a verb’, he

would look puzzled and would look out of the window. All his classmates felt sorry for him.

The poem begins in first person and the speaker addresses the readers directly. At this

time however, we cannot be sure whether it is the poet speaking. The lines are short and the tone is

conversational. The manner in which Amalkanti is introduced defines very clearly that the

relationship between the speaker and this boy is neither too close nor too distant. There is a

mixture of closeness and distance. He is neither his closest friend norhis best friend. But he is

nevertheless a friend.The stanza progresses with a confident and amused tone and the speaker

describes how Amalkanti was a weak student and he often came late to school and almost never

knew his lessons. In the concluding line we have to take into account what is left unsaid. In any

normal classroom situation if a student fails to provide an answer to a simple question, rest of the

students often make fun of him. But here the case is different. The speaker tells us that ‘we all felt

sorry for him. ’The reason for this is obviously Amalkanti. He looks lost and so confused that he

invokes a response of pity rather than ridicule from his classmates. The poet coins a special word

‘puzzlement’ to convey the lost and bewildered look on Amalkanti’s face which evokes a sympathetic response from his classmates.

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1.4.1 Check Your Progress

c. How does the speaker introduce Amalkanti?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

d. What are we told about Amalkanti?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

e. Why do Amalkanti’s classmates feel sorry for him?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

f. Is the poet’s use of the word ‘puzzlement’ effective?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Critical Commentary Stanza 2

Some of us wanted to be teachers,

some doctors, some lawyers.

Amalkanti didn’t want to be any of these.

He wanted to be sunlight –

the timid sunlight of late afternoon,

when it stops raining

and the crows call again,

the sunlight that clings like a smile

to the leaves of the jam and the jamrul.

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The speaker continues in the same confident tone and tells us next about the dreams and desires

of his classmates. Most of these students have conventional expectations from life -- some

justwant to become teachers, some doctors and some lawyers. It is only Amalkanti who stands

apart with his dream. He does not want to follow any of the conservative professions. Instead, he

wants to become sunlight! He wants to become the kind of sunlight tthat we see in late afternoons

when it has stopped raining and the crows start calling again. He wants to be the warm sunlight

that one sees reflected on the leaves of the jaam and the jamrul trees.

The speaker’s tone is casual when he tells us the common and conservative goals of his classmates. They all wanted to take up conventional professions -- so some want to be teachers,

some lawyers and some doctors. The speaker does not name any particular student who would

want any particular profession except Amalkanti. For the rest of them it didn’t matter what they became as long as it was one of the conventional lines of work. Amalkanti however stands out

from the rest in wanting to become sunlight!

When the speaker begins describing the kind of sunlight that Amalkanti wanted to be,

the tone of the poem becomes full of wonder, it becomes soft and lyrical. This should make us

stop and think whether in these lines it is the speaker who has suddenly changed his attitude or

whether it is the poet who has stepped in to give a different perspective on the situation.

Amalkanti wants to become sunlight says the speaker, but it is the poet who tells us that he

wants to become “the timid sunlight oflate afternoon, when it stops raining and the crows call

again, the sunlight that clings like a smile to the leaves of the jaam and the jaamrul.”

While on the one hand the above quoted lines alert us to the change in tone and

perspective, on the other hand they also underline the fact that Amalkanti's desire is to spread

the happiness associated with sunlight. That is why it is described as the ‘timid sunlight of late

afternoon ’that ‘clings like a smile.’ The poet has conveyed his point of view through a skillful

use of the image of sunlight that he has created. Look at the careful choice of words. The

adjective ‘timid’ aptly describes the softness of the sunlight. In late afternoon the sun's intensity

is on the declining side. Thus all the harshness that can be equally associated with sunlight is

removed from Amalkanti's dream. In his dream there is only softness and happiness associated

with sunlight and the same is achieved through the use of the image of sunlight clinging like a

smile.

In the above stanza it becomes clear that there is a difference in perspectives of the poet

and the speaker of the poem and the two are not the same. The speaker has a casual attitude

towards Amalkanti, even full of pity at times, but the poet’s attitude is full of wonder.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. How is Amalkanti’s desire different from the rest of his classmates?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

b. Do you think Amalkanti’s desire is foolish?

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_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

c. Describe the kind of sunlight that Amalkanti wanted to be. What does this tell us about

the dual perspective in the poem?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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1.6 Critical Commentary Stanza 3

Some of us have become teachers,

some doctors, some lawyers.

Amalkanti couldn’t become sunlight.

He works in a poorly lit room

for a printer

He drops in now and then to see me,

chats about this and that

over a cup of tea, then gets up to go.

I see him off at the door.

In the third stanza, the speaker returns to tell us how everybody else’s dream gets

fulfilled except Amalkanti’s. We are told that from that group of students, some have become

teachers, some lawyers and some doctors. But Amalkanti couldn't become sunlight. In fact, we

are informed that he works in a ‘poorly lit room for a printer’. We are further told that

Amalkanti still makes an effort to stay in touch with his friend, the speaker of the poem, for he

drops in ‘now and then’ to see him and chats about ‘this and that’ over a cup of tea and then

gets up to go and the speaker sees him off at the door.

The tense of the poem changes at this point. From past we now move into the present.

The ironyis obvious in the lines that tell us that the boy who wanted to become sunlight now

works in a poorly lit room and is obviously engaged in a low-paying job. The speaker's attitude

towards his friend at this point is almost patronizing. You must notice that it is always

Amalkanti who makes an effort to meet his school-friend. These visits are not very important

for the speaker and his attitude is extremely casual. That is why he mentions that his friend

drops in ‘now and then’ and chats about ‘this and that’, and then leaves.

What does this tell us about Amalkanti? Surely it indicates that he still values his

friendship with the speaker and therefore makes an effort to meet his friend. He must be a

warm, caring and emotional person.

At this point in the poem we as readers too feel sorry for Amalkanti. For a person who

wanted to be sunlight it must be a big disappointment to be engaged in a low paying job and be

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working in room where there is not even enough light.

1.6.1 Check Your progress

a. Are the students in the poem able to achieve their goals? Is Amalkanti able to fulfil his

dream?

_______________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b. How do we know that Amalkanti still values his friendship with the speaker?

_______________________________________________________________________

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c. What effect do phrases like ‘now and then’, ‘this and that’ have on the tone of the poem?

_______________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________

d. What is the poet trying to tell us when he says that Amalkanti works in a poorly lit room

or a printer?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

1.7 Critical Commentary Stanza 4

The one among us who’s a teacher

could easily have become a doctor.

If the one who’d wanted to be a doctor

had become a lawyer,

it wouldn’t have made much difference to him. All of us got more or less what we wanted,

all except Amalkanti –

who used to think so much about sunlight

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that he wanted to become sunlight.

The speaker tells us where the future years took these students. Some became doctors,

some lawyers and some teachers. For those of them who had become doctors and lawyers, it

wouldn’t have made much difference if their achievements had interchanged and the doctor had

become a lawyer or vice versa. All of them got ‘more or less’ what they wanted except Amalkanti

‘who used to think so much about sunlight that he wanted to become sunlight.’ The last stanza changes the whole perspective on the situation. Once again the distinction

between the speaker and the poet gets blurred. The speaker's tone is not so confident in the

concluding stanza. There is no amusement in the words now, no patronizing tone. It is only

wonder at a person who can desire something so deeply that he wishes to become that thing itself.

In contrast, none of the rest of the classmates is so deeply desirous of anything. In fact to them it

hardly matters if they become teachers or doctors or lawyers. What is implied here is obviously

that as long as the aspirant is able to join a conventionally respectable and well-paying profession

it matters little what it is. On the other hand there is Amalkanti whose desire to become sunlight is

so deep that he is constantly thinking about it. This is what makes Amalkanti special and very

different from the rest. It is almost as though he stands out from the crowd. He may not be

successful in conventional terms, he may not be rich or materially well off but he is not ready to

compromise with his heart’s deepest desire and in some sense he is even able to achieve it.

There is an irony in the situation being described here. On the literal level, Amalkanti may

be a failure and he may be earning very little and working in dingy surroundings. But the work he

does is that of spreading the light of knowledge through books. It is mentioned that he works for a

printer even though in a ‘poorly-lit’ room. He may be far from sunlight but he is engaged in a task

which can be likened to that of spreading light-- the light of knowledge. While we may think that

Amalkanti could not achieve his heart's desire, we would be far from the truth because in that

group of boys it is probably only Amalkanti who has been able to get a little close to what he

wanted from life. Far from being a failure, he is moderately successful in his own eyes even

though not in conventional terms. The poem is giving us yet another perspective on success and

failure. In the previous unit ‘Go, Kiss the World’, the author Subroto Bagchi had given us a

number of perspectives on how to define success. In ‘Amalkanti’ thepoet is giving us yet another

perspective on success. Success cannot be measured by the amount of money you earn or by

seeing how well-known you are. Success also means being able to get what you most desire even

though in worldly terms you may appear to be a failure.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. What does the speaker mean when he says that ‘All of us got more or less what we

wanted’?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b. What is the poet’s attitude towards Amalkanti?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________

c. Do you think Amalkanti is a failure? How is the poet defining success here?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

d. Does the name ‘Amalkanti’ help in the subtle working of irony in the poem?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Let Us Sum Up

After reading the poem ‘Amalkanti’ we have learnt a few things. Let us try and sum up all that we have learnt:

• We have seen how a poem is to be read and how it is different from a narrative.

• We have seen what poetic language is and how it uses symbols, images and associations to make simple words resonate with meanings.

• We have also seen how a poem when translated fails to catch some of the nuances that would be evident in the original for example Amalkanti’s name itself.

• In the poem we discovered how there can be a difference in the point of view of the poet and the first person speaker which in turn alerts us to the irony that works in the poem throughout.

• The poet’s sympathetic attitude towards Amalkanti vis a vis the speaker’s condescending one becomes apparent only after we have understood the difference in their points of view. We have therefore learnt the important technique of deciphering meaning by reading between the lines.

• Thus we have learnt to read between the lines and catch the irony in the poem.

• Though on the surface the poem seems fairly simple – about two classmates who have grown up and gone their separate ways, yet it offers a very different dimension to how success can be defined in this world. Being able to do what he most loves is more important to Amalkanti than being materially successful.

• We have understood the association attached to the name Amalkanti in the original and have been able to deduce the underlying theme of the poem -- that one meaning of being successful is to be able to do what your heart desires most.

1.9 Glossary

Conjugate: to state the different forms a verb can have, for example according to the number of people it refers to and whether it refers to the present, past, or future

Timid: shy and nervous

Clings: sticks

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Jaam: a purple coloured fruit also known as jamun

Jamrul: water apple

1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The speaker introduces Amalkanti as one of his classmates who is a daydreamer and quite slow in learning.

b. The speaker tells us that Amalkanti often came late to school and was never good at studies. If asked to do a simple thing as conjugate a verb he would get so confused that his classmates all felt sorry for him.

c. Amalkanti’s classmates feel sorry for him when he is unable to give correct answers in class and gets confused. In a normal classroom situation children would have made fun of him. But Amalkanti must have been a gentle and friendly person because instead of laughing they feel sorry for him.

d. The word ‘puzzlement’ has been coined by the poet to indicate the confusion in Amalkanti’s mind. The word is very effective because one can almost visualize the puzzled look on Amalkanti’s face.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Amalkanti’s dream is a very unconventional one. Other boys in his class have the

usual conventional desires of becoming doctors, teachers orlawyers. But

Amalkanti wants to become none of these. He wants to become sunlight. He is

different and he is special. Unlike other boys. Amalkanti's desire is so deep that

he constantly dreams about it and is not ready to compromise with it.

b. At first it does seem that Amalkanti’s desire is unrealistic as well as foolish

because we know that no one can become sunlight! Our disbelief however,

results from a purely literal interpretation of this unique desire. If however we try

to look at it metaphorically then Amalkanti’s desire is neither unrealistic nor

foolish because his desire is to brighten up the world by doing something that

would bring joy into the people's lives. He does achieve this desire partly by

getting engaged in the business of printing books. Books too spread light in the

metaphorical sense and also brighten up people's world. So in a sense Amalkanti

is able to achieve his dream of spreading light.

c. We are told by the speaker that it was Amalkanti’s deepest desire to become sunlight. But then the next few lines describe for us the kind of sunlight that he

wanted to be. There is a perceptible change in tone - from being condescending it

becomes lyrical when we are told that Amalkanti wanted to be the soft and warm

sunlight of the late afternoons when it has just stopped raining. The feeling

associated with this sunlight is of happiness and warmth. We can say that the

poet’s perspective is coming into play here as against the speaker’s perspective which we had seen earlier.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. The speaker tells us that except Amalkanti all the students in the class were more

or less able to achieve their goals. Some became doctors, some lawyers and some

teachers but Amalkanti could not become sunlight.

b. We know that Amalkanti still values his friendship with the speaker because he

comes to visit him sometimes and spends some time with him.

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c. In comparison to Amalkanti, the speaker's attitude towards life is very casual. Phrases

like ‘now and then’, ‘this and that’, ‘more or less’ indicate that nothing matters to him

very deeply.

d. The speaker tells us that Amalkanti works in a poorly lit room for a printer. He

obviously has a low paid job. Yet when he visits the speaker he never complains but

seems to be quite content and talks of ‘this and that.’ We have to read between the

lines here to understand the poet’s point of view. Amalkanti wanted to become

sunlight. He wanted to brighten up people’s lives. By working for a printer he is

involved in the process of spreading the light of knowledge through the printed word

in the form of books. The poet has given us a clue in his name which if translated

means ‘pure radiance.’ He spreads the light of knowledge. And in that sense

Amalkanti has come very close to realizing his dream. He has finally become the

means of spreading ‘light’ therefore we can say that far from being a failure he has

been successful.

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. The speaker is pointing out that he and his classmates were quite indifferent to the kind of

professions that each followed as long as they could earn money.

b. The poet’s attitude towards Amalkanti is very different from that of the speaker’s. First of

all the choice of name ‘Amalkanti’which means ‘pure radiance’ itself indicates that the

poet’s attitude is not very critical. In fact it is sympathetic even full of wonder. As we read

the poem a change in tone has occured in stanza 2 lines 12-17. From being amused and

condescending it has become soft, lyrical and almost wishful in describing how Amalkanti

wants to become the ‘timid sunlight of late afternoon’ and sunlight that clings like a smile.

In the last stanza we notice this change in tone once again when it becomes full of wonder at

the depth of Amalkanti’s desire in comparison with the shallowness of his classmates.

Amalkanti is very clear in his head about what he wants to be. He may be an idealist but at

least he does not compromise with his heart’s desire and tries to spread light in the

metaphorical sense by engaging in a task that spreads knowledge.

c. In conventional terms Amalkanti is a failure because he has not been materially successful

and is not making a future. In fact he is confined to a low paying job. But in another sense

he is a success because he has been able to do what he most wanted to in life and that is to

spread light. If we look at his desire literally then we are missing the point that the poet is

trying to make. Metaphorically Amalkanti has been able to do what he most wanted to. Thus

in this poem we are being given yet another definition of success. Success does not always

mean to be rich. It also means to be able to join a profession of your choice. To be able to do

what you most wanted to.

d. Amalkanti means “pure radiance” in Bangla and Hindi. Knowing the meaning of the word

certainly affects our understanding of the poem for we are able to not only catch the irony in

the poem but also the attitude of the poet towards the subject. Out of the group of boys in

Amalkanti’s class, it is only Amalkanti who has a clear focus and knows what he wants to

become when grown up. It is as clear in his mind as his name itself suggests. Irony is

working at two levels in the poem. For the speaker, it is ironical that a person who wanted

to become sunlight is ultimately confined to a poorly-lit room in a low paying job. But

because we have realized that there is a difference in the attitude of the speaker and the poet

towards Amalkanti, we can see that the irony is working in the opposite direction too.

From the poet’s point of view it is ironical that the speaker cannot see that Amalkanti has

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in fact been able to spread light metaphorically through books and haslived up to his name.

1.11 Key to Exercises given in the textbook at the end of Unit 8 Vocabulary

Poets choose words and structures with great care and after much thought, for they can affect

our response with their sound, connotations and subtle nuances of meaning. In groups of 3

examine the lines given below and list as many alternatives as you can find for the words and

phrases underlined and then briefly state why the poet’s formulation is the best in the given

context.

1. Amalkanti is a friend of mine [This is a solved example in the text]

a. My best friend is Amalkanti.

b. A classmate named Amalkanti.

c. Amalkanti is my friend.

d. Amalkanti is an acquaintance.

The poet’s choice is best because it combines intimacy with distance, neither too close nor too

indifferent. This helps to define exactlythe relationship between thespeaker and the subject.

2. he looked out of the window/in such puzzlement

a. he looked out of the window in such confusion.

b. he looked out of the window in such bewilderment.

c. he looked out of the window in such a confused state

The poet’s choice is the best because the word ‘puzzlement’ itself indicates Amalkanti’s confused

state of mind.

3. He wanted to be ... the timid sunlight of late afternoon.

a. He wanted to be ... the weak sunlight of the latter half of the day.

b. He wanted to be the waning sunlight of afternoon.

c. He wanted to be the fearful sunlight of noon.

The poet’s choice is the best because the words clearly express that Amalkanti wants to become

the kind of sunlight that brings warmth and yet is not harsh. It glows rather than burns.

4. The sunlight that clings like a smile.

5. He works in a poorly-lit room.

Try and attempt nos. 4 &5 by yourself.

Writing

Letter of Recommendation: a letter of recommendation is required when you may be

applying for a course in higher education or for a job. It is not addressed to anyone in particular

but carries the heading ‘To whomsoever it may concern.’ The letter has to be written by either

your former teacher or your former employer. It should briefly touch on the positive aspects of

your personality and should particularly emphasize your capabilities to handle the course or job

you are applying for. The example given in your textbook has been worked out for you below:

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To Whomsoever It May Concern

I have known Mr. Amalkanti Guha for 30 years. Though never a high performer he has always

been a meticulous worker. What is more, he truly enjoys the work he does and since he rose up to

his position as Printing Press Supervisor with UjwalJyotiPrakashanfrom the workshop floor, he is

familiar with every aspect of printing. He is also creative and hard-working and therefore I would

recommend him unreservedly to every reputed printer or publisher. Finally I would add that he

would prove to be an asset for any company. I wish him all the very best in the new assignment.

Sudhir Kumar Das

Advocate

Kolkata High Court.

1.12 Activity

III. Imagine you are the English teacher in a college and one of your students wishes to apply

for higher studies abroad. Write a recommendation letter for your student highlighting the

abilities that he or she possesses to pursue the course of his or her choice.

IV. Try and write a paragraph or a poem on any of your classmates that you find interesting.

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UNIT 9

UNDERSTANDING ARGUMENTS HITTING DOWRY FOR A SIX

Kalpana Sharma

-- Dr. Neeta Gupta

1.1 Introduction

‘Hitting Dowry for a Six’ is an article by Kalpana Sharma, first published in the June l, 2003 issue

of the well-known newspaper The Hindu. It is an article against the system of dowry and uses the

incident of Nisha Sharma’s case to launch into a discussion about the various reasons for the

persistence of this evil in our social system and also suggests a few ways to deal with it.

The article is in the form of an argument therefore it is full of very pertinent and provocative

questions. One question leads to another and the answers to these questions lead to yet more

questions. This is how an argument works. The article probes the issue of dowry deeply and from

various perspectives. Having argued against the prevalence of the evil of dowry, the article

concludes by saying that laws alone cannot help in changing the mindset of people and proceeds to

give some suggestions on how we can get rid of this social evil.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you finish reading this lesson you will be able to:

• Appreciate a piece of writing that works as an argument.

• Recognize that any issue can have arguments and counter arguments.

• Critically examine the issue of dowry.

• See the movement from problem to solution as presented in the article.

• Understand the use of the mixed metaphor in the title.

1.3 Summary (Para 1):An Individual’s Struggle against Dowry

The first paragraph introduces us to the main issue and the main character Nisha Sharma who

seems to have sparked off an anti-dowry movement with her actions. Satyarani Chaddha who lost

her own daughter because of the social evil of dowry is the other name mentioned whose tragic

experience and whose subsequent struggle prove that Nisha was not the first one to raise her voice

against the evil of dowry.Both women launched their struggle as individuals.

Critical Commentary

Nisha Sharma, a software engineer from Noida, had the courage to refuse to marry into a family

that was demanding dowry and she had the courage to go even further and report the matter to the

police. The article begins with a question, "So has young Nisha Sharma of Noida sparked off a

new anti-dowry movement?" In fact, posing questions is going to be the major thrust in the article,

questions that disturb us and make us think. We might think that the article is going to be about

Nisha Sharma. But as we read on we find that such is not the case. Nisha Sharma’s case is just

82

being used as an example or rather a springboard to launch into a discussion about the menace of

dowry system that still prevails in our society despite there being explicit laws against it. The

question, whether Nisha Sharma has sparked off a newanti-dowry movement,implies that there

have been anti-dowry movements in the past. Satyarani Chaddha’s case is then cited as the other

example when one woman was able to spark off a movement against dowry.

There is a difference between the two cases, however. In Satyarani Chadha’s case she had already

lost her daughter who had been tortured and killed for bringing insufficient dowry whereas in

Nisha Sharma’scase a similar sad outcome is averted because the girl is determined not to go

ahead with such a marriage and finds support in her parents. In both cases however, itis an

individual’s action that brings about awareness and has far reaching consequences. Taking a cue

from these two cases, the writer suggests that we should not shy away from doing something we

believe in just because we are alone.

Thus the first argument that has been made is in favour of raising our voice against injustice. A

question is posed which provokes us to think and a response is then given which makes us arrive at

a deduction. This is how an argument works. The point being emphasized here is that even an

individual’s actions can have far reaching consequences.

1.3.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Nisha Sharma and what has she done?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b. What happened in the case of Satyarani Chaddha?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c. What are the similarities and what are the differences between the case of Nisha and Satyarani?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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d. What is being emphasized in the above paragraph?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.4 Summary (Para 2-5):Dowry in the Name of Customs?

The writer now turns her focus on these individual cases and tries to look deeper into theissue and

asks many ‘hard questions.’ While she applauds the parental support that Nisha receives, she at the

same time questions why, both Nisha and her parents go along with the demands as long as these

remain within "reasonable" limits.

The next paragraph asks one question after another exposing notonly the kind of demands that are

made in the name of dowry but also laying-bare the fact, that none of these demands (often marked

as customs) is rational or reasonable. Why should there beany demands at all? People justify their

demands by saying that a girl should take various household items etc. with herso that she is nota

burdenon her husband’s family. But the rest of the paragraph exposes how hollow that belief is

because in her marital home the girl is expected to serve and take care of the entire household. If

we look at it logically then she should be paid forthis work ratherthan the other wayround. These

are some of the pertinent but logical questions we need toask ourselves because they are central to

the issue. If we ignorethese key issues then individual cases will be forgotten and the evil of dowry

will continue to prevail. Our first step should be to come to grips with this ‘central issue.’ Critical Commentary

Having stated the issue in the first paragraph the article now moves on to look at the reasons why

the evil of dowry prevails in our society. For every argument there is a counter argument given to

prove that the reasons are hollow and are only a pretext to take advantage of the situation by the

groom’s side. For example, to ask the bride to bring with her an odd number of saris 21, 31 or 41,

complete with separate blouses and petticoats and sometimes even with matching chappals, is

surely a brazen attempt to take undue advantage of the bride’s family and cannot be termed

reasonable at all.

