ALL NEPAL INFORMATION: August 2015

Saturday, August 22, 2015

The Boarding House – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing with Text
The Boarding House – Wilhelm Grimn
The Heritage of Words

After a difficult marriage with a drunken husband that ends in separation, Mrs. Mooney opens a boarding house to make a living. Jack, her son and Polly, her daughter live with her in the house, which is occupied by clerks from the city, as well as occasional tourists and musicians. Mrs. Mooney runs a strict and tight business and is known by the lodgers as “The Madam.” Polly, who used to work in an office, now stays at home at her mother’s request, to amuse the lodgers and help with the cleaning. Surrounded by so many young men, Polly ultimately develops a relationship with a rich thirty five years old Mr. Doran.Mrs. Mooney knows about the relationship, but instead of sending Polly back to work in the city, she monitors its developments. Polly becomes increasingly uncomfortable with her mother’s lack of intervention, but Mrs. Mooney waits until “the right moment” to intercede. First she speaks awkwardly with Polly, then arranges to speak with Mr. Doran on a Sunday morning. Mrs. Mooney looks forward to her argument which she intends to “win” by defending her daughter’s honor and convincing Mr. Doran to offer his hand in marriage. Waiting for the time to pass, Mrs. Mooney figures the odds are in her favor, considering that Mr. Doran, who has worked for a wine merchant for thirteen years and gained much respect, will choose the option that least harms his career.Meanwhile, Mr. Doran is in distress. He knows he will be called by Mrs. Mooney. He reviews the difficult confession to his priest that he made on Saturday evening, in which he was harshly accused for his romantic affair. He knows he can either marry Polly or run away, the latter an option that would ruin his sound reputation. Convincing himself that he has been tricked, Mr. Doran bemoans Polly’s unimpressive family, her ill manners, and her poor grammar, and wonders how he can remain free and unmarried. In this vexed moment Polly enters the room and threatens to end her life out of unhappiness. In her presence, Mr. Doran begins to remember how he was trapped by Polly’s beauty and kindness, but he still hesitates about his decision.Uneasy, Mr. Doran comforts Polly and departs for the meeting, leaving her to wait in the room. She rests on the bed crying for a while, neatens her appearance, and then nestles back in the bed, dreaming of her possible future with Mr. Doran. Finally, Mrs. Mooney interrupts the daydream by calling to her daughter. Mr. Doran, according to Mrs. Mooney, wants to speak with Polly.

Important Questions :

1. Sketch the character of Mrs. Mooney.
Ans : Mrs. Mooney, the main character in the James Joyce story “The Boarding House” is described as “a woman who deals with moral problems as a cleaver deals with meat”. She was a butcher’s daughter who married her father’s foreman. Later she divorced him because she could not withstand his drinking and bullying nature. Taking charge of her daughter Polly and son Jack, she opened a boarding house in Hardwicke Street. She was strong, strict, determined and practical. She knew how to handle matters- when to act and when to remain silent.

When reading further in the story, we find that the boarding house is a trap, where Mrs. Mooney is a hunter who’s looking for a decent husband for her daughter Polly within her guests. She is using Polly as bait to catch Mr. Doran, the victim in the story. Mrs. Mooney manipulates Mr. Doran into her trap by using her daughter’s innocence as the bait and Mr. Doran’s innocence as a victim. Mrs. Mooney is a woman of business and Mr. Doran is the perfect victim for her and for Polly. Mr. Doran has also a decent job and he fits perfectly to the economical needs of Mrs. Mooney. Mrs. Mooney also uses their society and religion as a tool to cause Mr. Doran marrying her daughter. She knows that her victim is a religious man, who lives in the religious culture of Dublin that obeys to the rules of the church. He is afraid of the church and he is afraid to lose his job in the Catholic wine merchant office. Thus Mr. Doran had no other option than marrying Polly. Mrs. Mooney is like a watchdog that watches that the prey will not run out of the trap, but will run into it.

Questions for Practice :

How do you think Mrs Mooney settled with Mr. Doran about Polly? Did Mr. Moran marry Polly or pay out compensation?
Sketch the character of Mrs. Mooney.
Write an interpretation of ‘The Boarding House’.
Briefly narrate the story of “The Boarding House”.

