Father and Son - Cat Stevens
What is the father’s attitude to his son and the son’s attitude to his father? Which do you more easily identify with?
= The father thinks that his son is not a realist but too dreamy. He wants to make his son do what he had done in his time. He wants his son to marry and settle down. He dislikes his son’s bold desire for a change. He thinks that his son is still young and ignorant of world affairs. The son’s attitude towards his father is negative. He thinks that his father has oppressed him since he began to speak. He thinks that his father is the obstacle in his progress. He is fed up with the father’s conservative and static thinking. I more easily identify with the son because the son is bold, independent and wants to live a life of freedom. He leaves the stable life to fulfil his lofty desire. Even though he may fail, he leaves the pleasure and protection of his house to fulfil his mission.
= Yes, I agree with Ronnie that we can solve things by talking about them openly with family members. By talking, we can make our attitude clear and also will be able to understand other members’ opinions and attitudes. If we do not communicate with others and remain aloof, it will only increase misunderstanding and mistrust and ultimately damage family relationships.
= Ada wants to avoid the family quarrel while Ronnie thinks that problems can be solved by discussion. Ada has her own house and husband, so she does not tolerate the quarrel in the home and leaves away. Ronnie, who is still at school, has no other place to go. So he tolerates the family quarrel.
= The relationship between Harry and Sarah is not built on love, co-operation and mutual understanding. Sarah only finds fault in her husband while Harry does not communicate and help her in her work. So their relationship is bad. Sarah seems stronger than Harry because she bears the responsibility of rearing her children. Harry is weaker because he is always negligent of family affairs.
= The similarities between Sarah’s and Albert’s mother are that both of them are strong women and both show strong attachment towards their children. The difference between them is that Sarah’s relationship with her husband is bad and troublesome while the relationship between Albert’s mother and Albert’s dead father seemed to be full of love.
Do you think Albert would ‘rather stay with’ his mother? If not why does he say it?
= Albert would not stay with his mother but would rather go out and enjoy the party. He says it to her only to make her believe that he loves her dearly. He is also emotionally blackmailing her.
Albert’s mother uses different stages of emotional blackmail to try to make Albert stay at home- ‘our game of cards’ is the first. Can you trace the others? What is the climax of this?
= Her first emotional blackmail is the game of cards. Then she asks him to put the bulb in Grandmother’s room. Again she asks him not to mess with girls. Later she mentions him not to upset his dead father. I think that the climax of this emotional blackmail is when she talks about his dead father and reminds him that he is all she has.
Why is Albert’s mother so possessive?
= Since Albert’s father is dead, she has no one to share her feelings, emotions and sorrows. She is afraid that Albert may mess with girls and neglect her later. So, she is possessive because Albert is the only source of her emotional fulfillment.
“What’s a mother for?” asks Sarah. How has she interpreted her role and why? What do you think a mother’s for?
= She has interpreted her role as a loving mother because she thinks that a mother should help her children in whatever way she can. She says to Ada that she will wash her belongings of her. I think that a mother’s position is higher than God. She has to love, nurture, protect and help the children in whatever way she can. She also has to understand the feelings of her children.
Theme / Analysis of “The Poplar Field”
The poem “The Poplar Field” written by British poet William Cowper is a defence of nature conservation. This poem is remarkable for its celebration of the rural and its nostalgic tone.
The poet finds that the poplar field which he saw twelve years before is now devastated and barren. The poplars are cut down; the winds no longer play in the leaves, the blackbirds have moved to other places and trees no longer afford him a shade. The trees that once gave him a shade are laid down and have become his seat.
The poet then realizes that his years are passing very quickly and one day he will have to die and lie in the grave. But other trees will not have grown in their places by then. This site makes him think that though humans cut down trees for short-term physical comfort and profit.; they are actually destroying human life and eternal human pleasures. The poet thinks that pleasures given by nature are far more superior and eternal than pleasures provided by modern scientific inventions.
Compare and contrast ‘The Poplar Field’ by William Cowper and ‘Going', Going by Philip Larkin.
= Both the poems are similar in the sense that they appeal to nature conservation and show the hazards caused by the destruction of the environment. Both the poets talk about life and death. Both of them are worried about the future.
Cowper was a Pre-Romantic poet while Larkin is a modern poet. So, we can find many differences in their poems. Cowper uses poetic language while Larkin uses colloquial language. Cowper talks about the hazards of deforestation in general but Larkin talks about the hazards of urbanization and scientific invention. Cowper’s poem is full of romantic and personal feelings while Larkin uses realistic images and talks about social issues. Larkin thinks that the destruction of nature brings poverty, prostitution and also corrupts the mind of modern people.
Summary of Thucydides’ History IV
In ‘History IV’, Thucydides claims that everybody knows the evils of war but still they go to war. One side wages war thinking that profit is more than loss. The other side also engages in war thinking that it is better to face danger than accept an immediate loss.
Would you fight for your country or for your beliefs? What would motivate you to fight?
= I think that our country is more important than our beliefs. We Nepali have different opinions and doctrines but our country Nepal is our collective identity. First of all, I would fight for my country because if there were no Nepal, I would not be called Nepali. Foreign countries may attack us and enslave us if we will not fight for the country. I would also fight for my beliefs but my fight would be peaceful.
