Thinking Activity: Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett

Hello readers,
                       On 27th September 2018 we had movie screening of the movie "Waiting For Godot" written by Samuel Beckett in which students task is to watch movie and write their understanding of the movie of the given points by the professor. Here is the link of professor's blog click here,


The movie "Waiting for Godot" is directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. In this 2001 movie, Barry McGovern and Johnny Murphy played Vladimir and Estragon, where as Lucky and Pozzo were performed by Alan Standford and Stephan Brennan, respectively.


Q. What connection do you see in the setting("A country road. A tree. Evening.) of the play and these paintings.

Ans. The setting of the play is inspired by two paintings by Caspar David Friedrich. The title of this painting is 'longing', here longing means deep desire for something. Waiting is connected with longing. In the painting two person see towards sunrise and sunset, it stand for bright hope and despair and in the play we find similar things.

Q. 2 The tree is the only important 'thing' in the setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act 2 on the barren tree- The tree has four or five leaves?

Ans. The tree is a symbol in the play. Many time tree symbolically presented in the play when Vladimir and Estragon try to be hebetate like tree. So, leaves stand for hope and despair. In first scene tree was destroyed so we can interpret and connect it with world war-2 because this play written just after war and in second act this tree have leaves so it stand for hope and also we can say it is changing nature.

3) In both acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this 'Coming for night and moon' when actually they are Waiting For Godot?

Ans. We can interpret this moon as brightness in the night so, I think Beckett want to convey through this moon's brightness in the night means though the darkness of night there is somewhat hope like the brightness of the moon. So, we should not lost our hope, every day is new day.

4) The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

Ans. The director used debris in the setting. So, it can be the influence of the World war-2 in the material world. Therefore, we can say that the meaninglessness of material world that keep on destroying, nothing is permanent in the life.

5) The play begins with the dialogue "Nothing to be done". how does the theme of 'nothingness' recurs in the play? 

Ans.  "Nothing to be done" reflects the Existentialism. This theory shows that the life is meaningless, whatever you do it has no ultimate meaning. this play starts with this idea of nothingness. Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot without knowing that he will come or not, is he exist or not, who is he? unclear theme shows the nothingness of the play.

6) Do you agree: "The play (Waiting for Godot), we agreed, was a positive play, not negative, not pessimistic. As I saw it, with my blood and skin and eyes, the philosophy is: 'No matter what- atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything- life goes on. You can kill yourself, but you can't kill life."(E.G. Marshal who played Vladimir in original Broadway production 1950s)?

Ans. Yes, I agree to the point of E.G Marshal that the play waiting for Godot is positive play in the sense of life is goes on we can not stop or kill the time. If we commit suicide or stop our breath it doesn't matter for life. We kill ourselves not the life, it must go on. So, we can say that life is meaningless though we have to live life, this lesson make us positive.

7) How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

Ans. Samuel Beckett used many symbols in this play in which Hat and Boot are interesting symbols. We can say that hat represented the intellectual, mental ability and thinking and boot represent lower and physical appearance.

8) Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and Nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?

Ans. Sometimes we can get chance to be free from some constructed situation though we can not grab the opportunity because we are habituated with that constructed situation, it can not permit us to think beyond. Lucky knows well that his master has no power to see anything yet he do not go away from him and serving him without the question of real freedom. It is unbelievable as rational thinker but those who living sheeple's kind of life, they can be driven with the flow without questioning. 

9) Who according to you is Godot? God? An object of desire? Death? Goal? Success? or...

Ans. This play has many way of interpretation. We can interpret this play with every given points. But, according to me Godot is God because when we read the dialogue between boy and Vladimir that time Vladimir asked to the boy that Godot is white? then the boy said yes, so we can say that they talk about Christ. Another interpretation is based on political reading in which we can say that Godot means Hitler because when Vladimir asked to the boy that he is beating or not? then boy replied yes. So, we can connect with the Hitler that he was beating many countries in world war-2.

10) "The subject of the play is not Godot but 'waiting' (Esslin, A search for the self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

Ans. Yes, I agree with the Esslin's point of view in 'A search for the self' that the subject and the main theme of the play is 'waiting' not the Godot. We can see that in the play nothing happen except the meaningless waiting. there is  no one come and go, all the characters only waiting for someone but no one come. So, we can say the heart of the play is waiting not Godot.

11) Do you think plays like this can better be 'read' than 'viewed' as it requires a lot of thinking on the part of readers, while viewing, the torrent of dialogues does not give ample time and space to 'think'? Or is it that the audio- visuals help in better understanding of the play?

Ans. According to me the reading and viewing both can be beneficial and required of the play. Because if you only watch the movie then it can be bore. Because it has the continous dialogues and less action. For the understanding of the deeper philosophy one has to read the play. Only reading also makes you boring because you will not be able to imagine Vladimir and Estragon and their useless action. We have to done both the things in the class which enriched our understanding of the play.

12) Which of the following sequence you liked the most:

•  Vladimir-Estragon killing time in questions and conversationa while waiting
• Pozzo-Lucky episode in both acts
• Conversation of Vladimir with the boy

Ans. I liked the most the conversation of Vladimir with the boy because except this all are boring and meaningless in some extent, while the conversation with the feel the energy and curiosity in the play because that boy was the messenger of Godot and also that boy frightened Vladimir for telling about Godot. So, first conversation with the boy was the hope for Vladimir and second conversation somewhat despair and revealed Vladimir's selfishness.

