Book Review: Before the coffee gets cold

Book Review: Before the coffee gets cold 

          If you could go back , who would you want to meet? 

     

Before the coffee gets cold novel written by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It comes with interesting concept of time traveling. A cafe in Tokyo name Funiculi Funicula that allows it's customers to travel back in time and return before the coffee gets cold. There are rules you must follow. 

  # The first rule : the only person you can meet while travel back in past are those who have visited the cafe. If the person you want to meet has never visited the cafe you can return to the past but you can't meet them. So if the visitors came from the far and wide across the japan it would turn out wasted journey for them. 

# The second rule : there is nothing you can do while in past that can change the present. 

# The third rule: There is only one seat that allows you to go back in time. So There is one lady who traveled back to time but could not return before coffee gets cold and turn into " Ghost". So This lady sitting on that time traveling seat. The only time you can sit there is when ghost goes to the toilet. She always goes once a day but no one can predict when that will be. 

# The fourth rule : while in past you can't move that seat. If you do you will be pulled back to present by force. 

# The fifth rule : your stay in the past begins when the coffee is poured and must end before the coffee gets cold. 

The novel has four stories : 

1) The lovers 

2) Husband and wife 

3) The sisters 

4) Mother and child 

The novel divided into four different stories. The first customer is Fumiko Kiyokava a businesswoman who wants to meet her boyfriend and redo a conversation before he leave for abroad. The second customer is Kohtake a nurse wants to meet her husband before his Alzheimers’ deteriorated and no longer remember her. She tires to find a letter her Alzheimer husband wrote for her. The third customer is Hirai a bar owner. She wants to meet her dead sister and talk to her. The fourth customer is cafe co owner named kei who wants to go future to check the condition of her unborn child. 

The present didn't change for everyone. Fumiko return from the past with the hope that she is able to repair her relationship with Gora. The present didn’t change for Kohtake but she banned everyone from using her maiden name and changed her attitude towards Fusagi. She would be with Fusagi to continue being his wife even though she had vanished from his memory. Hirai abandoned her successful bar to rejoin her family while repairing her relationship with her parents she learn traditional ways of inn.Hirai had still lost her sister but the photo she sent to the cafe showed her looking happy with her parents. Kei's heart sang with happiness when she saw Miki. She was the mother of the girl standing before her. She realised that Fumiko had been by Miki for these fifteen years. Nagare as father and kazu had been played a role of mother and sister. She realised that all these people had been around Miki supporting her growth for these fifteen years after she had been  gone .

 

  The novel with beautiful message no matter what difficulties people face they will always strength to overcome them. It just take a heart. The chair can not change fthe present but it can change someone heart. At the end it matter the most. 

 

Movie Review: Shyam Singha Roy

                               

 Shyam Singha Roy is telugu movie. It's love story interwoven with social message.  It's story of reincarnation of Shyam singha Roy as Vasudev Ghanta  upcoming film maker. During making his first short film he get hitten by people on head. Afterwards by released  his short film he get famous in industry. He released   his another  film ' Uniki ' which make him successful and famous film maker. Afterwards because of this film he got arrested on the charges of plagiarism by famous publishing house of Kolkata SR Publication. During this time he suffered from psychological disorder. He gets some flashes from his past life As Shyam Sigha Roy. Later on story interwoven with the life of Shyam Singha Roy. Afterwards in court shayam' s brother approves that Vasudev is reincarnation of Shyam Singha Roy. He saw the short film made by Vasudev which was  similar story told by shayam only to him  which he  never able to publish. 

It's story of Shyam Singha Roy a social Reformer  and revolutionary Writer. He belong from conservative family. His family disagree with his believes and methods. In this flim highlights many social issues like Castism, Blind faith , untouchablity , women condition during his time. He strongly stand and raised his voice  against injustice happened during his time. As a social reformer he faces many difficulties and humiliation. He helps women to escape if they are trapped in this tradition. He marries devdasi woman named  Maitry. He also builds training institute for Devdasis to become financially independent. 

As Writer Shyam Singha Roy  strongly belived that through his words he can bring awareness among people and change  the social norms in the society. He believe that pen is more powerful than Gun. He offered gun align with naxal movement but he refused to accept because he belive that pen is more powerful weapon. In starting of his writing carrier he face many difficulties. Afterwards he became successful controversial Writer of his time. 

