II BSc Language Through Literature 1 - Notes

Part II – Language Through Literature I (UG – Semester III)

All B.Sc Degree Programmes

UNIT – 1 (PROSE)

1.1 Humanities vs Sciences - S. Radhakrishnan

Introduction 

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was an Indian philosopher and statesman who was the second President of India. Since 1962, his birthday is being celebrated in India as Teachers' Day on 5th September. According to Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, the three obstacles in the way of national development are ignorance, disease and poverty. By eradicating ignorance, the other two can be eradicated. Educated people, who have competence and skill, sense of direction and a social purpose, can transform the world. 

Technological education 

Dr.S.Radhakrishnan points out that technological education without the complement of humanistic studies will be imperfect and deficient. Science divorced from moral values is not acceptable. Therefore, he recommends an integrated study of humanities and sciences. Science is both knowledge and power. It has interest as well as utility. It demands discipline and hard work. It develops an attitude of tolerance, open-mindedness, freedom from prejudice and hospitality to new ideas. It shows us the richness of the world. Scientific knowledge is essential in the modern world. However, science must be oriented in the right direction.

Humanities 

Humanities are equally important because they tell us about our own nature and how we have a deeper meditation over the subject of life. In addition to technological knowledge, we need wisdom and humanism. In the ancient times Indian wisdom was connected to the wisdom of other parts of the world. For example, in the field of medicine or mathematics we find the influence of the Greek, the Roman and the West Asian. Our religion emphasizes the concept of “Tat tvam asi” (That art thou).

 Search for Truth 

God is Truth and so the search for Truth is the search of God. The advances in science were brought about by different people such as Newton, an Englishman, Kepler, a German, Copernicus, a Pole, and Galileo, an Italian. All the discoveries prove that both science and religion travel together. Truth is indivisible. Whether it is historical truth, scientific truth, literary truth, the approaches may be different, but the ultimate gain is the same. The problem with universities is that they produce either seers or men with mechanical skills. A blend of the two is possible. 

Conclusion 

All disciplines lead to one end, that is, the growth of wisdom. It is not weapons that destroy us but lack of wisdom that creates problems. Increase of knowledge alone is not sufficient. The aim of an institution is to help an individual attain self-awareness. Knowledge of the self is the greatest science. An education that does not orient a student is not desirable. It should help an individual to approach life positively with a human heart.

1.2 Wings of Fire (An Extract) - A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Introduction 

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist who served as the  11th president of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts.

Wings of Fire are the autobiography of former Indian president and eminent scientist Late APJ Kalam. The book is co-written by Arun Tiwari. A man of humble beginnings and simple life, he carried an unusual mix of spiritual convictions with man spirit of scientific enquiry. Born in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu (1931), young Muslim boy catapulted his fortunes to be called the ‘Missile Man’ of India. 

The book starts with homage to his parents and in particular to his mother Kalam named ‘My mother’. The book opens into four distinct parts named as 

Orientation (1931 to 63) 

The first part is all about the life of young Kalam. There is a mix of his interactions with his family, friends and teachers. The lessons he learned in through his tutelage and upbringing in Rameshwaram are beautifully dotted with black and white photographs of the period. It also covers his early education leading up to his graduation in aeronautical engineering degree from the Madras Institute of Technology. 

He hailed from a working-class Tamil Muslim family and the book is an interesting peek into the harmonious commingling of Hindus and Muslims of India celebrating the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and composite wealth India. As a boy, he sold newspapers to help his brother and to overcome his own financial challenges while attaining his education. Through the text, the need and support of family and friends are eulogized and it certainly proved to be the cornerstone of his life’s successes. 

Creation (1963 to 80) 

The next part concentrated on his progress as a man of science and innovation. It revolves around his work with defence and space projects. Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) became his first employers after completing his education as he was given a project on hovercrafts.

After nearly four years with DRDO, he joined the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) where he was mentored by some of the brightest Indian minds of Science like Professor Vikram Sarabhai, Dr Werner Van Braun, and Professor Satish Dhawan etc. He would go on to be part of several important satellite launches during his stint with DRDO with the crowning jewel being the Project Director of SLV-III, India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (1980). Here, Kalam has incorporated minutest of scientific acronyms, details etc. and tried to establish a window into his world of science and innovation. Another noticeable thing is his interactions with the common folks in such an organization and outside.

 

Propitiation (1981 to 91) 

In 1982, Kalam changes his place of work to rejoin the defence labs at the DRDO as its Director. Kalam goes on to give a firsthand account of some of the most incredible scientific innovations of the country like Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Integrated Guided Missile Programme of India and its constituent missiles like Akaash, Naga, Trishul and especially Agni, the Indian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile series. 

