(A) Here I am sharing thoughts which I had liked the most from the videos given below:-
1. Individuality: Freedom: passion
Existentialist emphasis on Individuality at its core, and other subjects covering the core. Freedom, Passion, Individuality stands on three sides of a a triangle, one is relates to the other. In an existential philosophy Individuality plays a vital role. Thinking as an Individual is very important.
2. Philosophical problem: Suicide
Normally when people think like their life is full of despair, grief, they commit suicide. Many peoples dies because they judge that life is not worth living. Suicide is an individual act. When suicidal thought came in our mind?, the answer is when we start to think.
3. Philosophical suicide
If there are no human beings, there won't be any desire. When we kill our self as a philosopher then it becomes Philosophical suicide. All requirements like, a total absence of hope, a continual reflection, conscious dissatisfaction should not be confused with despair, renunciation, immature unrest. For an Absurd mind, reason is useless and there is nothing beyond reason. In a way faith becomes the solution to absurd.
4. Creation- primary goal
Creation is primary goal of dadaism. In a way dadaism is a path to new culture, new values, there always remains a quest for change.
5. Atmosphere from which the thought of Existentialism came
Existentialism is a post war movement. It came with the experience of people who are living in despair, loneliness after the world war, and from that gloomy atmosphere existentialist thoughts came.
6. What Existentialism is not?
Existentialism is not a philosophical system, not a set of doctrines. It is best classified as Philosophical movement. It is an unsolvable confusion of human world.
7. Rules
Why we are following each and every rule, Why we are obeying our parents?, as we can make our parents familiar. We can makes our rule own self as well. There is one imaginary figure Ubermensch, someone who does whatever he wants to do. That's why this was much liked by the children, because there also a desire to becomes our own master, not judged or govern by anyone.
8. Characteristics of Existentialism
Existentialist thinkers are much more straightforward than average thinkers. They are so much real than average. Therefore existentialism takes us as the way we are. It is a rebellious way of thinking about life. It helps to move gradually, makes us aware about our sufferings.
9. Answer to problem
There is an example of an army man, who wants to serve his mother, and nation, but he was not able to do both things together. At one time he can't serve both. For his problem, no one can give him answer because ultimately he has to make choice as an individual. All creatures need meaning in life, wants freedom in life, but the bitter truth is we are painfully, shockingly free. In actual we are condemned to be free.
(B)Video which I had liked the most-
I had liked the video 8 which was about the positivity of life. It changed our mind totally from the pre- conceived knowledge of existentialism, about its negative side(suicide) There are ten positive ten things which we can do to live more existentially:-
1. Question what you've been told?
2. Start relating to the big pictures
3. Honor Life's difficult experience
4. Lay claim to your power in life
5. See how free you can be
6. Learn to live with passion
7. Inhabit the present movement
8. Recover the ability to play
9. Build responsible community
10. REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE BORN TO A BRILLIANT AND TERRIFYING UNIVERSE.
"You are here to be a participants in life, not as a spectator"
(C) Through this learning activity and by watching videos, my knowledge has increased for the term existentialism. Before it I always take this word in a negative connotation, but now I have found so many positive things about it. I also comes to know about, many other terms like, Dadaism, Nihilism, Atheism, and many more.
From 19 to 22 September we had a series of guest lecture by Dr. Jay Mehta on Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories. He had taught us six stories with critical point of view.
1. The Tell- Tale heart
2. The Black Cat
3. The Fall of the House of Usher
4. The Cask of Amontillado
5. The Purloined Letter
6. The Gold Bug
Poe as a writer
i) Singularity of giving effect
ii) No use of useless words
iii) Father of detective stories
iv) Genre of shortness
Poe was a successful writer of horror, terror and detective stories. To understand the background of Poe's suspense and terrifying stories, Sir has given us Pre-thinking task in which we have given answers to the five common but deep questions. Here given the blog link of that task:-
Freudian theory of Id, Ego and Superego is much beneficial in understanding Poe's short stories. Mostly Poe has discussed about the conscious or unconscious desire of human being which leads towards the most dangerous event of life, which drives so much crazy that a person starts thinking about murdering someone, and surprisingly they like to kill people, and found pleasure in it.
Id, Ego and Superego in relation with dreams-
When a person was in dream then his/her oppressed desires came out from the layers of Ego and Superego. When we are in conscious state then these oppressed desire cannot came out. Normal people have equilibrium between these three terms, but abnormal people doesn't have.
Madness-
The story is about madness of a person over blue eyes. In this story an Old man has blue eyes which was exactly looks like vulture's eyes.
Over acuteness of senses-
The murderer who murdered an old man has over acuteness of senses. He can feel or hear something very better. After killing an old man, he has cut down the body into pieces and buried it under the house, didn't left any clue. Someone heard the voice of an old man and called Police, therefore police arrived in the meantime and murderer put his chair over the place where he has buried that old fellow. He started hearing the sound of heartbeats, and thinks that it was of that old man, it makes him fearful.
Contradiction-
The character is very much contradicting with his own thoughts, at one side he is saying that he is nervous and on the other side proves his confidence by welcoming police. He first says that he is not mad, and also proves his point that which qualities he possess which didn't come under madness.
Crafty words-
The protagonist used the word 'project' for his act of murder, it seems very positive word used for negative purpose which shows the craftsmanship of the protagonist of justifying his act.
Cold blooded murderer-
The protagonist is cold blooded murderer, he doesn't feel bad or any kind of hesitation after killing helpless old man, and cut down the body parts into pieces with ease.
Split personality-
It seems that the protagonist have split personality, because at day time he is serving the old man and remains loyal for his duty. But at night time shows totally opposite character of himself, full of revenge motives or hatredness.
Poetic Justice-
Poe as a writer is successful in giving poetic justice at the end of the stories, where the criminal accept that he has done crime. Even Poe has justified the act of a murder by giving answers to all doubt. He has given answer that why the criminal is doing crime, for what reasons he is doing.
Symbolic meaning of black colour-
Symbolically black colour represents something bad or related to bad omen. It was always seen as something bad or unlucky. Things which possess this colour are neglected by society. The same is the case with the black cat which never seen as good. It represent evil thing. In this story the wife also raised once a question about having black cat as their pet.
Series of household events-
This story seems like a series of household events.
Ignorance-
The pet cat ignores the master and that hurts the ego of him, so that he has decided to take revenge for avoidance. It seems unfair or cruel. But all characters of Poe stories possess over reacting nature at small things. This protagonist does the same and punished the cat for avoiding him. He has cut down the eyes of cat and from next day it seems more horrible creature. Now cat has started to ignoring him in fear. At last man hanged the cat with a tree.
Burden of soul-
As the killer was habituated or fond of cats, or may be he wants to release his burden of soul of killing the first cat, that's why he bought another cat as his pet. This second cat is totally different from the first one and used to wander here and there, do not go closer to the master. At last he has killed the second cat also. Now it seems like its becomes his habit to overcome his rage on innocent cats.
Singularity of effect-
Poe's has begins his story with so many negative words which shows the singularity of effect like, dull, dark, soundless, autumn, oppressively low, dreary track of country,melancholy etc. Melancholy is the main characteristics of Poe's short stories. There always remains the sense of insufferable gloom.