In this movie shows the condition of women through the "Devadasi Pratha". Devadasi was female artist who worship and service God or temple for rest of their lives. Along with taking care of temple these women also learned classical Indian dance. They  consider as Devi. In this movie highlight  the dark side of this ritual.  It's a tradition where young girls married off to the Gods and sexually exploited thereafter. They can't go outside the temple. They have no rights to marry any mortal man , choose their own name. They consider as wives of God but in reality they  have no any rights on their lives.  

  There are other women characters in the movie like keerthi and Padmavati represent women empowerment and modern India. They freely live and pursued their dreams.  Padmavati is lawyer of Vasudev.  Keerthi is phychology graduate who suggest Vasudev for hypnotherapy  with help of her physchological professor during which he reveals that he was Shyam Singha Roy in past. 

It highlights the Blind faith and darker side of religion through the tradition of Devadasi. On the name of religion women are sexually exploited. In this movie shows " Mahant " a typical brahimin prist who is so  powerful that he could make Devadasi women stand in line and choose one for himself.  Consider women as Devi and treating her as Devi both are two different things that highlight in this movie. Through the character of Shyam Singha Roy highlights that how women should be treated in society. He belived that women are slaves to none. He rescue Maitry / Rosie and other Devadasi from this religious traditional method.

 There are many social Reformer who fought against injustice happened in society.  This type of people make society better to live.  They follow only one religion that is 'Humanity'. It highlight the reality of society  that people can't accept the  change in rigidity of social methods.

Shyam Singha Roy 's own brothers could not accept his believes and because of him they faces many humiliation in the society. It become the prime motive to murder him for gain  respect and acceptance in the society. But after his death they gained respect and popularity through SR Publication. The symbol of social revolution. The person who consider the reason of their disrespect and shame now they gain respect, Power and wealth through his works and consider their copyright on his works.

This movie based on concept of reincarnation. Shyam and Vasudev both belong from  two different periods. Shyam is social Reformer belongs to traditional India where here Vasudev belongs to modern India.  Phychology become a medium to connect this both different world and different personalities.  Normally after the realisation of the past person could not be mentally stable.  Yet Vasudev normally handles this both personalities very well but after death of Roisy will he able to live  his life As Vasudev? Or remain into his past and live as Shyam singha Roy ? 

International Webinar on ELT and Technology

International Webinar on ELT ( English Language Teaching) and Technology

                  

On 2nd and 3rd June an International webinar on ELT and Technology was organised by Dr. Dilip Barad , Head of Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Gujrat , India.

In this international webinar more than 1000 participants had registered. They had  participants  from 16 different countries and across the India ( 28 states ). Around 84 participants presented their papers. The webinar was divided into two sessions : Paper presentation session and Plenary session. As there were more than 84 Paper Presentations so the session was divided into two days 2nd and 3rd June. People from different countries and across India were presented their papers. It was very long and  interesting session. 

The spread of  covid -19 pandemic opens up the new way of learning and teaching. The way of learning is shifting from traditional to online. Technology is turning education from teacher-centric education to student-centric education. This has changed the role of technology in Education. This is ideal time to experimentation and implementation of new tools in making  education more interesting and meaningful.  

In the plenary session there were three international speakers were invited to share their knowledge with us. It was a great privilege to hear foreigner speakers. There were three speakers invited from different countries.  Prof.Vance Stevens from Malaysia , Ania Lian from Australia and Heike Philp from Belgium.

Vance Stevens lives in Malaysia. He deals  with students to learn languages and teachers learning to teach  using technology.  He shared  his knowledge about From thinking SMALL on social media assisted language learning to TALIN: Teaching and learning in Isolation. He also talked about the importance of chaos in learning. Teachers make mistake by giving support to students at the beginning but at some point they really need to  withdraw that support. He also talked about blended learning. Now blended learning is changing in online learning. He focused on that how teachers can teach online with use of technological tools. He suggested some points which help teachers in online teaching.
● Learn more and more tools each day
● Get familiar enough them to use
●Use social tools with each other and practice it
● Learn how it works , what it uses for so experience it
● Carry what you learn in your teaching.  use it with students 

Ania Lian is from Australia. She shared her views on Remote teaching and learning of English language in higher education contexts: Experiences and research from a country where distance learning is a norm, not a calamity. She talked about model of online teaching. She emphasis on serval things related to online language teaching.
 ● Activities that extend students capacity to act on broad range of context
● Expand  intercultural understanding and values
● Develop Critical thinking
●Use technological tools specific to student's needs
● Going beyond single lesson design
● Gathering , analysing and evaluate the information
● Prepare resources that helping students to find patterns in the text
● Analysis and compare patterns in text
● Listening comprehension activities
●Engaged Students in the projects which give them the meaning of participation , Increasing external spirit of learning.
● Projects or course should be productive for student to realise or feel them that they are learning a lot.
● Need to focus on students preparation ,  resources  and exercise

Heike Philip has made  the session interactive and interesting by using Mentimetor.  Indeed, this made the session lively and informative.