My spirit of nationalism would motivate me to fight for the country.
What difference can you notice between Henry's and Shannon's attitudes to war?
= In Frederic Forsyth's "Dogs of War", Shannon is in favour of war for personal gain. War will provide him money and a job. He does not like peace because it will make him jobless and without profit. In William Shakespeare's drama "Henry V", King Henry advises his army to go to war to protect their country, their King and the glory of their ancestors. King Henry is in favour of war for the benefit of the nation and to save the nation from enemies but Shannon is in favour of war for personal benefit.
Why does Shannon consider peace would be nasty?
= Shannon is one of the 'dogs of war who wants war for personal benefit. He wants war for jobs and profit. He does not want peace because it will make him jobless and without economic benefit. So he considers peace would be nasty.
Summary of “Our Bodies Ourselves”
= The social structure and power relationships affect all human relationships. If we feel powerless, we are likely to be in stress and strain. This stress and strain need outlets; otherwise, we will suffer from depression and frustration.
Men channel out their stress by walking out of the house or by using physical violence against their wives and family. On the other hand, women can not leave their homes, so they often direct their violence towards their children. Generally, their violence is against themselves. Therefore, twice as many women as men suffer from depression.
This is because women are powerless in many legal and economic cases. They get low wages, the home is in the name of their husband, and they are considered responsible for the care of their children. Women only leave their homes when they find that their children are in mental and physical danger from their fathers.
Is the passage "Our Bodies Ourselves" more sympathetic to men or women? Do you think it is obvious that the passage was written by a woman?
= The passage "Our Bodies Ourselves" published in Boston Women's Health Collective is more sympathetic to women.
The author of this passage has focused on the difficulties and problems of women. The author describes how the females suffer from frustration and depression because they cannot channel out their mental pain due to social or legal prejudice. It is clear that the author is a woman when in the fourth paragraph she writes “ Many women do not have the ultimate sanction: we cannot easily leave home”. Throughout the passage she has used ‘they’ and ‘he’ to refer to males and ‘we’ and ‘us’ to refer to females.
Do you think Patmore is serious when he says- 'A woman is a foreign land"? Is he right? Do you think men and women have fixed attitudes or standard ideas for each other?
= I think that Patmore is not serious. He is ironic towards the females when he says 'A woman is a foreign land'.
I think that he is not right because women are also like males. There is no difference between males and females because both have the same sense organs and both good and bad qualities. The women should also be looked at as fellow humans. Neither men nor women should judge the other sex negatively.
I think that both men and women have fixed unchanging attitudes towards the other sex. Men think that women are the weaker sex, complex, objects that should be controlled, fashion-crazy, ignorant, immoral, sex dolls and inferior beings. Similarly, women also think that males are arrogant, immoral, oppressive, brutal and complex. Men think that women should be confined to the four boundaries of the house and should do all the household activities. They think that women should love, honour and obey their husbands. Similarly, women think that all the outside activities should be done by men. They should protect and earn money for the family.
How would the modern feminist react towards Ian McEwan’s description of women in “Dead As They Come”, and why?
= The speaker in Ian McEwan’s “Dead As They Come” has a negative fixed attitude towards women. The speaker claims that he does not care for posturing women, but at the same time describes the different postures of the woman he loved. He later says that clothes are peripheral to beauty, but at the same time he gives the details of all the clothes she wore. The speaker then says that he loved her but soon his ‘superior male ego’ is seen when he says that to possess her he has to buy her.
The modern feminist would react violently towards the negative description of women in this extract. They would attack the speaker’s notion that women are only consumer goods that can be sold or bought by money. Here the woman is presented as an inanimate doll that can be controlled and possessed at the will of males. The woman is judged not from her behaviour, conduct, talent, human feelings but from her physical beauty, postures and clothes. The speaker who had already divorced three wives thinks that all women can be bought with money. The modern feminist would strongly condemn the arrogance of the speaker who has marginalized women as the weaker sex, sex dolls, fools, consumer goods, inferior beings and the object that should be controlled.
What aspects of the woman make her suitable for such a ‘superior man’?
In McEwan’s “Dead As They Come” the speaker has a negative fixed attitude towards women. His beloved’s physical beauty, her artistic postures and clothes make her suitable for such a ‘self-explained superior man’.
Summary of William Shakespeare’s “Othello”
= In William Shakespeare’s drama “Othello”, Emilia argues that wives learn the lessons of immorality from their husband’s immoral behaviour. She says that both men and women have the same sense organs, the same sexual urge and both good and bad qualities. She wants the husbands to respect, love, co-operate and understand their wives. She further claims that if husbands have a sexual relationship with other women, the wives will also satisfy their sexual urges from other men.
Do you think George Eliot is judging society and/or Dorothea? What conclusions do you think she wants us to draw from what we have heard of Dorothea?