Negative aura-
Everything in this universe consists some kind of aura, some have negative and some have positive. In this story the house of Usher brings negative aura for the narrator. It seems like a mansion of gloom.
Hallucination or reality-
The narrator struck between the idea that whether this haunted house is his hallucination or a reality. He is not believing in a way about the fearful appearance of the mansion.
Gothic Fiction-
We can find all the characteristics of Gothic fiction in the story like gloomy atmosphere, haunted castle, ambience, sensational and supernatural occurrence, macabre, terror, melodramatically violent etc.
Catalepsy-
In this story Madeline the sister of Roderick is suffering from catalepsy. She was buried inside the house by Roderick and the narrator. They both believes that she was dead, but in actual she was not. At the end she was comes out of her grave and falls down on her brother Roderick. Then Roderick dies in shock of seeing his sister alive, and haunted by the idea about ghost of his sister.
Inverted image of house-
It is really very symbolic, as from the very beginning when the narrator enters into the house saw the inverted image into the reflection in pond nearby it. And at the end this turns out real, as the house fall down after the death of Roderick and becomes inverted. The narrator escapes himself and flee away from the house.
Pre-conceived effect-
Poe has used the preconceived effect as every words of the story creates a specific atmosphere..
Well planned Murder-
This story is totally different from the previous three stories, It is about a well planned murderer Montresor who has killed Fortunato to take revenge of his insult.
Symbolic name-
The name 'Fortunato' symbolically represent fortune, but here he is the unluckiest one who was stoned by his friend Montresor.
Hubris-
Fortunato is the master of tasting good wines and because of his hubris(excessive pride) he accept the challenge of tasting the great wine Amontillado. His Hubris leads towards his own downfall by not allowing anyone else to taste it.
Weakness-
Montresor was aware about the weakness of his friend. That's why he took the advantage of it and trowel him alive.
Positive word for negative work-
In this story the killer used the word 'task' for his evil deed. It was really very unusual to use 'task' for murdering someone.
Dramatic Irony-
When both the friends are cheering up, satirically Montresor cheers for long life of Fortunato, however he himself is going to end his life with well planned murder act. This reflects the dramatic irony of the story.
Passive resistance theory-
Montresor used passive resistance theory to trap Fortunato, so that he will definitely accept the challenge of tasting good wine or founding the best. He very well knows that if he directly calls Fortunato, he may refused, therefore used the trick of passive resitance in which he provoked Fortunato with his curved words.
The Purloined Letter Similar with detective series of Sherlock Holmes-
The story Purloined letter, revolves around the secret letter in which something disastrous is written which can affect the life of a minister, so that he has stolen it from the desk of a lady. This detective story is like the Sherlock Holmes series, in which the detective possess extraordinary smartness and his story of bravery was narrated by someone else, who is in a way connected with the detective.
Intellectual culprit-
The story presents intellectual culprit, the minister who is very much smart and smartly stolen the letter from the desk of lady without any fear, with ease, And the lady also becomes voiceless, even knowing that the letter is get exchanged with the fake letter which was bring by the minster. She doesn't spoke any word in fear that the minister will check that what was written on it.
Hubris of Police-
The lady hired Police to get the letter back from the minister's house. But because of hubris police inspector din't search at the knowable place where nothing secret or important document could be placed. The mistake that he has done is, underestimate the culprit.
Process-
In most of the Poe's stories, questions like who has done the crime?, for what reason? are already solved. He only describes the process of how the act or the crime was done. Same thing was there in the story, who has stolen, for what reason already solved, but how the detective Dubin search the letter is described.
Cryptography-
It is the process of converting simple plain text into unintelligible text and vice versa. Same thing happens in the story when two friends Legrand and Jupiter finds something written in a hidden way under the crisp paper in the form of a golden bug, they realised the text when they throws it into the fire.
Search for treasure-
The search for treasure begins after knowing the route on the letter. It was really very common archetypal story in which there is search for underground treasure on the basis of the clues.
Example- It can be connected with the film 'Dhamaal', in which four funniest character search for treasure under the tree of 'W' shape in Goa.
Partial use of humour-
Poe has used humour by presenting the character of Jupiter. Extraordinary people are always mocked by the people, here is the case with Jupiter. Poe has make thin line between the demarcation of insanity and sanity. In society mainly all intellectual person are treated as insane.
This was the brief report of the three days guest lecture about Jay Mehta sir's reflective teaching. He has also solved the question bank at the end by giving us basic points. It was really very fruitful or beneficial to attend three days guest lecture at our Department of English.
We have attended GPSC workshop At new Atal Auditorium, Maharaja Krushnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. Usually these types of workshop are going on all over and every time these gives a kind of energy or spirit to crack government exams to join civil service. Many motivational speakers came and gave their knowledge and share their experience about preparing for competitive exams.
Pre-Recess
1. Anchor: Himal Pandya
Himal Pandya sir anchored the pre recess session very well. He is also one among the motivational speakers, who keeps on motivating students with his great speech.
2. Other speakers
The session begins with the speech of Jitendra Pandya. Then Dilip Vaghani, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, and our former vice chancellor Shailesh Zala sir spoke about the event and its importance. Shailesh sir also share his trouble about making beautiful Auditorium. Along with the fruitful Workshop there is inauguration of new auditorium also.
The session begins with the great young motivational speaker Charansinh Gohil, who is Nayab Collector. He share one bitter truth that everyone desire for something else and becomes something different. As he put himself in the same situation. He wishes to become doctor but his road diverged to different path. He has studied science and was the first ranker. But later on he decided to leave it and wanted to do something that brings change in society. He has faced so many hurdles in his life but never give up at any cost. He decided to prepare for GPSC and got 21st rank in it, and becomes Nayab Collector.
He says that everyday learn 15 hours with sriting each and every points, so that we can remember things in better way. He ave one strategy to concentrate for our goal. As for example, if we wants to become Collector, then we have to start thinking as we are collector and whenever other thoughts came in our mind to diverged our mind then we have to think that we are collector by doing this, one star from our shoulder will fall. From then onward we shall live disciplined life and will do full preparation.
He has given so many examples of successful person. First he spoke about Ashok Dihora, who is just a diamond worker, but with his hard work secure 98% in science and becomes Doctor, The second example he gave is about Ira Singhal, who is disable girl, suffering from Scoliosos, a sideway curvature of the spine, but never allow her disability to ruin her future and her success. She fights a lot with society and proves herself valid for IAS. She is a great Inspiration for women.
2. Veera Bhai Sambad
The second motivational speaker Vira bhai also spoke well to motivate us. He spoke about inside and outside motivation. He says that a person can face various ups and down in life, but a true achiever will never give up and keeps on doing hardwork. There are many things in life which diverged our mind, but we have to be strong to focus on our goal. Background of a person, whether he/she is from village or from city never affects in any way for scoring in competitive exams, anyone can top with strong determination.
Vivek Tank has given format of class 2 to class 1 level. He gives us strategy about how to prepare, and our goal should be fixed. He says that it doesn't matter that how many little things came in our life, but our goal should be bigger, even if we are doing or preparing for other exams in between, but never leave our preparation for that one single final goal.