13)  Did you feel the effect of existential crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe during screening of the movie? Where and when exactly that feeling was felt, if ever it was?

Ans. yes, we feel the effect of Existetial crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe when Vladimir asked to the boy about Godot and he asked that Godot will come today or not? That time boy replied that Godot will come tomorrow but Godot never come throughout the play so we can find the meaningless waiting for Godot. And other meaninglessness we find in the character of Lucky that when his master go blind though he doing slavery like sheeple. Hemce, we can say that life is meaningless for Lucky because they even don't think about freedom.

14)  Vladimir and Estragon talks about ‘hanging’ themselves and commit suicide, but they do not do so. How do you read this idea of suicide in Existentialism?

Ans. We can find the suicide is an art in existentialism. We watched one of the video it talks about the philosophical suicide but in the play Vladimir is a strong believer of Christianity and suicide is the sin in Christianity and we also can say that Estragon and Vladimir avoid suicide because they have hope for Godot.


15) Can we do any political reading of the play if we see European nations represented by the 'names' of the characters (Vladimir - Russia; Estragon - France; Pozzo - Italy and Lucky - England)? What interpretation can be inferred from the play written just after World War II? Which country stands for 'Godot'?

So far as Pozzo and Lucky [master and slave] are concerned, we have to remember that Beckett was a disciple of Joyce and that Joyce hated England. Beckett meant Pozzo to be England, and Lucky to be Ireland." (Bert Lahr who played Estragon in Broadway production). Does this reading make any sense? Why? How? What?

Ans. Yes, we can interpret the political reading in which Vladimir stand for Russia, Pozzo stand for Italy, Lucky stand for England and Estragon stand for France. So, we can connect this to the world war in which these all countries destroyed by Godot means Germany that is why Vladimir asked to the boy that is Godot beating? Then boy replied yes. So we connect Godot with Germany means Hitler, who destroyed many countries and killed thousands of people. And other interpretation of Pozzo and Lucky master and slave in which we connect Pozzo with England and Lucky with Ireland, so in this matter Ireland struggling a lot with England and recently we have seen Brexit pact.

16) The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy;s question, Vladimir says: 

"BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?

VLADIMIR: 

Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't you?

How does this conversation go in Act II? Is there any change in seeming similar situation and conversation? If so, what is it? What does it signify?

Ans. Yes, there is change in both acts. In act1 Vladimir told to the boy that tell Godot that you saw us. So, here Vladimir taked about both Vladimir and Estragon while in second act Vladimir told the boy that tell Godot that you saw me, so here Vkadimir talked about his self he does not mention the name of Estragon. So, in act 2 Vladimir seems selfish.

Sunday Reading: Interpretation of the Stories by Mahendrasinh Parmar

Hello readers,

                       This Blog is a part of Sunday reading task in which professor keep on giving the task on Sunday to cultivate the thinking ability in students. So, on this Sunday, students' work is to interpret these two Gujarati short stories "Intellectual Indubhai" and "ISI No Haath" are from "Polytechnic"- a collection of short stories published in 2016 by Mahendrasinh Parmar.

 It is very true that History always being recorded by the literature, but literature do not record thoroughly and to the point but somehow it used to make satire on any historical events like Jonathan Swift wrote many allegorical novels like on religious, science, politics, judicial system, etc. And many writes are keep on writing such a works. Further, writers very interestingly used the imaginative power like Gulliver's Travel, we can say it is an imaginative truth. Similarly, The present stories also presented with imaginative truth. So, here we will see the imaginative power of the short story writer how he wrote real events with the power of imagination.

• 'ISI No Haath": 

                                 "ISI No Haath" is very beautifully written in satirical way, here writer chosen the title of the story very interestingly. To read the title first thought may come in our mind is that a terrorist group of Iraq but actually the meaning of the title is the short name of the characters like 'I' for Ishvar Dabhi, 'S' for Sharad Joshi and 'I' for Indrajeet Dholakiya who were the delinquent of temple attack. The story about the one temple which is the cause of unemployment of the characters that the temple buy out the walk of life of the characters, and then this reason led into the crime.

Moreover, there are three Ishvar and Sharad who lost their business because of the temple and one professor, his university's land turned into temple, so he could't tolerated this kind of land mafia works. Furthermore, policeman's son also lost his job because of the temple. So, every characters have anger towards the temple.

Imaginative story on the real event:

                                                             Here, we can see the imaginative power of the writer that indirectly, he criticized the reality of Axarvadi Temple of Bhavnagar. In the story when we read the words of the professor Indrajeet, when policeman was inquiring that this land donated to the University for educational purpose by his highness Maharaja Krishnakumarsihnji, the last Maharaja of Gohil Dynasty. Hence, professor and many other against this temple and also the professor from Chemistry department, and also Sir P.P Institute is connected with the Axarvadi temple and also this event was actually happened in the past. So we can say that this is an imaginative truth very aptly conveyed by writes through this story and also a satire on politics and on religious institute also that they shut the mouth of people who spoke against temple through the power and we also see in the story that all three characters turned in the favour of the temple.

• 'Intellectual Indubhai': 

                                                  The second story is also a wonderful work of imaginative truth. The story about one professor Indubhai, was very intellectual and kind hearted person. He was teaching lesson of humanism and teach the thoughts of gandhiji, Narsinhi Mehta, Meera, Eliot and Rilke. But one day he faced the cruel situation in which majority and minority communal riots happened and people killed and burned each other. After, seen that kind of situation Indubhai remembering the western thinkers. Here, writer of this story seems very knowledgeable because he reminds the western thinkers to the people. 

