Professional Documents
Culture Documents
M.Phil Final Papers IEEE Format
M.Phil Final Papers IEEE Format
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
Telephone
Even in the absence of face-to-face communication The medium of telephone has not been in much
between the people concerned involved (administrators, usefor language teaching because of the poor quality of
facilitators, or learners), the learning activities are analogue transmissions. Still, there is new advent of
managed. The awakening awareness of the technology digital quality and lower connection that are suitable for
and the ICT literacy is elaborated as follows. conference calls.
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b) Practice VI.ADVANTAGES
Some of the different exercise types are 1. There is fast accessibility of information for
possible to be provided with the ICT, incorporating the educational purposes.
presentation stimuli in varying combinations of text, 2. Innovation of e-learning further facilitates the
audio and video format. The ICT also offers the educational process.
possibility of the analyzing learners‘ responses with 3. Progress of the ICT allows the development of
appropriate feedback. (Hartoyo, 2012:40) virtual classrooms.
4. System administration in an institution will be
c) Authoring more effective because of the application of
the ICT systems.
In applying the ICT in language learning,
teacher can either purchase ready-made materials or VII.DISADVANTAGES
create their own exercise materials using a variety of 1. Progress of the ICT may result in the violation
authoring tools based on Hartoyo (2012:40). of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) because
of the easy accessibility
d) Computer-Aided Assessment (CAA) 2. There could be recklessness in running the
systems without a gap especially in
Computer-Aided Assessment (CAA) plays an
educational institutions would prove to be
increasingly important role in foreign language teaching
dangerous.
and learning. This media is used for testing and
3. Children fail to develop the capacity of
assessing students‘ understanding after learning the
thinking and analyzing as they manage to
prescribed courses.
fulfill their requirement using the ICT without
e) Publishing much stress or strain.
4. Over indulgence or too much of dependence of
The ICT tools exist to help teachers and learners or the ICT may result in lethargy or laziness in
students to publish or get linked with their work in a general.
local area network. The ICT may be used by the VIII.CONCLUSION
teachers and learners to help them publish their work in
these ways: In the implementation of learning, the ICT is a
form of advanced science technology which needs to
Word-processors and Desk Top Publishing have optimized function. In the era of global
(DTP) software. competition, the ICT provides opportunities for students
Doing audio recording and editing tools to who need to obtain adequate supplies through the
record interview, discussions, learning innovative ICT-based learning. This provides vast
materialsetc. opportunities for students to promote competence on an
Using digital camera and camcorder to record international level. Moreover, the mental attitude and
presentations, drama, role play, and so on. self-reliance of the teacher and the taught in accessing
Using power point as the medium to publish any information necessary for independent learning
presentations. influence the value of teaching and learning. Innovative
education which can be done by using the ICT based
Web pages using web authoring tools.
learning can make learning the most interesting
f) Communications experience.
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during the Great Tribulation revealed by the Holy Stacey in the same sense understood the world
Spirit to St. John in the Book of Revelation, the Bible. around her. She tries to mask her relationship between
Stacey is unable to run away from this destruction LukeVenturi and tries to act as a clever wife to her
outside her but she is powerless and left to live in the husband, MacAindra. The mask is used to cover the true
city of fire elements. self of a person in the same way; the city dweller hides
The religion in the society is transformed by their Identity behind organizations like Richalife. The
business and advertisement. Stacey attempts to resist innocence of Stacey is lost, once she enters Vancouver
the materialism prevailing in her society but often falls from Manawaka.
a prey to this materialistic world. The illusory business
creates a hope among the modern society. Laurence‘s The Fire-Dwellers outwardly deals
In the novel Laurence thus focuses on a with the life of a house wife, Stacey MacAindra and her
society, which lacks faith at its core and women who four children. But inwardly it portrays the real suffering
are the centre of the present generation who have also of city dwellers and the changing cult. Religion is
lost their faith.Ian inherits hisFather‘s tight lipped replaced by popular modern organizations like
control. Mac‘s repressed emotions thus prevail with his Richalife. Lack of communication between the couple
strange and dangerous silence is another form of automatically gives rise to conflict and disagreement.
violence. The media especially Television, radio, and newspapers
The broken communication is caused by bring tremendous news regarding violence in the
thelack of trust and understanding. These society. The human beings living in the city are mere
temperamental polarities create a sense of isolation and dwellers rather than a wise being and they long for an
force them to cultivate extra marital relationships. Her utopian life.
experiences of broken conversation with her husband REFERENCES
induce in her the fear of unwantedness and insecurity. [1]. Alexander, Flora. Place and Identity: The Mother in
Margaret Laurence‟s The Fire Dwellers. The London
She imagines that they are both parallel lines and on
Journal of Canadian Studies.Vol.12, 1996. Print.
being parallel can‘t ever meet. She realizes the problem [2]. Laurence, Margaret. The Fire Dwellers.Toronto:
that everyone in her society, including herself, wears a Macleiiand& Stewart limited. 1973. Print.
social mask on the real inner self. Stacey often feels [3]. Reddy, K Venkata.Critical Studies in Commonwealth
Literature.New Delhi: 1994. Print.
alienated and withdraws herself and speaks within her
own self imagining that others have a better life than [4]. Salat, M.F. ―Coming to Terms with the Past: Margaret
her and also hear voices within her skull. Stacey‘s inner Laurence‖, The Canadian Novel: A Search for Identity.
confusion is expressed as an aspect of voice and time, New Delhi: 1993. Print.
the voice of past and present.
The moral value in modern society is in a great
demand. Taking revenge in the sense of blood for blood
is very common in our day today life. Feeling rejected
by her husband, MacAindra and her children, Stacey
finds Buckle Fennick and she is sexually attracted to
him though she dislikes his mannerisms. She accepts a
ride in his truck and at his place, in the presence of his
blind mother, enjoys masturbation before Stacey‘s eyes,
keeping her as an onlooker. He thus seeks revenge on
Mac through Stacey because of Mac‘s refusal to
acknowledge him in Thor‘s presence.
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Winston himself is subjected to great physical that all food items are supplied to people. But it
torture by O‘Brien. With the help of electric makes people believe that there is plenty of
shocks and a ―hypodermic syringe‖, Winston is production and equal distribution of produce. In
almost reduced to a mere skeleton. He now reality, only the members of the Inner party enjoy
realizes, ―Nothing in the world was so bad as all privileges while the other sections of the society
physical pain. In the face of pain there are no are made to toil. Contrary to what these ministries
heroes, he thought over and over as he writhed on should do to govern the nation, they are effectively
the floor, clutching uselessly at his disabled left used by the party to propagate their ideas and
arm‖(16). Five or six men in black uniform used condition people to adopt themselves to the
to beat Winston: ―Sometimes it was fists, principles of the party.
sometimes it was truncheons, sometimes it was The Party history books claim that it
steel rods, sometimes it was boots‖,(14) which invented aeroplanes. Winston had seen aeroplanes
were used to beat him. ―There were times when he long before the Party formed government. But it
rolled about the floor, as shameless as an animal, can not be proved because there is no evidence.
writhing his body this way and that in an endless, Even people cannot rely on their memory. Winston
hopeless effort to dodge the kicks, and simply struggles to remember his childhood. ―It was
inviting more and yet more kicks, in his ribs, in extraordinarily difficult, Beyond the late fifties
his belly, on his elbows, on his shins, in his groin, everything faded. When there were no external
in his testicles, on the bone at the base of his records that you could refer to, even the outline of
spine‖ . (16) This is, in fact, the height of physical your life lost its sharpness‖. (Ramesh Tible:77)
and mental torture meted out to Winston in a The economic condition of Nineteen
system exclusively devised to perpetuate absolute Eighty-Four resembles that of Russia. To, Winston
power of the Big Brother. The pillars of the citadel smith, readjusting Ministry of Plenty`s figures is
of this power do crumble, but many tiny, helpless not even forgery. Rather it appears like substituting
men, the likes of Winston, are inevitably crushed one piece of nonsense for another because most of
by the dragnet of absolute power. the figures mentioned do not have any connection
In the private rebellion against government, with the real world. People who showed
Winston an outer party member, starts keeping a intelligence incurred the wrath of the Party and
diary forbidden step begin his life as an enemy. disappeared suddenly. `Thoughtcriminals‘ were
He purchase the diary on one of his forays into arrested and were either condemned Publicly or
the proletarian section. Outside the antique shop released after cleansing but were killed after a few
where he brought the diary he later encounters a years. The fourth message Winston received that
young women who he has observed watching him morning required him to do some serious work
for the last few day at his office. Knowing he is because what was written in Newspeak can be
not supposed to be there and suspecting she is a rendered in Oldspeak as: ―The reporting of Big
spy he quickly avoids her. Brother`s Order for the day. In The Times of
The protagonist of the novel is Winston December 3rd 1883 is extremely unsatisfactory and
Smith, a member of the outer party, working in make references to non-existed persons. Rewrite it
the Records Department of the Ministry of truth, in full and submit your draft to higher authority
rewriting and altering records, such as newspaper- before filling‖. (Ramesh Tible: 77)
articles, of the past. But Winston develops critical In Nineteen Eighty Four the citizens are
thoughts against the ruling dictatorship of the part. monitored and conditioned through coercive
The Records Department in Ministry of Truth methods. They live under a sense perennial fear so
(Minitrue) changes history when someone does not that they cannot think or question the motives and
seem right, or when a person has a thought against discursive methods so that we pay less attention to
the ideals of the party. It is done to make the important things. Rather we are conditioned to pay
people believe that the party is always right. Past attention to trifles. The motive of the government
is always constantly altered to go along with the is to retain power by making people not to this
party‘s standards. independently.The close reading of Orwell‘s
The Ministry of Peace (Minipax) ensures Nineteen Eighty-Four reveals that the novel is well
that people believe that there was a war going on. grounded in the socio-cultural matrix of the
Its own city Oceania is bombed by the Party just middling years of the two world wars. During the
to scare the people. The fear of people about the time governments went on a spree for restricting
ongoing war will prevent them from paying any individual freedom and insisting on conformity to
attention to other happenings in the counter. The its policies through the twin instruments of poet,
Ministry of Love is concerned with law and order. namely coercion and discursive practice, by making
It makes sure that people do not even think against the media sub serve their ideology and thus
the ideals of the party. If they do so they will be perpetuate hegemony, by interpellation. The novel,
caught by the Thought Police and later conditioned is relevant not only in the contexts of its
to adopt themselves to the policies of the party. production, but its account of state control holds
The Ministry of plenty is responsible for true even in the contexts of reception. Thus
the economic affairs of the country. It makes sure studied, Nineteen Eighty- Four is not a pageantry or
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dystopia but a valid critique of power equations of for Emmanuel Goldstein, the almost legendary
modern society. enemy of the party, an alleged counter-revolutionary
At the height of Winston‘s affair with and scapegoat for all the military, social and
Julia, he is approached by an Inner party member economic failings of the party.
named O Brien whom Winston has long suspected Winston is highly scared of it and in a
of discussing one of Winston‘s Newspeak articles, moment of unreasoning panic, begs him to set the
O‘ Brien invites him to his home. When he arrives rats on Julia instead, which is, precisely, a great
there, Winston is amazed at the amenities available betrayal of love. He is now a completely
to the inner party about which outer party members transformed Winston having practically nothing left
might only dream. One of these luxuries is a to feel proud of. His mind ,physique and spirit are
telescreen that can actually he turned off for completely broken; his teeth knocked out; his hair
privacy. O‘ Brien reveals to Winston that the gone Not considered worth ‗vaporisation‘ and
Brother land, a mutinous underground organization, liquidation, he is now given a very minor job that
does exist, and he makes arrangements to give leaves him plenty of time to sit in a café allow
Winston a copy of a book which details he control and despised, drinking victory gin and victory
techniques that party uses. Excited about the cigarettes. Equally crest fallen and dejected is Julia,
prospects of helping overthrow the government, who, took often sits in the workers‘ canteen
Winston takes the book to the room above Mr. contemptuously all alone gazing at Winston. He
Charrington‘s shop. However before he can make now truly loves Big Brother; for the brainwashing
any plans or even finish the book, he and Julia are and shock treatments have completely overhauled
arrested in the room that had been their refuge. his person. The announcement that Oceania wins a
They discover that quiet Mr. Charrington is actually great victory in Africa appears wholly true to an
a member of the thought police. He and O‘Brien erstwhile skeptical Winston. His surrender to Big
had working together to trap Winston. Brother, in a word, is complete and his confession
Winston and Julia are separated and taken to the party quite clean and spontaneous. He is
to the ministry of love where Winston is physically ultimately converted into a soulless automaton, a
and psychologically tortured by O‘Brien until he degenerated fellow to the fit to do what his master
finally accepts the party‘s views. In a moment of dictates him to do.
utter terror Winston betrays Julia, something he The corruption inherent in the Rebellion is
was convinced they could never make him do. The manifested as each of the commandment is
final lines of the book show Winston‘s complete successively betrayed, until none of the original
transformation into model party member. As Lisa revolutionary idealism remains. A description of the
Sessions point out: ―Everything was all right, the genesis of 1984 reveals the remarkable consistency
struggle was finished. He had won the victory over of Orwell style and long considered ideas and the
himself. He loved Big Brother‖. working of his creative imagination, which drew
The hero, Winston Smith, works in the upon his experiences of poverty and totalitarianism.
Ministry of Truth, where his duty is largely to The most powerful and effective part of
rewrite, alter, falsify and manipulate historical 1984 is Orwell‘s recreation of the glastly
references, previous records, and the names of atmosphere of fear and torture in the extermination
persons liquidated to tailor to the needs of the camps. The paradox of totalitarianism is that it
Ingsoc Party. He is a white- collar worker in the intensifies personal solitude, when it forces all the
outer party and lives in a one room apartment in a isolated figures into one over powering system. The
party workers hostel in London, now the principal dominant emphasis throughout Orwell‘s work is on
city of Airstrip One, part of Oceania which loneliness and exclusion, on the fearful individual
comprises Britain and North and South America. in an oppressed world on the people in Trotsky‘s
Oceania is as big as a super-power as phrase, ―swept into the dustbin of history‖. Orwell
Eurasia and Eastasia are and is a completely had important predecessors in the Nineteenth
totalitarian police state, rigidly adhering to the century. Orwell‘s social and political writing
principles and politics of English Socialism. A involves not only the accurate depiction of poverty
fierce war is waged between Oceania and Eurasia and oppression but also and attempt to use his
plus Eastasia, in which both the belligerent super experiences to test himself and define his values,
states claim victory. At lunch time on April 4, Orwell‘s books deals with dominant themes like
1984, Winston takes time off from his job to go power and corruption in the struggle to alert his
home. He recalls and ruminates over the life he audience to social and political injustice.
leads; the telescreen fitted in his apartment to REFERENCES
report back his activities to the party bosses. He [1]. Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. New Delhi: Harish
Book Company, 1949. Print.
also hates the shabby and poor life the workers are
[2]. Sessions, Lisa. A teacher`s guide to the signet classic
forced to lead, the poor Victory Gin and Victory edition of George Orwell‟s 1984. Web, 5th June 2008.