He even produced healthcare products using the same missile technology. He earned his moniker of ‘Missile-man of India’ for his achievement in this phase of his life. His insistence on a participative model of management was based on bringing the best out of every person. It made him a scientist with a soul. The section also pays tribute to the greatest scientific minds in the Indian Space journey and has a celebratory and nostalgic feel to it. Also, we again get to see his real-life work through many black and white snapshots Contemplation (Beyond 1991) The last part starts with him becoming the Scientific Advisor to India’s Defence Minister in 1992. In this phase of life, he contributed heavily to the nation becoming a nuclear power and reaching its nuclear destiny with the successful nuclear tests at Pokhran, Rajasthan in 1998. 

As ex-officio chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C), he went to chart out a vision of India 2020 as the World welcomed the new millennium. Never a man for the [plaudits, Kalam would go on to be bestowed with the country’s top three civilian awards: Bharat Ratna (1997), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Padma Bhushan (1981). Overall, he boasted an astounding haul of honorary degrees from 30+ universities from across the planet. The section also notes ideas, his contemplations and advice for the future of India culminating into Kalam’s -Vision 2020. A flag post of India attaining of self-sufficiency in innovation & technology vision. A perfect epilogue to an inspirational life journey. 

Conclusion

A common man’s journey to the orbit of success and commendation, the autobiography is widely considered one of the most inspiring of its time. It is an extraordinary story of a seemingly ordinary man with extraordinary drive and talents. It narrates the scientific voyage of a pioneer and far-sighted leader whose actions louder than his speeches and whose conduct disarmed his harshest of critics if there were any. 

In a country and a time ravaged by communal fire (Babri Masjid Demotion of 1992 by Terrorists) and in bureaucratic system paralyzed with greed and corruption, Abdul Kalam gave up his personal life for a life in service to his country and his countrymen so much so that he died on the stage giving a lecture. It is the message of the book wings of fire and it is something that young readers of his autobiography must ponder over. 

1.3 On the Rule of the Road - A.G. Gardiner 

Introduction 

Alfred George Gardiner (2 June 1865 – 3 March 1946) was an English journalist, editor and author. His essays, written under the alias “Alpha of the Plough”, are highly regarded. He was also Chairman of the National Anti-Sweating League, an advocacy group which campaigned for a minimum wage in industry. 

Summary 

A.G. Gardiner (1865 – 1946) in his essay “The Rule of the Road” points out what constitutes the true liberty. He begins by giving an example of an old lady who insisted on walking in the middle of the road in Petrogard instead of on the pavement. Her argument was that she had got liberty now to do so. She did not realize that like her, the cab-driver was also entitled to drive on the pavement. If such a thing happened, there would be traffic jams and chaos everywhere and nobody would be able to reach his or her destination in time. Such an individual liberty would result in complete anarchy in society. 

The author thins that these days people are increasingly getting liberty drunk, which is very dangerous. Therefore, we must understand the rule of the road. It means that in order to preserve the liberty of all, the liberties of everyone must be curtailed. The traffic policeman should be taken as a symbol of liberty and not of anarchy when he is controlling traffic. Some curtailment of private liberty is necessary so that everyone may enjoy a social order that made liberty a reality because liberty is not only a personal affair but also a social contract. 

If a person’s liberty does not affect other’s liberty, then he can so as he likes. For example, he may wear the type of clothes which he likes, wear shoes or walk bare feet, support long or short hair. He can follow his fancy by going to bed late or getting up early. He need not ask anybody’s permission in such things. But the moment his personal liberty begins to affect others, then it must be restricted. He may play his musical instrument as loudly as he wants if it does not disturb his neighbours. But he should ensure that his actions do not encroach upon the liberty of other people. 

The author gives another example of a person who entered a railway carriage and disturbed him with his loud talking when he was trying to read Blue-book. The man talked common place things with his friend in a loud and pompous voice and forced the author to stop reading. The author did not object lest he should be considered a very rude fellow. He feels that a reasonable consideration, for the rights and feelings of others is the foundation of social behaviour. He is of the view women are less civilised in this respect than men. The reason is that men are better trained than women in give and take of social relationship because they have lived more in broad current of the world. They have learnt from their school life, their club life and games. But not women are beginning to enjoy these things. 

The writer believes that the rights of small people and quiet people are also important to preserve. Motorists have no right to disturb others by blowing their horns deliberately and noisily. Similarly, one should listen to his gramophone inside his house maintaining privacy and not disturbing his neighbours. The fact is that we can be neither complete anarchists nor complete socialists in this complex world of ours. We must be a reasonable mixture of both. We must preserve our own liberty and our social liberty as well. This can be done by observing the rule of the road. In life great moments of heroism and sacrifice are rare. So, only the little habits of social behaviour can sweeten or make our life bitter.