You must make a note of how an argument is working – a question is posed, an argument is given,

a counter-argument proves the premise wrong and then an example is given to make the

counterargument strong. The same pattern will be followed throughout the article. The entire

exercise hinges on logic and rationality and aims at giving us different perspectives on the same

issue.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. What ‘hard questions’ do we need to ask ourselves?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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b. What are the two issues that stand out in Nisha’s case?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c. Under what pretext are demands made from the groom’s side?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

d. What is the ‘central issue’ that we need to come to grips with?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Summary (Para 6-8): What can bring about a Change?

The writer goes on to probe the ways and means that can bring about a change in the prevailing

situation. Education is one issue. In Nisha’s case, her being educated might have made a difference

in the sense that it gave her some confidence in herself and she decided to call off her marriage.

The writer, however points out that there have been other cases where the girl was not so qualified

yet she could take a stand because she got support from her parents and other family members.

Educationalone cannot help because there have been cases where educated and working women

have bowed down to dowry demands. In a state like Kerala where women are educated and hold

jobs, dowry demands continue to be made and to be met. The writer goes on to argue that parental

and family support plays a major role in such situations whena woman refuses to give in to unjust

social customs. A girl’s ability to say no in such situations depends a great deal on the support she

gets from her family.

Critical Commentary

The argument moves forward and the writer now tries to analyze the factors that helped Nisha and

gave her the courage to raise her voice. Once again the earlier pattern of argument and counter-

argument is followed and finally a solution is arrived at, which is offered as a suggestion. At first it

is argued that Nisha’s education helped her. Then a counter-argument is given that even educated

girls have bowed down to dowry demands. Next a solution is sought and it is argued that parental

and family support is the most important aspect in the struggle against dowry. The final conclusion

is that education alone cannot help. Parental support is crucial for a girl to raise her voice against

the menace of dowry system.

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1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. What are the factors that enabled Nisha to raise her voice against dowry?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b. Do you think education alone can help a girl to fight the dowry system? If not then what

else is needed?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

1.6 Summary (Para 9-10): Related Issues

Another issue that the articlehighlights isthat of women not being allowed to workoutside home

after marriage. In fact, it has been seen that even professionally qualified womenhave been

asked to sit at home simplybecause the husband wants it so. There is something drastically wrong

here. The time effort and money spent on a girl’s education is no different from that spent on a

boy’s. After all those yearsof hard labour if a woman is barred from putting that education to

professional use then it is not only a personal waste but a national waste as well.The fight against

dowry needs a multi-pronged approach. It needs to tackle these various issues prevailing in our

society. The writer points out thatgirls have an advantage over boys inthis fight because they have

numbers on their side. They are less in number so they should play hard to get and should in fact

dictate the terms. Girls being less in number than boys also exposes a very alarming and sad trend

that has resulted from the ‘son’ preference in our society. The imbalance in sex-ratio can leadto

innumerable other problems in society towards which we are turning a blind eye at the moment.

Critical Commentary

The argument now turns to probe the mindset of people who call themselves modern and

progressive. So-called word ‘modern’ educated men ask equally educated girls to set aside their

jobs and careers for the sake of marriage. It is argued how the word ‘modern’ should be

understood. If a man considers himself modern and progressive he should have a mindset that

recognizes the needs and rights of women. He should not subsume these rights under hisown rights

or the needs of his family.

The writer next gives an argument to make the position of girls even stronger in society by arguing

that since the sex ratio shows that there are less number of girls in society they can afford to wait

for the right man to come along and not give in easily.

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1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Is it fair to not allow educated and professionally qualified women to work after marriage?

Give reasons.

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________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b. Why do you think the writer says that girls can dictate their terms?

____________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________

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1.7 Summary (Para 11): There is a need to change the Mindset

In the end, the writer suggests that only a combination of the determination of girls,

supportive parents and a change in our perverted culturecan end this ‘evil’ of the dowry system. A

Law can only help to a certain extent,itcannot change the way people think. Taking the example of

a film "Bend it like Beckham" where a girl defies her parents to play football, which is her heart’s

desire, the writer asks ‘Why can girls not hit dowry for a six and send it flying out of our social

system?’

Critical Commentary

The final paragraph sums up the argument and offers suggestions to combat the

menace. The paragraph ends with a reference to the title of the piece and asks why if girls can

‘bend it like Beckham’ they cannot hit dowry for a six? There is a mixed metaphor being used

here. Bend it Like Beckham was an English film about a British-Indian girl who wanted to play

professional football while her family was completely against it. In the last sentence of this essay

the metaphor from football is mixed with another metaphor from another sport which is cricket. In

cricket if a ball is hit for a six (meaning six runs with one shot) then the ball goes flying out of the

boundary without once hitting the ground. The same is being used in the metaphorical sense by the

writer here. The field is our society and the boundary is that of our socialcustoms. The ball is being

used to represent dowry and is being hit for a six and is being sent out flying from our social

system. The writer says that ifgirls haveconfidence in themselves and if they receive parental

support they can certainly hit dowry for a six and rid our society of this social evil.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. Can a law by itself change the mindset of people?

____________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b. Explain the metaphor used in the title of the article?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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1.8 Let Us Sum Up

• We have seen that Kalpana Sharma’s article ‘Hitting Dowry for a Six’ is a provocative

and powerful argument against the evil system of dowry that continues to prevail in our

society even today. It looks at the various reasons for the persistence of this evil in our

social system and also suggests a few ways to deal with it. Some of the reasons for the

persistence of this evil system are:

Dowry is demanded in the name of customs.

Parents agree to ‘reasonable’ demands.

Education alone cannot help because even educated girls have been seen to bow

down to dowry demands.

Parental and family support is crucial in the direction of enabling girls to take a

stand against dowry.

There is a need to change the mindset in order to bring about a change in society.

• We have seen how the entire article has been written on a pattern of argument and

counterargument which gives us different perspectives on the issue of dowry. The entire

exercise hinges on logic and rationality and works towards a resolution.

• We have also tried to understand the use of the mixed metaphor in the title Hitting

Dowry for a Six where the metaphor from the game of football is mixed with a metaphor

from the game of cricket. Refer to Section 1.7.1 to recall the discussion.

1.9 Glossary

sparked off started

campaign movement, struggle

triggered started, began

raise the banner raise a voice, start a struggle or movement

tortured put through pain and suffering

sufficient enough

far-reaching repercussions far-reaching consequences

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feted and felicitated made famous and congratulated

media spotlight getting public attention through media

deception fraud

marital married

wedding trousseau clothes and other possessions of a woman getting married

virtually nearly

apparent privilege seem to be honour

in the midst of in the middle of

hype publicity

tackled attempted

come to grips with to understand

relegated demoted

yell shout

glimmer flicker

trend tendency

son-preference preference or liking for a son

mindset mentality or attitude

subsumed included

ostensibly supposedly or seemingly

mate companion or friend

perverted corrupt

demonstrated showed or proved

1.10Key to Check Your ProgressExercises

Key to Exercise 1.3.1

a. Nisha Sharma is a software engineer from Noida. She asserted herself and refused to

go forward with a marriage in which dowry was being demanded from the groom’s

side. She even lodged a complaint against the groom’s family with the police.

b. Satyarani Chaddha lost her daughter to the evil of dowry. Her daughter was harassed

and tortured for bringing insufficient dowry and finally lost her life.

c. Both Nisha Sharma and Satyarani Chaddha raised the banner against the evil system

of dowry but there are differences between the two cases. Firstly Satyarani Chaddha is

not a victim herself as Nishais. In Satyarani’s case it was her daughter who lost her

life to this system. Secondly in Nisha’s case the disaster is averted in time due to

Nisha’s courage and her parent’s support. In Satyarani’s case however, her daughter

loses her life as she is tortured and killed by her in-laws. Thirdly, one major difference

between the two cases is that while Nisha’s parents stand by her and supporther in her

stand against such a marriage, Satyarani, being a parent, had gone along with dowry

demands and acted only after she lost her daughter. Nisha’s case teaches us to act in

time.

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d. The point that is being emphasized in the above section is that we must never think

that just because we are alone we cannot raise our voce against injustice or evil. Even

an individual’s actions can have far reaching repercussions and bring about a change

as we have seen in the case of both Nisha and Satyarani. Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The hard questions point at the faults that lie within all those people who go along

with dowry demands. Though Nisha receives parental support when she decides that

the cash demand had become too much, yet till that time both she and her parents had

gone along with unreasonable demands.This leads to further questions whether any

demands can be reasonable and whyshould there be any demands at all.

b. The two issues that stand out in Nisha’s case are:

• Parental support when she decided that the cash demand was too much.

• Both Nisha and her parents bowed down to the demands as long as they

thought they were within ‘reasonable’ limits.

c. Demands are made and met under the pretext that girls should not be a burden on their

husband’s family.

d. The central issue is the social mind-set-that considers a woman to be a burden firstin

her parental home and then in her marital home. The belief that dowry is given

andaccepted so that a woman is not considered a burden in her marital home results

from such a mentality. We need to change such an attitude or else individual efforts

like those of Nisha and Satyarani will be forgotten very soon.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Two factors enabled Nisha to raise her voice against dowry. First was her education

that gave her the courage to assert herself and second was the support of her parents

when she decided to refuse the match.

b. Education alone cannot help a girl to fight the dowry system because even educated

girls are known to have bowed down to the system. What is needed is support of

parents and family members without which it would be hard to take any step against

the social menace. Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. It is certainly not fair to make educated and professionally qualified women give up

their careers in the name of marriage. An equal amount of money, effort and time is

invested in educating girls as it is in educating boys.A girl should not be asked to

compromise with her career in the name of marriage. There is a need to change the

mindset of people and make them aware of the needs and rights of women as they

come into their marital homes.

b. Girls can dictate their terms because their biggest advantage in the fight against dowry

is that they have the numbers on their side. There is less number of girls than boys in

our country. So it is the girls who should be playing hard to get. They should not give

in so easily. Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. Law alone cannot change the mindset of people. It can only help to some extent.

Ultimately a change can come about only if the girls are determined and courageous, if the

parents and family are supportive and if we can bring about a change in our perverted

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culture which in the name of customs makes such unreasonable demand on the girl’s

family.

b. The title of the article is ‘Hitting dowry for a Six’. This metaphor has been taken from the

game of cricket. In cricket when a batsman hits a ball for a six (meaning six runs with one

shot) then the ball goes flying out of the boundary without once hitting the ground. The

same is being used in the metaphorical sense by the writer here. Metaphorically speaking,

the cricket field represents our society and the boundary is that of our socialcustoms. The

cricket ball is being used to represent dowry in this metaphor. By saying that girls should

hit dowry for a six, the writer is in fact implying that just as the cricket ball is sent flying

out of the boundary, so also dowry should be sent out flying from our social system. The

writer says that ifgirls haveconfidence in themselves and if they receive parental support

they can certainly hit dowry for a six and rid our society of this social evil.

1.11 Key to Exercises on given in the textbook at the end of Unit 9

Vocabulary

I. Study carefully the following phrases taken from the essay. Substitute the adjective (which

has been underlined) with another, similar word or phrase and then replace the phrase in

its original place and see if there is any significant change in meaning. Take the help of the

dictionary if you find the exercise difficult.

a. a sufficient dowry: an adequate dowry (no change in meaning).

b. far-reaching repercussions: extensive, sweeping, broad repercussions (not much

change in meaning)

c. unreasonable demands: unfair demands (does not convey the sense of logic or

rationality behind it)

d. central issue: key issue (no change in meaning)

e. suitable boy: appropriate, fit boy ( does not convey the sense of suitability as in

a matrimonial proposal)

f. apparent privilege: obvious privilege (not much change in meaning)

g. ostensibly superior needs; seemingly superior needs (no change in meaning)

II. Here are some more phrases taken from the essay. Fill in the blanks in the given sentences

with the phrases.

Phrases: to raise the banner: how on earth; feted and felicitated; sense of self-worth; to

take a stand, to give in; to set aside.

Fill in the Blanks I wonder why boys and young men never take a stand against dowry, why it is left to women alone

to raise the banner against it. Any man with any sense of self-worth should not give in to the

demands of customs and tradition and agree to be feted and felicitated while his bride’s family is

ruining itself financially. How on earth can young men agree to a custom which may seem

pleasant enough to them today but which they would love to set aside tomorrow, when it could be

their turn to be marrying off their daughter.

Writing

I. Read through the given text carefully and then provide 1-2 sentence summaries of the last

six paragraphs of the essay.

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For example one line summary of the first paragraph would be: ‘We need to come to grips

with the central issue.’ Now try and write out 1-2 sentence summaries of the last six paragraphs on your own.

II. Write a short essay on the role of parents in the growth and development of children.

1.12 Activity

The writer suggests that there are three factors which determine whether a girl will be able to

fight the menace of dowry. These are:

i. Education

ii. Parental support

iii. The freedom to work after marriage.

Rank these factors in their order of importance. Make a presentation on whichever factor you

think is the most important highlighting its role.

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UNIT 10

________________________________________________________________________

UNDERSTANDING HUMOUR

CHOCOLATE

Manju Kapur

— NaliniPrabhakar

1.1 Introduction

Chocolate is a short story which centres around certain events in the marital life of Tara. The

narrative style of this story is humorous but the subject matter of the story is anything but that. The

story raises some very serious issues concerning marriage and individual self-respect. In the

process of our analysis we shall take a closer look at these issues.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you finish reading this lesson you will be able to:

• Summarize the story

• Critically analyse the various issues at work in the text

• Appreciate the humour in the style of narration

1.3 Summary—Short history of Tara’s life up to the time of her marriage

Tara is sent to an all-girls convent school until she attains the age of 17 years, where the

emphasis, as in most schools is entirely on academic work. The free time that is available, Tara

utilises it by attending dance and music classes. After schooling she is sent to an all-girls college

for three years. Here she decides to pursue the Honours Course in English, and this decision is

taken by her for all the wrong reasons. She doesn’t exactly know what to do with her life and so

she opts for English, which at that point seemed a “good no-purpose subject”. She realizes very soon that English (Hons) is not just about reading stories, but also requires a far greater

involvement of grey cells, what with its emphasis on ideas, history and various kinds of

interpretations, sometimes extremely obscure. So Tara spends her time bunking classes to watch

films with her friends. All the time she complains about the strenuousness of the course and is duly

consoled by her mother. Meanwhile Tara’s wedding is fixed and the wedding preparations

coincide with the preparatory leave before the exams. Tara makes a feeble protest, and given her

lack of aptitude for studies, one can only guess how ill-prepared Tara is for her exams. When the

results are declared Tara is surprised that she has passed with a third division. Needless to say, by

this time, she is back from her honeymoon.

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Critical Commentary

Although Tara is made to go through school and college, it is very clear that her education is not

oriented towards any career goal. Education in her case is considered mostly as an ornament that

would brighten her chances of getting a good husband. Her growing dis-affection for the course

she is pursuing, does not alarm her parents. Clearly they do not expect her to take up a career.

Tara, at this stage, still warm from the embraces of her husband does not have the foresight to

figure out the importance of economic independence which a career would give her. It is only

much later that she realizes the importance of education, but by then it is too late.

1.3.1 Check Your Progress

a. Analyse Tara’s and her parent`s attitude towards her education.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. Had Tara been a boy, would the parents have a similar approach towards his education?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________

1.4 Summary: The stigma and trauma of being barren

In the Indian social set up, birth of a child, preferably a male child is seen as a natural by-product

of marriage and that too within the prescribed time limit of a year or at most two from the time of

marriage. Tara’s case is no different. When it becomes increasingly clear that Tara is unable to

bear a child in the normal course of time Tara goes in for a series of remedies, both rational and

irrational. The narrator describes the various remedies undertaken in a humorous fashion. Tara

suggests to her husband Abhay, that they should visit a doctor. Abhay refuses to see a doctor with

the assertion that there is nothing wrong with him. The doctor after examining Tara declares that

there is nothing wrong with her and suggests that the problem could be with Abhay. Abhay after a

heated discussion agrees to see a doctor but on condition that he would do it alone. Tara never

comes to know what transpired between the doctor and Abhay or what verdict was given by the

doctor. We can however assume that the report is not positive as Abhay is “tight lipped and

cross”. He moreover calls the doctor a fool and prohibits Tara from visiting the doctor. With this

rational option closed, Tara we are told explores the divine front. She crawls on her hands and

knees upto Vaishno Devi and repeats it at various others shrines. When this exercise does not pay

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dividends she takes to wearing stones (rashi-stones perhaps). Her mother-in- law shows her

appreciation but none-the-less would on the sly comment “she is unhealthy from inside”.

Critical Commentary

Abhay’s attitude in this sequence of events, seems extremely unreasonable. Abhay seems

to believe that the inadequacy rests, solely with the woman. He is stubborn in his belief that the

problem does not lie with him. This reflects a certain mind-set, a mind-set which is shared by the

society at large, that the cause of infertility is always the female and not the male. Tara is unable to

challenge Abhay on this issue, as her position in the house is that of a dependent. She has to

quietly submit to her husband’s stubbornness. It is also quite possible that men in general do not

wish to acknowledge their infertility in the mistaken belief that their manhood and virility may be

questioned.It is interesting to note that Abhay’s mother too seems to be on her son’s side. Instead

of rationalizing the problem and constructively counselling the son, she chooses to lay the blame

on Tara’s “unhealthy inside.”

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. Critically examine the attitude of Tara, Abhay and the mother to the problem.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. Identify the lines in your text which add humour to Tara’s ordeal.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.5. Summary: Tara’s Tryst with Chocolates

It is around this time that Abhay starts feeding Tara Chocolates and thus begins Tara’s tryst with

Chocolates. It is the casualness with which Abhay seemed to bring her Chocolates that alerts Tara

to something else. Abhay keeps getting an excess of peppermints and despite requests for more

variety, persisted in bringing the same peppermints. His excuse is that he is very busy and airports

stock only peppermints, which Tara knew was a lie. It dawns on Tara that Abhay picked these

mints with a total indifference to her taste. It also dawns on her that he is most of the time not at

home, and on occasions when he is at home he is greatly preoccupied. Tara’s obsession with

Chocolates leads to obesity. Abhay makes fun of her and makes it quite clear that her rolls of fat

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did not do his image much good. He nonetheless continued to supply her with Chocolates, not one,

not two, but all twenty at a time. He never takes Tara on any of his frequent trips. The physical

intimacy of their relationship is restricted to an occasional rub around her fat belly. Given these

circumstances, Tara puts two and two together, does some spying and discovers what is obvious to

everyone else, that Abhay is having an affair.

Critical Commentary

Abhay’s offering of Chocolates could mean three things. Firstly it would avert any suspicion

in Tara’s mind, as the Chocolates which he so diligently brings for her are meant to be a token of

his love. Secondly Chocolates probably assuaged his own guilt over his extra-marital affair.

Finally Chocolates make Tara so ungainly and ugly that Abhay probably finds justification in this,

for his own attraction towards the other woman. It is more difficult to understand Tara’s obsession

with Chocolates. She shows no moderation in her consumption of Chocolates, despite her growing

obesity and her husband’s taunts. Is Tara’s weakness for Chocolates merely gastronomical or is it

her way of overcoming the unhappy state of her marriage? It is very clear that Tara’s and Abhay’s

marriage is on the rocks. The following points are a clear indication of this.

1. Abhay stays away from home most of the time.

2. He is constantly making fun of Tara’s rolls of fat.

3. On the physical front their relationship is non-existent. Although Tara is surprised when

she learns of another woman in Abhay’s life, the reader is hardly surprised as all

indications clearly point to this conclusion.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. Examine the role of Chocolates in this section of the story?

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_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

b. What makes Tara spy on Abhay?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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1.6 Summary: Tara’s Revenge

On discovering Abhay’s infidelity, Tara experiences all the emotions normal to a person in her

situation. The immediate fall out of this emotional trauma for Tara is her total distaste for

Chocolates. Chocolates now begin to symbolize Abhay’s betrayal and her earlier obsession now

turns to nausea. And so she begins to lose weight steadily until she is thinner than ever before.

Tara decides to discard sarees for salwarkameez and begins to look young and beautiful Tara

decides to win over her husband and so adopts the age old adage that the path to a man’s heart is

through his stomach. She joins a cookery class and starts dishing out delicious, mouth-watering

food from her kitchen. Abhay succumbs to this offering from Tara and slowly gets addicted to all

the delicacies. It seems as if he cannot get enough. His demand for good dishes keeps growing and

Tara is more than willing to appease her husband. There is now a reversal of roles. Where earlier it

was Tara who was obese, it is Abhay now who suffers this fate.

As expected Abhay’s growing girth leads to the break-up of his affair. So far so good. Tara has

won her husband over from the other woman. But the story does not end here. It takes a very

interesting turn. What had started as an innocent attempt by Tara to win back her husband, at some

point of time becomes a plan for revenge. She begins to find Abhay ugly, what with all his layers

of fat, and complexion turned unhealthy due to his excessive consumption of alcohol. Tara to give

her revenge a grand finale chooses to have an affair with Abhay’s best friend and very cleverly

puts an end to the affair, the moment she discovers that she has conceived a child. She announces

the news to her husband and attributes it to his improved good health. Abhay is puzzled over this

new development and is suspicious about the child’s paternity. Tara, however, had been so careful

and circumspect in her affair with Abhay’s friend, that Abhay finds no grounds for his suspicion.

Abhay of course is not a fool. He tamely accepts the child, although he is not totally convinced

that he is the father. You will of course, at this point recall his meeting with the doctor and his

reluctance to talk about it. Tara now has what she wants, a child and a girl child at that. But Tara is

now a more mature person and as a mother is determined not to make the same mistake as her own

mother. She is determined to give her daughter a good education—an education that would

culminate in a career, making her daughter independent and self-sufficient. Even the lullabies she

sings are of brave women warriors and not of tame submissive women.

Critical Commentary

Tara adopts Abhay’s strategy to work out her elaborate revenge plan. Where Abhay picked

Chocolates off airport shelves, Tara laboured in the kitchen to feed him. She makes him fat and

obese, like he had once made her. Like him, she also has an affair and that too with his best friend.

Unlike Abhay, Tara earns for herself a wonderful gift for all her pains. The gift for her perfect

revenge plan is a baby girl and her own baby girl at that! Tara’s attitude towards the baby girl

also evidences her maturity and growth as an individual. We might agree with the author that

Abhay justly deserves what he gets and feel happy for Tara, but the story and its ending none-the-

less raise some very pertinent questions regarding the institution of marriage.One cannot but feel

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sorry for both Tara and Abhay. It is very evident that there is no love, respect or even affection

between Tara and Abhay, yet they both choose to remain trapped in their loveless marriage. The

marriage is indeed a farce for both. For Tara it is so because she no longer loves her husband

because of his infidelity. Moreover towards the end of the story she finds him positively repulsive.