4. Praveensinh Jaitavat
He is a CA and he spoke about the importance of burning desire to achieve goal, Desire is not only for lover but it can be for our goal also. he gave many points which are important to prepare ourself mentally for giving competitive exams. There should be originality in whatever we are doing, no artificiality.
Questionnaire Session
After all the speeches, there is questionaire session, in which students from various streams ask questions related to their difficulty. One PG student ask about how can she manage time to prepare for competitive exams along with her PG study, other ask about the problem which General Category students are facing because of Reserve Quota, but this question remains unanswered. Mahirpari Goswami(Department of English) also asked one question about that we have copied UPSC format but we are not that much advanced in our techniques, what should we to do compete with it?.There were many more questions and then the session end successfully.
Thinking Activity: 5 Concepts related to Orientalism on the basis of the following video
Interview of Edward said on Orientalism
"Orientalism revolutionised the study of the Middle East and helped to create and shaped entire new fields of study"
Five main concepts about Orientalism:-
1. Organized form of writing
Whenever someone wish to know about the countries which are far away from their places, they must rely on some sort of writings. This was not usual writing, but it would be organized form of writing. But in reality we couldn't rely on all such literature. We don't know who has travelled that places, and who has not, who is giving real picture and who is giving fake. In other words we didn't get what we call realistic representations of Orient, either in literature, or in painting, or in music, or in any form of the art.
"And this extended even further into descriptions of the Arabs by experts, people who
had studied them. I noticed that even in the twentieth century some of the same images
that you found in the nineteenth century amongst scholars like Edward William Lane
who wrote his book on the Modern Egyptians in the early 1830's and then you read
somebody in the 1920's and they more or less saying the same thing."
2. Timeless Orient
In a way all orientals are same, no matter from which country it belongs, whether it is India, or any other nation, it's basically the same assets, So there develops a kind of image of Timeless orient.
3. Islamic Tag
Iranian revolution describes itself as Islamic revolution. Many people around the world considered all Islamic people as terrorist. This is wrong mindset of people. Only few are destroying the whole world, but many innocents are getting blame because of that Islamic tag. Media is responsible for giving tag. Edward said wrote "Covering Islam" regarding this topic.
"So the impression you got
of Islam was that it was a frightening mysterious, above all threatening, as if the main
business of Muslims was to threaten and try to kill Americans. As recently as last year,
1996, that is almost sixteen or seventeen years after I wrote Covering Islam, I did an
update of the book, and I wrote a new introduction"
4. Idea about discourse
Edward said:-
"Discourse is a regulated system of producing knowledge within
certain constraints whereby certain rules have to be observed"
For eg, Arab country doesn't try to change its picture across the world. Arabians are living in same discourse from very ancient times.
" Arabs have participated and continue to allow themselves to be
represented as Orientals in this Orientalist way. There is no, for example, information
policy of the twenty Arab countries, twenty-two Arab countries, to try to give a different
picture of what their worlds are like. Because most of them are dictatorships. All of them
are dictatorships without democracy, who are in desperate need of U.S. patronage,
government patronage, to support them, so they are not about to criticize the United
States."
5. Idea of history
Every nation has its own history, the way we interpreted the history is quite different. History is not only about to understand our one's self, but to understand our self in terms or in relation with nation.
Eg- Palestinian's local complexities, mixed background of Arab Muslims, Arab and Jews, Arab Christian, Israeli Jews.
"History
some shape and sense, for a particular reason, not just to show that my history is better
than yours, or my history is worse than yours. I'm a victim and you're somebody who's
oppressed people or so on, but rather, to understand my history in terms of other
people's history, in other words to try to understand, to move beyond, to generalize
one's own individual experience to the experience of others."
In films, or in any popular culture, everything exotic is termed as Orientalism, whether it is about dress or wealth
Postcolonial study is the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism (Wikipedia)
Idea of state and nation
The very first discussion is about state. What is a state? and who supported the state. The answer is very simple. A state is a fixed geographical territory and it is always supported by structure of governance. State is fixed but nation is not fixed. According to different parties the version of nation keeps on changing. In real sense nation is an imagination.
Colonization and Imperialism
Colonization is a forcible occupation over nation. By its process, central system dominates the surrounding land and components. Imperialism is another term which seems to be similar with colonization but it was different. It is a policy that involves nation extending its power. By the acquisition of lands by purchase. (Wikipedia)
Idea of Desire
Desire is something which we possess. normally every sacred text, religious Gurus told us to leave desire. But in this way without desire we becomes Buddha. Buddha not in terms of spiritual guru, but in terms of a person with peace in mind, without any types of needs and desire to fulfils. In Philosophical context loss of desire is good, but in Psychoanalysis if you do not have desire, its dangerous. Normally people think and desire to achieve something. Sigmund Freud in his essay "Beyond the Pleasure Principles" attributed most human behaviour to sexual instinct. Sexuality acquires cultural term.
Binaries
There is always binary opposition in each and every things. We cannot understand the value of somethings without knowing the other. For eg, we understood the importance of light only because of absence of darkness. The presence of one things is only because of absence of other thing. But Franz Fanon in his book "Black Skin, White Masks" goes beyond the binaries. We need to get out of binaries for postcolonial study. Only self awareness can destroys binaries.
Humanism
To understand the act of colonisation we need to understand that what humanism is and on which ground the value of humanist fails that he/she becomes a coloniser. Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasise the value and agency of human beings. Colonisation is not humanist act.
Normally the white man remains in the idea of whiteness and black man in his blackness. White man is governs by the idea of difference. In a way we are dominated by the idea of inferiority and superiority. In psychology there is only inferior complex. Franz Fanon talks about two reasons of Inferiority complex:-
i) Economic
ii) Epidermalization
According to the second point Fanon says that the skin colour was in Epidermis. In this way Fanon is accepting the biological term. In the first chapter, "Negro and Language", Body colur is not seen in biological context but as a cultural term. Language is a part of culture.
Two dimensions for a black man
i) The way he behaves with black
ii) The way he behaves with white
The feeling of equality is not presented in colonisation. Although this is not postcolonial era. Things might be changed. We lives in a Globalisation era where everything is govern by money. Money remains as a power source which gives position to a person, not his/her skin colour.
Fanon use desire to deconstruct the idea of skin colour. For sexual pleasure skin colour doesn't matter. Sexuality cannot be define in terms of colour. Sexuality is define in universal context. There is no biological basis for sex desire. There are many white man who have their relationship with black woman. Similarly a black woman crave for a white man.
Dependency Complex
In this story a black woman character, name Mayotte wants white skin man. She is desiring for something which she doesn't have, whiteness, fairness. Therefore she is depended on white man to become free from societal pressure. She wants to live life of a happy woman who is not neglected by the society for her skin complex.Every human being in a way was traped under this dependency complex.
Hybridity
The theme of Hybridity was always remains there whenever two culture met. Whenever there is mixture of two things, it will consider as hybrid. Similarly for human beings when a white man married to black woman, or a black man married to white woman, there kid should be a mixture of two colour considered as Mulatto. Then He/she was a hybrid identity.
