A Hot Noon in Malabar by Kamala Das Summary and Analysis

A Hot Noon in Malabar
by Kamala Das
Summary and Analysis

The poetess recalls some of her experiences in her home in Malabar. She thinks of the hot noon-time when all sorts of persons used to pass her home and to pause and to stop there in order to sell the wares which they carried from place to place. She first thinks of the beggars who used to come to her house to beg alms in their characteristic voices expressive of their discontent with life and their need for charity.

Then she thinks of the men who came from the hills with parrots in a cage and fortune-cards, all stained because of the long time during which those cards had been used again and again. She thinks of the brown-complexioned girls who belonged to the class of basket-makers and manufacturers of bird-catching traps. These girls were palm-readers who offered, in their monotonous voices, to read the palms of those who wanted their fortunes told on the basis of the lines on their palms.

The poetess then recalls the bangle-sellers who had walked miles and miles of the dusty roads in order to sell their bangles of various colours (red, green and blue). Next, she thinks of the strangers who used to come and peep into her house through the window-curtains but were unable to see anything because the rooms of the house were dark while their eyes carried the heat and the brightness of sunlight in them. The strangers were suspicious about how they might be received and what treatment they might get from the inmates of the house. These strangers remained silent most of the time but, when they spoke, they did so in voices which were wild like the sounds that are heard in a jungle.

The poetess then expresses the view that noon-time in Malabar was not only a time for the visits of wild men but also for wild thoughts to enter her mind, and for a wild desire for love-making to arise in her mind. The poetess laments the fact that she is now living so far away from her Malabar home. She experiences an intense longing to go back there and to look at all those men at whom she used to look during her life there. The feeling that she is now so far away from that home is a torture to her.

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU : 'THE QUEST OF MAN' Summary Analysis

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU : 'THE QUEST OF MAN'  

Paragraphs l to 3 describe the author's current place of imprisonment and the sense of joy he experiences on being close to the mountains and the greenery surrounding his prison. There is no bitterness on being confined to a solitary stay in a prison. On the contrary, the writer has the rare ability to find joy even in the cool night air and trees and mountains that he can view at a far off distance.    
Paragraph 4 expresses the author's scepticism as to the worth and value of his writings. It is however, our good fortune that despite his scepticism he continued to write these letters that are a delight to read even today, after a long gap of over seventy years.
In paragraphs 5 and 6 the writer attempts to recreate the history of the world from pre-historic times to modem days. Nehru says that he started with the narration about discovery of fire and agriculture and extended his writings to

cover facts of history about empires and different civilizations. He wonders whether midway he had lost sight of the biggest human challenge that sought to unravel the mystery of the universe. He has written about civilisations that have come and gone, but somewhere along the line he had missed to delve upon the human quest to understand the world that man journeys through. Paragraph 7 traces the journey of man in his long quest to know about his world. It is his mind which is man's greatest asset that helps him in his quest. Once Nehru starts writing about the quest of man, his scepticism fades away. He feels close to his daughter when he writes, as if they were sitting together and talking.
Paragraphs 8-10 describe the twin approaches to understand the world-through religion and through science. Nehru feels that religion seeks to impose its own views that are based on faith and spiritual beliefs while science seeks answers through experiment and reason. There cannot be any single answer to what man is seeking, as his quest has taken two distinct directions - one to understand himself and the other to understand Nature. Religion looks to the inner nature of man while science to the outer nature. Both are important. But Nehru prefers the scientific approach, because it is rational and open minded, not dogmatic like religion. However, man is misusing science instead of harnessing its power, almost to the point of destroying the very civilization that he has built up. 

Ethics in All My Sons

Ethics in All My Sons

"Frank: The trouble with you is, you don't believe in anything.
Jim: And your trouble is that you believe in anything." (Act 1: Miller 8)

Here Frank Lubey and Dr. Jim Bayliss are talking about Lubey’s work with his newfound passion astrology relating to Larry’s horoscope. Horoscopes are most definitely based off the ideas of ethics and what one believes morally right within their society. Kate Keller, who asked Lubey to work on Larry’s (her son’s) horoscope was done in order to find out his “favorable day” to see if he was still alive out in the war. Kate believes that he is and also believes that horoscopes are morally and ethically right and should be used more often. But her husband Joe believes that astrology and horoscopes are things are unethical. He believes that they are waste of time and don't exist and Frank is studying a whole bunch of untrue and useless ideas. This display of actions shows to men that believe in two different ethical ways.

"Keller. [...] She thinks he's coming back, Chris. You marry that girl and you're pronouncing him dead. Now what's going to happen to Mother? Do you know? I don't!" (Act 1: Miller 15)



This quote is between a conversation between Chris and Joe Keller. Before Larry went off to war, he was had plans to marry Ann Deever. Kate Keller, Larry’s mom believes that he is still alive out there and Ann should just keep waiting for his return so that they can pursue their marriage. But, since he has been gone for three years, Chris, Joe Keller’s other son has built up a tight relationship with Ann. Chris and Ann wish to marry, but Kate does not approve and tries to keep the two as far way form each other as she can. Joe does believe that if the two were to marry, it would be unethical and unfair to Kate because of all of the hard work she has done trying to find out if Larry is still alive, but little does she know that Ann knows most definitely that he is not because she had received a suicide note from him on his favorable day.