The Little Brother and The Little Sister – Summary | Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
The Little Brother and The Little Sister
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The Heritage of Words ‘The Little Brother and the Little Sister’ an English translation of ‘Hansel and Gretel’ by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, deals with the same story of Hansel and Gretel. The writer sincerely included all the essential points of the original story to make it complete and harmonious. However, one finds the dialogues between the character and other being eliminated. The minute details of the original story are simply summarized and the conversation between one character and the other is narrated. The stepmother is described as a ‘woman’ and shown to have wicked nature in the original is modified to some extent and described as the mother. Her vocatives “you lazybones”, “wicked children”, “You fool” etc. meant for Hansel and Gretel are eliminated. Such expressions make her appear no better than a witch. Removal of these expressions helps in modifying her into a less witch and more unloving mother. In addition to it, the physical attributes of the witch are ignored in this adaption. In the original, one finds remarkable similarity between the stepmother and the witch in their way of talking with and beating the children. In the adoption, one finds the difference. Moreover, the last part of the original story includes the rich details such as ecstasy of the children over the death of the witch, return journey, crossing the stream with the help of the duck, father’s joy over the reunion etc. Such details and jubilant feelings are not included in the adoption.

Gretel – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
Gretel – Garrison Keillor
The Heritage of Words

‘Gretel’ by Garrison Keillor is an interpretation of the story “Hansel and Gretel” from the perspective of a female. The interpreter is Gretel who denies her cowardice in the original story. She claims that the depiction is distorted one. Gretel says that there was an understanding between her and her brother to sell their story to Grimm brothers. They had signed in a contract paper with an agreement to share fifty-fifty of the profit. But unexpectedly, Gretel found the story published the other day totally different order.The story depicts her as coward and her brother as a brave person. She claims the brother was, in reality, a coward not vice versa. It was her brother who wept time and again, and she had to carry him. The portrayal of he father and mother is also distorted. Father was not so kind hearted; he was a drunkard; he liked to watch bull fight. Mother was not cruel in any sense of the word. Gretel describes their parents leaving them in the forest as a natural phenomenon of the time. Parents used to leave the children in forest hoping that they will be better cared in forest by frog, raven or saints. She claims that she was not worried when she in the forest, as she had known the reality. At last, she repents for killing the witch, for the witch was not after her; she had wanted to kill Hansel.

The Gingerbread House – Summary | Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
The Gingerbread House – Robert Coover
The Heritage of Words

The same fairy tale ‘Hansel and Gretel’ is adopted by Robert Coover with the title ‘The Gingerbread House’. He used the device of exaggeration to parody the form of the original. In order to do so, he eliminated the first part of the story that is exposition of the crisis and the last part such as complication and denouement. In other words, the important events and the sequence between one and the other event are not included in the story. In place of the events, he furnished the story with such as the physical attributes of the characters and the forest. Every detail was exaggerated to such an extent that the action and the movement of the story become slow and sluggish. Besides the addition, he modified the characters, Hansel and Gretel by describing their frequent quarrels and reconciliation. Even the old father who was kind in the original story appears irritant now and then. At one occasion he strikes the boy without any reason. Similarly the witch is presented as outrageous lunatic shredding her own clothes, clawing cruelly at her face and throat, crackling, screeching and tearing doves. Because of such modification, addition and elimination of different aspects of the story, one finds the events beating about the bush.

Hansel and Gretel – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
Hansel and Gretel – Jacob and Wilhelm
The Heritage of Words