Example of Goddess Kali
In Indian Mythical stories also black colour considered as something bad and something for neglected people or place, Goddess Kali is mainly worshipped by Aghoris in Graveyard. She is not the Goddess who is supposed to kept inside the house but at Graveyard. Many Black magician also worshipped Kali for their evil deeds. Therefore in a way she is connected with the evilness. The Blackness is treated as inferior to the whiteness.
It is used for the imitation or depiction of aspects in Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian culture (Wikipedia).
Highly Materialist
In 19th century Orientalism was very much materialist. There is exchange of materials from one place to another. Many things are imported or exported beyond territories. For Example, Potato is a Latin American vegetable which comes in India after 16th century. Similarly Chillies are also very recent one. It only happens because of Columbian exchange. In this way all the material wealth of Asia is considered as Material Orientalism.
East India company stands as a biggest company for import and export of various things across nations. The royal households of East India Company are Shareholders and shares materials to the outer world.
Philosophical Discourse
Orientalism is not only materialist but it is also taken in Philosophical discourse. In the field of literature also we can find Orientalism. For Example, there is link between European and Sanskrit language. Many Scholars have translated Indian text into English, such as:-
i) H.H Wilson translated Rigveda
ii) Charles Wilkins translated Bhagwad Geeta
iii) Hermann Jacobi translated Jaina Sutras
There are many more scholars who realised that there is massive literature in India.
Academic Orientalism
Today Orientalism is academic and it is better known as "Area Study". It is also a style of thoughts based on Ontological and Epistemological distinction made between east and west. Orientalism is also discussed as corporate institution. All 19th century travel writings, policies, will be a part of Orientalism. It is in a way an authority of western people over Indian. It is a kind of Panopticon over Asian people. It means a 24 hour surveillance. We are living in discourse of surveillance where there is discourse between Power and knowledge.
Orientalism on films
Orientalism can also applied on films. It is exotic in terms of dresses, wealth etc. In this way we can see Orientalism as a discourse moves from textual to philosophical onwards. It is not a limited word. It carries wider meanings. It can be extended to any term. There is one video which shows Orientalism in films.
Orientalism Despotism is very important term in the study of Orientalism. It allowed early modern Europeans to distinguish themselves from the most powerful non-Europeans civilisations. India and Orientalism depicted as despot. Rulers are also portrayed in a very negative way.
iii) A Tempest
A Tempest by Aime Cesaire is very much significant text in postcolonial literature. It is the retailing of "The Tempest" which was written by Shakespeare. Aime changed the concept of 'The Tempest' totally and gives postcolonial point of view to 'A Tempest'.
There are so many major differences between both these works:-
Ariel, the slave of Prospero is Mulatto in "A Tempest" by Aime Cesaire. But In Shakespearean tempest there was not such description about race of the slave, it was only a spirit which works according to the commands of the master. Aime changed the concept. In this way he highlights the condition of Mulatto in society, How the people with mixture of two colour, half white, half black treated.
b) Why Shakespearean Tempest fails?
Shakespearean Tempest fails because of following reasons:-
b.1 Resistence by Caliban is failing
b.2 Prospero represents colonisation at its worst
b.3 Limitations to Caliban
Aime presents Caliban as a strong rebel, who raised his voice against each and every bad things. He loves his freedom and singing the song of freedom till the end. He never stops his fighting with Prospero. He keeps on hating him, and even his hatredness increased day by day. He is a true rebellion. He used abusive language while talking with Prospero. He din't gave him any kind of respect. In this way he has got all the qualities of a good rebel as described by Albert Camus in his book "Rebel"
c) Systematic order
Shakespearean Tempest follows Systematic order, everything ends in logical order. But Cesaire Tempest doesn't follow any systematic pattern. When all leaves the island, Prospero and Caliban still remains there to fight. Caliban is singing the song of his freedom and never allows Prospero to rule over his land.
iv) Imaginary Homeland
Imaginary Homeland consists of total 12 essays. There are some very significant essays in the study of postcolonial literature like:-
a) Imaginary homeland
b) Commonwealth doesn't exist
c) New Empire within Britain
d) Attenborough's Gandhi
Is homeland can be Imaginary?
Yes it can be, in the mind of the character who feels the imagination of his/her homeland. Many people after partition, left alone from their native land. It is not only about partition. but many migrated to various countries, some are forcibly or some with their own choice.
Diaspora
We can connect the term Imaginary homeland with Diaspora which is a scattered population whose origin lies in different geographic locale. Idea of state and belongingness is crucial, without it we cannot acclaimed to nation. All writers who are exiled, suffers a sense of loss and therefore writes Diasporic literature.
Example of Passport
When we go abroad, then at the airport we get departure stamp, at that time we are not a citizen of any nation till we cannot get the arrival stamp. We becomes stateless after getting departure stamp.
Many people moves from one country to other but they are not completely merge in the local identity. for eg, India is never a home for all of us, as because we are early citizens of abroad.
That is what the idea about Imaginary Homeland says. The nation in which we are living is also an Imaginary nation. Problem is only about imagination, Homeland is just and Idea. We are functioning on imagination. There is always a struggle of finding an Identity and living in strange world. Mentally it becomes difficult to come out from this suffering. Therefore literature provides ground over which a person can vomit his sufferings.
There is desire-conflict going on in our mind. It is of three types
a) Approach Approach Conflict (++)
b) Approach Avoidance Conflict (+_)
c) Avoidance Avoidance conflict (__)
When you finds that it is not possible to achieve your desire, then there is Avoidance Avoidance conflict, which goes just like parralel lines I I, never intersecting each other.
If there is greater chance to achieve desire and also the capability to achieve it, then there is Approach Approach conflict, just like perpendicular lines, intersecting each other at one point.
If we can achieve our desire, but still avoiding it, then there is Approach Avoidance conflict.
In similar way the Idea of Homeland and Hostland is Avoidance approach conflict. We reach, we approach the land but we are avoiding it, not taking it as our own land.
History of Palestines
People of Palestines had their land and property before the arrival of Jews. Jews are arrived because of the cruel ruler Hitler who has started killing Jews. After their migration to Palestines, it turns as Israel, a new state by the politics of western countries especially America, which has majority of Jews. Now the Palestinian started immigrating from their homeland because of forcefully occupation of Jews and shift in near Islamic countries. Now they have just an imagination of their homeland, till today after the 70th years of occupation, they have not got their land back.
eg. It can also be connected with Kashmir issue.
New Empire within Britain
The people of Britain have different views regarding Asian and African countries. They believes that Asians are hardworking. For African people they look on their race. Moreover, western countries don't like Indian people, because they thought that we grab all the opportunities. Many Indians are not investing in West, whatever they earn invest it in India, in this way their rage is obvious. Many Indians are taking pride to live in west world just by doing very cheap work like sweeping, cleaning restaurant, guard of lift etc because it is difficult to find any job in foreign countries. Commonwealth doesn't exist
According to Salman Rusdie Commonwealth literature doesn't exist now. After the big theory of Orientalism, commonwealth loss its relevance. The idea of commonwealth gets highly disturbed.
Commonwealth writing > Postcolonial writing > New Writing
Now there is not specific Commonwealth literature but called as New literature. All writings by Britishers is not commonwealth writing. It is govern by whites, but written by brown.