"Chris. For me! - I was dying everyday and you were killing my boys and you did it for me? What the hell do you think I was thinking of, the Goddamn business? Is that as far as your mind can see, the business? What is that, the world - the business?" (Act 2: Line 257: Miller 59)

This quote is a true example of ethics shown in the story because Chris is questioning his father, Joe Keller's right to ship the faulty plane parts in order to support his family and business. Joe went through with his decision, because it was either live or die for his family, and because he is family oriented man he thought that his decision was best. Chris questioned his father, trying to get out of him why he had done such a thing if it were to the risk the lives of 120 innocent men. If it was only for the sake and importance of the business and making money, then why was it right to risk the lives of those of whom you consider your sons and family. Joe and Chris, even though they are father and son, share two completely divergent ethics. While Joe believed it was right to ship the parts in order to save his family, what he considered they most important thing in the world to him, Chris sees the situation completely different. Chris, however, thinks that if he was going to make a decision based upon keeping his family up and hurting/killing others that his choice cannot be defended either way. Joe’s decision brings up range of how far and how ethically someone can support their family, by either risking the lives of others or financially struggling for sometime. There are out there sides in society that can defend this issue either way, based upon how you view ethics.

Mother: " We rushed into it. Everybody was in such a hurry to bury him"
Chris: "The wind blew it down. What significance has that got?" (18)

Kate believes that when they placed a tree in memory of Larry, it happened all way too quickly. She thinks that everyone was in such a rush and before much thought went into the situation, they went ahead and placed the tree there when it should have been placed once they knew if Larry was alive or not. Chris ethically believed that the tree had blown down on purpose, trying to explain to his mother that it was truly a sign that his brother Larry in indeed dead and the act of tree falling symbolizes his death. During this conversation both Chris and Kate are displaying two completely different ethically and superstitious views on whether the tree was planted too early or if due to the tree falling was as sign of Larry’s death.

The American Dream In All My Sons

The American Dream In All My Sons

Frank: "That boy's going to be a real doctor; he's smart. [...] It's an honorable profession." (Act 1: Miller 8)

The American Dream is something that people long for to be honored in society as great achiever or as someone who has changed the society in someway either big or small. But the main part about The American Dream is the honor and respect that come along with it. In this quote it is obvious that Frank Lubey believes that it is very important to be respected in America, especially as a person and worker. America is the land of opportunity, in which many immigrate to in order to find new opportunities or to even start fresh here or start of the family in America. To be respected by society, in America, is something that all Americans want, long and work at. In which Frank believes that it is something that everyone should aspire and work for. Here you are able to be who ever or whatever you like, without much judgment, which is something that is not available in many countries, hence why many immigrate here. Because without respect everything and everyone would be able to be a doctor and if you were either the best or worst, you would be treated the same.

Chris: "I want a family, I want some kids, I want to build something I can give myself to." (Act 1: Miller 15)

Chris once he is able to break free from his parents longs to live The American Dream. He would love to start a family and build his own life the way he wants, not the way that his parents want him to. One of the most important rights in America that we have unlike other countries is freedom. With this right we are able to make more choices on our own without government interference and they way we would like, but with limits. Most people in America dream about one day having a family of their own and being able to support that family with their skills and the things that they build on their own. This is exactly what Chris wants and although his parents have held him back, through the story he is ready to move on and get his American Dream by marrying Ann and having children with her. Chris is extremely passionate about doing things in his own and would love to make his own choices, as he is an adult. The ideal American would have a family, kids, and a job that they are passionate about and supports their family. Most, immigrate to America to be free and make the choices that they want, in order to live their lives in the style that they choose, which is basically in a nutshell The American Dream; to be free and make decisions and live life your way.
"Keller: We'll talk about it. I'm going to build you a house, stone, with a driveway from the road. I want you to spread out, Chris, I want you to use what I made for you . . . (He is close to him now.) . . . I mean, with joy, Chris, without shame . . . with joy." (Miller 33)

Joe Keller would love for his son Chris to enjoy what America has to offer on his, but of course with some help from his father. He would love for Chris to endure his life without any hardships or obstacles like he had to. A dream of Joe’s of for the factory to run both smoothly and successfully with Chris, but this is not Chris’ American Dream, it’s his father’s. Joe enjoys likes the idea of giving his boy everything he never had, this is the perfect example of the American Dream, which many people do in order to make the lives of the children the best they can be, so that they can pass their views and ethics upon to the next generation. However, Chris would like to be free from what his father wants and would love to do what he wants most to marry Ann and start a family, this is his American Dream.



