How Sane Are We – Four Levels of Interaction

Anuradha Chaudhary, Bangladesh(1947)

Literal Comprehension: This essay by Bangladeshi writer, Anuradha Chaudhary, focuses

on the consciousness of environment and need of its conservation. As we are responsible for

destroying nature its conservation is also our responsibility. We should not destroy anything

in nature, they are not only for us; they are the gifts handed over to give or hand over our

many generations. But there is vast destruction of nature in the world but less effort for

saving and conserving nature. We think ecology and politics are closely linked although

many people do not see any link between them. As elections are held to select our

representatives, the representatives, whom we trust best, become ministers. So we easily

think that they make only good decisions always for all but our representatives or ministers

are wrong; they do just opposite; they think only their benefit, chair, party and vote. Many

people think that political leaders are trustworthy so, who trust them cannot believe that they

are irresponsible towards nature.

Chloroflurocarbons(CFC) are man-made chemicals. They cause 20% of the greenhouse

effect. They cause to deplete the ozone layer which is like a shield around earth. This absorbs
99% of the sun‟s ultraviolet rays. If the rays reach the earth, they will affect ecosystem,
decrease agricultural productivity, weaken human immune system, cause skin cancer and eye
cataracts. In 1920 CFCs were first made to use in refrigerators, spray cans, computer chips,
air-conditioners etc. In 1974, the world‟s scientists disclosed the fact that there is link
between CFCs and the ozone layer, but nations and CFCs producers turned deaf ears towards
the warning. Only in 1985, it was believed that there is a link between CFCs and the ozone
layer. Then the world‟s nations signed a document to stop CFCs productivity by 2006.

The decision of phasing out CFCs globally is a rational decision but the writer does not think
they are honest to the decision. They could stop the use of CFCs immediately and use
cheaper and harmless chemicals to substitute CFCs. But their decisions lack implementation.
By allowing people to use CFCs for some more times, we are causing destruction to
ourselves. Here the writer relates the science fiction “War with the Newts” by Karel Capek.
Where the newts are exceptionally clever water animals which could give men pearls. Men
gave them knives to keep themselves safe from sharks. Their number increased so largely
that they even went to the country to live and endangered the existence of human beings.
Like the newts we are destroying our own dwelling and worsening our environment and air.
Interpretation: We human being is considered the supreme creature of all the other many
creatures in the world; we think ourselves wise, witty, clever, intelligent, enthusiastic and
responsible creature. But, we are so sane that we destroy our own home and ourselves not
only other creatures. We think only inheritance of the natural things here and do whatever
thing we like. The essay also implies that human cannot make rational decisions. Neither
general people choose rational political leaders as their representatives nor do the elected
representatives make right decisions in time. Moreover, they are not honest too. They are
only worrying about the next election but not about the future of people and other creatures.
They know that CFCs are depleting ozone layer but are not doing anything to stop the use of
this harmful chemical. They make decisions but have no courage and take no initiation of
implementation. Thus, we are spoiling environment by electing such leaders and they are
spoiling the future of mankind.

Critical thinking: This essay is mainly focused on environmental degradation and

importance of its conservation. In this essay the writer criticizes the governments, politicians
and factory owners who use harmful chemicals like chloroflurocarbons. She gives emphasis
on its conservation because we are responsible for its destruction. She criticizes sharply to the
leaders and the people who elect such leaders but she does not think the scientists should also
be equally careful about the harmful effects of the chemical. Not only leaders and scientists
all we are equally responsible for this problem and should be careful for its solution.

Assimilation: Reading literary tests is very beneficial. Literature gives not only pleasure or
entertainment but a vast knowledge about different fields. As I read this essay, I got a lot of
information from this essay. I knew about the ozone layer and its usefulness. I also knew the
bad sides of air conditioners and refrigerators. Before this I was careless of these things; I
would not feel anything while using AC and fridge, but now I feel I am guilty of polluted
nature when I use these appliances. I have seen many people suffering from skin cancer,
respiratory problems and other many diseases. This might have been caused by the ultra
violet rays of the sun and the depleted ozone layer. Now I will try to convince all my relatives
and families about these problems.
Flax-Golden Tales
Don’t Cut Down The Trees, Brother Woodcutter
Balkrishna Sama (1902 – 1981) | Translated by Michael
Hutt
Literal Comprehension: The poem “Don‟t Cut Down the Trees, Brother Woodcutter” is
composed by Nepali poet Bal Krishna Sama. The main theme of the poem is about
conservation of nature. Specially, the poet argues that trees are very important in our lives
and they need to be protected. The poet considers the trees as our dead mother who are silent
observers, but they protect us from natural calamities. The poet personifies the tree. The tree
is like our mother that is around us and takes care of us. When we remember our childhood,
we find that most of the time we play around the tree. It gives us fruits and flowers as if our
mother cares us. Thus, no child is hungry. Their leafy lips kiss us and when they feel tired,
they sigh and weep. They never speak a word. They are able to tolerate and their pains and
grieves are only for our sake. They never complain.

Further, the poet says that in winter the family sits around the fire burnt from the wood, and
sing and talk. In the winter, the trees are covered with white frost that makes them bow at us.
Nevertheless, we are ignorant. We do not understand all the scarifies and tolerance that the
trees endure to sustain our lives. They silently and secretly pass the cold nights dreaming of
our happy and cheerful days we spent during our childhoods under their guardianship. They
also hear us singing the songs they had taught us. They bless our laugher all the time. They
always love us. But, they cannot express their inner thoughts to us. It does not mean that they
are lifeless, ignorant and thoughtless. They wait for us until winter ends. As soon as spring
arrives, they again spread out their arms and appeal us not to cut off their arms.

Interpretation: In this pro-environment poem, the poet is trying to be more concerned with
the pressing problems of deforestation and environmental degradation. He repeats the idea of
considering the earth and its plants as respectful and forgiving to us, the selfish humans who
ceaselessly fell down trees for fulfilling their present needs. The poet is indirectly criticizing
the human act of clearing the lands, thus, making the life of our children and grandchildren
insecure. The trees need to be saved for our future in case the human species may become
extinct.

Critical Thinking: The poem “Don‟t Cut Down the Trees, Brother Woodcutter” has
contemporary message to all the generation. Keeping the environment balance is the upmost
property for the benefit of human beings. Some of the ideas presented in this poem are not
common to cover all sorts of ecological parts. For instance, those who live in hot place do
they find frost on the top of the trees during winter?

Assimilation: After reading this poem, once I felt to think of our dense forest found in Terai
belt. There was “Charkose Jhadi” which was the great economic source of Nepal. Now we do
not find it. if the then government was alerted like the poet Sama even nowadays we could
find that dense forest. Thus, I appeal citizens and the government to conserve the forest
whatever is left for our future generation.
Four Levels of “To Know a Fly”
Vincent Dethier (1915 – 1993)
Literal Comprehension:
„To Know A Fly‟ is an essay based on scientific experiment. It has presented the view that
every scientific experiment is to be carried out consciously and carefully because any
experiment carried randomly may not give appropriate and acceptable result. The experiment
always begins with act of faith over reality, cause and effect relationship, discovery by
reason, our senses. It continues with an observation and a question. The scientist in fact alters
the condition, observes a result and draws a conclusion. Therefore a man willing to conduct
an experiment needs to be careful and conscious enough in this concern, since the most
commonly committed scientific sin is the lack of proper experimental control.