UNIT – 2 (POETRY)

2.1 Leisure - W.H. Davies 

The poem Leisure by William Davies conveys a wonderful message about how we are busy with our own lives and have little time to enjoy our surroundings and nature. He blamed people in this poem for the fact that we are like a machine and run every day without knowing the little information about our world. 

In the poem, the demerits of the busy modern world are portrayed. The Poet expresses his disappointment with the incapacity and ignorance of modern man in reacting to the beauties of nature. Nature is the most beautiful gift offered to us by Heaven, perhaps. But modern men have little time to enjoy, but precious joys offered by nature, busy with his job and caught up in worries.

The Poet says that our life is useless if it is full of worries and if modern men have no time to stand and look at charming scenes of nature. The Poet says that modern men are so busy that they have no time to stand for some time under the dark, deep shadow of trees in the forest. They pass by the jungle without looking at these natural objects. The life of animals like cows and sheep is better than our life. They have a lot of time to spend in the company of nature. They have no time to see how squirrels hide their nuts in the grass. To experience all these joys modern men, need time. But they suffer with the problem of the lack of time. They have no time to look at the fresh and clear waters of streams in the daylight when rays of the sun fall on the waves of water in streams. It looks as if the stars are twinkling in the sky. They have no time to look at the beauty of a woman.

The Poet personifies beauty as a dancing girl with a smile. He has no time to watch her feet and note the movement in her dance. He has time to look at her smile and appreciate it. The Poet brings out the quality of her smile. He says that her smile is moving slowly. It begins with her eyes. Moving slowly, it reaches her lips. This movement makes her smile more charming. But modern men need time to note the movements and charms of her smile, but they have no time to do so. By citing all these examples, the poet shows his disgust over man’s way of living in which he has no time for leisure. At the end of the poem, the poet repeats the opening lines to give more stress to his idea. He says:

“A poor life this if, full of care

We have no time to stand and stare.”

2.2 The Secret of the Machines - Rudyard Kipling

 

The Secret of Machines' is one of Rudyard Kipling's best poems. The poem was written and published in 1911, during the Technological Revolution. Machines in this poem speak to human beings about themselves. He deals with problems of technology and automation. The unquestioned utility of man-made inventions is highlighted.

In the beginning of the poem, the poet highlights the way machines are shaped and how they are managed. The raw material, iron- ore and minerals for machines are taken from the ores and mines accordingly. They were further melted in the blast furnace and in the mine. Metals were melted and turned into various designs using the hammer to be fashioned. They were also cut into different sizes and measured fit according to the required weight.

The Second stanza states that the only requirement for the machine is water, coal and oil. The moving parts may have a clearance of a thousandth of an inch which may be the permissible variation from the required dimensions. These parts are closely arranged with bolts and nuts leaving only less than an inch for the movement of wheels. With such a setup, the machines are willing to work round the clock, non-stop without any rest.

The machines elucidate how they can serve human race by doing all the possible human activities mastered by machines. They say they can do various tasks such as pulling, carrying, pushing, lifting, driving, printing, ploughing, weaving, heating, lighting, mining, racing, swimming, flying, diving, seeing, hearing, counting, reading and writing.

The machines caution the readers with an unshakeable moral imperative – the Law by which it Jives! The machines represent a form of absolute truth that is particularly difficult for mankind to understand. Here machines tell us that they don’t emote nor understand different feelings such as love, pity or apology. It reiterates its dangerous nature by simply stating that a slip while handling it means instant death.

The design of the machine just changes. The dream of the “perfect machinery” suddenly seems to fade out. Machines aren’t perfect. Nature always wins over. Machines aren’t miraculous creations but just a creation of the human brain. Therefore, machines although capable of great deeds, are still nothing more than creations of the human brain.

The use of machines in everyday life has clearly established the fact that without them life comes to a standstill. Such is our dependence on machines which carry the instructions given by us. The perpetual use of machines in all fields shows the scalable heights it has reached.

2.3 Water - R. W. Emerson 

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a philosopher, journalist, and poet born on May 25, 1803. In his later life, he became part of a literary and philosophical group, now known as the American Transcendentalists. Ralph died on April 27, 1882 in Concord. His works are considered major works of the literature, religion, and thought of the 19th century. Emerson’s Water is a twelve-line poem written in free verse. The poem is a lyric poem since it does not narrate or tell any type of story. The poem stays true to Emerson’s transcendentalist nature since brings together both humans and nature in the very first line of the poem. 