                 

                   

                    ( P.C - Jignesh Gohil 's FB post ) 

                  

                   ( P.C - Jignesh Gohil 's FB post)

                    

                       ( P.C - Jignesh Gohil's FB post ) 

To see the results of Mentimetor survey Click Here. It came up with interesting observations about using  technological tools or apps for improving LSRW ( Listening , Speaking , Reading and Writing ) skills , student's and teacher's readiness of using technology for teaching and learning , Weakest and strongest side of online education,  Problems facing during online education. She also gave interesting exercise to make sentence with  the use of  words that start with letter 'M' and should be grammatically correct. 

Overall, it was very fruitful and enriching  session. I have learned a lot about using technological tools in online teaching and learning. This webinar would be very helpful for teachers as well as students to learn about use of technology in education.  The use of technology in education makes learning more effective, creative and accessible at any time and anywhere.

After completion of webinar participants have to pass online test based on plenary session with at least 80 % and fill up the feedback form with the screen shorts of each plenary  speaker  to get participation certificate. The webinar was wonderfully organised by Dr.Dilip Barad sir. It was going on Google Meet as well as live streaming on Facebook and YouTube. I would like to thank you Dilip Barad sir  for organising this webinar. It was pleasure to be a part of this Webinar.

To watch all the Paper presentations and plenary session vidoes of Webinar click Here. To get all information regarding  the webinar click Here.

Movie review : Hellaro

          Movie Review : Hellaro

Hellaro is a National award winning  Gujrati film. Hellaro means a breath of fresh air or outburst.  It is inspired from true life incident of the village in Kutch a during  1975. It's story of supprest women who break all patriarchal shackles. It's journey of women from suppression to Expression. Women consider as a property of men without them  they have no any identity. They have to suppress their emotions and dreams. They can't even questions against patriarchal regulations. Women are suffering from domestic violence. They are like puppets of men without their permission they can't even move. In this movie highlights subjects like  domestic violence , patriarchal power , women education , women empowerment,  superstition, cast system. It highlights the  contradiction of woman   condition. One side   Indira Gandhi is a  prime minister of India the woman power  ruling on the country on other side women in Indian  villages ruled by  orthodox Indian patriarchal power.

The village hasn't seen rainfall in three years. Men in the village consider it as course on them thus  they worship Goddess by doing Garba( Gujrati folk). Manjari sees that only men are allowing to do Garba , for women it's forbidden. She questions that why in the village women are not allowed to do garba. Majari says that  

“Isn’t it weird that when it does not rain, men dance and we fast and starve?"

  It shows the rigid orthodox of male dominance on women. In this movie highlights condition of women. Kesar is widow in her young age. She  is  living in her room from 1 and half year.  The situation take place in which she has  allowed to go outside in a day only once for getting water. No one allowed to talk with her including women. It shows woman's suffering after death of her husband. The men in the village shows their patriarchal dominance by  beating women , Sexual harassment , controlling  women and expect that  to surrender to patriarchal norms. Hansa suffers from miscarriage of girl child due to beaten by her husband during  pregnancy.  Manjari 's husband told her ,

"I have heard that educated women have grown  wings or horns weather you have grown wings or horns , remove them yourself because if I cut them it will pain you more. " 

Once women going for their daily routine to filling water. They sees a dholi( drummer ) laying on desert. Manjari  saves life of the man by giving him water. She noticed a dhole ( drum) next to him and told him to play it for them. As he start playing  it every women started to play garba in outburst.  Thus women's dream come true to play garba. They are  filled with life and  joy. They  feel alive again. Majari says to dholi , 

“We feel that we are alive only when we clap and dance to the beats of your dhol. I will exchange my whole kingdom – if I have one – for the sake of garba.” added Gayatri

 Thus, this happens everyday. Women are eagerly waiting for going to filling water. Women has mixed emotions one side they feel joy but another side they consider it as sin. But they forget everything while playing garba. But once this secret reviled. All the men trying to control this thing by beating their woman. They trying to suppress  women's voice of freedom . But it's too late ,unafraid of any shackles of male dominance women breakthrough dancing garba.