Once there was a famine in a country, which compelled the step mother to think of leaving the children to the forest. The father yielded to the wish of wife, as she was pigheaded. In the morning, the step mother asked them to get ready to go to the forest. Hansel had collected pebbles as he had heard the conversation of parents the earlier night. As they left their home, the boy dropped pebbles on the way. After walking for some duration, they reached to a spot where the step mother asked the children to wait till they return back. But it was only a trick to leave the children in the forest.At midnight, when they got up, the boy thought of returning to house. He could return successfully with the assistance of pebbles he had dropped. At home they were welcomed by the father though the mother was indifferent. There was another famine in the country, which forced the mother to bring the previous idea back again. The father accepted despite his unwillingness. The boy, unlike previous time, was unable to collect pebbles as the mother had locked the door from outside. Early in the morning, the children were woken up and given bread. The boy dropped the bread on the way making it crumbs. Unlike before, the parents took them deep into the forest. The children were left there. They wished that their parents would come which didn’t happen as they had thought. The children couldn’t return back to their house as the breads crumbs had been eaten by birds. They, at last reached to a house made of bread and cakes. As they nibbled from the house, a voice sweetly spoke them to continue. It was a witch, who used to eat children whoever came handy. The witch, on the next day imprisoned the brother and compelled the sister to do laborious deeds. Everyday the witch went there and checked how fat he had become.The boy could deceive her with the help of a bone. As she realized that the lad would never become sedentary, she decided to end the consequence. Early in the morning, she ordered Gretel to fetch water. She had prepared oven to end the brother and sister. As Gretel arrived there, she asked her to be in. Gretel showed ignorance to the way of entering and asked her to demonstrate. No sooner had the witch tried to enter her head, she pushed her into oven and closed it. She then released her brother. They went inside the house and collected treasures. On the way back home, they arrived by a river, which was full of water. The boy asked a duck to help him across the river. As they reached their house after long walk, they saw their father, who welcomed them happily. Their step mother had already died.

Important Questions :

1. Psychological analysis of Hansel and Gretel
Ans. The writer in his adapted story Hansel and Gretel presents the psychological analysis of the story. In this story, he expresses a unique truth of life that poverty and deprivation make human beings selfish and less sensitive to others sufferings. The writer tells us that when the children grow up, they must learn to live separately from their parents. Hansel and Gretel have left in the forest in order to give them a chance to learn to live independently. However, they have come back as they have not been able enough to live apart from their parents. The children have again been left in the forest for the second time and they’ve tried to solve the problem by concentrating on fool only. As they’ve acted like hungry animals rather than human beings, they have been the captive of witch. The house and the old witch being the source of food are symbolized as mother. This story gives us message that greed leads to destruction. Hansel and Gretel manages to get rid of the witch when they start thinking and behaving like human beings. The white duck that helps Hansel and Gretel get home carrying across the water stretch is the symbol of new beginning. The duck can carry only one child at one time shows that children must learn to live independently without any support from their brothers and sisters. The bird which led them to the gingerbread house is a symbol of peace. When Hansel and Gretel return home, they have grown up and start helping their father. The help they render is symbolized by the jewels. The family is considered rich and happy not because of the wealth but because Hansel and Gretel have learnt to think and act like matured people.

2. Political analysis of Hansel and Gretel
Ans. This story Hansel and Gretel written by Jack Zipes from political point of view tells us about the struggle between the poor and rich group of people. The woodcutter and his family represent the poor class people who are forced to commit deeds because of their poverty. The witch represents the aristocratic class of people and also symbolizes as the entire feudal system. She is also symbolized as the greed brutality of the aristocracy which is responsible for the difficult condition of the poorer class of people. The killing of the witch is symbolical realization of the hatred felt by the poor people because of the oppression and exploitation on them by the aristocratic people. The writer depicts the class conflict and exposes the prejudice and injustice of feudal ideology. The writer emphasizes that the poor people must be optimistic and should react appropriately against the oppressors for the transition of the situation in their favor.

Purgatory – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Seven : Crime and Confession
Purgatory – William Butler Yeats
The Heritage of Words

The boy and his father walk on the moonlight night; they are near a ruined house. Pointing towards the house, the old man describes the past of it. The house used to be occupied by his mother and her husband. The mother of the old man had married with the groom of the stable as soon as she met him. The man later turned out to be a drunkard and gambler. Due to drinking and gambling, he emptied everything he had. The mother died while giving birth to him.The father continued his misdeed, which at last resulted into the complete destruction of house. Because of fear-the fear of his son becoming greater than him, he didn’t send him to school. When he was sixteen, his father burnt down the house. This situation created anger in him. As a result the old man killed his father with a knife. The OLD MAN then became a peddler. The old man tells his bastard son that the night is the anniversary of mother’s wedding. As he finishes telling his son about the past, a shadow appears to which the man can only see. The shadow is of his dead mother.A little later her husband also appears, and they both proceed towards room. The old man objects to the way they go inside. After the incident is over the boy talks about property he has acquired. The bastard son demands for his share in property of his father, which is denied by him. It arises anger in him. As a result he takes moneybag from the Old man. A quarrel starts between them; the boy gets killed at last with the knife of the old man. The old man, after it, addresses his mother and claims that he has ended the consequences. He hopes that the soul of mother would be purified.