Is there is need of study Postcolonial literature in present era?
Today we are living in a world of Globalization. Now things are totally changed. There is no need to remain in past.We must have to move on. So many years passed after colonization. This era in not considered as postcolonial anymore. This is the new era about global world in which we have to remain globally connected with each other. Market must be put in priority.
Pre-thinking activity for mental preparedness of Edgar Allan Poe's Short stories about our abnormal experiences
1. Recollect a moment of your life when you were at the height of ferocity on someone with/without some specific reason. What did you feel like speaking to or doing with that person?
-There are many moments in my life when I am at height of ferocity. Let me share my one recent experience when I lose temper and started abusing my friend. It is about the timing of lecture, all are deciding at which time we all can come to attend guest lectures. One of my friend suggest too early time, I have denied to come early but still that friend give that time to sir. That time my anger was at height. Still I controls, but it get burst out when some more friends comes to me for giving another time to sir so that students who are living far away can reached. I was supposed to do action as a leader. But there I failed to convince my some other friends and feels very much angry on that friend who has already given time and sir has fixed it. I have started speaking very loudly all can heard my anger. But afterwards I have realised that I did something like uneducated masses. But the one thing is that I never reacted without any reason, there are always reasons behind my anger which I need to control.
2. Have you ever felt tremendous drive to hit or murder someone? When? Why? How? Elucidate.
-Yes sometimes I have felt tremendous drive to murder someone, mostly when someone behaving very bad to me and insulting me. I never like people who cheats or who are different at face and different from inside and whenever I comes to know about that cheating I feel like I should hit that person very hard.I like straightforward person who will accept as they are without wearing any mask.
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 of suicidal tendency.
-Yes, the surprising part is that I felt like committing suicide when I was not much aware about it. When I was in 6th class, I gone through my worst experience in class. crying in corner, not showing face to anyone. That was the time when I get rejection or inhuman treatment by everyone. Rejection in the sense of losing my best friend. I used to get jealous with my friend and even she leaves me all alone. Teachers that time doing so much partiality, treat my friend in very polite way and treats me like I am something disgusting for them. Many are laughing on my name, my style of speaking always makes them laugh and I felt very insulting because Teacher also used to laugh on me. That time I felt that what I am doing in this world, Why don't I leave this world, no one needs me, no one bother about my presence. But I didn't find courage to do some suicidal action.
4. Write about the scariest of your dreams. Have you ever cried or screamed by a bizarre and horrible nightmare? Elaborate.
-One of my scariest dream is Bull or cow was running behind in anger to hit me and I was very much helpless. No one comes to help me even my family stands and seeing me in trouble but not doing anything to stop that bull. This dream comes so many times, that I was keeps on running miles to miles, passing from each and every place and Bull was behind me, I am not even find any place to rescue myself. I screamed a lot in dream but not in reality. Even I dreamt about Ghost which makes me fearful and suddenly woke up with sweat on my head.
5. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever undergone any experience of supernatural elements? Explain.
-Yes I do believe in Ghosts but I have only heard stories about it, I have never experienced any supernatural elements. I feel like there is world for ghost, just like God Exist but we have never seen God, similarly the case with the existence of Ghost.
Thinking Activity:
Review of two films: Midnight's Children and The Reluctant Fundamentalist from Postcolonial point of view.
As both the films are having different perspective. We can apply Postcolonial theory on both these films. First lets have look on the reviews.
Review of Midnight's Children by Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta has presented very clear image of the Novel Midnight's Children which was written by Salman Rushdie in her film. She has exposed the cruelty of society.
Two children born at Midnight
There is very significant incident after the colonisation of Britishers, at first night before Independent At 12 Two children born. Both get totally different treatment as because there was exchange of both these kids.
Rich becomes poor and poor becomes rich
There was one man Joseph D'Costa who comes with the idea that let the rich becomes poor and poor becomes rich, lets have changed the fortune of kids who born at midnight". He entered into the hospital with his revolutionary idea and tell to the nurse Mary Perara about his thought. Mary first refuses to do so. But later on she herself exchanged the baby.
Two conflicting characters
Saleem sinnai who is actually the son of poor street singer Vanita and landlord Methwold, exchanged with Shiva who is the son of Amina and Ahmed, the rich parentage. But unfortunately grown up with poverty under the care of Wee Willie Winkie, the husband of Vanita. In this way two main characters grown up with totally different environment. Saleem at one hand very obedient and peace lover man, Shiva on the other hand loves violence. They remain enemy till the end of the film.
Merging of religion
As Shiva who is actually the son of Muslim parents, got Hindu name and grown up with Hindu culture. Saleem who is actually Hindu but grown up with Muslim Ideology. This shows merging of religion. It also shows that we are not born as Hindu or Muslim, we just born as Human but society makes us or categorized us in different religion. Symbol of Chutneyfication
The word chutney used many times in the film. The nurse who later on becomes the nun of Saleem Sinnai (in her guilt), used to tell this word to Saleem that she will make tasty chutney for him. Even at the end of the film This Chutney of Mary helps Saleem to reach to the destination of mary and they reunite. Chutney also symbolised the mixer of identity.
Symbol of Spittoon
Spittoon is a container in which one used to spit after chewing Pan. This also symbolized the dignity of a man. When a person is frustrated then he used to spit or used to omit the bad things out in a container or we can say that to other person, in form of a talk about something which was hidden and person wants to spoke or reveal the secret. After the war Saleem lost his memory but keep on holding Spittoon in his hand. When someone tries to take that Spitton he fight or denied to give it to anyone. In a way this symbolised that even after losing everything Sallem don't wants to lose his dignity. Free minded parents
However this is satire on the society where parents never allowed their daughters to marry to the guy whom they loved. But in the film without raising any type of objection Parents of three daughters Amina, Emerald and Alia allows them to marry with whoever they wish. Amina married twice, first with Nadir, and then with Ahmed after the elope of Nadir. Idea of Mother's dream about the relationship of her daughters
Deepa Mehta presented unique idea about the dream of mother. In this film Naseem dreamt about the relationship of her daughters. She saw successful businessman in Alia's dream, In Amina's dream she saw a boy with cucumber nose. In this way she used to dream about her daughters who are in relationship. That was in a way very awkward idea.
Symbol of Cucumber nose
Nose always stands for dignity, pride of a person. In this film the phrase "Cucumber Nose" again and again came with reference to the parental genes. Saleem got the cucumber type nose and at first when all don't know about the real parentage of Saleem, used to think that this nose is similar to Ahmed. But later on this nose becomes a kind of disgust for Ahmed when he comes to know that Sallem in actually is the son of Methold and Vanita.
Notion of Mother India
By presenting Anita Sinai, the Notion of Mother India breaks down. Director has used camera very smartly by using two contrasting things. At first sides there is poster of Mother India film and on other side Amina is going to met her ex-husband Nadir.
Happy ending with the celebration of Independence day
The film ends happily as according to common archetype of most of the films. The hero wins and villain dies. In this film Saleem was consider as Hero and Shiva as villain. Saleem is presented as very kind hearted man who married to Parvati when she was pregnant, having baby of Shiva in her womb and after the death of Parvati take care of her son as a real father. At the end Mary and Picture singh celebrated birthday of Saleem at midnight, and there is also celebration of Independence day along with Saleem's Birthday.