In the first two lines Emerson “The water understands Civilization well” he personifies the water giving it the human quality of understanding, which means the water has the ability to think just like humans. The opening of the poem is much different than most other water poems. When thinking of water, it is quickly given the powers of cleansing, destroying and revitalizing and while Emerson will touch on those subjects his water knows what it’s doing. The application of water by humans is vast and the water is able to adapt to every single need that the human can ask of it. Both entities can coexist and man can manipulate the water so that he is able to survive.

The poet highlights the cleansing and revitalizing aspect that water gives us. It is used to clean but as Emerson says it cleans “prettily”. The water is able to not only clean us but it cleans us elegantly in order to make humans feel beautiful. Emerson begins to de-personify the water by showing that it isn’t like humans. “It is not disconcerted, it is not broken-hearted”. Emerson uses connotation here because he is simply trying to say that the water does not have feelings. He highlighted the simplicity of water as well as how it has no emotions. Unlike humans, water is simple and will act the way nature forces it to without any emotion. Man, and the forces of nature act as a prime mover forcing the water to act.

The next set of lines takes a very different stance on water. Water is now a double-edged sword. Emerson warns that if we use water correctly it will bring prosperity and joy. If we misuse the water, it destroys humans. This is strictly a warning not to upset nature otherwise nature will hurt humans. In the last set of lines Emerson ends on a negative note. He switches tone from showing the happy and side of water to warning us about the destruction it can cause. In the line with a face of golden pleasure” Emerson uses metaphor to personify the water as a happy human causing chaos. Emerson ends the poem with “elegantly destroy” to both reiterate his point and also to show his admiration for the water. While water is as scary as it is lovely Emerson still admires the beauty water.

2.4 Casey at the Bat - E. L. Thayer

‘Casey at the Bat,’ the speaker begins and introducing the current state of a baseball game. It is being played by the team from Mudville, a fictional town that Thayer invented for this poem. The game wasn’t going well. They are down “four to two” and there was only one more inning left to play. By setting up low expectations from the first lines of the poem.

The poem describes how team members were striking out and the crowd’s desire to see Casey, the main subject of this poem, get up and take his turn “at the bat”. This sets up the title sequence of this particular text. A reader will be immediately aware that Casey’s turn at the bat will be an important event.

In the next stanzas of ‘Casey at Bat,’ two more men come up to bat. The first is a “hoodoo,” a player whose presence is considered bad luck. As even non-fans of baseball know, luck and superstition often play a part in the game. The latter was “a cake,” Thayer says. This is a player who has dubious or uncertain skills. By using these slang words, which would only be recognizable by those who know the game well, Thayer is making it clear that he has a specific audience in mind: baseball lovers and/or players.

Despite the bad omen that came with these two aforementioned players, they did well. They got to second and third bases which means that Casey was going to get a chance at the bat. It’s his turn at the bat and the mood of everyone watching the game is lifted. Casey appears to be in good spirits as he “lightly doffed his hat”. Casey rubs his hands in the dirt and then wipes them on his shirt. Rather than call the baseball a baseball, Thayer refers to it as “leather-covered sphere”. The same can be said of Casey’s pose of “haughty grandeur”. Casey decides not to hit the ball. It’s not his “style” he says.

A “muffled roar” erupted from the crowd after this, emphasized by a simile comparing their movements and sounds to “the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore”. This drama is matched by their demands to “Kill the umpire”. The speaker humorously adds that this action was in fact quite likely if Casey had not “raised his hand”. Casey does not hit the ball for a second time and the umpire calls strike two.

Now the crowd directs its anger at Casey rather than the umpire. They call him “Fraud” but he silences them with a look. He appears determined and ready to hit the ball no matter what on the next pitch. The game doesn’t end as the crowd wanted. Casey strikes out and the crowd goes home unhappy.This is a surprising and interesting ending to a poem that felt set up for victory from the first lines. Casey’s overconfidence and decision not to swing at the first two pitches was his downfall.

2.5 Very Indian poem in Indian English - Nissim Ezekiel

Nissim Ezekiel is one of those Indian poets writing in English who creates an authentic flavour of India, by his use of Indian English - Pidgin English on Bazar English, as it is often called. The poem Very Indian Poem in Indian English, written in a very light vein is an ‘Indian poem’ because the poet looks at the world around him through the eyes of a typical middle-class Indian. Apparently, the speaker, the ‘I’ of the poem is literate but not highly educated. Here, the persona is voicing his opinions to a visitor.

In this poem the author Nissim Ezekiel is very much worried about the world, going into a situation where there’s no peace at all. He says that he has come to speak for peace and nonviolence. He is much hesitated and even frustrated that the people even can’t find their own way and reports that if at all they couldn’t find their right path they aren’t following the great motif of such a splendid leader like Mahatma Gandhi.

