Movie Review of "Lagaan"

Hello readers,

On the auspicious day of 15th August 2018 Film Screening Committee organized Movie Screening of the movie "Lagaan" at the Department of English MK Bhavnagar University. Generally, we watch movies for the sake of entertainment, but as a students of English literature we have to watch movie with the help of various literary theories, approaches and different perspectives.

• A'Lagaan': Once upon a time in India is an Indian epic sports drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar. The film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj. The story revolves around a small village whose inhabitants, burdened by taxes, find themselves in an extraordinary situation as an arrogant officer challenges them to game of Cricket as a wager to avoid the taxes. The narrative spins around this situation as the alien game and playing for a result that change their village's destiny.

• So, this is archetypal story similar to other movies. There are many archetypal symbols like temple, Rain, Myth, love story, etc. But here we can try to understand or will interpret through the various literary theories, approaches and different perspective like:

• Post Colonialism
• Nationalism
• Indianess
• Patriarchy
• Cricket as metaphor
• Subaltern
• Rural India
• Teamwork and Leadership

• Teamwork and Leadership:   teamwork and leadership is main aspects of this movie, we can say that this is major factor of this film. Leadership is not an easy task, leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompasses the ability of an individual or organization to lead or guide other individuals and teams. Similarly, Bhuvan also tries to buildup team for the betterment of the village so he tries everything to make unity in the team for the battlement.

• Rural India:  
• 
  
•                        India ranks second worldwide in farm output, more than 80% of population live in the rural area, and rural farmers helps a lot to growth our GDP. The real India live in villages. So, The entire setting of the movie in the village, not a single scene of the urban area shown in the movie. So, here  the director tried to show the real India through the villages, how the condition of the people in the village, their farm, everyday life, tension about rain for food grain and  Britisher imposed the high  taxes(Lagaan) on farmers, they unable to pay because of a prolonged drought. Furthermore, we also see the family structure like joint family, gender role, culture and religious atmosphere all the things show the real Rural India.

Subaltern:  

                   

                 Subaltern means marginalization in caste, gender, race, etc by hegemony of power. Power position and elite class are discourse maker and other are inferior. This little beat concept about subaltern. So, in this movie we can see various aspects like gender, caste, culture through subaltern study. Through caste base, First there is one marginalized character his name is Kachra belong to lower class. Further, when Bhuvan elect Kachra in the village team then teammate deny to take him as team member because he is untouchable. Second subaltern in the gender role, gauri's character is marginalized. When Bhuvan looking for to make team then Gauri wants to play a game but her father ask her to do household work, and also all the women characters are passive in the movie. And third one is cultural marginalization. Here we can compare two women character one is Elizabeth is teaching the rules of cricket to win the bet for lagaan and otherside Gauri worship to God for victory. So, here we can say that movie portrayed Indian Culture and psychology inferior to British culture and psychology. fourth living manner and styel between both cultures also make superiority and inferiority.

Cricket as Metaphor:

This movie is very unique one than other patriotic movies. Generally, Patriotic movies use atom bomb, Machinegun, sword, spears to fight with national enemy, but here director use Cricket as metaphor because cricket is a Britisher's game and India also very powerful in this game in 21st century. So , here very good used of this game to make critical thinking and also to make it entertaining. According to me that may be director thought may be was that we can not defeat Britisher with atom or else things but we can do it with cricket because now we are master in cricket. So, It can be possible that the intention of the movie maker to use cricket as metaphor.

Patriarchy:  

As we all know that many Bollywood movie are based on patriarchal ideas. This movie also follow the tradition of our movies. If we talk about the patriarchal elements in the movie we first see the marginalization of women in the character of Gauri, Elizabeth, Arjan's wife and sister, Bhuvan's Mother all are passive and voiceless. When Gauri wanted to play cricket then her father told her to do household work and said this is not women's work. second is Elizabeth, when he tries to help Indian cricket team and her brother come to know about that matter he also scold her and to made her aware to do not go to village. Third are Arjan's wife and sister who not come out outside from the home when the villagers dances outside because of Arjan's restrictions. And at last Bhuvan's mother also a voiceless even she is veteran and has power to handle all thing and give good suggestions to Sarpanch but patriarchal ideology never accept.