Cigarettes; the cheap Party Overalls. He also hates [3]. Marionette, Masquerade. Dehumanization in George
the party leader –Big Brother. He is also bored of Orwell`s Nineteen Eighty-Four. Studies in Fiction. New
Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2003. P 1-17.
the Two-Minute-Hate session which everybody
Print.
compulsorily attends to in order to show contempt
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spontaneous, fortuitous sister and her prince marrying her. What was presented here fitted well‖.
survive to love‖. (Atonement 371) (Atonement 38)
She, therefore, draws attention to the god-like Again, the omniscient narrators describes the
status of the author and the narrative authority that has willing irresistibility of Cecilia towards Robbie in their
always belonged to the author. Moreover, in passing hide and seek love and also hints at how Briony,
this remark, Briony also draws attention to the fact that Cecilia‘s sister, feels shocked of her sister‘s behaviour:
she is not the real inventor; her own creator is McEwan ―What was less comprehensible, however, was how
himself. Robbie imperiously raised his hand now, as though
Without the final section of the novel ―London 1999‖, issuing a command which Cecilia dared not disobey. It
the readers of Briony‘s novel would assume that Robbie was extraordinary that she was unable to resist him. At
and Cecilia lived happily and Briony was able to see his insistence she was removing her clothes, and at such
them together. Because of the epilogue, the reader finds speed. She was out of her blouse, now she had let her
out that Briony fictionalizes that Robbie and Cecilia skirt drop to the ground and was stepping out of it,
ended up together and lived happily in part three. But, while he looked on impatiently, hands on hips. What
the two have died and they do not end up happily strange power did he have over her.Blackmail?Threats?
together and Briony never sees them after the war. Briony raised two hands to her face and stepped back a
Because of Briony‘s made-up ending and because of little way from the window. She should shut her eyes,
McEwan‘s ―delayed disclosure‖, a metafictionality she thought, and spare herself the sight of her sister‘s
occurs in the text. Briony‘s fiction and McEwan‘s shame. But that was impossible because there were
fiction crisscross each other and the one fiction speaks further surprises. Cecilia, mercifully still in her
on the other fiction. In having an omniscient narrator as underwear, was climbing into the pond, was standing
the narrator of her atonement, Briony satisfies her need waist deep in the water, was pinching her nose – and
of control and the idea of herself as a ―godlike‖ (189) then she was gone. There was only Robbie, and the
figure, the creator. clothes on the gravel, and beyond, the silent park and
By utilizing metanarrative, McEwan transforms the the distant, blue hills‖. (Atonement, pp. 38-39)
narrative and even folds the narrative back on itself, in Secondly, Briony‘s interpretation of the scene
which the text comments on the fact that it is fiction. In is provided where the omniscient narrator disappears
Atonement, the narrative forces are recognized by the and Briony herself narrates the story:
reader that it is not simply the story of one pre-second ―Cecilia gripped the cool porcelain in both hands as she
World War family in Southern England, but a cross stood on one foot, and with the other hooked the French
section of time and society at that critical moment of windows open wide. As she stepped out in to the
time before the war changed everything. brightness the rising scent of warmed stone was like a
The uncertain but omniscient narrator steps into the friendly embrace. Two swallows were making passes
text in several ways and thus makes it ambiguous. The over the mountain, and a chiff-chaff‘s song was
fiction and reality merge and the readers are confronted piercing the air from within the sinewy gloom of the
with a decision about the narrator who tells them the giant Cedar of Lebanon. The flowers swung in the light
provisional truth at the end of the novel. The breeze, tickling her face as she crossed the terrace and
complicated narrative structure of the novel is a carefully negotiated the three crumbly steps down to the
typically postmodern feature. Both the external and gravel path. Robbie turned suddenly at the sound of her
internal narrators are involved. At first the narrator approach‖. (Atonement, pp.24-25)
appears to be external and adopting the omniscient The narration continues from Briony‘s angle and a few
point of view. Later, however, it comes to light that the pages later, Cecilia and Robbie are found indulging in
narrator is one of the characters, a part of the narrative an awkward relationship:
discourse itself. On the whole, there are several ―Awkwardly, for she still had her cigarette, she picked
different narrative viewpoints involved in the novel up the vase and balanced it on the rim of the basin. It
including those of Briony‘s sister Cecelia, her mother would have made better sense to take the flowers out
Emily and frequently of Robbie. first, but she was too irritable. Her hands were hot and
The fountain scene, for example, is presented dry and she had to grip the porcelain all the tighter.
twice, first as if the narrator is in the centre of the scene, Robbie was silent, but she could tell from his
and secondly, Briony‘s interpretation is provided. expression - a forced, stretched smile that did not part
Cecelia and Robbie‘s lovemaking in the library is also his lips – that he regretted what he had said. That was
dealt with twice. Briony‘s point of view is that of a no comfort either‖. (Atonement 27-28)
naïve and prejudiced young girl while the second The continuing narration highlights Briony‘s
account is given from the lover‘s viewpoint and reveals understanding of how her sister has been trapped by
their passion and affection for each other. From the very Robbie:
beginning what seems to be all-knowing narrator enters ―Cecilia and Robbie froze in the attitude of their
into the text to foreshadow future events. The Triton struggle. Their eyes met, and what she saw in the
Fountain Scene in Chapter II, for example, is presented bilious mélange of green and orange was not shock, or
twice, first as if the narrator is in the centre of the scene: guilt, but a form of challenge, or even triumph. She had
Briony would not have been surprised. She herself the presence of mind to set the ruined vase back down
had written a tale in which a humble woodcutter on the step before letting herself confront the
saved a princess from drowning and ended by significance of the accident. It was irresistible, she
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frightens Ajax away and leaves Sula in misery for a substitute for Sula, who feels abandoned by the
long time. Morrison indicates Sula‘s attachment with marriage and leaves town. Nel throws herself into trying
her friend Nel has almost become one. When Nel to please Jude making him feel like a man, she loses her
decides to marry Jude, Sula feels totally betrayed. After sense of self. Nel who has suffered from a lack of
ten years, Sula and Nel try to be friends again, but Sula friendship, is eager to befriend Sula. The unique
ruins it by having an affair with Jude, Nel‘s husband. combination of the two women, who completely
Nel rejects Sula‘s friendship and she has nothing to live, complement each other, forms a friendship that
and she decides to leave the world. On her deathbed, supercedes everything else in their lives.
Sula reflects on her life. She remembers the death of Nel‘s mother Helene assumes an early
Chicken Little and watching her mother burned to death importance in the novel. Helene is a prostitute‘s
and she decides her life had little meaning. It is a tragic daughter and she spends her life trying to erase that part
comment on Sula‘s existence. of history. This propriety is challenged on a train trip
Sula is a marvelously created and complex Helene and Nel take to see Cecile, Helene‘s
character. Early in the novel, she cuts off the tip of her grandmother. They are forced to use the bathroom in a
own finger to protect herself and Nel from the vicious field because there are no restrooms for black people on
attacks of some white boys. When Chicken Little the train. When the conductor speaks to Helene in a
drowns, she is terrified, but cares enough to go and seek clearly racist way, she doesnot seem to fight back. She
the help of Shadrack; when he tells her only ―always,‖ smiles at him, which shocks her daughter, who is used
she misunderstands and feels that he had made some to seeing her mother strong and in control. After Nel
kind of threat, which she never forgets. Sula resents her returns and befriends Sula, she seems to turn against
mother because of her lack of emotion towards her Helene.
daughter, as a result, when her mother catches on fire, Sula‘s mother, Hannah is hardly aware of her
Sula watches with detachment as she burns to death. only daughter of a distant mother. The conflict between
With the same controlled emotion, she puts Eva in a Sula and Hannah represents the clash between the old
nursing home, rather than care for her, and she sleeps and the new; tradition and modernity: pride and
with the husband of Nel as a way to strike back at her prejudice. Even her mother is an obstruction in her path
friend for having abandoned her. Sula wants to become to self- realization, she wants to become an independent
an independent woman. women.
Nel is Sula‘s opposite in many respects. Sula‘s grandmother, Eva, is forced to commit a
Physically she is light colored and plain, in contrast to horrific act when she has no food or money to support
Sula‘s blackness and mysterious appearance. Nel is also her children. With a neighbor, she disappears and later
thought to be a good girl by her mother and everyone she returns on crutches and with only one leg.―Rumours
else in The Bottom, for she is quiet and obedient; Nel‘s suggest that Evastuck her leg in the path of a moving
background is also different than that of Sula. Her Train and claimed the insurance money, sacrificing her
family is respectable and proper but calm. Nel is physical body to support her family‖ (Sula 31).
brought up to be the same way. Early in the novel, Nel Sula, despite her strange ways, has truly lived
travels with her mother to New Orleans, for Nel‘s great her life independently on the edge. Nel‘s desire for
– Grandmother is dying. The trip is a turning point in individuality is a remarkable factor in the novel and also
her development. First, she sees her respectable, paved way for the friendship with Sula. Helene, as a
dignified mother having to urinate in the field because prostitute‘s daughter tries to erase that part of her
the train has no restrooms for black passengers. She history. Eva, a tough and strong – willed woman, is one
also sees her mother groveling and apologetic to the of the few characters to survive at the end of the novel.
conductor, who punishes the two of them for being in a Hannah‘s influence on Sula remains constant and
train car for whites. Nel is amazed to learn about profound. Thus, Morrison‘s ‗Sula‘ gives a vivid
discrimination and see that her mother is not always in portrayal of female empowerment.
control. As a result of the trip to New Orleans, Nel REFERENCE
determines that she will be more different than her [1]. Arya, Kavitha. Blackhol in the Dust: The Novels of Toni
Morrison. New Delhi:
mother, she will not live her life running from the past
[2]. Adhyayan Publication, 2010.Print.
and seeking respectability and conformity above all it is [3]. Dhawan, R. K. Feminism and American Literature. New
Nel‘s desire for individuality that leads her into a Delhi: Prestige Books,!996.159.
friendship with Sula who is independent, brave, and
strong. For Nel, her husband, Jude, becomes a poor
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fathers or heads of the families. In all the ‗events‘ in support, it is impossible to live in the village even on
Sanichari‘s life one can see a direct connection between milk and ghee provided by the malik‖ (Rudali 82).
the personal event and the exploitative system. When Mahasweta Devi also shows up how women
her husband died of cholera after drinking the across class lines remain objects of social prejudice and
contaminated and putrid ‗sanctified‘ milk donated to the discrimination. This is broughtout through Nathuni‘s
Shiva idol by the rich she is made to pay twice over for middle wife‘s complaint to Shanichari. She says that
ritual offerings. The poor economic condition of she is looked down upon and denied respect because
Sanichari forced to her go into debt. She becomes a she is a mother of a girl. ―She looks down on her
slave to Ramavatar. She borrowed twenty rupees and marital home as poor compared to her father‘s, and
put her thumbprint on a paper saying that she should resents her co-wives, because they are mothers of sons-
repay the debt through bonded labour in his fields over her child is a daughter, which lowers her status in the
the next five years. Thousands of rupees are carelessly eyes of others‖ (Rudali 100). This social attitude which
spent on the lavish shraddhas of her masters. This is widely internalized by the women holds a woman
shows how the poor are exploited due to their economic solely responsible for all the so-called ills and
condition. Mahasweta Devi exposes this economic misfortunes.
exploitation in most of her works. She is the voice of Mahasweta Devi uses the movement of
the voiceless. This also reveals how religious and Sanichari‘s evolution to empowerment as the
economic exploitation reinforces and strengthens one organizing principle around which the critique of socio-
another. ―paralleling the economic strong hold of the economic system is arranged. Throughout the narrative
Malik-Mahajans is the social oppression of a religious of Rudali Mahasweta Devi concentrates on the
system which control through fear and superstition‖ problems and sufferings of rural women in India. The
(Rudali 10). Because of the dire poverty and constricted author explains how women out of economic
life sanichari suffers every loss. Malik-Mahajans like compulsions become prostitutes. She explains the socio-
Ramavatar Singh and his son Lachman Singh who economic causes that construct the fictional world of
control almost every aspect of the lives of the low-caste Rudali. In an interview, Mahasweta Devi admits that it
villagers, by using the poor economic condition of these was during her travels on the foot into the tribal areas of
low-caste villagers they extract years of unpaid labour Eastern India that she conceived the idea of writing on
as repayment for small debts. the exploitations of poor women.
The entire text is a critique of the socio-economic and The material misery and historic experience of
religious systems. ―Everything in this life is a battle‖ injustice dehumanizes the subjects to mere insensitivity.
almost act as a refrain in the text. Even little The caste patriarchy of Brahmanism in India is the
indulgences like bangles or a comb appear to be typical example and Sanichari and her band of the vast
impossible dreams. On the contrary, there are frequent majority of women in India are illustrations, who are
references to the wanton way in which the rich spend even bereft of their intimate emotions and even tears for
money on funeral ceremonies. that matter. The daily struggles under oppression and
―For them, nothing has ever come easy. Just the daily the everyday of realities of injustice and double
struggle for a little maize gruel and salt is exhausting. standards degrade and dehumanize them.
Through motherhood and widowhood they‘re tied to the Mahasweta Devi‘s fictions demonstrate the
moneylender. While those people spend huge sums of persistence of oppression that exists unchanged even
money on death ceremonies, just to gain prestige‖ after the independence in a democratic India, not the
(Rudali 96). high claims of socio-economic and political reforms.
The exploitation of the poor by the rich takes Political and legislative solutions are ineffective,
many forms. The prostitutes too are victims and are incompetent and futile. Mahasweta Devi turn to the
treated like outcastes and untouchables. ―He‘s not small things on the human scale as providing places
willing to spend a paisa on trying to cure her, but plans where the human spirit is tested and where it
to spend thirty thousand on her funeral!‖ (Rudali 99). It occasionally triumphs through sheer endurance.
is Dulan at every stage contributes to the growing Sanichari is oppressed due to her social and
empowerment of Sanichari. Dulan intervenes to advice, economic states. It‘s her economic class and not her
help, educate and enlighten Sanichari at her every name that makes her life full of suffering. Poverty and
stressful juncture. He is perceived as a male mentor and deprivations deny her material comfort, distort her
guide to helpless females. When Sanichari‘s son dies emotional response. The issue of survival is more
and her daughter-in-law deserted her, it is Dulan who immediate and real than any possible grief: ―Her
gets her job of repairing the railway line to meet her husband died, her son died, she didn‘t die of grief. No
economic needs. When Bikhni, Sanichari‘s friend‘s one does. After the worst disasters, people gradually
money runs out, they go to Dulan for advice. Not only bathe, eat, chase away the goat nibbling the chillies in
Dulan but also the other poor and oppressed of the the yard.
community are ready to help her. Mahasweta Devi at Rudali thus is a powerful narrative which presents
this juncture stresses the value and necessity of a vivid picture of the subaltern dehumanized and
community, partnership, fraternity and sisterhood for dispossessed. It is ironical that in a country like India
those who are exploited and driven back economically. where women are to be respected and raised to the level
―Inorder to survive, the poor and oppressed need the of Gods and Goddesses, Sanichari the heroine of Rudali
support of the other poor and oppressed. Without that is exploited and marginalized by the upper classes and
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
satisfied, or yet hopeless, but because such demands harmony and sanity. She comes out of her emotional
now seem to me to be an exercise in futility.‖ (23) upheaval, and decides to lead a meaningful life with her
Indu witnesses the inner struggle and suffering husband.
of new class of educated Indian women who raise many II.CONCLUSION
basic questions regarding modern women who are Through the character of Indu, Deshpande
rooted and shaped by the Indian customs but influenced voices her protest against the feminine development
by the scientific knowledge of the West. Previously, brought about by an economic system which provides
woman was regarded as the weak and emotional only materialistic happiness and inhibited by philistines
creature but now she is a totally changed person and is like Jayant and describes patriarchal family structure
aware of what is happening around her, her quest for which makes a woman dependent, insecure and gives
identity, her individuality, her place and role in society her an incomplete sense of identity.
and in family. Indu represents this new woman the
meek, docile and humble Indu of the early days finally REFERENCES
emerges as the bold, challenging, conscious and [1]. Bhatnagar, Manmohan, k. Feminist English Literature.
rebellious woman: New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2003. Print.
[2]. Deshpande, Shashi. Roots and Shadows. New Delhi:
―As matter of fact, I felt neither mournful, nor desolate,
Hyderabad: Orient Longman Pvt Ltd.,1983. Print.
but, in a peculiar way, both light and free. Yes, the [3]. Gaijan, M.B.Indian Women Writers. New Delhi: Sarup
house had been a trap too, binding me to a past I had to Book Publishers Pvt. Ltd,. 2009. Print.
move away from. Now, I felt clean, as if I had cut away [4]. Khan, A. A. Changing Faces of New Woman Indian
Writing in English. New Delhi: Adhyayan Publishers,
all the unnecessary, uneven edges off myself. And free.
2012. Print.
But not detached. I would, I never hanker after
detachment any more‖ (167-168).
Indu is a journalist and she resigns her job,
thus defying the male authority, hierarchy and irony of
a woman‘s masked existence. Herself discovery is the
frightening vision of the feminine self struggle for
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
I never felt the kiss of love The Defense of Lucknow is highly charged
with the poet‘s patriotic, national spirit and racial pride.
Nor maiden‘s hand in mine The poem vehemently termed the Indian rebels, who are
heroes in Indian eyes, as ‗dark pioneer‘, ‗myriad
……………………………………….. enemy‘ or ‗fell mutineers‘. These are portrayed in the
following lines:
So keep I fair through faith and prayer
Keep the revolver in hand! You can hear him the
A virgin heart in work and will (1 – 4, 13 – 16, murderous mole!
19 – 20- 24) Quiet, ah! Quiet – wait till the point of the pickaxe be
thro‘:
King Arthur was a noble, virtuous, popular and …………………………………………………………
beloved King of England in the middle ages. He chases …………….
the best persons of virtue, honesty, integrity and bravery Now let it speak, and you fire, and the dark pioneer is
for all walks of life and made them knights. These no more;
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
REFERENCES
[1]. Killham, John, ed. Critical Essays on the Poetry of
Tennyson. London: Britain, 1960. Print.
[2]. Sypher, F.J. ―Politics in the Poetry of Tennyson‖.
Victorian Review 14. 2 (1976): 101 – 112. JSTOR. Web.