For Abhay because he probably knows that the child is not his, yet is forced to acknowledge the

child, lest he become a laughing stock in the society. Is marriage then merely a social institution

which has to be preserved at all costs? Or should marriage be a coming together of two people

based on love, trust and mutual respect. In a scenario where a woman is economically dependent,

does she have the option of walking out of a marriage which cannot physically and emotionally

sustain her? Even where the woman is economically independent is it very easy to end a marriage,

especially when a single divorced woman does not have much social acceptability and sanction?

These are some of the questions the short story raises, to which you must turn your thoughts.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Comment on Tara’s plan of revenge

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

b. Do you think Tara will make a good mother?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

1.7 Humour in Style

In your text this short story Chocolate is given under a broad heading “Understanding Humour.” According to the Co-build English Dictionary, “Humour is a quality in something that makes you

laugh for example in a situation, in someone’s words or actions or in a book or film.” The narrative style of this story is definitely humorous. Tara’s choice of subject at college, her reasons

for opting to English (Hons.), her subsequent disenchantment with the course are described in a

light hearted manner and we are quite familiar with such situations. Tara’s various efforts to

conceive a child are also familiar and quite comic. But one might at this point argue that although

the style of narration is humorous, the subject matter of the story—husband’s betrayal and wife’s

revenge—is not in the least humorous.Surely there is nothing humorous about a relationship

breaking up especially the one between husband and wife.The trauma, the pain and the

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helplessness of someone in Tara’s position is glossed over by the humorous treatment of the

subject. But let us look at the plus points of adopting a humorous style for what is obviously a very

painful situation. The story does not become melodramatic at any point of time and manages to

keep the focus firmly on the problem. One never loses sight of the many issues involved.

1.8 Let us Sum up

We have not only summarized the short story but have also tried to understand the following

issues:

• Our society’s attitude towards education of girls

• The mental trauma that women in our society undergo if they are unable to bear children

• The importance of conditioning the girl child right from childhood to be courageous and

assertive of her identity

1.9 Glossary

waddling walking with short steps swinging the body from one side to the other,

usually of a person with short legs and a fat body.

jiggling move about quickly from side to side or up and down.

flabby (of a part of a person’s body) soft, loose, and fleshy.

svelte (of a person) slender and elegant.

marzipan Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar or honey and almond

meal, sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract

piece de resistance An outstanding accomplishment.

liqueur A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage made from a distilled spirit that has been

flavored with fruit, cream, herbs, spices, flowers or nuts and bottled with

added sugar or other sweetener.

Banality the fact or condition of being banal; unoriginality.

intervention An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one or many people – usually

family and friends – to get someone to seek professional help with an

addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem

infertile (of a person, animal, or plant) unable to reproduce itself

acrimonious (typically of speech or discussion) angry and bitter

brochure A brochure is a flyer, pamphlet or leaflet that is used to pass information

about something. They are advertising pieces mainly used to introduce a

company or organization and inform about products and/or services to a

target audience

delectable (of food or drink) delicious

cordon bleu denoting or relating to the highest class or standard of quality in cookery

cuisines a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular

country, region, or establishment.

aesthetic the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at

a given time and place.

errant : erring or straying from the accepted course or standards

moroseness gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood.

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1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.3.1

a. Although Tara is made to go through school and college her education is not oriented towards

any career goal. Education in her case is considered mostly as an ornament that would brighten

her chances of getting a good husband.

b. No, had Tara been a boy the attitude of the parents would have been different. This is because

in most Indian families men are considered as wage earners and women as home makers.

Hence education for boys is taken much more seriously as it is intended to lead to a Good

career.

However, more people nowadays are giving importance to career oriented education for girls,

as there is a growing realization that financial independence which a career can give is the best

form of empowerment for girls/women.

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. Tara is unable to bear a child and like all sensible people she first adopts a rational course

and consults a doctor for a remedy. Abhay on the other hand initially refuses to see a doctor

but visits one on Tara’s insistence. Tara never comes to know what transpired between the

doctor and Abhay as he comes back from the visit “tight-lipped and cross”. He also forbids

Tara from visiting the doctor. Tara being a dependant is unable to challenge Abhay on this

issue. With the option of medical intervention closed Tara begins to adopt irrational means

– visiting shrines, wearing stones – in the hope that she will be blessed with a child.

Abhay’s attitude of not seeking medical help reflects a mindset that the cause of infertility

is always female and not male. This mind set stems from a mistaken belief that their

manhood and virility may be questioned. Abhay’s mother instead of rationalizing the

problem and constructively counselling the son, blames Tara’s “unhealthy inside” without any basis whatsoever.

b. Lines which add humour to Tara’s ordeal “on the divine intervention front, Tara was told he should take a trip to Vaishnodevi crawling on her hands and knees. After she had

crawled up vaishnodevi on her hands and knees, she decided to do the hands and knees

stuff at other shrines”. “When there were no signs of conception after all this Tara took to wearing certain stone around her neck and fingers…”.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. The main twists and turns of the narrative are linked to chocolates.

i) Abhay starts feeding Tara enormous amounts of chocolates around the same time when

she is unable to conceive a child and there is a rift between the two on the subject.

100

ii) Overeating chocolates makes Tara fat and ugly thereby giving Abhay a good excuse to

have an affair with another woman.

iii) Tara is alerted to Abhay’s infidelity because despite her requests to the contrary, he

keeps bringing just mint chocolates.

iv) Finally, Tara’s aversion to chocolates upon discovering her husband’s infidelity,

changes her course of life and makes her more assertive and independent.

b. Tara becomes suspicious of Abhay and decides to spy on him because he keeps getting an

excess of peppermint despite Tara’s request for more variety. Moreover, most of the time

he’s not at home, and when he’s at home, he is always preoccupied. There is no physical

intimacy between them and he refuses to take her on his many trips.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. Tara initially attempts to win back her husband by losing weight, dressing more

attractively and dishing out delicious food from her kitchen. Abhay gets so addicted to the

delicacies that he becomes what Tara was earlier – fat and ugly. Now, Tara finds him

positively unattractive and at some point her innocent plan of regaining her husband’s

affection turns into a plan for revenge. She has an affair with his best friend and once she

conceives a child, she breaks the affair and announces that Abhay’s improved good health

has worked this miracle.

b. Yes, Tara will be a good mother to her daughter because she will not make the same

mistakes which her own mother made in her upbringing. Her experiences have taught her

that for a woman to live with dignity and self-respect it is imperative that she should be

financially independent. She is determined to pass on this wisdom to her daughter.

1.11 Key to exercises given in the text book at the end of - Unit 10

Vocabulary

1. Match the words and phrases taken from the story in Column A with their meanings in

Column B. Either look up the dictionary or go back to the word in the story to help

you to decide.

Column A Column B

1. Ulterior motive That which can hardly be noticed because it is slight

(4)

2. Soft option Hard-working; working seriously and with attention to

detail ( 7)

3. Acrimonious not difficult; the easier of two choices ( 2)

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4. Imperceptible Bitter and angry ( 3 )

5. Circumspect To be able to think of things/do something on the spur

of the moment (8)

6. Marital Demanding physical or mental effort or energy (10)

7. Assiduous Boring, ordinary and not original ( 9)

8. Improvisation To do with marriage ( 6)

9. Banality A secret, often bad reason for doing something ( 1 )

10. Strenuous Careful and attentive ( 5 )

2. Use the words/phrases from Column A to fill the blanks in the sentences below. You

may need to change the word form/ending to keep the sentence grammatically correct.

(i) The internal assessment requirements have made college life rather Strenuous.

More and more students, therefore, choose Soft option of correspondence

courses.

(ii) The police, though circumspect were tight-lipped about how far they had

proceeded in their investigations.

(iii) As we grow old the changes come upon us so slowly that they are almost

imperceptible.

(iv) The discussion became quite acrimonious and we had a hard time winding up on

an amicable note.

(v) Children should be taught not to accept foodstuff from strangers; there may be

ulterior motive in their show of generosity.

(vi) Soon after the start of their marital life Soraya found that her husband was a very

good storyteller. His Improvisation at storey telling made him famous all over

the country.

(vii) I couldn’t watch that film for more than ten minutes, it was so full of banal

song and dance sequences.

(viii) MedhaPatkar has been assiduously fighting for the cause of the displaced rural

poor for many years.

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3. Find out what the idioms and expressions given in the box mean. Dictionaries list

idioms at the end of headwords. Most of these idioms are frequently used, so make

them a part of your active vocabulary.

Now use these expressions in the sentences below:

(i) I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this area has gone without

water for a whole week.

(ii) Reena took to acting like a duck to water. She had a flair for singing and dancing

which made up for her inability to learn her script.

(iii) My father wanted me to follow the established pattern and practice law like he did

and his father before him. But since I very much wanted to be singer I toyed with

the idea of running away from home but could not muster the courage to do so.

(iv) When choosing a career, one should think not only of the status and money that

the job provides; one should also keep in perspective one’s interests and aptitude.

Writing

Suppose Tara has graduated this year and is applying for a job at a call center. Prepare her

curriculum vitae and write a covering letter addressed to: The General Manager, Biopolar

Industries Ltd., 38/35 Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana. Supply Tara with a surname, address and

other details.

Please keep in mind that an application for a job has two parts:

a) A letter to the prospective employer

b) Curriculum Vitae/Bio-Data

Please note that your C.V. should match the job profile, especially your educational qualifications

and work experience. Sample of a covering letter and a C.V. is given below.

Keep/place in perspective; a flair for; established pattern; draw your attention to; like

a duck into water; toy with an idea.

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COVERING LETTER:

APPLICATION FOR JOB AT CALL CENTER

Tara Gulati

66, Yamuna Road,

Prem Nagar

New Delhi 101211

14th February 2015

The General Manager,

Biopolar Industries Ltd.

38/35 Udyog Vihar,

Gurgaon, Haryana.

Subject: Application for job at call center.

Sir/Ma’am,

This is with reference to your advertisement dated 31st January 2015 in the Hindustan Times for

the job at your call center. I have recently graduated from XYZ College with a degree in English

Honours.

Given an opportunity I shall work to the best of my ability and to your satisfaction. Please find

enclosed a copy of my C.V. and relevant certificates for your perusal.

Thank you

Sincerely yours,

Tara Gulati

104

BIO-DATA / CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal profile:

Friendly outgoing person with good communication skills in English as well as Hindi. I will be

happy to work both as part of a team as well as independently.

Achievements:

1. Represented the school in dance and music competitions.

2. Captain of under-18 Badminton team.

Educational qualifications:

1. 2014 - BA (Hons.) English from XYZ College Delhi University (3rd division, 45%)

2. 2011 - Class XII CBSE, All Saints Convent, Rohini (1stdvision, 82.43%)

3. 2009 – Class X CBSE, All Saints Convent, Rohini (1st division, 83.72%)

Personal details:

1. Name : Tara Gulati

2. Date Of Birth : 13th November 1993

3. Contact details : 9236571940

tarag@gmail.com

4. Address : 66, Yamuna Road, Prem Nagar, New Delhi 101211

5. Age : 21 years

6. Gender : Female

7. Marital Status : Unmarried

1.12 Activity (Writing)

How would you describe your course of study? Write a paragraph describing its strengths and

weaknesses.

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UNIT 11

UNDERSTANDING BIOGRAPHY

A GANDHIAN IN GARHWAL: CHANDI PRASAD BHATT

Ramchandra Guha

— NaliniPrabhakar

1.1 Introduction

In the previous units you have learnt how to read various kinds of writings like essays, stories,

poetry, etc. In this unit we will learn about biographies. This particular biography ‘A Gandhian in

Gharwal: Chandi Prasad Bhatt’ deals with the life of Bhatt, a well-known environmental activist

who is often credited with founding of the Chipko movement. The writer of this biography is

Ramachandra Guha, a well-known social historian. While normally biographies are much longer

in length and cover the entire life of the subject, this biography is a short essay focussing on some

important events in the life of the protagonist. So we can call it a biographical essay. In this unit

we will learn about the life of Chandi Prasad Bhatt, biography as a form of writing and some

environmental issues that concern all of us.

1.2 Learning Obectives

After going through this lesson you will be able to:

• Identify the features of a biography

• Describe the important events in the life of Chandi Prasad Bhatt

• Understand the importance of ecological conservation in our lives

• Appreciate the importance of mass movements to protect the environment

• Understand the crucial role played by women in conservation

• Write a short biographical essay on a person of your choice

1.3What is a Biography?

Let us begin this unit by asking ourselves a simple question. What is biography? Well the word

biography comes from the Greek words ‘Bios’ meaning life, and ‘Graphein’ meaningwriting.

Hence biography means writing a life. Now writing biography has a very long history, notonly in

the western world but also in India. Initially, biographies were written to praise kings and their

achievements. They chronicled the great lives and deeds of the Kings, often during their lifetime.

Subsequently, we find biography of saints and religious leaders. The intention was to recordthe

purity of these people and set them as an example for the common men to emulate and

leadexemplary lives. But the biography in modern times moves beyond these limited objectives. It

isno longer about the selection of a few facts and the presentation of these facts as a guide to good

life.

A good, modern, biography not only recounts details and facts of a life but also establishes a link

between what the individual did and the life and the circumstances that made it possible.

106

It maps, not just the individual’s thoughts, actions and emotions but also maps the social space

within which the subject existed. It highlights the different textures or shades of personality as well

as the intimate details of experiences. A biography should:

• Be authentic and honest

• Provide an objective assessment of the subject

• Neither omit nor gloss over controversial matter

• Make available feelings, beliefs, actions, and daily decisions made by the individual

• Have a clear narrative thread

• Be grounded in the historical context in which the individual lived

This was a very brief discussion of biography but sufficient for our purposes. Now the task at hand

is to examine Ramachandra Guha’s biography of Chandi Prasad Bhatt. I am sure you have read

some biographies. Since this is a short biographical, the structure, style and scope of this essay will

be a little different from the more formal and traditional biography you might have read.

1.3.1 Check Your Progress

a. What are the differences between biographies written in earlier times and modern biographies? _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.4 Critical commentary (Para 1-4)

The first thing that one notices is that it is a short biographical sketch. And the objectiveis made

very clear in the first paragraph itself. The author obviously reveres Chandi Prasad Bhattand hence

he calls his journey a sacred pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred placewhich has a

religious significance. The author clearly regards Chandi Prasad Bhatt as a livingdeity, not in a

religious sense, but in a very secular way. He is the founder of Chipko movement.It is obvious

then that the author regards the Chipko movement as sacred and consequently thebirthplace of the

founder Gopeswar, a place of pilgrimage.Thus the first paragraph (a very short one) introduces the

reader to:

1. The objective and nature of the journey.

2. The living deity (Chandi Prasad Bhatt).

3. The achievement of the living deity (The Chipko movement).

We have earlier observed that a good biography must establish the relationship betweenthe

achievement of the individual and the life that made it possible.The next three paragraphs provide

us with that information. The early life of Chandi Prasad Bhatt is covered quickly without any

107

great details about the circumstances of the family.He was born into a family of priests who tended

the shrine of Lord Shiva at Rudranath. Howeverwhat the author does point is the informal

education in ecology that Chandi Prasad Bhatt acquiredon his trips to the shrine at Rudranath. He

learnt that nature must be respected at all costs andthat man must exist in a natural symbiotic

relationship with nature. The taboos and prohibitionsimposed by the people were meant to protect

nature. For instance people were allowed to pluckflowers only after Nandasthmi because the

flower would be ripe by then and plucking flowersat that time released the ripened seeds. Further

there was a ban on spitting coughing and pissing on anything within a radius of four kilometre

stretch above the Amrit Ganga so as not to pollute it.

The fourth paragraph, very quickly, takes us though the early phase of his life. He losthis

father early in life and to support his mother he started out by doing odd jobs. He, however,finally

joined Garhwal Motor Owners Union (GMOU) as a booking clerk. He was posted at manyplaces

along the Alakananda which entailed a lot of interaction with people from various parts ofthe

country. It is here and through this interaction that Chandi Prasad Bhatt got his first experienceof

the immense diversity of India

1.4.1Check Your Progress

a. Where did Chandi Prasad Bhatt get his first lessons in ecology?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

b. How did the taboo’s and prohibitions help in preserving nature? Give one example.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

c. What did Chandi Prasad Bhatt do after his father passed away? What did he learnas a booking

clerk with GMOU?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Critical Commentary (Para 5-8)

The fifth paragraph introduces us to the circumstances which transformed thisordinary

booking clerk at GMOU into an influential social worker. I am sure you are familiar withthe

saying “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”. This small step, whichwould change the course of Chandi Prasad Bhatt’s life, was attending a public meeting inBadrinath in

1956. The meeting was addressed by Jayaprakash Narayan as well as a localSarvodaya leader Man

Singh Rawat. As you would know the Sarvodaya movement was aGandhian movement started by

Sri VinobaBhave. It had JP (Jayaprakash Narayan) as the otherprominent leader. This movement

aimed at general awakening and all round upliftment of allsections of the people.Chandi Prasad

Bhatt was deeply impressed by the two leaders who addressed thatmeeting and immediately

became interested in the Sarvodaya movement. What impressed himeven more were the personal

sacrifices made by its leaders, especially Man Singh Rawat. ManSingh Rawat who came from a

fairly rich family, had given up his inheritance for Sarvodaya.Chandi Prasad Bhatt began spending

his leave with Man Singh and his wife SashiBehn andlearning more about Sarvodaya. And in 1960

was inspired enough to donate his life (JeevanDaan)to the Sarvodaya movement. This was an

enormous sacrifice when we consider the fact that hewas already married and even had a child by

then.

In the seventh paragraph we see the beginnings of a movement and a new direction

takenby Chandi Prasad Bhatt. This small step would, eventually, result in the Chipko movement

adecade later. Beginning with a labour co-operative, Bhatt established the Dashauli Gram

SevaSangh. The foundation stone for the organisation was laid by SuchetaKripalani, the Chief

Ministerof Uttar Pradesh. The land was donated by another woman Shyama Devi.Did you notice

how swiftly and skilfully, Ram Chandra Guha, has managed to shift fromthe private world of

Chandi Prasad Bhatt into the public domain where you see Chandi PrasadBhatt. The transition

from private to public is not a sudden one. It has been in the making formany years. But by

focussing on significant events which mark this shift, Rama Chandra Guhahas very skilfully,

achieved this objective. He has managed to focus on the man, his achievementsand the

circumstances that made this possible.The DGSS truly was a Sarvodaya outfit. The focus of the

organisation was on livelihood.The DGSS tried to generate employment by promoting activities

which were consistent with thelocal environment and ethos. You can see that the activities

designed by DGSS already have aslant towards sustainability and conservation.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress. a. What is the experience which transformed an ordinary booking clerk at GMOU into an

influential social worker?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

109

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________

b. What sacrifice did Chandi Prasad Bhatt make in 1960? And why is it significant?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

c. How was DGSS formed?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________

d. What were the activities of the DGSS? And why should we regard it as the mother of the

Chipko movement?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

________________________

1.6 Critical commentary (Para 9-11)

These three paragraphs recount the specific circumstances of the birth of Chipko. SinceDGSS was

involved in social reconstruction and sustainable development it occasionally came intoconflict

with the government. However it was commercial forestry (trees cut for commercialpurposes) as

against social forestry which led to the growth of Chipko. DGSS was refused theuse of some trees

with which they wanted to make some agricultural equipment. But the sametrees were auctioned

off to a sports goods company in Allahabad. The local people stronglyresented this commercial

exploitation of their forest. To protect the trees from being cut downBhatt gave a call to embrace

the trees (Angalwaltha in Gharwali). Similar action was followedat many places in the Alakananda

Valley. At this point SunderlalBahuguna not only joined theprotesters but also wrote about it in

Yugvani. He hailed the efforts of Chandi Prasad Bhatt andthe other workers and

110

regarded it as the first step in the process of a transformation in therelationship between man and

nature. Thus Chipko was born in the Alakananda Valley with the efforts of DGSS under the

leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhatt. Subsequently the movement spread to Kumaon, Uttarakhand

and the Bhagirathi Valley.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. What were the specific circumstances of the birth of Chipko?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

1.7 Critical commentary (Para 12-17)

Ramchandra Guha, as you must have noticed, has approached the task at hand in aphased manner.

The first four paragraphs which deal with the childhood of Chandi Prasad Bhatt, establish a link

between the child and his environment. The child learns about the importance ofliving in harmony

with nature from his surroundings. The next sections (Para 5-8) take us throughhis early youth and

the momentous change that happens in Chandi Prasad Bhatt’s life after heattends a meeting

addressed by Sarvodaya leaders, Jayaprakash Narayan and Man Singh Rawat. The next phase in

Chandi Prasad Bhatt’s life (the birth of a social worker and the birth of DGSS)is captured in

paragraph 9-11.And now in these paragraphs we see a consolidation of the Chipko movement and

the success it achieved under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhatt. During this period we see

Chandi Prasad Bhatt emerging as a great pioneeringenvironmentalist as well as a great thinker.

Under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhatt DGSS had entered a phase of reconstruction. DGSS

not only protected the forests but also startedreforestation projects. The DGSS met with

remarkable success in their endeavour. While thesurvival roll of saplings planted by the forest

department fluctuated between 20 to 50 per cent,the survival rate of saplings planted by DGSS was

in excess of 70 per cent. Chandi Prasad Bhatt was not only a great environmentalist but also a

great social reformer.This is testified by many people including MurrariLal a dalit member of

DGSS.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt worked tirelessly towards the upliftment of Dalit women and the removal of

social inequalities.Thus the first tree plantation drive was flagged off from Murrari Lal’s village.

His ranges of concerns were indeed wide. Apart from ecology and environment DGSS worked in

the areas of traditional rights of people, the participation of dalits and women in decision making,

safeguardingand using the indigenous knowledge of people and so on. In fact some of the

development issuesnow being adopted by leading NGO’s and governments were in fact worked

out by DGSS under Chandi Prasad Bhatt some thirty years ago.Yet, as Rama Chandra Guha has

pointed out, Chandi Prasad Bhatt remains much lessknown than he should be. He was a modest

and self-effacing man who shunned publicity andworked quietly. Since Chandi Prasad Bhatt

lacked fluency in English, the English language press, Rama Chandra Guha believes, never gave

him his due. The Chipko movement demonstrated to the world that the poor and tribal had indeed

111

a greater stake in the responsible management ofnature. He was the person who demonstrated to

others that it is not enough just to protest againstenvironmental degradation. It is important to

begin reconstruction as well. The last two paragraphsnot only bring out the simplicity of Chandi

Prasad Bhatt through an anecdote, but are also an ironicalreflection on the city bred and high

flying environmentalists who move around in the smart officesof WWF and other environmental

agencies. Unlike these academic environmentalists Chandi Prasad Bhatt demonstrates the values

of quiet service and selfless dedication which unfortunatelyhas disappeared from our public

domain.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. What was the second phase of the Chipko movement?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________

b. In this phase Chandi Prasad Bhatt emerges as a great environmentalist as well asa thinker. Try

to substantiate this statement.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

________________________________

c. The last two paragraphs highlight some personal traits of Chandi Prasad Bhatt.What are these?