In the movie highlights harsh treatment given to the law cast people.. The folk dance garba should only played by men specially upper cast men. Low cast people and women are not allowed. Once a dholi ( drummer ) 's daughter insists her father that she wants to play garba. Thus he plays drum for her daughter. They caught up by village people. They burnt the house of dholi in which dholi 's daughter and wife are dead.  

      In this movie highlights importance of education in life. Education is a key of Freedom. Until Majahri 's arrival into village the life of women goes like living corpses. Majhri is only educated woman in the village . She is studied till seven standard. She always raises questions on male dominance. Education lights up the dark corner of mind. It helps to prevent our mind from believing into superstition and blind faith.  It also shows the importance of art in the life. Garba is the form of art and the  way of display the joy , love and compassion. Thus majhri becomes the light  in this darkness of patriarchal dominance. Her education makes her different from the other women who blindly following the male dominance. Because of her the other women get courage to break all the shackles of patriarchal dominance.

Thus, it's story of women suffering in the patriarchal society and fight against the male dominance power to get their freedom. Freedom to live , dream and enjoy the life.


Apart from the story cinematography plays vital role in the film. The  camera becomes medium of conveying message. Each and every frame of movie has  language of conveying message.  It successfully highlights emotions and situation throughout the movie. Music also plays an important role in the movie. The lyrics of the songs give  complement to the narrative. The songs become the best medium to highlight the condition of women. 

Here is the trailer of the movie : 

Book Review : The girl in room 105

    Book Review : The girl in room 105

The girl in room 105 is novel  written by popular Indian writer Chetan Bhagat. He specially known for his English  Indian novels which focus on the problem of young middle class people. Apart from youth this novel focuses on social and political issues of India. It's a story of IIT coaching class tutor. Who goes to wish his ex- girlfriend zara on her birthday and finds her murdered. The rest of the story is about his journey to find the murderer of his ex-girlfriend and give her justice. 

● Narrative style : 

 chetan Bhagat 's novel has different narrative style including  Prologue and Epilogue. But this novel has missing epilogue. It opens  with prologue in which writer is travelling from Hydrabad to Delhi . During his travelling  he meets keshav. After some talk storyteller keshav told his story to writer. This story is different from other stories of writer. It is unlove story.  It  is a murder mystery and suspense thriller story. Writer has used very simple language . Sometimes writer has used some Hindi words to make his story more realistic. In the last part keshav and writer has exchange their number to know what happens at the end. After in the climax  story goes on and ended normally. 

● Education system :

Chetan Bhagat trying to highlight corrupt education system in India through the coaching sector named ' Chandan classes'. It shows that Education become a medium of business. 

' Business drops,your salary drops.'

‘Get out, everyone! This time it is a pay-cut. If the numbers don’t improve next quarter, I will fire people. Every faculty member must get ten new students in every quarter. It’s a must.'

Chandan the owner of chandan classes forcing his employers to find more students for his classes. He threatened his employers that if they could not able to find more students they will be fired. He also started to cut the salary of his employers. Like business , they are marketing themselves to get more students. They don't care about the future of students. The child who doesn't want to go for IIT , instead of explaining the child's  parents they misleading them for the sake of their profit. 

● Problems of Youth :  

The novel focuses on the problems of youth.Keshav works as tutor at 'chandan  classes'.He hates his job. His friend and fellow employee saurabh never wanted to become engineer. He becomes because his parents wanted him to be. He is not passionate about his job. Like this in the chandan classes parents are pushing their children to get into IIT.  Keshav convince  one student to quit IIT coaching class and follow his dream. It also highlights the youth problems like breakup, drinking ,complexity in the relationship, extra martial affairs. Youth like Sikandar joins terrorist group in the lack of proper guidance and love from family.  

● Religion :   

In the novel keshav the protagonist is from orthodox Hindu family. He has a girlfriend Zara. She is from kashmir Muslim family. Both love each other but when keshav told his parents about zara they denied to give permission for marriage because she is Muslim.  His parents emotionally forced him to break all the relation from her. On the other side Zara 's father is ready to  accept their relationship on the one condition that Keshav has to change his religion. Keshav has denied to accept his condition for the sake  of his parents. So the difference between  their religion forced them to broke their relationship. It shows the typical stereotype of Indians. 

 After the murder of Zara Lone his father denied to give permission for postmoterm because of religious beliefs. For Raghu the religion becomes saviour.Nobody has doubt on him that he has murdered Zara. 

"I almost got away with it, though. With so many Muslim suspects around, nobody even considers the Tam Brahm. Prejudices, I tell you, can be used wonderfully sometimes."

● Kashmir issue / political issue : 

  ‘India is not our country. India doesn’t care for us.’