He is much thoughtful about the modern and the ancient culture. He says that he can give score for the ancient culture and wisdom more than 100% or even he can give them 200%. But when he speaks about the modern culture, he says that the people are being so terrible and inhuman saying that it’s a fashionable. Thus, it’s quite clear that he was a Middle-class writer who doesn’t wants to show his decorum anymore.

He also says the evil witty deed of a murderer that he noticed at the newspaper that he read. From this he insists us reading newspaper is a vital thing to know the world around you. He wants the world to be reborn with all goodness in the hearts and souls of Human Beings. He says a nice advice to everyone to be patient to your family so that it ultimately reflects up to the society. He says that all the men in the world are his brothers nameless of what culture, race, and religion and so on…

He also says that Tolerance should be practiced like him. It’s because as we all are humans; we do have the nature of performing mistakes. He says at the end about the parting of the reader and the writer that he misses our company. Thus, Nissim Ezekiel is quite a very humorous people who brings all moment very soulful.

UNIT – 3 (SHORT STORIES)

3.1 Witches’ Loaves - O. Henry

William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer, was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1882, where he met his wife, Athol Estes, with whom he had two children. In 1902. Porter's works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief". His stories are known for their surprise endings and witty narration. Porter also wrote poetry and non-fiction.

The story Witches’ Loaves was written by O. Henry. It is about an old woman, Miss Martha, who runs a small bakery, and who takes note of her every customer, in this case a man with a German accent and who has been a regular customer. The man, Blumberger, doesn’t seem rich in any way; his clothes are mend at some places, and sagged at others. Despite that, he looks neat in a pair of spectacles, keeps his brown beard well-trimmed and is very well behaved.

Martha judges too fast, she is quick to conclude that the man is an artist when she notices some colour stains on his fingers, when she finds out that he is an architectural draftsman who uses stale bread he buys as an eraser. The writer uses the fresh and stale bread, the chops, light rolls and jam and the delicious Sally Lunns which Martha enjoys, to contrast the rich and poor status in the society. The story depicts a generous community, represented by the woman who owns the bakery and a range of wheat products she can share. She has a sympathetic heart and pities him, assuming he eats the stale bread because he cannot afford the fresh ones. She wishes she shared with him the better food she has. There is the aspect of fear of expression or opening up to someone. Martha feels like she needs to warn the man about his poor health but she doesn’t think she had what it takes. She thinks of the man as proud artist just like the others, and who cares less about his health but his work.

In conclusion, the story is sarcastic and humorous as is seen in the case. The woman gets fond of him and seems ready to help him in some way, if he is poor as she thinks, so one time in an attempt to please him, she sneaks butter in the loaves he’s ordered so he doesn’t eat his bread dry. The butter spoils his work, a contract he had been assigned to do and he comes back very angry with her. It also shows that anger drives us to do things we might regret for example the man comes back all the way to call the woman names, when hers might be the only bakery available. On the other hand, the woman throws her work, the quince seed and borax mixture, through the window.

3.2 The Country of The Blind – H. G. Wells

The Country of the Blind” is the best known of the almost one hundred short stories written by H. G. Wells. It was first published in the April 1904 issue of The Strand Magazine, and subsequently in book form in The Country of the Blind and Other Stories(1911). Wells later revised the story, and an expanded version with a different ending appeared in 1939.

The story is told as a third-person narrative. While leading a group of English mountaineers attempting to climb the unconquered crest of Parascotopetl (a fictitious mountain in Ecuador), Nunez slips and falls. At the end of his descent, down a snowy slope in the mountain’s shadow, he finds a valley, cut off from the rest of the world on all sides by steep precipices. Quite by accident, Nunez has discovered the fabled Country of the Blind, which had been a haven for settlers fleeing the tyranny of Spanish rulers until an earthquake cut the valley off from the outside world. The isolated community prospered over the years, despite a disease that struck them early on, rendering all new-borns blind. As the blindness slowly spread over fifteen generations, the people’s remaining senses sharpened, and by the time the last sighted villager died, the community had fully adapted to life without sight.

Nunez descends into the valley and finds an unusual village with windowless houses and a network of paths, all bordered by kerbs. Upon discovering that everyone is blind, Nunez begins reciting to himself the proverb, “In the Country of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King”. He believes that he can teach and rule them, but the villagers have no concept of sight, and do not understand his attempts to explain this fifth sense to them. Frustrated, Nunez becomes angry, but the villagers calm him, and he reluctantly submits to their way of life, as returning to the outside world seems impossible.