Important Questions :

1. In the short drama Purgatory, the writer WB Yeats expresses the following things:
Ans :The crime of the father will be repeated by his son to an endless cycle of violence. Living beings can render help to the departed soul which suffers in purgatory. The living beings have to suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead while alive.

2. What is the theme of purgatory?
Ans : Purgatory is a story of remorseful of a departed soul that committed mistakes on itself while being alive. In order to purify itself, it is undergoing suffering in purgatory. It is also concerned with the living beings who suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead people while alive and the help rendered by the living beings to get the soul released from purgatory.

3. What is the motive (aim) in murdering his son by the old man?
Ans : The old man believes that by murdering his son, he has stopped the boy to have a son of his own who would kill him after attaining 16 years of age, thereby breaking the endless cycle of violence. He also believes that by killing his son, he helps his mother’s soul to get released from purgatory.

Questions for Practice :

Do you think Yeast believed in life after death ?
Explain how Purgatory explores the relation of human life to supernatural forces.
What is the Old Man’s motive in murdering the Boy ?

The Tell-Tale Heart – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Seven : Crime and Confession
The Tell-Tale Heart – Edger Allan Poe
The Heritage of Words

The narrator claims that he is not mad as he could hear things in the heaven, earth and hell. To justify himself saint, he confesses dangerous crime he has committed. The narrator and the old man used to reside together; they had very good relationship. The man used to love the old man very much. The old man also used to treat him well. The only thing that irritated the narrator was the eyes of him which were pale and vulture like. To end the consequences, he went to the old man’s room continuously for seven days. But returned, as he could not see the eyes of the man.In the morning he spoke politely and behaved as if nothing had happened. On the eighth nights, he as usual went there with torchlight. He did every thing stealthy and cautiously. Despite it, he happened to touch tin fastening, which dropped and disturbed the sleep of the man. In desperation, he asked who it was. The narrator remained speechless and motionless. A little later his sense brought him the reason that the old man was asleep again, he aimed the beam towards the old man’s eyes. As he saw them, he grew angry. He then, jumped towards the man, dragged the man and pressed his neck with bed. At last, he dismembered the old man’s dead body and put it under the plank. After it, he cleaned the place spotlessly clean. It was already four when he finished the task. At four, the three policemen came because someone had heard a shriek and informed them to investigate. The narrator lied them that the shriek was his own in dream and the old man was absent for some days. He welcomed them, brought them to his room and took to every nook and corner of his house. The policemen didn’t suspect any wrong there.The narrator took them to the spot where he had hidden the corpse of the old man. He cordially asked them to sit on the chair, which he had kept there. He sat there just over the plank whereas policeman continued talking with smiling face. The narrator, at the mean time, heard tick-tick sound of a watch coming from beneath. He mistook it as the heart-beat of the old man. He desired to reduce the loudness of the sound. For this purpose, he spoke louder; though it didn’t do any good. He felt the sound growing; he felt the policemen’s smile as the smile of mockery. It became unbearable for him to keep the reality secret. He thought it better to confess than to hide. Eventually he confessed the crime.

Important Questions:

1. Justify the title, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’.
Ans. The narrator is the victim of nervous disease and over sensitive to hearing. He wants to kill the old man to get rid of the vulture like eyes of the old man. After entering into the room of the old man with and aim to kill him, the narrator starts hearing a strange, dull sound as if being made by a watch which he believes to be the heartbeat of the old man. After killing the old man, he cuts the body into pieces and hides them under the wooden floor. In the morning, when three police officers arrived there, he starts talking with them sitting in the old man’s room as the police officers don’t find anything unusual. However, while being there, the narrator starts hearing strange sound which he believes to be the heartbeat of the old man. As he couldn’t stand the sound of the said heart beat, he confesses his crime and reveals the entire story before the police. Since, the supposed heart discloses the secret of the murder, the title The Tale-Tale Heart is therefore justifiable and appropriate to the text.