"Chris: Yes. I like it an hour a day. If I have to grub for money all day long at least at evening I want it beautiful. I want a family, I want some kids, and I want to build something I can give myself to. (Act 1: Miller 15)

Chris begins to tell his father about his dream of marrying Ann and moving away to start a family of their own. Joe is upset because his dream for Chris was to run the family business, but Chris thought otherwise. Chris longs to create a life of his own, something that he can call “his”. This is the American Dream because Chris, like many other Americans, wants to leave home and create a life of their own. Chris shows that he is very confident in is decision to marry Ann, because he will make it happen no matter what it takes, also showing the American Dream by those who want change doing anything that it takes to get it.

Responsibility In All My Sons

Responsibility In All My Sons


Chris: "Everything was being destroyed, see, but it seemed to me that one new thing was made. A kind of...responsibility. Man for man"(Miller 31)

In this quote, you can tell that Chris had the up most respect for all of the soldiers that he was at war with because they all took responsibility for one another and for another’s actions. He completely admires this responsibility because the soldiers were all willing to risk their lives for one another and sacrifice themselves, due to a special connection they had with each other. These actions displayed by the soldiers move Chris, because he is able to see what it is actually like for people to take upon responsibility for one another. Due to the situation between his father and Ann’s father, Joe did not follow through with his promise of taking any extra baggage and shame that went along with sending out the faulty parts, instead no one takes responsibility and the wrong man suffers the consequences. But, the soldiers whom he fought with were so courageous that they were willing to give a life for each other while fighting for freedom, while, as his father was unwilling to take the shame of killing men to keep his family together.



Chris: "I felt wrong to be alive, to open the bank book, to drive the new car, to see the new refrigerator. I mean you can take those things out of a war, but when you drive that car you've got to know that it came out of the love a man can have for a man, you've got to be a little better because of that." (Miller 31)

This quote shows how Chris’ extreme guilt from leaving the war. He believes that he should have been one to die, not others, because of the great life that he is living back home. While those whom are still in war are suffering and taking responsibility for the actions of others and died due to them. A lot of Chris’ fortune has come from working in his father’s factory, which is the place where the faulty parts had come from and killed numerous men. Chris also feels guilty because he feels as though he should be the one taking the responsibility from his father’s action, because he was one to face war up close and can understand how much responsibility and courage it takes to fight and die for one another.

Sue: "Who is he to ruin a man's life? Everyone knows Joe pulled a fast one to get out of jail"(Miller 38)

Sue Bayliss is a true believer that Joe was indeed responsible for the deaths of the soldiers and the crashes of the airplanes. She feels as though he should be suffering the consequences just like Steve is, being in jail, if that she believes, that Joe should be the only one in jail due to it being his decision to ship the parts, while as Steve had no choice but to do so. If Joe were anything like the man earlier in the play, who said he was going to take full and complete responsibility if when the sent the faulty parts was to backfire, he would be the jail and would probably feel better about himself knowing that he did what he said he was to do, face the consequences and took the responsibility upon his family by protecting them, like the family oriented man he is.



"George: [...] Dad was afraid. He wanted Joe there if he was going to do it. But Joe can't come down . . . he's sick. Sick! He suddenly gets the flu! Suddenly! But he promised to take responsibility." (Miller 46)

Here, Chris and George are talking about what they exactly believe happened with the faulty plane parts. Steve Deever ended up in jail due to the failed responsibility of his co-worker Joe. Joe had promised to take responsibility for the parts if they were to get caught, but he didn't. He faked being sick so he didn't have to own up to anything. This was wrong of him because he made a promise and then broke it. George is upset because all himself sticks his father in prison and Joe got a “free pass”, but he should have taken complete responsibility for his actions and come clean about the parts and his decision to ship them due to the sake of the business and his family.

Family in All My sons

Family in All My sons



Chris: "I've been a good son too long, a good sucker. I'm through with it." (Act 1: Line 215: Miller 15)

As Chris Keller says this to his father Joe Keller, he pronounces in an apparent way that he would like to break free from being a loyal son and family member and longs to become his own self. Chris shows that throughout most of his life he has done everything to please his family, but now he feels as though he is mature and ready enough to do things in order to please himself. As Chris is becoming older, he is tired of his family holding him back from things that he wishes to do such as getting married and starting a family of his own, as well as adventuring out to find things that he likes to do. Chris does not wish to disappoint his parents, because he knows how important the moral of family is to his father. However, after finding out what his dad did, Chris is so disturbed at what his father had done, that all he wishes to do is leave home and start fresh. Loyalty, which has always been apart of Chris himself, has finally shown itself as an obstacle that is in the way of Chris and his personal happiness.