= In my view, George Eliot is judging both Dorothea and the rigid Victorian society in her novel “Middlemarch”. She wants to highlight how the male-dominated society suppresses women and imposes cruel moral rules. Here the society in which Dorothea lives is harsh and cruel towards women. Society does not evaluate her feelings, love towards her husband, benevolence, pity, struggle and spirit but only negatively evaluate her on the basis of her first and second marriage. Though the love between Dorothea and her husband Will is deep and selfless, the people like Sir James Chettam think it is a shame.
Since George Eliot is a female writer, she wants to show us that a male-dominated society always judges females in negative terms as the weaker sex, immoral, ignorant, complex and inferior beings.
Do you think Emilia’s position is compatible with Coventry Patmore’s?
Emilia’s position is not compatible with Coventry Patmore’s. Emilia stresses similarity between men and women but Patmore stresses differences. Emilia argues that men and women have the same sense organs, body parts and sexual urge while Patmore argues that women are foreign, complex and inferior to men.
What is authority?
Authority is always related to power. A person’s political authority can be measured in terms of what taboos he can impose on others. Any authority is not absolute. It is again controlled by the higher authority with much power.
What are the different types of authority that we have to learn to accept? In what ways have you attempted to react against them, and perhaps to impose your own authority?
We have to learn to accept different types of authority at different places and at different stages of life. In childhood, we have to learn to accept school authority, parental authority and teacher's authority. We have to obey the commands of our parents and teachers. Similarly, when we grow adults we have to learn to accept governmental authority, political authority, and legal authority. In the office, we have to learn to accept higher officials' authority, official authority, organizational authority, legal authority etc. Similarly at home, we have to learn to accept senior members' authority, parental authority etc.
I have attempted to react against them in various ways. I have challenged teachers' authority by complaining about their faults to my guardians and to the head of the school or by running away from school. Similarly, I have reacted against parental authority by crying, being silent and running out of the house. I have attempted to react against governmental authority by revolting against them and being engaged in strikes.
I have also imposed my authority over my sisters, younger brother and servants by giving commands in loud voice and by beating or scolding them if they do not follow my orders. The tone of my language towards them is harsh.
What impression do you have of the King and Queen?
= I think they are brutal and tyrannical. They treat their people like puppets and make fun of them. They even punish them even if they do nothing wrong.
Do you think the Hatter has any important 'evidence' to give?
= I think that the Hatter has not any important evidence to give. If he had evidence, he would have probably explained to the King and the Queen. Even the King and the Queen do not want evidence; they only want to make fun of him.
Why is the Hatter nervous?
= Hatter is nervous because he is afraid of the court and the power of the King and Queen. He is afraid that he will be wrongly executed by the court.
Teachers / priests / policemen / entertainers / chairpersons. All of these exercise authority in one way or another.
a) What is it about their appearance and general behaviour which enables them to convey this authority?
b) What are the characteristics of the language they use, and the way they use it? Give examples from your experience.
c) In their use of language, in what ways do they interact with those over whom they have authority? Do they differ much from individual to individual?
a). Teachers use sticks and policemen carry guns to show their authority. Similarly, entertainers use sticks to control the animals. Teachers, priests and chairpersons look serious. Teachers and policeman have their own uniforms to show their authority.
b). They use imperative sentences. They express their authority by insistence, order, threat or by granting permission. The tone of their speech is usually harsh and commanding.
c). They interact with those over whom they have authority in different ways. They use commands, requests, advice, suggestions, invitations, warnings, promises, threats and offers. Usually, the tone of their language is forceful. Usually, they use formal language in their exercise of authority. Their use of language differs from individual to individual. Teachers use a lot of imperatives, priests use classical philosophical language while policemen use legal clichés. Chairpersons use formal language in a serious tone.
What are the Thought Police?
Thought Police are the police who would watch over the people and would suppress those who are against the government. They would watch over people's thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, words and actions so that they would not revolt against the government and the ruler.
What is the effect on Wiston of the ever-present watching authority?
= Wiston is greatly troubled by the ever-present watching authority. He feels powerless in the hands of tyrannical government. He has to control his speech, words, actions and thoughts and even live in a manner of mental slavery.
What is Catch-22?
=In Joseph Heller’s “Catch – 22”, Catch-22 is a military law enforced during war or crisis. It states that junior officers’ should always do what the senior commanding officer commands them to do. It says that junior officers should unconditionally obey every order of the commanding officer.
What impression does the passage give you of Colonel Cathcart?
= The passage from Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” leaves a negative impression of Colonel Cathcart on me. He imposes his excessive authority and power only on his self-esteem. He is a prejudiced officer who even hates all men outside his group. Actually, he is corrupted by power and does not understand the problems, feelings and emotions of his junior soldiers.
What differences do you see between the authority of Big Brother and the authority of Colonel Cathcart?
= Big Brother is all-powerful. He is the symbol of a future ruler who would try to control the people by controlling their thoughts and words. He wants to become an absolute ruler with no limitation of power. But, Colonel Cathcart is not all-powerful because he has other senior officials who can limit his power. Big Brother wants to control even the words, thoughts and actions of the people. He even strictly watches discussions between people. But, in the authority of Colonel Cathcart, junior and senior officials can hold discussions. The authority of Big Brother is gloomy and deadly while the authority of Colonel Cathcart is temporary and less gloomy. The authority of Big Brother indicates the authority of the tyrannical government while the authority of Colonel Cathcart indicates the strict military atmosphere during war or crisis.