2. Was the narrator mad?
Ans. Though sanity and insanity is a matter of debate, there are various indications in the story that suggest his madness. The narrator killed an old and innocent man with out any concrete reason. He did not hesitate to cut the body of the old man into pieces. Though the man loved him, he did not understand the value of love. Rather he mercilessly killed him. Even after killing and dismembering the body of the old man, he suspected that the old man’s heart was beating. He had no idea that after a man is killed his heart stops beating. The narrator has revealed himself that he is suffering from a disease which causes ‘over-acuteness of the senses’. Over-acuteness of senses is also one sign of madness. He was overcome by homicidal mania. Madmen never repent their wrong doing. In this story also instead of repenting for his wrongful act, the narrator has tried to prove his sanity. Thus his abnormal behavior suggests that he was truly mad.

Questions for Practice :

Why does narrator develop intense hatred against the old man? Would you call the narrator mad? Give reasons for your answer.
What made the narrator confess his crime?
Describe the scene when the narrator killed the old man.
What made the narrator confess his crime?

A Child is Born – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
A Child is Born – Germaine Greer
The Heritage of Words

Childbirth management in the Eastern society varies from place to place. The mother is familiar about the way of giving birth to child in such society because they are used to in such customs. They don’t feel so much physical and mental tension while giving birth. The approach in Eastern society is ritualistic. She is covered with taboos and prohibitions which reduces her psychological burden.All the relatives including the husbands remain present during the process of giving birth. It decreases the pain of the mother. Their presence gives a sense of security to her. They create such an environment which make mother feel safe. Nevertheless, the chance of death of mother is high in Eastern society. In many of the Eastern societies, a pregnant woman goes to her mother’s house. For example: the writer presents us an example from society of India. In Rajput society, the woman goes to mother’s house prior to giving birth and after the birth to the child. She is taken care properly. The birth of the child is celebrated with singing and dancing. The pregnant woman is taken care not only by family members but also by the members of the community. It gives her a sense of security and she becomes less worried about giving birth. There is difference in child rearing also. In the Eastern society the mother gets respect after she gives birth. She is called by the name of her first child. The newly born child is taken care by all the relatives. The mother has to spend less time in taking care of child. So, the child-family relation is stronger than child-mother relation. Thus, the Eastern society is better than the Western society in the matter of childbirth and childcare. The Eastern society, however is not unaffected by the method of Western society.Because of modernization, people in the Western societies are forced to use modern equipments. The modern equipments certainly have saved the lives of mother and child; nevertheless they are unable to reduce the anxiety of mother while giving birth. A pregnant woman in the West has to take care of herself with the guidance of nurses and doctors. The nurses and doctors do not give caressing hand to the pregnant woman. The health of mother and child is safer but mother is emotionally weaker. Child is born to fulfill the needs of parents only. The child grows up with its parents and dolls. So, child – mother relation is stronger. The mother has to bear all the problems during child birth and child rearing.

Important Question :

1. What differences does the writer show us between a traditional society and modern west in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and child raring?
Ans. In traditional societies, when a woman becomes pregnant, she has to observe certain prohibitions and carry out the set rites. All these taboos and prohibitions help her keeping herself mentally free and to lessen the pain and fear. The pregnant lady is helped by her husband and other members of family and community which enhances her sense of security. But in the modern west societies, the pregnant lady has to take care of herself. In such individualistic society, no other family member renders any support that helps the pregnant lady feel secure. She has to undertake all the preparations for newcomer by herself. In traditional societies, child birth irrespective of its sex is celebrated although there is a greater risk of the lives of the mother and the baby. The woman, after the birth of the child is fully accepted by the new family and she is allowed to visit her father’s house. The women in such societies are started calling after the names of their children ignoring their original identity which the western people criticize calling it a wrong behavior. However, in the west, although modern and sophisticated hospitals are there, a child is born in an isolated hospital bed surrounded by modern medical equipments. There is no one to welcome the child and to support the lady emotionally to help lessen difficulties in western societies. In traditional society, the children are usually looked after collectively by the family members. The entire family is involved to bathe and to feed the children collectively. In the evening, children are told fairy tales by other members of the family. However, these practices aren’t seen in modern western societies. The respective family mothers have to take care of their children by themselves as there is no help form other family members in the matter of child care.The writer argues that the traditional east is far better than the modern west in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and child raring although there is high risk of mothers and children mortality rate in these societies.