Keller: I'm askin' you. What am I, a stranger? I thought I had a family here. What happened to my family? (Act 3: Line 45: Miller 62)
After Joe Keller has had an argument with his son Chris, over his decision with the plane parts he asks his wife Kate the question: What happened to my family? As he is speaking with Kate, she feels somewhat afraid that Chris will not return home, after he realized what his father had done. Joe who is very family oriented believes that no matter what situation or wrongdoing that either yourself or a family has overcome or has done, that the will be on your side no matter what. He also is a firm believer that family will never get mad at you for anything and will always be there to help you get through rough times. There are though, times, that someone family member or just even close friend does something that is so morally wrong, that everyone and even their own family turns against them because they did not believe that it was right. An example would be when Chris found out about what his father had done with the faulty parts and told him that he was extremely disappointed in him and wanted to move away. Joe was dumbfounded to see Chris leave after how loyal he was to the family, and especially astonished when his family did not stick with him throughout his tough time leaving him wondering exactly “happened to his family” and why they were falling apart; while the answer was right in front of him, himself and his actions.
Keller: "There's nothing he could do that I wouldn't forgive. Because he's my son. Because I'm his father and he's my son." (Act 3: Line 52: Miller 63)

This quote displays another of Joe Keller’s views on family. After reading this quote in the play, as a reader I was told by Joe that there would be nothing at all, that can come between both himself, his sons, and especially his family, that he would not forgive them for. Joe shows us his firm belief that forgiveness is a must in any situation no matter how minor or major the circumstances may be. By saying that he would forgive his son, because he is his son, shows that Joe would like the same attitude and beliefs as displayed by him also shown by his son Chris in return. Joe knows deep down that he is truly guilty, but he believes that he did the right thing for his family, so that deserves his family's forgiveness. But in the way he views his family and family in general, he seems to show that family is not only connected through relationships but, also by keeping tight and picking those up when the fall, make mistakes and need to be forgiven. That members in a family are codependent upon on another through their actions, and beliefs.

"Keller: [...] A father is a father" (Act 2: Line 162-166: Miller 42)

Here, Joe Keller is trying to make Annie realize that her father is her father, and even though Annie is very upset with her father because of what he did, he is a part of her family, but more importantly, her life. The main moral displayed throughout this short, but meaningful quote, is that you cannot pick your family, so whatever you are given, you must make the best out of it. All family members do bicker with each other every once in a while, but things should never become as serious as never wanting to talk to that certain person ever again. Family is always there for you no matter what, they know the most about you and they know things that other people don’t know about you, they will always be with you both physically and eventually spiritually from birth to death and then eventually when you reunite in the afterlife. Even though Ann does not want to deal with her father ever again, Joe wants her to recognize that family is the most important thing that you can have in the world. You will always have your family no matter where you go, because as the saying goes, “you’ll always find your way back home”, the place where you gain as much love, support, and forgiveness from the people in which you love.

Ignou Bag Cousre Study Material

Ignou Bag Cousre Study Material

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BEGE 145 Soft Skills

BEGE 145 Soft Skills

What ARE Soft Skills?

Soft skills are a combination of people skills, social skills, communication skills, character or personality traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence quotients, among others, that enable people to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills.The Collins English Dictionary defines the term "soft skills" as "desirable qualities for certain forms of employment that do not depend on acquired knowledge: they include common sense, the ability to deal with people, and a positive flexible attitude."

Soft skills are a cluster of productive personality traits that characterize one's relationships in a milieu. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits, cognitive or emotional empathy, time management, teamwork and leadership traits. A definition based on review literature explains soft skills as an umbrella term for skills under three key functional elements: people skills, social skills, and personal career attributes.
[National Business Education Association deems soft skills as critical for being industrious in today’s workplace.Soft skills complement hard skills also known as technical skills, for productive workplace performance and everyday life competencies (Arkansas Department of Education, 2007). Hard skills were the only skills necessary for career employment and were generally quantifiable and measurable from educational background, work experience or through interview.[citation needed]  In the 21st century, soft skills are a major differentiator, a sine qua non for employability and success in life.
A study conducted by Harvard University noted that 80% of achievements in career are determined by soft skills and only 20% by hard skills. Experts say soft skills training should begin for a person when they are students, to perform efficiently in their academic environment as well as in their future workplace.[citation needed] A public interest study conducted by McDonald’s in UK predicted over half a million people will be held back from job sectors by 2020 due to lack of soft skills.

BAG Study Material English Download ON Student Help

All BA Courses, B.Com and All B.Sc. courses are changed. Hence most of the students are worried about the books and new study materials for these subjects. Here we will provide you books for New Ignou Syllabus for BAG Course which you can download and start your studies-

Bachelor of Arts : BAG

CORE COURSES SUBJECTS

1 BANC 132 Fundamentals of Biological Anthropology

2 BANC 133 Fundamentals of Social and Cultural Anthropology

3 BANC 134 Fundamentals of Archaeological Anthropology

4 BANC 131 Anthropology and Research Methods

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English (BA ENGLISH) Each Subject has 6 Credits

BEGC 131 Individual & Society

BEGC 132 Selections From Indian Writing: Cultural DiversityBEGC 133 British LiteratureBEGC 134 Reading The Novel  BEGLA 135 English In Daily Life BEGLA 136 English At The Work Place BEGLA 137 Language Through Literature  BEGLA 138 Reading And Speaking Skills