From Postcolonial perspective
If we look from Post colonial perspective then we find many gaps in the films which are to be filled or which are to be taken into consideration. There are many hidden things presented in the film.
1. Hybridity
The mixture of two identity, as there is no pure identity or culture exist, even human beings are made up of mixer of genes.
Saleem Sinai
Saleem Sinai who is in actual the son of Vanita, poor street singer and the Britisher Methwold. Mixer of Hindu and Christian religion, but grown up in Muslim family. This toatlly shows Hybrid identity.
Shiva
Shiva was actually the son of Muslim parents Amina and Ahmed but grown up in Hindu family background. This again shows the hybrid identity because he got the Hindu name.
2. The brutal image of Indira Gandhi
Even after the Independence India faced so many troubles. Indira Gandhi was presented very badly in the film. Her acst are not welcomed by any poor Indian. In democratic country she shows her dictatorship. She has passed two acts which damaged the life of people.
In 1975 she has passed Emergency which leads to sudden increase in price rate and poor are dying in shortage and not able to purchase their basic needs. On the other hand rich people are not facing so much troubles.
In film Shiva was told to operate Vasectomy and therefore he forcefully taking the people for this brutal thing. This act proven as one of the inhuman or cruel order of Prime Minister to overcome poverty.
At one side these all things are happening and on the other side Indira Gandhi was shown as indifferent personality who is busy in taking good meal and don't care about the plight of humans.
Magic realism is a genre of narrative fiction, expresses a primarily realistic view of the real world while also adding or revealing magical elements(Wikipedia)
In this film also there is use of magic realism through two main characters:-
i) Saleem Sinai
Saleem sinai has got magical power to call all the cildren who were born along with him at midnight of Independence day. In a way these incident shown as something in real happening, but included super magical elements which all children never get. He is not only calling each person but also recalls name of them and actually met them afterwards.
ii) Parvati
Parvati, the street dancer also added some magical elements in the film. She used to spoke the magical mantra "Aabra ka dabra" and can do anything with it, can hide people in a basket. In a way these all things are merely superstitions nothing more.
4. Symbol of national flag
Even after independence people din't learn to give respect to the national flag. And under the umbrella of flag people are brutally killing each others.In the film at one side national flag was shown and on other Shiva was doing violence. This is the disrespect of nation.
Review of film "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" from postcolonial view point:-
The Reluctant Fundamentalist was directed by Mira Nair and was based on Mohsin Hamid's novel. Riz Ahmed playing the lead role and has given justice to his character by presenting himself in real way. There was not lots of melodrama which only makes plot complicated. Each and everything seems real to life without any type of artificiality which we find in similar Bollywood masala sequel "New York"
There was one checking scene at Airport in Reluctant Fundamentalist which happen as usually, not showing to much melodramatic elements in it. But On the other hand when we look at John Abraham performing this scene with high emotions. This was the technique of director who can add realistic as well as over emotional scene to attract audience. As now a days audience becomes so much indifferent that simple actions doesn't affect them and they need high emotions to feel the situation or the condition to which the character is passing through.
Frame Story
The Reluctant Fundamentalist used frame narrative technique, story within story. The main story was told by Changez Khan to journalist Bobby of his life and one story was also revolving around them. While narrating his story there were many incidents happening outside. In this way we can call it frame story.
Suspecting Muslim identity as Terrorist
In foreign countries mostly Muslims are treated or suspected as a terrorist and because of that doubt they have to undergo with so many struggles. Similar thing happens with Changez Khan who was suspected as a terrorist and therefore he has to pass through with very strict checking. His all clothes are taken off and has also shown his private part. This is very much insulting for him and in his mind at some corner hatred towards foreigners begins.
Changez Khan spoke very relevant line:-
"Nazre Dhokha Kha sakti hai"
This is what postcolonial study is reflecting. To look at things and to believe is not an easy task. One must have to see the gaps in literature, in history. There must be retailing of past so that some minor things which are not taken into consideration should get reflected. We have to look at minor narratives rather than meta narrative in understanding the things in better way.
In this film also Bobby suspects Changez and believes in what he saw without thinking. He suspects him as giving order to kill his companion through text message. But when he knows the truth, he feels so much guilty about it.And in revenge he also accidentally kills the student of Changez Khan. Then he remembers the first lines told by Changez khan that "Nazre Dhokha Kha sakti hai" and feels that how true Changez khan is speaking.
9/11 attacks Reaction Of Changez Khan when Twin Towers are falling down
When Changez Khan first heard the news about the blast at Twin towers he becomes shocked. But later on there was a smile in his face. This is only because of the treatment of foreigners with him. He was treated very badly and was suspected at each and every place.
He compares this situation with the blast and attacks at Baghdad when so many innocent are died. Very artistically he present his thought and reaction in front of Bobby about the blast at Twins Tower.
He says that he obviously not feels good as you are also not feeling good when innocent are dying at Baghdad attacks. Satirical he presents his happiness or satisfaction about that incident.
Changez Khan's revolutionary lectures
Changez with his bitter experience gives revolutionary lectures in his class. For that he was attacked by the people who are not in favour of his thoughts and his family was also puts in danger.
Bobby Lincoln, the American presented as spy
Bobby Lincoln was not a journalist in real sense. He was a spy and meets Changez only to get the information about his revolutionary acts. This is also the post colonial point of view of looking at or portraying Americans as disloyal, that can never be trusted with the bitter experience of past.
Symbol of beard
Normally over bearded man was never looked by people in a better sense. In this film also there was one line spoken by on of the minor character in front of Changez while looking at his beard that " This long beard also makes him fearful". In a way he is raising doubts against the real identity of Changez khan.
Giving Pakistani tag to Changez Khan
Erica the beloved of Changez khan throws one show in which she has mentioned that "I had a Pakistani once". In this way unknowingly she has characterised Changez as Pakistani which makes him so much angry and suddenly broke the relationship with her.
At the end Changez has lost his job and visa and has to leave that country. In his subconscious mind the feeling of hatred is growing and decided to give revolutionary lectures against the Americans. Once he loves America very much, but after his bitter experience with peoples he starts hating it.
In this way we can look at both the films from Postcolonial point of view, that even after colonisation writers has written these type of revolutionary text and the directors articulated it well in films to show the mindset of people. To throw some lights on the margin identity.
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 female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said?
Virginia Woolf has portrayed each and every character of her novel in a very smart and better way that the message that she wanted to convey to the society easily conveyed. She has used a special technique of Stream of consciousness to convey her message. She present very complex human relationship, everyday battles with reflection to her various characters.
Let us discuss each points in details
i) Complexity of human relationship, everyday battles
Mr. Ramsay and Mrs Ramsay
Husband wife's relationship in the novel seems very complex. From the very beginning we can find that Mr. Ramsay always remains in passive and angry mood. Most of the time he talked with his wife angrily. But still it is very complex situation because sometimes he behaves totally contrasting to his own character in very calm and romantic way with his wife. These all things are not presented in a direct way but with the help of inner thoughts of characters which helps us to understand things in easier way.