And how do they contrast with other environmentalists?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Let us Sum up

After discussing this short biographical essay we can say that Ramachandra Guha has managed to

present a fairly balanced view of Bhatt`s life and his contribution towards conservation. He has

touched briefly on some of the defining moments of Bhatt`s life, like the first lessons he learnt

from the folk ecology or the lessons he learnt as a booking clerk at GMOU, that made him the

112

environmental crusader that he was. This essay has also managed to place Bhatt within the

historical context of his times. Some of the important things we have learnt in this unit are:

• Modern biographies, unlike biographies written earlier, try to present an objective and

balanced view of the subject by presenting the good as well as the not so good aspects of

the personality and by placing him within the historical context of his times.

• The author clearly regards Chandi Prasad Bhatt as a living deity, not in a religious sense,

but in a very secular way. He is the founder of Chipko movement. It is obvious then that

the author regards the Chipko movement as sacred and consequently the birthplace of the

founder Gopeswar, a place of pilgrimage.

• Chandi Prasad Bhatt learnt his first lesson on ecology on his trips to the shrine at

Rudranath. He learnt that nature must be respected at all costs and that man must exist in a

natural symbiotic relationship with nature

• Inspired by Man Singh Rawat and his wife SashiBehn Bhatt decided to donate his life to

the Sarvodaya movement in 1960. This was an enormous sacrifice when we consider the

fact that he was already married and even had a child by then.

• The formation of DGSS in 1964 marked an important phase in Bhatt`s life. He became a

public figure. DGSS marks the beginning of the phase of activism for C.P.Bhatt.

• The Chipkoandolan started as a protest against commercial forestry at Mandal(a village).

The guiding principle of this movement was to safeguard the hills and transform the

relationship between humans and nature.

• Starting with local employment generation the DGSS went on to involve itself in

reconstruction of the hills with large scale tree plantation and other environmental

activities.

• It is primarily through the efforts of C.P. Bhatt and DGSS (Changed to DGSM in early

80`s) that people have begun to realise that the peasants and the tribals have a greater stake

in the management of nature.

• Despite the tall achievements Bhatt remains a modest and self-effacing man.His life has

taught us the values of quiet service and selfless dedication.

1.9 Glossary

pilgrimage a religious journey

ecology the relationship between organisms and their environment

taboos a social or religious custom that prohibit or restrict certain practices

informal Having a relaxed friendly or unofficial style

113

obscure unclear and difficult to understand

self- effacing not claiming attention to oneself, modest

pioneering involving new ideas or methods

indigenous native to a place or originating in a particular place naturally

high voltage powerful, Important

chronicler a person who writes accounts of important or historical events

venerated treat with great respect

restraint acting with self- control

acquiring learn or develop (a skill or quality)

abjure relinquish, reject

dismay to feel concern and distress

adjacent next to something

resonant having a lasting presence or effect

subside go down to a lower or normal level

fostering encourage the development of something

midwives women who are trained to assist in childbirth

barren: unproductive without any vegetation

irritant a thing that is continually annoying

innate inborn or natural

just deserts something that someone really deserves

humanize make something more humane or compassionate

excised to remove something by cutting it away

gravely with all seriousness

1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.3.1

a. Biographies were earlier written to chronicle the achievements of kings or recount the life of

saints. The intention was to recordthe purity of these people and set them as an example for the

common men to emulate and leadexemplary lives. But the biography in modern times isno

longer about the selection of a few facts and the presentation of these facts as a guide to

goodlife.A good, modern, biography not only recounts details and facts of a life but also

establishes a link between what the individual did and the life and the circumstances that made

it possible.It maps, not just the individual’s thoughts, actions and emotions but also maps the

social space within which the subject existed.

114

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. Chandi Prasad Bhatt learnt his first lesson on ecology on his trips to the shrine at

Rudranath. He learnt that nature must be respected at all costs and that man must exist in a

natural symbiotic relationship with nature.

b. The taboos and prohibitions imposed by the people were meant to protect nature. For

instance people were allowed to pluck flowers only after Nandasthmi because the flower

would be ripe by then and plucking flowers at that time released the ripened seeds. Further

there was a ban on spitting coughing and pissing on anything within a radius of four

kilometre stretch above the Amrit Ganga so as not to pollute it.

c. C.P. Bhatt joined Garhwal Motor Owners Union (GMOU) as a booking clerk after his

father passed away. It is as a booking clerk here and through his interactions with people

from various parts of the country, got his first experience of the immense diversity of

India.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. The experience that transformed Chandi Prasad Bhatt’s life, was one where he attended a

public meeting in Badrinath in 1956. The meeting was addressed by Jayaprakash Narayan

as well as a local Sarvodaya leader Man Singh Rawat. This movement aimed at general

awakening and all round upliftment of all sections of the people. Chandi Prasad Bhatt was

deeply impressed by the two leaders who addressed that meeting and immediately became

interested in the Sarvodaya movement.

b. He donated his life to the Sarvodaya movement in 1960. This was an enormous sacrifice

when we consider the fact that he was already married and even had a child by then.

c. Bhatt established the DGSS as a labour cooperative in 1964.Starting with local

employment generation the DGSS went on to involve itself in reconstruction of the hills

with large scale tree plantation and other environmental activities.

d. The DGSS truly was a Sarvodaya outfit. The focus of the organisation was on livelihood.

The DGSS tried to generate employment by promoting activities which were consistent

with the local environment and ethos. You can see that the activities designed by DGSS

already have a slant towards sustainability and conservation.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. It was the practice of commercial forestry (trees cut for commercial purposes) as against

social forestry which led to the growth of Chipko. DGSS was refused the use of some

trees with which they wanted to make some agricultural equipment. But the same trees

were auctioned off to a sports goods company in Allahabad. The local people strongly

resented this commercial exploitation of their forest. To protect the trees from being cut

down Bhatt gave a call to embrace the trees (Angalwaltha in Gharwali). Thus Chipko was

born in the Alakananda Valley with the efforts of DGSS under the leadership of Chandi

Prasad Bhatt.

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Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. Under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhatt DGSS entered the second phase of its

activities. This second phase was a phase of reconstruction. DGSS not only protected the

forests but also started reforestation projects. The DGSS met with remarkable success in

their endeavour.

b. Chandi Prasad Bhatt worked tirelessly towards the upliftment of Dalit women and the

removal of social inequalities. His ranges of concerns were indeed wide. Apart from

ecology and environment DGSS worked in the areas of traditional rights of people, the

participation of dalits and women in decision making, safeguarding and using the

indigenous knowledge of people and so on. In fact some of the development issues now

being adopted by leading NGO’s and governments were in fact worked out by DGSS

under Chandi Prasad Bhatt many many years ago.

c. The last two paragraphs not only bring out the simplicity of Chandi Prasad Bhatt through

an anecdote, but are also an ironical reflection on the city bred and high flying

environmentalists who move around in the smart offices of WWF and other environmental

agencies. Unlike these academic environmentalists Chandi Prasad Bhatt demonstrates the

values of quiet service and selfless dedication which unfortunately has disappeared from

our public domain.

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1.11 Key to exercises given in the text book at the end of -Unit 11

Vocabulary

Reconstruction Destruction Process

Humanize Demonize Bureaucracy

Public Private Individual

Indigenous Alien/western Science

Formal Informal Education

Obscure Influential Person

Secular Religious Pilgrimage

Writing Imagine that you have been asked to speak on Bhatt at an eco-club meeting. Make notes on a card

to keep with you as you speak. An outline with some details has been provided below. Reread the

text to complete the notes.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt: A Pioneering Environmentalist

Date of Birth: 23rd June, 1934 Place: Gopeswar

Family Background: Family of priests who tended the temple of Rudranath

Early Influence: Local traditions of folk ecology

Jobs Held: (i) art teacher (ii) booing clerk at GMOU

Later Influences:

Names Nature of their influence

Jayaprakash Narayan Moving speech, call for ‘jeevandaan’

Man Singh Rawat Abjuring wealth inheritance for Sarvodaya

Shashi Behn Rawat’s wife, educative treks

Vinobha Bhave Educative treks and his spirit of sacrifice

Chandi Prasad’s Contribution

1960: Joined Sarvodaya Movement. Ran a labour co-operative to repair houses, build roads.

1964: Formation of DGSS

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1968: Promoted sustainable use of forest produce, weaving, bee-keeping and herb collection

1973: Conflict with Forest Department over auctioning of trees. Call for Chipko Andolan.

Chipko Gains Momentum Due to Networking

Name of Person/Org Nature of Contribution

Gauri Devi Led all women group protest against commercial

forestry in Remi, Alaknanda valley

Sunderlal Bahuguna Protest against commericial forestry in Bhagirathi

valley

Uttarakhand Sangharsh Vahini Protest against commercial forestry in Kumaon

1.12 Activity (Writing)

Find out whatever you can about the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan and write a short paragraph

about their contribution to the preservation of wildlife.

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Unit 12

Understanding Poetry III

Process

Shrikant Varma

Nalini Prabhakar

1.1 Introduction The poem “Prakriya” by Shrikant Varma was first published in the Hindi anthology

“Jalsagar” in the year 1973. This was translated from Hindi by Vishnu Khare and published in Signatures: One Hundred Indian Poets (2000) with the title “Process”. The Cambridge dictionary

describes “Process” as a series of actions that one takes in order to achieve a result. The process of opinion formation in a society and the problems that such opinions could create in a multi

religious/cultural society such as ours, are highlighted in this poem.

This poem also highlights the predicament of individuals in society who become a part of

such opinions,which go against their own fundamental beliefs and principles, often resulting in

disastrous consequences. As in the case of the speaker in the poem, they do so either out of fear or

out of wanting to belong to a particular social/ religious/cultural/ economic or caste group.

In this poem, we shall look into one instance of opinion formation of one dominant group

which results in the death of a human being.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After you finish reading this unit you will be able to

• Understand the “Process”- the series of actions that lead to the death of Aziz

• Understand the importance of not compromising on individual beliefs and principles on

various issues within the society

• Recognize how agreeing with violent and irrational opinions/views/beliefs of others even

when one does not share them can result in harming other citizens/groups within the society

and destroy the social fabric of the society.

• Understand how one’s silence in the face of such irrational opinions formation can make one complicit in the crime perpetrated on the basis of such opinion.

1.3 Critical Commentary : Lines 1-19 What was I doing

When

Everyone was saying “Hail”?

I was also saying “Hail,”

And was afraid,

As everyone was.

What was I doing

When

Everyone was saying,

“Aziz is my enemy”?

I too said,

“Aziz is my enemy”

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What was I doing

When everybody was saying.

“Don’t open your mouth”?

I also said,

“Don’t open your mouth. Say

What everyone says.”

When everyone was saying “Hail” the speaker in this poem also said “Hail” The speaker like everyone else said this not because he wanted to, but because he was afraid, just as everyone else

was afraid. Now, what were they afraid of ? The speaker does not specify.

However, as individuals living in a society given a similar situation, would we also behave

like the speaker ? If yes, what would this situation be?

The society in which we live consists of many groups based on religious, cultural, linguistic

class, and caste affiliations. Sometimes on certain issues there could be friction between the groups

and this could lead to animosity and confrontation between people belonging to two different

groups. Sloganeering is one way in which people belonging to one group try to garner support for

their point of view and also to assert their power and strength vis-viz the other group. Often when

we are in complete disagreement with the majority view of the group to which we belong, we still

endorse it and do not express our differences. This silence could sometimes lead to tragic

consequences. when sane rational voices choose to remain silent because of fear, then irrational

and aggressive voices take over and create mayhem. When everyone was saying “Aziz is my enemy” the speaker in the poem concurred with the others and just like everyone else chose not to “Open” his mouth.

The name Aziz in the poem, hints at the some kind of communal tension which as you know

has plagued our nation. But this however is not the central point of interest in the poem. Who is

Aziz? Why is he being called an enemy? These questions are not relevant to the point that is being

made in this poem. The main concern in this poem is opinion formation in groups and the inability

/reluctance/fear of individuals within the group to take an independent stand. Freedom of speech,

thought and expression become simply hollow phrases in the face of such situations.

1.3.1 Check your progress

a. The speaker in the poem says “Hail” because he is afraid. What is he afraid of?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

b. Do you think Aziz is known to the speaker and is actually his “enemy”?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c. Explain “Don’t open your mouth’ in the context of the poem. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

d. Is it always right to say and do what everyone else is saying and doing.?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.4 Critical commentary : Lines 20-27

The shouts of “Hail” have ceased. Aziz has been killed;

Mouths have been silenced.

Bewildered, everyone asks

“How did it come to pass”?

As others ask

So I ask,

“How did it come to pass?”

The consequences of targeting an individual or group by a more dominant, vocal, aggressive

group invariably results in a tragedy. In this case the mobfrenzy of which the speaker is also a part

results in “killing’ of Aziz. When groups turn into mobs, they become irrational and violent and this results in senseless bloodletting. With the death of Aziz, the shouts of “Hail’ have stopped and mouths have been silenced. When people say “hail” it is usually to cheer, salute or enthusiastically acclaim something. Whatever it was, that was being saluted and cheered by

everyone, seems to conclude with the killing of Aziz. It is almost as if all “hails” were leading to

this particular end.

The speaker in the poem like everyone else is bewildered and unable to comprehend how

something like this could have come about.

The poem ends abruptly and is a chilling reminder to individuals that it is important to

exercise their option of independent thought and expression. Silence on their parts makes them

complilcit in the crime that is perpetrated and any regret or bewilderment after the crime is done, is

simply meaningless.

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1.4.1 Check your progress

b. What has “ come to pass” that makes everyone bewildered. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c. Why is the speaker uncomfortable with what has “ come to pass”? ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

d. The speaker is guilty of both action and reaction . Explain?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Let us sum up

We have understood the “Process”- the series of action that lead to an end result i.e killing

of Aziz. It starts with

1. Celebratory cheering (Hail)

2. Branding of Aziz as enemy

3. Silencing dissent(Don’t open your mouth) 4. Killing of Aziz

The speaker who has participated in the first three of the above actions, was however a

reluctant participant and did it out of fear like so many others. We know this because the speaker

is truly bewildered and unable to make sense of Aziz’s death. This poem by describing one

instance of opinion formation and the disastrous consequences of the same emphasizes the need of

sane and rational voices to express themselves freely and fearlessly. Differences between groups

however serious in nature, in a civilized society should be settled by discussion and debate and not

by irrational mob violence.

1.6 Glossary

Process :A series of actions that you take to achieve a result. (Cambridge English

Dictionary)

Hail : Praise, applaud, glorify, salute, cheer.

Bewildered : Confused, completely puzzled.

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1.7 Key to check your progress

Key to exercise 1.3.1

a. The speaker says “hail” along with the others, probably because he does not want to be perceived as going against the majority opinion and is not ready to face the consequences

of expressing his dissent.

b. No. The poem does not suggest that Aziz is known to the speaker or that there is any

personal enmity between them.

c. “Don’t open your mouth” in the context of the poem means not to express any opinion or say anything that goes against the majority opinion.

d. No. it is not always right to say or do, what everyone else is saying and doing, especially

when those acts are governed by prejudices and irrationality.

Key to exercise 1.4.1

a. What has “ come to pass” is the fact that Aziz has been killed.

b. The speaker is uncomfortable with the killing of Aziz, probably because

• He did not expect that saying “Hail” and “ Aziz is my enemy” along with the others would lead to this violent act.

• He feels guilty that his actions of going along with everyone else have made him

complicit in the crime.

c. The speaker is guilty of action because he along with everyone else joined the chorus of

“Hail” and branded Aziz as an “enemy”. The speaker is guilty of inaction because he did not express his disagreement with branding

Aziz as an “enemy”. He silenced his own rationality and conscience and chose to keep his mouth shut.

1.8 Key to exercises given at the end of Unit 12.

Speaking:

This is the original Hindi poem, izfØ;k@Jhdkar oekZ

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रहे थे

पछू

1. Read both the poems aloud. Which one do you prefer and why?You can consider the

following points.

a. Each language has a natural rhythm. It is often difficult to capture the same rhythm in

translation. Does the English version capture the rhythm of the original Hindi version? Pay

attention to the repetition of the j]g ]d] sounds.

b. Each language has words and phrases that are unique and do not have equivalent

counterparts in other languages. So while translating one ends up using words and phrases

that are semantically weak and do not convey the same sense. This is especially so, in the

case of poetry, because in translating poems one has to convey the meaning as also the

beauty of expression. Do the following English counterparts convey the same meaning and

expression?

t;dkj & Hail

eqg¡ er [kksyks &Don’t open your mouth

gSjr &Bewildered

;g dSls gqvkA & How did it come to pass

1.9 Activity

Have you ever faced a similar situation as described in the poem. Write briefly about it.

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UNIT 13

READING REVIEWS

LOST AND FOUND: BENEGAL’S BOSE

Mihir Bose

P.K. Satapathy

1.1 Introduction

You have already learnt how to understand various kinds of writings like poetry, stories

arguments, etc…, in the earlier units of this module. In this unit we are going to learn how to read

a review. We will also discuss the specific features that go into writing a good review. And we are

going to do this by reading and discussing a review of Shyam Benegal’s film The Forgotten Hero,

written by Mihir Bose and published in Tehelka.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After reading this unit you will be able to:

• Identify a review as a specific kind of writing

• List out the various features of a review

• Make a distinction between a good review and a bad review

• Identify the specific features of the review essay Lost and Found: Benegal`s Bose

• Understand ‘poetic licence’ • Understand how phrases are used to praise or criticise indirectly

• Be able to write a small review on your own

1.3 What is a Review?

Reviews are common place in newspapers these days. Most of us have read a review or two about

various things. The most common forms of reviews that we come across in the newspapers are the

film and book reviews. But one does also find reviews of musical composition or recitals, games,

annual reviews, etc… What then is a review?

There are various kinds of reviews. Some of them are:

• Reviews are undertaken by people in authority to examine a situation to consider what is

wrong with it and to improve it. (The police chief reviewed the security preparations for

the President’s visit to Delhi University.)

• Reviews are undertaken by companies to assess the system or processes in a factory or

market to improve profitability.(A review of the manpower deployment was carried out at

Tata Motors to rationalise recruitment needs of the company.)

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• A review is a piece of writing that gives us an author’s opinion or critical assessment of a

book, movie, a game, etc…. (Subrat has written a review of the film P.K in the Times of

India.)

In this unit we are going to study the third kind of review.

1.3.1 What is a Good Review?

Reviews give us an idea about what to expect from a book, a movie or a musical composition

etc.… We expect a good review to give us a balanced overview on the subject underconsideration. For example a good film review must tell us about not just the story, plot andcinematic qualities of

the film but also highlight all the dimensions of the film both good and notso good. It helps the

reader to take a decision on whether he would like to see the film or not.But we must keep in mind

the fact that any review, especially the reviews dealing with literaryproducts, films or music and

the other arts, contains a strong subjective element. The review is,after all, an individual

reviewer’s opinion. Thus, when we read a review, we must try and filterout the authors personal

preferences and focus on the formal features of the analysis.

1.4 “The Forgotten Hero”: A bold Beginning

The Forgotten Herois a film made by Shyam Benegal on the life of Subhas Chandra Bose. In this

essay Mihir Bose reviews the film ‘Bengal’s Bose’. He begins by recounting an incident where

Satyajit Ray was asked if he ever considered making a film about Gandhi, and Ray had avoided

the question. For Mihir Bose, this incident highlights the Indian film maker`s unwillingness to

make films on the lives of our national heroes because they feel that these subjects could be highly

controversial. Thus, Shyam Benegal’s film on the life of Subhas Chandra Bose can be considered

as a bold and path breaking attempt. Mihir Bose applauds Benegal for this attempt. Benegal’s film

is all the more laudable because it deals with the life of one of the most controversial as well as

important figures in India’s freedom struggle. It marks the beginning of maturing of Indian cinema

in the sense that with this film Indian cinema has proved that it can also deal with its history

through films.

1.5 Critical Commentary (Para 1-2)

Mihir Bose begins this review by making a few general observations about the larger issue of

making biographical films on great historical figures. Even a great film maker like Satyajit had

avoided answering the question about making a film on Gandhi. While Richard Attenborough

went on to make his film Gandhi, Indian film makers have never had the courage to make films on

great historical figures because they considered such subjects tricky and controversial. It is in this

context that Mihir Bose decides to write a review of Benegal’s film The Forgotten Hero. Mihir

Bose considers this film to be very important because this film breaks new grounds. It was the first

film on a great son of India by an Indian film maker. It is in this context that Benegal’s film makes

Indian mainstream cinema a part of the world culture where it is acceptable to make films on great

political figures and controversial phases of a nation’s history.

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1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. What has Shyam Benegal’s film achieved for Indian Cinema?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b. What other books or films is Mihir Bose thinking about while writing this review?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

1.6 Critical Commentary (Para 3-5)

In the third paragraph Mihir Bose begins a discussion on the title of the film. He finds the

title of the film slightly ambiguous. The title of Mihir Bose’s own biography of Subhas Bose is

The Lost Hero. By calling him the Lost Hero he is emphasizing on two things:

a. That though Subhas Bose was a very important political figure he is lost in our popular modern

imagination, and that we know very little about him.

b. That we should focus on what he lived for and his life rather than the vexing issue of his

mysterious death.

On the other hand Shyam Benegal calls his film “The Forgotten Hero”. But his film only focuses on the last four years of his life. The problem is that it seems like Benegal is saying that

only the last four years of his life is worth remembering. The word forgotten creates some

ambiguity about the focus.

Bose observes that Benegal has not dealt with the death of Subhas Bose. It is here that he

finds some interesting differences with the way Attenborough dealt with Gandhii’s life in his film

Gandhi. The first difference is the fact that Attenborough unlike Benegal, deals with a longer time

span in Gandhi`s life. Further Benegal calls his film a fictional treatment of S.C. Bose’s life.

Consequently there are lot of historical inaccuracies in the film. Mihir Bose observes that

Benegal’s own additions are mostly untrue. But these incidents (like the incident of Abid Hasan

Cooking Khichri) are interesting and add much drama to the narrative. In fact he finds the incident

of Hassan joking with the Germans about Khichiri very comic. He does not find these small

inaccuracies extraordinary because most good film makers did that in their films including

Attenborough in his Gandhi.

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1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Mihir Bose justifies the title of his biography of Subhas Bose by saying that ‘though Bose

was important he was lost both to Indian nationalism and modern Indian life’. What does

he mean?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

b. Mihir Bose feels that Bengal, in his film, has made additions which are historically not

true though they add a touch of drama and make the film interesting. What incident is

Mihir Bose referring to?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

c. How is Benegal’s title different from Mihir Bose’s? Which one is better?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

1.7 Critical Commentary (Para 6-9)

While conceding that all films, including Attenborough’s Gandhi, take liberties with

historical truth, Mihir Bose takes Benegal to task for taking too much liberty with historical facts.

Two of the major incidents pointed out in this context are;

a) The transfer of S.C. Bose and Hasan from German to the Japanese sub-marines.

b) The presentation of Bose’s marriage.