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DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC ELECTIVES (DSE)

English (Each Subject = 4 Credits) 

BEGE 141 Understanding Prose Was Bege 105BEGE 142 Understanding Drama Was Bege 107BEGE 143 Understanding Poetry Was Bege 106BEGE 145 Soft Skills New Addition

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English (Each Subject below is = 4 Credits)  BEGS 183 Writing And Study SkillsBEGS 185 English Language Teaching BEGS 186 Business Communication

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English (Each Subject is = 6 Credits)  

BEGG 171 Media and Communication SkillsBEGG 172 Language and Linguistics BEGG 173 Academic Writing & Composition BEGG 174 Creative Writing

Discipline-wise List of Courses for BAG |Ignou Courses | Student Help

Discipline-wise List of Courses for BAG

The lists of courses from different Disciplines available under each of the five categories [Core Courses (CC), Discipline Specific Electives (DSE), Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses (AECC), Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC), and Generic Electives (GE)] are given in the following tables: 

CORECOURSES 

Bachelor of Arts (BAG) IGNOU Courses

CBCS Based Bachelor’s Degree Programmes The University has launched three Bachelor's Degree Programmes- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science- under the Choice Based Credit System. These are broad based prorammes with a mix of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and skill-based courses. Each programme has 24 courses totalling 132 credits. 

Dear Students Of Ignou (Bag Courses).

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Bachelor of Library and Information Sciences (BLIS) (Revised) School of Social Sciences (SOSS)

Bachelor of Library and Information Sciences (BLIS) (Revised) School of Social Sciences (SOSS) 

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) School of Social Work (SOSW)

 Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) School of Social Work (SOSW) 

The BachelorDegreeProgrammeinSocialWork(BSW)is meant for people who are interested in providing professional assistance to people in need.
Persons with professional training/degree in Social Work generally work in socially relevant areas such as health care, community development, education, industry, counselling, family, correction, social defense, women, children, disability etc.
 With globalization, market economy and liberalization, new concerns andhumanproblemsare emerging
which needs to be addressed.This programme will be particularly useful to people employed at middle and lower levels with NGOs.
It will also be useful to fresh candidates who may like to worki ns ocial and social welfare sectors. Eligibility:10+2 or its equivalentor BPPfrom IGNOU

Mediumof Instruction:English&Hindi
Duration: Minimum 3 years and Maximum 6 years; offered in both January & July cycle of admissions.
 Fee Structure: Rs. 14,400/- for full programme to be paid year wise @ Rs.4,800/- per year. ProgrammeDetails:

Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) School of Computer & Information Sciences (SOCIS) | Ignou 2019 New Updates

 Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) School of Computer & Information Sciences (SOCIS) 

The basicobjective oftheprogramme is to opena channel ofadmissionforcomputingcourses forstudents,who have done the 10+2 and are interestedin taking computing/IT as a career.

Afteracquiring the Bachelor’s Degree (BCA) at IGNOU, there is further educational opportunity to go for an MCA at IGNOU or Master’s Programme at any other University/Institute

.Also aftercompleting BCA Programme,a student shouldbe able to get entry level job inthe field of Information Technology or ITES. Eligibility: 10+2oritsequivalent Mediumof Instruction:English

Duration: Minimum 3 years and Maximum 6 years; offered in both January & July cycle of admissions.
 Fee Structure: Rs. 36,000/- for full programme to be paid Semester wise @Rs. 6,000/- per semester

THEMES OF THE PLAY Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar A digest by Student Help.

THEMES OF THE PLAY Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar

A theme is the subject of (he play - the view and message that the playwright communicates. 

A play may have more than one theme and it is quite possible to have a main theme and several sub-themes that originate from it. 

What then is the main theme in Ghashiram Kotwal? 

The personality clash between the Nana and Ghashiram may appear to be the theme at the surface level but we know that Tendulkar has examined the relationship between religion, caste. sexuality and violence to expose the structures of power that maintain the status quo.

As we have noticed, Tendulkar is concerned about the politics of power and its various implications. According to Saimik Bandhopadliyay, 'In Ghashiram, power is defined 'horizontally' in terms of individuals against individuals from humiliation, to revenge in assertion, to eventual victimization.. ...' (Ghashiram Kotwal, Seagull, Calcutta, 1984, p.v.)

 Do we agree with this?

 It might seem on one level that an individual is pitted against another. However, at another level it is clear that the forces of state and society remain supreme even after individuals have perished. For example, Ghashiram, an innocent newcomer to Poona is unjustly accused of stealing and is beaten up by the Poona Brahmans. 

This incident makes Ghashiram vow to revenge himself on them. 

It is interesting that Ghashiram, himself is a Brahmin, has turned against his other brethren.

 The opportunity for getting even with the Brahmans presents itself when the lecherous Chief Minister of the Peshwa. The ageing Nana Phadnavis desires his beautiful daughter Lalita Gauri.