30 Jan 2015.
[3]. Hughes, Linda K. ―Tennyson‖ Victorian Poetry 32.3 – 4
(1994): 501 – 509. Web. 13 Feb 2015.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
were in despair about her peculiar behaviour as shown ―Attempting to include Kulfi in their high spirits, the
below: neighbors assured her that her son was destined for
greatness, that the world, large and mysterious beyond
―They had spent night after sleepless night gathered at Shakot, had taken notice of him, ‗Look! Even people in
the window to watch as she wandered up and down in Sweden have remembered to send a birthday
the garden, having taken suddenly, after her twentieth present.‘And: Let‘s name him Sampath, they said.
birth day,to sleep walking. Her father watched a pale in ‗Good fortune.‖( 12).
his pyjamas; the aunties shook in their petticoats. The
months had gone by with no sign of this behavior Sampath‘s behaviour is interpreted of an
abating‖. ( 62-63). unnatural spiritual nature and as a mixture of
unfathomable wisdom. This news is responsible for
On the day of the birth of Kulfi‘s child, there is a promoting the image of Sampath as a holy man. After
change in the climate. The summer disappears suddenly this news spreads across the town, the orchard becomes,
with the thick clouds in the sky and a cool breeze in the the ashram of Sampath who is treated as a wise sage.
land. Kulfi watches this abrupt seasonal change through The narrative forth is filled with fantasy and humour
a window from her. She is the first to announce the indicating the use of magic realism.
arrival of the rain. Subsequently, it begins to rain
heavily bringing about joy among the people of the II. CONCLUSION
town. This instance is symbolic of suggesting the birth The growing hullabaloo in the life of Sampath
of Kulfi‘s first child as it is evident in the following: and his family‘s reaction to it works as the governing
idea of the novel and keeps the readers enjoying every
―She felt her muscles contract as a clap of thunder happening in it. The analysis of the narrative in
echoed about her. Again, the thunder roared. Kulfi, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard shows that Sampath
soaking wet, opened her mouth wide and roared back. undergoes a transformation from an ordinary post office
Below her, the ground had disappeared, ponds formed, clerk into a powerful holyman.this transformation is
joined to make lakes and ran down streets to make narrated with the comical and magical elements in the
rivers. Rivers took the place of roads. (10-11). novel. Hence, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard is
regarded as a novel blending comic happenings with
The discovery of the crate of Red Cross magic effects.
supplies is like a magic. Since it happens at the time of
the birth of Kulfi‘s son, the credit is given to the new REFERENCES
born. There is turning point in the life of the people of
Shahkot. They were in despair due to the failure of the [1]. Ashcroft, Bill. Et al. Key Concepts in Post-colonocal
monsoon rain. It had affected very seriously. With the studies. London:Rutledge,1998. Print.
[2]. Bihari, Bipin. A Critical Study on the Themes and
birth of Kulfi‘s son, there is a positive transformation in Techniques. Odisha:Sep 2014. Print.
their life. The neighbours treat the child as an [3]. Desai, Kiran. Hullabaloo in the Guava orchard. New
incarnation, some supernatural power which is evident Delhi: Faber and Faber, 1998. Print.
in the narrative as follows: [4]. Desai, Kiran. Hullabaloo in the Guava orchard. Magill‘s
Literary Annual, 1991-2005.Print.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
contradictory versions create doubt in the mind of Uma. Uma and her husband exposes the mystery behind the
For her Subbu‘s condition is a riddle. In the meanwhile, murder of Kamala. But Suresh is not convinced. His
it is reported that Anarkali has been bailed out. All these mind has been built upon protecting the minister from
events contribute to the ultimate conclusion in the play. prosecution. He informs his senior official that he
At this moment, the play diverts in two directions – knows the truth but could not act upon it. The situation
Uma‘s anguish of her married life and her anxiety about is a total irony that Uma‘s pleadings for the prosecution
Kamala.Anarkali revealed the truth in the end and of the murderer go without any answer. The play ends
Subbu killed himself on getting back his wedding in a note of pathos in the agonizing tone of Uma.The
photograph. This is how she put it:Would you believe plight of Hijras in the Indian society is deplorable.
me? Anyway, what is the use of all that? What does it Transgender characters are treated like animals in the
matter who killed Kamala? She is dead… So many play. Their presence at births and marriages is
times I warned her. First I thought that Salim was taking agreeable, but the gift of motherhood is denied to them
her for his own pleasure. When she told me about by nature and the privilege of marriage is denied to
Subbu, madam, I tried to stop her. I fought with her. I them by the society. Uma has a choice in having both
her face, hoping she will become ugly and Subbu will but deep down she realizes she lacks neither. All the
forget her. He wanted to marry her… I was there at male characters in the play address them after their
their wedding… She gave me that picture to show to common name Hijra and the third person singular
Champa. I saw the men coming for her. I told her to ―It‖.At the same time Munuswamy opines that it was
run… (41) not appropriate for a woman from a respectable family
like Uma Rao should meet or talk with a transgender.
As Uma is exploring the tryst between Even the name for a transgender is not admissible to
Anarkali and Salim, her own marital situation is under him. So he ridiculed it. Suresh chuckled, ―That is just
tension. Uma begins to reflect on the irony of the Hijra the sort of a name of a Hijra would fancy. Anarkali!‖
community. Uma unfolds the whole story before her (9)In Seven Steps Around the Fire Dattani represents
husband in their bedroom: ―The photograph was what various facets of subaltern existence. If Anarkali is a
Mr. Sharma was after. A Polaroid picture that gendered subaltern, Uma is also a subaltern when
Subu and Kamala had taken soon after their compared to her status in the patriarchal world. The
private wedding in some remote temple…‖A picture of invisible minority is denied visibility and used as a salt
Kamala as a beautiful bride smiling at Subbu with the – lick by the wild and powerful of the society. Thus,
wedding garland around him. The poojari probably Mahesh Dattani proves himself as a social reformer and
didn‘t know that Kamal was not a woman. Of course his play in Seven StepsAround the fire clearly defines
Mr. Sharma couldn‘t have it – totally unacceptable. So the problems faced by the transgender community in
he arranged to have Kamala burned to death. But Salim India.
had to tell him about the picture. Mr. Sharma simply
had to have that picture. He sent Salim to threaten REFERENCE
Anarkali and Champa…losing his son. What a price to
pay! And now he will be arrested and tried for murder. [1]. Dattani, Mahesh. Seven Steps Around the Fire. New Delhi:
penguin, 2000. Print.
(41)The wedding photograph of Subbu and Kamala has
[2]. Ranjan, Verma,Mukesh. ―Mahesh Dattani‘s Seven Steps
a voice in the play. It also is cleared off after the death Around The Fire: Focusing On
of Subbu. The death of Subbu reveals the mystery of the The Marginal Gender ‖Marginal Existence New Trends in
murder. The reality is so bitter that it is difficult to be Literature. Ed.Anita
Partiar.Anil Bisht.New Delhi,2000. Print.
exposed in public. The end is depressing but it shows
that at least raising the ―voice‖ against oppression is in [3]. Singh,Jaspal. ―Mahesh Dattani‘s Seven Steps Around The
itself a great challenge of life. Uma takes the wedding Fire:Portraying The Invisible Hijara
photograph of Subbu and Kamala to her house and Minority‖New Delhi; Foundation. 2005. Print.
shows it to her husband to convince him that the
[4]. Konar,Ankur. ―Drama , Dattani And Discourse: Positin
minister was behind the murder of Kamala and the And Exposition‖ .New Delhi:Penguin, 2000. Print.
reason for Subbu‘s suicide. The conversation between
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
them a good economic status. This also affects the social restrictions are like, stopping women's education,
educational status of learners in English language restricting the education of lower classes and many
education. more created havoc. One could not find the good
IV. IMPACT OF THE LEARNER’S cooperative participants in the education field because
BACKGROUND of the caste systems being followed in our country.
Several factors contribute to the learning of the Higher secondary is a crucial level in the schooling. It is
language. The following are some of the aspects that a place that creates specific social needs. Language
affect the language learning of people are, 1. learning methods permit all classes of students getting
Educational background of parents 2.Socio-Economic involved in it. But the level of socio-economic factors
Status 3. Early schooling experiences 4. The general affect creates dynamic changes frequently. Therefore,
exposure to English communication and 5.Self- school education is mostly related to the social
Reticence. These factors re-affect the motivation and environment of the learners. Overall development of the
encouragement in learning English as the medium of individual is based on the society and the status of
communication. The background education of the economic growth. An individual's intention of learning
parents really affects as well as inspires their children's for communicative English can be adversely affected by
language learning ability. Parents have an enormous the influence of the social structure and ideals. For
interest and focus on their children's education. The example, a politician's intention of propagating his own
children, even in their higher education reflect their language as the dialect in his society, affects the
parents' use of dialects as they are used to imitate the learners' prospects of English learning for
behavior of the parents. This behavior of imitation communication. In most of the higher secondary
easily reflects the community to which they belong to. schools, English is being used as the mark oriented
If the parents' education level is too low, children thrive subject.
to come up and compete with others. There are certain The other important factor affecting ELL in higher
schools which restrictions for the children of secondary level is the application or the use of proper
unqualified parents. This makes the children from the tools for language learning. High class learners'
lower strata of society get less opportunities as prospects are most probably high in cost than the
compared to the elite group of students. learners from lower economic background. It would be
The third important factor that affects the learning helpful to all classes of learners if teachers create a
aspect of English is learners' early schooling condusive environment which is to adopt, absorb
experience. Many students come across fundamental knowledge, conserve and transmit what must be easily
problems in their ability to communicate in English equipped by the society.
when they appear for HSc level. The focus of the VI. PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES OF
mother tongue in the earlier schools affects their LANGUAGE LEARNING
learning prospect of English. Students learn English in “If you find yourself saying “I can’t speak English…,’
schools through different methods. So it makes them try adding the word…yet” - Jane Revell and Susan
lose their confidence in learning English as the Norman.
communicative tool. This lack of confidence makes the Education is the significant system for developing
learners lose their attitudes and results in fear of failure socialization. Each caste has its own specific customs
while using the language. These types of learners and traditions. Caste systems try to socialize the
seldom use English for communicative purpose. learners instead of making effective learners. Social
Exposure to any language helps in imbibing the ideals have to be evolved for reforming the methods
language learning abilities fast. It is based the self- used for language education. If today's world is under
consideration of the learners' attitude in language these socio-economic problems, these can be imitated
learning. This kind of exposure will be created through by the community of posterity. So it is better to reform
the previous experiences of the learners. Some students today's mode of education.
might not have got opportunities for oral The important problem of having proper language
communication in high schools. These factors affect education is the obsolete methods of language teaching.
their knowledge of language usages and process of It is necessary to invent new methods following the
using it at the secondary level. This trend has to be cultural developments. Old methods could be followed
changed by evolving few strategies. In higher secondary today. It would be helpful in developing the students'
level, it is duty of the teachers and the curriculum learning process. The new methods with technical and
suffers to make the learners realize the importance of could not be affordable to the economically poor
learning English. students. For instance, the methods like Audio-lingual
V. IMPACT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS method and the methods requiring the internet could not
“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind be accessed by the economically deprived students.
with an open one”-Malcolm Forbes. A few strategies have to be evolved to improve the
Society and economic status are interrelated with qualitative education in English in the Higher
each other. A good society can create a good product of Secondary School. The first and foremost one is
educational system to all classes of economic redefining the aims of education. This redefinition has
background. Learning environment enables individuals to be done with the foresight of globalization. As
to learn how to develop the skills inherent in them. globalization ensures the importance of speaking
Considering the social backdrop of the learners, certain English, the professional prospects of teachers may also
34
ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
be changed. Equal consideration must be given to Inventing language centers for the higher
English language as other subjects. Opportunities have secondary students can help the students to get equal
to be provided for the development of all the classes of weightage like other subjects. To the low and deprived
students with higher innate powers. economic learners, these language centers provide
The second important strategy to be followed in opportunities which could be useful and fruitful.
the schools is to provide education based on national VII.CONCLUSION
defense. This can help the learners to have the spirit of Learning English language as the tool for
education. In communication process, this system could communication develops individual personality as
be useful. For example, by involving the higher communicative English teaching to the students of HSc
secondary students groups like SCOUT, YRC, RRC is highly different from others. In the development of
and others which could give right kind of ambience English language, socio-economic status and
among the students of various places come and have economical and educational background of parents have
interaction. The conditioning programs like gymnastics, sound influence. By developing new strategies like,
athletics, also enhances good cooperation among innovative teaching methods would create possible
students. In order to involve them in creating unity ways to achieve desirable communicative capabilities.
without the consideration of socio or economic classes, Creating an atmosphere by avoiding disparities among
all these methods along with innovative educational the students can be helpful to initiate the higher learning
methodologies can be practiced. Good atmosphere to prospects in language education.
interact with each other in a language classroom be WORKS CITED
organized. [1]. Abilasha.R. “Trends in English Language Teaching: A
Surpassing situation which does not show any Novel Perspective”IJSELL 2.11(2014): 46-52. Print.
[2]. --- “Developing Communication Competence of the
disparity in socioeconomic and educational background Students of Engineering Courses”New Trends in English
is another strategy to develop the language as the Literature and Language. April 2014, 67-71, ISBN 978-
communicative tool. Teacher is the only agent between 81-929117-2-4.
social change and the students' growth process. The [3]. Bond,Karen. “Inspirational Quotes for Teachers and
government can give preference to the professionals Learners”linguisticsissues.net. N.p.,n.d. web. 12Feb2015.
[4]. David, Philip Powell and Paul Gunasekaran. “English
from all classes especially from all scheduled castes. To Language Teacher Education in a Diverse Environment”.
improve the dialects of the different classes, this The British counsel.org. British Counsel, 16Mar2013.Web.
strategy would be helpful in creating a congenial 10Dec2014.
atmosphere. Many parents along with the students are in [5]. Ilankumaran. M. “Effective Speaking and Effective
rival now to decrease the amount of fees in private Listening”Innovation and Best Practices in Teaching and
Learning Vol II( Jan 2014): 1-6. ISBN: 978-93-814230-0-
schools. Parents of HSc students pay the fee on a par 4.
with that of the scholarly degree course. They find it to [6]. ---. “The Transition of English Language for
remit even from the primary level of education. If Communication from Gutless Past to Glorious
government schools can provide the methods like the Present.”Research Access 1.1(Oct 2012): 31-36, ISSN
2319-3360.
private schools, it will be possible to give language
[7]. Lyons, John. Language and Linguistics. London: CUP,
learning with ease. The government schools are to be 2003. Print.
modernized like private schools. Students have to know [8]. Pareek, Uday. Education and Rural Development.
how to use grammar in sentences and start to interpret Hyderabad: ICFAI, 2005. 370-372. Print.
their own ideas in English. This would help them to
improve their dialects in higher education.
35
ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
has many distinct terms which are commonly used by important features of Received Pronunciation. Indian
its speakers. Some arise through the use of old and new native languages are actually syllable- timed languages,
morphological features; many terms from Indian like Latin and French. Indian- English speakers usually
languages are utilized and new usages for English speak with a syllabic rhythm. Further, in some
words or expressions are created. It must be noted that languages, stress is associated with low pitch, whereas
many of these terms and usages are specific to the in most English dialects, stressed syllables are generally
population of Indian English speakers who are currently pronounced with a higher pitch. Thus, when some
between twenty and thirty years of age. Indian speakers speak, they appear to put the stress
accents at the wrong syllables, or accentuate all the
Examples of the use of acronyms include:- syllables of a long English word.Some English phrases
used by the Indians which the world knows nothing
MCP = Male Chauvinist Pig about
FOC = Free Of Charge 1. First class!
Indians refer to anything they like or that is
MPK = Maine Pyar Kiya( a popular movie) really good as being ‗first-class‘. So anything
from a movie to a pani- puri could be ‗first-
ABCD = American Born Confused Deshi
class‘ in the country.
FOB = Fresh off the Boat 2. Prepone
FOB is actually used by Amercian – born Indians who What do you do when you do not want to
come to America and tease them for being ABCD‘s. postpone a meeting but reschedule it ahead of
its intended time? Simple. You prepone it!
VI.HINDI TERMS AND EXPRESSIONS IN INDIAN Literally using the antonym for post-, Indians
ENGLISH derived this simple way of stating something
will happen ahead of time.
Some items are directly related to 3. I have a doubt.
characteristics of Indian languages. Indians will often
ask, ―What is your good name?‖ which is a somewhat While in the rest of the English world, to
literal translation of ―Aapka shubh naam kya hai?‖ harbor a doubt is generally associated with
Shubh means auspicious or good, and it is basically doubting someone‘s ability, in India, to have a
used as a polite way of asking for someone‘s full name. doubt means you have a question about
An Indian English speaker says today morning (aaj something.
subha) or yesterday night (kal raat) to mean this
morning and last night. Indians also run the risk of VIII.SYNTAX
offending U.S. Americans when they use certain literal
translations which have the intended meaning but which Hindi syntax affects Indian English syntax in
also have offensive connotations. several ways. There is a seemingly arbitrary use of the
articles ‗a‘ and ‗the‘, which do not have parallels in
When Indians use English, it is often a mixture Hindi. Certain verbs are used in Indian English in the
of English, Hindi and other languages. Commonly used same way as they are used in Hindi. Indians use ‗kolna‘
Hindi terms and expressions include the following:- and ‗bandh karna‘ when asking someone to turn a light
on or off; the literal translations is retained, so some
Masala - risqué, spicy/hot Indian English speakers say ―open the light‖ and ― close
the light.‖ Indian English speakers often use certain
Teek hai – okay verbs in many ways that are confusing to speakers of
other English varieties. ‗Keep‘ is used for put, so one
Yaar – buddy finds Indians saying things like ―keep the ball there‖ or
―keep the ball back‖ to a person who is still holding the
Bus – that‘s it ball.