   In this novel highlight the condition and mindset of kashmiri people. They never consider themselves as Indian. They call themselves kashmiri. It's become a political issue. Politician use kashmiri issue as weapon to get power. It also shows their hatred towards army. When the story moves to Kashmir the writer does voice the locals’ opinion. He clearly states that the people of Kashmir are not  happy with the army.  They say we don’t want to be in India,we would love either to go to Pakistan or better we have a separate Kashmir.

‘We are a problem nobody wants to solve. We are only useful as a political tool.’

 Chetan Bhagat has spent some of his childhood days in Kashmir as his father was in the Army. He wants to make people  understand  that not everybody in Kashmir has strong political views. A lot of Kashmiri people are interested in getting jobs and better education and Internet  They have no movie theaters their. It considers the thoughts of normal youth of kashmir. Not every kashmir people are terrorist many of them wish to live normal life. 

     ‘It’s a full state. Millions of people live there.’

' All terrorists.’ 

‘That’s incorrect, sir,’

● Use of social media :

In the novel chetan Bhagat shows the current modern India. People are addicted to social media. It is reflecte through the use of social media like tinder, what's app , instagram , YouTube ,twitter , LinkedIn in  youth. These all become a important key features in solving the murder mystery of Zara.  It also shows that how suicide note become  hi-tech. Sikandar has committed suicide. He has left an envelope in which he has wrote a Web link. It is private YouTube video in which sikandar has recorded his reason of suicide and upload the video and create the link before he shot himself. Chetan Bhagat uses social media for marketing his work. He has made one short book trailer  based on this novel to do publicity of his book.

●  Role of Media and police : 

In the novel explain two major power authorities Media and police. Instead of find the truth media is only interested in  blaming  others. Their debate is known as subzi mandi debate. They have a power to bring truth in front of society but they are only interested in useless talks. Like this police has power. Inspector Rana has arrested watchman Lakshman. Instead of find true  culprit he has arrested poor man for the sake of his promotion. Keshav has find true culprit instead of giving him credit Inspector praise himself in front of media. It shows that these authorities have  power to change the society but rather than do this thing they are only interested to misuse their power by threating innocent people. 

  

Assignment of The African Literature : A Grain of Wheat as Anti colonial Novel

Assignment of The African Literature : A  Grain of Wheat as Anti colonial Novel

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Paper : 14 : The African Literature 
Prepared by : Gohil Jyotiba M.
Roll No : 16
Assignment  Topic :  A  Grain of Wheat as Anti colonial Novel
M.A (English) : Semester  -4
Enrolment No: 2069108420180016
Batch : 2017-19
Email  ID: jyotibagohil96@gmail.com
Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi , Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

● A Grain of wheat as Anti-Colonial Novel :

● Introduction :

A Grain of Wheat is a novel written  by Kenyan novelist Ngũgĩ wa Thiongo. It is about the  Kenyan people’s fight for independence fromBritish rule. The novel is historically connected in the novel village of Thabai symbolizes as Kenyan society. It is depicted as a community. Their inhabitants are astonished by the discovery of a betrayer of the Mau Mau movement on the eve of independence.  The novel is highly based on the fight against the colonial rule for freedom.

● A Grain of wheat as Anti-Colonial Novel :

The novel can be considered as Anti- colonial novel. Anti colonial means a political struggles of the colonised people against the specific ideology and practice of the colonialism. In this narrating former of opposition became and articulate as a resistance at many ways like political , cultural and economical freedom against colonial power.

   So thus,  In the novel the central narrative is the freedom against colonial power. The beginning of the novel the movement happens against Independence. It highly detected the struggle of the Kenya people from colonial Rule.

“A Grain of wheat” chronicles the events leading up to Kenyan independence, or Uruhu, in a Kenyan village.”

In The novel  focus on the number of characters experiences during the kenyan independence  or Uruhu. Movement . Mugo is one of the central character of the novel. He feels detached from the world around him and he is fearful of the attention given to him by the townspeople. Mugo is  connected  with the woman in the hut is a central element in the story. They both are connected by their common loneliness. Mugo has no one and he cannot bring himself to participate in the community. The old woman has lost her son  and she never talks to anyone. She lives isolated life far away from the world. She suffered in sequestered by loss and trauma. Mugo consider as a freedom fighter of Kenya. Everyone wants that Mugo express his point of view about this movement. He is very respected person of the Kenya. Later on Mugo felt guilt and ultimately confesses his crime  that he has  betrayed Kihika. So the whole novel shows the darker image of the African nation that how people and woman were get tortured by someone and how rivalry takes place into the unwanted relationships.  The novel A grain of wheat is the national anti - colonial struggle against British rule.

