Barton Library Visit

Barton Library Visit 

"A Library is a House of hope , It's a place where we all , Whatever our situation , can feed our ideas and develop our dreams "

    - Doug Wilhelm

Library committee of English Department had organised Barton Library visit on 27th February 2019. Barton Library is the one of  the oldest library in Gujrat. It was builded in era of britishers in India. The library is a depiction of the chronological and cultural importance of Gujarat and Bhavnagar. It basically constructed for  public to reading newspapers , Magazines and books.

 The library is divided into two sections in the above section of Library has many old books and manuscripts. Some of them are not in good condition because of lack of preservation. In the below section of library has current books , Magazines and newspapers. There are around 11 newspapers comes in library which are available to read for free of cost. They have  a special space for reading newspaper.

  As every coin has two side good as well as bad. This Library has oldest books and  manuscript but it is in bad condition because of lack of preservation . It is like you have a ocean in front of you but you can't drink water from it. Some cupboards are in broken condition. From the conversation with Librarian we came to know that reason behind the condition of these books and other things are less numbers of  Library members and fund.

It is good that  their future  planning to do renovation of this library by scanning the books and converting into E-Libaray with computers.  They are also planing to make spacial space for children. The purpose behind is  to bring awareness into children towards library. 

In The library  more than 3000 people has taken membership. There are three types of membership: 1) Life long membership

2) 10 years membership 3) One Year membership
  Everyday 50 to 60  people takes  visit of library most of them are old people. They used to come library  to read magazines and newspapers. The youth is less attractive towards  library.

At the end , It was very good experience. We were very well guided by library staff members.    They were very supportive. I would like to thank you Barton library members to gave us permission and  I would like to thank you Prof. Dilip Barad for gave  us permission to organise this visit. Thank you to Vaidehi Madam and  all students for coming there and make this library visit successful.

Translation workshop with Dr. Vishal Bhadani

Translation workshop with Dr. Vishal Bhadani 

Translation is the process to translate the text or words in one language into another. It requires deep knowledge of language. It is the most difficult thing to translate any work. People believe that  translation ruins the charm of work. It is not true every time. Translated work helps to understand the culture and history  of other people.

 On 1st January 2019 ,In our Department of English we had the translation workshop   which was conducted by Dr. Vishal Bhadani.  The workshop had divided into two sessions. It was a great privilege to interact with author. Dr. Vishal is translator , author.   He has wrote a book name Fictonalay. It is in the gujrati language. He had read three short stories of "Fictionalay" that is "Mara hath ni wat nathi", "Sansai ane Ranjana", "Museum of innocence".He is also good story teller. All these stories are connected with middle class people.  Every story has a different concept. 

        In the second session he talked about importance of translation. He also told about the process of becoming translator and job opportunities  in the filed of translation.   It requires deep and wide knowledge of the languages. Also it requires the understanding of the context in which the word is used. It is very tough but interesting work. It help us to enhance our knowledge of language and grammar. 

    After the knowing the importance of translation. Sir had given one worksheet  to translate some words , sentence and paragraph. This practical  task gave me mixture of feeling like some time I felt joy in translating words and some time I felt that I have not deep knowledge of language and grammar. So this process of translation was like showing the mirror to us that we have to increase our knowledge of language. In this process of translating work everyone lost their salves in it. No one realized that they have taken more time to translate this several things. In this process we have to focus the context in which the word is used. It increased the understanding of the word. 

   It was very fruitful and interesting session. It was a privilege to interact  with an author. I would like to thank you to Dr.Vishal Bhadani sir to visit our department and Dr.Dilip Barad sir to organised this workshop. 

       

Thinking activity : One night at the call center by Chetan Bhagat

Thinking activity : One night at the call center by Chetan Bhagat 

 This blog is part of my academic activity. To open task link click here 

1) Comment on Narrative structure of the novel one night at the call center . Compare with that of Life of Pi.

The novel on@cc is written by Chetan Bhagat. In this novel lady told the story of six people who worked in the call center. She told the story to the writer by putting condition that he should write book on it. Life of pi has the same narrative structure Mr. Patel told the story. In both works God is the mysterious and interesting force. The Element of God make both the stories interesting as well as unreliable. There is no any intellectual solution of  the problems. Life of pi' s writer has deep philosophical sense,  Historical sense as well as Religion ( Mythical )  sense which make this work greater in compare to on@cc.  Each and every thing connected with each other in the life of pi. But in the on@cc there is lack of connectivity in the events. 