Hazar – a ton IX.CONCLUSION
These are just a few of the most common ones. One
Do Indians appreciate their own English?
must be fairly conversant in these and other terms and Ultimately, the answer is ‗Yes‘. Indians have made
expressions if one wants to follow discussions between English into a native language with its own linguistic
Indians completely. and cultural ecologies and socio-cultural contexts.
Indian English is very much Indian‘s language. Its
VII.SUPRA- SEGMENTAL FEATURES
special functions have engraved English into the
English is a stress – timed language, and both cultural life of India, and it is very much a part of the
syllable stress and word stress, where only certain experience of being Indian—even if one does not speak
words in a sentence or phrases are stressed, are it. The Indian writer and philosopher Raja Rao wrote,
37
ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
WORKS CITED
[1]. M. Ilankumaran, P Venugopalan, „The Transition of
English as a Language for Communication from
Gutless Past to Glorious present‟,Research Access ,
Volume 1, Issue 1,31-36,ISSN:2319-3360.
[2]. Sumana Bandyopadhyay, „Indianisation of English:
Analysis of linguistic features in selected post-1980
Indian English fiction‟, 2010, ISBN-13-978-81-8069-
703-6.
[3]. Braj B. Kachru, „The Indianization of English: The
English Language in India‟, Oxford 1983.
[4]. www.wikipedia.org
[5]. www.languagesinindia.com
[6]. www.immihelp.com
[7]. www.frontline.com
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
of God, various caste issues in South India are still he is a weaver. In his village, the weaver caste is almost
vibrant. The narrator describes the year that Kittu is high as the Brahmans. Boda brings her the food she
born as ‗the year of our freedom‘ (COG 7). There is needs for worship and she, believing Boda to be of the
great rejoicing at the time of his birth and the politicians weaver caste, accepts these things from his hand and
tell the people. All men will be equal in free India they eats the food he cooks and drinks the water he has
told us, at the time when we gained our Independence touched.
and the divisions of caste will be closed and no man The novelist also highlights the idea that, caste
will be Untouchable. But you cannot change the hearts difference can separate even very close friends. When
of men. (COG 7) Boda begins to admire Ganga, the beautiful girl, who is
The story highlights different communities the sister of Govinda, he does not realize the caste
such as s, Harijans, weavers and Shudras. The novelist difference. When Boda opens his mouth and tells
gives a dalit the work performed by the untouchables. Govinda his desire to marry Ganga, Govinda‘s face is
Through the family of Lakshmi, Shanta Rameshwar like a mask. He says in a tight, constricted voice. ―Boda,
Rao describes the miserable life of the scavengers and we have been friends and comrades for many days now.
cleaners of human filth. They live in a temple-town, We have worked and suffered together. And though I
named Venugopalapuram which is on the banks of river knew you for an untouchable, I never allowed that to
Vasumati. come in the way of our friendship. You know it as well
as I do‖ (COG 92)
In this South Indian village, Harigans are Govinda stares at him and says, ―I knew you
treated as objects and not as human beings by the higher for an untouchable,‖ (COG 92). Suddenly he gets angry
caste, people. They are not allowed to look too directly and shouts at Boda ―You have the nerve – the audacity,
at the face of the high caste people. The untouchables scavenger and untouchable; did you think I did not
suffer a lot without having enough food to eat. There is know? What penalty is there for this insult?‖ (COG 92-
no escape from it till death. They are like little rats who 93). Boda who has never expected this caste conflict
go round and round in the trap of never-ending hunger. puts his hand to him and utters a low cry. He says to
The novelist portrays the condition of Lakshmi‘s family Govinda that Ganga has accepted him as he is. Govinda
as follows: becomes angrier and replies him with harsh words as
follows ―You lout, you bastard, you cleaner of filth, you
―On the day of the poor feeding, they squat in groups. dare to take her name! I would have you beaten to a
Late in the afternoon, there is a shout and the temple pulp."(COG 93)
servant comes out carrying buckets full of banana When Boda waits at the bottom of the staircase
leaves. The untouchables behave like animals rushing to at the usual time of meeting Ganga, she doesn‘t appear.
get the food. Two days after the feeding, they are again On the fourth day, Govinda‘s child Savitri comes down,
filled with hunger‖. (COG 27) turns up her little nose at Boda and says haughtily: ―My
The novel clearly brings out the concept of mother told me you are untouchable and a cleaner of
untouchablilty. Caste refers to the restrictions upon filth, that I was not to talk to you or allow you to touch
touching, approaching and even seeing, which divided me‖ (COG 93). She also informs that Ganga has been
the high-born from the low-born. The novelist explains sent to the village to her husband‘s house and she will
the concept of caste through the character of Ponchu not come back again. Through this incident, the novelist
who says ―A man‘s caste is the result of his birth, and reveals that even among the untouchables, the cleaner
his birth is the result of past lives, past sins and past of filth comes under a ‗double‘ marginalization. The
deeds‖ (COG 42-43). The circumstances leading to the untouchables in this novel face difficulties when they
killing of Kittu reveal the caste conflict very clearly. use the common bus transport provided by the
Even Boda is also like him and he does not mingle with government. Altough the bus conductor has no
others. Kittu is joyous and lovable and feels equal to the objections, the Brahmans are angry with them. Once
people of other class and his actions are all different Lakshmi travels in the bus to bring the doctor from
from the untouchables. Once when he is a boy, he is Manur Hospital to deliver Sai‘s baby, a woman shouts,
taken to get the Temple Feast. At the time, he is just ten ―There is a scavenger sitting upon this seat‖ (COG 44).
years old. Kittu says ―I will not eat check‖ (COG 34). A Gandhian replies that anyone who has bought a ticket
The lower caste people cannot get a normal education. with money may travel in the bus.
The parents of Kittu hope that he will transcend caste The untouchables are Harijans. One of the
limitations. His parents hope that by giving Kittu Gandhi men says or answers, Untouchable means
education, they will be helping him to be free of his Children of God. The novelist Shanta Rameshwar Rao
caste stigmas. expresses the voice of the Untouchables in expressing
In the Independence Day Festival, Kittu sees their feelings and the jealousy of the s towards them
crowds of people brushing past him and jostling him, arising from the caste distinction. They are angry
while many hands touch him, as where in because untouchables have now got the right to wear
Venugopalapuram, no one would touch a low caste new clothes.
person. Boda hires himself to the grocer, for a wage of Shanta Rameshwar Rao shows how a few
Rs.3 per month. During this time caste is not a problem. individuals make a stand for the cause of the
Untouchable people work as cook in Brahman house untouchables. It is reassuring that in the recent times
where the woman asks his caste and Boda tells a lie that also certain sincere persons of the community have
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
suppressed and dominated. Once they return home they In Sangati Bama cites an instance of a dalit
rule their family. Some dalit women do not have the family to show the uncouth treatment of the wife by her
mental strength to fight against the oppression and husband. One day Anantamma a pregnant woman of
become mentally ill. Most of them survive against all West Street caught some crabs from the wet fields,
these odds. These are the difference between the life of cooked and ate it before her husband came home for his
a dalit man and dalit woman. Bama exposes caste and meal. The sentence she got for this is well expressed by
gender problems both outside and inside the her own song:
community. Sangati focuses generally on dalit women
on various issues such as gender, sexual discrimination. I waited and waited for him to come home
According to Bama, all women in the world are second
class citizens. For dalit women, the problem is grave. And began to eat as he came through the door.
Their dalit identity gives them a different set of
problems. He came to hit me, the hungry brute
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
gather information on common difficulties in language decide whether to treat or ignore the errors and also
learning‖(Hejazi 621). When the students make when and how to correct them. Learners‘ errors are
mistakes it will help the teachers to understand the classified into different categories. Each scholar gives
difficult areas as well. As a result, they can pay more different opinions about correcting errors. According to
attention while teaching those areas. It also helps the Hendrickson (1980), global errors need not be corrected
teachers to gather information on common difficulties and they are generally held true, while the systematic
in the process of learning. It helps the curriculum errors should be corrected. ―For systematic errors, since
developers to set new curricula which is free from learners have already had the linguistic competence,
common difficulties. ―The systematicity of the errors they can explain this kind of errors and correct them
proves that there is a mental process involved in themselves‖(Fang and Xue-mei 12). The teachers can
language learning‖(Hejazi 620). Such an over remind the students when they make such errors. The
generalization is a mental process; it proves that the most controversial issue is whether to treat the errors
learners repeat whatever they have heard. Errors immediately or to delay them. ―For communicative
provide a chance for evaluating the students as well as purpose, delayed correction is usually preferred‖ (Fang
the teaching strategies. and Xue-mei 12). Errors lead the learners to frustration
and hence immediate interference will disturb the
V.CORRECTING ERRORS students. Grammatical errors and pronunciation can be
Krashen‘s prediction is that ―errors would take care of corrected immediately because they may forget it later.
themselves as the learners‖(Krashan 620). The teachers The important fact is that punishment does not lead to
should give enough chances and time to students to positive learning. Punishments cannot help to avoid
correct their mistakes by themselves. If the students can errors.
correct themselves, nothing more needs to be said. If the VII.CONCLUSION
student is unable to provide self correction, the teachers Making errors is an inevitable part of the human
can make the class mates to help each other. It makes learning process. Both teachers and students have an
them understand that language learning is a corporate important role in handling errors. Students are expected
activity. This can prevent the learners from de- to take feedbacks and corrections in a positive manner.
motivating themselves. ―Don‘t over correct because The teachers should motivate the students to avoid
over – explanation or correction by the teacher can have errors. Everyone should understand that errors are also
de-motivating effect‖(Venkateswaran 157). Finding and an important part of learning. ―Errors are the flawed
correcting of all errors will affect the interest of the side of the learner‘s speech or writing. They are those
learner. It is better to give them a chance to correct parts of conversation or composition that deviate from
themselves. Error correction has only a minor role in some selected norm of mature language performance.
acquisition which only occurs as a result of the learner Teachers and mothers who have waged long and patient
processing the comprehensible input. If the main goal of battles against their students‘ or children‘s errors have
teaching is acquisition, then error correction generally come to realise that makingerrors is an inevitable part
needs to be avoided. ―Errors should not be corrected of learning. People cannot learn language without first
when the goal is acquisition but should be corrected systematically committing errors‖ (Dulay, Brut and
when the goal is learning‖(Krashen 1982). It will not be Krashen 138.)Murphy stated that ―It is a truth
inappropriate to make a distinction between learning universally acknowledged that a language learner who
and acquisition. Language learning is knowing about a makes a mistake must be in need of correction‖(Murphy
language; acquisition is subconscious, learning is 146). Hence errors are a vital part of teaching/learning
conscious. ―Learning refers to knowledge of rules being process, where correction is also needed.
aware of them and being able to talk about them. This
kind of language is quite different from language REFERENCES
acquisition which could be termed implicit‖ (Krashen [1]. Dulay et al. Language Two. Oxford: OC, 1982 Print.
1982). Formal teaching does not help in acquisition [2]. Fang, XIE and Xue-mei, JIANG. ―Error Analysis and the
whereas it will help in learning. Acquired and learnt EFL Classroom Teaching.‖ 2010. Microsoft Word file.
knowledge are different and stored separately. Also, [3]. Hamoda, Arafat. ―A Study of student and teachers‘
learnt knowledge cannot be converted into acquired Preference and Attitude towards Correction of Classroom
Written Errors in Saudi EFL context‖. English
knowledge.
LanguageTeaching. 3 (2011): 128-137 print.
VI.ERROR TREATMENT
[4]. Hejazi, Mahshid. Teachers Error Correction: A Key Factor
Error treatment is a complicated problem. So in Developing Iranian EFL Learners‘ Speech Accuracy‖.
language teachers should have some theoretical Theory and practice in language studies 2.3(2012): 619-
foundations for correcting errors and they must be 624 print.
aware of what they are going to do in a classroom. The [5]. Keshavarz, M.H. Contrastive Analysis and Error Analysis.
principles of affective and cognitive feedback, Tehran: RP, 2011. Print.
reinforcement theoryand communicative language [6]. Montrul Silvina. ―Transitivity Alternations in Second
teaching all combine to form these theoretical Language Acquisition: A Cross linguistic Study of
foundations. English‖ 1998. Microsoft Word File.
[7]. Murphy, D.F. Communication and Correction in the
classroom. ELT Journal 40.2 (1986): 141-151. Print
With the help of these theories the teacher can
effectively handle the classroom. The teacher can
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
certain idea that has a history of its own, and it is the Kierkegaard calls a ‗leap of faith‘. The individual must
product of a fundamental conflict between good and choose if he wants to have this ‗leap of faith‘. God is
bad (or ideal and non-ideal). Existentialism does not there, of course – but it is man‘s freedom to choose
approve of an ‗ideal‘ – hence the fundamental conflict God. The leap of faith includes a basic awareness of our
or ideology or morality shall never find a place in own freedom to choose our course of action. In order to
existential realm. truly exist, man must exercise his choice of action. He
Why does existentialism reject ‗ideal‘? It can discard or embrace God – that is man‘s will. But
rejects because ‗ideal‘ is purely the product of human either he must discard or must embrace.
consciousness. Human consciousness produced a notion Later came atheistic existentialism that denies
of ‗ideal‘ and ‗non-ideal‘ according to its own the existence of God. It states that man is without a
convenience. But there is no proof that a certain creator, and that he creates himself. Sartre writes: ―. . .
something is ideal; there is no scale against which it can first of all, man exists, turns up, appears on the scene,
be measured and known. So there arises no question of and, only afterwards, defines himself . . . . at first he is
rectification because it applies only in the case of nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he
something bad and incorrect. himself will have made what he will be‖ (Marino 345).
All that a human being is capable of is action Man becomes the creator of man; the man is the man
only. It is just a form of his existence. He should do his who is made by the man. There is no God to turn to.
action without knowing whether it is right. He cannot Man himself is the God of man. He is the supreme
help being in ever oblivion for there exist no authority over his life by deciding whom he should turn
righteousness and it fills him with despair. out to be and what he should become of. But he should
Action constitutes the demeanour of man. take that decision solely by himself (as in the same way
Man‘s demeanour is his existence – his individual that of Christian existentialism) and no notion of right
existence. According to Sartrean mode of existentialism or wrong would be there to help him. All that man can
the pure existence of man could never be separated do is to continue his course of action because his course
from his individual existence in this world, for the type of action is his existence.
of existence that he undergoes in this world is There are, then, two fundamentally different
invariably the very part of his pure existence. This ways for the man to exist: be a Christian existentialist or
means the individuality that a man maintains through be an atheistic existentialist. There is no other way
his own free will and action is his existence. because man is fundamentally an existential entity – an
They are two faces of the same coin; hence existentialist. And in both ways (Christian and atheistic)
people refrain from taking action and having it gives hope for man because he can choose his way
responsibility because of their perennial fear of and improve himself, at any time. Sartre tells with pride
morality. But if they come to know that there is no on existentialism: ―. . . there is no doctrine more
morality as such, they can freely choose their action optimistic, since man‘s destiny is within himself; nor
without guilt then. for an attempt to discourage man from acting, since it
IV.TWO MODES OF THE PHILOSOPHY – tells him that the only hope is in his acting and that
CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALISM AND ATHEISTIC action is the only thing that enables a man to live‖
EXISTENTIALISM (Marino 357). It gives hope that at any point of time
Existentialism ―started out as being man can rebuild a new life of his own.
fundamentally Christian in nature, only later diverging V.THE CATALYSTS OF EXISTENTIALISM
into other forms‖ (Cline 1). The other form he refers is Two World Wars drastically changed the
atheistic existentialism. The father of existentialism world. The First World War, or the Great War (as it was
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard is a Christian Existentialist then known), lasted from1914 to 1918 and took the
while Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre are lives of nearly 10 million soldiers. In the war, around 20
atheistic existentialists. million more were wounded. The Second World War,
Christian existentialism does not discard the referred to as the most deadliest war in human history,
idea of God. Instead, they accept the existence of God lasted from 1939 to 1945 and about 17 million soldiers
and further tell that the God that exists is an individual lost their lives; millions more were injured, and had lost
concept that differs from man to man. It is his their property. When the First World War took more
personalized view of God that leads him to salvation. lives than any other war up until then, the Second
How does man know that God exists? It is ‗his‘ belief; World War claimed still more. The magnitude of
it is ‗his own‘ choice to hold on to that belief. It is ‗his‘ destruction caused by the two great Wars created a
conscious action to follow God without question. So if profound impact in the psyche of humanity; it ever
he attains salvation it will be purely the result of his remains there as a wretched black spot.
action; man makes his salvation. Material and spiritual destruction were the
For Kierkegaard a human being is in a immediate impact of the wars on social front. The
fundamental dilemma to choose between good and bad whole of Europe was thrown into hopelessness, pain,
because there are multiple possible ways to exist. He is frustration, sickness and death. New types of weapons
forced to take a decision in the absence of rectitude and used, especially in WW II, which destroyed many cities
certainty. This results in anguish and despair for the completely. Bombs wrecked nearly everything.
human being. But, then, if the man wants to take such a According to Stokesbury, after WW II ―millions of
decision he has to halt his reason and take what starving and homeless people wandered among the
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
ruins of Europe and Asia‖ (21: 498). All these were a If man had hopelessness, he had hope too...
direct result of the greed of man for power, wealth and It is man who has made all these calamities. It
fame (as stated in the first section of this article). The is he who has brought disorder unto this world. It is he
people who held power at the time of the wars tried to who has made himself a worst nightmare. But it is the
usurp and use power as a means to have an upper hand same man who thrives after each disaster.
over others. But the aftermath was the collapse of all. To exemplify, Stokesbury details that the
The world leaders tried to confine power to their own Allied forces of WW II established the United Nations
territory. They consolidated the military power of their Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA)
nations and prepared them to fight until victory was at which began work in 1944 in different regions in the
hand. As a result tension between nations increased, and world which were freed by them from the Nazi regime,
the noble qualities such as universal brotherhood and and that it ―set up camps for displaced persons and
equality were waning. An apocalypse was imminent provided them with food, clothing, and medical
then. supplies‖ (21: 498). They were doing a tremendous job
According to Coffman, historians believe the of charity and magnanimity by showing their
WW I had deep causes such as extreme national pride unconditional love and support towards their ailing
among various Christians, enormous increase in brethren.