Theme / Analysis of Emily Dickinson's "Nobody".
= In her poem "Nobody" Emily Dickinson thinks that she is 'Nobody' because she is quite different from others whom society thinks of as great people. She does not like to be a "Somebody". She does not like to be what society wants her to be. She wants to be unnoticed by society because society always cares about name, fame, popularity and outward appearance. She is an aloof personality. She thinks that being Somebody is like being a frog in the bog. The frog only makes a loud noise to attract the attention of others but that noise has no meaning.
Who are 'they'? Why do you think 'they'd advertise'?
= They are the people of the society. They are the people who are thought of as great and popular in society. They are the people following the codes of society. They would advertise because they would want to prove themselves great by showing them. They would advertise them because they would think of them as quite unique and abnormal.
Do you consider yourself a 'Nobody' or a 'Somebody'?
= I consider myself as "Somebody". I want to be known to society. I want to participate in other people's sorrows, grief and happiness. I don't want to remain aloof. I want to change according to the rules and norms of society.
What makes a frog ‘public’ in the month of June?
= The frog is like a public in the month of June because at this time they croak a lot. They shout a lot to show their worth. Though they shout a lot to show their greatness, they are completely valueless.
Also Read
How does the poet assert his identity and existence?
The poet asserts his identity by saying that though he is, no one cares and understands him. Even the title of the poem “I am” shows that he wants to assert his identity.
Summary of W.H. Auden’s “ Musee des Beaux-Arts”
In his poem “Musee des Beaux-Arts”, W.H Auden shows how life goes on indifferent to a crisis or one person’s tragedy. The poet uses a painting by Brughel where Icarus is half-drowned in the sea to show that man is indifferent to other sorrows and tragedy.
The poet says that the old painters and old scholars were never wrong because they knew that being indifferent to other sorrows is a human position. When old people are waiting for their death and want the miraculous birth of Christ, the young’s do not care, nor do they want it because they are happy in their own playful world. The old masters or old scholars never forgot that even once powerful and great has to surrender before death.
He then says that in the painting of Brughel everyone turns blind eye to the disaster of Icarus. The ploughman may have heard the cry of Icarus but for him, it was not important to save him. Even nature was in its own course. The sun shone as usual. The expensive ship may have seen the falling body of Icarus but it had to sail to its own destination. So, it sailed calmly away.
Who are ‘they’? What did they understand, and never forget?
‘They’ referred in the poem “Musee des Beaux-Arts” are the ancient masters, old painters of ancient scholars. They understood that being indifferent to other sorrows and tragedy is a human position. No one cares about the sorrows, pains and sufferings of other people. Everyone is engaged in his / her own personal benefit and own world. They understood that when old people chant the name of Christ the young people only care about their own playful world. When one suffers, he is alone in his tragedy.
What do you think the ‘miraculous birth’ might be?
The ‘miraculous birth’ might be the birth of Christ. The old people wait for the miraculous birth of Christ because they remember God only when they are about to die. In other words, the old want to be born again. They want to rise again like the Christ who had resurrected after his death.
The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that’s the essence of inhumanity. Discuss
Indifference means showing a lack of interest, feeling or reaction towards something or somebody. Man is by nature a social animal. Man can not live by bread alone. He needs emotional fulfilment. He needs someone with whom he can share his emotions, feelings, sorrows and sentiments.
A man can not live a lonely life. Man needs a society where he is sometimes loved and sometimes hated. In a family, if parents scold and beat their children, the children do not feel so much worse. They feel much worse when their parents do not participate in their sorrows and feelings or when their parents are indifferent towards them. There are various types of people in the society- beggars, poor, handicapped etc. They have to be helped. If we are indifferent towards their sorrows and sentiments and do not interact with them, it is the worst crime. Being indifferent breaks the heart of people. So, it is a worst crime than hating.
Why did the animal's revolt?
= Mr. Jones and his keepers did not care the animals in the shed. The keepers had milked the cows and had gone to hunt rabbits without feeding the animals. Even in the evening no one cared the animals. When they tried to quench their hunger by breaking the store-shed, they were severely beaten. So, the animals revolted because they could not tolerate their hunger.
Do you think the animals’ reaction was justified?
= Yes I think that the animals’ reaction was justified. The basic need of all living creatures is food. Living beings can not live without food. In George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm”, the animals are not properly cared and fed by the masters and the keepers. They only milk the cows but do not feed them properly. The animals revolted only when their life was in danger. Even when they tried to go to the store-house to quench their hunger, they were severely beaten by their master. So, they had no other option than to revolt. This shows that even animals unconsciously revolt when there is danger of their life.
Decide on possible reasons for Orwell’s making his rebels animals. Why not human beings?
= In his novel “Animal Farm”, George Orwell chooses animal characters to show that rebellion is necessary when there is threat of life and freedom. Actually this is a political allegory. He wants to say us that rebellion is not done by brain or in a pre-planned way. Rebellion bursts itself if the basic needs of the citizens are not fulfilled by the government. From this novel, he wants us to show us that even animals unconsciously revolt when there is danger of their life.