Question for Practice :

What differences does the writer show between a traditional society and a modern society in matters of pregnancy, childbirth, and childbearing ?
Why does the writer bring in the examples of the traditional societies to discuss the problems of a modern, especially a western society ?

The Children Who Wait – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
The Children Who Wait – Marsha Traugot
The Heritage of Words

Marsha Traugot’s essay “The children Who Wait” discusses the scene of adoption in American context. Marsha Traugot begins her essay with the picture of Tammy, which has been published in a magazine with the hope that someone would be ready to adopt her. She is five and half years old with the face of Mona Lisa. The writer describes her unadaptable child had she been born before 1960. During that period only white healthy children were considered adaptable. Physically deformed children’s were referred as damaged goods. No one was ready to adopt such children. The children who were black, mixed racial group, handicapped and over five years were not adopted by families. This view, however, started disappearing after the sixties.People’s attitude towards them gradually became positive. The change in thoughts was brought by various factors. Traugot mentions black civil right movement, legalization of abortion, change in attitude of the people, and change in government’s policy as responsible factors. Black civil rights movement brought sympathetic attitude towards black people. White people started regarding them as humans and treated accordingly. Another responsible factor was women’s movement. Because of women’s movement they got right to decide on the matter of childbirth in addition to other right. The lady who had to do abortion to maintain her status could live with dignity with her child. It has the impact in reduction of unwanted children. The third factor responsible for change in attitude was government’s policy towards adoption. The government used to emphasize on foster care before the seventies. As they became aware about the drawbacks of foster care, they made changes in their policy. Rater than emphasizing on foster care, they tried to find permanent home for the homeless children. Another factor responsible is the role played by social activists. Their campaign brought changes not only in attitude of the people but also in their behavior. Prior to the 1960, the social activists considered white, two parent, and middle or upper class childless family as an ideal adoptive family. But now the situation has changed. The social workers give children for adoption to even single or two parents, black or biracial, upper class or working class, childless or families with older siblings. The catch phrase of the social worker is ‘matching’. Activists try to get proper family for destitute child. Unlike previous activists, they can’t get two-parent family. Instead of searching for two-parent family, they need to evaluate the characteristic of a child and match it with the proper family. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. They even hold meetings and discuss about the children and the types of families where they can put them. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. If this system does not work, they publish the profile of homeless children in television or newspaper to look for adoptive parents.

Questions for Practice :

Whom does Marsha Traugot refer to as the children who wait?
Why was it difficult for the handicapped and the black children to find foster family?
According to Traugot , what changes are transforming the American adoption scene? What factors are responsible for the changes?
What kinds of parents were considered suitable for adopting children? What kind of children were considered ‘Unadoptable’?
How do the adoption agencies find the potential parents?
What had happened to the handicapped children in the past?

Women’s Business – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
Women’s Business – Ilene Kantrov
The Heritage of Words

Women’s business is an essay written by Ilene Kantrov which is about some women from the United States of America who have been successful in business. It tells about other business women who followed Lydia’s footsteps. It deals the subject of how women took part in the business and what things were produced and sold by them.In the beginning of this essay the writer describes about the business method of Lydia E Pinkham. In 1879 she appeared in the newspaper advertisement by advertising a remedy for “falling of the womb and all female weakness.”The medicine produced by her was known as Lydia E Pinkham’s Vegetable compound. She prepared the product by using traditional methods. She not only advertised for her product but also put forward women’s rights, temperance and fiscal reforms. She also opened a department of advice and suggested other women about diet, exercise and hygiene. She also printed testimonials from women reporting cures. She also advertised in courageous manner. As a result of such bold marketing, her she became very famous.In the following century some other women also followed her business pattern. Among them two were Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden. They competed not only in selling cosmetics but also in luring {attracting) publicity by their marriages to European aristocrats. Elizabeth Arden also produced different facial treatments. She also practiced and advocated yoga. Her rival A Helena Rubinstein also published a book explaining the benefits of eating raw foods.Margaret Rudkin and Jennie Grossinger were other to women entrepreneurs that followed Lydia.E.Pinkham’s business pattern. Grossinger ran hotel in upstairs New York renowned for its food and entertainment. She had also hired a public relations man Margatet Rudkin produced additive free wheat bread that was very helpful to person suffering from asthma. At first she had baked such bread as diet for her asthmatic son. Next entrepreneur was Gertrude Muller who invented the “toidey seat”. With her products .She also enclosed her booklets about childrearing. One of her booklets was also distributed by doctors.Next black female capitalist Annie Turnbo Malone also cast herself in the role of social activist .Her business was on a hair dressing preparation. She developed an innovative marketing strategy .She also established a school for training agents in her porosystem of hairdressing. Like other capitalist she also started advising other women about hygiene .Thrift and other homely virtues.