European armed forces, a race for colonies and the After WW II the traditional powers of Europe
formation of military alliances (21: 454). Different such as Germany, France and Britain and the Eastern
countries formed alliances with each other in order to power Japan had lost their supremacy in world politics.
fight. The war broke out but it resolved nothing. There The Soviet Union and the United States of America
was no gain for anybody. The danger had happened; a became the global powers. America helped the nations
majority of land area was destroyed and millions of which were much affected by the war. In 1948 the
people lost their lives. United States brought forth the Marshall Plan to help
Just two decades after the WW I was over the those nations rebuild their economic condition; they got
WW II broke out. It was the most devastating one in our monetary aids and other necessary supplies as support.
entire history of wars and ―killed more people, Soon came the nuclear era of atom bombs (it
destroyed more property, disrupted more lives, and actually started with the development of those bombs in
probably had more far reaching consequences . . .‖ WW II) and other weapons of mass destruction, but
(Stokesbury 21: 470). The places of battle included everybody refrained from another world conflict
most of the nations in the world and bomb raids and because the bombs showed their terrifying avatars at
massacres were happening everywhere. The exact Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 Aug 1945 and 9 Aug
number of deaths could not be calculated due to the 1945 respectively.
magnitude of the war. Stokesbury further states that The programmes to develop more atomic
―historians trace the causes of World War II to weapons were progressing on one side where the Soviet
problems left unsolved by World War I ... the treaties Union and the United States topped the list; on the other
that ended it also created new political and economic side a rallying cry from nations all over the world to
problems. Forceful leaders in several countries took prevent and stop war forever was equally progressing.
advantage of those problems to seize power. The desire The former resulted in the formation of a still more
of dictators in Germany, Italy, and Japan to conquer destructive weapon called hydrogen bomb and the latter
additional territory brought them into conflict with resulted in the formation of the United Nations
democratic nations‖ (21: 470). Organisation (UNO). Due to the noble missions carried
The Second World War displaced millions out by the organisation no World War has happened
from their homeland. Havoc caused by modern since. After experiencing the horrible effects of WW II
weaponry was a major reason. Pollution and the allied forces jointly thought of establishing an
contamination of water bodies and land areas posed international organisation that would uphold the dignity
great threat to the livelihood of the masses. Epidemics of humanity. The United States, the Soviet Union, Great
were another threat. People who took no part in politics Britain and China met at Moscow in Russia in 1943 and
had to leave their cities and towns to be relocated to agreed to work together to promote world solidarity and
another part of the country; some people left their peace; they also agreed to establish an international
countries too. organisation that aims the same. Thus in April 1945
Stokesbury says: ―World War II uprooted representatives from 50 countries around the globe
millions of people. By the war‘s end, more than 12 joined at San Francisco in the United States and
million displaced persons remained in Europe. They proclaimed the beginning of UNO. That June they
included orphans, prisoners of war, survivors of Nazi signed the charter and the organisation was officially
concentration and slave labor camps, and people who born on Oct 24 that year.
had fled invading armies and war-torn areas. Other VI.MAN MAKES HIS LIFE
people were displaced by changes in national borders‖ Man of the 20th century has shown the capacity
(21: 498). After the war ended, the borders of different of his own actions in two diametrically opposite ways –
nation were reassessed and redrawn, and many people one through waging wars and the other through
had to change their residence. In total, the human upholding peace. Those two paths show the capacity of
suffering at that time was beyond description. Man lost man to build his own life. And they assert the power of
his hope in everything. man to steer his life towards the desired direction.
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Man has made war. Man has made disasters. Sartre comments on existentialism that the
But he can also make no wars, no disasters. The doctrine he presents proclaims ―there is no reality
speciality of man over animals is his rational capability. except in action‖ and ―man is nothing else than his plan;
He can stop and think and can then act according to he exists only to the extent that he fulfils himself; he is
what he thought. This ability of man gives fresh ray of therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts,
hope that man can defeat any apocalypse and can strive nothing else than his life‖ (Marino 355).
towards a better future. Thus through action man can destruct or
What existentialism says is exactly this. Man is construct him. He is his maker and he himself is the
fully capable of remoulding and renewing himself. He power that controls his life. If disaster strikes him he
is not under the hold of a superpower so that he is will possess the power to annihilate it. He has to
eternally subject to a life that is not controlled by him; annihilate it; only then he becomes the man, in the true
on the contrary he is the controller of him and he sense of the word.
controls him in such a way that he can defeat any defeat
that comes to defeat him. REFERENCE
Even though disasters strike humans they can [1]. Cline, Austin. ―Christian Existentialism: Existential
successfully manage them because human beings Thought & Christian Beliefs.‖ About.com.
2015 About.com, n.d. Web. 14 Feb 2015.
innately possess the power of management. The two
[2]. Coffman, Edward M. ―World War I.‖ The World Book
World Wars and the incredible power and potential of Encyclopedia. 2004 ed. Print.
people to overcome those Wars prove the point. [3]. Marino, Gordon, ed. Basic Writings of Existentialism. New
Japan is a case in point. The country is worth York: The Modern Library, 2004.
a. Print.
mentioning in this context. Like the mythological
[4]. Stokesbury, James L. ―World War II.‖ The World Book
phoenix, it has arisen out of its own ashes after WW II Encyclopedia. 2004 ed. Print.
and proved its mettle. The country and its people
believe in action. They espouse existential philosophy,
knowingly or unknowingly.
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NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMME:
A METHOD OR A MYTH
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
and females in our society. If a women deserves of the novel. The description of the harshness of tribal
punishment for adultery then why not man, because he live in the opening chapter, and the brief description of
is equally responsible for the crime Carol fails to cope his life in Jullundur where his tribal customs set him
with the dual standards of the post-colonial society and apart from the people of the plains emphasize is
decides to go back she tells Farukh. ―I think I‘m finally position.
beginning to realise something… Your civilization is Despite the horror of the attack, which Qasim
too ancient…. too different. ...and it has always hurt me. watches them massacre as in a cinema. His detachment
…really hurt me … (229). is objectified. Although he is horrified by the slaughter
The conservative attitude of Pakistanis towards he feels no compulsion to sacrifice his own life. These
the female members of the society makes her restless. people are from the plains – not his people, there is no
To regain her last confidence and to be alive, she has to suggestion of fear or cowardice in Qasim‘s behavior.
go back to America. The writer has very categorically Quite simply he would be prepared to sacrifice his life
discussed the dilemma Carol faces due to the double for one of his own people, but not for Muslims of the
standards of the Pakistani men in Pakistan itself. The plains.
fear of Major Mushtaq to accept Carol even after the Carol presence in the novel does not emphasize
secret relationship they were involved in so deeply and the cross cultural difference between East and West so
the forgiveness to him from Farukh. The very different much as the cross - gender differences that exist within
attitude of the Pakistani tribesmen to Carol‘s dressing Pakistani society – women, unlike men, are expected to
sense and the overtly protective attitude of Pakistani be silenced voices, inhabiting the shadows cast by their
men folk to their women folk as they make them wear fathers, husbands, the family home – silences and
the all covered Burkha as Carol teasingly says‘ ―May be shadows which deny an individual her identity, make
I should wear a Burkha her voice was sharp with her anonymous. After her marriage with Farukh, they
annoyance Mustaq said It‘s not bad all that It is she settled in Lahore.
snapped haven‘t they ever seen a women before?‖ (113) Sidhwa uses the Burkha as the ultimate symbol
In Lahore Qasim brings up Zaitoon with the of shadow and silence. When Zaitoon borrows Burkhs,
help of Miriam and her husband Nikka, the childless the tribal women do not wear the Burka, and Qasim also
neighbours of Qasim there. Though they shower all will not allow Zaitoon to wear Burkha. While she
their love and affection and Zatioon, yet the societal walking fast her father was unrecognized by her;
norms make them behave in boundaries similarly, carol offended by the stares of a group of
Sidhwa in further sections of the story gives a tribal men sarcastically she says ―May be I should wear
very clear description of the discrimination practiced a Burkhs!‖ (113). Carol followed the western culture in
against the women behind the four walls of the house. Lahore. So her husband Farukh also criticize here and
The house is divided into separate portions for female one day he saw Zaitoon and tells to carol, ―Our women
and male members of the society. The inner and particularly the young girls, are modest.‖ (133). It
comparatively darker portion of the room is given to the shows the culture of the Lahore people.
females to keep them safe from the outside world. The In India women are exposed to daily bouts of
description shows the sympathetic condition of women subjugation and denied even their basic human rights
and the inhumane treatment at the hands of the men, the country where the birth of a girl child still not
members of their family even in positioning and welcome, though the ages asked to be murdered, raped,
maintenance of the habitable spaces inside the house. exploited, and enslaved, to get importunately
The living environment inside the four walls of impregnated, beaten-up, bullied and disinherited. It was
different section has been discriminated in form of an immutable law of nature. The women are suppressed
polluted air to breathe for the women folk and the by her father and husband. They were struggled to
furnishing too in very unhygienic conditions. The survive in the male dominant society. Eventhough they
reasoning well related to the continuous increase in the lived a successful life in this novel. Sidhwa‘s character
population of the house, a very regular pronounced shows invincible courage in breaking loose from the
feature of this section of the society. Aryan and traditional practices of her community.
Qasim while in Lahore naturally misses his
relatives and the life in the mountains of Kohistan. His REFERENCES
free moments are filled with the sweet and exotic
memories of his past life sometimes he shares these PRIMARY SOURCE
memories with Zaitoon also. The adolescent age of
sixteen fascinates Zaitoon to dream about the light [1]. Sidwa, Bapsi. The Pakistani pride. New Delhi: Classical,
1995. Print.
akinned heraic and imperishable men and sweet fairy
[2]. Abrioux, C. Commonwealth Essays and Studies. New
like women. Bapsi Sidhwa‘s The Pakistani Bride has York: Routledge, 1990.Print.
finally culminated with an insight into the precariously [3]. Clough Arthur Hugh . Say Not the Struggle Naught
poised position of womenfolk in the male dominant Availeth. Selected Poem. Ed. Ambika Sen Gupta. India :
Orient Longman, 1998. Print.
egoistic and primitive society.
[4]. Daruwala, Keki. N. “Of Parsis and Their Literature.‖
The Pakistani Bride is intimately a close look Critical Practice 7. 1 (2008): 80-94. Print.
at both the lives in the cities and the rugged mountain [5]. Fareed, Sadaf, ―Sidhwa‘s The Pakistani Bride : A Critical
villages. In The Pakistani Bride Qasim‘s marginalized Study.‖ The Quest 3.6 (2012): 251-258. n.d. Web. 12
Jul.2013.
position as a Kohistani tribal is make clear at the outset
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
The word „diaspora‟ refers to people who leave III.DIASPORIC ELEMENTS IN WHITE TEETH
their traditional homelands either by choice or by chance.
The word is of Greek origin, which means „scattering‟. Diasporic writing is universally accepted as it
Like seeds, the people spread all over the world without serves as a tool to fathom the meaning of the text or
bothering about their own culture and tradition. Diaspora human experiences. Among the numerous literary
is the dominant element in White Teeth. Zadie Smith‟s first trends that have found its place in contemporary
novel White Teeth has been analysed as an example of the English literary canon, issues related to diasporic
diverse and multicultural society of the present day city of studies have generated interest in scholars and readers.
London. This paper analyses its characters‟ experiences as There has been restructuring of the literary concepts and
immigrants of different generations and various ethnic
backgrounds in London, explores the conflicts that some
perceptions in recent times that have included
of these immigrants undergo in search of identity, locate disciplines as history, philosophy, gender studies, media
how the process of immigration and settlement in a First studies and so on under its framework. In diasporic
World country like Britain might offer possibilities of studies, a considerable attempt has been made to locate
redefinition of selfhood which shall be contextualized by themes such as identity crisis and maladjustment in a
the novel White Teeth (2000) by Zadie Smith. Moreover, multicultural society.
the paper highlights how the multicultural society in
which the characters inhabit physical as well as the Different people with varied backgrounds
cultural displacement undergo due to mental trauma reflect the cultural and ethnic mosaic of their native
immigrationof plural and fluid identities. country. The novel White Teeth, set in contemporary
Key Words
North London, detects the struggle of two immigrants.
Two men –Samad Iqbal, a Bangladeshi, and Archie
Diaspora, Multicultural, Immigrant, Ethnic Jones, English met in 1945 as the soldiers of a tank
background, Conflict, Tradition. crew in the final days of World War II and became
lifelong friends. The novel examines the conflicts of
I.INTRODUCTION their interlinked immigrant families living in multi-
ethnic and multicultural Britain. Their friendship
Zadie Smith is a celebrated young British continues ever after their return to England. During that
novelist of her generation. Her first novel White Teeth time, once the war was over they married and had
published in 2000, brought almost instantaneous global children. Archie Jones marries a much younger Clara, a
acclaim. Her obvious skills and her ability to deal with Jamaican girl, and has a hybrid daughter, Irie. Samad
such diversified themes as multiculturalism, Iqbal marries Alsana, a Bangladeshi girl, who is also
fundamentalism, post colonialism, Englishness and much younger to him, by a traditional arranged
hybridity have been evidence throughout the novel. The marriage and has twin boys, Magid and Millat. By the
success of Smith‘s work is partially attributable to her initiation of Archie‘s and Samad‘s children, who
own background as she has drawn considerable experience the dilemma of not belonging to an exact
attention from both the media and academics, alike. A place and want to discover who they are, the conflicts of
review in The Observer states, ―She‘s young, black, those second generation children of multi-racial or
British and the First Publishing Sensation of the immigrant parents come to the surface. In the novel,
Millennium‖. Iqbal‘s family, thinking about solving those conflicts,
sends one of the twins, Millat, back to Bangladesh.
II.ZADIE SMITH AND WHITE TEETH They expect, at least one of the twins, to be raised up
according to traditional Islamic values. The other twin
As a child of British father and Caribbean
brother, Magid, grows up in London. Ironically, the
mother, Smith shares the same ‗in between experience‘;
plan collapses and Millat, who grows up in Bangladesh
even though, she rejects the notion that White Teeth is
returns to London as an atheist, and their English-
an autobiographical novel. She portraits the character
educated son Magid becomes a radical Islamic
appearing within her own experience suggests the
supporter in London. Besides, Iqbals‘ twin sons,
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
Archie‘s hybrid daughter Irie has also some similar from the colonized countries to fight a battle belonging
identity conflicts in her life as a child of a multi-ethnic to the colonizer England.
family.