• Connection of Contemporary event:

                                                                       When we read the words 'February a cruelest month', 'Majority and Minority' and 'Burning train' the Post-Godhra riots come in our mind. This story is about the Post- Godhra riots in which many people lost their lives, mass raped of the women, looting shops, burning children and women. Here, writer very wonderfully wrote that the books of Ramayana, Mahabharat, Krishna nu Jivan sangeet all are burned so it means all the moral thoughts are also burned in the mind of people. So, the story is presented with great imaginative truth.

• Mentioning of Western Thinkers: 

                                                               In the story, writer mentioned many Western thinker like Nietzsche, Darwin, Milton, Karl Marx, Rilke and Louis Pasteur. This all are connected with idea of Existentialism. This riots happened because of Religions and writer said that Nietzsche come and persuade them and also remember the modernist R.M. Rilke who was existentialist. Furthermore, he talked about Darwin who destroyed the idea of God and Louis Pasteur who have saved many lives ever since through his discoveries in prevention of diseases. So, here we can say that people blindly follow the religion without understanding the ultimate goal of life. In this materialistic life everything is absurd so why people killed each other in the name of religion. Writes remember all the thinker who worked on humanism and betterment of people. At last, I can say that the writer's words spoken through the character are eye opening which is conveying the reality of life that life is absurd and meaningless in the world of sheeples.

To conclude, we can say that the writer's way of telling imaginative truth is great, very wonderfully he talked about the real incidents through the imagination power each and every words and characters are appropriate to convey the reality.

Interpretation of the play 'Breath' by Samuel Beckett

Hello readers,
                       This Blog is a part of thinking activity given by professor in which students have to interpret the 30 second play 'Breath' by Samuel Beckett. Here is the link of professor's blog click here

The duration of the play is 30 second only but very worth 30 second to give overall idea of the life. As we all know that 20th century had two world wars and also in the field of literature writers broke the traditional way and gave various theories like Nihilism, Existentialism, dadaism, etc. There are many thinkers who gave the theories of absurdity in the life and among them Samuel Beckett, one who wrote the works on absurdity in life. So, in this short play we can interpret the points like:

• Meaningless Life and death
• Influence of World war
• Philosophical suicide

• Meaningless Life and Death: In the Video we can interpret the breaths with life and death. In the other adopted version we see the light and darkness, so we can connect the light with life and darkness with death. In addition, we can say that life is meaningless like the garbage. rational thinkers have question that what is the meaning of life, why we here, what is the ultimate goal of the life, our existence only to get jobs and earning money or travelling? hence everything is absurd in life, life is meaningless it is spend like the 30 second. People come and go but nothing is permanent.

• Influence of World War:  As we all know that Samuel Beckett wrote the play Waiting for Godot after world war-2, and also many thinkers gave the theory of absurdity to give message that how same people bloodshed and destroyed each other through dangerous weapon. So, in this play we can find that everything lie here and there and destroyed like a garbage. In this way we can connect with the wars in which many countries were destroyed. Hence, we can say that what is the meaning of life if people are doing this kind of thing.

• Philosophical Suicide: I connect this points with the medicine which are showing in the play, many medicine bottle lie here and there almost in every videos. So, we can say that thinkers think that our body is full of disease and without medicine our body does not work then what is the  role of divine power? Therefore, I connected the medicine with the tools of suicide that Existentialist sometime commit philosophical suicide.

Existentialism

Hello, readers

                       This blog is a part of Flipped Learning activity in which our task is to watch videos about Existentialism and write down whatever you understand. Here, the link of teacher's blog click here

I'm impressed by these thoughts... 

Video-1  First video is about what is existentialism in which many thinkers talked about the existentialism and Philosophical suicide meant nothingness in life and also a very good ideas about individuality, passion and freedom..

Video-2 The myth of Sysyphus: the absurd reasoning. In this video Albert Camus talked about the absurdity, life is meaningless and also there is an example of the movie 'Stay' in which we can see the existentialism that suicide is best option in this absurd life.

Video-3 The Notion of Philosophical suicide. This video talked about the philosophical suicide and this problem come out from A total absence of hope, A continual rejection and conscious dissatisfaction. From this method people escaped from absurd life.

Video-4 Dadaism and Nihilism has nothing to do with each other, there is only one similarity that both are fed up with arbitrary values of life. they do not want such values invented by others.

Video-5 Is Existentialism is gloomy philosophy? Every life is full of anxiety, despair and absurdity, but we are free to choose our own path of living. Every individual choose his/her way of life but when result is not good then they escape from this situation that is not fair practice. Existentialism is differ from Nihilism. After world war-2 People's life became miserable and full of despair. Everyone tried to find the meaning of life.

Video-6 Much difference between Existentialism and Nihilism. Existentialism believe in subjectivity like individuality, nothingness, absurd life while Nihilism believe in objectivity like everything is illusion in life.

Video-7 Existentialism ask question of existence that why I am here? what is life? Divine perspective and human perspective. Human were not design by any supernatural power, existentialism see the life from religiously, scientifically and philosophically and raise question about human existence.

Video-8 Existentialism and Nietzsche: Nietzsche's Existentialism talked about that human being is everything, there is no need any supernatural power to govern life. Like God is dead so human being can make their own rules and be like superman or ubermensch.