Indianess: 

The entire movie is about Indianess. There are many aspects are portrait Indianess like:

Religious activities

Dance form

Food

Clothes

Game

Profession

Gender role

Caste system

Nationalism cum Regionalism:  

                         I don't think so that the movie is about nationalism or patriotism. It can be  the different thinking of director to represent nationalism through regionalism. But, according to me it is only about regionalism, Bhuvan's concerns only for his region or village not stand for entire country's sake. Movie is about the taxes(Laggan) imposed by Britisher on the farmers and farmers unable to pay so Villagers raise their voice fore the sake of their farm and economical condition not for the betterment or freedom from British Raj. I think you see the movie as a patriotic but what is the out come of the is? beyond the cricket game, there is a love triangle between the main characters Bhuvan, Elizabeth and Gauri that's it. 

Post-Colonialism: 

I cant apply Post colonial theory in this movie because movie's setting is in Pre-colonial India. So, there is points from the perspective of director we can say postcolonialism is that the game of cricket in today's Infia.  The game of cricket is belong to Britisher but today we India much powerful in cricket than Britisher. Hence, we can say that India follow the and use British game as our own and mindset as well.

Youth festival -2017 Shyamal

             Youth festival -2017 "Shyamal"

     First time I participated in Drama. It was great experience for me. I just seen the atmosphere around the University during festival, and it was very enthusiastic.

                 The day was end with so many memorable moments. It was really very nice event organised on large scale at our university. First we all friends went to Amphi theatre where skit was going to be performed. All colleges performed very well,the best performance which I like the most is the Skit 'Frage' which was performed by The Department of English, it was amazing skit. It was full of current themes which our nation was facing now a days, the theme was about harassment of girls and women in the present day. 

The Next day, In the drama " Visfot"(Ghar na Dive Ghar Salge Tyare) ,I played a Role of Police Inspector Timir. In a way it helped me into removing stage fear. The Story of Drama is about family relation that Chief Minister Of Maharashtra Patil Saheb killed by his own daughter in the Bomb attack then Patil's son Inspector Timir took charge of that case and got terrorist who his own sister, after the realization and know the fact behind his sister Story, he forgives her and make happy ending. I felt fantastic after the performed drama first time. This all credit goes to our Drama sir Ankur Zaveri. All the Artists performed very well in such a way.

Classroom Activity on the poem "Design"

                         Classroom Activity on the poem "Design" by Robert Frost

This blog is a part of my classroom activity in which first we have to draw a picture related nature then our task is to read the poem "Design" and draw a picture about what you understand or imagine from the poem.

This is my 1st Drawing related nature. This picture is very beautiful, there are mountains, flow of water, trees, sun, flowers etc. I can say that this picture is very pure and natural without any kind of bad thing because I imagine this picture as per my views and imagination regarding nature.

Second picture is about the poem "Design" in which we have to draw picture as per the poem's structure and poet's imagination about Nature. So, here Robert Frost imagine the nature much different than us because he was a farmer that is why he very well connected with the nature. If we see the Wordsworth and Frost then we can find that both have different views regarding the Nature, Wordsworth was from urban aria and he wrote about the nature only for his enjoyment. While Robert Frost was a farmer so the nature for him is not the things for enjoyment. Wordsworth seen nature as teacher and symbol of peace while Frost seen the violation in the Nature, everyday one insect or creature killed another that is why he said that 'Does God really watch over us? If we believe that Nature is  the God then why violation happening in the lap of God?

Oneness Of Literature

Online Discussion: Oneness of Literature

This Blog is a part of classroom activities in which students have to interpret two works one is T.S.Eliot's 'Wasteland' and another is the story ' The Joke' by Anton Chekhov.

All literature are connected with each other; all, those which are already written, those being written and those yet to be written. Thus, to understand a work of art, one must have an outstanding of this continuity.

literature is like a flowing river it has many way to flow but its root is one. Hence, as per many theorist like T.S.Eliot, Northrop Fry etc that the structures of literature are somewhat connected with each other like similar in symbols, signs, structure etc. Northrop Frye in his theory of Archetypal criticism based on the idea that whole of the literature has oneness of its existence. All literature shares common DNA or Skeleton. While, T.S.Eliot said in his "Tradition and Individual talent" that past is very important for new because any kind of literature bring the basic structure from the past work of art. Hence, he said that poet should know the pastness of the past.

