LIFE AND LITERATURE

  ON SEEING A WHITE FLAG ACROSS A BY - ROAD                                                                              -KAMALA WIJERATNE               ‘A White Flag Across a by Road’ is a war poem, the other a love poem. Both relate the futility of human hopes and endeavours. In the former, a young soldier’s body is brought home and the pathos of the event as well as circumstances which made him a soldier are expressed poignantly. This poem on seeing a white flag across a by road side depicts the death of young soldier. His body was covered in a white national flag and kept inside a sealed box. No one identified him. The soldiers’ body was brought to his home by his comrades.             The mother and sister of the soldiers were shocked to see his dead body. His sister was crippled and she moved forward in grief. The soldier fought for the country but the administrators did not honour him for his death. He was not given any floral tribute. His death was not mourned by anybody

 Necessity for Study of Literature Introduction:-      This essay focuses on the importance of study of literature. Literature is described as the reflection of life. As there are a number of nations and languages in the world, there are a number of Literature. The significance of literature is so great that it cannot be considered as a mere repository of fables and parables. Literature is found in various genres such as Poetry, Prose, Play, Fiction, and so on. This essay puts forth the reasons why study of literature should be given priority. Literature as the Identity of a Society      Language and Literature are considered to be the identity of a society or a nation. It is a documentation of the way of life, values and ethics, social and religious beliefs of the bygone ages. Over and above, the reading of literary works will also illustrate what types of political systems and governance existed in the past. Literature plays a very predominant role in the sustenance of a society’s tr

  THE ART OF LIVING                                                 -Mahadevi Varma               The Art of Living is passionate about empowering women and making them self-re like in many developing countries, change at the grassroots is slow while the challenges abound. A girl child is seen as a liability, giving an impetus to practices such as selective gender abortion and marriage of the girl child. Educating a girl child is given a lower priority as she is considered to take on the role of a homemaker after marriage.             Those women who want to engage in economic activities face further roadblocks in learning a skill or getting funding to start their micro-venture. Nevertheless, the relentless efforts of agencies, individuals, and progressive thinkers have resulted in several changes. When seen together, these Like in many developing countries, change at the grassroots is slow while the challenges abound. A girl child is seen as a liability, giving an impetus to p

                                                                         MUMU                                     -IVAN TURGENEV      On one of the remote streets of Moscow in a gray house with white columns lived a widowed lady, surrounded by numerous servants. Among her servants, the janitor Gerasim, who was deaf and dumb from birth, stood out. He was gifted with an extraordinary, heroic force, he worked for four, and any case “bickered in his hands.” Once the lady brought Gerasim from the village. At first he yearned for his native places, but soon got used to city life. Yard people respected and were afraid of Gerasim. The man lived in a private room reserved for him over the kitchen, which he arranged in his own way and always locked it.      A year later, the old lady decided to marry the bitter drunkard of Capito on the laundress Tatiana, hoping that the marriage could fix it.  Tatyana was the girl of an unfortunate fate, she had worked very hard for pennies since the earl

  GOD’S CAN DIE                                                          - EDWIN THUMBOO              The poems title gods can die Thumboo explains that the term ‘gods’ refers to humanistic impulses, the goodness in man. He writes, ‘I believe that ultimately man makes and unmakes his destiny, depending on which side of him prevails’ (Nazareth in Ariels: Departure and Returns.             The poet observes the character of politicians and reflect their behavioural change. He point out two realities power and friendship. The poet refers the word GOD as goodness in man or moral activities. The poet makes it clear through his poem that friendship and politician are two different things. An individual become a changed man after acquiring power.             He devotes more time to serve for his country than for the betterment of the country and his people. His friendly may misunderstand him for his change in attitude but he never cares for the friends circle. He works for a particula

  THE VEIL                                                          -ISMAT CHUGHTAI                       The Veil is a short story that describes the tragic fate of an eighty year old virgin Gorbi. The story deals with pride and arrogance that portray the superficiality of traditions and customs and the false pride that governs the lives of the protagonist Kale Mian and Gorbi over a span of thirty years. The simple story expresses deep sorrow. The story The Veil written by Ismatchughtai is translated by Tahira Naqvi             The Veil also known as “lihaaf” is written by Ismatchughtai who was considered a controversial writer at the time. The story is about a woman who lives in an oppressive society and is married through obligation. Her husband neglects her and she is caged within the four walls of the house.             Gorbi is fair complexioned. At the age of fourteen she is engaged to Kale Mian a seventeen year old dark complexioned bride groom. According to their tr