Video-9 Existentialism is a way of life and understand life deeply. Existentialism says about what I am. Eric Dodson said that it is honest and shows reality of life and accept your fault and your abilities.

Video-10 I like the idea in this video is that only we can give reason to our choice or we can say that there is no reason for choice is just a choice. There is no meaning of life but meaning is given by us to our life.

Answer-2 

I like the video-8 "Explain like I'm five: Existentialism and Nietzsche that human being have the power of everything it means human being can make their own rules and be a superman and he/she can do whatever they want.

Answer-3 Flipped learning is best to learn from anywhere, I like it most because it provides us content with appropriate pictures and signs so it would easy to understand the content. Flipped learning also very beneficial for four basic skill LSRW, through this learning we can improve our listening skill from native speaker and also we can improve our memory to remember the speakers words and note down. And also we can learn how to pronounce spells. At last, I can say that we can learn from anywhere in our time through flipped learning.

Orientalism by Edward Said

Hello readers,
                          This blog is a part of my classroom activity in which students have to write on the interview of Edward Said about Orientalism. Here is the link of the given task by teacher, to see click here

Video recording of the Interview of Edward Said on 'Orientalism

Transcript of the interview of Edward said on Orientalism

(Click here to read transcript)

Our task is to find out 5 concept of orientalism

What is Orientalism:

                                 As per the Said's words. Orientalism is not an imagination it is material thing and genuine theory. Orientalism is revolutionized the study of middle East and also useful to studies post-colonialism and other discipline like History, Anthropology, Political science and Cultural studies.

To know strange people or region:

                                                       Orientalism also very useful to know about orient people and region or to study about Eastern Asia. We have a preconceived notion of what kind of people live there, what they believe, how they act and also we understand the concept of colored peoples. Here, Said is Talking about the Eastern world like Palestine, Egypt and their condition after colonialism. We can see the condition of Palestinian  after the occupation of Jew people, they immigrate from their homeland to other countries because of Forcefully occupation of Israel. So, we can understand the concept of "Imaginary Homeland" through Palestinian. 

Stereotype: Said talked in this interview about the stereotype of Eastern countries. He said that Western world especially America always see the Eastern world as terrorist countries, their media also portraying Eastern people as barbaric in their T.V program and news. So, this kind of stereotypical perspective is very dangerous for the Eastern countries.

Different views of  Imperialism: In the interview, Said also differentiate the Imperialists like France, America and Europe and he said that French imperialism was very different than Europe and America. Further he said that French did not invaded like Spaniard invaded the new world, looking for a loot. But Nepolian invaded Egypt for the survey of Egypt while Europe invaded the new world looking for loot and also America looted many Easter countries because of the oil through the arm force.

Palestine Issue: Said talked about the issue of Palestine that what is the condition of the people there, they have not their mother land because of the forcefully occupation by Israel. From 1948 to present time Palestinian are suffering a lot for the peace and their homeland but Western countries do not take any kind of action on this issue. We also can say that why Europe and America built a new state for Jew people surrounding Islamic countries, if they have love for Jew people then why they vanished jew from Europe. So, Said explained this issue through cultural, religious and political views.

Contrapuntal line: It is very good view to look any kind of issue, language, Religion, Literature In contrapuntal line, we can say every thing has binary opposition. So, Said said that we have to look from both side we can not judge anything from one side like blind people portrayed elephant from one angle.

                                 

Review on the guest lectures on postcolonial studies

                        This Blog about the feedback on Guest lecturer Balaji Ranganathan sir who came from Central University of Gujarat and he taught us about postcolonial studies. We had three days sessions from 14th September to 16th September 2018, on the  postcolonial paper. To know in details click in the given links.

1st day click here

2nd day click here

3rd day click here

Postcolonial studies is very hard to understand but Balaji sir taught each and every unit very wonderful way. His level was very high than us because he is teaching to the P.HD scholars in CUG but he knew our level and try to teach as per our level so, he gave very simple examples so that students understand easily the concept of postcolonial studies. So, now I am going to write that what I liked from the teaching of Balaji sir and what were the unique ideas/style/concept I learnt from the three days.

• Method: Method is very important aspect in teaching learning process if method is not  interesting than students get bore. So, I liked Balaji sir's method, he made an interaction rather than a lecture, because first he ask students that what you think about the topic and what it is and keep on asking such a questions before the beginning of the topic so students can curious about the topic. So, Balaji sir used various approaches and tools like chalk an talk, videos, pictures etc and his style to begin topic was wonderful, he talked through various history to make interesting topic.

• Fluent English: I liked his fluency in English language, pronunciation, vocabulary, tone, voice everything was superb. He also said that it is good that you all are from Gujarati medium and though you selected English in bachelor and also told that if you want to become a master of English language than keep it twenty four hours with you. make your surrounding Englishmay.

• Knowledge: As per the definition of teacher, a teacher must have the knowledge of his content of subject. So, Balaji sir has very good knowledge about the postcolonial studies. Postcolonial studies very hard,  because to teach such a paper one must has the knowledge of the history, to teach 'Orientalism' you must have the knowledge of religions and geography of regions. Thus, Balaji sir has enough knowledge about different religions, regions, various books, philosophers, theorists etc. So, we can say that Balaji sir's reading is very vast and he gave various examples from various books and theories to convey the ideas very easily. He has knowledge about the holy books like Quran, Bible, Geeta, etc and also gave various examples from these books for extra knowledge.