Nunez is assigned to work for a villager named Yacob. He becomes attracted to Yacob’s youngest daughter, Medina-saroté, and the pair soon fall in love. After winning her confidence, Nunez tries to explain sight to Medina-saroté, but she dismisses it as his imagination. When Nunez asks for her hand in marriage, he is turned down by the village elders on account of his “unstable” obsession with “sight”. The village doctor suggests that Nunez’s eyes be removed, claiming that they are diseased and are “greatly distended”, and because of this “his brain is in a state of constant irritation and distraction.” Nunez reluctantly consents to the operation because of his love for Medina-saroté. However, at sunrise on the day of the operation, while all the villagers are asleep, he sets off for the mountains without provisions or equipment, hoping to find a passage back to the outside world.

In the original version of the story, Nunez climbs high into the surrounding mountains until night falls, and he rests, weak with cuts and bruises, but happy that he has escaped the valley. His fate is not revealed. In the revised and expanded 1939 version, Nunez sees from a distance that there is about to be a rock slide. He attempts to warn the villagers, but again they scoff at his “imagined” sight. He flees the valley during the slide, taking Medina-saroté with him.

3.3 The Boy Who Broke The Bank - Ruskin Bond

Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. His father, Aubrey Alexander Bond was an officer of the Royal Air Force (RAF) posted in India. He studied in Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in the Dehra, his novel in English. Bond has written hundreds of short stories, essays, novels and books for children. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

The story is about Seth Govind Ram’s bank at Pipalangar town. The bank is financially very sound and has won the trust of most of the residents of the town. It has many depositors from the town. Nathu is a sweeper in the bank. One day, while sweeping the steps of the bank, he grumbles about the irregular payment of his salary by the bank authorities. Sitaram, the washerman’s son, who passes by, talks to Nathu and learns about Nathu’s complaints. Nathu tells him that he was planning to leave the job as soon as he gets his salary.

Sitaram in his loose talk with Mrs. Srivastava, who is looking for a sweeper, talks to her about Nathu, and adds that the bank could not pay its employees. Mrs. Srivastava is a talkative lady. She misunderstands Sitaram’s statement and starts believing that the Piplangar bank was on the verge of bankruptcy. She meets Mrs. Bhushan in the market She informs Mrs. Buhshan about the weak position of the bank. She goes to the market and tells her husband immediately about the exaggerated news of the bank. Her news shocks Kamal Kishore the photographer; Deep Chand, the barber; bank’s customer, and many others in the market. Deep Chand is so startled that he injures his customer while shaving. His customer tries to contact Govindram on phone, but as Govind Ram is enjoying his vacation in Kashmir, he is unavailable. This strengthens the rumour and it spreads like a wildfire in the entire town of Pipalnagar.

Naturally, all the account holders and the depositors flock near the bank premises and demand their money back. Everyone tries to analyse the condition in his or her own way. Those who had no money in the bank considered themselves to be wise. Some said that Govin Ram had left the mother country. By noon, all the cash was exhausted in the bank. The harassed manager tried to request the people to wait for a day so that he might manage the emergency funds from another bank, but none is ready to accept the proposal. People want their amount there and then. He tries to assure people of the sound condition of the bank, and also adds that the bank has plenty of amount, but it will take time to collect the money, but none believes in him. Some mischief-mongers among the crowd excite people and start stoning the bank building and break the glasses. Thus, a sound bank is broken, unfortunately.

The following day when Nathu goes to the bank for his duty, he finds a lot of broken glasses and stones on the steps of the bank. He murmurs angrily that the bank authorities were not paying him regularly on one hand and were also increasing his work. Sitaram comes and tells Nathu that he must accept the new job as the bank is already closed. Nathu is quite surprised to hear the news. He says “how could it happen?” At the end of the story, we find Nathu murmuring on the bank steps that nobody would ever have thought that the bank would collapse. For him, the event is a mystery.

Thus, humour dominates the story. The description of Mrs. Bhushan talking to her husband, the customer running with one side unshaved, and the beggar Ganpat, running with a crooked log, etc. create a sea of laughter. The end of the story has the climax of humour, when Nathu, who is responsible for the whole episode, wonders innocently about the breaking of the bank. The writer has portrayed all the characters so nicely that the readers get a live picture of an Indian town under the spell of a rumour. The story entertains the readers.

3.4 The Squirrel -  Ambai

Introduction: 

‘The Squirrel’ is a famous short story by Ambai. It was written in Tamil Language titled ‘Anil’ by Ambai and was translated into English by Vasanth Kannabiran and Chudamani Ragavan in 1992. The author is known for writing about women. This story also brings out the problems faced by women. Through this story she makes us understand how women’s writings were not taken care of in those days. The short story “Squirrel” voices about feminism and male domination.