                                                                   GOBLIN MARKET  Introduction:       Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember".. Christina Rossetti was born in Charlotte Street (now Hallam Street), London, to Gabriele Rossetti, a poet and a political exile from Vasto, Abruzzo, Italy, since 1824 and Frances Polidori, the sister of Lord Byron's friend and physician John William Polidori.  [1] She had two brothers and a sister: Dante Gabriel became an influential artist and poet, and William Michael and Maria both became writers. [2] Christina, the youngest and a lively child, dictated her first story to her mother before she had learnt to write. [3] Rossetti was educated at home by her mother and father, through religious works, classics, fairy tales and novels. Rossetti delighted in the works of Keats, Scott, An

  THE STORY OF AN HOUR                                                                                      - Kate Chopin INTRODUCTION  The Story of an Hour" follows Louise Mallard, the protagonist, as she deals with the news that her husband, Brently Mallard, has died. Louise is informed of her husband's tragic death in a railroad accident by her sister, Josephine. Louise reacts with immediate grief and heads to her room where she gradually comes to the realization that she is happy that her husband has died. Though she bore no animosity towards her husband, the implications of his death include a new sense of freedom for Louise. This realization of possibility is the source of her joy and "she breathed a quick prayer that life might be long".[3] Later, she heads back downstairs, only to witness Brently coming home. Her joy turns to shock at the sight of her husband and she dies as a result. The doctors in the story diagnose her death as heart disease, also describe

  CLOTHES                                                                                           -  CHITRA BANNERJEE DIVAKARUNI     Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born Chitralekha Banerjee, July 29, 1956) is an Indian American  author, poet, and the Betty and Gene McDavid Professor of Writing at th e   University of Houston  Crea tive Writing Program.      Her short story collection, Arranged Marriage won an American Book Award  in 1995, and two of her novels The Mistress of Spices and Sister Of my Heart  as well as a short story The Word Love were adapted into films.  The Mistress of Spices  was short-listed for the  Orange Price.  Currently, Sister of My Heart, Oleander Girl, Palace of Illusions , and One Amazing Thing have all been optioned to be made into movies or TV serials.      Divakaruni's works are largely set in India and the United States, and often focus on the experiences of South Asian immigrants. She writes for children as well as adults and has pu

  THE THOUSAND FACES OF NIGHT                                                                              GITHA HARIHARAN      Githa Hariharan, an Indian author and editor based in New Delhi, who is known for her first novel, “The Thousand Faces of Night.” She has won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 1993. Born in Coimbatore, and brought up in Mumbai and Manila, Githa pursued a BA (in English) from University of Mumbai and a MA (in Communications) from the Fairfield University. She first worked in the Public Broadcasting System in New York. Then, she worked with a publishing firm as an editor in India. She, along with her husband, has won the right to have the children named after her (instead of carrying the father's name).       This famous case was argued by Indira Jaising, and the Supreme Court agreed that the mother was also a "natural guardian" of the child. Her first novel, “The Thousand Faces of Night" talks about the problems of women, & the b

  A SCARF                                                 CAROLD SHIELD      Carol Ann Shields was an American-born Canadian author. She is best know  for her 1993 novel, The Stone Diaries, which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award in Canada. Shields was the author of several novels and short story collections, including The Orange Fish (1989), Swann (1987), Various Miracles (1985), Happenstance (1980), and The Republic of Love (1992). She was the recipient of a Canada Council Major Award, two National Magazine Awards, the 1990 Marian Angel Award, the Canadian Author's Award, and a CBC Short Story Award. She was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998 and was elevated to Companion of the Order in 2002. Shields was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a member of the Order of Manitoba.      The story begins with the declaration of Mrs. Winter, the narrator that ‘two y

  DANGLING MAN                                                                                       -SAUL BELLOW Introduction:             Saul bellow was born in Lachine, Quehee, a suburb of Montreal and was brought up in Chicago. He got his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 1937 with honours in Sociology and Anthropology. His notable works are                            Seize the Day                           Henderson the Rain King                           Herzog                           Mosby’s Memors                           Mr.Sammler’s Planet            “Humboldt’s Gift” was awarded the Pulitzer prize and National book award for Fiction. In 1965, Bellow was awarded the International prize for Herzog. “Dangling Man”, the first novel of Saul Bellow is in a dairy style. “If you have someone equal in ability to me I will beat him every time because I will try harder”. Theme:            The theme of the novel is the search for the values of