The text presents one example of carefully carried out experiment and the next the randomly
conducted experiment. Once a gentleman by cutting off flea‟s hind legs draws a conclusion
that it hears from the hind legs since it couldn‟t jump despite his order and he had already
tried by amputating other parts of it. Similarly the next man concluded from his experiment
that the intoxicating quality lies in glass not in water and even not in other alcoholic
substances like bourbon, rum, scotch, rye, and gin and so on since all these substances were
mixed with water. This kind of confusing correlation with cause and effect gives rise to
fallacy and scientific sin.

Finally, the text presents the extraordinary capacity of fly to test and identify the sweetness in
substance. This is the most fruitful experiment conducted through shrewd observation. It
extends out its proboscis and tastes the food item to ensure either it is sweet or not. It is too
much sensitive. It tastes the food through the proboscis.

Interpretation:
As a piece of scientific writing, the text is trying to present the importance of experiment and
alerts that one must be careful and conscious to carry out the experiment. Otherwise, it harms
more than it helps. Similarly, presenting an experiment on fly informs the reader that nature
has given every creature with own distinct qualities. In this, it is useless to regard human as
superior creature in the world.

Critical Thinking:
The text presents the ideas on scientific experiment and its importance. Naturally, one must
be conscious and careful but in every experiment such excessive consciousness doesn‟t work.
Since many scientific discoveries are taking suddenly and in random experiments. No
scientist works being fixed on his invention. Whatever the discoveries take place, it is sudden
and strange.

Assimilation:
As I went through the story, it really impressed me. I used to think that experiment is just to
get the conclusion and they are easy. Everything is there and to experiment is to mix the
things and observe them carefully. But now I know that to perform experiment needs a lot of
care and knowledge. More than that, after reading it, I came to know and accept the fact that
nature has equally empowered its creatures with distinct qualities.
Flax-Golden Tales
King John and The Abbot of Canterbury
Four Levels of Interactions
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
Anonymous, England (before 1695)
Literal Comprehension: Once the king of England was quite jealous and suspicious of the
prosperity of the Abbot of Canterbury. So he thought that the abbot might make a conspiracy
against his throne. The king decided to get rid of him. So he called the abbot and asked three
nonsense questions on the condition that he would behead him if he failed to answer the
questions within fifteen days. The questions were: What is the exact price/value of the king
with his crown of gold on his head among the noblemen? How quickly he may ride the whole
world about? What does the king think at the moment? It made him too sad. He tried his best
to find the answer by consulting the professors visiting the university but couldn‟t. Finally,
his own shepherd promised him to help him. So one day, in order to answer the questions
raised by the king, the shepherd changed himself as the abbot and went to the palace. One by
one he answered that the value of the king was twenty nine pence less than the savior, for the
second he responded that it takes a whole day if he rose and ran in the speed of sun that
rotates round the earth and for the last, he responded that the king might be thinking that he
was the abbot of Canterbury but he was wrong because he was a simple shepherd to abbot..
Finally, the disguised shepherd i.e. the abbot exposed all the truths. The king pardoned them
and withdrew all his charges.

Interpretation: From the moral point of view, the poem is much impressive. Through the
poem, the poet proves that the bookish and formal education is not so much effective and
useful to solve the practical problems. On the one hand, it has a great lesson that people and
their knowledge shouldn‟t be judged on the ground of their profession and appearance. Thus
the text has taught a great lesson that makes it clear that much is learnt through their daily life
activities than from the universities. So the so called ignorant ones in terms of getting formal
education aren‟t to be ignored and devaluated.

Critical Thinking: The poem seems to be much humorous and satirical. So far it imparts the
idea of human knowledge and wisdom, it is appropriate but in whatever way the King Abbot
and the Shepherd are presented, they don‟t seem believable and convincing. Since the king
fails to recognize the shepherd changed as abbot. Similarly, the shepherd is presented in such
a way that doesn‟t fit him to be more than that it mocks the formal education. It is too
difficult to accept it.

Assimilation: Reading this poem, I am too much impressed with the fact that only the formal
education doesn‟t make people capable, rather they may learn many things from the practical
experiences too. Having seen in my village, I come to know that many old people are capable
of doing various things which other educated men don‟t know. So people can learn many
things from their practical knowledge and experience.
Flax-Golden Tales
Third Thoughts – Four Levels of Interactions
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
E.V. Lucas, England (1868 – 1938)
Literal Comprehension: Once the writer‟s friend while visiting New York bought a painting
thinking that it was by Turner. He got it at cheap price since the seller was also confused
about its originality. With the painting he went to London and sold it at fifty pounds. He was
so much happy that he decided to share the profit with seller of New York. At first, he
decided to share fifty percent of his profit and wrote a letter but having no stamp, he went to
his room. Again at about 3 AM, he thought it quite inappropriate to share the profit but still
thought of sending ten pounds only. His thinking kept on changing and couldn‟t sleep well.
Again. he thought of sending five pounds thinking that if he shared, the Goddess would be
angry and he thought it was he who knew the value of the painting. If he had known it, he
wouldn‟t have given him at such cheap rate, so it is wrong to send him the profit. Finally, he
decided to send only a pound. Early in the morning, he went out side and spent all his money
in gambling. Finally, he concluded that buying and selling are straight forward matter.
Everyone in this matter tries to get benefit. The buyer once paying to the goods has no
obligation to the dealer.

Interpretation: The story presenting the constant changing nature of human mind seems to
be full of humor and satire. Basically thinking with the nature of businessman‟s mind it
proves that human mind can never be rigid and fixed. Especially in business their mind keeps
on changing. At another level, it sheds light on human earning since the earning as that of
writer‟s friend has no meaning at all in life. The most important thing in the story is that in
business buying and selling are straight forward dealings. It has nothing to do with human
consideration, sympathy and faith. Once goods are sold or bought they have nothing to do
with them since then.

Critical Thinking: The story offers a great deal of humor and satire. But in many respects, it
doesn‟t seem appropriate and convincing. The first is: Does anyone want to share his profit?
It is so much unbelievable. Similarly, the seller of any good knows its quality and the cost.
Does any seller sell his good without knowing it?

Assimilation: As I went through the story, it reminded me of my own events that I

experienced earlier. Once I had been to my village after a long time from the city. I had taken
a beautiful watch there. Everyone liked it, one of my friends promised to pay Rs 500 for it ,so
I gave it to him. I got Rs 300 as profit, and so I got extremely happy.
Adventures in English
Four Levels of “Who Was to Blame ?”
Anton Chekhov (1860 – 1904)
Literal Comprehension:
This story is an incomplete list of stories sketched by „Anton Checkov.‟ This story deals with
a mental person humors. In the story the narrator compares his life with a little kitten. The
writer of the story has made his uncle and little kitten as the main character and Parsakova,
the maid as a female character. The story begins with training the kitten to kill the rats as they
used to disturb the uncle sometimes by nibbling the top of hat and sometimes by nibbling the
corner of the grammar book. In course of training, the kitten was unable to catch the mice as
it was difficult for it to match with the speed of little mice. The kitten was under strict
environment of rules and regulation of narrator uncles. Being several times failed in the uncle
test and experiment, the uncle threw the little kitten away. Years passed, the thin frail kitten
had turned into a solid and sagacious tom cat. On the way to his house, one day he saw the
same cat which was still fail in its mission which made uncle realize his wastage of his
precious time that he spent on training it. So does the narrator in the story never learn the
Latin English grammar as it was beyond his interest.