Mihir Bose observes that the presentation of these two incidents add a touch of unreality to

the film which could have been avoided. Much of Mihir Bose’s criticism about the historical

inaccuracies of the film is based on his own biography of S.C. Bose. For instance the reviewer

contests the presentation of Bose’s marriage to his secretary Emilie Schenkl in Berlin sometime in

1941. Mihir Bose contends that the marriage took place in 1937 and not in 1941. He further, finds

fault with the way the relationship between Hitler and S.C. Bose is presented in the film.

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Mihir Bose accuses Benegal of taking a great deal of poetic licence with Bose’s relationship with

his secretary. (When a writer, film maker or other such creative artists deviates from facts or logic

to produce a desired literary or poetic effect we call it poetic licence. Or in other words unlike

historians and biographers, it is considered normal for creative writers and artists to take liberties

with facts and logic to produce a desired effect). But Mihir Bose also concedes that making a

historically accurate film on the personal side of Subhas Bose was a difficult task because Bose

himself hid much of his private life. He was very secretive about his relationship with Emilie

Schenkl. The fact is that he made a short visit to Europe in 1937 and married Emilie in the

December of the same year. On being asked about this relationship after his return in 1938, he lied

to everyone. He did so, perhaps, to safeguard his image as a celibate. There was not only no

marriage ceremony, there was no marriage certificate either. But a letter Subhas Bose wrote to his

brother Sarat and the existence of his daughter Anita is proof enough that indeed he was married.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. Mihir Bose believes that Benegal took too much liberty with historical facts and that these

inaccuracies add a touch of unreality to the film. What are the incidents he is referring to?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

b. What is the meaning of ‘poetic licence’?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Critical Commentary (Para 10-14)

Mihir Bose complains that Benegal’s film makes S.C. Bose more anti Hitler than he

actually was. He contends that though Bose maintained his independence from the Nazis he was

not prepared to confront Hitler. Benegal in his film shows Subhas Bose lecturing Hitler when he

met him. Mihir Bose claims that this presentation is not true and that Bose was kept waiting by

Hitler for more than a year before he finally agreed to meet Bose. And in this meeting Bose had

praised Hitler as a great revolutionary. Mihir Bose considers this as a major fault and attributes it

to Benegal’s desire to present Bose in a glorious light. Mihir bose believes that Subhas Bose was

caught in a tight situation and that he could have sought help from only two people, Hitler and

Stalin, and both of them were monsters. He further argues that it was Nehru and not Bose who had

a clearer idea about the dangers of Nazism. It is here that Mihir Bose finds Benegal’s film lacking.

Benegal could have explored this critical issue in his film but chose not to.

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There are some other things in the film that the reviewer is unhappy about. He thinks that the

battle scenes in Imphal and Burma are overdone and feels that Benegal has glorified the INA much

more that it really deserves. According to him the INA’s contribution to the battles can hardly be

considered heroic or significant. The film presents the battle as a battle between the INA of Bose

and the British army whereas in reality it was Indians fighting against the Indians in the British

Army. Apart from this unnecessary glorification, Mihir Bose does not find anything else

objectionable. He concedes that the theme of Indian collaboration in helping the British rule India

could be the subject of another film and that Benegal was right in not going into those details.

1.8.1 Check Your Progress

a. It is clear thatMihir Bose does not idolize Subhas Bose. He feels that Benegal unnecessarily tries

to glorify Bose and that is one of the weaknesses of the film. What are the observations made by

Mihir Bose that proves this point?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

b. Do you think criticising a great leader like Subhas Bose will diminish our admiration for him?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

1.9 Critical Commentary (Para 15-18)

Despite finding many faults, Mihir Bose finds the film beautiful in parts. Thepart he likes the best

is Bose’s escape from Kolkota to Berlin via Afghanistan. He especially likedthe scene where Bose

after stepping on free Afghan soil kicks on George VI’s face on a coin. It is here that Mihir Bose

finds Benegal at his best as a film maker.Benegal’s film ends with the plane, carrying Bose, taking

off and shows Emilie hearing the newsof Bose’s death through a BBC broadcast. Though the film

hints at the possibility of the air crashbeing the cause of Bose’s death, it finally steers clear of this

controversial issue. Mihir Bose feelsthat Benegal could have ended the film with the air crash

which would have helped finish off thecontroversy surrounding Bose’s death. Eg. But Benegal

side steps the controversy regarding the death of S.C. Bose. Mihir Bose considers the controversy

surrounding his death silly because the manner of his death is not as important as the manner in

which he lived his life and fought for the liberation of this country.

The review ends with a scathing comment on the Bengaliswho are critical of Benegal’s

film. Mihir Bose observes that the reaction of some Bengali’s to this film is symptomatic of the

degeneration of Bengali culture. He hopes that Benegal’s film will contribute much not only to

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the understanding of Subhas Chandra Bose but will also put some sense into the degenerate

Bengalis who revere S.C. Bose but hardly take the trouble of knowing the man better.

1.9.1 Check Your Progress

a. Mihir Bose thinks that Benegal should have dealt with the controversy of Subhas Bose`s death.

Why is it important?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

1.10 Let us Sum up

Mihir Bose’s review of Shyam Benegal’s film, The Forgotten Hero, draws our attention to both

the merits and short comings of the film. Though he finds fault with the film on many counts, he

finds the film interesting in parts and applauds Benegal for having done something bold and

remarkable for Indian cinema. Some of the things he likes about the film are:

• The dramatic presentation of Bose’s journey in a submarine from Germany to Japan. He

also finds the comic elements in the film interesting.

• The presentation of Bose’s escape from Kolkotta to Berlin via Afghanistan.

• The fact that Benegal’s film will certainly lead to a better understanding and rehabilitation

of S.C. Bose.

Some of the things he did not like about the film are:

• Benegal’s deviations from the historical truths and too much fictionalization of some of

the incidents in Bose’s life especially the issue of his marriage and his relationship with

Hitler.

• Benegal’s attempt to glorify Bose’s personality so that it confirmed to popular perception

rather than historical truth.

• Glorification of the role of INA in the battles of Imphal and Burma.

Finally when we try and evaluate the review we do find that, Mihir Bose, has focussedfar too

much on the historical authenticity of the film narrative and has ignored the cinematic qualities of

the film. Much of the review is informed by his own biography of S.C. Bose and Richard

Attenborough’s film Gandhi. What the review lacks is an analysis of the filmic qualities like

cinematography, acting, screenplay, etc. thereby making the review one dimensional. It seem she

is reading Benegal’s film more as a historical document and not as a fictional representation of a

part of S.C. Bose’s life as ideally it should be.

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1.11 Glossary

neatly duck skilfully avoid

intrigued becoming curious

eminent respected and well known

tackle a determined effort to deal with a difficult task.

trudging labouring through a task very slowly

put a gloss to emphasize on only the good things in something to make it look

better depict to describe or narrate or represent something.

riveting something that draws your complete attention.

mucking about to treat something carelessly.

dingy a small boat often made of rubber.

justified made for a legitimate reason.

wretched pack of cards very poor quality.

deceitful misleading others.

agonies extreme mental or physical suffering

emerged to become known, come to light.

celibate a person who abstains from sex and marriage.

overwhelming very strong, very large.

evidence proof.

awful very unpleasant.

fateful a crucial moment that affect your future often in a negative way.

stooge a subordinate who is made to do all the unpleasant work.

farsighted to be able to see future possibilities and act accordingly.

conceivable something that can be imagined as possible.

assessing to evaluate the nature or ability or quality of something.

menace something which can become a threat or cause harm.

negligible small or unimportant

hardly very little not worth much.

dwell on think, speak or write in some detail about something.

collaborators cooperating with an enemy against one`s own country.

peeling remove the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable.

silly foolish and mindless.

agitating causing trouble or disturbance.

rail against to oppose or criticise bitterly

degenerated decline mentally and morally.

rehabilitate to restore the good reputation and importance of a person.

antics foolish behaviour.

fall from grace to lose your reputation and the admiration of others.

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1.12: Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. Shyam Benegal’s film was the first film on a great son of India by an Indian film maker. It

is in this context that Benegal’s film makes Indian mainstream cinema a part of the world

culture where it is acceptable to make films on great political figures and controversial

phases of a nation’s history.

b. Mihir Bose is thinking about his own biography of Subhas Bose and the film Gandhi by

Richard Attenborough.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. What Mihir Bose is trying to say here is that though Subhas Bose was a very important

political figure he is lost in our popular modern imagination, and that we know very little

about him. He also wants us to focus on his life and his contribution to India’s freedom

struggle rather than the vexing issue of his mysterious death.

b. Mihir Bose is referring to the incident of Abid Hassan cooking Khichiri and joking with

the Germans about it.

c. Mihir Bose’s title The Lost Hero refers to the fact that Subhas Bose no longer available to

us and that we know very little about his life. Benegal’s title The Forgotten Hero seems

to suggest that the Subhas Bose is no longer remembered by the people. Both titles have

similar meaning with a very subtle difference. You have to make a choice here and decide

which one you like better. Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. Mihir Bose takes Benegal to task for taking too much liberty with historical facts. Two of

the major incidents pointed out in this context are; a) The transfer of S.C. Bose and Hasan

from German to the Japanese sub-marines, b) The presentation of Bose’s marriage.

b. When a writer, film maker or other such creative artists deviate from facts or logic to

produce a desired literary or poetic effect we call it poetic licence. Or in other words

unlike historians and biographers, it is considered normal for creative writers and artists to

take liberties with facts and logic to produce a desired effect. In this case Benegal

sometimes distorts facts to glorify Subhas Bose. Key to Exercise 1.8.1

a. Benegal in his film shows Subhas Bose lecturing Hitler when he met him. Mihir Bose

claims that this presentation is not true. Mihir Bose considers this as a major fault and

attributes it to Benegal’s desire to present Bose in a glorious light. He claims that contrary

to what Benegal presents Bose was actually kept waiting by Hitler for more than a year

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before he finally agreed to meet Bose. And in this meeting Bose had praised Hitler as a

great revolutionary.

b. Criticism of Subhas Bose is not going to diminish our admiration for him. We must be

mature enough to understand that all human beings, including the great leaders make

mistakes. It makes them human and makes their achievements all the more admirable.

Key to Exercise 1.9.1

a. Mihir Bose feels that Benegal could have ended the film with the air crash which would

have helped finish off the controversy surrounding Bose’s death. This is important because

too much attention is paid to his death than his life. Mihir Bose considers the controversy

surrounding his death silly. What is important is the manner in which he lived his life and

fought for the liberation of this country.

1.13 Key to exercises given in the text book at the end of - Unit 13 Vocabulary 2

Look at the list of phrases taken from the review and write which ones are meant to praise and

which one’s are critical.

(i) Not to put too fine a print on it: To speak plainly and directly (Critical)

(ii) A pity that/because: It is often used to express disappoint about something and you wish that it

could have happened differently. (Critical)

(iii) I wish that: Used to express that you are sorry or sad about a certain action in the past.

(Critical)

(iv) Break new ground: To begin to do something that no one else has done. (Praise)

(v) Deserves to be congratulated: Actually deserves the praise. (Praise)

(vi) Did not come clean: Not to be honest about something with someone. (Critical)

(vii) I am less convinced by: Not impressed by. (Critical)

(viii) To be fair: To be fair means to give right weight and measure to something. (Praise)

(ix) Duck the question: Evade the question. (Critical)

(x) Could have done without: It would have been better had he left it out. (Critical)

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1.14 Activity (Writing)

Now that you have learnt how to read a review it is time you try writing a review on your own.

You could either do it on your own or do it with some of your friends. To begin, try and read a few

reviews of a film or a book that you have seen or read. If you chose to work in a group then ensure

that your friends are also familiar with the film or book that you plan to review. In sections 1.3 and

1.3.1 we have discussed about reviews in general and what constitutes a good review. Now start

writing your review, keeping all those points in mind. Your review must have a general

introduction that gives an overview of the film/book followed by sections on what is good and not

so good about it. Conclude the review by summarising your findings and listing your

recommendations if any.

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UNIT 14

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UNDERSTANDING NARRATIVE SOAPNUT LEAVES

Chaaso

--P.K. Satapathy

1.1 Introduction

By now you are familiar with short stories having read a few in units 3, 4 and 10. You have learnt

about styles of storytelling, understanding point of view and understanding humour. In this unit we

will read a different kind of story, Soapnut Leaves, by Chasso. The real name of the author is

Chaganti Somayajulu (1915-1994) and he wrote in Telegu. Most of his stories deal with issues of

socio-economic imbalance between people of different castes and class in rural areas. It is quite

possible that you might have experienced some amount of discrimination for various reasons. It

isn’t a nice feeling. But that is a fact of everyday life for millions of people in our country. In this

unit we will read about some such experiences in the story Soapnut Leaves. We will also study

some specific features of narratives in general that will help us in understanding narratives better.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After reading this unit you will be able to:

• Identify a narrative as a specific kind of writing

• List out the various features of a narrative

• Make a critical assessment of a narrative

• Understand how caste and class creates barrier between people

• Understand the injustice suffered by poor people

• Use unusual adjectives to add richness to a description

1.3 What is a Narrative?

Let us begin with the question, what is a narrative? A narrative is, first of all, a story or a part of a

story. A narrative describes a chain of events initiated and experienced by characters. The

characters could be real or fictional. They could be human beings or animals like you find in

fables. A narrative is written or narrated orally and has a narrator who may be a character or

someone who witnessed the incidents. A narrative may have one or many points of view from

which the narration takes place. Having made these general observations let’s deal with the

narrative prescribed for you, “Soapnut Leaves.” Now this is, as you all know, a short story. We

know that the short story has its own characteristics.

1.4 What are the specific features of a short story?

Though there are no hard and fast rules which govern the short story, we do find some features

which are, more or less, common to short stories. To begin, with let’s point out some of the

features that are likely to be found in a short story;

a. A short story, unlike the novel which has a complex structure, has a single and simple

plot, a single setting and a limited number of characters.

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b. The incidents narrated in the short story cover a short period of time. Normally short

stories begin abruptly in the middle of the action. But they also have a climax or crises or

what you may call a turning point in the narrative.

c. It is very difficult to define the length of a short story. However, it is commonly held that

the length of a short story should be such that a reader is able to read the story in one

sitting.

d. Finally the short stories, typically, have abrupt and open endings and they may or may not

have a moral.

So when we read a short story we must try and pay special attention to, amongst other things,

the plot, the characters and, the narrative point of view.

1.5 Soapnut Leaves: A short summary

Soapnut leaves is a short story by Chaaso. This story was originally written in Telugu. Theplot of

this story is very simple. This story is about two village girls, Paaramma and Gaviri, who go out

into the fields and the vastly different kinds of experiences they have on this outing. Paaramma is

the daughter of a respectable farmer and Gaviri is the daughter of a labourer. On their way to the

fields they come across fields of green gram and Paaramma keeps picking the green pods without

worrying about getting caught. She believes that being the daughter of a respectable farmer no one

would dare do anything about it. But Gaviri being the daughter of a labourer dare not do the same,

though she is very hungry. They keep walking and soon they find a carpet of soapnut leaves on

their path. Paarammma has no use for soapnut leaves, but for Gaviri they are a fine source of fuel

and she gathers as much as she can and puts them in her basket. Finally they reach the field of the

Prime Landlord Kaambhukta garu. They find a tamrind tree laden with fruit. Paaramma flings a

few stones and manages to pick a few tamarind fruits. When Gaviri asks for a few tamarind fruits,

Paaramma asks her to pick her own fruits and moves away. Gaviri gathers all her courage and

flings a few stones. But instead of fruits, she manages to bring down a big dry twig. She is very

happy because the twig is good fire wood. She breaks the twig into smaller pieces and puts them in

her basket. In the meantime the Prime Landlord arrives and kicks her basket scattering the twigs

and the soapnut leaves. Gaviri tries gathering the leaves and the twigs once again. These further

angers the Prime Landlord and he starts abusing her. He, obviously, did not know what the

soapnut leaves meant to Gaviri. She promises the Prime Landlord that she will never visit his field

again. But the Prime Landlord does not relent. He accuses her of thieving cattle dung which he

finds hidden under a bush. Despite Gaviri protesting her innocence she is given a thrashing by the

landlord. Gaviri picks up courage and fights back and showers abuse on the landlord. The landlord

hits her with his wooden sandal. Gaviri falls on her face with pain and the landlord, satisfied with

the outcome, leaves. Gaviri, after a long bout of weeping, and in much pain, picks herself up. She

collects her soapnut leaves. As a mark of her protest she leaves the tamarind twig behind in the

landlord’s field. While she walks back, still sobbing, the school children are still singing their

multiplication tables.

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1.6. Commentary

Let us now try and analyse this story in terms of its theme, plot, style and characters. We can

begin by looking at it in terms of small segments. Let us divide the story into three parts for the

sake of convenience;

• Part 1 begins from the time the girls leave the village and ends with the girls going into the

fields.

• Part 2 begins with the girls going into the fields and continues till they hear the voice of

the Prime Landlord.

• Part 3 begins with the appearance of Prime Landlord and continues till the end of the

story.

While we discuss the story part by part we will also discuss all the other aspects narratives that

we have discussed earlier.

1.7 Critical Commentary (Part 1)

The plot of this story, as we have seen in section 1.5, is very simple. It revolvesaround two

small girls. But the theme is not so simple. The narrator begins by describing the dress of the two

girls as they move out of the village. This description clearly marks a very sharp distinction

between the social classes of both the girls. Paaramma is a rich farmer’s daughter and Gaviri is the

daughter of a labourer. The fact that Paaramma, being the daughter of a rich farmer, is wearing a

ragged (old and worn out) dress is ironic. It seems that the word ‘rich’ is used here to highlight the

extent of rural poverty. Paaramma can only be considered rich when compared with Gaviri`s

family who are practically starving.

The other thing that we notice is that Paaramma is a Naidu which is a forward caste. But

Gaviri’s caste is not mentioned. Do you think that the author has deliberately done so? The author

only says that Gaviri belonged to the ‘loin-cloth class’ (labourers). The difference of class is, as is

very usual, reflected in the way they are dressed, the food that they eat and also in their attitude

towards life and fellow human beings. It is interesting to note that the issue of class has a primacy

over the issue of caste in the story. We all know that caste is the dominant determinant in our

social interactions, especially in rural India. On the other hand class is more of an urban issue. But

does it suggest that the narrator, by adopting the point of view of class, is rejecting caste as the

defining characteristic of social organization? The answer, according to me, is that the author is

trying to demonstrate the overlapping nature of caste and class in Indian society.

But at the same time the author is trying to reveal the nature of this overlap. Our social

interactions and attitudes are shaped more by the class rather than the caste that we belong to. For

instance Paaramma’s attitude towards Gaviri, school, and other things are shaped by the fact that

she is Appala Naidu’s (a big and moneyed farmer) daughter. Though they are friends Paaramma

behaves in a very insensitive way towards Gaviri. She does not hesitate to make fun of the fact

that Gaviri had nothing to eat in almost two days. She even makes fun of the fact that Gaviri has

no oil to apply on her hair. On the other hand Gaviri is defensive all the time. She pretends to

have had some food because she does not want Paaramma to pity her. She wants to be treated as

an equal. Paaramma declares that she will be attending school soon. But Gaviri social condition

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does not allow her to go to school because unlike Paaramma, Gaviri has lot of responsibilities on

her small head. Let us list out some of the things that we have learnt about both the girls and their

socio-economic condition in this part.

• Paaramma is Appala Naidu’s (forward caste, rich farmer) daughter and Gaviri is the

daughter of a labourer (loin-cloth class)

• Paaramma is wearing a torn long skirt and Gaviri is wearing only a piece of cloth. It shows

that Paaramma can only be called rich when compared to Gaviri.

• Gaviri is secretly envious of Paaramma.

• Paaramma is arrogant and Gaviri though poor has lot of self-respect and tries to defend it.

• Paaramma is insensitive towards her friend and does not hesitate to mock Gaviri’s

poverty.

• Paaramma will soon be attending school but Gaviri is too poor to attend school. She has a

lot of responsibility. Consequently she tries to rationalise her condition by saying that

school is of not much use to a girl like her.

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. In part 1 of the story we come to know that Paaramma and Gaviri belong to two different

classes. How do we know this?

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__________________________________________________________________________

b. What do you think of Paaramma’s behaviour towards Gaviri? What does it tell you about

Paaramma’s character?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________

c. Gaviri says school is of no use for a girl like her. Why does she say that?

_______________________________________________________________________________

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1.8 Critical Commentary (Part 2)

In part 2 of the story we see the girls going into the fields.While Gaviri gets busy with the

task of collecting dry twigs to be used as fuel for the cooking fire, Paaramma roams around with a

carefree attitude. She starts picking green gram from other people’s fields and eats them. Though

Gaviri is starving from the night before, she dare not do the same. Being poor she had learnt a few

lessons from life itself. This bitter lesson in life is that the poor cannot expect just treatment from

the rich. Both Gaviri and Paaramma know that if they are caught eating green grams from other

peoples fields they won’t be treated in the same way. If caught, Paaramma will go scot free but

Gaviri will get a severe beating. The difference between Paarammaand Gaviri’s social situation

becomes very stark in this part and this is reflected in their behaviour as well.

Though Gaviri is only eight years old she had the responsibility of fetching water,

collecting dry twigs, leaves or anything that can be used as fuel at home. Without Gaviris efforts it

will be difficult for the family to cook anything at all. Thus she has no time for any of the normal

things that other children of her age do. Gaviri’s sense of responsibility is such that she forgets her

hunger and her sadness at being so poor the moment she lays her eyes on the soapnut leaves.

Soapnut leaves are especially good for cooking fire. On their way back, they see a fruit laden

tamarind tree. Paaramma, being the daughter of a Naidu, is not afraid of taking down a few for.

But she refuses to share it with Gaviri. This seems heartless. Though Paaramma is supposed to be

a friend, she tries at every opportunity to put down Gaviri. She is a proud and arrogant girl. She

shows off her privileges to Gaviri and lacks decency and sympathy. Her attitude, typifies the upper

class attitude towards their less privileged counterparts.

The village school serves as a backdrop in this story. Paaramma is going to attend school

very soon. Most people believe that education can bring in great social changes and can help in

establishing a just and equitable society. However, in this story, it seems to have failed in its

mission. The school hasn’t actually changed the attitude of the people. The village remains trapped

in its unjust practices. Consequently the attitude of people towards education is nothing short of

sceptical. Gaviri’s father believes that the school will not help Gaviri in her life because the life

skills that Gaviri needs to learn are not to be found in books or the multiplication tables taught in

the school. For Gaviri and people of her class the prime concern is to keep the cooking fires

burning in their huts. It is a daily struggle for survival. And these skills are best learnt from life.

And you can see for yourself, in this story, that life’s lessons are bitter. Gaviri must learn to curb

her hunger, must suppress her desires and must submit herself to the unjust social system in order

to survive.