The Library:

The story “Squirrel” is based on the narrator’s visit to a library, which is full of feminist writing. She asked the librarian what was there on the top floor of the library. The librarian said that there was nothing but only dust. The narrator asked about the books there. The librarian replied that those were the books written by women. The narrator asked him to allow her to look at those books. There was a squirrel which has come there to eat the glue found on the covers of the books. The character of the squirrel in the story stood for the inner world of the narrator. The transition between dream and reality and vice versa is made through the representation of the squirrel. The narrator found volumes of PenmadhiBodhini and Jaganmohini and many other books in the third floor of the library. The narrator touched the spine of a mended, nineteenth-century book and felt as though a shock rose from the sole of her foot.

Narrator’s views about the books: 

The narrator sarcastically says that only she and the squirrel were there to grieve for Anna Sattianandhan who was on her deathbed and asked her husband to pray. She says that the woman who first set out on horseback to spread Christianity broke through the meshed windows of the library. A Bengali girl set fire to herself when she could not prevent her father selling their only house to meet her marriage expenses. Thus, the books she read made her feel the agony of the women writers. 

The narrator says that the books on the third floor of the library were not mere books. They talked about the whole generations agonizing with life. Our Indian women wore nine-yard saris and played badminton with the white women. They were addressed as “my girl” trying to sound. Women were taught the dharma to be followed by them. Nallathangal pushed her son into a well and jumped herself into it. An unshaven dead widow was denied the performance of the last rites. The devadasis dedicated to the temple underwent a lot of suffering. Mahatma Gandhi addressed women spinning at the charka. 

Women In Journals: 

The narrator went through the journals. In the journal ‘Tyagabhumi’ Uma Rani declared that she was not a slave. “Kasini” gave new patterns for bangles. The girl on the cover of The Ananda Vikatan walked freely while her husband carried the shopping bag. Tamarai Kanni Ammaiyar said that we should give up our lives for Tamil. Ramamrutham Ammaiyar angrily confronted Rajaji who wrote that Gandhi would not come unless people pay him money. The narrator returned to senses only the squirrel tapped its tail and raised dust. The squirrel ate the glue found on the covers of the books.

Conclusion: 

The narrator found the library a dark and dusty place where the library staff was trying to restore the books that were falling apart. At lunch time the staff indulged in idle conversation and exhibited no interest in the work assigned to them. The librarian used string and mended the books in the library. He wrote letters to the higher authorities to reimburse the amount he spent for the string but was in vain. The librarian told the narrator that the books and magazines were waste and they should be burnt one day. This made the narrator leave the library with a heavy heart. Thus, the story reveals the sufferings of women and women writers in the past.

UNIT -4 (NON – FICTION)

4.2 Facebook is Making Us Miserable - Daniel Gulati

Facebook has changed the way that many people communicate with family and friends, but some believe it’s not always for the better. The social networking site’s recent changes spotlighting what you’re hearing, watching, and reading are geared to make users share more.

“Facebook is making us unhappy by making everyone else look really, really happy.” Author Daniel Gulati blogs for Harvard Business Review. He says all that shared information is creating a subconscious “ranking” among friends as our curated selves broadcast online are compared in real life.

“Facebook is bringing down a lot of people’s daily sense of well-being.” He says Facebook leads to a loss of productivity in work and play and can negatively affect close relationships.

“Meeting up in person, you get a much richer connection versus a video chat or a text-based chat. It’s cannibalizing the offline interaction. That’s what’s worrying to me the future prospect of Facebook conversations and video calls as opposed to meeting up at the local coffee shop.”

Gulati doesn’t advocate quitting the site, but suggests setting aside a daily time to visit with one day off Facebook each week. He also recommends deleting Facebook apps for mobile devices and pruning your list of friends all, he says, to give you more time to “strengthen real-world relationships.”

4.3 One World One Culture

-  Kenneth J.Pakenham, Jo Mcentire, Jessica Williams Author Introduction

Kenneth J. Pakenham Associate prof. Emeritus in the Dept of English University of Akron, Ohio, USA. Has earned his Ph D from University of Pittsburg. He specializes in: Theory and Practice of teaching/Learning ESL ESL Reading Text Book writing, First and 2nd Language Acquisition and Sociolinguistics.

Jo Mcentire has done BA from Manchester University. An ESL Faculty at Shoreline Community College, Washington, USA has authored a lot of textbooks for several Universities.

Jessica Williams - A Ph. D in applied Linguistics and is Professor Emerita Linguistics at University of Illinois, Chicago, USA has several scholarly articles and textbooks to her credit.

Summary 

The article "one world: one culture?" was written in 2013 by three authors who were Pakenham, Mclntire, and Williams. Firstly, the authors introduced the topic by showing out two main factors which caused culture change. The two factors were immigration and globalization.

Secondly, they gave evidence of how globalization affected culture such as cultural levelling. Also, cultural levelling caused some pros such as getting new cultures to strength their own unique characteristics. Besides, there are still some cons from cultural levelling. 