We have many different ages' works of literature having same structure related to other works like John Donne poetry, Andrew Marvell, T.S.Eliot, etc. All works have similar theme of sexual perversion, so we can say that literature somewhat related with each other. Here we are not going to see above works but we will see the similarities between 'Joke' and 'Wasteland.'

There is one stanza in the poem "Wasteland" which is very similar to the story of Anton Chekhov "The Joke"

And when we were children, staying at the archduke's,

My cousin's, he took me out on a sled,

Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.

In the mountains, there you feel free

Interpretation:

The stanza of the poem is much connected with the story "The joke". Both have same theme in "wasteland" about childhood memory and hidden sexuality and "The joke" a visible lust both have same theme of sexual perversion and also the same symbols used the symbol of mountain and down of sled only the name is changed Marie instead Nadia. In the story Lover many time uttered the words 'I love you' but as per my views it is not pure love but sexual perversion because pure love not need any kind of words uttering frequently but lover was sexually perverse like John Donne's poems. So, we can say that every works have oneness and somewhat connected with each other.

Gujarati Translation of the story:

Translation always is different than original works. We can not get the real charm or feelings of the work in translated version. Hence, there are many words like the title of the story "The Joke" and "Nanakdi majak" there is no appropriate word of 'sled' and many more.

Modernist poems Activity

Hello readers,

This blog is a part of my classroom activity in which the teacher gave a task to students to identify modernist metaphors in these following short poems. Before the explanation of the poems we should know about the background as well as the features of the modernist poetry, so we can understand the mood of modern poetry.

                                                     

The 20th century was like no time period before it. Einstein, Darwin, Freud and Marx were just some of the thinkers who profoundly changed the Western culture. These changes took distinct shape in the literature of 20th century. Modernism, a movement that was a radical break from 19th century Victorianism, led to post-modernism, which emphasized self consciousness and pop art.

20th Century English Poetry Development

The 20th century development poetry emerged in the early of the 20th century through various schools, style and influence. There are three main phase of the modernist poetry movement:

1st Phase:

In this phase of the movement, the school of imagism, French symbolism and war poetry.

2nd Phase:

The second phase of the movement, all these initial manifestation of modernism combined to find a full nature expression in the poetry.

3rd phase:

The final phase of modernist is largely the decade of the 30s which is marked by marxed poets.

*20th Century English Poetry Characteristic*

1) Diversity variety of themes

Poetry today can be written on almost any subject. The modern poets find inspiration from railway, trains, tramcars, telephones and things of commonplace interest, the whole universe is the moderns poet's composition.

2)Realism

Realism in Modern poetry was the product of a reaction against the pseudo-romanticism of the last century over and above the influence of science. The modern poets sees life and paints it as it is with all its wait and ugliness. he tears the veil which the romanticism had hug between life and art.

3)Pessimism

There is a note of pessimism and disillusionment in modern poetry. the modern poets has realised the pettiness of human life and the tragedy and suffering of the poor have made him gloomy and sad.

4) Romantic element

The spirit of romance continues to rule the minds of certain poets like Yeats. The spirit of romance is as old as the life itself. Walter De Le Mare's poetry is full of true romantic spirit bordering on super-naturalism.

5)Nature

Nature attract the modern poets no less than the poets of the earlier ages. But for the modern poet, nature is not a mystic. He does not find any spiritual meaning in nature. he feels jolly at the sight of nature's loveliness. he gives a clear picture of birds, clouds landscape, sea and countryside in his poetry.

6) Humanitarian and democratic note

Modern poetry is marked with a note of humanitarianism and democratic feeling. The modern poet, more than Wordsworth interested in the life of laborers, workers etc.

8)  Religion and Mysticism

The modern age is the age of science, but even in this scientific age, we have poems written on the subject of religion and mysticism.

9) Diction and Style

Modern poets have a preference for simple and direct expression. modern poets have chosen to be free in the use of metre. They have followed freedom from trammels of verse. There is free movement in 20th century English poetry.