When the problems of multi-ethnic and In White Teeth, Zadie Smith deals with the
multicultural London are dealt with in White Teeth, it is issues of history and root relating them to the national,
inevitable to mention the conflicts of immigrant or racial, familial and personal dimensions. By handling
multi-ethnic families and their second generation the memoirs of the first generation immigrants, she
children. It is true that‚ whiteness nowhere features as pictures the colonial history of colonized countries. The
an explicit condition of being British, is racially coded. post-colonial consciousness she creates in the narration
In fact, this problem is mainly a result of societal is significant in this respect. The colonial history which
attitudes and outer forces against post-colonial or is hidden and covered is enlightened and appears as a
immigrant families. Although, earlier colonies have salvation for some characters such as Samad Iqbal.
gained their independence, those nations and also the Besides deciphering the racial history, by turning to the
people are still considered the ones under the racial roots of the multi-ethnic or post-colonial families,
dominance of England. They are still patronized by the the bond of the second or later generation children to
British, who view them as colonials rather than as familial history is also depicted in the novel. White
genuine Europeans. In this sense, to gain self- Teeth as a novel demonstrates the impossibility of
actualization and an identity, the children of immigrant escaping history or living entirely outside of its
families undergo a process in which they have different influence. It presents a lack of historical consciousness
identity crises. as a negative position for hybrid (Irie) or second
generation (Millat) children of multi-ethnic or
In White Teeth, Smith presents individual and immigrant families. However, Smith presents turning
social conflicts in multicultural Britain in terms of the racial and familial history as liberator and positive
first, second and even third generation immigrants. factors for identity construction. In this respect, she
Those people try to be a part of the society which does attributes a significant status to history and root in the
not share their cultural norms and religion, feel different narration. Nevertheless, it should be emphasised that
and sometimes alienated. Although immigrant parents she doesn‘t advocate a total adaptation to the racial
experience crucial difficulties or crises in a history nor she appreciates the clash of cultures in
multicultural world, it is said that their children come multicultural England.
through double entanglements. In this conflict and its
solution process, Smith presents an important issue of The initial resistance that the characters endure
tracing the history and root in the life of immigrant and the people they interact with problems in different
families. The importance of history is so strictly ways, help them emerge as independent beings. Their
mentioned in White Teeth that Zadie Smith begins her individualities are in a continuous process of
novel with the inscription of the statue named ‗The negotiation and self questioning. Through this process,
Future‘ in Washington museum: ‗What is past is the characters finally succeed to arrive at an identity
prologue.‘ The inscription is inspired by Shakespeare‘s that is almost complete in itself. There is optimism as
play The Tempest. The novel shows how history and the immigrating to a foreign land might offer alternative
past are formative and inescapable from the characters means of self expression as reflected in this novel.
of the novel.
In order to represent how identities are
Smith handles the issue of history and root in remapped when posited in multicultural post-war
two dimensions - ‗Racial History‘ and ‗Personal Britain, the fictional work White Teeth helps a lot. The
History.‘ Although those two dimensions are novel deals with immigration related issues in a manner
interwoven in White Teeth, the racial history is mainly that has not been done earlier in diasporic studies.
reflected by the first generation and their historical Instead of focusing on the problems relating to
memoirs, whereas the personal history is given by the immigration such as maladjustment and discrimination,
second generation characters. These characters try to the novel highlights how immigration might offer
create a personal history in their process of identity possibilities of re-defining oneself.
formation. The matter of history is being diffused into
the novel from the beginning. The narration of White CONCLUSION
Teeth begins with the story of Archie and Clara‘s In this novel, the modern novelist Zadie Smith
meeting day-1st January 1975; with this the personal talks about multi-culturalism in the sense of diaspora.
history of Irie, their hybrid daughter begins. Later on, The behaviour of the characters is mostly on the basis
Chapter 5, titled The Root Canals of Alfred of modern London. In a nutshell, the novel touches
Archibald Jones and Samad Miah Iqbal takes the upon the cultures of the British, Jamaican and Bengali.
reader back to the end of World War II in which Archie The characters are also affected with the crisis of
and Samad were fellow soldiers. By this flashback to identity. Smith is too realistic in her examination of
the war years, Smith tells the personal history of Samad human nature, race and ethnicity. This idea is proved
and Archie and introduces the problem of colonization throughout the novel White Teeth.
which is a racial and national history. It is understood
that Samad was one of those soldiers who was coming
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
WORKS CITED
[1]. Arikan. History and Root in Zadie Smith‟s White Teeth.
International Journal of Social Science 6.2 (2013): 1679-
1696. Web. 14 Jan 2015.
[2]. Barber, John. Zadie Smith on „the big book of life‟. The
Globe and Mail, 7 Oct 2012.Web.
27 Dec 2014.
[3]. Dutta, Sagarika. Remapping Identity and Selfhood:
Multiculturalism and Plurality in Monica Ali‟s Brick Lane
and Zadie Smith‟s White Teeth. The Criterion: An
International Journal in English 4.4 (2013). Web. 2 Dec
2014.
[4]. Lewis, Natalie. Zadie Smith‟s White Teeth: Identity
Construction between Historical Roots and
TransculturalHybridity. 5 Jun 2008. Web. 2 Dec 2014.
[5]. Popova, Maria. Zadie Smith on the Psychology of the Two
Types of Writers. Brain Pickings,
a. 24 Mar 2008. Web. 27 Dec 2014.
[6]. Smith, Zadie. White Teeth. London: Penguin Books, 2000.
Print.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
57
ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
experienced only when one reaches the destiny of will same hall. Akhila is considered to be a spinster by her
through weaknesses and strengths. It can be declared family and it is well- fixed in their minds. No one is
that if men do not escape from the duties of their role as ready to free her from her frustration and is ready to
husbands and fathers, women will become good wives realize the fact that like other women, she too will have
and rational mothers. Any relationship is a beautiful her own desires to have husband, children and family.
bond that connects people to share pleasure and pain, What is the fault with Akhila, why she is denied care by
joy and sorrow and success and failure. A strong and her family, eventhough she provides all facilities to
healthy relationship assures a person that he or she is them. Even her mother forgets to comfort her desires.
not left alone on this earth. Everyone is surrounded by Finally, after hearing all the stories of the co passengers,
such relationships as marriage, parents, siblings and she regains a new perspective in her life. Akhila
friends. Commitment, adjustment, trust, sacrifice and all decides to call her lover Hari back again to live a new
the above love are prime pillars of a healthy life. She realizes the value of freedom available to a
relationship. woman who,otherwise, is lost in bondages.
In LADIES COUPE, Anita Nair draws out her
characters, especially women, coiled in clutches in the Marikolunthu, the pitiable creature who
hands of their famillies and due to this reason , comes from the lower class family, suffers in the hands
struggles, sufferings, pains, and agonies are caused to of the society though she sacrifices her desires for the
them. The novel tells us how they overcome their sake of her family. Like Akhila‘s father, her father also
struggles and identify their true selves. died in her early age because of disease. To run the
family, Marikolunthu‘s mother works in the house of
The first and foremost character in the novel is the chettiar, land lord of the village. Her mother insists
Akhila (Akhilandeswari), the main protagonist. Akhila Mari to support her in the work. Marikolunthu also
revolves as the center of the novel and others move accepts her mother‘s desire as she considers it is her
around her. The co –passengers play a vital role in the duty to obey her mother. In her childhood days, instead
life of Akhila and they are the milestones to realise her of getting education she goes to work in the house, to
own identity. Akhila is introduced in a railway support her two brothers‘education. Her childhood
compartment with a sense of escape. She is a forty- dreams vanish and one day, she is asked to go out from
five year old unmarried woman and is working in an her village and to work in Vellore because of fear in the
income tax office as a clerk. Being fed up with her minds of Sujatha Akka, the daughter- in- law of
regular routine work and the roles such as daughter, Chettiar. As Mari was growing up,Sujatha and Mari‘s
sister, aunt, and madam , she decides to escape from her mother‘s fears come true. Mari‘s innocence is destroyed
mental agonies. She buys the one way ticket to by a man in Chettiar‘s family. The brutal incident
Kanyakumari. In her journey, she thinks of her past. makes her to hate everything and she also hates her
son who is the culmination of that incident. Mari is
Akhila in her young age takes the under the victimisation of class exploitation in society.
responsibilities of her family on her shoulders. Though she faces many problems in her life, she is the
Chandran, Akhila‘s father who works in an income tax best example for revolt against tradition. Mari, after
office meets with a fatal accident when crossing the undergoing hard difficulties, realizes her self -identity
road. At the age of nineteen , she has to take care of her when she sees the burning dead body of Murugasen
mother, two brothers and her sister as she is the eldest who destroys her. Her anger melts into ashes when his
of the family. Akhila gets the job in the income tax dead body becomes ashes. Finally, she decides to accept
office as the compensation of her father‘s death. Akhila her illegitimate son Muthu and live a life for him.
often thinks that whether his father voluntarily accepted
his death by falling before the bus in order to escape Margret Shanti is a chemistry teacher,
from his mental stress caused by his higher officials. married to Ebe, the school principal. Her marriage is
The death of her father changes Akhila‘s life a love marriage, but she does not feel happy because of
entirely. She tries to comfort her mother and her the dominating power of Ebe. Each and every decision
brothers and sister. She provides everything for them is taken by Ebe in order to control her and make her as
like a man of the family, but she was not the least a doll in his hand. As Margret madly loves her beloved
bothered by them. At one stage when her brothers grow husband, she believes and accepts whatever he says and
up and get jobs, Akhila begins to dream like a woman. never argues with him. He asks her to do B.Ed. instead
She feels that her iron hands begin to loosen. She of doing Ph.D, and to cut her long hair into short. She
thinks; should eat food according to his wish, and above all, his
― Dare I breathe again? Dare I dream again ? Now that cruel man -power crosses his limits beyond when he
the boys are men, can I start feeling like a woman asks Margaret to abort their first child. Margaret slowly
again?‖(77). begins to realize the truth of Ebe‘s cruel mind. She
undergoes many troubles caused by Ebe, because of her
Akhila‘s younger brother, Narsi decides to marry the blind love for Ebe. At one stage, she begins to hate him
principal‘s daughter. No one in the house opposses it. and even thinks of divorce. But for some reasons, she
No one thinks of Akhila‘s desires and wishes, even her avoids it. Her mind is filled with the thought I HATE
mother. Narsi and Narayan, Akhila‘s elder brothers get HIM , I HATE HIM‖. Margaret Shanti decides to take
married with their brides in the same day and in the the weapon of flattering as to revenge Ebe. She starts to
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
feed him with oily food and makes him a fat person like In the forty years of her married life, she plays the role
her. She explores her self identity and lives happily with of a good wife, mother and mother-in-law. She believes
Ebe and their daughter according to her wish and takes that a woman‘s role is to keep the family intact. One
control over Ebe. day she realizes the intensity of her married life. She
feels that she has been a good wife and a good mother
Prabha Devi is the only richest person in the for long but she has not achieved any identity of her
novel. Her father is the owner of many jewellery shops own. She is always a shadow of her husband. She finds
and she is married to the diamond merchant, Jagadesh. a sense of dissatisfaction in herself at a certain age. She
She is attracted towards the passion of modern world. falls under the victim of all sorts of insults and
But, due to some unwanted incident caused by her mockeries, when she comes to help her son‘s wife Jaya.
husband‘s friend Promad, she suffers a lot, and then She finds it very hard to bear the insults made by her
recovers herself from the trauma of the incident and son and daughter-in-law. She re-discovers herself and
changes into a typical traditional woman. She is the her inner potentiality that strengthens her to take
mother of a son and a daughter. She thinks that her decisions independently. She decides to go home and
relationship with her daughter is not equal to the extend lives her life with her husband.
of her relation with her mother. Prabha always loves her
mother and keeps attached, but Prabha Devi‘s daughter The fact is that the ignorance of self- esteem is
maintains a distance with her. She feels a little bit an insult to the identity of women and also that body is
disturbed with that. With the routine life as a wife and a the ladder to the soul and without ladder, one cannot
mother, she realizes that something is missing in her reach the destination. Janaki prefers to be with her
life. Prabha Devi achieves her self realization when she husband than with her son and daughter-in-law.
decides to learn swimming on her own interest and Margaret Shanthi regains her lost identity by taking
desire. She feels that swimming gives her a sense of revenge on Ebe. Prabha Devi recovers from depression
freedom and identity as wife and mother. and longs to float in the water. Mari wants to forget
every thing to claim her son. Akhila decides to break
Janaki Prabhakar is a traditional woman, out the tradition and to live with Hari. With this gallery
who represents the older generation. According to of the characters, the author tells us about their
Janaki, women is a subordinate self and her satisfaction sufferings and the pains in their inner mind and how
lies in being with the male counterpart. Janaki says: they overcome their sufferings through the awareness
to realize their own self and their identity.
―I am a woman who has always been looked after. First
there was my father and my brothers; then my husband; REFERENCE
when my husband is gone,there will be my son waiting
to take off from where his father left off. Women like [1]. Nair, Anita. Ladies Coupe. New Delhi: Penguin, 2001.
Print.
me end up being fragile; our men treat us like‖
[2]. Mishra, Binod. Indian Writings in English. New Delhi:
Princesses(22). Atlantic, 2006. Print.
[3]. Singh Rai, Indrani. Anita Nair‘s Ladies Coupe: Travail To
Travel From Margin To Center. Langlit, 2014.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
ABSTRACT she ever liked any boy. Laura replies that she once liked
a boy named Jim while she was in high school.
“The Glass Menagerie,” is Tennessee Williams‟
semi-autobiographical and self-styled „memory‟ play. It Amanda accuses Tom, who was not only going
features the Wingfields, a family living in St Louis in to the movies but also, was drinking and doing
strained circumstances in 1930s. This story deals with the
something unwanted. So, Amanda refuses to speak to
theme of illusion versus reality. This paper presents the
subtle nuances of the making of the play “The Glass him until he apologizes. After that, with the help of
Menagerie” including characterization, subjectivity and Laura, Tom apologizes to his mother. Amanda wanted
dramatization. him to find an unmarried young man to her daughter
Laura. Amanda also decides that Laura can‘t have a
KEY WORDS business but must have a husband. A few days later,
Tom tells Amanda that he has invited a young man
American life, Unicorn, Reality, Illusion, home for dinner. So, Amanda begins to make
Symbolism, Depression, Subjectivity, Fantasy.
preparation for entertaining the expected gentleman
Style is a unique technique which writers adopt caller.
to give vent to their pent up feelings. Each writer has
The next night, Amanda dresses Laura who
his or her own style to get himself established. Style, of
looked so beautiful than usual. When she heard the
course, includes many elements, As for as a drama is
name of the gentleman caller she become very nervous
concerned, the important elements of style include
as it is the same young man whom she liked while she
dialogue, symbol and tempo. Dialogue consists of the
was in the high school. She refuses to answer to the
utterances of the characters. In studying dialogue, the
door when Tom and the young man arrived, Amanda
diction, or word choice, and imagery play a pivotal role.
forces her to receive him.
It is to be noticed that different characters speak
differently or are associated with different kinds of Later, Laura loses some of her timidity as Jim
imagery. In ―The Glass Menagerie‖, the character talks to her warmly. Jim is very much attracted by the
Amanda speaks pungent and virulent dialogues which tender beauty of Laura, but after kissing her and seeing
prove to be sarcastic. The long drawn-out, sententious how serious both of them are becoming, he explains to
speeches that characterize Polonius in Hamlet show his her that he is already engaged. When Amanda finds out
pomposity and paucity of thought. Likewise the that Jim is engaged, she thinks that Tom knew about it
frequent use of witch craft imagery in Macbeth creates and was playing a cruel trick on them. Laura has gone
an eerie, dark atmosphere. so much deeper with the world of glass figures and
Amanda comforts her. The play ends with Tom joining
The play is introduced to the audience by Tom,
the merchant marine. In the final speech, he admits that
the narrator and protagonist. Tom, Amanda and Laura
he has never been able to forget his sister.
Wingfield, live in a shabby apartment in St. Louis. Tom
works at a warehouse. During his free time he also Symbols are concrete facts which suggest
writes poems. Amanda sells magazine to supplement something beyond their physical beings often abstract
her family income. Laura has got enrolled in a business and intangible ideas and qualities. Writers have always
college. Amanda teaches Tom table manners. used symbols because they often offer a convenient way
Moreover, she recalls her childhood days in the Blue of expressing complex ideas that otherwise would be
Mountain. Amanda tells Laura that she wowed to expressed awkwardly. For employing effective
practice her typing and shorthand. symbols, they must be fairly easily recognizable to the
audience and must be natural in the student has to
After few days, Amanda came home rather
recognize the meaning of a symbol within the given
shocked. She had been to Laura‘s business college and
context. The glass models of animals are iconic of the
found out that Laura was dropped out of school even
world of illusion and fantasy.
before several months. Laura spends all her time
playing with her glass animals and listening to her old, This play is divided into two parts. The first
worn-out phonograph records. Amanda asks Laura if five scenes are called ‗Preparation for a Gentle Caller.‘
This is a memory play. One of the characters, Tom
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
Wingfield, himself narrates from memory what wrapped up in his search for adventure while Amanda is
happened before 14 years during the time of the great trying to trap Jim into admiring her daughter. Jim is a
economic depression. Tom in the uniform of a merchant young man from the real world and is a contrast to the
sailor moves out in order to seek adventure. He Wingfields living in illusory worlds of their own.
recollects what happened just before he left his family,
consisting of his mother, Amanda and elder sister. Tom When Laura and Jim had their conversation,
reminds the audience how unemployment and labour the light goes out because Tom has not paid the
trouble the American life. He also refers to the Spanish electricity bill. Jim carries a candle and a glass of wine
civil war and the melodramatic confusion in American to Laura. He is able to thaw Laura nervousness and
social life. The stage is dimly lighted in tune with the makes her sit with him. They then exchange
sentimental nature of the memory play. There is also recollections of their schooldays. Laura then asks Jim if
background music. he has married Emily. Jim says he was never serious
about her and Jim invites Laura to dance with him.