 Then begins the game of power in which Gauri is made a pawn and sacrificed to Nana's lust. 

In return. Ghashiram is made the Kotwal of Poona. 

This serves two purposes: 

one, it gives Ghashiram the opportunity to take his revenge and unleash terror on the people of Poona and two, it allows Nana to have his cake and eat it too.

 He has Gauri on the one hand and on the other his own tyranny is obscured by Ghashiram's cruelty.

 It is clear even at this stage that the deal is an unfair one as the benefit lies mainly on the side of Nana.

 And finally, Nana sacrifices Ghashiram to the bloodthirsty crowds without the slightest compunction or regret and at the end of the play we find that he himself continues to thrive. 

Who is really powerful; Nana or Ghashiram? 

We notice that the power is only deputed in Ghashiram who does not realize this and begins to mistake it for real power. 

When he loses Lalita Gauri and his game is up, lie realizes his error and the reality of his position.

 It isNana's misdeeds that have been "credited to his account". 

It seems then that power conceals itself behind its agents and continues to thrive unchallenged. 

Does the power rest with Nana? 

It would seem so but even Nana call be summoned at any moment by the Peshwa.

 The Peshwa himself is a symbol of power within the context of feudal society. 

Thus the power vested in him is underpinned by the social set-up which functions on the basis of maintaining the status quo. The king or the Peshwa in this case has the power by virtue of the Divine Right. His position is maintained by various state apparatuses like the army, the police, religious and social institution, etc. Here the power is delegated in the Nana who further deputes it to Ghashirarn by making him the Kotwal who then operates through a police force.

 Thus, there is a whole hierarchy of power positions.

 It seems then that it is an individual against an individual. For example, if a person is beaten up by the police. he can see the evil face of that particular policeman alone. 

He does not realize that the policeman is backed by the police force which again is maintained by a particular state.

 The state itself functions according to a certain ideology. A society structured in such a way ensures that power is maintained and supported by such hierarchies. 

The attention is focused on individuals who are passed off as culprits. 

But the real culprit, the social set-up continues unchallenged as individual is pitted against individual. And even if Ghashirams are created and destroyed, society remains unchanged. The attention is diverted from the real problem which still remains untouched. 

 And Tendulkar's play very subtly makes us think about and analyse this phenomenon. 

We have seen how power operates more overtly through violence and oppression.

 At a subtle level, it functions through such social attitudes that help in maintaining  hierarchies and hiding the real source of power which is delegated in agents such as Ghashiram who are also victims of that same power. 

Religion and sexuality are also used as the strategies of power. 

Religion

While the army and police are used by the state to maintain control within societies, there are other subtler strategies that are also used.

 For instance, religion. 

Most religions tell us to turn the other cheek if we are hit. This prevents us from reacting against tyranny and injustice.

 When we imbibe these values during childhood, first in the family. then in the school and finally in society at large, they become so deeply ingrained in us that they do not allow us to challenge or change our social situation. 

Such values are imparted to us so subtly that we do not question if they are right or wrong.

Take the case of Ghashiram Kotwal. 

The play begins with a religious hymn and the popular gods dancing on stage.

 This sets the context against which the drama unfolds itself

. The Brahmans go to Bavannakhani to see the dancing girls and say they are going 'to the temple' to give a sermon oil 'Vishwamitra and Menaka'. They justify their decadence by comparing Bavannakhani to holy Mathura. 

The 'abhanga' or devotional song is often sung with the 'lavani'or love song in his play. Scenes of violence arid cruelty are alternated with devotional songs. When Nana tries to seduce Gauri in front of the statue of the holy Ganapati, he simply dismisses her fears saying: That all holy Ganapati? The maker of Good? Look, he has two wives. One on this side, one on that side'.

 Further on in the play, when Gauri is dead and the distraught Ghashiram  confronts Nana and accuses him of his daughter's death, the latter reassures him: 'He - the Omnipresent - He makes everything happen ...... We are merely instruments .......' He then urges him to ' forget what has happened. All merges into the Ganga. 'Thou shalt not grieve over what is gone. The Vedas have said that' (P 44). "

Don't you think here is a case of the devil citing scriptures to suit his purpose?

 Religion then becomes a useful alibi in covering people's misdeeds.

 By invoking religion, all kinds of evils are glossed and even sanctified. Rituals are encouraged to fill the pockets of the greedy Brahmans. Moreover their position as the 'twice born' is reinforced by the prevalence of the caste system.

Caste

Alorigwith religion, caste is also a major factor in the play.

 Is it a comment on the decadence of the Brahmans? 

When the play was first performed it was banned for being anti-Brahman and for fear of there being a revolt in the audience. 

Is it really meant to expose Brahmans, their corruption and moral degradation? 

According to the playwright he was more interested in 'the emergence, the growth and the inevitable end of the Ghashirams ..... 

The decadence of the class in power (the Brahmans, incidentally, during the period which I had to depict) also was incidental though not accidental. 