Let us analyse and identify modernist metaphors/symbol/images from the given some interesting poem.

1) 'The Embankment'- T.E.Hulme

Once, in finesse of fiddles found I ecstasy, 

 flash of gold heels on the hard pavement. 

Now see I 

That warmth’s the very stuff of poesy. 

Oh, God, make small 

The old star-eaten blanket of the sky, 

That I may fold it round me and in comfort lie.

This poem is about the homeless poor people and 'fallen gentleman' reflects on his past, it is may be related to sexuality. In this poem speaker wants warmth and and shelter to live that is why he request to the God that gave warmth me. So, we can say that this poem is about the basic requirement. There are many metaphor, symbol and images like "Finesse of fiddles", :Flash of gold hills", "Star eaten blanket", Fallen gentlemen"

2)Darkness- by Joseph Campbell

I stop to watch a star shine in the boghole –

A star no longer, but a silver ribbon of light.

I look at it, and pass on.

In this poem we can find the modern metaphor like "Silver ribbon" and image like "Boghole". Joseph Campbell strict modern poet, his poem against the Victorian themes. The present poem's title itself suggest the contradiction between darkness and shiny star. speaker might be tell about the illusions in the life.

3) Image- by Edward Storer

"Forsaken lovers,

Burning to a chaste white moon

upon strange pyres of loneliness and drought".

In this poem, poet used the symbol of "white moon" as it connects the heart of two lover, but poet here used it in opposite side that it burns lovers and they can't chaste with each other. Their loneliness is there though they are together. So, here we can interpret that modernist think that we all are alone in crowd.

4) "In a station of the metro" by Ezra Pound

"The apparition of these faces in a crowd,

petals in wet, black bough

This poem's structure against the Victorian poems, Victorian used to write very lengthy poem but here poet use very short poem like the metro speed. Here, poet used very good metaphor "Petals on wet black bought". This poem suggest the busy life of city people they have not time to face each other like city life is lifeless. we can say that this poem is about the loneliness in crowd.

5)The pool- by Hilda Dolittle

"Are you alive?

I touched you

you quiver trembling like a sea fish

I cover you with my net

What are you banded one?

Very first line of the poem, 'Are you alive? arise the question of existence which is one of the important aspect of modern literature. People of modern time became like sea fish that they are controlled or bound by some chain that they can't free from them. The title "Pool" is also symbolize the stillness like water store in it which don't have flowness which is most important things in the life to flow from one to another.

6) "Insouciance"- By Richard Aldington

"In and out of the dreary trenches

Trudging cheerily under the stars

I make for myself little poems

Delicate as a flock of dovesin 

Thy fly away like white-winged Doves.

In this poem the poet presents that how people are living their life insouciance way with carelessness. They try to express their feeling in literature as poet says "I make for myself little poem" the way of living is with no excitement "In and out of the dreary trenches" but though all are walking on their path with such cheer, the reference of "White-winged Doves" is used for modern culture of living life and feeling of isolation is there.

7)"Morning at the window"- T.S.Eliot

They are rattling breakfast plates in basement kitchens,

And along the trampled edges of the street 
I am aware of the damp souls of housemaids 

The brown waves of fog toss up to me         
Sprouting despondently at area gates. 
 

And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts 
Twisted faces from the bottom of the street, 
An aimless smile that hovers in the air 

And vanishes along the level of the roofs.

The present poem about the modern view of England. The main idea of the poem is poverty, it presents the picture of poor people. who have to face several hardship from morning to the late night.

There are vivid images that makes the poem imagist one for e.g- "Rattling breakfast plates", "Damp souls", "brown waves", "Twisted faces", "Muddy Skirts", "Aimless smile".

8) "The Red wheelbarrow- William carols William

'so much depends
upon


barrow
a red wheel


water
glazed with rain


chickens.' 

beside the white

The poem sings a song of craftsmanship. Poet says, 'so much depends upon a red Wheelbarrow. It glazes in rain like white chickens. Though industry and factories have took place, craftsmanship is also important.

9) "Anecdote of the jar- wallace stevens

I placed a jar in Tennessee,   

And round it was, upon a hill.   

It made the slovenly wilderness   

Surround that hill.