Macbeth, in Shakespeare’s play, is on the point of committing the ultimate act of rebellion. Now give answer for:
a). What is the ultimate act of rebellion?
b). What reasons does Macbeth give for not killing Duncan?
c). What is the only reason he has for killing Duncan?
d). Will the action of killing Duncan be over quickly, or will it have consequences?
Answers:
a).= Macbeth’s ultimate act of rebellion is to kill King Duncan who has come to his castle as a guest. He wants to kill him and become King himself.
b). = Before killing Duncan, Macbeth also thinks that Duncan should not be killed because of two reasons. The first reason is that King Duncan is his relative and the virtuous King loved by all. The second reason is that King Duncan has come as a guest in the castle of Macbeth. He also thinks that killing Duncan will anger the God and angels of the God; and he will be punished for his crime.
c). = The only reason Macbeth has for killing Duncan is his terrible ambition, that is, his passion for power and glory.
d) = The action of killing Duncan will not be over quickly. It will have consequences. The murderer will not live in mental peace. He will be punished for his crime in this earth. The man who lives by the power of sword will be killed by the sword. Killing of Duncan will anger the powers of Heaven and punish Macbeth.
Why does Shakespeare make the contrast between angels and damnation?
= In William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, King Duncan is a virtuous king while Macbeth is a cruel, selfish and power-mad king. The angels’ represent the goodness and simplicity of King Duncan while damnation represents the evilness and cunningness of Macbeth. By making contrast between angels and damnation, William Shakespeare wants to show us that deeds and names of virtuous person are always heard by angels and Gods while the evils done by anyone will have its consequences in the hell.
Do you think Macbeth killed King Duncan? Give reason.
= Yes, Macbeth killed King Duncan because Macbeth was blind with his terrible ambition. He had the desire to become the king. On the other hand, it was very easier to kill King Duncan because he was in the castle of Macbeth. Even no one would suspect Macbeth for the murder since he was the relative of the King.
Summary of Dylan Thomas’ “ A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London”.
= The poet says that he will not mourn for the death of the child because man is made in darkness and ultimately goes to darkness. It is a grave truth to die. There is no greater truth than death. No one can stop it. The sea is still and does not mourn for the death of the child. The poet will meet her in heaven after he will also die. So he thinks it useless to mourn for her death. For him, death is not an end. It has continued since the beginning of the world. But after death, we again enter to live. There are long friends of the dead because from the very beginning of the world infinite numbers of people have died.
Paper House
What type of house did Tay Soon dream of buying?
Tay Soon dreamed of buying a house with all the facilities similar to those that were advertised in the glossy pages of magazines. He had a dream of a beautiful house of his own, the best one; with aluminium sliding doors, kidney-shaped swimming pool, sunken circular sitting room, timbered ceiling, panelled walls, marble flooring, and amber carpeting.
What role does Tay Soon’s wife play in contributing to the entire disaster?
Tay Soon’s wife played a major role in his downfall and the entire disaster. She was a woman who also had a passion for a beautiful house. She used to describe the dream house of her husband to her sister. She talked endlessly about the dream house with her husband. She even criticized the house of her mother-in-law. It was his wife Yee Lian who first gave suggestions to put their money in the share market. She was excited when the shares rose. She even asked her mother-in-law to buy some shares. When their shares started falling, her husband asked her if they should sell the shares, she refused it saying that the decline was only a temporary one. When the share market started falling, she even advised him to put all the remaining shares into the OHTE and West Parkes. These two markets crashed. Tay Soon went mad and later died of this shock. Thus Tay Soon’s wife can be considered as the important agent who brought the entire tragedy.
Wet Saturday
Why does Mr. Princey detest his family?
= Mr Princey is a selfish man who values his name, fame, self-esteem and identity than the family. His house is ill-managed because he does not give priority to the family bonds. He is a showy character. He only wants to walk outside, never smiling. He detests his hulking son. He hates his daughter Millicent because she has killed Withers. He is afraid that his prestige in the village will be damaged if she is sent to madhouse and charged of crime.
Do you take the story “Wet Saturday” as a tragic or comic one? Why? Give reasons.
= There is no doubt that the story “Wet Saturday” written by John Collier is a tragic one. It is because the lives of several innocents are destroyed. An innocent man Withers is killed by Millicent. Captain Smollet falls into the cruel trap of Mr. Princey. He is cruelly beaten and we can guess that Captain Smollet will be charged with a crime that he has not committed. If he will be proved guilty, he will be hanged to death. In this story, the truth is overshadowed by falsehood. The plan of Mr. Princey, a selfish and cruel man, becomes successful. The setting is gloomy. The rain falling outside symbolizes the tears falling down from the eyes of several innocents. The lives of three innocents are ruined in this story- Withers, Smollet and Ella Brangwyn-Davies. The house of Mr. Princey is like a devil’s house because all the family members who live in that house do not value human sentiments. They are selfish and brutal. They charge Mr. Smollet for the crime committed by Millicent. Even bonds of love, humanity and human emotions is lacking there.
'Wet Saturday' is a psychological story. Explain.