      Chetan Bhagat makes very good use of prologue and epilogue in his novel. In prologue, writer himself comes as character and talks with the reader. The same thing can  find in life of pi in which Yann Martel Canadian writer meet the person. Both writer present in prologue and told that how they got inspiration. In the both work they meet person who told them stories and after that they collect deep information about it before writing novel. In epilogue there is alternative reading. After hearing story of pi Japanese agents not belived on it at that time pie told another story in which animals replace by humans. In the same happens in on@cc lady gave alternative reading by replacing God lines with Military uncle. So like this both work has Same narrative structure. 

2) What is popular literature? Is on@tcc popular literature? Illustrate.

Popular literature means those writings intended for the. Masses and favour with large audiences. It is different from artistic literature. It only designed for the entertainment. Popular literature has ,

1) Lack of deep philosophy

2) Lack of deep spirituality

3) Not deals with abstract problems

4) Lack of morality / humanity

5) Not challenges the belief of people

6) unacceptable solutions

7) Lack of intellectualism 

   So popular literature has this kind of structure of the works. In the one night at the call center shows the solutions of the problems through character of God. It has not intellectual solution of problems. The call from God is not deeply connected anywhere. The solution of problems not acceptable in social formation. It not challenges people to  think upon their believes. The solution of problems goes like drama. It  not gave  deep philosophy and intellectual solution. Virginia woolf 's novel has deep intellectual and philosophical ideals. It shows the intellectual growth of writer while here writer still not go deeply in the novel. The solution of problems are like makeover not real intellectual  growth of people.  Chetan Bhagat consider as the popular writer because he deals with problems of common people. He using very simple English language because of it many people can start reading English novels. It makes him popular writer. 

3)  What do you understand by self-help book. Is on@tcc self-help book? Illustrate

A self help book is one that is written with the intention to interact it's readers on slowing personal problems. It based on teaching moral lessons and build on philosophy.  In this book Chetan Bhagat focus on the real life problems. Shyam Protegonist almost lost his self confident and love, Military uncle who wants to talk with his grandson , Radhika cheated by her husband and demadable mother in law. All are fed up with  their boss. They all most lost everything in their life. 

                   

The call from God can be considered as, "Inner voice ". The call from God helps characters to know their problems and find out their solutions by themselves. God's call just help them to find the problems and their solutions by showing right path. It's like guidance. All have problems in their lives but the right guidance gives them confident to fight with it. Like this , the call from God gave confident to characters to fight with their problems.

God gave the message that four things need to become successful : 

1) Intelligence 

2) Imagination 

3) Self confidence 

4) Failure 

Thus the book deal with the real problems of the people. The call from God or Inner call gave self confidence and guidance to six people. It shows the right path. Everyone has this kind of problems in their life. By reading this book it help them to know their problem and find it's solution. Also it gives self confidence to people. 

4) How far can this novel be categorized as cyberpunk?

Cyberpunk is the post modern scientific genre. It is connected with science and technology, hackers ,  cybernetics and information. In the novel characters deals with email ,  bug , radio, Ms word . In the novel corporate world controls the job of workers. Vroom and shyam used bug in MS office as virus attack for terrified American people. It increased the calls in call center and save the jobs of workers. Vroom used mail to  blackmail his boss bakshi. So with the help of teachnology everything was solved. Technology became the resolving  force in the novel. Thus the novel can be categorised as cyberpunk novel. 

Joy and woe are woven fine

             Joy and woe are woven Fine :

 Poem : 

Joy and woe are woven fine poem written by William Blake. He was English poet, painter and printmaker. He was considered as a seminal figure in the history of English Poetry and visual arts of Romantic Age. This poem is about joy and woe. 

In this lines  Blake continues on the joy and woe theme. In this lines that come before them for reason. It becomes harder to understand. According to Blake all living things , Humans have souls , their experiences in the world. It become like a kind of clothing. It builds characters. Joy and woe wrap the soul in experience , giving it unique character and identity. They make it an individuals. 

    

So joy and woe means Happiness and grief. Woven means attached together. So Both joy and woe are connected to each other. It's the kind 0f interesting thing. 

In last joy and grief are complementary. You can't have one without each other. A joy is somehow hidden under the every grief , waiting to balance it out and harmonise it. 

    

So Blake wants to give message that joy and grief are part of our life and both are good. Without grief one can't give importance joy or happiness  in life. So grief gives important of joy in our life. In every grief there are also joy hidden. We just need to find it. When we know that joy and woe are part of our life. 

  So thus,  poet wants to say that we should accept both things in our life. Both play a vital role to shaping the life of person. It's natural and part of everyone's life. We should accept it and live happily in every moment of our life. 