Tom‘s father was employed in the telephone. Suddenly, they fell over the table on which a unicorn
One day he left his family for his adventurous life- the has been placed. The unicorn fell down and the horn is
same way later Tom follows. Always there is quarrel broken. She gets upset because of the broken unicorn.
between mother Amanda and Tom. This makes Tom Jim reveals that he is sorry as he can‘t marry her. He
hurtful towards Amanda. In between the play, Amanda was engaged to an Irish girl called Betty. Amanda takes
often recalls her younger days. This scene introduces Tom to task for not mentioning that Jim was engaged.
three main characters. When Amanda pulls him up for his selfishness, he
smashes his glass on the floor and goes out.
This scene gives so many suggestion and
advances to her daughter because Laura did not show He asks Laura to blow out the candles as the
any interest to her mother‘s wishes upon her marriage. world that day is lit by lighting. On the stage, Laura
When Amanda questions, Laura admits that she had a blows out the candles symbolically. They are all lapsing
crush on a boy called Jim who was an athlete in the back into the world of darkness and illusion. Jim O‘
school. He used to call her Blue Roses. In the mean Connor is an ordinary young man who worked with
time she points out that being crippled in one leg, she Tom at the shoe warehouse. In high school, he was very
has no fair chances. popular ―most likely to succeed‖ Since then, he has not
achieved all that he thought, he should have
The scene was supposed to have taken place accomplished. He remains a gentleman caller that
several weeks after the second scene. In this scene, Tom Amanda and Laura has waited for so long to arrive.
explains how Amanda was planning for Laura‘s
marriage. She has also taken up a Job canvassing Tempo refers to the rhythm and the emphasis
subscribers for a women‘s magazine called The Home of the play. It is the rate at which events occur on the
Maker‘s Companion. It helps her a little success. stage. The dramatist usually varies the tempo in order to
emphasize certain events and to avoid monotony. He
When Tom becomes the actor, Amanda varies the tempo by the use of long and short scenes,
accuses Tom, He was not only going to the movies but changes of tone, and detail. Tennessee Williams
also, was drinking. So, Amanda refuses to speak to him through a series of successive incidents mounts up the
until he apologizes. Tom comes home in a drunken tension. Towards the end of the play Jim could infuse
mood. Sometimes Tom realizes and apologize to his happiness and hope in Laura though Amanda is
mother and also gives her a promise that he will never victimized in a material society which does not care for
be a drunkard, Amanda points out that Laura was doing sensitive souls. Tennessee Williams exercises his
nothing but drifting. She must have settled down in a supreme power of craftsmanship in shaping this play.
home with her husband. His subjectivity, style, dialogue dramatization, structure
characterization, tempo, the in diction of illusion and
The fifth scene opens on a spring evening, fantasy though the images of glass menagerie are note
Amanda and Laura are clearing the table, Tom is worthy. The play in quite interesting and entertaining.
reading a news item about Spanish civil war. Amanda No Amanda it has gained world renounce game and
criticizes Tom‘s carelessness in dressing. The people of fame.
St. Louis seem to be obsessed with the passion of the
flesh and not of the soul. Tom taunts Amanda that she WORKS CITED
marries his drunkard father. Tom assures her that Jim is
not too good looking with his freckles and snub-nose. [1]. Debusscher, Gilbert. ―Tennessee Williams‘ Unicorn
Broken Again.‖Revue belge de Philogie et d‘Histoire
Tom gives further information that Jim is too eager to
Brussels, 49 (1971), 875-85.Print.
improve himself. Tom points out that he has not told [2]. Hughes, Catharine R. Tennessee Williams: A Biography.
Jim about his sister. He also warns his mother that they Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1978.Print.
must be careful about Laura being a cripple. Tom then [3]. William, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New Delhi:
Canadian Publisher, 1986. Print.
leaves for the movies. This scene reveals what an
[4]. Von Szeliski, John. ―Tennessee Williams and the Tragedy
introvert Laura is and how difficult it is for her to deal of Sensitivity.‖ Twentieth Century Interpretations of a
with realities. She collapses when she has to meet a Streetcar Named Desire.Print.
guest who has been known to her at school. Tom is
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
considered as a tool to enhance language learners‘ acquire the grammatical rules contextually. Contextual
communicative competence. learning makes the learner imbibe the grammatical rules
Low motivation, low self esteem and anxiety without knowing that he is learning.
can cause mental block to enhance speaking skill. Teachers play a primary role in language
―Acquisition is essential in classroom learning; so learning because creating an atmosphere to facilitate
recreate an naturalistic environment suitable for unconscious way of language learning is a challenging
acquisition, which means high motivation with stress task. Teachers have to be motivating and be free from
free class room‖ (McLaughlin 2) threatening the learners. A classroom atmosphere that is
The learners‘ emotional state or attitudes as an interesting, friendly and in which there is low affective
adjustable filter that freely passes, impedes, or blocks filter for learns should be created by teachers.
input necessary to acquisition. A low affective filter is The Affective filter hypothesis states that
desirable, since it impedes or blocks less of necessary acquirers with a low affective filter seek and receive
input. The hypothesis is built on research in second more input, interact with confidence and are more
language acquisition. receptive to the input they receive. Motivation plays a
―Motivation: Learners with high motivation prime role in making a language learners move towards
generally do better. perfection. Motivation can make them move from the
Self – confidence: learners with self- stage of inter language to native like proficiency in L2.
confidence and a good self – image tend to Cultural shock towards on alien language,
be more successful. which develops, fear among L2 learners towards the
Anxiety: Low personnel anxiety and low target language and culture can be gradually removed
classroom anxiety are more conducive to by language teachers in promoting a conducive stress
second language acquisition‖ (Krashen 133) free classroom environment.
Acquisition Learning To help language learners to learn effectively
Implicit, sub conscious Explicit, conscious and efficiently, language teachers should provide
Informal situation Formal situation learners with natural acquisition and lower their
Uses grammatical feel Uses grammatical rules affective filter.
Depends on attitude Depends on aptitude REFERENCES
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
IV.AUTONOMY lead students outside the classroom and the students can
The word ‗autonomy‘ is derived from Latin, easily bring the outside world into the classroom.
‗auto‘ means ‗self‘ and ‗nomos‘ means ‗law‘. It is a The prominent features connected with
precept that can be traced in moral, political, and bio- autonomous learning are critical for students of high
ethical philosophy. It is the capacity of a person to take school . The system now prevalent in United States is of
an independent decision. Autonomy is defined as the a ladder system of advancement achieved entirely
capacity of a person to take his or her own decision through academics. As the students go higher up the
without any external influence. It forms the basis for ladder, they feel the need for greater learners‘
determining one‘s moral philosophy and accountability. autonomy. Recent researches reveal that students
It was Kant who put forwarded the philosophical theory equipped with autonomous learning have great chances
of autonomy. Autonomy may also imply ‗self of success in high school as well as at college level.
government. ‗To quote the words of April Chamberlain, Such students are seen performing much better than
―Education is involving due to the impact of the their counterparts having scholarly achievements. An
internet. We cannot teach our students in the same instrument is now available for the adolescent learner,
manner in which we were taught. Change is necessary which will assess the eligibility of learner autonomy
to engage students not in the curriculum we are among students.
responsible for teaching; but in school period.‖ There are many roads to learning. People adopt
In the sociology of knowledge, autonomy was various styles and talents of learning in colleges.
created and developed with science and technological Students who perform well in practical aspects may not
studies. In ‗Reflexive autonomy‘, diverse themes are perform well in theory. Students should be imparted
translated or reflected by the persons involved. adequate opportunities to depict their talents. They have
Autonomy is a key concept that has a tremendous to be motivated to learn new ways. The main
impact on different philosophical area. Moral responsibility for betterment of the quality of education
philosophy refers to dedicating to moral law. According lies with teachers and students. The educational
to Kant, morality encompasses autonomy. Autonomy is authorities are bounden to help for this.
the ability to obey a categorical command independent Classroom - Centered Assessment (CCA)
of a personal desire or interest. The concept of highlights the primary attention of teachers and students
autonomy in metaphysics is free will, fatalism, and on improving learning through observation. Students
agency. need necessary feedback to improve their learning .
There are ‗relational autonomy‘ and ‗supported Students also need to learn how to assess their own
autonomy‘. The Relational autonomy suggests that an learning. Students can be autonomous and self-
individual is defined through his relationship with directed. The teachers ought to be facilitators for
others. In peculiar circumstances, the autonomy of the students. The participants are allowed to assume
person has to be compromised for a brief period so that responsibility for presentation and group leadership.
his autonomy will be preserved in the future. The Theories and concepts are explained to them along with
supported autonomy refers to a concept which describes the value of experience in learning.
a peculiar circumstance pertaining to mental health. In VI.TECHNOLOGY
linguistics, an autonomous language is one which is The word, Technology, is derived from the
fully independent of other languages, maintaining Greek Word ‗techne‘, which means skill or art and
standard dictionaries, grammar etc. In the case of ‗logia‘ means procuring tools. The term ―technology‖
‗social psychology‘, autonomy implies a characteristic became prevalent along with the Second Industrial
of personality which gives emphasis on personal Revolution. The word was not commonly used in
achievement and a preference for loneliness or keeping English language before the onset of the 20th century
aloof from social circles. and used to mean study of arts. According to Bill
V.LEARNERS‘ AUTONOMY Gates: ―Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the
The term was first used by Henri Holec in kids working together and motivating them, the teacher
1981. He is considered to be the father of learners‘ is most important.‖
autonomy. It is considered as a personal human
characteristic. It can be a political entity or an In most of the European languages including
educational indulgence. Learning autonomy has called German, there exists a clear-cut difference between
for a sweeping change in practices in conventional ‗technik‘ and ‗technology‘, which is evidently lacking
language classroom and paved the way for originating in English. The dawn of Renaissance contributed to
language learning centers in the world. While defining several technological innovations, including invention
learners‘ autonomy, the point is whether it is considered of printing press. The technology has brought about
as a means to an end or as an end itself. sweeping changes in the life style of human beings.
Autonomy entails empowerment of students. It
means shifting focus from teaching to learning. It The Renaissance brought about the beginning
imparts utmost influence to the learners. It necessitates of a new era of technological innovations. The
peer support and co-operation. Autonomy calls for cent invention of wonderful drugs like sulpha drugs, the
percent differentiation. It can be practiced with student antibiotics like penicillin, the perfection achieved in the
logbooks. The role of the teacher in promoting field of surgery and the successful transplantation of
autonomy is very significant. The use of technology can human organs are some of the milestones in
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
technological innovations, motivated by ‗Renaissance‘. Education has aptly emphasised that higher education
The technologies help human beings to cope with their provides people with an opportunity to reflect on the
environment, especially physical environment critical, social, economic, cultural, moral and spiritual
successfully.Scientific advancements in the present issues facing humanity .Developing talents being the
century is because of the high technological prime objective of higher education, is sure to
improvements and innovations. The discovery of contribute to national development through
‗wheel‘, undoubtedly, is the milestone towards the dissemination of specialized knowledge and spirit .
advancement and civilization of man. The physical Technological approaches in the field of higher
impediments of communication have been drastically education is to realize its objectives through suitable
changed along with the onset of printing press, methods and techniques. Recent researches on the area
telephone and internet. Instant communication with any of learners‘ autonomy reveal that the students equipped
person on earth has become a reality. The with autonomous learning have greater chances of
implementation of different forms of technologies have success and self sufficiency to a greater extent. The
brought in several impacts on the society along with Students themselves feel the need for more autonomy
some ethical questions. Perhaps, impediments in finding while climbing the rungs of higher education. The very
suitable remedies to the ethical questions form the concept of Distance Education is to impart learners‘
darker aspects of technological innovations. Mortality autonomy among the students .
rate has been drastically reduced and increased
production in agriculture is because of technological REFERENCES
improvements. There exist good as well as bad aspects [1]. Abilasha.R, and Ilankumaran.M ‗Developing
for the technological innovations. A sweeping change in Communication Competence of the Students of
the entire educational curriculum in the present scenario Engineering Courses‘, New Trends in English Literature
and Language, April 2014, 67-71, ISBN: 978-81-929117-
is, undoubtedly, because of the tremendous progress in 2- 4
educational technology. While applying multimedia [2]. Alam.M. ― Teaching and Reserch Aptitude.‖ New Delhi:
technology to English teaching, there are some Hindustan offset press, 2015. print.
bottlenecks to overcome. As the role of the teacher is [3]. Banegas, Dario. ―The Role of Literature in ELT.‖
wikipedia.com.N.p., 05 Feb 2010. web. 05Dec 2014.
primarily confined to the use of simple tools, they lose [4]. Basak, Deren and Akman Yasit. ―Text Anxiety in ELT
their predominant role in teaching. Classes.‖ yahoo.com.N.p., n.d. web. 05 Dec 2014.
VII.CONCLUSION [5]. Chaudary, Meenu. ―Teaching Methodology of English.‖
The teaching practices in the universities and Hyderabad: ICFAI, 2012. Print.
[6]. Larsen, Diane and Freeman. ―Teaching and Principles of
colleges still continue to be the same as in the forties, Language Teaching.‖ New Delhi: OUP, 2009. Print.
which is really a sorrow state of affairs. The
methodologies adopted in the teaching learning process [7]. Ilankumaran.M, ‗Think Creatively and Speak
have to impart emphasis on learning and developing Effectively‘Innovation and Best practices in Teaching
and Learning, Volume II, Jan 2014, 156-160, ISSN:0973-
analytical and conceptual abilities rather than on 3957
memorization and reproduction. The National Policy on [8]. Mangal.S.K. ―Essentials of Educational Technology.‖
Ludhiana: Tandem Publications, 2004. Print.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
goes into voluntary exile because of his basic Kailas considers human beings to be
disagreement with Gandhian policies. He rejects the important because he feels that progress will take place
Gandhian philosophy and Revolutionary Movement as fast as these men and women comprehend the need
(RM), even when the country is free from bondage. He for a change. Kailas total dedication to the spirit of man
feels that Gandhi has emasculated the country. Kalyan in the Gandhian tradition stands in sharp contrast to
Sinha‘s rejection of Gandhi and there by Kailas Vrind Kalyan Sinha‘s concept and distain for the individual
is merely personal which embodies the separation on human being. He believes that a group is capable of
two perceptions of life, polities and values. The political attaining what an individual cannot.
vision of Sahgal emerges in the depiction of these
divergent perceptions through Gandhian and non- Rakesh, the IFS officer has the prime
Gandhian stances. Values alone will not do for polities, weapon of survival in his mind. He concludes that
although values add radiance to personal life. They Kalyan has denied individualism and advocated group
alone are not enough for the political rule of an efforts because he craved blind loyalty from his
independent state. Kalyan has rejected the Gandhian disciples in order to discover his own significance.
ideals in matters of policy because he is a man of Rakesh Shukla, an M.P from Uttar Pradesh (UP) had
action, who feels that the reputation of Gandhian ideals been a close associate of Gandhi. Now he is the Lok
serves best for an emerging country like India, plagued Sabha‘s oldest member. He lashes out against the
by an avalanche of problems. injustice, much to the indignation of Hari Mohan and
others.
Kailas Vrind was been full of enthusiasm
for what he thought Gandhi would do for his country. A man like Hari Mohan adheres to the
The task of Kailas was to bring to life and to infuse into Gandhism values only in name, never in spirit. ―They
them the fresh air of freedom. To achieve this goal they are impatient of with the older generation of freedom
have to strive hard. The first years of non-co-operation fighters, whom they consider to be saddled with
laid the pattern for all the years that followed. Arrest philosophy instead of common sense. They are those
and imprisonment became a normal way of life. Jail who wish to carry Gandhian values into modern politics
became a place of pilgrimage. Prison life never repelled because they have no use for Gandhi, expect to win
and frightened Kailas, because of the fact that he loved popular favour during election campaigns,‖ says Hari
his country. He considered it as an inestimable privilege Mohan. The time depicted in the novel is the morning
to be charged under the code that had coveted India‘s of India‘s Independence. It is the post Gandhian, post
greatest patriots. The miracle of watching same people, Independence period. The infancy of any nation will be
asserting themselves, and holding their heads up in the plagued by problems of varying proportions and India‘s
knowledge were in truth. Human beings were proof case is no exception.
enough for Kailas and their efforts had been blessed
with success. One of the inconsistencies of
Independent India is the administrative system. It still
In Gandhi‘s scheme of things, non-violence as a method functions through the frame work of a colonial system.
of resistance occupied the prime place. The validity of Nearly everybody, high up in the administration has
non-violence as a political method is rejected in post- served and supported the British regime. Sahgal stresses
independence India as an exercise in futility. Gandhi that India stands to gain from the four gifts of Britian to
had made a religion of non-violence but it had become India the Indian Civil Service (ICS), the parliamentary
out dated in the late twentieth century. Official policies system, the Army and the British language. The old
need to be changed and non-violence was a political jealously guarded its rights and privileges against the
weapon. Kailas Vrind feels that though non-violence is new and this resulted in a polite tension between the
valid as a philosophy of life, it cannot be applied to a two. For Sri. Arjun Mitra, the Secretary General,
sovereign state like India having its own armed force. politics emanated from White Hall. He does not feel
Before independence, men consciously chose the non- much at home in India. For Rakesh, his career means
violent path because it had suited the genius of both the for him a reappraisal of national opportunity.