Interpretation :
The central idea of the story is that a creature cannot be trained forcefully. It is against their
will to learn. To learn anything, a person must have keen interest and early eagerness. In
course of time, it automatically get adjusted with the environment and be practical to their
duties and responsibility. No creature can adjust in a strict environment as in the story too the
little kitten was forced to catch the mice, which was beyond its mental and physical ability.
So, as the narrator in the story also couldn‟t learn the Latin grammar as it was beyond his
interest.

Critical thinking:
This story reveals the fact that no one can be trained forcefully. It is a good and a
knowledgeable story but I am unsatisfied with some parts of it. Do any cars runs away when
they see a rat in reality? Is keeping a cat only the way to get rid of rat? How can a teacher not
understand the feeling of cat? It is possible to raise such question for the reader like me.

Assimilation :
Before reading this story I used to think that a person can be trained with good skills,
physically and mentally. But after reading this story I came to know that nobody can go
beyond one‟s interest. There are so many such things that creature adopt themselves in the
change of time from the nature. Such things are not to be taught by anyone.
Flax-Golden Tales
The Clock Tower – Four Levels of Interactions
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
Bhupi Sherchan (1936 – 1989)
(Translated by Padma Devkota)
Literal Comprehension: The speaker in this poem describes the conduction of an old
pensioner. The poem has compared the old pensioned senior vet with clock tower,
Ghantaghar. He is old, rejected and has distributed all his things to his relatives. All his
military equipments are gone. The old pensioner has jealously too; so, he has kept two
souvenirs of his army life. They are an old-modeled, large, round pocket watch and the
ancient hat. The clock tower is like a pensioned senior vet who is passing t=long and sand
days of the old age. It has a clock on its neck and a cap like the old vet on its head. It is
standing forever on the bank of Ghantaghar and it is brooding.
Interpretation: The loneliness of the old man is powerfully presented through the image of
the clock tower symbolically. Like the clock tower which is old, neglected and waiting its
end day, the old man has also the same fate- old, rejected and dejected. The poem has
revealed the bitter reality of the old age. Ranipokhari was built by the king Pratap Malla in
1727 BS in the memory of his son. It was a token of consolation to his wife. Thus, by looking
at the lake the old man remembers his past and is mollifying (lessening) his suffering.
Critical Thinking: Time is most power full thing. It turns a handsome man to an old and
ugly person who has nothing except memories. We all are victims of the time. The poem
aptly points out the power of time. The vet is sitting under the tower, time, which itself is the
curse of for human being. The poem has used the power of imagery in a powerful way.
Without stating the history of Ranipokhari it invites readers to know why the old man is
looking at the Ranipokhari, queen‟s lake.
Assimilation: In our life as well, when we grow older, nobody talks to us. We want to share
our experiences, but nobody would have time to listen us. Thus we lament and curse time
because it is time that changes us to an old and ugly things. We have to wait silently to death.
We cannot stop the passage of time, time is powerful than us. We have nothing except
lamenting on the bygone days. I met an old man in Pasupati area. He reported all his grief
within five minutes to an unknown like me.
Adventures in English
Four Levels of “The Burden of Skepticism”
Carl Sagan (1934 – 1996)
Literal Comprehension:
Skepticism is found in every day life. If we have to buy a used car we examining it even if we
do not have any ideas about the car. If we buy it without examining, we know that we may
have to be sorry for it. In some cases we use skepticism, but in politics and commercials we
do not use it. So we cheated a little. But if we do not use it in the case of medicine we have
we have to bear a great loss.

Interpretation:
If we study the whole history of mankind, we find that they have always accepted some kind
of popular belief system. The reason for this is that all human needs are never fulfilled. These
unfulfilled needs may be satisfied by these beliefs. It is natural for us to have a desire to take
our dead relatives. And we would be happy when we learn that our spirit does not die and our
existence will not come to an end forever.

Critical Thinking:
There are many channels who claim that they can contact with the spirit of a person long-
long ago. But these spirits do not answer any specific questions and they answer only general
and vague (unclear) questions. Their specific answer would have helps us a lot to know about
the society of the past.

Assimilation:
Skepticism is dangerous. So it is not taught in school. Skepticism and openness to new ideas
are equally necessary for human progress. If we are too open, we will not be in opposition to
tell a difference between what is good and what is bad. But, on the other hand, if we are too
skeptical, no new ideas will find any place. Scientist forms new ideas in to their minds in the
form of hypothesis and examining them closely. If their ideas are proved correct they will be
accepted. If they are proved false later on, the scientists will accept that they have made a
mistake. But religious and political leaders never accept what is against their principles,
however wrong their ideas may be.
Flax-Golden Tales
Mr. Know-All | Four Levels of Interactions
W. Somerset Maugham, England (1874 – 1965)
For: BA / BBS First Year
Literal Comprehension: When the First World War ended, the writer „Somerset Maugham „
decided to go to Japan from America by ship. It was very difficult to get a good seat in the
ship. But he managed to get in cabin seat in the ship. His cabin partner , max Kelada , was
much talkative. At first the writer thought that he was a Negro but later he came to know that
he was also an English man. However, he hated his chatty nature. He introduced with
everyone in the ship and conducted a lottery action. He said that he had good knowledge of
everything. So they called him „mr. know all‟. Although alcohol was strictly prohibited to
carry, he uttered writer to have cocktail “mix wine”. Once the writer, Mr. kelada, Mr and Mrs
Ramsays got chanced to have dinner in the same table. Mr. ramsays was in the consular
service posted at Kobe, Japan. He had spent one year in alone in japan because his salary was
very low. Now he had come to take his wife with him. Mr. kelada said that he was going to
japan to examine pearls. He saw a pearls chain around mrs ramsays neck and said that they
were original. When Mr. Ramsays told him to guess the price, he said that they could cost
upto 30,000 dollars.but when Mr. Ramsay said that they were false, he didn‟t believe and
they had bet of one hundred dollars. When Mr. Kelada was going to check the pearls, Mrs
ramsay looked nervous. Although the pearls were original , Mr. kelada said that they were
false to save Mrs. Ramsays. The next day when she returned his money, the writer was
surprised to know the reality. He also know that Mr. kelada was really mr. know all. Then he
began to like Mr. kelada.

Interpretation: The writer may be trying to show humanity and nature of women. Outer
cover can never represents the inner reality. Although Mr. kelada is hated by all, he is proved
to be the best example of humanity. He became fool and lost money and prestige but he saved
the happy married life of Mr and Mrs Ramsay. This story also shows the duel character of
women.

Critical thinking: Although this story gives the moral lession. Some ideas of the writer are
not convincing. After reading this story we can ask some questions. If alcohol was not
allowed to carry how did Mr. kelada offet cocktail to the writer? Did Mr. kelada know
everything? Then why did people hate him?