Fame and Friendship

●  Poem : Fame and Friendship 

Fame is a food that dead men eat,—

I have no stomach for such meat.

In little light and narrow room,

They eat it in the silent tomb,

With no kind voice of comrade near

To bid the feaster be of cheer.

But Friendship is a nobler thing,—

Of Friendship it is good to sing.

For truly, when a man shall end,

He lives in memory of his friend,

Who doth his better part recall

And of his fault make funeral.

● Analysis of the poem: 

This  poem written by Henry Austin Dobson. He was an English poet and essayist. 

       In this poem has two stanzas. The basic theme of the poem is Fame and Friendship . So Here poet talks about the importance of Friendship. Also about Fame that it is immortal thing .Through this poem he wants to convey that Friendship is better than Fame. Fame is immortal and temporary but Friendship is mortal .it will never died. This poem is talks  about the difference between Fame and Friendship in the two stanzas. If we compare the first stanza with second it shown the reality of life. 

  In the first stanza poet talks the Fame. 

" Fame is a food that dead men eat,—

I have no stomach for such meat.

In the above lines the poet speaks about the fame that it's like a food that everyone wants to eat in their life. But he not interested in such a thing like Fame. It is  like a food that dead men eat. So poet compare Fame with dead men food. Because one day fame also died with the person. So Death is the worst enemy of Fame.

In the second stanza talks about Friendship. 

But Friendship is a nobler thing,—

Of Friendship it is good to sing.

In this Friendship is nobler thing in the world. It connects one person to another.  In Friendship person share so many ideas, thoughts, emotion. It is like a bridge that connects one person to other. At the end men will be die but their sweet memories always live in the heart of person through recalling the experience of past through it the sweet memories of Friends always lives. Through this their Friendship always live. It never died. It becomes mortal. It considers as the nobler thing because it proves the healthy relationship and caring for others. One day friend will be die but Sweet memories of his or her remaining forever alive with us.  

      So Friendship is better than Fame. Living in memories of Friend is better than living alone in the grave. Remembrance is the true reward for Friendship. 

Thinking activity :The White Tiger and Slumdog Millionaire

Thinking activity :The White Tiger and Slumdog Millionaire

This blog is part of my academic activity given by Prof. Dr.Dilip Barad.

Similarities between The White Tigerí and Slumdog Millionaire  : 

   

1) Narrative structure :

    The Novel and the  film has almost similar and parallel structure. Both the works starts with flashback techniques. In the film used one reality show kbc in which  question and answer session going on. All the questions leads Jamal into his past. While in the novel wanted poster used. By using this poster writer talking about his past.

2) Indianness : 

● Train :

Train is also found in both the works. It shows the Indianness in the work. In the film highly used train. It also a symbol of poverty and crowd. In the novel also discrimination of train can be seen.

● Curruption :

Curruption can be found in both works. In the novel talking about Currupt nature of entrepreneur's drivers. How they can earn little extra cash by sell the patrol ,  repair the car from Currupt mechanics , sell the whisky bottles , turn master's car into a freelance taxi. In the film shows Currupt nature of Jamal 's brother. He was Getting more money from tourist. Also thieves  selling the car parts of foreigners. Anchor of KBC show do cheating by telling answer to Jamal.

● Religion :

       Religion is also important element of Novel and film. In the novel described  the darker side of religion by talking about Ganga as Black mud river ,  Hanuman as example of faithful servant ,  Buddhism. Similar in the film shows the Hindu Muslim riot which creates problem in the Area , depiction of Lord Rama, criticism of  Darshan do Ghanshyam song . It shows that on the name of religion people do wrong things. They even not care about humanity. Religion consider more important than Humanity.

●Education system :

Both the protagonist Jamal ( Film) and Balaram ( Novel ) are uneducated. In the novel shows darker and Currupt side of education system : school teachers are stolen lunch  money, Teachers do nothing in the class, Sales uniform of students , No basic facilities in schools : no chair , no duster , no uniform. It shows the darker side of India which is full of thugs and idiots. Similar way because of poverty Jamal could not able to study. Both the protagonist taking knowledge  by observing the people. 

● Darker side of India  ( Poverty ) :

In the film shows Dharavi the  largest slum area of Asia which located in India. Both the works based on the life of poor people's suffering and struggle.  Both the protagonist came  from poverty. Both works criticised poverty as  the darker side of India. Poverty forced them to do wrong things to get rich. 