Example from text representing the inner thoughts of characters.
Thought of Mrs. Ramsay
"she thought, possibly she might have managed things better—her husband;
money; his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her
decision, evade difficulties, or slur over duties."
Mr. Ramsay
“No going to the Lighthouse, James,” he said, as trying in deference to Mrs Ramsay to soften
his voice into some semblance of geniality at least.
ii) Struggle of female artist
Lily briscoe struggles a lot, as she was a painter and society always thinks that painting is a work of men not women, How the backwardness of human mind leads to several restrictions in society which are meaningless.
In the novel when Lily is drawing a painting that time she was interrupted by Mr. Tansley, she started thinking in mind that why this man came here and spoke many things in the form of inner thoughts which are not presented directly in front of Mr. Tansley. In this way Virginia Woolf is successful in presenting human thoughts with the help of stream of consciousness technique.
"He was really, Lily Briscoe thought, in spite of his eyes, but then look at his nose, look at his hands, the most uncharming human being she had ever met. Then why did she mind what he said? Women can’t write, women can’t paint—what did that matter coming from him, since clearly it was not true to him but for some reason helpful to him, and that was why he said it? Why did her whole being bow, like corn under a wind, and erect itself again from this abasement only with a great and rather painful effort? She must make it once more. There’s the sprig on the table-cloth; there’s my painting; I must move the tree to the middle; that matters—nothing else. Could she not hold fast to that, she asked herself, and not lose her temper, and not argue; and if she wanted revenge take it by laughing at him?
“Oh, Mr Tansley,” she said, “do take me to the Lighthouse with you. I should so love it.”
2. Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs Ramsay"?
Yes the novel is both the tribute as well as critique of Mrs Ramsay, Virginia has presented both the qualities of single women, good or bad.
At one side Virginia Woolf presented Mrs Ramsay as an ideal women who is always ready to serve her guest at any cost. She used to make enough recipe that her guest can full up their stomach. Mr. Ramsay never like his wife's over protective and caring nature for other. Mrs Ramsay looks upon the needs of all the members and deals with each situation very calmly.
Critique of Mrs Ramsay
Lily Briscoe presented the other aspect of Mrs Ramsay's character. Mostly she was thinking about Mrs Ramsay in her mind even after the death of her. Lily thought that her own life is better than Mrs Ramsay because she was free to take her own decision. Mrs Ramsay always busy in thinking of others, she never finds time for herself. She was busy in satisfying the ego of her husband, and was tied in an invisible bond with her family.
"she thought, possibly she might have managed things better—her husband;
money; his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her
decision, evade difficulties, or slur over duties."
3. Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?
Symbolically, the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay, not Lily Briscoe. As the whole novel was surrounded around Mrs. Ramsay even after her death she was presented in the mind of the characters like, Lily Briscoe, Nancy, Mr. Ramsay. The first part of the novel "The Window" is almost covers a large part with Mrs Ramsay's dialogue and her inner thoughts while telling the story of the Fisherman to her son James.
In the second part "Time Passes" Mrs Ramsay died suddenly.
In the third part "The Lighthouse" she was presented in the mind of Lily Briscoe, who continuously thinks about her. While drawing the last painting which was not finished since ten years when Mrs Ramsay was alive, she thinks about all characteristics in her mind and then gave finishing look to her painting.
"Yes, it must have been precisely here that she had stood ten years ago. There was the wall;
the hedge; the tree. The question was of some relation between those masses. She had borne
it in her mind all these years. It seemed as if the solution had come to her: she knew now
what she wanted to do."
4. In the article by Joseph Blotner, 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?
-If we look from mythic pattern then Mrs Ramsay is put in the centre of the novel. Symbolically Woman is the symbol of homemaker, She has the power of creation. The very ultimate creation of the female is the birth of a child. She is a life giver.
This always raise doubt in our mind that is Virginia woolf knowingly makes use of myth or unknowingly. We find answer of this question in the diary of Woolf's where written that:-
"She read Greek, and "on not knowing the Greek"
Myth of Gaia and Uranus
According to the Myth of Greek God Gaia and Uranus, Gaia forced her son Chronus to kill Uranus. This myth can be connected with Mrs Ramsay, her son James and Mr Ramsay. James was not forced by his mother, but in a way he always wish to stab knife in his father's chest, whenever his father scolded him or when denied to go at Lighthouse. However there is no direct evidence present in the novel. The way Chronus eats children and Cuts Uranus's genital organ because of Uranus atrocity over Gaia, is symbolised male force over female, just like Mr. Ramsay forcing Mrs. Ramsay to satisfy his ego.
Lighthouse itself symbolised male phallic symbol and Window and door symbolised female. The title of the novel itself raised many questions that why Woolf gave the title which symbolised male even if Mrs Ramsay is the life giver( Myth of Pagan Goddess as a life giver).
Oedipus myth
According to Oedipus myth, Son unknowingly kills his father and married with his mother. In the novel James didn't like his father because he thinks that his father takes his mother and steal the time which he supposed to spend with his mother. Unknowingly this type of thinking rises Oedipus complex in the mind of the little James who sometimes in anger wish to stab knife in the chest of his father because of disliking him, but in actual did not do that.
5. What do you understand by the German term' Kunstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'kunstlerroman' novel?
Kunstlerroman is the Narrative in which there is growth of an artist. It is the narrative about an artist growth to maturity.
To The Lighthouse is considered as the Kunstelrroman because in this novel there is growth of an artist. Virginia Woolf herself seems like growing stage by stage with each characters presented in the novel.
Growth of artist with Lily Briscoe's character
In the novel the character of Lily Briscoe present a mature growth of an artist ( as Lily symbolised the character of Virginia Woolf herself). In the very beginning when lily was drawing a painting of Mrs. Ramsay along with James, that time she was not able to give it finishing touch by portraying the emotions lying on the face of Mrs Ramsay. But in the end she was matured enough to give finishing look to her painting after the death of Mrs Ramsay. We can see the mental growth of an artist.
In reality Virginia Woolf was also struggling with her life. She has fought extremely courageous battle and succeed in the end.
6. Lily's Dilemma in 'To The Lighthouse'
Lily Briscoe is totally opposite of Mrs Ramsay. She didn't believe in married life and therefore shows no interest in men. She is happy in her single life. She always wanted to become free from all the barriers of society and she has strong and deep thought that can never be changed by anyone regarding marriage. She makes her mind enough strong that she never accept proposal of any man. In the novel Mr. Bankes proposed her but she refuses the proposal. Lily's dilemma is that she faced the situation of making toughest choice in her life for her marriage. She never wanted to be mingle with anybody. Even after the death of Mrs Ramsay, Mr Ramsay looks at her with different angle because he feels all alone and wanted someone with whom he can share everything, who can satisfy his ego. But Lily denied his indirect proposal. She is stubborn woman who never change her decision.
7. You have compared the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaption 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/ visuals?
The beginning and end of the film is totally different from the novel. Yes it is true that we find difficulty in understanding film version if we do not know the background of the novel. But after knowing the background we understand the film in better way. It signifies that the words are more powerful than the visual. However this thing not happen all the time. Its only happens sometimes when the work was written with some specific techniques which is difficult to understand and more difficult to present on the screen.