• Use of Examples: Sir used various interesting examples throughout the sessions but I liked most was the example of desire<>Conflict in 'Imaginary Homeland' in which sir drew a formula about the conflict of desire and said that every human have desire, without desire one can not live. So, here is the formula of desire:

         1) Approach approach conflict (++)

         2) Approach avoidance conflict (+-)

         3) Avoidance avoidance conflict (--)

To understand this formula let me give an example that, one girl is looking for marriage and thinking about the wealth of boy and feel good but she do not like the look of boy so, here we can say that this desire is approach avoidance conflict.

• Unique idea/concept: There are many new ideas and concept which I liked most, I liked the idea about the Net/Set preparation pattern in which Balaji sir gave a unique pattern that solved 8000 MCQ with proper way. We can not read world's literature thoroughly we have to prepare in this way and it takes long time too. Another, is about the idea of "nation" and "State" in which sir explained that state means the territory of authority like king, queen, government have geographic state, but nation means an imagination. I liked this idea because sir explained it very well that people have their own definition about the nation, person by person it can be change because it is all about the imagination of people which make nation whatever they want, like now a days many countries like America, India imagining nation as Christian nation and Hindu nation. So, nation is an imagination was superb example and concept which I have learnt from Balaji Sir.

         Furthermore, Sir told us that don't think that you are the students of literature so you can not do any other kind of job, he said that learn any other foreign language like Chinese, Japani, etc to make good business and earn money to one lakh. So, it was also a new ideas to be succeeded in life.

At last, I would like to thanks Dr.Dilip Barad sir for inviting such a genuine professor with full of knowledge and enlightened us.

Pre - Thinking task about Poe's Short story

Hello Readers,

                        This Blog is Pre- Thinking task given by Guest lecturer Dr. Jay Mehta who is an expert in teaching short story especially the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, an American writer. So, Our task is to give the answer to the given questions. here is the link of given task click here

Question 

1) Recollect a moment of your life when you were at the height of ferocity(anger) on someone with/without some specific reason. What did you feel like speaking to or doing with that person?

Ans. There are many moments in my life in which I got anger when my friends do note take me serious in any kind of serious matter. But, One moment that I want to forget it is when I was in second year of my B.A then a boy abused me in front of girls that time the height of my anger was very much and I also abused him at a time but after that I felt very ashamed because some girls in that group were my friends so they did not know about my that kind of language.

2) Have you ever felt tremendous drive to hit or murder someone? When? Why? How? Elucidate.

Ans. Yes, Only one time because of lack of mental maturity. When I was in 10th and used to play cricket with elders that time we had little bit friction about batting and he started abusing my mother and sisters that time my Feeling was tremendous ever I felt and threw a stump on his back then I also got a stump on my knee. Ultimately, other kept all the stumps from our hands and one of my friend kept me at home.

3) Have you ever felt like committing suicide? Was it just a passing thought or you were serious? What propelled you to think so? Describe your experience(although momentary) of suicidal tendency.

Ans. No, I am very strongly believer in the God and Religion and it is forbidden in my religion to commit suicide or to think on it and I'm very happy with my life.

4) Write about the scariest of your dreams. have you ever cried or screamed by a bizarre and horrible nightmare? Elaborate.

Ans. Yes, many times But not cried or screamed but suddenly woke up from the sleep. many time I have dreams like that in which I dreamed about some quarrels in which opponents were about to killed me. And yes many time my relatives who are no more right now talking with me in dreams that time I woke up suddenly and think that I am alive not with them.

5) DO you believe in Ghosts? Have you ever undergone any experience of supernatural elements? Explain.

Ans. No, I don't believe in Ghosts. I never experienced such a things in my life. And this all are illusion nothing else. But, yes I believe in Jinn which are possessed many times by my masters so I have seen that but they do not harm people at all. 

                                                         Thank you

Films Review: Midnight's Chldren's and The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Hello Readers,

                       On 9th September 2018, we had film screening of the two films first was "Midnight's Children"(Novel written by Salman Rushdie) directed by Deepa Mehta and second was "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"(A Novel written by Mohsin Hamid) directed by Mira Nair. So, our task to give review of these films with the perspectives of The Postcolonial Studies, so I will try to connect films with postcolonial approaches.

Midnight's Children:

'Midnight's children' is a novel written by British-Indian Novelist Salman Rushdie and filmed by Deepa Mehta. The film was very popular in foreign countries and well criticized in India also. The film didn't cover up all the things written deeply in the novel due to time period of the movie so it's looks like the collage of many things like history, culture, Colonialism. freedom movement, etc. 

The story of the film begun with the year of 1917, the birth year of Indira Gandhi and end with the emergency or we can say that the last stage of Indira Gandhi's Life. So, some may have question that why the protagonist of the film narrated the the history before the thirty years when he was not in her mother's womb? Well, I don't know why Rushdie connected Indira Gandhi's era throughout the film, we must read the novel to understand the connection. The story about the Children who were born in the stroke of the midnight 15th august 1947 with the magical power, in which two major character like Saleem Sinai, the protagonist belong to reach family while the Shiva who was born in poor family later joined the Army and fought in the battle with Pakistan to free Bangladesh. The main idea of hybridity in culture and identity we can see in the movie, as per the quote 'Let reach to be poor and poor to be reach' Saleem, actually, the son of British man William Methwold and poor Marathian lady and the Shiva was the son of Ahemad Sinai and Amina, but, Mary, a nurse in the hospital changed these both baby boy with each other because her lover was a Marxist and pursued mary to protest against elite class. Furthemore, Saleem went to pakistan and Shiva Joined Indian Army, so here we can see the partition of India and pakistan. later on, After the war, Saleem came to India, his mother land and marry with Parvati, beloved of Shiva and she gave birth to baby boy who was the son of shiva so, we again see the hybridity. And also we can see the culture of India like snake Charmer. SO, this way movie ended through various perspectives.