Mau- Mau movement  has the historical background in the history of Africa. It consider as Anti – colonial resistance movement against British rule.  It also targeted to rebuild the Kenyan identity. But it’s fails in the history of colonisers. Thus , Ngugi wa Thiong ‘o decided to wrote the novel in which she rejects the claim of colonisers that Mau- Mau movement was purely evil moment. It regarded this movement as the National movement. The movement for liberates the colonised Kenya from British rule.

It detected in the novel as a heroic revolution against the colonial oppression. In the novel writer shows the historical connection of Mau -Mau movement. It consider as the commitment of Kenya ‘s people for economically , politically and culturally struggle . There are many central narrator of the story like Gikonyo, Karenja, Mugo, Mumbi and Thompson. It is all about the independence and Uhuru means freedom of Kenya. Uhuru demands the unity among the people.  In the novel Ngugi influenced by the Mau -Mau movement. It shows that it is a legal movement against oppression and subjugation of colonial power. In the novel shows the struggle between colonisers and colonised people.  In the novel Kihika consider as a voice of freedom and white Britisher Thompson is against him.In the novel Mau- Mau fighter are compared with the prometheus Greek God of fire. He stole the fire from the God. He helped humanity and lightened the way of the liberation.

“The Whiteman came to the country, clutching the book of God in both hands, a magic witness that the Whiteman was a messenger from the Lord. His tongue was coated with sugar; his humility was touching. For a time, people ignored the voice of the Gikuyu seer who once said: there shall come a people with clothes like the butterflies. They gave him, the stranger with a scalded skin, a place to erect a temporary shelter. Hut complete, the stranger put up another building yards away. This he called the House of God where people could go for worship and sacrifice.”

These lines shows the reality of Christians and Christianity. It highlights upon the Christian missionaries as unholy religion. The Christian missionaries are like an instrument for establishment and expansion of oppressive colonial rule. Kihika is educated person. He educated in Euro- Christian missionaries though he stands against the Christians. He depicted as the more powerful symbol of the resistance against British oppression . He presents as a thorn in the throat of colonisers. Who stands against Mau-Mau movement.. (Miller)

“I die for you, you die for me, we become a sacrifice for one another. So I can say that you, Karanja, are Christ. I am Christ. Everybody who takes the Oath of Unity to change things in Kenya is Christ.”

Christianity is interwoven throughout the novel..Kihika is Christian and uses the language of that religion here to stress sacrifice and shedding of blood leads to redemption for all. Mugo also thinks in terms of Christianity and  believing himself to be a saviour of the people. The Reverend at Uhuru uses prayer to God as a centerpiece. While the religion offers hope and a useful framework for conceiving of struggle and salvation of Christianity is a European import. It was one of the tools by which Europeans solidified their grasp on African soil. this makes for a complex and occasionally problematic situation. In a way this movement is a rebellious movement of freedom. The freedom fighters are degraded and defamed as criminal and terrorist.Ngugi shows the treatment given by colonisers to Kenyan prisoners. In this novel kihika defend against the terrorist strategy of Mau – Mau movement.

This likes are spoken by Kihika. It interpreted by Ngugi and makes the comparison between two types of violence the first is for control the subaltern group and the other one is for carried out by colonisers on the name of social justice. So all the characters like Kihika, ,  Gikonyo, Karenja, Mugo, Mumbi are suffering from the colonial violence. They all are victim of colonial violence and oppression.  Kihika was standing against the British people. He does all this things in order to justified this movement as a political resistance movement.

At the end of the novel all the people of Kenya young , old , children , men and women participating in the movement of resisitance against British rule. They sing a song which consider as the end of imperial rule and voice of Kenyan people against of colonial exploitation. The song itself becomes the remembrance of fighting time of colonial oppression.

 

  “We shall never rest

Without land

Without freedom true

Kenya is a country of black people”

Uhuru means a profound break with the colonial past and a rebirth which has to bring about the restitution of the lands usurped by the white settlers and the eradication of poverty. People tries to struggle for their own Uhuru and it is the main and central idea of this novel. So it can be taken in consideration as per one of main themes of this novel.Something went wrong...It was not what I had waited for, these many years.