Assimilation: I am very much affected by this story. After reading this story, I know that we
can‟t judge people from their appearance. This story also taught me that it is not easy to
understand the character and secrecy of women. Now I won‟t believe in women easily.
Flax-Golden Tales
Keeping Errors At Bay – Four Levels of Interactions
Bertrand Russell, England (1872 – 1970)
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
Literal Comprehension: This essay by Betrand Russell providing multiple examples of
mistake that people generally commit in their day to day life. His main idea is to provide
suggestions to avoid the mistakes. We need careful, serious, critical and analytical mind to
get rid of these errors. This essay deals with the ideas of avoiding errors that happen in our
daily life situations. We can remove many foolish opinions by observing the related facts.
When observations are impossible, we have to compare our ideas with those of the others. If
there are evidence and knowledge, there will be no wrong understanding. Visiting different
places and observing societies of the world also helps us to purify your own opinions.
Knowing others idea makes us less dogmatic. If we have one-sided idea about anything, we
will not find out the truth, such situation, we will make our good points more important. Fear
and prejudice of different types create obstacles from learning the truth or reality. So we
should be very careful while doing any work. We should not take as granted anything without
proper observation.

Interpretation: To error is human but to do mistake is not excusable. Human make errors
knowingly or having known about that error is not human. This is somewhat punishable also.
We cannot find truth without proper understanding. The essay tries to tell us why human
beings are unable to see the truth. They do not see the matter. They have illusion that they
know everything without knowing it properly. It says that we have some mistakes generally
we do not compare our idea with that of others. We unnecessarily feel pride and ignore
things. Therefore, we commit crimes or errors. This is human but to do mistake knowingly
cannot be human. There are solutions for errors but not the knowingly committing mistakes.

Critical Thinking: Russell gives very concrete idea about errors and their solutions. He says
how and why we do errors and how can we correct them. After reading this story I came to
know and have some questions. The essayist has presented a scientific way of thinking. By
comparing and contrasting, we can judge our own ideas. I agree with many things which the
essayist says but there are some questions in my mind. Who can remain without doing any
error? How can one know that it is error and this not? Can we change our mind not to doing
errors? Why people cannot find out the fact easily? How we can compare such things to those
of the others? What are the forms of the truth? How to know that whose idea is right or
wrong? Because of these reasons generally people commit errors in life.

Assimilation: Generally, we think right whatever we do. This essay gave me lots of ideas
about errors and their types as well as their remedies (solution). I started to realize my
mistakes in my life as I sometimes used to stubborn and think everything right. I started to
honour other‟s ideas. I also came to know why people mistake while making ideas. A wise
man should look at the things from different sides. We should be comparative and
multidimensional perspectives should be used. I came to know that we can do errors in every
work every time but that is only found out after its proper judgment.
Adventures in English
The Tiny Closet – Four Levels
William Inge (1913 – 1973)
[Closet = Small Room]

Literal Comprehension:
Mr. Newbold, a roomer in a mid western city in the USA, calls his land lady Mrs. Crosby. He
asked her not to let anyone open his room because as long as he lives there it is his own
room. Mrs. Crosby consoles him and he goes out. Then she calls-up her friend and both of
them enter his room out of curiosity. Mr.Newbold also came in, but hides himself when the
ladies came down stairs. Earlier the land lady supposed that he might be a spy or a criminal
or a lunatic or a communist. But now she has seen many beautiful hats in his room. She
holding a women‟s large and graceful hat in her hand, then she find her hat- making roomer
quite unusual. His cleanness has also surprised her. After this event she can not tolerate him
and plane to send him out of her house. Mr. Newbold weeps at his helplessness, when the
lady goes in to her kitchen later he recovers and takes a great hatpin in his hand and calls her
with the intention of killing her.

Interpretation:
This play might be trying to tell us that we should try to live a normal life. Mr. Newbold,
being a man, was unusually neat and clean and he would not allow any one to go into his
room. So the landlady was suspicious of him and went into his room secretly with her friend.
As result she was victimized. It may also be interpreted to mean that jealousy and over
curiosity are harmful.

Critical Thinking:
This play has beautifully presented how curiosity leads to destruction. But are all the land
ladies are as curious as Mrs.crosby and break into the tenant‟s room? Are men as coward as
Mr. Newbold? Do they weep when they are helpless? Can such a coward produce any
harmful things to the landlady?

Assimilation:
When I read this play I came to know many things about human nature. It is human weakness
to have a desire to eat the forbidden apple. When the secrecy is disclosed, it makes people
more terrible. Human beings are never satisfied with their present situation. The more they
know, the more they are upset.
Flax-Golden Tales
To His Coy Mistress – Four Levels of Interactions
Andrew Marvell, England (1621 – 1678)
Literal Comprehension: “To His Coy Mistress” is a beautiful love poem composed by
Andrew Marvell, an English poet, tries to woo his coy mistress to participate in the lust game
in the prime of youth and beauty. The poet has a shy beloved and she doesn‟t become ready
to fulfill the poet‟s desire. So, the poet says that if they had enough time, he would spend
hundreds of years to admire her youth and beauty. He would admire her eyes and forehead
for one hundred years. He would gaze and praise her each breasts for two hundred years each.
He would spend 30,000 years to see and admire the rest parts of her body and finally, he
would touch her heart. He says that she is so much praise-worthy.

But the poet finds the winged chagrins not always hurrying near. Her youth and beauty
doesn‟t always remain the same. One day she will reach her beauty marble grave. There
she‟ll not hear the poet‟s love song. Worms will try to destroy her long preserved virginity.
No one will embraces her shyness and participate to enjoy like two birds of love. He also
suggests her to swallow all the sweetness of youth being both of them a ball. He also tells her
the bitter reality that the sun also sets after rising.

Interpretation: The poet may be trying to show the importance of romantic love at the prime
of youth and beauty. He says that life is brief and death is inevitable. Do, he suggests us to
fulfill our desire and enjoy life fully when we are young. He says that if we miss the
enjoyment of youth, our life will be absurd after death. That is why, he also tells her beloved
to enjoy life fully to surpass time and death.

Critical thinking: This poem is beautiful, romantic and appealing. The poet persuades his
beloved to involve into romantic and productive love game. However, some ideas of the poet
are questionable. Should we be so lusty? Why doesn‟t the beloved refuse the sex appeal? Is
love limited only in youth? So, I am fully convinced.

Assimilation: This poem impressed me a lot. After reading this poem, I came to realize that
time is limited and we are headings towards the grave. Also I understood that I have also
determined to enjoy much in the prime of youth.
The Telegram on The Table – Four Levels
Parshu Pradhan, Nepal (1943)
Translated by Michael Hutt
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
Literal Comprehension: In this story Pranshu Pradhan has presented the bitter reality of
Nepalese youths who come to he town from their villages and the never like to go back to
their village. They dream to go to the foreign country where they think that there is heavenly
pleasure and hey could earn enough money. In reality there is full of struggle.

Krishna a boy come to Kathmandu from hos remote village and learned English language.
Then he started to work as a tourist guide to describe the historical places to the tourists. In
the beginning he used to go to his village at the time of Dashain. But now, he completely
forgot his village, Parents and even his wife. He demanded to go to the foreign country as a
foreign girl would marry with him and she would take him to her country. He though that his
wife was the obstacle for his next marriage. He hoped for the death of his wife because it
would be the freedom for his plan. Unfortunately his wife died and he got a telegram about
the news of his wife‟s death. He becomes happy and though it was his wish fulfillment.
Those, a friend come to express his condolence and he just said “Thank You” for but he
couldn‟t because of the poor condition of his room. One evening he suddenly remembered his
past and the poor background. He also felt that an Image of women came into his mind. The
image was of his wife dead. He realized his mistake that he become happy t the death of wife.
He read the telegram again and he tore it into places he started to weep.