The wilderness rose up to it,

And sprawled around, no longer wild.   

The jar was round upon the ground   

And tall and of a port in air.




It took dominion everywhere.   

The jar was gray and bare.

It did not give of bird or bush,   

Like nothing else in Tennessee.



   This is a imaginative poem which exaggerate the picture of jar. Poet placed that jar upon hill, jar reminds us the Grecian urn of Keats. Poets sing the glory of the jar and also ask the question that which is superior 'a work of art or nature?'



10) "I (A- E.E.Cummings

"A leaf  falls with loneliness"

This is has many images, reader can interpret anything which they want. The image in the poem is loneliness and a leaf. we can connect with death of human with fallen leaf. So, isolation is the  main theme and image of this one line poem.

"The Waste land" Thinking activity

Classroom activity

This blog is a part of my classroom activity.

Here is the link of classroom activity:

http://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2014/10/presentations-on-ts-eliots-waste-land.html

My answer to the three questions about contradiction of Eliot with Nietzsche and Freud and the use of Indian thoughts in "The Waste Land".

1) What are your views on the following image after reading "The waste land"? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche's views? or has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho-historical answer to the contemporary malaise?

Here we can see the conflict of different views between Eliot and Nietzsche. Eliot believe in supernatural power whereas Nietzsche like an atheist, but both are right in their own way. Through the mythical views like Upnishada ,logic, supernatural power and various cultures, Eliot wants to evoke the people that past is very good lesson to make  better future, people can learn through past and from supernatural things.

While Nietzsche believe in human power as 'superman', he is not believe in supernatural things and tradition, for him The God is dead and he says that man can survive and make better future himself.

So we cannot say that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche's  views because Eliot is using the past reference to answer contemporary malaise. Because myth and religion changed and influence in the way of thinking of the people, because religions are about the betterment of people it is path giver, you should blame people not religion. Every religion teach and developed the humanity in the people. There is one example in the Quran about Firon(Pharaoh)Egyptian King who believe himself as God and killed innocent people then God mentioned his hubris and gives lesson to upcoming generation to developed humanity instead of hatredness so we can say that religion cultivate morality. Every Holi book says that don't attache too much with material thing(life) all have to taste flavour of death, so be a spiritual soul. Nietzsche believe in "Ubermensch" who gave solution to the problem for contemporary crisis. For instance, we can take an example of Hitler, he also want to give solution to contemporary crisis but it bring chaos in the society. So, I personally do not support the views of Nietzsche. 

According to me, the views of Eliot can be considered as more realistic than Nietzsche, Nietzsche finds the solution of present in future while Eliot is finding the solution of present and future in past because past is like a mirror as well as lesson for people that is why Eliot make his views universally

 and realistic.

2) What are your views regarding these comments Is it true that giving free vent to the repressed 'primitive instinct' lead us to happy and satisfied life? or do you agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'?' 

Yes, it is truth that giving free vent to the repressed primitive instinct' can lead us to happy and satisfied life, but individually, things and happiness which is satisfying us can harm others and which give pleasure to others can harm us. But as per Eliot views if all follow such culture, tradition and belief in such lifestyle and moralities, a network of understanding can be created human live peacefully.

3) Write about allusion to the Indian thought in "The waste land"(where, how and why are the Indian thought referred?)

"In the Waste land" Eliot has presented various cultures and languages to connect the world with one universal thought. In the first four part Eliot described that how sexual perversion has overpower than spirituality of human and solution of spiritual degradation by referring the Indian culture and Upnishada. 

The allusion to the Indian thought Eliot mentioned in the last part of the poem:

"Ganga was sunken, and the limps leaves

waited for rain, while the black clouds

gathered far distant, over Himvant

The jungle crouched, humped in silence."\

Then Eliot gives three 'Da'

1)Datta- to give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause.

2) Dayadhvam- Sympathies yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others, come out of your isolation and love into others.

3)Damyata- Self control, control over one's passion and desire.

As per my view, every religion have good thoughts and ideas but Upnishadas idea of peace does not mean just a state of No-war neither it is limited just to men or countries and communities. But it embraces the whole nature and the whole creation. LetsL see the original Shantih mantra and its translation so we can get idea about why Eliot found it suitable.                   