Important Questions :

1. What is the thesis (theme) of the essay? How did the business women (female entrepreneur) differ from their male counterparts? In which way did they resemble the male entrepreneurs of their days?
The thesis of the essay is to focus on the success of American business women who adopted innovative business strategy and establish themselves in respectable position in the business field as well as in the society. The business women were also involved in social work for uplifting the society. However, their aim was to promote their own business on the pretext on social service for the sake of their business, they activated the society, earned money and upgraded their own position in the society. The women entrepreneurs discussed in this essay were different many ways from their counterparts. The women were involved in earning money along with social service for upgrading their own position. Adopting the cleverest marketing techniques by rendering practical advice on various advices they activated the women of the society. They were not only involved in selling their products but also played an important role for the benefit of the society. They cleverly utilized their image of being women to upgrade their business. They were extremely sex consciousness with they revealed by serving the female only. Lydia advised her customer to bypass the male physician. Adopting new business skill the female entrepreneurs were able to introduce feminine’s role in the male dominated world of commerce in America. The business women were similar to their male counterparts in the matters of obeying the law of the state besides their claim about their produces through misleading and lavish advertisement.

Question for Practice :

Which of Lydia E. Pinkham’s business methods did later women capitalists adopt for their own enterprises ? In what ways did they depart from Pinkham’s model ?
How did the business women the writer introduces in her essay differ from their male counterparts ? In what ways did they resemble male entrepreneurs of their day ?
How would you expect a militant feminist to react to this essay ? Are any of the writer’s general statements debatable ?

I Have a Dream – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Five : Human Rights
I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Heritage of Words

Martin Luther King, a black civil right campaigner, delivered an unforgettable speech ” I Have a Dream” on August 28, 1963 commemorating the centennial of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. In this speech he presses for equal treatment and improved circumstances for blacks, and stresses on the necessity of eradicating institutional racial inequalities. King expresses sharp dissatisfaction over segregation and racial discrimination. He demands a fast end to racial discrimination, pledging his followers to a fight to the finish to wipe out all forms of segregation and to achieve equality and integration. However, he is in favour of creative and disciplined protest without physical violence. In his speech he even appeals the Whites to join hands with Blacks in order to revolt against discriminatory practices against Blacks. He does not show hatred against Whites, he is against color discrimination and racial prejudice.

He is a dreamer with the vision of equality and justice. He wants a new America in its social makeup, establish symphony of brotherhood among blacks and whites, and eradicate the discriminatory treatment of black Americans. His dream is deeply rooted in the American dream of ‘life, liberty and pursuit of happiness’.He voices that even after hundred years of passing of Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln, America stands as the hell to the blacks. Blacks are exiled in their own country and live in poverty in the vast ocean of material prosperity.He also mentions the words of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence which guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. But these magnificent words were not applied into practice in case of colored citizens. He demands the riches of freedom, security of justice, and citizenship rights to the blacks. He argues that the policy of gradualism in the matter of justice will raise discontent among blacks.

Important Questions :

1. What is the apparent (exact) purpose of the speech of Martin Luther King Jr.? Explain King’s analogy of bad check (cheque).
Ans. The apparent purpose of King’s speech is to get the black people their rights of freedom, equality and justice avoiding racial injustice based on color of skin. Although the constitution of America promises equal rights to its entire citizen, the black people have been deprived from enjoying the rights and get the victim of social segregation and discrimination. Therefore Martin Luther King Jr. Delivers this speech demanding justice for the black people. King makes an analogy (comparison) between promises of an American constitution and a bad check. Though the constitution of America promises equal right rights to the entire citizen irrespective of colour and creed, America has failed to pay her black citizen the rights promised in the constitution. They are given bad check i.e. false promises by architects of American constitution. If there is insufficient amount in the bank out, the cheque of higher amount issued against this account is not enchased and returned unpaid such cheque is consider as a bad check. Similar way although the constitution of America guarantees the equality for all, the black citizens are turned down from getting justice in America. Therefore, king compares the promises made by the American constitution with a bad check.