Here, also the good use of background music which symbolize many thing, the nose of Ghani family also a symbol. The narrative techniques also used in very good way to understand the story. And also a camera focus was excellent, while the Tajmahal scene came that time camera focused more on the poor conditioned house rather than Tajmahal. So, here film tried to show the real India through camera technique.

• Postcolonial point of view:

• Hybridity: 
• Miscegenation:
• Postcolonial Feminism:

• Hybridity: Hybridity means Something that is formed by combining two or more things. Here, in the movie we can see the hybridity in the identity, Saleem is the perfect example of hybrid man, who was the son of colonizer and poor Indian lady and also the other character, Shiva was another example of hybrid man who was the son of Muslim parents. If we see the hybridity in culture then we can give the example of west(Methwold) and east(Poor Indian lady) and also Sikh(Picturesingh) with Hindu(Parvati)culture mixed each other.
  

• Miscegenation: As per the definition of Merriam Webster dictionary, Miscegenation means a mixture of races; especially: marriage, cohabitation, or sexual intercourse between a white person and a member of another race. In the movie we can find the sexual relation between White colonizer Methwold with black skin Indian Poor lady and another sexual relationship with white Saleem with black skinned Parvati. So, in this way postcolonialist studies the mixture of identity and culture.
  

• Postcolonial Feminism:  Postcolonial theorist also studies the culture and literature with the feminist perspective. In the beginning of the movie Doctor did not allow to examine Naseem's illness to see her body, there a curtain between doctor and Naseem and her father said that " You Europe returned chappies forget certain things. Doctor sahib, my daughter is a decent girl, it goes without saying. She does not flaunt her body under the noses of strange men. You will never understand that you can not be permitted to see her, no, no, not in any circumstances; accordingly. I have required her to be positioned behind that sheet. She stands there, like a good girl(Rushdie 2011)."

 Another examples is when Mumtaz, Saleem's mother got married with Ahemad Sinai, that time Ahemad gave her new name Amina. So, we can see the power of patriarchy in the movie and also a exploitation of poor Indian lady by Britisher Methwold.

• Magic Realism: Magic realism also a part of postcolonial studies. Magic Realism is a narrative style which is add beauty to the historical representation in the movie otherwise it is boring to watch. The Midnight's Children were not ordinary kids but they have power, like, Saleem has power of sense of smell to feeling the different things and people whereas Parvati also has power like Abrakadabra to hide people or things in the basket.
  

So, in this way we can see the movie with the various approaches like magic realism, Miscegenation, Hybridity in identity and in culture and also see with the postcolonial perspective.

• The Reluctant Fundamentalist:

The Reluctant Fundamentalist a novel written by Pakistani Writer Mohsin Hamid and then adopted in film directed by Mira Nair in 2014. The story is about the young man Changez Khan who attracted to American Business culture. He was an intellectual and respected person in American wall street business company. 

The Story Begun with the interview of American CIA  agent Bobby Lincoln for the abduction of American Professor in Pakistan. Bob was Taking interview of Changez Khan in the Coffee cafe in Lahor that he may be involved in this abduction or in the matter of 9/11. Here Mira Nair interestingly used the flashback technique which was move us from Pakistan to America in eye opening way. The title of the movie give us two different views one is that fundamentalist in terrorism and other business fundamentalist.

The film started with the interview of Changez Khan By Bobby in which Changez Khan narrated his story about the his life in America. The hero of the novel was very young, intellectual, businessman and highly reputed. There he was living a good life with his beloved Erica, a very good artist in photography. But suddenly all the things changed  with Changez after the attack on WTC tower. All people look towards him like he is terrorist, he insulted by FBI and many American fellows and abused him. Once, he loved America like his native land but after abusing and insulted her sincerity he came back to Pakistan as University professor.

Furthermore, Bobby blamed that he is teaching terrorism in the university and has connection with Fazil a Muslim activist and Mujahid but that was not truth, without any kind of proof Bobby blamed him therefore his hatred towards America was increased but he don't believe in any kind of avenge. He lost his innocent fellow by the fire of American Agent then CIA agents realized that they made mistake and killed innocent man. But at the end of the movie Changez wants to freedom from Mujahid and America's business culture and he wants to love peaceful life.

The movie also used very good narrative technique like flashback technique to make movie very interesting, and also used very good camera focus when we see the scene of attack on WTC tower when camera on the face of Changez rather on live telecast, to know the expression of Changez towards it. Also a very good meaningful background musics are there to convey the nonverbal ideas like, In the kidnapping of the white professor Rainier there was a loud Sufi Music, and in the meeting of Changez and Erica, where Changez tries to convince Erica to forget everything, the lyrics of background songs matches very well, "I want you to be..". When Changez was upset with the way he was treated in America and When he came back he had an arguments with his parents, and the background songs was "You say things to burn the heart, yet I must Smile." So, we can say that it is very intellectual movie thoroughly. 