Wet Saturday is a psychological story in the sense that it shows that humans are no less savage than animals. This story shows how civilization is only a mask worn by humans. Psychologists claim that all humans are guided by their id / ego i.e quest for power, sex, prestige and wealth. Here the family of Millicent is guided by their ego to protect the prestige of their family. Millicent does not even hesitate to kill Withers, her lover. Similarly all the family members unite and brutally beat Captain Smollet and charge him for the crime done by Millicent. This story shows the dark and selfish side of man's psychology.
The Elephant
What relation do you find between the character of the zoo director and the condition of the animals he chooses to exhibit?
From the condition of the animals in the zoo, we can guess that the zoo director is a selfish and greedy man who wants to get promotion by unfair means. He is a corrupt official. In his zoo, the giraffe has a short neck, the badger does not dig holes and the whistler whistles unwillingly. This shows that either the animals are duplicate ones or they are malnourished. He does not know the educational significance of the animals kept at zoo. So, he plans to keep the rubber elephant in the zoo instead of keeping the real elephant. He only values number than quality. So, his zoo has got three thousand rabbits but not an elephant.
How does the way the elephant will be constructed, what it will be filled with and how it will be labeled satirize the governmental bureaucracy in Poland?
The rubber elephant is the symbol of political propaganda. Similarly, the zoo director is the symbol of the bureaucracy of Poland. It seems real to the people but on keen examination proves to be false and duplicate. The zoo director says that the rubber elephant will be filled with air and painted properly. Since it will not move, they will keep a notice on the railing saying that this particular elephant is particularly sluggish. This plan shows that the bureaucracy of Poland thinks of the people as puppets. They think that the general public can not understand what is true and what is false. They think that the general public can be easily cheated. The rubber elephant is hollow inside which shows that the promise of the bureaucracy of Poland is hollow. The development of the country is like the elephant which will shake even on slight disturbance.
The Velvet Hangover
What is the significance of Havel’s statement that ‘the poetry was over and prose was beginning’?
Vaclav Havel became the president of Czechoslovakia after the smooth transition of power from the Communists. Havel thinks that before coming into power they had only dreamt of a beautiful nation but now they have to prove it. Poetry is melodious and lyrical while prose does not have the charm and melody. Poetry is like a sweet dream while prose is like the ugly reality. In the time of struggle, they were happy because they had a beautiful dream and plans for the country. But now they have various challenges in the new democracy. The country can go in wrong direction at any time. Planning for the future is simple but putting that plan into action is a difficult task. So, Havel says the poetry of planning was over and prose of action was beginning.
What are some of the disadvantages facing the new democracy as described by Havel in “The Velvet Hangover”?
Havel thinks that the new democracy in Czechoslovakia can ambush the country if not properly handled. He fears that the three dangers his newly democratic country is likely to face are – rise of national conflict, loss of social –welfare protections, and rise of new totalitarian government controlled by money and money-minded people.
The people of democratic nation have more personal freedom, so they may forget their social responsibility. The greatest danger to democracy is the mob rule. Even the money minded business community may try to buy the politicians and take control of the government. If democracy is not properly handled it is worse than totalitarian government.
A Small Place
What do the different treatment of customs officials towards tourists and Antiguans suggest?
The different treatment of customs officials towards tourists and Antiguans suggests that the government of Antigua is corrupt. This also suggests that the poors’ are hated and cheated everywhere, even in their country. The customs do not check the bags of tourists that may contain valuable items like cameras, computers etc. They check all the luggage of the Antiguans which contains cheap clothes and foods brought to their relatives. This is because it is easier to cheat poor than rich people. The customs officials have a slave mentality. Even after independence, they think of whites as their masters.
How do the tourists’ expectations differ from those of the local people?
= Local people expect rain because they are fed up with heat. While the tourists do not want rain because it will spoil their holidays. Locals want libraries, schools and hospitals. But the tourists do not want them because they stay there only for a few days. Rather they want beautiful cars, hotels and want to see the ruined monuments. The natives want to see their shores clean and beautiful while the tourists only want pleasure and comfort. They are not worried even if their discarded filth pollutes the environment.
Summary of Jamaica Kincaid’s “A Small Place”
In her essay “A Small Place” Jamaica Kincaid reveals the vast gap between the everyday life of Antiguans and the people who visit the island. In fact, by attacking the tourists, she is also attacking the corrupt government of Antigua.
Antigua, a beautiful and sunny island, is often visited by tourists. A tourist who would visit it would first land on the airport that is named after the Prime Minister. The tourist would easily pass through the customs without being checked while the Antiguans coming after working in other countries with cardboard full of cheap clothes and foods for relatives would be checked completely.