Caste is used as an instrument of power. 

The Sutradhar reports that according to Ghashiram 'to eat with a lower caste person is a crime' (p. 26). To sleep with a 'Maliar woman' (a lower caste among the untouchables) is also considered a crime. On the other hand, the Bralimans, have no hesitation in chasing and pestering a white Sahib for money. This shows that race and colour constitute a higher position in the social hierarchy. And the white Sahib ranks higher than the privileged Brahman who is feasted and showered with gifts in the Peshwa's Poona.

Tendulkar has depicted the hypocrisy of the Brahmans, their arrogance, authoritarianism and their, debauched and adulterous behaviour. Rather than being identifiable by their good deeds and noble behaviour, the Brahmans are known by their 'shaven head', 'holy thread' and 'pious look'. It is this pious look that conceals their petty deeds. Nana himself a Brahman is marrying for the seventh time not to mention his lusting after numerous young girls, Lalita Gauri among them.

 Though full of revenge and hatred for the Brahmans, Ghashiram is himself a Brahman. 

And his conduct in bartering his daughter's virtue for the dubious distinction of becoming the Kotwal of Poona, can hardly be justified and speaks of his inhuman opportunism as well as total lack of paternal sentiment and sensitivity. The total picture of the Brahmans that emerges from this play is one of hypocrisy. double standards, self-indulgence and moral degradation. It exposes the rottenness of the caste-system that privileges a person on the basis of birth rather than merit and maintains the rigid hierarchy to control and suppress persons. 

Sexuality 

Women too, as we have seen, have become a pawn in the power game. In fact there is a close nexus between sexuality and power.

 Consider, for example, Nana's statement with reference to Lalita Gauri: 'Our grandeur's gone if she's not had' (p.20).A man's self-image, identity and machismo is definable only, it seems. in relation to the conquest and oppression of women. There is a close connection between sexuality and religion as lavanis (love song) and abhangas (devotional song) are sung at the revelries in Bavannakhani which is likened to Mathura and the erotic dances to Krishan Lila.

 The garb of religion helps to justify and whitewash the debaucheries of the Brahman men. Gulabi's tantalizing dances, the Nana's lustful pursuit of Lalita Gauri, the clandestine meeting of the Brahman wife with a Maratha lover, all serve to create an underlying strain of eroticism throughout the play. 

Violence 

Tendulkar did research on violence in India because of which he has explored its many dimensions. He is not only concerned about the violence of the State against the people but against the violence of people against other people.

 This is clear in Ghashiram's torture of innocent Brahmans and the belligerence of Gulabi's men against Ghashiram when he is forcibly divested of the necklace that Nana had given him. A stark example of this violence is the ordeal-by-fire episode. An innocent Brahman, accused of theft, unsuccessfully tries to convince Ghashiram of his innocence. Even though the evidence indicates that the Brahman has been unjust!y implicated, Ghashiram has an ordeal set up to test his innocence. The nails of the Brahman's right hand are pulled out and his fingers are washed with lemon juice and soap and then hands are sealed in a bag. Seven Rangolis are drawn on the floor and an iron ball is heated red hot. The ball is then placed forcibly on the hands of the protesting Brahman. Naturally, his hands burn and the cruel Ghashiram triumphantly proclaims that this would not have happened had he told the truth for only liars get burnt. He then urges the agonized man to 'confess' or else tlie ordeal would be repeated. Left with no choice, he falls into the trap - '1 confess that I stole'. (p.36). Instead of letting him off Ghashiram orders the soldiers to 'cut off his hands and drive him out of Poona'. (p.36). Here is an example of the extreme physical and mental violence that can be perpetrated by one human beings on another. How does this square with the so-called religious commitment of the Brahmans? In addition to this is also the more subtle violence that human beings are capable of. This is the violence of mental cruelty-the kinds we witness when Nana subdues Ghashiram's agony and anger at the death of his daughter by invoking protocol. 

But what is Tendulkar's aim in portraying this violence? According to Sudhir Sonal kar 'It [violence], has to somewhere grasp the tragic human condition, it has to have a poetic dimension to it ..... The violence of greek tragedy, moves and enriches. Tendulkar's violence shocks and even when it disturbs, the ethical question remains both untouched and unanswered'. ('Vijay Tendulkar and the Metaphor of 

violence' The Illustrated Weekly of India. Nov. 20, 1983, p.2 1). By leaving the ethical question open, Tendulkar is perhaps inviting his audience to think about the solutions for themselves. 

Is Tendulkar trying to convey a 'message'? 

As we know the function of art is not to provide answers or solution but to raise questions. If indeed it begins to have 'palpabale designs on us' as Keats would say, it becomes mere propaganda. In this play, as we can see, Tendulkar provides us with a blueprint for an unforgettable theatrical experience by satirizing the utter decadence of feudal society . By exposing the foibles and hypocrisies of Brahmans, he forces us to think about the situation of our own society. There are no easy answers. Underlying the .entertainment is a thread of seriousness and you may have felt slightly confused after completing the play. The 'end' in fact makes you think - How has Nana got I away scot free?