In the third part of the article, it talked about how globalization affected India, which was influenced deeply in their culture, economy, and clothes. There were also two arguments that did globalization bring advantages or not. It seems that globalization was a bad influence on them. On the other hand, American media was a representative for globalization which dominated other countries.

There was also a conflict between the citizen and the leadership who were trying to prevent the attack of American culture. After all, the human demand on this western culture won by the fact that movies and music production from the USA were being spread out all over the world.

UNIT-5 (DRAMA – SCENES FROM SHAKESPEARE)

 5.1 The Merchant of Venice (Act IV, Scene I, Lines 170-419)

Shylock and Antonio appear before the Duke of Venice. Shylock demands fulfilment of the letter of their contract, and Antonio believes it is pointless to argue or try to reason with Shylock. The duke hopes Shylock will relent and show Antonio mercy at the last minute, but Shylock makes it clear he has no such plan. He says he wants the pound of flesh because it is "[his] humor," and he refuses when Bassanio offers him twice the sum of the original loan. Shylock compares his entitlement to Antonio's body to the way other Venetians feel entitled to do as they will with the bodies of their slaves and animals.

The duke calls Doctor Bellario from Padua and Balthazar, Doctor Bellario's colleague from Rome, who is actually Portia in disguise. She first appeals to Shylock to show Antonio mercy because mercy is its own reward. She goes on to respond to Shylock's calls for justice by saying, "That in the course of justice none of us/Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy." Shylock remains unmoved, just as he remains unmoved by Bassanio's repeated offers to pay twice or 10 times the sum of the loan.

Portia looks at the bond and urges Shylock to accept three times the amount of the loan. When he refuses again, Portia bids Antonio to prepare for Shylock's knife. She waits until Shylock approaches Antonio with the knife before stopping him and informing him that the bond allows him a pound of Antonio's flesh, but it does not allow him any drop of Antonio's blood. It is impossible for Shylock to take his pound of flesh without spilling blood, so Shylock is found guilty of conspiring to commit murder against a citizen of Venice.

Shylock could receive the death penalty for this crime, but the duke spares his life. The duke takes half Shylock's fortune for the state and gives the other half to Antonio. Antonio asks the court to drop the fine of half his goods to the state and says he will give his own half of Shylock's fortune to Lorenzo and Jessica upon Shylock's death. He requires Shylock to leave any of his own possessions to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death as well and that Shylock convert to Christianity. Shylock agrees to these terms and leaves the court.

After Shylock departs and Antonio is freed, he and Bassanio thank Portia—still believing her to be Balthazar—for her assistance. They insist on giving her some payment for her trouble, and she takes Bassanio's gloves. She then asks for his ring, the one she gave him when they were wed. Bassanio refuses to part with the ring, and she scolds him for not giving her the ring and takes her leave. Antonio then convinces Bassanio to send the ring to the legal scholar saying, "Let his deserving’s and my love withal/Be valued 'against your wife's commandment." Bassanio sends Gratiano to catch up with Portia and give her the ring.”.

 5.2 Henry IV Part I (Act II, Scene IV)

William Shakespeare

Prince Hal and Poins enter a tavern. They tease Francis, who works in the tavern, by calling him in opposite directions until he is completely confused and in trouble with his boss. The vintner then tells Prince Hal that Falstaff and some other men are at the door and asks if he should let them in. Prince Hal says he should. Before they arrive, Prince Hal does a brief imitation of Hotspur, exaggerating his heroism and habits.

Falstaff enters, calling for a drink. As he downs the drink and starts another, he accuses Prince Hal of cowardice for not showing up the night before. Falstaff then tells the story of how he was robbed, making himself into more and more of a hero by inflating the number of men who attacked him. Prince Hal lets him go on for a while before admitting that he and Poins were the ones who attacked Falstaff and the other thieves. Falstaff tries to save face by claiming he knew instinctively it was Prince Hal the whole time and that he refused to fight back because he would never attack the heir to the throne.

The hostess enters and tells Prince Hal that a messenger from the king has come for him. Falstaff volunteers to find out what he wants. While he is gone, the other thieves explain how Falstaff taught them to make it look like they had been in a large fight. Falstaff returns with serious news: Percys and Mortimer have joined the rebellion, and Prince Hal has to go see his father. To prepare for this, Falstaff and Prince Hal take turns playing the king so the prince can practice explaining himself. Their game is interrupted when the sheriff enters to search the house. Prince Hal tells everyone to hide, which is fortunate because the sheriff is looking for Falstaff as a suspect for the robbery. Once the sheriff leaves, Prince Hal finds Falstaff asleep. He searches Falstaff's pockets but finds nothing but bar receipts. Signalling the start of his reformation, Prince Hal declares that he will pay back the stolen money before he goes off to the war.

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