1.8.1 Check Your Progress

a. Gaviri has learnt a few lessons from the school of life. What are they?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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b. Would agree with Gaviris father’s view that Gaviri does not need a formal school education?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________

c. Has the school in the village changed the attitude of the people? Has it helped build a just

society?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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1.9 Critical Commentary (Part 3)

The Prime Landlord, hearing the noise of the broken big dry twig falling on the ground, appears on

the scene. This is a crucial moment in the story. Gaviri’s worst fears come true in this part. We

also get to see the actual nature of justice in our society. This is also a section where we discover

something more about both the girls. The Prime Landlord spells trouble for both Paaramma and

Gaviri. Paaramma runs away but Gaviri stays there to face the consequences of her being there.

Two questionscome to our mind here:

a. Why did Paaramma run away leaving her friend there?

b. Why did Gaviri, knowing the attitude of the rich people, not run away?

The answer to these questions tells us a lot about the girls. We have already seen in the earlier

section that though Paaramma is supposed to be a friend, she tries at every opportunity to put

down Gaviri. This incident shows apart from being insensitive she is a coward as well. She knows

that she has done something wrong but she is unwilling to face the consequences of her action. On

the other hand instead of helping her friend prove her innocence in front of the Prime Landlord,

she runs away deserting her friend Gaviri to her fate. Consequently Gaviri suffers, not just the

beating, but also the indignity of being called a thief. Gaviri has done no wrong and she has the

courage to face the Prime landlord though she is scared of him inside.

Despite not being at fault, Gaviri is beaten and punished by the Prime Landlord only on the basis

of mere suspicion. Gaviri fails to understand this injustice. It seems that the Prime landlord (by

implication the moneyed class) takes it as a matter of right to punish the children or people of the

lower classes. Thus the system of justice here seems to be the preserve of the higher classes. In

fact in an instance of supreme irony the Prime Landlord becomes the accuser as well as the judge,

thereby effectively shutting out the possibility of justice for the lower classes. Gaviri suffers

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twice. First she is abandoned by her friend and then punished unfairly for a crime she did not

commit. But the most striking thing in this part is not the punishment or the suffering that Gaviri is

subjected to. It is the response of Gaviri to this adverse situation that holds our attention. We do

not often see anyone from the lower classes stand up to the injustice dished out by the higher

castes/class. The people from the lower classes accept this as their fate. But Gaviri is made of

sterner stuff. She stops weeping and starts asserting herself. She fights hard to protect herself

respect. She will not tolerate the unfair accusations of the prime Landlord. It is amazing to see that

that this small girl not only has the courage to stand up and fight this injustice but also has the

courage to abuse the Prime Landlord.

The story ends, once again, with the school coming into focus where the children are still learning

the multiplication table. Gaviri gathers the soapnut leaves once again and as a mark of her final

defiance she throws away the tamarind sticks saying, “You-son-of-bitch! No one needs your

tamarind twigs”. The contrast between the situation of Gaviri in the school of life and the school

where the children are learning the multiplication tables, once again brings the role of education

into focus. The irony of the situation is that there seems to be a wide gap between this school and

the school of life. What the author is, perhaps, suggesting is that this gapbetween the village

school and the school of life must be bridged for education to become meaningful. Till then the

soapnut leaves would remain immensely more valuable to Gaviri and children from her class than

the education dished outin the schools.

1.9.1 Check Your Progress

a. Paaramma runs away as soon as Prime Landlord appears. Why does she do that? What

does it tell us about her character?

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b. The Prime Landlord keeps on punishing Gaviri even after she proved her innocence. Why

does he do so?

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c. What does this story tell us about the nature of justice in our society?

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1.10 Let Us Sum Up

Soapnut Leaves gives us a lot of insight into the nature of social discrimination and injustice

practised in India through the story of two small girls. Paaramma and Gaviri, though friends, come

from different socio-economic strata. Let us try and list out some of the things that we have

observed in the story:

• Paarama is a Naidu and her father is a rich farmer. Gaviri is a labourer’s daughter. They

are friends but their friendship is coloured by their respective social status.

• Gaviri goes to the fields to fulfil her family responsibility but Paaramma, having no

responsibilities, goes with her to while away the time.

• The difference in their social class is reflected in the dress they wear and the food they eat.

Paaramma wears a dress (slightly torn) and even some gold jewellery. Gaviri wears just a

piece of cloth and some copper wire as a nose pendant. Paaramma had soup of wolf fish

and cooked rice for dinner but Gaviri did not have any dinner,not even the congee (water

boiled with rice) that they normally have for dinner.

• Paaramma and Gaviri are both aware of these differences and it is reflected in their

attitude to each other and life in general.

• Paaramma is arrogant, insensitive and even heartless at times. She not only mocks

Gaviri’s poverty but abandons her when she needed her most, to prove her innocence in

front of the Prime Land Lord.

• Gaviri is hardworking, strong, responsible and honest. She is sad because her father is

poor but she has enough self respect not to steal anything from anyone.

• The school forms an ironic backdrop to this little story. Paaramma will soon attend school.

But will it help her learn the real lessons of life? Will it be able to make her see the

injustice and discrimination that is so widespread?

• Gaviri’s learning has already begun in the school of life. She has to learn that survival is a

struggle. She needs to be strong and hardworking. For her the soapnut leaves are

immensely more valuable than the multiplication tables taught at the school. She has also

learnt that the poor have no rights.

• The behaviour of the Prime Landlord is a prime example of the absence of a system of

justice in the society. Despite knowing that Gaviri did not steal anything he keeps

punishing her. It seems that the moneyed class takes it as a matter of right to punish the

children or people of the lower classes even when they are not guilty. Thus the system of

justice here seems to be the preserve of the higher classes. In fact in an instance of

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supreme irony the Prime Landlord becomes the accuser as well as the judge, thereby

effectively shutting out the possibility of justice for the lower classes.

• Finally, Gaviri fights back at this injustice. She displays great courage of conviction to

stand up against the Prime Landlord.

1.11 Glossary

ragged worn out, not in a good condition

cloutpiece a piece of cloth to wrap around

sported wear to show off

humble of low social class

wretched boastings sad and useless pride

relish a relish is a tasty cooked food item

prominent important or famous

chagrined feel humiliated

threshing fields a field where the grain is separated from the stalk

gorge a narrow depression between two high grounds

welled up filled up

hedge a boundary made up of closely growing bushes

liberally in a generous manner, in large amounts

tuck push in

bawling screaming, shouting

crooned sing in a soft voice

chanting say repeatedly

shelling removing the outer shell

munching making noise while chewing something

comforted to lessen the grief of someone

stupor: a state of near unconsciousness

exhaustion a state of extreme physical or mental tiredness

pilfer steal things which are not very valuable

indulge allow oneself the pleasure of doing something

petty minor, insignificant

pewter vessel vessel made of a grey alloy of tin with copper and tin or lead

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carpeted the path a thick covering

yelling scream loudly

startled feel sudden shock

sprouted grow

palpitating irregular and rapid heart beat

thud dull and heavy sound

rustling make a soft and crackling sound

whoop loud cry of joy

pounced to spring forward suddenly to catch something

handy bits easy to use size

mumbled say something in a way which is difficult for others to hear

thundered speak strongly against

trash waste material, of very little value

pleaded make an emotional request, beg

affirmed assert, declare confidently

trace evidence, mark

august respected, impressive

personage a person of importance

intrepid fearless

stalwart strong supporter of a cause

chit of a girl immature and insignificant

obscenities rude and dirty

decapitated fowl a chicken with its head cut off

writhed make twisting movement of the body in pain

weeping bitterly crying with resentment because of unjust treatment

smarted feel a sharp stinging pain

welt a raised red mark, red and painful swelling

sceptical having doubts about something

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1.12 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. Paaramma is the daughter of a Naidu and Gaviri is the daughter of a labourer.The

difference in their social class is reflected in the dress they wear and the food they eat.

Paaramma wears a dress (slightly torn) and even some gold jewellery. Gaviri wears just a

piece of cloth and some copper wire as a nose pendant. Paaramma had soup of wolf fish

and cooked rice for dinner but Gaviri did not have any dinner, not even the congee (water

boiled with rice) that they normally have for dinner.

b. Paaramma’s behaviour towards Gaviri is insensitive and she looks down upon Gaviri. Her

behaviour shows that she is arrogant, insensitive and even heartless at times. She has no

loyalty towards her friend. Her attitude reflects the attitude of rich people towards the

poor. She not only mocks Gaviri`s poverty but abandons her when, to prove her innocence

in front of the Prime Land Lord, she needed Paaramma most.

c. Gaviri says that school is useless for a girl like her for two reasons: a) To rationalise the

fact that even if she wanted to, she could not have attended school because of her socio-

economic condition, and b) The subjects taught in school will not help her deal with the

day to day struggles that she has to face just to survive. Hence, for her, what she learns

from the school of life is more important than what she would get to learn at a formal

school.

Key to Exercise 1.8.1

a. For Gaviri and people of her class the prime concern is to keep the cooking fires burning

in their huts. It is a daily struggle for survival. And these skills are best learnt from life.

And you can see for yourself, in this story, that life’s lessons are bitter. Gaviri must learn

to curb her hunger, must suppress her desires and must submit herself to the unjust social

system in order to survive. She has learnt that if poor people make a mistake it is treated as

a major crime and if the rich make the same mistake it is overlooked.

b. Gaviri’s father believes that the school will not help Gaviri in her life because the life

skills that Gaviri needs to learn are not to be found in books or the multiplication tables

taught in the schools. But he may not be entirely right. Education, when properly used, can

help people break unjust social systems and bridge the socio-economic gap between the

rich and the poor. It may take some time but we cannot lose faith in education.

c. It is widely believed that education can bring in great social changes and can help in

establishing a just and equitable society. However, in this story, it seems to have failed in

its mission. The school hasn’t actually changed the attitude of the people. The village

remains trapped in its unjust practices. Consequently the attitude of people towards

education is nothing short of sceptical.

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Key to Exercise 1.9.1

a. Paaramma runs away because she is guilty of stealing green gram pods and tamarind fruits from

the Prime Landlords field. She is scared of the Prime Landlord and doesn’t want to get caught. But

she also abandons Gaviri who is innocent. It shows that she lacks basic honesty and the courage to

face the consequences of her action. It also shows that she has no loyalty to her friend.

b. The Prime Landlord starts punishing Gaviri on mere suspicion. It seems that the Prime landlord

(by implication the moneyed class) takes it as a matter of right to punish the children or people of

the lower classes even if they are not guilty. He is too arrogant to even consider the fact that Gaviri

might be innocent. Since it is he who has accused Gaviri, she stands proved guilty.

c. The system of justice here seems to be the preserve of the higher classes. In this society if the

poor make mistakes it is considered a major crime and they are punished disproportionately. The

rich, on the other hand, can make no mistakes. In fact in an instance of supreme irony the Prime

Landlord beats up a small innocent Gaviri while the real culprit runs away. In this society the rich

become the accuser as well as the judge, thereby effectively shutting out the possibility of justice

for the lower classes.

1.13 Key to Exercises given in the text book at the end of -Unit 14

Vocabulary 1 Respectable------------------------------farmer

Loin-cloth---------------------------------class

Ragged------------------------------------long skirt

Wretched----------------------------------boastings

Threshing---------------------------------fields

Dead-dry----------------------------------twigs

Wooden-sandaled----------------------foot

Vocabulary 2

Humble------------------------------------cloutpiece

Bitter---------------------------------------tears

Sweet scented--------------------------- pandanus

Chit of a-----------------------------------girl

Intrepid------------------------------------stalwarts

Now you can try and use them in sentences of your own

1.14 Activity (Writing)

Now that we have discussed the story in some detail, you can try and write a small

paragraph on an incident which brings out the injustice in our society. You could perhaps take up

the subject of a street vendor who is constantly harassed by the police. You can focus on the

differential treatment handed out to street vendors and big business men for the same crime of

encroaching on public land.

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UNIT 15

UNDERSTANDING POETRY IV

THE LOST WORD

Esther Morgan

— P.K. Satapathy

1.1 Introduction We have already discussed how to read poetry in Understanding Poetry III. Please gothrough the

introduction to that section once again before reading this unit. In this Unit we are going to discuss

a short poem The Lost Word by the British poet Esther Morgan. She was born in 1970. This

particular poem is taken from her first collection of poems called Beyond Calling Distance,

published in 2001. Many of the poems in this collection are full of people who are unable to find

their voices and affirm their independent identity.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After going through this unit you will be able to:

• Understand the nature of poetic language

• Critically analyse the poem in terms of its theme and style

• Engage with the hidden biases within language itself

• Understand the issue of voice and identity

• The marginal position of women in traditional societies

1.3 Poetic Language and How to Read a Poem

You will find some discussion on poetic language in other Units on Understanding Poetry in this

Module and you are advised to read the points mentioned there. We will make some broad

observations here that will help you read a poem without much difficulty. Poetry, as we have

discussed earlier, is primarily suggestive and has layers of meaning. Reading poetry is like peeling

an onion which has several layers but hardly a core. So instead of looking for a core meaning we

should try to understand the various layers of meanings that a poem contains. To begin with we

must try and understand that the words in a poem are like clues in a treasure hunt. One clue leads

to another. But unlike the treasure hunt where the objective of the hunt is to find the treasure in

poetry the objective is not to find the hidden meaning but to find the network of clues that give the

poem its form and substance. Thus, while reading a poem, we should try to figure out all the

possible clues that are hidden in the words.

1.4.The Title of the Poem The Lost Word

Let us begin our treasure hunt with the title of the poem. This poem, as the title tells us is about a

lost word. Does it sound a little strange? It does sound strange if we take the title literally. We

often lose things but a word is not a thing. How can we lose a word? But we must admit that the

image of a lost word is striking because we never hear of a word being lost. Obviously we cannot

take this literally. There must be a deeper meaning which is not stated but implied. Let us then

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probe a little more. When we lose a thing we cannot use it for our needs. So when we cannot use a

word we can regard it as lost to us. How do we lose words? We lose words if we forget them or do

not use it for a very long time. At the same time if we have not learnt to use a word then it is as

good as a lost word. But our learning and using of words is largely dependent on the society we

live in. We don’t use words that the society does not allow us to use. Later on in the unit we will

discuss the relationship between language and society. But for now let us conclude that in the title

of the poem the word ‘lost’, refers to a word which the woman has not leant to use or has forgotten

how to use.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a. What does the title Lost Word tells us about the poem?

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1.5 CriticalCommentary (Stanza 1)

She’s lost a word

and searches for it everywhere-

behind the sofa, at the back

of dusty cupboards and drawers.

She picks through the rubbish sacks.

In the first stanza of the poem we find a woman searching for a word she has lost. Andshe is

searching for it in places which are hidden from view or places where we keep our rubbish. But

isn’t it unusual to look for a word in places where we find things? The hidden places mentioned

here are places which do not require our attention on a day to day basis. Or rather places we tend

to ignore in our daily lives, places which are difficult to reach. The poet then seems to suggest that

the woman has lost this word in the world of her domesticity. This domestic world is not just a

physical world it also is a mental world. The woman is so preoccupied in this world that she fails

to remember this word which is certainly an important word.

Like we have observed in section 1.4, we should try to go beyond the literal meaning and explore

the things that are implied. This is especially so in this case where the thing lost is not a thing at all

but a word. Like these physical spaces which are hidden we all have mental spaces which are

hidden as well. And they remain hidden because we do not choose to speak about them, or we

afraid to speak about them. Often we are afraid to speak about things that are not acceptable to the

people and society we live in and consequently we push these thoughts to the back of our minds.

The back of the mind is a place to hide thoughts like the back of a sofa to hide things. All of us

have some experience of hiding our feelings or not saying things or even lying about things. This

is especially true in case of women in traditional societies. From our childhood we are told about

what is acceptable and what is not. And we learn to avoid speaking. Much of this has to do with

structures of power that exist in our families and the society we live in. For instance in our society

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the father remains the head of the family and we are supposed to obey him even when he is wrong.

This is especially true for girls. They are supposed to concentrate on cooking and learning how to

keep the house because they are expected to be home makers when they grow up. They are not

allowed to have a voice in the sense of having an independent identity. The woman in this poem

seems to be trapped in the power structure of her world. So much so that she has forgotten

something vital to herself.

1.5.1Check Your Progress

a. Why is it difficult for women to have a voice?

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1.6 Critical Commentary (Stanza2)

Under the carpet she finds lots of others

She’d forgotten she’d swept under there

But not the one she’s is looking for.

The trouble is it’s small- only two letters

Though no less valuable for that.

In the second stanza the same theme of the lost word is continued. We see her looking under the

carpet and there she finds many otherwords that she had swept under the carpet but not the one she

was looking for. The phrase ‘swept under the carpet’ is used to indicate that something was hidden

deliberately. What are these words that ‘She’ had swept under the carpet? We tend to sweepunder

the carpet things we don’t want others to see orthings that embarrass us. And we tend to hideor

suppress things when we are not very confident about them. The woman here seems to bein the

habit of sweeping many words under the carpet. It shows that she is not a very confidentperson.

She has hidden and suppressed or forgotten to use many words because she is notconfident about

using them.

Using language is the beginning of our socialisation. Language is not just a vehicle for

communication it is also something that transmits values. For instance we always use good before

bad and in opposition to bad. This is a system of hierarchy. We always use day before night, man

before woman, God before Devil and so on. What it implies is that, day is superior to night, man is

superior to woman, and so on. We learn these things as children and carry them for most of our

lives. We must examine the search for the ‘lost’ word in this context.There are some words that

give us a sense of independent identity. ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ are such words. We often hear our parents

use these words to control us. The power to say yes/no comes with authority. It seems the ‘She’ of

the poem is a woman without much authority and that is why she needs to sweep words under the

carpet. It is also quite possible that she does not have much authority because she is a woman.

What word is she looking for now? It is a word that is very valuable. The last two lines of this

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stanzas throw more light on the nature ofthe particular word that she is looking for now. It is a

very small, two letter.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a.Do you think the woman is troubled by the word she has lost?

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1.7 Critical Commentary (Stanza 3)

She stands racking her brains

for the last time she used it

but all that comes to mind

are failed attempts

when her mouth was full

of someone else’s tongue

In the third stanza she takes a break from this frantic search to think about the word.She

tries to remember the last time she had used this word. This is a very common way ofremembering

about things which are lost or misplaced. But this attempt also ends in failure. Shecan hardly

remember the last time she used it. The only thing that she remembers now is not theuse of the

word but the failure to use it, though she had tried several times. And she had failedto use it

because her mouth was full of someone else’s tongue. When the poet says that her mouthwas full

of someone else’s tongue it does not mean that she did not have a tongue of her own.Tongue here

is used in the sense of a voice.When the woman tries to remember the word she has lost she is

unable to do so becauseshe had been using not her own but someone else’s language. She was

saying what others wanted her to say.

The ending of this poemdoes not give us any definite clues about the word she is

lookingfor. If we probe further and think about the word she is looking for we will realise that it is

atwo letter word and that it is an important word. The woman, it seems, has never been able touse

the word because she has never used her own voice. We know that voice, or in other wordsthe

freedom to choose and express ideas and opinions, gives us an identity. And the loss of thisresults

in loss of identity. Thus we can guess that the word she is looking for would be a wordwhich could

give her an identity. Words like “me”, “am”, “no”, assert one’s individuality. Perhapsit is one of

these words that she is looking for. Is she looking for the word no? We know thatthe ability to say

“no” gives us a sense of freedom. Perhaps she has never been able to say “no”in her life. If we look at the position of women in traditional societies we will realise that for awoman to say “no” is, often, a great challenge. And they often fail to say “no” because they aretaught to obey what others ask them to do. Perhaps, the woman here is lookingfor the word “no”, so that she can regain her voice. But her attempt ends in failure once againbecause when we lose our voice we have

nothing more to say. Thus the poem ends on this abruptnote to suggest that when we adopt the

tongue of others and speak in their voice, it is very difficultto break free and find one’s own

tongue. So we end up having very little to say and the only optionthat is open is silence.

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1.7.1Check Your Progress

a. Can you guess the two-letter word the woman has lost? Could it be one of these words: do

be, me, am, no, it, us? Does the meaning of the poem change if it is one word or the other?

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b. What does the last line of the poem ‘ when her mouth was full of someone else’s tongue’ suggest?

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1.8 Let Us Sum Up

After reading the poem we have learnt a few things. Let us summarize all that we have learnt so

far:

• The title of the poem is unusual and sounds strange if we take the title literally. However if

we go deeper we realise that the poet is suggesting that, like any other thing, when we

cannot use a word we can regard it as lost to us. How do we lose words? We lose words if

we forget them or do not use them for a very long time.

• The ‘She’ in the poem is searching for a very important word that is lost to her.

• It seems like she is not a very confident woman and that she has been hiding many words

over the year because she is afraid to use them.

• Language is not value neutral. It instils values in us in our childhood and that these are

values that are accepted by the society at large.

• We grow up following these values and it is very difficult to either question or break these

value systems.

• Woman I have occupied a subservient position in our societies for a long time and it

becomes very difficult for them to break free. Consequently most women learn to hide

their feelings and try not to challenge the established order.

• Having a voice is an indication of having an independent identity. Consequently it is

important for the women to have a voice. But they are constantly denied this and are

pushed to the margins. Women are expected to remain within the domestic world and find

their identity within the confines of this world. That is why it is important for the woman

in this poem to remember a word that is vital to her identity but lost to her.

• Words like “me”, “am”, “no”, assert one’s individuality. Perhaps it is one of these words

that she is looking for.

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• But her attempt ends in failure once.

• Her mouth was full of someone else’s tongue does not mean that she did not have a

tongue of her own. Tongue here is used in the sense of a voice. When the woman tries to

remember the word she has lost she is unable to do so because she had been using not her

own but someone else’s language. She was saying what others wanted her to say.

• The poem ends on an abrupt note to suggest that when we adopt the tongue of others and

speak in their voice, it is very difficult to break free and find one’s own tongue.

1.9 Glossary

Rubbish Waste material, garbage Carpet A thick heavy covering, made of wool or synthetic fibre, for the floor

Valuable A thing of great worth

Racking To think very hard

Confines Enclosure, to keep someone within boundaries

Abrupt Sudden and unexpected

Subservient Inferior, secondary position obedient

Marginal Minor and not important

Vital Absolutely necessary

Frantic Hurried and anxious and often disorganised

1.10 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. The title of the poem sounds a little strange if we take the title literally. We often lose things but

a word is not a thing. We must try to find the implied meaning. When we lose a thing we cannot

use it for our needs. Similarly we lose words if we forget them or do not use them for a very long

time. At the same time if we have not learnt to use a word then it is as good as a lost word. . So

this poem is about a word which is lost because it was either not used for a long time or was

forgotten due to circumstances and is now lost.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. In traditional societies women have always been placed in a subservient position. From their

childhood they are told about what is acceptable and what is not. Much of this has to do with

structures of power that exist in our families and the society we live in. Women are supposed to

concentrate on cooking and learning how to keep the house because they are expected to be home

makers when they grow up. They are not allowed to have a voice in the sense of having an

independent identity. Thus it is difficult for a woman to have a voice.

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Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a.Yes the woman is troubled by the word she has lost. The woman here seems to be in the habit of

sweeping many words under the carpet. It shows that she is not a very confident person. She has

hidden and suppressed or forgotten to use many words because she is not confident about using

them. She now wants to use the word that is important to her but it is lost now and she is unable to

find it.