 How can the celebrating crowd be so oblivious to the fact that the real evil remains? And the fact that such questions come to mind proves the success of Tendulkar's enterprise

Write a note on Boswell technique in his "Life of Johnson".

Write a note on Boswell technique in his "Life of Johnson".

Or

Discuss some prominent features of Boswell's biographical art.

Or

Examine the biographical techniques used by Boswell in Life of Johnson.

The biographical techniques used by Boswell in Life of Johnson are:

Birth and Early Childhood: Boswell's narration of Johnson's family background is worth noticing in this paragraph. Boswell maintains that Johnson's father did not come from a well-to-do or known family.

The title of Gentleman, Boswell tells his readers, was 'taken by those who could not boast of gentility'. His mother on the other hand came from a well-known family of small landowners. Boswell, no matter how appreciative of Johnson, was a biographer, who wished to enable his readers to see the man described and discussed in the life, and not a panegyrist. He was in a way, following Johnson's precept. 'He that narrates,' wrote Johnson in Idler No. 84, 'the life of another..... shows his favourite at a distance, decorated and magnified like the ancient actors in their tragic dress and endeavours to hide the man that he may produce a hero!' Boswell tried to project the man. There is also an emphasis on 'never' in the first paragraph. It gives a hint of the amount of research and interviews Boswell conducted in order to arrive at definite facts on the life of Johnson. In the second and third paragraphs, Boswell tried to establish the precise nature of Johnson's precocity (prematurely developed in some faculty).

 Lord Chesterfield's Neglect: Boswell takes a lot of pain to discover the true story about Johnson's break with Chesterfield. He tells us about the testimony of Lord Lyttelton that palliates the act of Chesterfield to some extent.

He narrates the manner in which he got a copy of the letter Johnson wrote to Chesterfield and having given the letter he tells us what one of his eminent contemporaries William Warburton thought about Johnson. Boswell's biography is interesting and useful not only because he tries to tell us the true story objectively but also because he draws inferences from the events described. For example, in 'Birth and Early Childhood' Boswell said that he would endeavor to record the 'various excellences' of Johnson's character. It is this effort to record the qualities of man and of course, his shortcomings that is of central importance to the readers. We may point out that there is a letter of Johnson quoted in full in this section. It is so perfectly worded that it has been committed to memory by many. Historians have pointed out that this letter signals the end of the system of patronage in England. Boswell painstakingly collected all the letters of Johnson he could and incorporated them into his Life. This set the trend in the nineteenth century, of writing the two-volume Life and Letters of 171 so and so. Johnsons and Paoli: One of the strengths of Boswell's Life is his reports of meetings and conversation of Johnson with or about the other eminent people of the age and many a time also with people not so well known.

In the short space of the first paragraph, Boswell describes Johnson's views on language, disloyalty of husband and wife towards one another, courage and fear that he expressed before Paoli. In the second paragraph, Johnson discusses good breeding and free will and pre-determination with Boswell. In the west very frequently and sometimes in India as well religious people wish to know to what extent human beings are free to take moral decisions in their lives and fulfil those and to what extent they are pre-planned for specific actions and functions by God. Orthodox Christians believe that we are free unlike animals and Johnson's holds the same point of view.

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Look Back in Anger play written by John Osborne Summary

Look Back in Anger  Summary

Look Back in Anger (1956) is a realist play written by John Osborne. It focuses on the life and marital struggles of an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working-class origin, Jimmy Porter, and his equally competent yet impassive upper-middle-class wife Alison.

The characters act well in unison to give a unified touch to the play.

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Jimmy is agitated as he has not been able to find a job according to his qualification.

He earns his living by working at a candy shop.

Helena is from, a good family.

Jimmy's Friend cliff tries to calm fights.

Friend of Alison Helena has a bad character.

Incites the husband and wife to fight and hence gets close to Jimmy.

Lives as a mistress of Jimmy.

Colonel Redfern Father of Alison presented as a headless person.

He takes away Alison without trying to reach a negotiation between his daughter and Jimmy.

After some time Alison discovers that she is pregnant.

Alison who was pregnant goes through miscarriage and returns to meet Jimmy.

She pleads to Jimmy who forgives her.

Also Helena realizes that she was wrong in tempting Jimmy and hence breaking the house of Porters.

She departs and from here on Alison and Jimmy live happily.

Look Back In Anger by John Osborne Characters List Summary

Look Back In Anger

Characters List

Husband Jimmy Porter

Friend of Jimmy Porter Cliff Lewis

Wife of Jimmy Porter - Alison Porter.

                                    Helena Charles Friend of Alison Porter.

                                                 Father of ----Alison Porter.

Introduction
Look Back in Anger (1956) is a realist play written by John Osborne.

 It focuses on the life and marital struggles of an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working-class origin, Jimmy Porter, and his equally competent yet impassive upper-middle-class wife Alison.