So, here we can say that Indian thoughts about peace in every universal things. We should not like vulture, keep others away from having what we actually don't need but be a giver, sympathies with other. Gandhiji also said: ''There is enough on this earth for everybody's need, but not sufficient for one's greed. We should not belivbb in materials and contemporary things that one day will destroy. In this way I think T.S Eliot might found Upnishada's thoughts of ,"Datta", "Damyata", "Dayadhvam", and "Shantih" suitable for universal peace.

Matilda Movie Review

                                                     

We had a movie screening of the movie 'Matilda' on 6th July 2018 at The Dept. of English as a task for ELT paper was given by Vaidehi Hariyani ma'am. 'Matilda' is a 1996 American children's fantasy comedy film directed, produced and narrated by Danny Davito. The film based on the well known British short story writer Roald Dahl's novel 'Matilda'.

The story of the movie begin with the warmwood family, in which Mr. Warmwood and Mrs. Warmwood are very corrupt and fool kind of couple who hates their only daughter and love their Son, Matilda is much different among her family. So, we can say that they believe in patriarchy. Matilda is very genius girl who has extra-ordinary power from her childhood. She love to reads books and wants to go to school but her parents deny and said that you are not mature enough to go to school.

Although, Matilda starts visit to public library where she reads adventurous book like Moby-Dick and so on. Matilda reads book of various field like mathematics, science, Arts, etc. she cultivated power through this kind of books. Later on, Matilda's parent decides for Matilda's schooling, then Matilda was very happy to join school. The atmosphere of school is frightening as well as wonderful. Trunchbull the principal of the school is very evil kind personality while Jennifer Honey, Matilda's class teacher is very  kind women and has humble nature, students love to learn from this kind of teacher.

This movie is for children so director uses comedic elements at the end of the movie in which Matilda force Trunchbull out of the school for good and give a moral message that good win over evil and miss Honey adopts Matilda from her parent and movie end.

                       *My favorite book*

"The Nehjul Balagha" peak of eloquence was written by Imam Ali, cousin and son in law of prophet Muhammad. This is a greatest literary book after the Holi Quran in Islam. My favorite book because, my life influenced a lot from this book. Nahjul Balaghah comprises various issues that cover major problems of Metaphysics, Theology, Fiqh, Tafsir, Hadith, Prophetology, Mastery, Ethics, Social philosophy, History, Politics, Administration, Civics, Science, Rhetoric, Poetry and literature. The book not only reflects the spirit of early Islam and the teaching of the Quran and the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, but also serves as a guide to traverse the future in the light of these teaching. Nahjul Balaghah is a collection of 241 sermons, 79 letters, and 489 utterances. I have received many lessons from this book that how to live life what is our goal on earth and many thing about universe. This book is worth reading. 

Online Discussion on Llosa's ideas

Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian novelist, was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 2010. His most recent novel is "The Neighborhood." He was interviewed for The World Post by Michael Skafidas, a journalist and professor of comparative literature at the City University of New York.

In this interview Llosa shared many ideas related to literary work in which I liked three ideas given by Llosa.

1) Idea on Feminism

2) Ideas and Images

           3) Novelist is the Historian

I personally liked the view of Llosa on feminism in which he said that feminism has become very sectarian and dogmatic kind who always stand for stupid equality. llosa also gave an example of feminists attacked  Nabokov's "Lolita" the best novel of 20th century but feminists attacked about male characters. This kind of stupidity destroy the charm of literature. I liked the idea about good and evil in literature because literature do not perfect without evil character. As a man we should respect women but it does not mean we accept everything which is the prejudice of feminist. Sometime over criticism destroyed the charm of literature.

Second is the image and ideas. In this points Llosa said that today's world young generation give the importance to image more than ideas. It is very harmful to youth that they think  images are creative for modern time but they do not think that this century is the age of Photoshop and post truth. We see in our India how Political party use fake images to make people emotional. If youth grow up in this images culture then it will be destroyed intellectual. As Ravish Kumar used to talk that (पेहले लोग आंखों में धूल जोकते थे अब ईमेज जोगते है) this kind of image make you sheeple and ideas make you intellectual.