Stream of Consciousness
This technique makes the viewer confused and it can be written properly but can not be presented properly. It signifies the continuous flow of thoughts in the character's mind. A single character thinks a lot before doing any action. This technique ofcourse makes the viewers of the film bored.
Difference in the End scene
In the ending scene of the film all have reached to the lighthouse without much thoughts or action running in characters mind. The film was ended very quickly, not showing the main things in detail.
Inner thoughts of James and Cam
In the novel while going to the Lighthouse, there were enormous thoughts going on in the minds of the characters. But these thoughts are not reflected in the film. James was waiting for one word of praise from his father and at last when they are about to reach then finally he heard that word for which he is longing for. He feels inner satisfaction, but these thoughts are not directly presented by James but with the help of stream of consciousness technique through the mind of Cam.
" At last he said, triumphantly:
“Well done!” James had steered them like a born sailor.
There! Cam thought, addressing herself silently to James.
You’ve got it at last. For she knew that this was what James
had been wanting, and she knew that now he had got it he was
so pleased that he would not look at her or at his father or at
any one. There he sat with his hand on the tiller sitting bolt
upright, looking rather sulky and frowning slightly. He was so
pleased that he was not going to let anybody share a grain of
his pleasure. His father had praised him. They must think that
he was perfectly indifferent. But you’ve got it now, Cam
thought.
They had tacked, and they were sailing swiftly, buoyantly"
8. How do you interpret the last line of the novel, with reference to the ending of the film.
In the novel and film last line spoken by Lily Briscoe is different and both the situation represents different views of Lily.
i) Last line of the novel
It was done; it was finished.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I
have had my vision.
It seems like Lily has completed her vision, means she has get the answer of her question for which she is struggling since a long. It was not outside struggle but the struggle or conflict inside her mind. She is always thinking about Mrs Ramsay and he married life. In the end Lily after completing her painting about Mrs Ramsay realised that the emotions, feelings which she was lacking to draw in the painting are complete and now she has get all her vision about it by thinking about changing her mind. Her constant thoughts about Mrs Ramsay indicated that how there is strong influence of Mrs Ramsay over her that all time her mind get surrounded by her thoughts. It is only because Ramsay has something which she was lacking. Even if Mrs Ramsay was dead, even if Mr Ramsay was outside at his Lighthouse trip she was constantly thinking about them. It signifies that how she is longing for warmth of family.
“He must have reached it,” said Lily Briscoe aloud, feeling
suddenly completely tired out. For the Lighthouse had become
almost invisible, had melted away into a blue haze, and the
effort of looking at it and the effort of thinking of him landing
there, which both seemed to be one and the same effort, had
stretched her body and mind to the utmost. Ah, but she was
relieved. Whatever she had wanted to give him, when he left
her that morning, she had given him at last."
ii) Last line of the film
"After the final stroke on the canvass with finishing touch, Lily walks inside the house. As she goes ante-chamber, the light and dark shade makes his face play hide-and-seek. She climbs stairs, puts her brush aside, walks through the dark and light to enter her room. Gently closes the door - speaks: "Closed doors, open windows" - lies on the bed and with some sort of satisfaction utters: "Dearest Briscoe, you are a fool"
In the ending scene of the film Lily addressed herself as "fool". It symbolised that in her whole life she remains alone and never wanted to get marries because marriage was like prison for her. She thought that the way Mrs Ramsay doing for her family she might be never think of doing those all things in her life, she never allow herself to be like servant of house. She is very stubborn woman. But at the end what she got, nothing. She remains all alone, there was no one for whom she can say that he/she is her family. On the other hand even if Mrs Ramsay died, she lives in the mind of the family members, in the mind of her husband who thinks that to going to the Lighthouse is her only last wish. Therefore thinks of completing it and decide to go to the trip to The Lighthouse.
Even Mrs Ramsay rules over the mind of Lily herself. Therefore at last Lily calls herself a fool who never understand the family value.
9. What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
James is cutting down the picture from the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy stores, endowed the picture of refrigerator.
Army and Navy stands for war and consumerism
Both these Army and navy stands for something related to violence and war. In a way it signifies Mr. Ramsay's angry mood who is always ready to quarrel and always throws cruel remarks to his son James. James always wishes to kills him whenever he makes bad remarks.
"Had there been an axe
handy, a poker, or any weapon that would have gashed a hole in his father’s
breast and killed him, there and then, James would have seized it. "
Symbol of Refrigerator
Refrigerator signifies the preservative nature of Mrs Ramsay. It stands for change, advance technology. But Refrigerator not allows natural process, It controls the natural process of food which we kept inside it.
Other side it preserve each and every things inside it. In this way refrigerator plays dual role. With reference to Refrigerator Mrs Ramsay is a preserver of culture or shapes culture of an Ideal woman.
"James Ramsay, sitting on the floor
cutting out pictures from the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy
stores, endowed the picture of a refrigerator,as his mother spoke, with heavenly bliss. It was fringed
with joy. The wheelbarrow, the lawnmower, the sound of poplar trees, leaves
whitening before rain, rooks cawing, brooms knocking, dresses rustling—all
these were so coloured and distinguished
in his mind that he had already his private code, his secret language, though
he appeared the image of stark and uncompromising severity, with his high
forehead and his fierce blue eyes, impeccably candid and pure, frowning
slightly at the sight of human frailty, so that his mother, watching him guide
his scissors neatly round the refrigerator, imagined him all red and ermine on
the Bench or directing a stern and momentous enterprise in some crisis of
public affairs.“But,”
said his father, stopping in front of the drawing-room window, “it won’t be
fine.”
10. Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the "Fisherman's Wife"?
Virginia Woolf presented very Ideal woman Mrs Ramsay in her novel and in a way Mrs Ramsay is the protagonist of novel. But on the other hand she has give such prominence to the tale of the Fisherman's wife who is always demanding something with her husband. This story of Fisherman seems like misogynist story in which there is bad portrayal of female. In a way she is reflecting the patriarchal society that how woman are presented negatively in text, how a demanding woman is consider as a bad woman. She wants to reflect the harsh reality of the society by presenting the Fisherman's wife story. In reality most of the women are ideal as Mrs Ramsay, but still society present negative picture of society.
11. How is India represented in 'To the lighthouse'?
i) "There were all the places she had not seen; the Indian plains"
India represented in this line of the novel as somethings like alien country which never be seen by anyone. It is just a strange country for them.
ii) But which was it to be? They had all the trays of her jewel-case open. The gold necklace, which was Italian, or the opal necklace, which Uncle James had brought her from India; or should she wear her amethysts?
Here India stands for its richness of resource. As this line signifies that India is best known for Opal necklace.
iii) "her husband said, his great admirers, and come there for a holiday.
Indeed, she had the whole of the other sex under her protection; for reasons
she could not explain, for their chivalry and valour, for the fact that they
negotiated treaties, ruled India, controlled finance; finally for an attitude
towards herself which no woman could fail to feel or to find agreeable,
something trustful, childlike, reverential;"
Here India stands for country which was ruled by the colonial power.
In this way so many times the reference of India came in the novel with different significance and interpretation.