Interpretation: This presents the bitter reality of Nepalese youths who come to town from
their villages and they never like to go back. They dream for the foreign country and though
there is heavenly pleasure there. But in reality there is also struggle. Krishna, the young boy
also dreams to get married with a foreigners and to go to the her country. But at last he
realized his reality and his dream was not fulfillment. It also shows that we should learn to
live with reality about not in dream.

Critical Thinking: Many people think that their life, would be happy if they get go to in the
foreign country. But Pradhan has exaggerated. Some issues here in his chapter. How could a
person forget his wife completely? How could he be happy at the death of this wife? There is
no any evidence about that bad relationship between Krishna and his wife. Man can dream
for better future but he can‟t forget the present completely.

Assimilation: This story taught me the lesson that way the town is over crowded people like
to come to the town but they never like go to back to their villages. It also taught me the
lesson that dream may not be true for all the time. We should learn to live reality. We all have
ambition but over ambition are bad. We should not forget our pas, background and reality
which are with us.
A Painful Case
James Joyce, Ireland (1882-1941)
Literal Comprehension
James Duffy was a cashier of a private bank. He had neither companions nor friends.
Mr. Duffy was a man with amoral principle. For him any type of bound was a problem.
One day, he met a lady in Rotunda. The lady was charming and she was there with her
daughter. The lady was Mrs. Sinico. Her husband works as a captain on the sea. She
had been living lonely life. She had nobody to express her love, feelings and emotions.
After the first meeting, Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico met frequently. Mr. Duffy went to her
home. They liked to be close to one another. They shared different ideas. One day,
when they were sitting together, Mrs. Sinico became excited and she caught up his hand
passionately and presses it to her cheek. Mr. Duffy became angry. They agreed to break
off their relationship. Four year later, when Mr. Duff was taking his dinner he read a
headline in the evening newspaper- „Death of a lady at Sydney parade-A painful case‟. It
was the death of Mrs. Sinico. He could not eat any more. It was reported that she was
knocked down by train. Mrs. Sinico wanted to die because her desire, emotions and
passion were not fulfilled. Finally, Mr. Duffy realized himself a s one cause of the death
of Mrs. Sinico.
Interpretation
The Psychological story “A Painful Case” presents the life of a woman whose desires,
feelings and emotions were not understood by anyone. Mrs. Sinico lived a very painful,
dull and empty life. Her husband was somewhere very far from her. A man, Mr. Duffy
came to her life but he also could not understand her passions. When she expressed
her passion towards him, he broke off the relationship. Mrs. Sinico actually wanted to die
because her feelings and emotions were not fulfilled. She was killed, when she tried to
cross the railway line. The story shows that the life becomes desert, if the desires,
emotions and feeling are not fulfilled.
Critical Thinking
The story presents the psychological problem of a woman. Mrs. Sinico wanted the
fulfillment of her desires, emotions and feelings but nobody fulfilled her desire. Her
husband and Mr. Duffy both did not care her passion. However, some ideas in the story
are questionable. If Mr. Duffy hates any kinds of bound, why did he befriend with Mrs.
Sinico? Mr. Duffy breaks of his relationship with Mrs. Sinico, when she expresses her
emotions. Why did he do so? Is Mr. Duffy neutral man? Is he emotionless? Mr. Duffy
desires to have ideal relationship with Mrs. Sinico. Is it possible?
Assimilation
While reading the story I remember Kalpana. Kalpana was a woman in my
neighborhood. She had married with Ramesh three years ago. Unfortunately, she
becomes widow last year. Her husband died in the road accident. After that events; she
was living in Ramesh‟s house with her father and mother-in-laws. Last week, I heard
news that she eloped with someone. I think she eloped because she wanted the
fulfillment of her desires, emotions and feelings. How could she live dull and empty life
by hiding all feelings and emotions?
THE LADY WITH A DOG –SUMMARY
A forty-year-old man named Dmitri Gurov is intrigued by a young woman walking along
the sea front of Yalta with her small Pomeranian dog. Dmitri dislikes his shrewish and
intelligent wife and, as a result, has numerous love affairs. Although the protagonist
disparages women and calls them "the lower race," he secretly acknowledges that he is
more at ease in their company than in men's. One day, "the lady with the dog" sits down
next to Dmitri to eat in the public gardens. The man pets her dog in order to strike up a
conversation. He learns that she is called Anna Sergeyevna, that she is married, and
that she has come to Yalta on vacation. Over the next week, Anna and Dmitri see a lot
of each other and grow close. The older man is intrigued by the exuberant naïveté of his
young partner, yet he also recognizes a trace of sadness in her character. In contrast to
the elder women with whom he used to have affairs and who would occasionally display
a "rapacious expression" on their beautiful faces, Anna excites Dmitri's desire with her
fresh and unaffected nature. In particular, he is drawn by her "diffidence, the angularity
of inexperienced youth" that reminds him of his daughter. Every evening the couple
observes the sunset from the vantage point over Yalta at Oreanda and are impressed
anew by the "beautiful and majestic" scenery. The only things that mar Anna's
happiness is the thought that her husband, Von Diderits, will send for her and her fear
that she has lost Dmitri's respect by sleeping with him. In the end, Von Diderits sends
Anna a letter urging her return, and she leaves Dmitri with something like relief. When
parting with Dmitri, Anna states, "It's a good thing I am going away … It's fate itself!" The
action switches to describe Dmitri's daily routine in Moscow: visiting his clubs, reading
newspapers, and working at his bank. Dmitri believes that his memories of Anna will
soon wane and that he can continue his everyday routine in peace and satisfaction.
However, this does not happen, and soon the protagonist grows to despise the "useless
pursuits and conversations" with which he is surrounded. Consequently, Dmitri resovles
to visit Anna in her unspecified hometown. The protagonist takes the train to "S—-" and
arrives only to pace in front of the Von Diderits' residence, futilely hoping that Anna will
emerge and speak with him. When this does not happen, Dmitri decides to go to the
theater that evening to see a production of the operetta "The Geisha," hoping his lover
will also attend. Sure enough, the protagonist sees Anna in the audience watching the
show with her obsequious and insincere-looking husband. When Von Diderits leaves the
theater to smoke during the interval, Dmitri approaches Anna and confesses his love for
her. The young woman tells Dmitri that she has missed him but also berates him for
coming to see her. The lovers decide that Anna will visit Dmitri in Moscow, on the
excuse that she has to see a gynecologist.
The story concludes with a description of Anna's visits to Moscow and the unbearable
strain she feels living this lie. Although Dmitri is perfectly happy with the way things have
worked out, he does admit to feeling disconcerted about the implications of falling in love
for the first time. He criticizes himself for being an aging, graying old man who seduced
women by pretending to be someone he was not. Dmitri comforts Anna as best he can,
but he knows that there will be a long way to go before they can be freed from their
"intolerable bonds" and live together openly.
Adventures in English
The Lady With The Dog – Four Levels
Anton Chekhov (1860 – 1904)
Literal Comprehension:
Gurov saw Anna at Yalta, a seaside town. Both of them had arrived there for their holiday.
Anna‟s husband was expected to join her there. But when he did not come Gurov went to her
hotel and made love with her. Anna was sorry for what she had done. Then Gurov consoled
and both of them spent the day together, dining, lunching, and visiting places. When Anna
got a later from her husband, she went back home. But she told Gurov that she would never
visit him. Gurov also went home in Moscow, but he did could not forget Anna. He met her at
the theater and she promised to come to Moscow. After this, she would see him in Moscow
once in every two or three months. Although they were growing older, they felt that they
loved each other more and more. But they were force to live separately. They were planning
to live in the same city and see each other openly. But it would be very difficult.