• Postcolonial Point of view: If we see this movie with the perspectives of the postcolonial studies so we have to apply Edward said's 'Orientalism' and also apply the race theory. We can say that why western countries and especially America looking towards Muslim countries as countries of terrorism? It is all about the illusion of america that every Muslim are terrorist. America Know that if we want be in power position so that we have to destroyed all Muslim countries in the name of terrorism. One may have question like Muslim countries are more in the number then other religion, then why they don't take action on America. But, actually, because of obsequiousness of Pakistan and Saudi Arab others countries unable to convince that all Muslims are not like that.

In the movie also Changez faced problem because he belong to Muslim country. All countries and their movies show the villains almost are Muslim. They succeeded to built this kind of stereotype in the mind of other religion's people. America only see their 3000 Americans died in this attack but they do not see that they killed billions of Muslims in Gulf war and in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria wars. If world want to make peace in the earth then all have to protest against America to stop terrorism because "America is the mother of terrorism."

Sunday Reading: Talks by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This Blog is a part of Sunday Reading task given by teacher to know about the Novelist  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and we have to discuss three videos given below. 

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Born on 15 September 1977, is a Nizerian Novelist, writer of short stories, and nonfiction. She has written the novels 'Purple Hibiscus', 'Half of a Yellow Sun', and ' Americanah', the short story collection 'The thing Around your Neck', and the book-length essay 'We should all be Feminist'.

1) Talk on importance of Story / Literature: 

Ngozi Adichie is very good speaker. In the first video she talk about her family, her childhood writing, her view about the literature and also she talked about the danger of reading single story about any place, country and people that you can not judge anyone without any kind of authentication. In this talk, she said that she read and write only about British story and white characters with Blue eyes. So, I have question that Her father and mother had good job when she was young. So, why she did not read African literature or Story by African writer, there were no any colony in her childhood, was her mind colonized? or talked only to get sympathy from audience side who are white skin peoples?

2) We Should All Be Feminist:

Second video about the feminism. A very interesting talk on feminism that how social norms discriminate women from men. She gave many example of her life in which her primary incident about the class monitor was interesting. She talked generally same thought that feminist used to talk but I like most her thought that Culture not make people but people make culture, so we should change our ideology that we internalized . As a man we should respect women, there are many natural difference between men and women in body organs but women have equal ability same as men. We make happier world in which men and women both are equal, we must raise our daughter and son in similar way. So, this talk about feminism is worth to listen.

3) Talk on importance of Truth in Post-Truth Era:

In the third video about truth in post-truth era, she beautifully said about the courage of speaking truth. Her thought is to be loyal with ourselves to tell the truth. Post truth is very dangerous weapon in this 21st century, especially political parties make use of this kind of weapon to provocate riots and also Media used for profit and to raise their TRP. So. She tries to say that do not driven as sheeple with the political language, try to understand the truth with authentication and always doubt in such a things.  

Thinking Activity: Virginia Woolf's "To The Light House"

Hello Readers,

 This Blog is a part of my Classroom activity on Virginia Woolf's "To The Light House"  given by professor in which our task is to think and interpret the following points. To see teacher's blog click here

1) How can you explain that 'What' Virginia Woolf wanted to say(for example, the complexity of human relationship, the everyday battles that people are at in their relationship with near and dear ones, the struggle of a female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said? (Key: The 'How' of the narrative technique is to be discussed along with features of stream of consciousness technique which helps Woolf to put in effective manner what she experienced in abstraction.)

Yes, very appropriately Woolf used complexity in human relationship like the Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay. This kind of relationship we can find in everyone's relation in real life and also she said about the struggle in artist's life like in the novel Lily struggle a lot and also we can find similar in our time also that many artist like filmmaker, writers, cartoonist, painters also beaten by public and power or patriarchy.   If we read biographically then we can come to know that Virginia Woolf used this technique to prove that women also can write and paint better than men. So, she used stream of consciousness technique 3rd person narrative to move from one to another character's mind. With the help of this technique narrator shows us the inner flow of thoughts walking in the mind of character for instance the(James' thought). So, we can come to know about the inner and outer relationship of characters with each others.

2) Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay"? Can we read Mrs. Ramsay in the context of the idea of ideal Indian Woman - Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma patni.

Yes, the novel both critique and tribute to Mrs. Ramsay. We can criticize her through the perspective of feminism because she fit more in patriarchal mindset, she obey her husband and also give respect to men rather women. She do note sees Lily as respected as she sees the men around her and also this novel is tribute through Lily's paintings in which Mrs. Ramsay is center of the house and well house manager.

Yes, we read Mrs. Ramsay as an Ideal woman through above given slok. We will try to understand her characteristic through the slok.

Karyeshu Dasi - means not exactly one who works like maid. But what is the main quality we look in maid is loyality. So, we can say that Mrs. Ramsay is very loyal to her household and to her family who obey her husband and nurture her children very loyally.

Karaneshu Mantri: Mrs. Ramsay also a very good adviser. She gives very good advise to her husband and her children for what is good or bad.

Bhojyeshu Mata: She is very good at cooking and feeding food to her family even her husband get anger for the test of food but she keep calm and when we see the dinner party in which she arranged many delicious foods item and show her unconditional love for feeding food.

Shayaneshu Rambha: Rambha means Apsara who is very beautiful and give comfort to man. We can see this kind of quality in Mrs. Ramsay also, she is very beautiful and comfort giver to her husband and we can see through the numbers of her children that how she fulfilled sexual desire of her husband.

