Thinking activity : 1984

 This thinking activity is a part of our academic writing...

1.) What is dystopian fiction ? Is '1984' dystopian fiction?

Dystopian literature is a form of speculative fictionthat began as a response to utopian literature. Adystopia is an imagined community or society that is dehumanizing and frightening.Dystopian is the exact opposite  it describes an imaginary society that isas dehumanizing and as unpleasant as possible. The adjective dystopian describes anything that pertains to or resembles a society such as those described in this sort of literature.

George Orwell's 1984 is a defining example ofdystopian fiction in that it envisions a future where society is in decline, totalitarianism has created vast inequities, and innate weaknesses of human nature keep the characters in a state of conflict and unhappiness.

2.) What are your learning of the novel from online screening of the film?

We can learn from 1984, by not willingly sacrificing our right to speak using data and reason towards government policies thatwe don't like. We must be cautious because compared to the Party in the dystopian world of1984, in the real world, most ideas and dogmas are not presented in such a direct and forceful way.The content in 1984 is exactly why teens shouldread it before graduating. The teens of today will someday grow into people who could have control. If unaware of consequences, such as those in the book that might happen due to this type of government, the horrific accounts in the novel could become reality.

3.) What according to you is the central theme of the novel?

 As per my view Totalitarianism is one of the major themes of the novel, 1984. It presents the type of government where even the head of the government is unknown to the public. This theme serves as a warning to the people because such regime unleashes propaganda to make people believe in the lies presented by the government.

4.) What do you understand by the term Orwellian?

"Orwellian" is an adjective describing a situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society.The New York Times has said the term is "the most widely used adjective derived from the name of a modern writer."

Thank you...

An Artist of The Floating World

This thinking activity is a part of our academic writing.

1.) What is the significance of the Lantern in the novel.

 Lanterns in the novel are associated with Ono’steacher Mori-san, who includes a lantern in each of his paintings and dedicates himself to trying to capture the look of lantern light. For Mori-san, the flickering, easily extinguished quality of lantern light symbolizes the transience of beauty and the importance of giving careful attention to small moments and details in the physical world. Lanterns, then, symbolize an outlook on life which prizes small details and everyday moments above the ideological concerns of nationalists or commercial concerns of businesspeople. It is an old-fashioned, aesthetically focused, and more traditional way of viewing the world.

2.) Write about Masuji Ono as an unrealiable narrator.

Ono is an unreliable narrator, disguising his motives and spinning recollections to portray himself more favorably. Although he denies making mistakes, his true feelings slowly seep through and the evolution of his character is expertly revealed by the reactions of his worried daughters.

3.) Debate on the uses of art/artist perspective:

1.Art for the sake of asthetic delight.

Art for the sake of aesthetic delight  works on the deepest desire of Masuji Ono, protagonist of An Artist of the Floating World, is to be an acclaimed, significant artist. But while Ono is technically adept as a painter, his understanding of the world and art’s role in it is unsophisticated. Lacking a strong personal vision for his art and its message, Ono switches from one artistic movement to the next in pursuit of a style that will earn him acknowledgement as a great artist. 

2.Art for earning money /business purpose.

Earning money came at the end when the protogonist had made it possible.In tracing Ono’s trajectory from commercial artist to high-brow Yōga artist to nationalist artist and propagandist, the novel shows a man who spends his life congratulating himself for his bold breaks from his teachers and for his much-needed artistic contributions.

3. Art for imperialism and Nationalism - art for the propaganda of goverment power.

Nationalism and imperialism works hand in hand and in this work it governs the life of the artist.At his life’s end, however, it is clear that Ono has only followed in others’ footsteps, making uninspired and unimportant art, or art which reflects and amplifies his society’s worst impulses. In his quest for relevance and significance, Ono produced work that could not stand the test of time, but became irrelevant along with each passing fad, after the world which he painted had “floated away.” The novel suggests that the “relevant” artist, who reacts to the commercial and political currents of the time, may be acclaimed for a moment but ultimately prove insignificant outside of the time in which he or she works.

4. Art for poor/marxism.

Ono has ambitions to become a great artist, but no idea what kind of art he should produce towards achieving this end. Despite Ono’s description of himself as someone who courageously follows his convictions and talent, the actual events of his life suggest a man who follows others opportunistically instead of thinking for himself. Ono’s early works as a teen are paintings of landscapes. 

5. No need of art and artist (masuji 's father's approach ).

Ono is initially pleased that he is earning a living as an artist, defying his father’s predictions that he would live in squalor if he pursued art as a career. He is also glad to be one of his firm’s leading artists. Gradually, however, Ono comes to feel that this commercial work at Master Takeda’s firm is beneath him, and he leaves the firm. Ono spends the next six years at the villa of Seiji Moriyama, or Mori-san. There, Ono paints in the style Mori-san advocates: paintings of geishas from the “floating world” or pleasure districts depicted in a more Western style called Yōga. Mori-san urges his students to live among geishas, drinking late into the night and painting scenes from nightlife, but Ono struggles with doubts about whether this lifestyle is really the path to greatness. His father, after all, predicted that he would spend his life living in squalor if he pursued a career as an artist.  