At The end of the novel there is  unsettling and  mixed in its message. That happens because  may be the reconciliation of Gikonyo and Mumbi or  the departure of Thompson. The confession of Mugo that he has done crime. but here Wambui indicates that  there is also something wrong happened apart from this. Things are not turn out as they had hoped. There is something confusing. Something that alludes to a future of uncertainty and conflict and suffering.Ngugi was writing this novel many decades after Uhuru and was making a comment on how post-independence Kenya had many tumultuous political, economical and social issues. It has the legacy of colonialism and the presence of capitalism would not be easy to negotiate. The words are sad for the reader. Since we came know that she is right to feel uneasy and disappointed.

● Conclusion :

Thus,  the novel consider as a Anti-colonial novel. It depicts the struggles of Kenya for getting freedom means Uhuru. It shows the struggle for getting freedom and getting the new identity for Kenya. In the novel shows the freedom movements like Mau-Mau movement. The People of Kenya are fighting for their freedom of land , identity and independence from the British rule.

Works Cited

Miller, Rebecca. "Capitalistic Christians and Educated Eiltes.Fanonian Theory and Neo-Colonialism in Ngugi Wa Thing,o,s A Grain of Wheat."

Assignment of The New Literature : Themes in One Night at the call center

Assignment of The New Literature :Themes in ,

To Evaluate My Assignment Click Here  

Paper : 13:  The New Literature

Prepared by : Gohil Jyotiba M.

Roll No : 16

Assignment  Topic :  Themes in One Night at the call center 

M.A (English) : Semester  -4

Enrolment No: 2069108420180016

Batch : 2017-19

Email  ID: jyotibagohil96@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi , Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

Themes in One Night at the call center:

● Introduction :

One night at the call center is novel written by Chetan Bhagat. He is the most popular writer in India. He wrote the novel about the problems of Youth. Youth is at the center in his all the novels. This can be seen as a reason behind his popularity among the youth.

His Works:

1. Five point some one
2.  The 3 mistakes of my life
3.  2 states
4.  One Night @ the Call Center
5.  Revolution 2020
6.  What young India Wants
7.  Half girlfriend

One Night at The Call Center is a novel  which focuses on  the lives of six call center employees working for Connections a call center located in the Gurgaon. In the beginning of the story the readers are presented with a frame story describing a train journey during which the author meets a girl who desires to tell him a story. However she put  one condition that he had to write a book on it if he wanted to hear the story. This condition stated that he had to base his second book on the story.

                     The novel talks about how the employees receive a phone call from God during their work timings in the call center. The characters in this novel  Radhika, Esha, Shyam, Priyanka, Varun, and Military Uncle. These six characters are deeply disturbed in the events taking place in their own lives and choose to focus on their problems rather than trying to find a way out of them.

                      In this book, chetan Bhagat trying to throw the light on the lives of the individuals in present day India.who are consist in the metro cities. The language utilized by the author is simple and contains witty remarks on civil culture and relationships. The author makes use of words that are combine with that region in the country thereby increasing the readability of this book.

Major Themes in One Night at the call center:

1) God’s Call :

                     

The call from  God is one of the major theme  in the novel. In this novel writer has presented God as a friendly figure rather than a boss. God is presented in a modern way and shown as freely figure  rather than the stereo‐typical pure English or the Latin that one commonly encounter.

The call from the God can be considered as plot mover.In the novel each characters  frustrated  from their personal problems. when they are in difficult situation they get phone call from God. When they all go outside from call center at the night go get fresh air.  After that when  they are coming back to the call center at that time their car Qualis crashes into a construction site hanging over a mesh of iron construction road.

 They are unable to phone call for anyone because there is no mobile network at that place. At that time suddenly  shyam’s mobile phone starts up ringing. All are Surprised at that time because  The phone call is from God. God talks with everyone and listen their problems and gives them suggestions to improve in their life. The conversation with God motivates all  the characters to such an extent that they get ready to face their problems with almost determination and motivation. The story takes a dramatic and critical turn through a deux ex machina when the characters receive a phone call from God.

2) Deux ex machina :

                                    

Deux ex machina is claque from Greek meaning “God from the machina”

It  is the term which has evolved to mean a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and all of sudden resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new subject, ability, characters and event . It can be intended to move the story forward when the writer has “painted himself into a corner” and sees no other way out to surprise the audience.

Chetan Bhagat also use God as plot mover. It can be considered as plot resolveance.  Deus Ex Machina is used in this novel by Chetan Bhagat when all characters met an accident and no any source are there to save their lives. So at that time God’s phone call become the plot mover.  The call from the God changed the life of all six people. The  God call save them with many messages for life. After that they all restart their lives from God's advice of living life happily and They all tried a lot of solve their problems from their lives. So the happy ending is here from God’s call. Chetan Bhagat used call of God when  characters are in trouble situation at that time he uses a call from God to resolve a plot.