Indians and the British.
Kalyan Sinha, however makes it clear to
The political vision of Nayantara Sahgal, Rakesh that he does not want to go by convention. He is
embraces the clash between the Gandhian and the non- a man of action. He wants to rejuvenate the ministry
Gandhian philosophy. The Gandhian stance of giving from its morgue-like passivity. He never intends to get
the pride of place to the individual is taken by Kailas swamped under files and funds. A.V. Krishna Rao feels
Vrind the ardent Gandhian, in a novel way. Kalyan that Sahgal‘s creative sensibility achieves in ironic
Sinha, who has sort of contempt for the individual moral vision in this novel, when Kalyan loses political
human being, therefore, presents the non-Gandhian power but gains personal redemption. One aspect of the
pose. Kalyan and Kailase are opposites. The post-Independence landscape that does not except the
contradiction in their desperate ideologies is further perspective of Sahgal was its recourse to pseudo-
extended to their stand towards the individual human western isolation. The chaos or disorder filtering into
being. the Indian social and political scene at the dawn of
independence is caught by the pen of the writer. This
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
REFERENCE
[1]. Dhawan.R.K. Indian Women Novelists.Mehra offset press
NewDelhi, 1993. Print.
[2]. Jain Jasbir.The Emergence of the New Women in Novels of
Nayantara Sahgal. NewDelhi: Arnold Heinemann, 1978.
Print.
[3]. Nayaki, Selva.M “The Plight of Women before Marriage
in Nayantara Sahgal‟s.This Time of Morning”. Language
in India Journal. Vol II 4:10.2014.Print.
[4]. Rao,C.R. Visweswara. Indian Writing Today.
NewDelhi,Mehra offset press,1996.Print.
[5]. Sahgal, Nayantara. This Time of Morning. New
Delhi:Orient Paperbacks 1965.Print.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
The central character, Tilo eagerly learns the Divakaruni through her characters unravels the
Secret of spices and becomes a nun wedded to those mythic past to set the stage for the present. She takes
miraculous substances and devoted to the art of healing. her reader on a journey to a magic place between
She works her gently magic in a tiny rundown shop. fantasy and reality. She skillfully combines Indian
Tilo‘s life is limited until her rebelliousness reasserts American experience, Magic Realism and the magic of
itself, and she becomes involved in the lives of her Indian folk tales and fairy tales in her novel. The
troubled customers. She falls in love with Raven; the dreams dreamt by the character in her novel are
quintessential romantic protagonist who is handsome, symbolic. Each dream explicitly exposes some inherent
rich and brooding but Raven actually embodies nothing drawback in the American society. They reflect in the
less than the great spirit of the American Indian. As the intense and magical subject matter, where dreams mix
wild story of their unlikely order unfolds, Divakaruni past and present, history and hope, truth and desire.
draws evocative parallels between the racism and India is the land of different spices such as
violence immigrants from India face in the U.S and the Turmeric, Chilly, Cinnamon, season chandan, Hina,
tragic conquest of Native Americans. Fenugreek, Asafoetida, Brahmi, Tulsi, etc are nothing
Tilo has magic power that becomes the master but characters like other human beings speaks to Tilo
of all spices and owner of spice shop and speaks to have magical properties for solving problems. Magic
them as characters to solve the problems of people in realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction, in which
the real world with the help of magic. She artistically magical elements are blended into a realistic
applied magic on Indian Immigrants especially to atmosphere in order to access a deeper understanding of
overcome their suffering and to impart them their heart reality. These magical elements are explained like
desires. Spices, myth and legends are psychological normal occurrences that are presented in a straight
problems. forward manner which allows the real and the fantastic
Magic Realism is named after spices such as to be accepted in the same stream of thought.
cinnamon, turmeric and fenugreek, common ingredients Magic Realism is an awesome technique
of Indian cuisine.These spices have special powers. Tilo which was depicted by many diasporic authors very
practices her magical powersof healing through them. effectively. Because Magic Realism throws light on the
Through those who visit and revisit her shop,she state of the immigrants who unable to bear the pangs
catches glimpses of the local Indian expatriate due to separation, loneliness in a foreign laud create a
community, which includes an abused wife, a native new world of illusion. Such a world of illusion affords
cabbie, a sullen-teen, a yearning young woman, and an them comfort, remedy from the pain of rootlessness.
old man clinging to dignity, all of whom lack balance. They create their own magical world and with their
To each, Tilo dispenses wisdom and the appropriate imagination, dreams and memories.
spice, for the restoration of sight, the cleansing of evil REFERENCES
and the pain of rejection. PRIMARY SOURCE
Divakaruni in The Mistress of Spices, and with [1]. Divakaruni, ChitraBanerjee. The Mistress of Spices
.London: Black Swan, 2006. Print.
her magical prose views stories within stories, with her
sights and smells and enchanted imagery, transport the SECONDARY SOURCES
[2]. Bowers, Maggie A. Magic(al) Realism. New York:
reader to an Indian atmosphere that is at once timeless Routledge, 2004. Print.
and evocative of the present day. In an online interview, [3]. Fairs,Wendy, and Lois Parkinson Zamori. Introduction to
Divakaruni says;―I bridged the purely realistic world Magical Realism: Theory,History, Community. New
York : Routledge, 2004. Print
and mythic one; I extended my subject matter from
dealing exclusively with the Indian American [4]. Flores, Angel. Magical Realism in Spanish American
community to include Three other ethnic groups living Fiction. Hispaino 38.29 (18 Aug. 1955): 50-56. Print.
in the inner in the city Latinos, African Americans and [5]. Guenther, Irene. Magic Realismis the Weimar Republic.
MR: Theory, History, Community.New York: Routledge,
Native Americans and finally I tried to bring together
2000. Print
the language of poetry and prose so the idioms of the [6]. Strecther, Matthew C. Magical Realismand the Search for
book has a lyric quality appropriate to the genre of Identity in the Fiction of Murakami Haruki. California:
Magic Realism‖ (WWW.randomhouse.com). Mountain View, 1999. Print.
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
and not understanding. The conflicts that rose inside her her own brother Raja and she gets towards him. Then a
with every word they spoke and every gesture they change begins to overcome Bim. She feels that she must
made had been an enormous strain, she now felt, forgive Raja even though he has written to her an
leaving her worn out. Inspite of her exhaustion, she ‗unforgiveable‘ letter. This change of Bim towards Raja
feared the night and the long hours and the dark when shows the maturing of Bim. Then Bim told Tara that
she would have to face herself. How would she swim she and Baba is not going to attend the marriage
through that ocean and come out again? She wondered‖ function because of the inconvenience of traveling as
(166-167). Baba is handicapped. Bim also insisted Tara to bring
Raja and his family with her after the marriage of his
Bim is also loved by a doctor namely Dr. daughter. If not possible ask him to visit atleast during
Biswas, who comes to treat aunt Mira Masi. Finally he winter.
understands her feelings and tells her that,
Towards the end of the novel, she reminds of
―Now I understand why you do not wish to marry. You T.S. Eliot‘s line ―Time the destroyer is time the
have dedicated your life to others – to your sick brother preserver‖ (277). She has arrives at the state of mental
and your aged aunt and your little brother who will be and spiritual tranquility, the spirit of forgiveness, which
dependent on you all his life you have sacrificed your she has experienced. Her heart is now once again filled
own life for them‖ (148). with love and affection for Raja, and her family.
She feels that if she agrees to marry Dr. Finally she sees the clear light of day in her
Biswas, this will also add to more responsibilities in her life. She sends Tara and Bakul happily to the wedding.
life, rather than making life easier for her. So she After that she attends the music consort, which is
refuses the proposal. arranged in Misra‘s house along with Raja. At the end
she accepts the reality of life, and tries to live happily
In another occasion Bim sufferes a lot because with her mentally retarded brother Baba.
of the letter from Raja. Bim feels deeply humiliated by
the letter which Raja has written to her, after inheriting The novel Clear Light of Day Anita Desai
all the property of Hyder Ali. This letter is very much highlights the struggle and sufferings of Bim who
hurt to her, and it is caused to a permanent injury to her performs manly duties and carries the burdens of family
mind and her feelings. On the occasion of Tara‘s visit to responsibility. Therefore, Bim is a significant Indian
Delhi, Bim showed that letter to Tara. That letter woman who struggles through the traditional norms and
is,―…..when Hyder Ali Shahib was ill and making out currents and rebel against the general mindset of the
his will, Benazir herself spoke him about the house and patriarchal society.
asked him to allow you to keep it at the same rent we
used to pay him when father and mother were alive. He REFERENCE
agreed you know he never cared for money, only for
friendship, and I want to assure you that now that he is [1]. Desai, Anita. Clear Light of Day. India : Random
dead and has left all his property to us, you may House Publishers, 2007, Print.
[2]. Joshi, Poonam P. Thematic Preoccupation in
continue to have it at the same rent….‖(41) Anita Desais Novels. Jaipur: Prism Books, 2013.
Print.
This letter from Raja badly humiliates and [3]. Dhawan R.K. ed. The Fiction of Anita Desai. New
Delhi: Bahri Publications, 1989. Print.
hurts Bim, and creates a deep misunderstanding with
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
bacteriological endocarditis with a tendency toward After his final decision, Todd feels free from the burden
myocardial infarction - a heart disease, of which he of shielding himself with masks from all the disasters
could fall dead of heart failure at any moment. This is that threaten to destroy him. Till that final decisive
the foremost disaster of his life, a disaster that would moment, the impending disaster of death looms large on
obliterate him from the face of earth. A disaster caused Todd Andrews throughout the novel.
by the onslaught of disease. This instinct of threat Even death fails Todd contrary to his plans.
within him drives him towards dejection of life and loss His plans of committing suicide by blowing up the boat
of values. This makes him assume the mask of a rake, ―Original & Unparalleled The Floating Opera‖, end up
who is in pursuit of whatever pleasures available. This in failure. It is at this critical juncture he comes to the
pursuit ends drastically when he is almost killed by a realization that ―nothing makes any final difference is
prostitute, who was once his girl friend and with whom overwhelming; but if one goes on farther and becomes a
he had lost his virginity. His impotence due to his saint, a cynic, or a suicide on principle, one hasn‘t
prostate infection is another reason for his abnormal reasoned completely. The truth is that nothing makes
attitude towards people, even with his close friends any difference, including truth.‖ (251). He discovers a
Harrison Mach and Jane. This leads him to the role of a justification for living. He seeks redemption. Death is
saint with a detachedness where he ―renounced the not the end for Todd; it is rather the cause, the
world of human endeavor and delight . . . having no motivational factor that pushes him forward towards
more to do with my fellow man and values that I had redemption. This is clear with his new mask, i.e. , of a
to‖ (20). story teller. He compromises with the reality of life by
When Todd witnessed his father‘s suicide becoming a writer. His act of writing and story-telling
because of bankruptcy in the Market Crash in 1929, his gives him a renewed defence against hopelessness, and
role changes to that of a cynic, who believes that the act saves/redeems him from disaster.
―nothing has intrinsic value . . . Nothing absolutely, Todd creates a new fictional universe
made any difference‖ (209). When all his masks fail addressing his own life story. He, the existential solitary
him one after the other, he comes to the conclusion that being, finds a new companion of readers with whom he
he can neither cope with a senseless life nor play a role can confide his tide of emotions. His new role as a
in order to escape from the ever-present threat of writer gives him the courage to withstand his
sudden death. He believes that only suicide can put an insecurities and face the reality. His new-found reality
end to all his problems. The mental and physical and negotiation with nothingness help him in having
disasters that he suffers compel him into the greatest of harmony with life. Thus, the fluctuation of Todd‘s life
damnations – suicide: from disaster to redemption is beautifully portrayed in
If nothing has intrinsic value.The reasons for which the novel The Floating Opera.
people attribute value to things are always ultimately
PRIMARY SOURCE
irrational.There is, therefore, no ultimate ―reason‖ for
[1]. Barth, John. The Floating Opera. London: Secker &
valuing any-thing. (223) There was no mastering the fact Warburg, 1967. Print.
with which I lived; but I could master the fact of my living REFERENCES
with it by destroying myself, and the result was the [2]. Britannica, Encyclopedia, ed. The Floating Opera.
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.12 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 Dec.
same- I was the master. I choked back a snicker. ―For
2012.
crying out loud!‖ III. There is, therefore, no ultimate [3]. Sadads, ed. The Floating Opera. Wikipedia., 14Sept. 2012.
―reason‖ for valuing anything. Web. 24 Nov. 2012.
―Now I added including life, and at once the next [4]. <http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Floating_Opera>.
[5]. http://www.britannica.com / EBchecked /topic / 210397 /
preposition was clear:IV. Living is action. There‘s no
The-Floating-Opera>.
final reason for action.V.There‘s no final reason for
living.‖ (227)
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
Jaishree Misra an Indian author was born in Janaki or Janu, the central character of the
1961 to a malayali family in New Delhi. She started her novel travels through difficult paths in her life. The
writing career in 2000. Jaishree Misra‟s debut novel novel focuses on the courage faced by the protagonist
Ancient Promises was published and sold world widely by and her way of escaping from the cultures, tradition and
penguin books which become a major best seller in India their clutches. It also focuses on the struggle faced by
.This novel centers on the protagonist‟s struggle to Janaki after amidst of different cultures and traditions in
achieve fulfillment in life. Ancient promises is also a story India as well as in an alien land.
of displacement and disruption as it charts the complex
and ambivalent traumas of the protagonist through an
Through the novel Ancient PromisesJaishree
appraisal of the ambivalent stance. Through the novel
Ancient Promises Jaishree Misra shows the two different Misra shows two different culture , the modern culture
culture , the modern culture of Delhi and traditional of the metropolitan city , Delhi and the traditional
culture of Kerala. culture of Kerala. The people differ in food , dresses ,
language and other cultural practices. Janaki‘s life
Keywords : Culture , Ambivalence , Traumas, exposes this problem because her behavior is different
Protagonist, Tradition. from traditional ways of kerala. The kerala tradition
and culture is portrayed beautifully in the marriage
Culture generally embodies the ultimate value between Janaki and suresh .Kerala has its own customs
of people‘s belief system as it affects the perception of and code of morals . The bride Janaki wears cream and
reality. Ambivalence is a state of having simultaneous gold bridal saree in the marriage ceremony which is
conflicting reactions beliefs or feelings towards some quite different from western marriages . Toe touching
object. The term also refers to situations '' where mixed and banana milk ceremony is also performed by Janaki
feelings‖ of a more general sort are experienced. and Suresh in their marriage . It is a custom practiced
Cultural ambivalence is the cultural dichotomy in the Maraar family. The traditional marriage function
experienced by an individual in his living environment; was a simple one, involving one ritual, the pudavakoda,
it is an intermediately state between the culture in which pudava means a cloth that Kerala women wore
the individual is born in and the culture into which the traditionally.
individual is transferred. In the state of ambivalence, the
individual experiences a whole new experience In Janaki‘s house, they celebrate onam festival.
originated from the blend of the two cultures. Children Her mother -in- law explains about the rituals. On that
absorb new cultures and ideas at young age whereas the day every members of the Maraar family should take
grownups suffer to acclaim the cross culture bath and wear new dresses. Janu expects love from her
competence. husband Suresh. In Delhi they celebrate Christmas ,
Holi and Diwali and there is no holiday for On am
This paper is focused on the protagonist‘s Janaki‘s situation become more complex when her
struggle to achieve fulfillment in a cross cultural mother -in -law says : ― In Delhi they don‘t give you a
background. Through an appraisal of the complex school holiday for On am, so it was difficult to
traumas faced by Janaki, Jaishree Misra tries to analyze celebrate it properly‘‘ (109) .
the problems caused in the society due to the clash of
two different cultures and traditions. Ancient Promises Recent studies suggest that Indian Culture is
is a moving story of Janaki‘s painful journey of self trending away from traditional arrange marriages. For
discovery through marriage, divorce and motherhood. centuries arranged marriage has been the tradition in
Young and vulnerable Janu gives up Arjun, her lover Indian society. Respecting the elders is an integral part
and enters into an arranged marriage. Later her life is of Indian culture .It is believed that the elders blessing
miserable in her husband‘s family. Finally she moves to showers long and serene life to the youngster‘s .Janaki
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ICBDM 2015 Volume: 2 Special Issue ISSN No:0973-3957
REFERENCES
[1]. Misra, Jaishree Ancient promises, New: penguin, 2000.
Print.
[2]. The World Book Encyclopedia Chicago: WorldBook-
Child craft. Print International,1980. Print.
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