Outside the airport, brand new Japanese car will be available. But the drivers would try to cheat the tourists. The driver who may even not have his license will drive the car carelessly. The brand new car will make an awful sound because it is filled with leaded petrol. The driver who drives a brand new and highly expensive Japanese car will actually have a very poor house. Government gives loans for cars but not for houses because the two main cars’ dealership is owned by the Ministers of the Government. Schools in Antigua are poorly managed. They look like latrines. Antiguans do not trust the doctors in the hospital of Antigua. Even the Minister of Health and other Ministers go to New York for their check-up. The only library in Antigua had collapsed in the 1974 earthquake, and still its repair is pending. The American Embassy is taller than the government offices. The house of a merchant whose family came from the Middle East is splendid. When they had come to Antigua 20 years ago they used to sell goods door to door from suitcases carried on their backs. Now they are richer than the government. The house of a smuggler is also very tall and splendid. When the Queen of England came to visit Antigua in 1985, the roads were paved anew to give her false impression that riding in a car in Antigua is a pleasant experience. This indicates the double standard of the government. Another lady Evita is also very rich and powerful because she is the girl friend of one of the government official. The food for tourists comes from Miami which were actually grown in some parts of Antigua and were sent to Miami for processing.
The author then says that tourists are ugly person and local Antiguans hate them. The tourists do not expect rain because it will spoil their holiday in Antigua while the local people want rain. The tourists do not understand the corruption and colonial past of Antigua because they are absorbed in their self-centered pleasures and self-worth. The tourists are unaware that their discarded filths spoil the water of Antigua. Local people do not like the lifestyle of the tourists, their gestures, and their high fashion. The tourists are actually unnoticed by the people. The people feel envy towards them and their riches.
Summary of Christy’s Brown’s “The Letter A”
In his autobiography “The Letter A” Christy Brown describes how he overcame his massive handicap with his will-power, firm determination and with the continuous effort and love of his Mother.
Christy Brown was born as the tenth child in a family of twenty-two. When he was four months old, his head would constantly fall backwards whenever his mother tried to feed him. As he grew older, his hands were clenched tightly and twisted unnecessarily. He could not even hold the nipple of the bottle because he could not freely open or close his mouth. At six months he could only sit by resting his back on the mountain of pillows. All these signs alerted his mother, so she consulted doctors.
The doctors told her that he was both mentally and physically defective. But she had a firm belief that her son may be physically weak but not mentally retarded. She was a woman of firm determination who loved Christy dearly as her other normal children. Filled by true motherly love, she tried to take care of him by herself.
Even at the age of five, he could neither sit nor speak. His every body parts were useless. His mother would show him pictures of animals and flowers and ask him to repeat them after her. She hoped that Christy would at least learn and communicate with other people. Even when her relatives told her not to take the boy seriously, she was determined to prove that her son was not mentally retarded.
One day a wonderful event changed his life completely. He was attracted by the yellow piece of chalk that his brother and sister were writing with in the black slates. He unconsciously grabbed the chalk out of his sister’s hand with his left foot. He held it tightly between his toes and wrote carelessly on the slate. Every family member was curious. When his mother came and saw this, she knelt before him and drew a single letter “A” on the floor in front of him and asked him to copy it. He tried it with the chalk. It produced a crooked line. He tried again and drew two sides of the letter. The chalk broke out. He wanted to give up and throw the chalk. But due to his mother’s encouragement, he gathered his strength to write the letter A. When he wrote the letter A, his mother knew that it was a sign of intelligence and not just an imitative gesture because Christy had done it with intense effort. So, tears rolled out of her eyes. This had opened his road to mental freedom. He could express his desires and thoughts through words. Thus he was able to break the wall between him and other people.
Theme / Analysis of “Buffalo Bill’s” / Style of e e cummings in Buffalo Bill’s
= The poem “Buffalo Bill’s” written by modern American poet e e cummings is generally considered as a unusual but sincere tribute to the legend of the famous American Cowboy, William Cody. In this poem, the poet has exploited the aesthetic potentialities of typographical experimentation.
Buffalo Bill, who used to ride a white horse and break very quickly the clay pigeon targets, is now dead. He was a handsome man and the poet wants to know how much the Death likes him. Since the poet capitalizes the initial letters of Buffalo Bill, Death and Jesus, he gives equal status to all these three. But since he does not capitalize “i”, the poet thinks that he himself is minor in comparison to legendry figure, William Cody. The style of e e cummings in “Buffalo Bill’s” is unique. He has not used fullstops, commas and even abandoned the use of capital letter in “i”. He has not used traditional poetic forms. He has written this poem in free verse with lots of spacing. The running together of words in “onetwothreefourfive” indicate that Buffalo Bill shot bullets very quickly without stopping. The words “stallion” and “Jesus” are slightly separated from the preceding lines to indicate that Buffalo Bill was as strong as the horse and as kind as Jesus. This poem is remarkable for its pictorial quality and typographical experimentation.
Some critics also argue that this poem is a satire on Buffalo Bill. Though he was brave and powerful, he has now been made powerless by Death.
Theme / Analysis of “Oh, My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose”
= “Oh, My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose” written by Scottish poet Robert Burns is a romantic love lyric. This poem shows the ideal love and romantic passion of the poet towards his beloved. The poet compares his love to a red rose that is newly sprung in June and to the melody that is sweetly played in tune. He claims that his love is deep and he will love his beloved till all the seas go dry and rocks be melted by the sun or till he will be alive. Then, he says farewell to her and promises that he will return even from ten thousand miles away.
A Mongoloid Child Handling Shells on the Beach
What is suggested by the phrase “unbroken children”?