Interpretation:
This story might be trying to tell us that true love beginning when people become more
experienced and when they have cross the barrier of lust (passion). It may also be interpreted
to mean that human beings are puppets in the hand of fate. We do not know whom we love
and whom we marry. Anyway, this story stands as a remarkable proof of the writer‟s belief in
the value of human love.

Critical Thinking:
This story has beautifully presented the unlawful love of two married persons. Both of them
do not love their spouses. But plan to live in the same city seeing each other openly. Will
their plan be successful? Will their spouses accept their love? Should they not be punished
for their unlawful love? These are some of the question which arias in our minds when we
read this story.

Assimilation:
After reading this story I realize how important love is in human life. It is the only shelter for
human beings. Wealth and education do not makes one‟s life complete if there is no one to
love truly.
No Smoke From The Chimneys – Four Levels of Interactions
For: BA / BBS First Year
Siddhicharan Shrestha (1912 – 1992)
(Translated by Michael Hutt)

Literal Comprehension: The poem “No Smoke from the Chimneys” is written by famous
Nepali poet Siddhicharan Shrestha (1912 – 1992) and translated by Michael Hutt into
English. In this poem the poet has expressed a freedom fighter as the speaker. The speaker
tells that he is busy wiping up blood from a broken head so that Death not to call him. The
people who are engaging in the protest against the monopolized political entity are seriously
injured, but they are not afraid. The people are not caring to food for freedom and justice;
they have no time for cooking. Therefore, nothing including the Lady‟s (Death‟s) calling can
stop the speaker‟s advancing feet or distract him from taking part in the protest.

Interpretation: The speaker of this poem may be trying to express that freedom is more
important than food or fear of death. Therefore, people do not get diverted or stop when they
once have come out of their house to the streets. This poem is all about politics which
describes a time when the Nepalese people were fighting for democracy against the Rana
regime.

Critical Thinking: While appreciating the speaker‟s idea in poem, I did not like the name
„Lady‟ used for death. In our society, the word „leady‟ means nice and sincere women who
deserve respect and value. But the speaker of the poem has shown Death as a beautiful lady.
This isn‟t quite matching. The title of the poem has unable to reflect the real mood of the
speaker.

Assimilation: Now I know how the Nepalese people fought against the autocratic rule for the
freedom. The death could not discourage them from establishing democracy in the country.
Otherwise, my generation would not have been enjoying the freedom.

On The Eve of His Execution – Four Levels

Chidiock Tichborne (1558?-1586)
Literal Comprehension:
Although young, the poet is very unhappy. There is no sign of happiness. There is only pain.
His corn field is full of weeds. He can hope unsuccessfully for batter future. But there is no
sign of batter life after waiting for such a long time. Although he is alive he feels that his life
has ended. People have heard his story, but nobody has spoken on his behalf. As a young man
he could live so many more years, but because of his execution he has loosed everything in
life. He is uncared and ignored. Death has followed him from the womb and life has become
merely a shade although he has everything necessary for life, he is going to be executed.

Interpretation:
This poem expresses the feeling of a healthy person who is going to be executed young. The
poet is living the remaining moment of life strongly. The on coming death has made him
observe his whole life. He evaluates what life has given him. As his execution is unexpected
everything in his life is unexpected and unnatural.

Critical Thinking:
This poem has three stanzas. It is an elegy. It express controlled feeing. It is so well expressed
and natural and so skillfully composed that it is regarded as the little master piece in
literature. The music of the line is serious but not saddening. The seriousness is emphasized
by the repetition of the rhymed refrain as though the poet were expecting the slow tolling of
the bell announcing his heath.

Assimilation:
When I read this poem I identified my self with the poet. I felt vaguely what a young man
feels when he is sure to die. I realized that all my connecting with the world would be cut off
if I die soon. I felt a unknown kind of emptiness in life.
To An Athlete Dying Young – Four Levels
A. E. Housman (1859 – 1936)
Literal Comprehension:
One day the young athlete won the race sponsored by competing municipalities. After his
victory he was given a public procession and praised through out the town. The whole town
proudly watched all this. Next year the young athlete is being carried through the town once
again, not for a victory, but for a memorial, along the same route, but this time in a coffin.
The home that the athlete is taken to today is his grave. The athlete is praised for his timely
death. The athlete is praise because he will know only victory. He will never know how
temporary fame is, nor will he feel the pain of fame fading away. The young man will never
know the pain of not winning in the same race the next year, and he is always be remembered
as a hero by the living. The death hero can never see his record beaten. He is lucky not to be
among those who live longer than their achievements. He should be proud of his winning
which he will take to the grave with him. He will always be remembered for his success in
life which was signified by the garland that he once wore in his hair.

Interpretation:
This poem might be trying to tell us that fame is more short-lived than the life itself. So one
should try one‟s best to maintain be honour. It may also be interpreted to mean that one
should always live a famous life by sacrificing anything.

Critical Thinking:
The speaker has praise the athlete because he died when his name is at the top. But I disagree
with the speaker. I think that life is meant to be lived, not no die just for the shake of honour.
But if the speaker is consoling the athlete to accept the sure death I agree with him.

Assimilation:
By reading this poem I realized how certain death is. One has to die whether one is young or
old, whether one is famous or notorious. But it is batter to die young than to live long being
notorious.
The Great Answer – Four Levels of Interactions
Fulton Oursler, USA (1893 – 1952)
For: BA / BBS First Year
Literal Comprehension: In a French village near the Spanish border, a lot of refugees had
gathered. They all wanted to cross the border and sail safely to the USA. If they were cut by
the Gestapo, the secret Germen police, they would be either impression or murdered. Among
the refugees were a young mother and her 4 years old daughter. They all met at the foot of the
mountain. A guide was leading them all. On the way the weakest old man said that he was
tired and unable to climb further, but he asked them to leave him there to die. However the
guide insists that the old man should keep on climbing with the child on his shoulder until he
died. After this two more old man said the same thing, and they also had to carry the child.
After they all had crossed the border safely the three old man felt stronger a, freer and livelier
than others.

Interpretation: This story might be trying to tell us that life is full of struggle and that those
who worked harder even at the critical moment are sure to get success. It may also be
interpreted to mean that success welcomes those who are never tired of hard labor.

Critical Thinking: This short story has beautifully presented the great answer for the riddle
of life. Norman people worded hard but that work harder untiringly enjoy the fruit of hard
work batter. If we read this story literally we may disagree with the writer. We wonder how
the weakest and oldest man can carry the child, when he himself is unable to word. But there
are many moment in our life when even young people like as feel like the three old men. The
only solution to our problem at such a moment is to do like the old man .