Third one is 'Novelists is the historian of the unrecorded'.  Given sentence is very true through literature you get idea about social, political and religious background the ages. Literature record dark side of country, person etc. Here Llosa gives an example of Leo Tolstoy's greatest Novel "War and Peace" which is related to the Russian history and many writers used to wrote about historical aspect Many Novels written on Mahatma Gandhi and contemporary time for instance the novel "Kanthapura" which is record the freedom movement in India. So, this very great to read the literature which narrate the history.

Thank You......

Film Review 'The Modern Time'

                                                                   

On 29th June we had a movie screening of 'The Modern Time' by one of the greatest Comedian Charlie Chaplin at the Department of English MK Bhavnagar University. I am a literature student and presently I am studying Modern literature so, to know the mood and the theme of the Modern literature students must know about contemporary issues of the Age. Hence, this movie is great example to understand the Modern Time.

'The Modern Time' is 1936 American comedy film Written and directed by Charlie Chaplin in which Chaplin shows us about the industrialization how factories make people machines. This film Ironically satire on industrialization. There are two ,main characters Chaplin as Tramp and Paulette Goddard as gamin. Both are living as per their name meaning. Film begins with a hope of basic need Roti, Kapda and Makan and end also with a hope. The plot of the film is well knitted in which Chaplin works as factory worker and the poor and orphan girl named Ellen Peterson is like burglar because of her poverty. So, we can say that here Chaplin show us about the poverty in America even known as power house or new world.That is why people feel happy to be imprisoned instead of freedom because people have no employment to live.

Unemployment also was the issue of  America. We can see in one of the scene of the film in which crowd of people rushed for a few vacancies in factory and also the factory workers used to strike against factory owners so we can think that how people molested by factory owners.

Overall, the plot and characters are well knitted and film is silent but its music is superb to understand everything. Chaplin was a master to tell the real issues through comic way that is why he has receive many awards to show reality in such a way.

Here, the movie also symbolize new hope through road journey in which Chaplin wants to tell that pursuit of happiness and quest of new hope.

Film Review 'The Great Dictator

 

As a part of my study The Modern Literature we had movie screening of 'The Great Dictator' on 30th June 2018 at The Dept of English. To understand work of literature we must know about the contemporary time of the literary works. The movie 'The Great Dictator' is a 1940 American Political satire comedy Drama written and directed by Charlie Chaplin. He was known for silent movie but this film is the first true sound film by Chaplin.

The movie based on political and social satire in which Chaplin perform double role as Hynkel a ruthless fascist dictator(Parody of Adolf Hitler) and as Jewish Barber, Napolini as the parody of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the Hannah as Jewish girl live in Ghetto. The story of the film is about Hitler's dictatorship, fascist and antisemitism. By this film we can think that how Hitler treat Jewish people also get an idea about world war movement.

We all know that How Hitler destroyed the identity of Jewish and also how he was the war monger in world war 2. Here Chaplin conveys us that war is very dangerous for earth for people and and make satire on Hitler's policy and views towards other country.

I do not want to tell whole story of this film but I want to show you about symbolical scene which have very deep meaning. Here we cane see the mastery of Chaplin in symbolism.

In this scene we can say that How Hitler think that entire earth in his hand and he can play as toy with whole world. Here Chaplin conveys us through this scene that Hitler think that the world is piece of cack for him.

In this scene we can see the seating position of Hitler and Mussolini. Through this symbol we can say that Hitler do not want to inferior he always want to get higher position and power in the world. This kind of pride cause of world war 2 and also the cause of his end.

At the end of the film Charlie Chaplin gives great message on humanity that war is dangerous for human-being and hatredness is the cause of downfall it destroyed the earth and humanity. So Chaplin try to give lesson through this film that war is very dangerous step towards humanity no one get happiness from this kind of bloodshed. peace make world beautiful and We know very well that How Ashoka realized the cause of war and he changed totally and done work for peace and humanity.

At last, I think Chaplin make satire on strict nationalism. We must love our Nation but if you think  only about your own nation and religious then it will be very dangerous for global humanity. If you think as Islamic nation or Hindu nation it will be the cause of downfall for instance Pakistan and Nepal both believe in Own religious nation and both are full with darkness and undeveloped countries.