3) Nationalism :

“Nationalism involves national identity, by contrast with the related construct of patriotism, which involves the social conditioning and personal behaviours that support a state’s decisions and actions”(Nationalism)

One night at the call center is also about Nationalism. The character of Vroom is Anti – American. He always criticise Americans. In the Novel Vroom insulted by Americans. He is anti -American. He says ,

“Americans suck the life blood out of our country’s most productive generation”

There is motif behind to  give jobs to Young people because Young people Waste their life to give information or solve the problems of Americans. It destroying the future of Individual. 

‘‘That I should not have taken up a job just for money. Call centers pay

more, but only because the exchange rate is in the favor of Americans. They

toss their loose change at us. It seems like a lot in rupees. But jobs that pay

less could be better. There could be jobs that define me, make me learn of

help my country. I justified it by saying money is progress. But it is not true.

Progress is building something lasting for the future.”

This lines spoken by Vroom during the conversation with God. He says that he wants to help country. He has not join call center for money. For him,  Progress is not all about money but it’s like building which is lasting for the future.

“A  thirty-five-year-old

American’s brain and IQ is the same as a ten-years-old Indian  brain.”

Vroom said this lines about Americans. They invented new things but many of are not able to know how to use that things. They need the help of Indians. In India this all inventions are not coming in use though they able to guide Americans. So from that Vroom says that thirty five year old American IQ is same as ten year old child in India. India is smarter in compare to America.

4) Globalization :

“Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology” (Globalization)

The effect of Globalization  also describe in the novel through  the struggle of each  character‘s life. The Globalization is an  economical movement. The title of the novel itself tells about the effect of globalization in call center. Thee Novel is based on the working people in Call Centre.

In the call center every workers name are changed Varun Malhotra called as Victor  , Shayam Mehra as Sam Mercy , Radhika as Ragima Jones, Esha Singh as Eliza.  These people have to change their names for American.

Through this  Bhagat wants to give message to the Indians that who working in call center they just get good salary but it not give the  opportunity to do something else or show  their skills and creativity into their work.  In the novel due to slack in software industry the call center wanted to cut down the number of employees. Its effects on the people who are working in the call center it brings all the people under burden. literally this novel  talks about the anxieties, fears, and stress of call center employees. So in the novel shows the positive and negative effects of Globalization on people’s life.

5) Modernization :

The Novel deals with the issues of young people. It is  including questions about career, inadequacy, marriage, family conflicts in a changing India. It talks about the  relationship of the young Indian middle class to both executive and ordinary clients whom they serve in the US.

In this novel chetan Bhagat’s main aim is to convey a message to the people of India through situation of the characters like the the situation of women in India. Esha  wants to become a model for that she forced to slept with forty years old designer and it represents the dark side of the India.The situation of working girl Radhika who always struggle for her identity. She is trying to justify her duty. She is faithful wife but later on betrayed by her husband who has affair with another girl. Also she is struggling with her Mother In law who never understands her. It shows the situation of Married working girl.

   In the novel Chetan Bhagat portrayed young people who drinks and smoke when they felt anxiety, suffering in their life. In the novel Chetan portrayed Women freely drinks wines and roaming outside at the night.

6) Marriage and Love :

 Marriage and love are important theme of the novel. The novel is all about young people and their sufferings. Like this Marriage and love plays vital role in changing the relationship of the character. The idea of marriage is highly criticised through the charter of Radhika. She faces many struggle in her marriage life . She manages everything her marriage life and professional life but somehow she fails into keep balance between this. Her husband has affair with another girl. It show the condition of married women struggling for her identify and love.

Chetan Bhagat portrayed the real situation of Young people. He shows the complexity in the relationship of Shyam and Priyanka and Vroom and Esha. He shows the break up of the relationship of young people. It shows the lack of understanding in the relationship which becomes the reason of broken relationship. Military uncle also loves his grandson but somehow the lack of understanding happens between Military uncle and his Son.

Conclusion :

Thus novel shows the different themes . It  shows the  different problems of the youth and gives the ideas  their solutions. Here Chetan Bhagat shows the reality of India. It shows the current problems of youth and Nation.  Through the characters it shows the problems in the relationship , Globalisation and it’s effect on the Nation , Condition of women in India. So it highlights the problems and trying to give the solution at the end of the novel.

Works Cited

http://parmarjinal161315.blogspot.com/2015/03/one-night-call-center.html?m=1