Assimilation: This story brought a great change in my life. Now my philosophy of life has
become to work untiringly. There is no limitation of age for a hard worker. If hard work tries
to discourage as , we should do even harder work.
A Tale – Four Levels of Interactions
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Nepal (1914 – 1982)
Translated and edited by Shreedhar Lohani
For: BA / BBS First Year (Business English)
Literal Comprehension: Once upon time, a man went in to the jungle and started penance to
win supreme knowledge and godhood. He conquered his flesh and mind and achieve a state
of unending meditative delight. Indra, the king of gods was afraid that the sage might seized
his throne through penance. Then he sent a beautiful nymph to destroyed the sage‟s penance.
The attractor posture of he nymph in the river made the sage open his eyes involuntarily.
Then both of them married and led a domestic life. They help the needy people in the village.
But the villagers were suspicious of him and they always blamed the woman for his downfall,
but the sage had the same inner peace even when he was leading the domestic life.

Interpretation: This story might be trying to tell us that after you get supreme knowledge, it
is not necessary for you to live in the jungle, and that you will enjoy the same happiness
everywhere. It may also be interpreted to mean that to an enlightened person the joy derive
from any source is similar.

Critical Thinking: For modern people this story is unacceptable from many point of view.
Are god there in the heaven? Are god so envious (jealous) of human beings? Are god so
helpless that they really need the help of ordinary human beings?

Assimilation: This story reminded me the story of Vishwamitra and Menaka a nymph, had
destroyed the penance of the sage Vishwamitra and they had become the parents of
Sakuntala. It also convince me how powerful sexual passion is. It never dies. I have
understood my own passion batter and tried to use it correctly.
STOPPING BY WOODS ON SNOWY EVENING
Literal Comprehension
The speaker makes a journey by horse in the eveinig time. As he arrives in the natural
beautiful place „Juncgle‟, then it makes him stop. He is attracted by the frozen lake and
woods. He imagines that those woods belong to farmer from the village but he dows not
know the beauty of the nature. As the speaker gets pleasure and wants to live with
natural beauty, he does not care or forgets his duty and time‟s fleeting. On the other
hand, horse seems to be conscious of what master‟s lateness. Therefore, he wakes up
towards his duty. At last, the poet realizzes that life is a long journey and to complete a
journey one should one should be responsible with duty before his/ her death to make
life meaningful forever.
Interpretation
This poem is a record is a record of delightful experience by the poet as he makes a
jouney towards natural beautiful and peaceful place on horse back. In addition, this
poem presents the beautiful description of natural beauty makes the satire to the
modern materialistic human beings who are busy, commercial and selfish having no time
to enjoy the beauty of the nature rather ignore the natural beauty. He further says that
one should not be crazy only for beauty forgetting his/ her duties and responsibilities.
We have a lot of things to do to complete our long journey of life as well as to make it
meaningful. So, the beautiful and progressive life is based on the appreaciation of
beauty and duty with joining our mind and heart together.
Critical Thinking
This poem covers three areas in particular as follows:
 A personal experience of the speaker (poet)
 A delightful description of native and simple village life
 Being with the delight of nature and ends with the wisdom of life.

No doubt, the poem focuses on the value of the natural beauty. But still we can find
some of the controversial issues and less convincing ideas. For example, the time is
evening and going to be more dark, at the same time, the poet makes a journey. As he
arrives in the jungle, how can the poet see and admire the woods covered by the snow
in the darkest evening of the year? Similarly, horse in the poem is represented as more
intelligent and conscious than his master, man. Anyway, man is of course more
intelligent being of all animals in the world.
Assimilation
This poem has greatly influenced me. It teaches what is the significance of natural
beauty where one gets freshness, peace, love and importance of duty where one makes
his life meaning ful in the long journey of life. Of course, it touches our heart and mind
and makes our life free form boring, selfishness in the materialistic world. After
consulting this poem. I have come to know that one should not miss his opportunity and
duty in the name of beauty. Similarly, one should not ignore the beauty of the nature
being too busy in duty and making life just as mechanical. Rather the perfect life goes
with the combination and appreciation of both duty and beauty.

New Year
Literal Comprehension
“New Year” is a popular poem by Parijat. It counterpoises the expected freshness of a
new year with the experienced reality of the same old living conditions, which then leads
the poet to rebel against the harsh reality with at least a desire to undo it and to create
something better. The force of the poem lies in its reversal of expected response, which
shocks us with its impact.
Interpretation
It is the New Year time. The speaker in the poem is expecting the New Year to bring
some changes in his/ her life. The speaker can see the various changes taking place
around her. First of all, the April has arrived. The birds are enjoying their new lives. All
these changes in the surrounding convince the speaker that the new Year has already
arrived. But the speaker is shocked to see her routine life which no indication of such
change in it. Like the mason wasps, the speaker‟s life is having the same old life. Her
dreams have been shattered. Her expectations have remained unfulfilled.
Critical Thinking
The poem sings glory of the natural world and express disgust with the routine human
life. Life without changes is no progress. In the one hand, the poet expresses her desire
to come out or escape from her routinized life and wants freedom from it. However, the
poet seems disappointed living with the same drudgery. Hence, to run away from the
reality of the world and try to form imaginary heaven, the speaker does expresses
optimism. It is no burden for the speaker to carry the load of the old memories, rather it
makes her feel afresh. The poet seems nostalgic towards her past where she still wants
to dwell in.
Assimilation
The poems realistic to some extent, at least to my life. I am an optimist. But I also value
my past because they teach us a lot. Past experiences are life history, they teach us not
to repeat the same mistakes. People‟s expectations may get fulfilled, but we should
never get disappointed. We must be patient.
Contents of The Dean Man’s Pockets
Four Levels | Jack Finney (1911 – 1995)
Literal Comprehension:
Tom Benecke did not go to the cinema with his wife. Because he wanted to prepare a report
for his boss to read at the week end. This report was a path to reach the top in his
organization some time in the distant future. when he open the door for his wife to go, a rush
of wind drifted the yellow sheet of paper and it slipped out of the window on the ledge of the
eleventh story of the building in NewYork. This sheet was necessary to prepare the report and
it contented the material he had collected by spending two month. Without thinking seriously,
he opened the window forcefully and came out on the narrow ledge. To get the paper he
moved side ways along the ledge by holding on to the projected bricks. When he bent down
to pick up the paper, he saw the whole city bellow and he almost fainted and fall down. After
he picked it up he came back to the window unknowingly. The window was closed and he
could not open it. He asked for help, but nobody cared. He could not wait for his wife to
return. He had risked his life for a sheet of paper. Finally he broke the window and came in.
as he was going to his wife, the paper was drifted again but he laughed at it.

Interpretation:
This story might be trying to tell us that ambition is the root of many troubles in life. If
people were satisfied with what they got in their life, they would be very-very happy. It may
also be interpreted to mean that happy family life is batter than the roll of life.

Critical Thinking:
This story has clearly expressed the near-death experience of a person. But the behavior of
Tom is exaggerated. how can a person walk on the ledge of the eleventh story? How sane is
he? Does ambition make man so mad that he risks his life for such an unimportant thing?

Assimilation:
By reading this story I came to know how dangerous ambition is. Although we may not
behave like Tom we ignore many risky moment in life. When we are in danger, we realize
our foolishness. But the moment we are out of danger,. We forget the risk. This story has
clearly brought out human thoughtlessness.
We are Breaking the Silence About Death
Four Levels | Daniel Goleman (1964 – )
Literal Comprehension:
Elisabeth Kublor – Rose work with the dying people in the mid 60 „s. Before that time the
topic to death was banded. Now death has become a fashionable subject. Through her best
selling book ” on death and dying” she has alert a new way of handling dying. She has
suggested that the people should die in their own homes rather than in a strange hospital.
After working with the dying people for a long time, she has pointed out five psychological
stages people usually experience when they know that they are going to die soon. These
stages are denial, anger or rage, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These reaction are
not limited to dying but can take place with any change or lost.