3) List of the questions asked in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'

1. Who was the star in the 1973 hit film "Zanzeer"

   a) Shah Rukh Khan

   b) Salman Khan

   c) Amitabh Bachhan

   d) Ranbir Kapoor

Answer: (c)

2. A picture of three lions is seen in the national emblem of India. What is written underneath it?

    a) The Truth alone triumphs

    b) Lies alone triumphs

    c) Fashion alone triumphs

    d) Money alone triumphs

Answer: (a)

3. In depiction of God Rama, he is famously holding what in his right hand?

    a) A bow and arrow

    b) A sword

    c) A child

    d) A flower

Answer: (a)

4. The song " Darshan Do Ghanshyam" was written by which famous Indian poet?

    a) Surdas

    b) Tulsidas

    c) Mira bai

    d) Kabir

Answer: (a)

5. On the American One Hundred Dollar Bill, there is portrait of which American Statesman?

    a) George Washington

    b) Franklin Roosevelt

    c) Benjamin Franklin

    d) Abraham Lincoln

Answer: (c)

6. Who invented the revolver?

    a) Samuel Colt

    b) Bruce Browning

    c) Dan Wesson

    d) James Revolver

Answer: (a)

7. Cambridge Circus is in which UK City?

    a) Oxford

    b) Leeds

    c) Cambridge

    d) London

Answer: (d)

8. Which cricketer has scored the most first class centuries in history?

    a) Sachin Tendulkar

    b) Ricky Ponting

    c) Michael Slater

    d) Jack Hobbs

Answer: (d)

9. In Alexander Dumas' book, "The Three Musketeers", two of the musketeers are called Athos and Porthos. What was the name of the third Musketeer?

    a) Aramis

    b) Cardinal Richetieu

    c) D' Artagnan

    d) Planchet

Answer: (a)

All these questions and their answers are connected with the life of Jamal. It shows that how minutely he observed the things and remember it. This all the questions leads him into his past incidents. All the questions are aptly connected with Jamal ' s life. I don't want to add any other question in this.

4) Deconstruction of film from post colonial perspective.

The Slumdog millionaire can be seen  from post colonial perspective. This film was directed by English director Danny Boyle. In the film  white people portrayed as good and gentle fellow. In India many foreigners came to visit the famous places of India. In the scene of  the film when the foreign people came to visit Taj Mahal. At that time Salim charged  more money from them , some thief stolen the car parts of foreigners and sold it. At that time Jamal was suspeced to responsible for this crime. He was  beaten by one Indian and  foreigners shows mercy upon him and gave him some money. So by this director portrayed white people as good , civilised  sofisticated and humble people. While on the other hand Indian portrayed as Poor , dirty, uncivilised, corrupt, uneducated people. The term it self based on the power dynamics. It shows the superiority of white on the Indian people.

5) Compare with Texture and Treatment of subject content in film and novel.

The novel and the Film based on darker side of India. The texture of the film and novel little differs from each other. In the novel the protegonist himself currupt  person. He himslef consider as the example of darker side of india while in the film Jamal was very good person he never do any wrong thing in his life.It shows the all the negative side of India and Indian people. In the novel minutely observed and describe the each and every dark part of India. In the novel poetic justice not happened by punishing the Balram. He  killed his master and do many wrong things yet  not caught by police. While in the film poetic justice happened when salim committed suicide at the end and Jamal became popular and rich. Both the work differs from each other on the Bases of  treatment  given to wrong people.

6) How far do you agree with the India  represented in the novel The White Tiger?

   In the novel Aravind  Adiga represent darker side of India. In the novel Curruption can be found . In the novel talking about Currupt nature of entrepreneur's drivers. How they can earn little extra cash by sell the patrol ,  repair the car from Currupt mechanics , sell the whisky bottles , turn master's car into a freelance taxi.  Also thieves  selling the car parts of foreigners. The novel represent Indian  education system. In the novel shows darker and Currupt side of education system : school teachers are stolen lunch  money, Teachers do nothing in the class, Sales uniform of students , No basic facilities in schools : no chair , no duster , no uniform. It shows the darker side of India which is full of thugs and idiots. In novel shows the Darker side of India  ( Poverty ).In the novel shows  on the life of poor people's suffering and struggle. Balram protagonist came  from poverty. The novel criticised poverty as  the darker side of India. Poverty forced him to do wrong things to get rich. In the novel shows the darker side of religion by representation of Hanuman as slave of Ram and Ganga as dark river of India.

7) Do you believe that Balram's story is the archetype of all stories of 'rags to riches'?

 Yes I believe that Balram's story is the archetype of  all stories of rags to riches.  It is realistic novel. The character like Balaram can be found in real world who do many wrong things yet not caught by police. The novel ends with  poetic justice by punishing Balram. In real world poetic justice not happened everytime. The novel shows the reality of life.