Questions for Practice :

What is the real dream of Martin Luther King about the future of America?
What is Martin Luther complaining about?
What is the dream Martin Luther King, Jr. has? How is he going to achieve it?

God’s Grandeur – Summary | The Heritage of Words

Unit Four : God and Man
God’s Grandeur – Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Heritage of Words

In his sonnet “God’s Grandeur” the poet G.M Hopkins praises the magnificence and glory of God. He describes the majestic deeds of God. He claims that God is omnipresent and omnipotent. The good deeds on earth are also the results of these qualities of God. Though human beings continuously destroy nature, it is never spent.The world is full of the greatness of God. Due to His greatness, the world shines like ‘a shook foil’. It gathers to greatness, as it is full of resources. Despite this fact, human beings act adversely. They don’t follow the commands of God; rather they function to destroy the world. Earlier generations destroyed the earth and so is the case with the present generation. People are more interested in materialist gain and possessions than in celebrating the glory of a loving, merciful, heavenly Father. They act as if they are not rational creatures. As a result of their deed, the earth has become dry; it has the smell of human beings instead of its natural smell. Indeed the earth has reached to the verge of destruction. Nevertheless, the world is not completely destroyed. Because of the freshness that is inside things, nature keeps on regenerating. The sun sets in the evening only to reappear in the morning. These all happenings are the results of the god’s protection. He protects the earth just like a bird broods over the eggs.Though the world is infused with the glory of God and Christ offered His body to be crucified, mankind does not live in awe of God, but imposes darkness on itself by running endlessly. Even so, despite humanity’s shortcomings, God is most capable of perfect love and embraces the world anyway. The poet is of the opinion that human beings acts are always directed towards destruction: knowingly or unknowingly. But God loves all the creatures of the world, so he works for the benefit of the creatures without any hope of benefit or profit. The poet inspires people to grow faith in God.

Question for practice :

Give reasons why men are unaware of the greatness of God?
What is the central idea of the poem?

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Unit Eight : Playing with TextThe Boarding House – Wilhelm GrimnThe Heritage of Words

Important Questions :

Questions for Practice :

Unit Eight : Playing With TextGretel – Garrison KeillorThe Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With TextThe Gingerbread House – Robert CooverThe Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With TextHansel and Gretel – Jacob and WilhelmThe Heritage of Words

Important Questions :

Unit Seven : Crime and ConfessionPurgatory – William Butler YeatsThe Heritage of Words

Important Questions :

Questions for Practice :

Unit Seven : Crime and ConfessionThe Tell-Tale Heart – Edger Allan PoeThe Heritage of Words

Important Questions:

Questions for Practice :

Unit Six : Women and ChildrenA Child is Born – Germaine GreerThe Heritage of Words

Important Question :

Question for Practice :

Unit Six : Women and ChildrenThe Children Who Wait – Marsha TraugotThe Heritage of Words

Questions for Practice :

Unit Six : Women and ChildrenWomen’s Business – Ilene KantrovThe Heritage of Words

Important Questions :

Question for Practice :

Unit Five : Human RightsI Have a Dream – Martin Luther King, Jr.The Heritage of Words

Important Questions :

Questions for Practice :

Unit Four : God and ManGod’s Grandeur – Gerard Manley HopkinsThe Heritage of Words

Question for practice :

Unit Eight : Playing with Text
The Boarding House – Wilhelm Grimn
The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
Gretel – Garrison Keillor
The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
The Gingerbread House – Robert Coover
The Heritage of Words

Unit Eight : Playing With Text
Hansel and Gretel – Jacob and Wilhelm
The Heritage of Words

Unit Seven : Crime and Confession
Purgatory – William Butler Yeats
The Heritage of Words

Unit Seven : Crime and Confession
The Tell-Tale Heart – Edger Allan Poe
The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
A Child is Born – Germaine Greer
The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
The Children Who Wait – Marsha Traugot
The Heritage of Words

Unit Six : Women and Children
Women’s Business – Ilene Kantrov
The Heritage of Words

Unit Five : Human Rights
I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Heritage of Words

Unit Four : God and Man
God’s Grandeur – Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Heritage of Words