Interpretation:
The dying person denies or says “No” when he first knows that he is going to die. The denial
makes it easy for him to bear the force of death. At the unconscious level, a person never
believes that he will die. From their refusal he begins to hope. Kublor Rose suggest that we
should take about death with the patient and arrange to complete all possible things.

Critical Thinking:
This passage has clearly expressed how the topic death has become a fashionable subject. But
The Behavior of dying person is at the unconscious level. This stages or levels are denial,
anger or rage, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

Assimilation:
When a patient stop denying, he begins to be angry. He is angry seeing other healthy people.
When his anger becomes less, he starts to bargaining with god. He wants to become good if
he is given some more time to live. After he has accepted his death partially, he becomes
depressed. He feels sorry for the past mistakes or incomplete tasks. He want to passed time in
isolation. Finally he accept death peacefully and he is not worried about making his life
longer. He settles everything. His own diseases also does not worry him. He enjoy the present
moment without thinking of the future. He lives the full life.
The Five Stages of Grief by Linda Pastan: Summary and Critical
Analysis

When the poetess lost him, somebody asked her to go through the five stages of grief. They said
it was easy like learning to climb stairs after cutting off a limb by surgical operation. So she
climbed. The first stage was the denial of his loss. She supposed that he was with her. So she
laid the table for both of them for breakfast. She gave him the toast to eat- but he did not take it.
She passed him the newspaper to read- but he hid behind it. Then came anger. She burned the
toast and took the paper forcefully and started reading the headlines herself. They told her briefly
that he had gone away. So, she moved on to the next stage, bargaining. What could she give in
order to get him? Could she become silent instead of quarrelling with him? Could she stop writing
and pay more attention to him? Before she could decide, depression came to take an increased
form. Even if she got him, what would be the gain? There relation was poor. So he was sad. The
lock on the suitcase of their relation was broken. That’s why it was tied with string for the time
being so that she could use it more in the journey of life.

Why was the suitcase so important? To treat the hurt surface there were bandages and to soothe
herself inwardly there were bottles of sleep. Although she climbed up with difficulty, she went
smoothly down all the way without being blocked by anything. And all the time hope seemed to
flash on and off in defective tube light. Even the faint hope pointed to no fixed direction. Her
uncle had hoped that they would compromise but he died when they kept on quarreling. After a
year she is still trying to maintain good relation, but she falls down when she looks at his cruel
face.

The tree line marking the border of the street to go ahead has long since disappeared; she has
forgotten green color which is symbolic of life. Thus passes her depression. But now she finds
herself climbing towards the final stage, acceptance. It is quite important. So it is shining in the
lights and it has been made a special headline printing in all capitals. She accepts their
separation. She does not feel peace after acceptance. She struggles on, waving and shouting.
She has not given up unfinished dreams. Below her she finds surfs, the hollow result of her
struggle. A fish jumps on the surfs. It shows her vain desire for him. After she accepted their
separation, she again thinks of him. Their married life still persists. Separation and meeting are a
never-ending process because grief is a circular staircase.

This poem can be interpreted as the experience of the woman confronting a crisis in her
marriage: Denial…..behind it. Following denial is anger, then depression, then hope in the form
of compromise and at last acceptance. Pastan’s five stages of grief are similar to the stages that
Elisabeth Kubler Ross described in On Death and Dying as experienced by the terminable ill.
This poem confirmed my conviction that life is full of struggle. We should keep on working hard
whatever may come on the way.

The Five Stage of Grief – Four Levels

Linda Pastan (1932 – )
Literal Comprehension:
When the speaker lost her husband, someone suggest that she should go through the five
stage of grief. First of them was denial. She denied his absence and gave him the toast and the
paper at the breakfast table. But he hide behind the paper. Then she was angry. Therefore she
burned to the toast and took the paper from his hand forcefully and start to read it herself. The
third stage was bargaining. What could she exchange for him? What would she gain if she
remain silent after quarreling? Before she decided she was depressed (sad). Their relation was
poor and weak. Then she hope for improvement but it was useless. Afterward she accepted
his loss but she realize that the matter did not end there. It start again because in conjugal life
this kind of grief is a repetitive.

Interpretation:
This poem might be trying to tell us that the relation between the husband and the wife is

always changing. They can not always live happily compromising with the reality. In their
life grief is a circular staircase.

Critical Thinking:
Linda Pastan has clearly expressed the bitter experience of a married woman when her
relation with her husband becomes bad. This poem is in the form of prose. It sound like

drama. The speaker is addressing her husband and pouring her emotions. The poet has use
green and neon for “flickering hope.”

Assimilation:
When I read this poem I came to know more about the life of the married couple. They have

almost similar experiences everywhere in the world. This poem also reminded me of Cublor
Ross who has charted five psychological stages of grief.
Where the Mind Is Without Fear
Rabindranath Tagore, India (1861-1941)
Literal Comprehension
Human being gain the knowledge freely if their mind is free from any king of fear. The
poet says that the modern world is full of dark and ugly like hell. Evils, injustice, violence,
corruption and inhumanity have made the world shadow or dark. As a result, the world is
fragmented. There is no sense of unity, love, peace and justice among the people.
Therefore, the poet wishes to see or e this modern ugly world as the world of freedom,
beauty and heaven. He is optimistic to change the dark face of the world towards
lightness and peaceful world by establishing humanity, injustice, rules and regulation,
peace, equality, freedom, unity and fraternity. For that, he prays with god to make the
world as heaven.
Interpretation
The poem is dedicated to establish humanity, peace, unity, justice and freedom in the
world. When there is knowledge free from any kind of violence, injustice and
discrimination, then, we can change the modern world into heaven. This poem attempts
to valuarize knowledge, courage, self-dignity, truth, reasonable thought and brotherhood
feelings among all people of the world. The poet wants the world not fragmented rather
united where all people of the world feel that they are under the same umbrella. So, he
wishes to see the constructed new world avoiding destructiveness caused by the war,
violence, injustice, discrimination and jealousy. Dreaming such world, he prays god to
play the active role to transform the ugly and computed world to world of freedom, peace
and heaven. He even requests all people of the world to make and live in such better
world.
Critical Thinking
The poem is persuasive, moral and patriotic. It shows the mirror of the society, country
and the world where people think, do and live. In the corruption, violence, war and
discrimination, in the another hand, he wants to see the world with humanity,
spiritualism, love, justice and freedom. However, the poet seems to have run away from
the reality of the world and try to form imaginary heaven. Is it possible to make the
present world to the world of heaven? Does God have any power and authority to
change the world? Can the world exist without injustice, war and violence? Is there God
or not? Can it be possible to transform real world into ideal one?
Assimilation
I am very much impressed from the ideas of the poet, Tagore who expresses through
the poem. It teaches me along with all people to construct a peaceful society where
there is humanity, unity and justice. If there is the valuarization of free knowledge, self-
respect, work, love, spiritualism, unity and brotherhood feelings among all people in my
society as well as in the country, then our country itself will be the heaven of freedom,
justice, equality and peace.