= The phrase “unbroken children” suggests that the children are whole or complete in every aspects. All their sense organs and body parts are complete and perfect. They can play, shout, hear and see perfectly. By using the phrase “unbroken children”, the poet wants us to contrast them with the mongoloid child whose body parts and sense organs are not in a healthy condition.
How is the child like the sea? How are the other children like the surf? What do the differences between sea and surf contribute to Richard Snyder’s poem?
= The poet uses sea metaphor to explain the mongoloid child while he uses the surf metaphor to present the behaviour of the other normal children. The sea is calm, slow, mysterious and makes small change. Similarly, the mongoloid girl is also slow, sober, mysterious and calm. Likewise, the surf is wild, stormy, noisy and violent; so are the unbroken children. By using the sea and surf metaphor, the poet wants us to compare and contrast both handicapped and normal children.
What is the poet’s attitude towards the child? How can you tell?
= The poet’s attitude towards the mongoloid child is sympathetic and full of love. He does not hate her but finds her lovable and full of potential as the sea. At the same time, he contrasts her with the violent and wild surf-like normal children.
Should the poem now be retitled as “A Child with Down’s Syndrome....” Would that be effective?
= I don’t think that this poem should be retitled as “A Child with Down’s Syndrome...”. The word ‘Down’ would suggest that the child is down in every aspects. It would suggest negativity in the child. The poet in this poem is actually glorifying the child, so the new title would be bad and will not meet with the poem’s theme. The word ‘mongoloid’ has several connotative meanings. By using the word ‘mongoloid’ the poet directly gives us the physical structure of the child making us think that the girl is similar to mongol race who have small eyes, flat face, small hands and legs and large head.
Significance of the title of “Dream Variations”
= “Dream Variations” written by black American poet Langston Hughes is a nostalgic lyric which bitterly expresses the poet’s wish for a carefree life away from colour persecution and racial discrimination.
The first stanza describes the poet’s dream to live a life of freedom in the land where there is no colour persecution. He wishes to rest in a cool evening beneath a tall tree, where dark night would come gently.
The second stanza describes harsh reality that black people has to face in America. In reality, his dream is shattered by racial prejudice and colour discrimination in America. His dream remains unfulfilled. He has to live a harsh life, a life of boredom and frustration. Even the night reminds him of his black colour.
Thus, this poem is entitled “Dream Variations” suggesting that the dreams of blacks is
not fulfilled but varies or changes in real life in colour prejudiced American society. This poem is also an attack on the American Dream that America is a land of freedom and opportunity.
Write a summary of “Child Care in China” and compare it with child care in Nepal.
In this essay “Child Care in China”, Bruce Dollar describes how mother-surrogates play important role in introducing the values of cooperation, coordination, sharing, respect for labour and altruism in institutionalized child care programmes in China. In China, group activities are emphasized in all child care centres so that no one becomes a ‘star’. Chinese children are generally expected to rely on each other for stimulation rather than inanimate objects. Moreover, children are provided with toys of a worker, a farmer, or soldier ; so that they would show respect towards labour. The toys are made a bit heavy in order to foster mutual help and co-operation between them.
Generally women are selected as nurses or teachers who show particular interest in children and love them. Credentials are secondary during their recruitment. The nurses teach the children that helping and sharing is more important than winning. They do not punish children when they do wrong. They motivate them and encourage them towards the right path. Even teachers enthusiastically join with the children in the free play. Teachers handle the disruptive child cheerfully and patiently with persuasion and do not make him/her the centre of attention.
In Nepal, child care centres or child care institutions are not properly equipped with toys or playthings. Children are not motivated or entertained but are only made bookworms. Children are severely punished when they do wrong. Even teachers are not well trained. Children are taught to be competitive and they are evaluated on the basis of their individual performances or on the basis of their exams. Generally, group activities are not emphasized. The nurses/teachers are not properly paid, so there is no stability for the teachers. Nurses are selected on the basis of certificates and credentials. There is no uniformity in the child care institutions in Nepal.
Due to the lack of proper nurturing in child care centres in Nepal, Nepalese children are becoming more and more selfish, greedy and violent. They show no respect for labour and for the nation. The family bonds and social bonds are disintegrating day by day. By adopting the methods and techniques applied in child care centres in China we can certainly develop the minds and bodies of children.
Of Cocks and Men
What taboos do the Balinese have relating to animals?
The Balinese show strong hatred towards any behaviour regarded as animal-like. They do not allow babies to crawl. They think that bestiality is a more horrible crime than incest. When a boy or girl becomes an adolescent, his / her teeth are filled so that they do not look like fangs. Defecation and eating in public are regarded as immoral activities because of their association with animality, so eating and defecation are done hurriedly and privately. Falling down and clumsiness is also hated for this reason.
Why is it significant that fighting cocks receive special care and attention equal to that given to human babies?
In Balinese culture, cocks and cockfighting reflect male sexual identity or social identity. As the child is the image of the father, so the cocks are also regarded as the symbol of the owner’s self. People in Bali reflect their ego or superiority by rearing cocks and winning the cock-fight. Since everything is compared to cock-fights and cocks in Bali, it is significant that fighting cocks receive care and attention equal to that given to human babies.
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