Key to Exercises 1.7.1

a. We can guess that the word she is looking for would be a word which could give her an identity.

Words like “me”, “am”, “no”, assert one’s individuality. Perhaps it is one of these words that she

is looking for. Is she looking for the word no? We know that the ability to say “no” gives us a sense of freedom. Perhaps she has never been able to say “no” in her life. If we look at the position of women in traditional societies we will realise that for a woman to say “no” is, often, a great challenge. And they often fail to say “no” because they are taught to obey what others ask them to do. Perhaps, the woman here is looking for the word “no”, so that she can regain her voice.

The meaning of the poem will change very much if we replace the word ‘no’ or ‘me’ with a word

like ‘us’. ‘Us’ is a collective pronoun and can in no way fit in with the overall scheme of the poem.

Similarly, the other words in the list do not fit into the scheme and if we use them they will change

the meaning of the poem substantially.

b. When the poet says that her mouth was full of someone else’s tongue it does not mean that she

did not have a tongue of her own. Tongue here is used in the sense of a voice. When the woman

tries to remember the word she has lost she is unable to do so because she had been using not her

own but someone else’s language. She was saying what others wanted her to say. When we adopt

the tongue of others and speak in their voice, it is very difficult to break free and find one’s own

tongue.

1.11 Activity (Writing)

In this Unit we have discussed the gender biases that are built into language. We have

pointed out the system of hierarchy that always treats men as superior to women. Try and write a

paragraph about such biases, be it gender or caste or class that you find in the various units of this

book.

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UNIT 16

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

Roald Dahl

— Usha Anand

1.1 Introduction

The short story is a relatively young literary genre whose rise and popularity arise out of

people’s being busy and having little time on their hands for leisure reading. A short, compact

piece is a refreshing source of entertainment. However, there are inputs in a short story which add

to its quality as a literary composition.

The intensity of impact in a short story is what is valued most highly. Like a fine lyric

poem, the short story requires the reader’s utmost attention, a focusing of the mind on each detail

in order to realize the final fullness of effect. The short story depends on concreteness, on sensual

impressions that deliver their meaning without waste. The action of a conventional short story is

compressed within a short time and space. The characters, few in number, are revealed, not

developed. The background and setting are implied, not rendered. The story gets going as quickly

as possible.

A question we ask is, “How does a story manage to tell so much in such a brief space?” The answer is that every word, gesture, description, stands for so much. Sometimes a single detail

will stand for a wealth of meaning—for a whole social class or a character’s background. In Lamb

to the Slaughter, a middle-class family, an organized household, are described well enough. But

the beauty of the irony arising out of food imagery is amazing. Right from the title where the word

“lamb” occurs, there are many ways of interpreting the word “lamb”. It could be a victim, a sacrifice, literally an item of food, a murder weapon, evidence destroyed etc. But more of this

later.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After reading this lesson you will be able to:

• Understand what is meant by ‘Reading between the Lines’. • Identify figures of speech such as metaphors and idioms.

• Understand the concept of a short story.

• Appreciate detective fiction.

• See the links in a sequence of events which constitute a narrative.

• Observe the cultural specifics of the setting of the story.

• Identify what constitutes black humour.

• Improve vocabulary and language skills.

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1.3 Summary of Section I (pp 110-113 of your text book): Pre-dialogue State of Mind As the story begins, we meet a happy, contented, Mary Maloney. She is waiting for her

husband to return from work. He arrives at the usual time but is withdrawn. After a few stiff

drinks, he tells Mary he wishes to divorce her. This news leaves her stunned.

Critical Commentary

Recalling some of the features of a successful short story, you can observe that the setting,

as described in the first paragraph, is a comfortable one in readiness for a couple to spend a relaxed

evening. A loyal and committed wife, Mrs. Mary Maloney is waiting for her husband to return

from work. Six months pregnant, she glows with contentment and security, ready to welcome Mr.

Maloney. Familiar with his habits, she revels in his almost silent company. She knows he will not

speak much till the first drink is finished. The entire description of their sitting together is an

interesting one. She, unaware of what is going on in his mind, is ready to do anything to make him

comfortable, please him. He, on the other hand is trying to bring himself to break the news of his

intention to abandon her. He empties his glass of whisky, refuses to have anything to eat, and then

tells her what he intends to do.

In keeping with the principle that in a short story, less is more, the author does not quote

all the details of what Maloney tells his wife. But we understand very well that he plans to leave

her for another woman. Of course he’ll give her money and she will be looked after. This is what

is called revealing the tip of the iceberg. The iceberg here is the huge volume of distance that has

come to exist between the couple. The presence of an iceberg, a very large dangerous block of ice

is visible only as the tip which shows above but its hidden dangers manifest themselves in a

frightening manner only when it is too late. In this story too, Maloney simply tells Mrs. Maloney

of his intent to leave her, unaware of the fury of emotions released within her, by this declaration.

1.3.1 Check Your Progress

a. Which sentence in the introductory paragraph of the story indicates an atmosphere of

comfort?

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b. What time of day is it and who is Mary Maloney waiting for?

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c. What kind of mental state is indicated by activities like sewing and knitting?

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________________________________________________________________________

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d. ‘Silent’ is a significant word on page 111 of your text book, How?

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e. Who uses the word ‘darling’ very often, Mary or Patrick? Does that signify anything?

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1.4 Summary of Section 2 (pp. 113-115 of the Textbook): The Deed

Still in astate of shock, she realizes they will not be going out for dinner so she gets up to

go to the pantry and get something to cook. The first thing she lays her hands on is a leg of lamb,

hard and frozen. Her husband is looking out of the window with his back towards her. As she

walks past him on the way to the kitchen from the pantry, her anger causes her impulsively to hit

him on the back of his head with the frozen leg of lamb. It hits him so hard that within a few

seconds, he drops down dead. Realizing she has committed a murder, she plans to go out. She goes

to the local vegetable shop. She buys a few things from the greengrocer Sam and returns home.

She pretends to discover her dead husband and calls the police, who arrive in a very short time.

Critical Commentary

First, let us observe how the wife’s shock manifests itself. Her first instinct is not to

believe any of it. She thinks she might be imagining the whole thing. Or, it might just be a bad

dream and when she wakes up, she might find nothing has happened.

Then she gets up to prepare supper. Almost in a dare, she goes down to the cellar to fetch

something to cook. The first thing she lays her hands on is a leg of lamb. Do not miss the irony of

the word “lamb” here. Still standing by the window with his back to her, Mr. Maloney tells her that he is going out and she shouldn’t make supper for him. In one angry reflex, Mary Maloney

simply walks up behind him and hits him on the back of his head with the frozen leg of lamb. The

blow is fatal; he falls to the carpet. The crash, the noise of the small table overturning brings her

out of her shock.

Her mind starts racing. She realizes the enormity of what she has done. Then, she plans

out her evening. She puts the lamb in the microwave to cook. Then she goes out to the

greengrocer’s and returns with stuff to be cooked for supper. Then she kneels by the body of her

dead husband, finds him dead, and calls the police.

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1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a.“And he told her”. What did Patrick tell Mary?

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b. Why do you think Mary gets down to preparing suffer? Are Mary and Patrick really

very hungry?

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c.What is the first thing she lays her hands on in the pantry?

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d. What does she hit Patrick with?

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e.What happens to Patrick?

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f. What is the crime central to the story, “Lamb to the Slaughter”? Who commits it?

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g. What does Mary do with the weapon of offence?

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h. Why does Mary go to the market? Whom does she intend to visit?

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i. What does she pretend to discover when she returns from the market?

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j. What action does she take?

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1.5 Summary of Section 3 (pp 116- 120 of the Textbook): The Investigation

The policemen arrive. They examine the scene of the crime. They do not find the weapon

of offence. They ask Mary about her movements in the last couple of hours. When she tells them

about her visit to the greengrocer, they go and ask him several questions about her behaviour.

Back in the Maloney household, they resume their search for a heavy weapon. As it gets

late, Mary asks them to have supper. She offers them whatever is ready in her kitchen and that is

the leg of lamb. They hungrily consume it and thus destroy the weapon of offence.

Mary Maloney has the last laugh.

Critical Commentary

Then, it is as if the detectives take over the action of the story. They fuss around

completing all the procedures, finding clues, but of course not finding the weapon used for the

murder. As they work late into the right, Mary, showing genuine concern for her husband’s former

colleagues, offers them the leg of lamb that was cooking in the microwave. This, in effect,

destroys, the weapon of offence. As they eat, they remark ironically that the blunt object used to

kill Maloney is probably somewhere right there, “under their noses,” yet they are unable to see it. Of course, the reader and Mary know that the murder weapon is right “under their noses”, being destroyed by becoming food for the hungry cops.

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We know the murder cannot be solved in the conventional way. That is why Mrs. Maloney

giggles in the other room as the policemen conjecture the presence of the weapon.

This story is replete with instances of black humour. Black humour is humour arising out

of situations arising out of death and tragedy. Jokes arising out of such situations or language are

called “black”.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. All the activities of the detectives are aimed at one thing. What?

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___________________________________________________________________

b. Do the detectives succeed? If not, why not?

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c. Has there been a compromise in the observance of the professional code of conduct

by the policemen?

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d. Has their conduct affected the outcome of their investigations? How?

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1.6 Let Us Sum Up

We have seen that this story has introduced us to a finely narrated detective story. The

chain of events is very skillfully sequenced. But as readers we have to be constantly alert to

nuances of behavior and language. We have been able to do the following:

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• To understand what a short story is.

• To read between the lines to understand the hidden meaning.

• We have learnt to connect both, external physical details and depth and

complexity of behavior.

• Like all good writing, this story has also taught us a thing or two about human

nature.

• We have learnt to recognize figures of speech like metaphors and idioms.

• We have also been able to recognize black humour in the story which arises out of

a murder.

1.7 Idioms

Idioms are an integral part of language. Some of the idoms used in this story are indicated

below:

Mary was very much in love with her husband. Her heart missed a beat every time her

detective husband returned home from work. She waited eagerly for his return each evening. It

gladdened her heart to hear the tyres on the gravel outside. However, Patrick was a dark horse and

had been having an affair. He knew the news would break the heart of his wife. He decided to steel

himself though it made his heart sink.

1.8 Glossary

tranquil peaceful; free from agitation

translucent semi-transparent

slamming making a noise while shutting a door

tinkled made a series of short, ringing sounds

luxuriate to consciously enjoy oneself

sunbather someone sitting in the sun to get a tan

clinking making a sharp, short, ringing sound

see to it arrange it

fix it prepare it

bewildered perplexed, confused

frowning expressing displeasure

dared confused by a blow or a shock

blinking opening and closing eyes involuntarily

penalty punishment

frantic emotionally out of control

congealed dried and clotted blood

sobbing weeping convulsively

corpse dead body

mantel ornamental shelf on a wall

exasperated angry and irritated

sledge hammer a large heavy hammer that is wielded with both hands

smashed broken to pieces under pressure

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1.9 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.3.1

a. On page 110 of your text book, Fluency in English, the story begins with the sentence:

‘The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight- hers

and the one by the empty chair opposite.’ This sentence creates an atmosphere of

peace and comfort.

b. It is evening and Mary Maloney is waiting for her husband to return from work.

c. Activities like sewing, stitching and knitting indicate a relaxed and tranquil state of mind.

d. Mary’s love for Patrick is so intense that she loves everything about him. That he does not

complain about his tiredness is what she appreciates about him. But on this particular day,

his silence is ominous. It is like the calm before the storm. When he breaks his silence, her

world falls apart.

e. Mary uses the word ‘darling’ very often while Patrick does not. It indicates that he is

already emotionally very distant from her. He no longer loves her.

Key to Exercise 1.4.1

a. Patrick told Mary that he wished to divorce her. Although it was not a good time for her to

be told such unhappy news as she was pregnant, it had to be done all the same. Of course,

he said, her financial needs would be taken care of and she would be looked after.

b. Mary’s going down to prepare supper is a kind of mechanical response set off by the

stunning news Patrick has just conveyed to her. Neither of them is hungry.

c. A frozen leg of lamb is the first thing she lays her hands on in the pantry.

d. She hits Patrick with this frozen leg of lamb, lifting it high up and hitting him on the back

of his head.

e. He is fatally injured. He remains standing for a few seconds, then sways from side to side,

and then falls to the ground.

f. The killing of Patrick by Mary is the crime central to the story.

g. Mary places the weapon of offence, the frozen leg of lamb in the oven to cook.

h. Mary goes to the greengrocer in the market to buy potatoes and peas. This absence from

the scene of the crime will enable her to pretend that she found her husband knocked dead

on the carpet when she returned home from the market. This would indicate her not

knowing anything about Patrick’s being killed.

i. She pretends to find her husband lying dead on the carpet when she returns.

j. She calls the police.

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. All the activities of the detectives are aimed at looking for the weapon of offence. The

weapon of offence, we know, is the already cooked leg of lamb.

b. The detectives do not and cannot succeed because the cooked meat has already been

consumed by the policemen who, being friends and colleagues of the dead man have

accepted Mary’s offer of food as they work late into the might, searching all over the

house and the garden for a weapon of offence.

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c. Yes, the policemen have broken the rule which does not allow them to partake of food or

drink at a scene of crime. Their friendship with their colleague’s family has lowered their

defences and made them act un-professionally.

d. Of course. Their investigation will never yield results because the weapon of offence has

been consumed and will never be traced so that the crime can’t be solved. Mary Maloney

has outwitted them all.

1.10 Key to Exercises given in the textbook at the end of Unit 16

Reading Comprehension

1. The warm, clean room with curtains drawn, two table lamps alight and the side board

ready for a shared evening drink convey an atmosphere of ease and comfort. Mary

herself waits as if looking forward to her husband’s return. Her calm face, tranquil

expression and soft eyes, all convey the impression of a happily married woman.

2. Patrick Maloney’s lifting his glass of whisky and draining it in one swallow although

there was still half of it left was unusual. Then, his going over and making himself a

stiff new drink was an indication of his discomfort. Thirdly, his refusal to let her do

anything for him, get his slippers or get him something to eat indicated a hostile mood.

3. Patrick probably told Mary that he had fallen in love with another woman and wished

to get away from his wife, either by way of separation of divorce.

4. Mary would probably have behaved in the same way even if she had not been

pregnant.

5. This was because the leg of lamb was the weapon of attack which had caused

Patrick’s death. Eating it would destroy evidence.

6. She giggles because it is, quite literally, under their noses. They are biting into the

mutton with their teeth, right below their noses.

7. Interestingly, the story begins with a sideboard well prepared for an evening of

warmth. Even amidst the tension Mary offers to get Patrick food and drink. It is during

her efforts at preparing supper that she fetches the leg of lamb which she impulsively

uses to fatally hit her estranged husband. Even her strategy to delay calling the police

centres around buying potatoes etc for supper from the local greengrocer. And when

the policemen get delayed working on the detail of the murder, the murder weapon,

the newly cooked leg of lamb, is consumed as food by the cops and crucial evidence is

destroyed, letting Mary Maloney escape being discovered.

1.10.2 Activity

1. Imagine that you are the SHO of the police station under whose area this crime has been

committed. Write an FIR of about 400 words.

2. Imagine you are the investigator who questioned Sam the greengrocer about Mary

Maloney’s visit. Write a 150-200 word account of your conversation with Sam.

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UNIT 17

UNDERSTANDING POETRY V SOME PEOPLE

Rita Ann Higgins

— Usha Anand

1.1 Introduction

Rita Ann Higgins, born in 1955, is an Irish-born well-known poet. She is deservedly well-

known internationally for her protests against social exclusion and misuse of power in an

increasingly brash and materialistic western world. Her poems focus on the experience of harassed

mothers’ maladjusted sons, narcotically dependent young people and victims of economic

maladjustment. The poem “Some People” included in your textbook is directly concerned with these issues which arise out of social exclusion, letting the poor remain outside the realm of all the

comfort and dignity that material wealth can buy.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After reading this Unit you will be able to:

• Understanding poetry

• Understand the language of protest

• Become sensitive to social disparities, the difference between the quality of life

experienced by the rich and the poor.

• Differentiate between moods reflected in the language of a poem.

• Realize that the rich-poor divide is universal.

• Know what is a monologue

• Use words in context, using a dictionary, if necessary.

1.3 The Poem: Style and Language

As you can see from the very beginning, the language of Higgins’s poems is just a shade

removed from actual speech. Its stylized colloquialisms create a monologue which contains

phrases describing the suffering, day to day, of people who have not managed to survive the day to

day trauma of economic humiliation. We are all aware that poverty brutalizes human nature. It

makes us less human, less sympathetic to fellow human beings, less sensitive, and generally robs

us of a certain dignity.

Stylized colloquialisms are phrases and sentences used in day to day informal speech

which are deliberately used by a poet to convey the ordinariness of the subject. Stylized here

means ‘used for a certain design or effect’. Ordinary language and slang are deliberately used for

poetic effect.

A monologue is a long speech recited alone or as if alone on a stage or a public platform.

Remember that poetry here is also a form of addressing the public, namely, the readers. The term

derives from “mono” meaning ‘one’.

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1.4 Lines 1 to 10

Some people know what it is like,

to be called a cunt in front of their children

to be short for the rent

to be short for the light

to be short for school books 5

to wait in Community Welfare waiting rooms full of smoke

to wait two years to have a tooth looked at

to wait another two years to have a tooth out (the same tooth)

to be half strangled by your varicose veins, but you’r 198th on the list

Critical Commentary

As the notes in your text book tell you, some words like ‘cunt’ in line 2 are socially

unacceptable. They are not polite words. Such words are used by angry frustrated people, almost

like an abuse; by frustrated people who can see no use for a woman except as a sex object. Poverty

and gender disadvantage (being female) is a deadly combination in this world. And this is what the

main character of the poem is. She says some people (she refers to herself in the third person)

know what it is like to be abused before one’s own children. “To be short” of something is not to have enough money for a specific purpose. The speaker has on various occasions been short of

money for rent, for electricity, for children’s school books. She has experienced the indignity of

waiting for medical attention in a welfare system which is overburdened. Of course, waiting for a

troubling tooth to be attended to for two years is an exaggeration. But it humorously points to the

problem of delay in getting anything through welfare. We in India all know how the poor are

treated in government hospitals. It is a similar situation.

Talking of varicose veins, this is a medical condition especially prevalent among

hardworking people who have to stand long hours. And the list of people waiting to get treated for

this problem too, seems to be endless. Like waiting for two years for a dental appointment, being

198 on the list is again a humorous way of saying that the health system is overburdened and

crowded.

1.4.1 Check Your Progress

a.What social and gender disadvantages does the speaker of the poem suffer from?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________

b. Is the medical system being described by the poet a prompt and efficient one?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

c.Point out two ailments humorously referred to in the first ten lines of the poem in your text

book on page 123.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Lines 11-17 to talk into a banana on a job search scheme

to talk into a banana on a job search dream

to be out of work

to be out of money

to be out of fashion 15

to be out of friend

to be in for the Vincent de Paul man

Line 11 onwards the double mention of banana to remind us how people are trained to use

the telephone to earn a living, is again an instance of cynical humour. And this cynicism continues

when the person is described as being out of work, out of money, out of fashion, out of friend, and

waiting for charity. Living on charity is certainly not a dignified existence.

1.5.1 Check Your Progress

a. What do you understand about the employment market from lines 11-18 of the

poem?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

1.6 Lines 18-25

to be in space for the milkman

(sorry, mammy isn’t in today she’s gone to Mars for the weekend)

to be in Puerto Rico for the blanket man 20

to be dead for the coal man

(sorry, mammy passed away in her sleep, overdose of coal in the teapot)

To be in hospital unconscious for the rent man

(St Jude’s ward 4th floor)

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Critical Commentary

Line 18 onwards, there are references to the kind of lies people have to tell about members of their

family. When people like the milkman or coal man come for their dues the family says that

Mammy (the woman who heads the family) is not at home (gone to Mars, not literally of course,

or died, again, not really). These are humorous ways of saying, “Not at home”. It is the same for the rent man who is told that Mammy is in a charitable hospital (St. Jude’s) for the poor.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. What is the one single reason for the lies being told by the speaker’s family when people

come to ask for their dues?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b. Comment on the word ‘Mammy’ in lines 18 and 22 of the poem.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

1.7 Lines 26-32

to be second hand

to be second class

to be no class

to be looked down on

to be pissed on

to be shat on

and other people don’t. Critical Commentary

This is certainly not the way respectable people behave. But the person who is the speaker

of the poem knows what is like to be second class, to be looked down upon, to not belong to any

respectable class. To be urinated upon or to be defecated upon is to receive the worst insults

possible for human dignity. She knows all this though, perhaps, other people don’t know what

these experiences feel like.

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1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a.What do you understand by being a ‘second class’ member of society?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

b. List three words from the Last 5 lines of the poem which convey how humiliated

and disgusted the speaker feels about her situation.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Let Us Sum Up

This poem written by someone living in the developed western world throws light on one

of the many universal truths about life. We have been able to see the following things in the poem:

• that social inequality is a fact of life all over the world.

• There are a number of people who spend their entire lives struggling along for the basic

needs of human existence and there are a lucky few who do not know what it is to want for

anything.

• This short poem of 32 lines makes a powerful statement about the underprivileged, even in

affluent western societies.

• We have understood what a monologue is.

1.9 Key to Check your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.4

a. The speaker’s biggest disadvantages are her poor economic status (poverty) and her

being a woman (gender).

In the first ten lines of the poem we get to know that she is a woman because of the

abusive language (cunt) used for her. We also get to know that she and her children

depend entirely on community welfare and are generally short of money for almost

everything they need.

b. No. The medical system is certainly not an efficient one as we are told people have

to wait very long to get medical attention for simple but painful problems like

toothaches and varicose veins.

c. The two ailments referred to are a toothache and varicose veins.

“Some people know what it is like, ………………………………………….. to wait two years to have a tooth looked at

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to wait another two years to have a tooth out (the same tooth)

to be half strangled by your varicose

veins but you’re 198th on the list………………. The humour lies in the fact that nobody can wait for four years to get a tooth

extracted.

Neither can anyone get strangled by varicose veins. (See glossary in text book)

Key to Exercise 1.5.1

a. ………………. to talk into a banana on a job search scheme

to talk into a banana on a job search dream……. (page 124 of text book)

These lines present a rather dismal picture of the employment market. A banana,

because of its similarity in shape to a telephone receiver is used to train people for

basic low paid jobs like those of call-centre workers. You can imagine that talking into

a banana (even for training) is not a pleasant experience.Of course, this is a comic way

of presenting an unhappy situation, of laughing at one’s own plight.

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. The single reason is that the familydo not have the money to pay the milkman, the

blanket man, the coal man and the rentman referred to in these lines.

b. ‘Mammy’ is an informal, affectionate term for one’s mother. It is adifferent version

of ‘mamma’.