Roopeshu Laxmi: Mrs. Ramsay also Goddess of dedication and Humility. Her dedication towards her family and household make her gorgeous. 

Kshmayeshu Dharithri: Mrs. Ramsay is like mother earth who forgive every misbehavior of her husband. So, here we can find the quality boundless compassion. So, here we can say that Mrs. Ramsay is a Kula Dharma Patni(Perfect house wife) she possess the qualities like loyalty, intelligence, unconditional love, cheers for good causes, dedication, humility and boundless compassion. 

3) Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator(Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)? Secondly, the narrator/author cannot fully disappear from the novel and thus the stoicism of Lily to paint and thus prove that she can paint, is symbolically presented in stoicism of Lighthouse.

As it is suggested in the presentation, we can interpret the symbol of lighthouse with Mrs.Ramsay who is the center in the novel and direction giver to the family like lighthouse gives the way to the bushed people,About the narrator, with biographically context, we can say that Virginia's character is more presented in Lily's character and her dilemma is Virginia Woolf's own mental dilemma. Furthermore, we can say that Virginia portrayed her character in the Lily's character because Woolf also was  a stoic personality in her time as an artist so she is connected with the Lily throughout the novel.

4) In the article by Joseph Blonter, two myths are patterned together. Name the myths? How they are zeroed down to the symbols of 'Window' and 'Lighthouse'? How does the male phallic symbol represent feminine Mrs. Ramsay?

In the present novel Woolf used two myths one is Pagan myth in which Woolf connected Mrs. Ramsay with Rhea who had similar numbers of children like Mrs. Ramsay and also a well nurtured woman and with Demeter an important characteristic of Mrs. Ramsay in her Demeter aspect is her complete femininity as Demeter was worshiped more by men than women like Ramsay who respected more men than women and also Demeter was known as maker of earth fruitful while Mrs. Ramsay also a maker of Fruitful family. Another myth is the myth of Oedipus. We can see the aspect of the myth between Mrs. Ramsay and James, James hate his father because he do not want that his mother love his father.

5) What do you understand by the German term "Kunstlerroman"? How can you justify that 'To the light House' is 'Kunstlerroman' novel?

The German term  "Kunstlerroman"  means development or a struggle of an artist as in 'To the Light house" Lily's and Carmichael characters the novel itself is a struggle of an artist. It also deals with arrogant rejection of the commonplace life, and biographically we can say that Virginia Woolf also becoming an artist in her life and also faced lots of struggle in life because of patriarchal thinking about women of her time,in this novel the character of Lily makes it  'Kunstlerroman' novel.

6) Explain Lily's dilemma in 'To the light house' 

Throughout the novel, Lily strongly oppose to patriarchal power, she believe in feminism and freedom. She wants to be free without any kind of male company but at the end of the novel we come to know that she also wants be a like Mrs. Ramsay a married life have family and children to be enjoy thelife. Ramsay. So, Lily was very confuse to follow pure femininity or man company and also somewhere he attracted towards Mr. Bank.

7) You have compared the beginning and the ending of the novel and the film adaptation of the novel directed by Colin Gregg. Do you think that the novel is more poignant than the movie? If yes, do you ascribe the fact that the power of words is much greater than that of the screen/visual?

When we read the beginning of the novel it has effective start like we enter in the mind of characters one by one and in the film it has differently begun with the introduction of the characters. At the end, the confusion of Briscoe  has very well described by the narration and in the film, it has described by the visual effects of light and sound. Both are effective but we can say that novel has long narration of Lily's dilemma and her vision.

8) How do you interpret the last line of the novel - It was done it was finished

These last lines suggested that Briscoe realized that Mrs. Ramsay was not totally wrong. Close the doors but open the windows. Though,she thought marriage is not necessary, marriage and family is important also. In the film before making final stroke she sees Mrs. Ramsay and jams wandering happily in garden. She also might want live that life. So, that can be her vision going inside the room, leaving brush somewhere, and on bed saying Briscoe, you are a fool suggests that Mrs. Ramsay was right. Now she has her vision.

9) What does the catalog named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting 'Refrigerator signify?

Army and navy catalog signifies time of war. Refrigerator symbolizes preservation of culture. In the  novel Mrs. Ramsay is traditional housewife, guiding James while cutting refrigerator suggests that she wants other to preserve culture, for instance she suggest Lily to marry.

10)  Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the "Fisherman's wife"? In particular, why did she weave such a misogynist tale into the fabric of a book which so eloquently challenges received patriarchal notions about the role and capabilities of women?

The tale of "Fisherman's wife is connected with the character of Mrs. Ramsay as well as Mr. Ramsay, because Woolf is subverting the misogyny of fairy tale for example, the male character are behaving like fisherman's wife, they have wishes which are not fulfilled in a way they wants and that unsatisfied desire leads them towards failure. Mrs. Ramsay is more successful in her work than Mr. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe is better in her profession than Charles Tansley. Fairy tale shows the dangers of male willfulness and desire.

11) How is India represented in 'To the light house'

6th time India mentioned in the present novel, first is for patriarchal rule means male dominant country in which women's role like Mrs. Ramsay as Pure Bharatiya naari. Second is the wealth of India like Gold, Pearl etc. This kind of mentioning of India we can see in many English literature like in John Donne's poetry in which he mentioned spicy of India. Dr. Faustus in which Faustus's desire for Indian Gold and Pearls. And in this novel the poet Carmichael wish and desire to India for peace.