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. A second class member of society or a second class citizen is someone who is

socially, politically or economically weak or deprived. He/She never seems to have

easy access to whatever good facilities a state or system has to offer. The speaker of

our poem is such a person.

b. ……………………. to be looked down on: (to be treated contemptuously)

to be pissed on : (to be urinated upon)

to be shat on: (to be defecated upon)

Lines 29, 30, 31

The three terms are ‘looked down on’, ‘pissed’ and ‘shat’. While the first phrase refers to a sense of humiliation, the second and third words

which refer to body waste, urine and faeces, actually convey the sense of disgust

experienced by the poor, deprived speaker of the poem.

1.11 Activity (Writing)

Keeping the poem as a model, try writing a similar poem in your mother tongue. It

could be about the difficulties experienced in daily travel to work, or about poor

hospital facilities or even about the carelessly dirty habits of people in public places.

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UNIT 18

UNDERSTANDING DRAMA ROUTES AND ESCAPE ROUTES

Datta Bhagat

— Usha Anand 1.1 Introduction

Drama as an art form is thousands of years old. In Greek plays more than three thousand

years ago, themes of universal interest and relevance were exposed threadbare through dialogues

in the plays and interaction among the characters. The same is true of Sanskrit drama which deals

with themes and issues of the times in which it is written.

In the present day too, drama is considered a very vibrant and expressive art form. It takes

up age-old themes, social issues, problems of gender, dowry, the status of women, etc. and

manages to throw light on various aspects of a problem. That neither the problems nor the

solutions are simple is borne out by the fact that in drama several characters have their own views

on a problem and each is justified in his or her perception of the same. What the audience gets is a

fuller understanding of the problem or the issue at stake.

Marathi theatre is especially developed in its concern for contemporary issues like gender,

corruption and untouchability which brings us to the Dalit issue, which is the theme of the extract

prescribed for study. It does not need much prodding for any socially conscious citizen to see that

the Dalits are a section of society highly discriminated against. The viciousness of human nature,

legitimized by the caste system in the Hindu social structure, finds full, unrestrained expression in

the attitude and behavior of caste Hindus towards Dalits. The most outstanding Dalit intellectual

appeared on the scene sixty years ago in the form of Bhim Rao Ambedkar who was one of the

main architects of the Constitution of India. He managed to instill some confidence among Dalits

which resulted in a gradual rise in awareness among them. They now have their own political

groups and are able to occupy positions of the power like the office of the President, Chief Justice,

Ministerial positions etc.

However, these instances of Dalit achievers are few and far between. For the majority, life

is an uphill struggle and it is this segment of Dalits whose problems we encounter in the extract.

Fortunately, there are idealists among them who are willing to show the way to the rest of the

community.

1.2 Learning Objectives

After having gone through this lesson you will be able to:

• Examine the concept of drama as literary genre and as a performing art

• See how contemporary social issues can be addressed and discussed in a dynamic

manner through a prepared script that is enacted on stage.

• Recognize how a visual presentation, (even when imagined) is more powerful than a

running narrative.

• Witness how facts and events and developments can be reported by one character to

another.

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• Have an idea about the Dalit movement.

• Identify different approaches to social justice.

• Understand the theme and title of the piece.

1.3 A Note on the Characters

To put things in perspective, let us take an overview of the extract. The central characters

of the play are a couple- a Dalit Professor, Satish Godghate and his Brahmin wife Hema. Other

characters are Satish’s uncle, Kaka and Dasrao Joshi, the headmaster who is also Hema’s uncle.

Another character who enters the scene late in the extract is Arjun, the impatient rebel who takes

the law into his own hands. Importantly all the characters are from the local community and know

the area and its problems and prejudices very well. There are no regional barriers, only those of

caste.

This choice of locale and the combination of characters enables the author to allow an in-

depth analysis and discussion of issues. The characters follow the cross references, the subtle

nuances and prejudices of the speakers among themselves. This makes for greater lucidity and

intensity in the discussion. Another feature of drama is that facts and events and developments can

be reported by one character to another e.g. the episode of the Deshmukh boy being mistaken for a

Dalit.

1.4 A Note on Performance

At this point, it is important to observe that a play is basically written to be performed on a

stage. For that, you need actors, a venue for performance, publicity so that the public is aware of

an ongoing performance. Only then can an audience assemble to watch the actors perform. A

stage, costumes, lights, music, technicians are all part of the paraphernalia required for a theatrical

performance.

The stage too, is not just an acting area. It is a planned space and actors work, speak and

move according to instructions written alongside their lines in the script. The setting too, is

detailed as you see on the first page of the extract you are going to study. Take a look at page 127

of your text book where Kaka, the senior most character in the play is shown sitting in a chair,

reading a newspaper, in the drawing room of Professor Satish Godghate’s house.

All the characters who participate in a play are known as the Dramatis Personae.

1.5 A Note on the Title

Routes and Escape Routesgives you a clue to the theme of the play. It is about the Dalit

movement. Within the movement, there are different approaches to the attainment of social justice.

There are some to whom the means and the ends are both equally important. There are others who

believe the ends justify the means. There are yet others whose public postures and private actions

are at variance with each other. In other words, all those involved have a path to choose in

reaching their goals-be it a known public route or an escape route-a private, lesser- known one.

1.6 Summary (Page128-130)

This section serves to lay out before the reader/audience the main issue under debate in the

narrative. Is it possible for social reformers/ activists or progressive citizens to alter the common

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man’s attitude to caste? The answer is, largely, “No”. Even an inter-caste marriage like that of

Professor Satish Godghate and Hema (daughter of a judge) cannot make a dent in society. But the

effort has to continue.

Critical Commentary

The description of the setting gives you some idea of what you would see on the stage if

you were watching the play performed in a theatre. It seems a neat, sparsely furnished drawing

room of an intellectual. Don’t miss the corner table with books. The portrait of Dr. Baba Saheb

Ambedkar and a Sewadal Calendar should give you a clue to the caste and ideological leanings of

the owner of the house.

Kaka, described as being between fifty and sixty years of age is the uncle of Prof.

Godghate. The rigidity of age is manifest in his initial dialogue when he calls out to Hema.

“Sunbai”, he says, and when Hema asks “What?”, he gets annoyed. He wants people to respond with “Ji.” It also gives a clue to the rigidity of his character and views.

The fact that Hema tells him she doesn’t like to be scolded or insulted when people are

around indicates that his behavior leaves much to be desired. And, his subsequent taunt that he is

merely a Buddhist and Hema a Brahmin brings out the bitterness in a person not given his due in

society. You can see that caste-consciousness is so close to the surface that it needs very little

provocation to become a subject of dialogue. When Hema protests that she dislikes references to

her caste in every other sentence, Kaka retorts that not talking about the problem will not remove it

from society. Caste is a social reality. Therefore, people will talk about it. If Hema and Satish

broke away from their castes to get married, they were alone in their decision. Nobody supported

them. Nobody helped in times of economic hardship. Acceptance by relatives was difficult. But

even after acceptance, Hema feels that Kaka’s references to her Brahminism are undesirable.

Kaka, on the other hand, is obsessed with caste as is revealed by every word he utters.

1.6.1 Check Your Progress

a. Name the husband and wife who constitute an inter-caste couple in the play.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b. Did they have popular support when they decided to get married?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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1.7 Summary (Page 130-132)

The Kaka-Hema exchange is about the false certificate for Shewanta, a Dalit girl who

needs it to be able to do a teachers’ training course. While Kaka is in favour of a shortcut, a

practical solution to a problem, Hema is in favour of an honest and procedurally correct solution.

This section prepares us for the conflict between the ends and the means which runs through the

entire play.

Critical Commentary

The second section of this extract brings up the issue of a certificate required by Shewanta.

Shewanta is a young widow who wishes to do a teachers’ training course. She is a matriculate and

her husband. Gopya, a rickshaw puller, was run over by a truck. What she needs is a certificate

saying she has taught at a school for three months. Satish is not likely to recommend to anyone

that a false certificate be issued to her. When Kaka learns this, he decides to ask Dasrao Joshi

himself. (Dasrao being a cunning person says he will ask a friend from a different village to issue

the certificate. He will not issue it himself. This is revealed later).

1.7.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Shewanta?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b. What does she wish to do?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c. What help does she need?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.8 Summary (Page 132-134)

In this section, the exchange between Kaka and Hema is about the plans for forcible

occupation of ready built houses by Arjun. It is an extension of the theme expressed through the

case of Shewanta. Dalits have suffered far too long and their desperation is evident. They want

quick solutions, having reached something of a breaking point. This bottled up frustration with the

173

system is expressed through the behavior of the young activist, Arjun. In his goal to achieve social

justice for his community, Arjun is willing to adopt any means, legal or illegal. Again, the

educated Hema, like her husband Professor Satish Godghate, expresses her disapproval. Kaka, of

course, is quietly aware of Arjun’s plan.

Critical Commentary

Another issue raised in Section II and continued in Section III is that of Dalit housing.

When Kaka decides to go out in the evening (middle of p. 131), Hema asks about when he will be

back and where he is going. Annoyed, Kaka unleashes a whole lot of sarcasm. He cooks up a story

about a community feast with a group of pilgrims who have returned from Bodh Gaya. Also about

Dalits who wish to set up a Bodh Vihar, being converts to Buddhism. He talks of a meeting of the

Bharatiya Bodh Mahasabha adding sarcastically that Hema being a Brahmin, has neither religion

nor God. Of course, the real issue is revealed later. Arjun, an activist is collecting subscription for

acquiring by force houses built for people affected by the flood. As Section III reveals, he plans to

break open the locks and allot the houses to all slum dwellers in case the government refuses to

give them the houses. Hema has heard of all this and Kaka is a silent party to it. Satish’s law-

abiding methods are different from the impatient activists’. Satish, an educated Professor can’t get

a certificate for Shewanta; he can’t get reasonable facilities for people of his community. What use

is such an intellectual to the Dalits?

You can see how various points of view on a particular social issue can be revealed in the

course of interaction on the stage. You have Kaka, the aging Dalit who has seen Dalits suffer

passively throughout his life and internalize social attitudes; there is Arjun, the impatient young

activist, a student of Professor Satish Godghate, whose views and plans are reported by Kaka,

there is also Hema, the voice of the law who echoes the views, attitudes and perception of her

husband, Satish. The reference to the law acquires a certain sting, as Hema’s father is a judge. Of

course being an intelligent woman Hema manages to show Kaka the propriety of seeing the pros

and cons of an action plan before it is taken up. In this case it is the forcible occupation of houses

built by the municipality.

1.8.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Arjun? What does he wish to do?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b. How do the attitudes of Arjun and Satish Godghate differ?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

1.9 Summary (Page 134-138)

Kaka is assured of a false teaching-experience certificate (for Shewanta) by Dasrao Joshi

who offers to get it from a friend in another town. We get the impression that Dasrao is a

174

manipulative, clever, practical man. A local certificate, he says, would not seem good so he

arranges for one from a different place.

Critical Commentary

As she reaches for the Bharatiya Bodh Sabha register from the cupboard, Hema changes

the subject to the medicines Kaka has forgotten to take for his heart ailment. Here you see how, in

drama, a subject can be raised, given the desired time for discussion or reference and then

suddenly be changed. A total change of mood and tone is also possible which is not the case in a

running narrative in prose, or even in a poem. Hema’s personal concern for the health of a senior

family member replaces her ideological position. This enables us to see her in a positive light as a

responsible daughter-in-law rather than as a Brahmin girl married into a Dalit family.

1.9.1 Check Your Progress

a. In two sentences, describe Hema’s behavior as a daughter-in-law in the Godghate

household.

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1.10 Summary (Page 138-143)

This section is a rather crowded one. Dasrao, Satish, Hema and Kaka all talk about crucial

social issues. The conversations reveal the characters of all the speakers. Kaka is keen on a Bodh

Vihara just as other Hindus are keen and successful at setting up a Ganesha temple anywhere they

want. Dasrao Joshi looks for practical solutions, escape routes (metaphorically speaking), be it for

his daughters, for Shewanta or for his rooms on rent. Satish is a man in touch with all sections of

society and Hema has an overview of all.

Critical Commentary

This section marks the appearance of a rather complex character in the play. He is the

double-faced, worldly-wise Dasrao Joshi, a Brahmin by caste as opposed to the Dalit, Kaka, and

uncle of Satish Godghate.

As we reach this section of the extract we see an encounter between a Dalit and a Brahmin

stalwart. Dasrao has come to Godghate’s house and the latter offers him tea. In his sullen old way,

Kaka adds that Dasrao should not have a problem having tea in the house of relatives by marriage.

As Dasrao understands the taunt, he says that anyway, the tea will be prepared by the Brahmin

Hema.

When two experienced men of some social standing meet, surely some socially relevant

issues will be raised. Here it is the issue of reservation- 33% reservation which the Brahmin

Dasrao resents. Of course, Kaka retorts that higher castes have always enjoyed the benefits of

power and education. Yet, when it comes to a petty certificate for Shewanta, issues of propriety are

raised.

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In the midst of all this petty bickering and mudslinging, Kaka gets up and goes away to

meet up with the Buddhist Samaj. He believes in interacting with Dalits, not just reading books

about them. He has walked shoulder to shoulder with Bhimrao Ambedkar. Kaka’s favourite

project is building a Bodh Vihara. This is a response to the caste Hindus who are prepared to build

a Ganesha temple anywhere they settle.

An interesting feature of this concluding dialogue is the sarcastic description of the

principled Satish Godghate as Satyavaan, the mythological character who is considered the

embodiment of truth. All this is because he refuses to get a fake teaching experience certificate for

Shewanta who needs it to get admitted to a B.Ed. course.

1.10.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Dasrao Joshi?

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b. Is his behavior in real life consistent with his public image of a freedom fighter and social

reformer?

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1.11 Summary (Page 143-147)

The last section is about Arjun and his taking the law into his own hands to occupy the

houses built for flood victims. He is seen at the end of the play being handcuffed by a police

inspector.

Pawar is a lurking presence in this section of the play. He doesn’t appear in the play but is

referred to as the contractor who built the houses for flood victims but has not handed over

possession. His motives are not honest ones.

There is also a reference to Pawar Saheb, a powerful and obviously rich chairman of the

college where Satish teaches.

Critical Commentary

This section of the script (from P. 138-143) is devoted to discussion of a number of day to

day to day problems connected with the vicious awareness and importance of caste in social

interaction in India. There are problems between different castes and there are issues within the

caste, especially when it comes to marrying off daughters. Dasrao Joshi’s biggest defence for a

number of things he does or does not do, is the fact that he has three daughters to marry off. Also,

he may be a freedom fighter but as he says, he has “a stomach to fill.

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A weak but shrewd man, he says, “Facing these small problems in life” is difficult. He may be a freedom fighter but he remains conservative in social attitudes. He sympathises with

Hema, a Brahmin like him, saying he can understand how difficult it is to stay with a man like

Kaka. But, an intelligent woman, she cannot be sweet-talked into accepting that Brahmins behave

better. She exposes his hypocrisy in backtracking on the agreement to rent rooms to Satish and

Hema even after he had accepted the advance. This was because he had found out about Satish

being a Dalit.

Dasrao’s daughter Sonal is not allowed to attend an NSS camp with college students

because she is of marriageable age. This is inspite of her keenness to go. This is reported to us by

Satish who teaches in the college where she studies.

An interesting incident reported in the play is that of the dark, ugly Brahmin boy being

given tea in a cup intended for Dalits. The incident is hilarious but what adds to our amusement is

the revelation that the boy, Arvind Deshmukh, is the son of a rich Brahmin and likely to become

Dasrao Joshi’s son-in-law. As is common in the Indian social set up, it is a very unromantic

perception of marriage based on practical considerations.

1.11.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Sonal? Write an answer of 50 words?

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b. Who is Arvind Deshmukh? Answer in 50 words.

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1.12 Summary (Page143-147)

Arjun has learnt about the devious plans of Pawar the contractor who has built houses for

flood victims under a government plan. But he knows that Pawar wishes them to be occupied by

his relatives and friends who don’t really need or deserve government housing. Aware of this

scheme Arjun takes the law into his own hands breaks open the locks for Dalits and hutment

dwellers to move in

He is handcuffed and arrested and that is how the extract closes.

Critical Commentary

The last section of the play which is dominated by the rebellious Arjun gives you a

glimpse of how the young react to corruption and hypocrisy. The oldest character in the play,

Kaka was a long time sufferer, a victim of caste discrimination, and a follower of Bhimrao

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Ambedkar, the Dalit intellectual. Dasrao Joshi is a hypocrite, pretender to reform, but actually a

self-server. The young Arjun has no patience so he takes matters into his own hand.

1.12.1 Check Your Progress

a. Who is Pawar? How does he figure in the play?

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b. Why is Arjun arrested at the end of the play?

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1.8 Let Us Sum Up

Let us now briefly sum up all that we have learned in this lesson:

• Roots and Escape Routes is a play and the beauty of a play lies in its performance. The

immediacy and impact of a play is lost in reading the play as a narrative.

• We have seen how the choice of characters and place allows the dramatist to focus on the

issue of caste prejudice prevalent in our society. The play also raises some very serious

questions regarding the manner in which some of the Dalit activists like Kaka and Arjun

use the same corrupt aggressive means as the upper caste to achieve their ends.

• We have seen that Kaka and Arjun are willing to use even dishonest means to achieve

social justice. For them the end is more important than the method used. Satish Godghate,

on the other hand, refuses to use dishonest means to attain social justice.

• Upper caste men like Dasrao Joshi and Pawar Saheb exploit their connections and are

interested in grabbing the government houses for the poor for themselves or for their

relatives and friends. They try to prevent the houses built for flood victims from being

allotted to the flood victims.

• Arjun’s passionate speech in the last section of the play forces us to recognize the fact that

it is indeed painful to be born a Dalit. They suffer humiliation at every step not because of

what they do but because of their birth in a Dalit family. We feel that Arjun has good

reasons, under the given circumstances, to forcibly occupy the houses meant for the flood

victims.

1.7 Glossary

teapoy light-weight tea table

Sunbai respectful Marathi form of address for daughter-in-law pitch quality of sound according to the frequency of vibrations

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Furious very angry, in a state of uncontrolled anger pause to stop temporarily

sarcasm language used to express contempt and bitterness emphasis force or intensity of expression

apologetic regretfully acknowledging a fault or a failure

bygone past quarrels

dearth scarcity, shortage

convince persuade

subscription membership fees paid regularly

nomadic roaming from place to place

trikes families or clans with shared economic and social lies with

common culture and dialect

gulp swallow

DSP Deputy Superintendent of Police

collector an administrative officer entrusted with collection of statedues

yap foolish chatter

antics unacceptable ridiculous behavio

caustic bitterly sarcastic

consoled comforted in grief or when disappointed

virtually in essence, in effect

seething very angry, constantly moving or active

postpone to move to a later time.

Monopoly exclusive ownership or control

reformer one who works to correct what is corrupt or defective in society

trample to crush by walking over; to injure or destroy

ultimate the most extreme

consequence result

1.13 Key to Check Your Progress Exercises

Key to Exercise 1.6.1

a. Satish Godghate, a Dalit professor is married to Hema, a Brahmin lady, daughter

of a judge.

b. No. Not a soul came forward to help after they got married in the face of stiff

opposition from parents, relatives, everyone. They didn’t have jobs and used to go

hungry for days. Even Kaka, head of the Godghate family refused to see them for

a year and a half.

Key to Exercise 1.7.1

a. Shewanta is a poor widow whose husband Gopiya was run over by a truck and

killed a year ago.

b. She wishes to train as a teacher, working towards a B.Ed. or D.Ed. certificate.

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c. She needs a certificate stating that she has taught at a school for a specified period.

Actually, she has never taught at any school so getting a fake certificate is very

difficult.

Key to Exercise 1.8.1

a. Arjun is a Dalit activist student at the college where Satish Godghate is a teacher.

He wishes to break open the constructed houses reserved for flood-victims, which

have not been released for occupation because of the contractor’s dishonest

motives. He wants homeless Dalits to occupy the houses forcibly.

b. Arjun has the impatience of youth and wishes to achieve his goals, regardless of

the law. For him, the end justifies the means. Satish, on the other hand, is an

educated and mature person who wishes to move and act in a legally correct

manner. He would rather provide housing through a duly formed co-operative

society and ensure legitimate occupation of owned premises.

Key to Exercise 1.9.1

a. Hema is a dutiful daughter-in-law because inspite of ideological differences, she

takes good care of Kaka regarding meals and his taking medicines on time. She is

an intelligent and assertive woman but can compromise on small matters of family

decorum like making tea for visitors or responding with “Ji” rather than “haan” to calls by Kaka.

Key to Exercise 1.10.1

a. Dasrao Joshi is a Brahmin stalwart and a teacher living in the same town. He has

three daughters and owns a house in which he rents out rooms to tenants for

additional income. His daughter Sonal studies in the college where Satish

Godghate is a teacher so we get some feedback on his conservative views

regarding the independence of girls, namely, his daughter, who is not permitted to

go for an NSS Camp.

b. No. Although Dasrao Joshi projects the public image of a freedom fighter and

social reformer he is in private life a shrewd, cunning, manipulative character. His

practical attitude is revealed when, having failed with Satish, he promises Kaka

that he will get an experience certificate for Shewanta from a friend in a different

town. Also, his clever justification for backtracking on the commitment to rent

rooms to Satish and Hema, reveal a calculating mind. His desire to not annoy

Pawar Saheb, a local strongman, reveals how he plays safe in society, keeping

everyone happy.

Key to Exercise 1.11.1

a. Sonal is the daughter of Dasrao Joshi and a student at the local college. The rich

parents of Arvind Deshmukh have asked for her hand in marriage, without a

dowry.

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b. Arvind Deshmukh is a college student who participates in the NSS Camp along

with other students. Because of his dark complexion and ordinary looks, he is

mistaken for a Dalit and offered tea in a cup reserved for dalits.

Key to Exercise 1.12.1

a. Pawar is the local contractor who has refused to release ready built houses for

occupation by flood-victims. He is also the president of the institution where

Dasrao Joshi works so he has a hold over locally influential people. He has

deliberately delayed submission of the completion report to gain time to play out

his strategy and make more money out of allotments to his chosen people at the

cost of genuinely needy people.

Pawar Saheb is a catalyst in provoking people like Arjun to break the law and

act in desperation.

b. Arjun is arrested for breaking open the locks on the ready built houses and allo

wing the poor to enter them. This is an illegal act; in other words, criminal

trespass.

1.13 Key to Exercises given in your textbook at the end of Unit 18

Vocabulary

In writing we convey a variety of emotions and sounds through interjections. Some are listed

for you below. Match the interjection in Column A with its meaning in Column B.

Column A Column B

Hmm Shows that you are listening

Oh well! Expresses resignation

Aha! Expresses surprise, triumph, mockery, etc.

Ow! Ouch! Expresses physical pain

Hey You want to catch someone’s attention

Phew Expresses relief

Plop Sound of drops of water falling

Crash A loud smashing noise

Clank The sound of a metal against metal; something heavy falling

Ha, ha! Expresses laughter

1.14 Activity: Writing

a. Write a 300 word appreciation of the play.

b. Write a short conversation between you and your friend on the evil of the practice

of any one of the following :

untouchability, dowry system, eve teasing, economic disparity, cleanliness, honesty in

public life.