4.) What is the relevence of this novel in our times ?

In todays world An Artist of the Floating World discusses  the real time of the society where today how people are living and it also shows several themes through the memories of the narrator, Masuji Ono. The analysis of these themes is facilitated through their transcendence of time, allowing the audience's rumination on Ono's experiences, permitting them to judge the narrative objectively.

Thank you...

The Great Gatsby

Hello readers...

This thinking activity is a part of our academic writing...

 1.) How did the film capture the Jazz Age -The roaring twenties of America in 1920s?

 Scott Fitzgerald can be said tohave captured the rollicking, tumultuous decade known as the Roaring Twenties, from its wild parties, dancing and illegal drinking to its post-war prosperity and its new freedoms for women.Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby was the quintessence of this period of his work, and evoked the romanticism and surface allure of his “Jazz Age” years that began with the end of World War I, the advent of woman's suffrage, and Prohibition, and collapsed with the Great Crash of 1929 years awash in bathtub gin .The character of millionaire Jay Gatsbyrepresents the extremes of 1920s wealth and decadence. Gatsby character represents “new money;” he's a seemingly overnight success with no known ties to family wealth. It is heavily inferred that Gatsbyearned his fortune, at least in part, through bootlegging.

2.) How did the film help in understanding  the character of the novel?

Characterization is the way an author describes and develops characters. ... Scott Fitzgerald usescharacterization in TheGreat Gatsby to make his characters come alive for his readers. Through the eyes of narrator Nick Carraway, the reader learns that Tom Buchanan is a powerful bull of a man.Though Gatsby has always wanted to be rich, his main motivation in acquiring his fortune was his love for Daisy Buchanan, whom he met as a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight in World War I in 1917.I don't even mean to say that Gatsby is a bad character he is wellwritten, interesting, and even sympathetic. He's just not a romantic hero. He's a Great man but not agood man. He's not in love with Daisy, he's in love with the idea of her, the idea of money, and the distant green glow of his own idealized past.

3.)  How did the film help in understanding the symbolic signification of "The valley of Ashes" "The eyes of Dr.T J Eckleberg" and The Green light" ?

It represents the moral and social decay that results from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the plight of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result.The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes.In conclusion, Fitzgerald'sgreat use of symbolismshows that events ofGatsby's life. The green light represents his hopes and dreams of being with Daisy again. Thesymbol of time representsGatsby's hopes of returning to the past, when he was with Daisy. However, this is again not possible due to her marriage.

4.) How did the film capture the theme of raciam and sexism ?

 In the novel The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway is writing about his experiences falling into the hands of filthy wealth, a colorful, dazzlingly loud lifestyle of his neighbor Jay Gatsby and his incredible parties. He soon finds himself caught up in a love story from the past of his cousin Daisy Buchanans and his new neighbor’s affairs, even more so, becomes attached to the hip with Gatsby, devoted to him. 

5.)Nick Carraway :as the narrator.

 Nick Carraway

The novel's narrator,Nick is a young man from Minnesota who, after being educated at Yale and fighting in World War I, goes to New York City to learn the bond business. Honest, tolerant, and inclined to reserve judgment, Nick often serves as a confidant for those with troubling secrets.Nick serves as the novels' source of moral guidance. At the start of the novel, his gestures and judgements mark him as acharacter of moralintegrity; he states that he is 

"full of interior rules that act as brakes".

Thank you...

Archetypal Criticism

 

This Thinking Activity is a part of our academic writing...

Thinking Activity on Archetypal criticism  by Northrop Frye : 

1) What is Archetypal Criticism ? What does the Archetypal  Critic do?

 Ans :
      Archetypal means "Original form". It refers to universal symbols,  theme , character, images. It repeated throughout literature. It is a term in which Frye 's archetypal criticism strictly categorise works based on their genres which determine how on archetype is to be interpreted in a text .
      Archetypal Critic would suggest that all human experience is connected through literature and this experience is expressed again and again by using the same pattern throughout time and space. There are some universal truths that we can learn by reading .

2)What is Frye trying to prove by giving an analogy of ' Physics to Nature ' and ' Criticism to Literature'.

Ans : 
     In this Frye compare the both Physics to Nature and Criticism to Literature. The Physics is deep study of Nature but it called physics not Nature  though it is based on the Nature only but it called physics.In the same manner In the literature we are not learn the literature but we learn to understand literature,  how to read and how to criticise literature so we are not Learn literature but criticise literature. So it is the criticism of literature. So Literature is equall to Nature and Physics is equall to Criticism.

3) Share your views of criticism as an organised body of knowledge. Mention relation of literature with history and philosophy.

Ans :
   Criticism is as an organised body of knowledge. So it is progressive way of Literature. But Literature never organised it should free from it for the progress of Literature. It definitely deeply connected with the History and Philosophy both are important pillars  of Literature. The History connected with the myths and Philosophy connected with Morality and ethics. History stands for events and Philosophy is stands for idea.

4) Briefly explain Indicative method with illustrations of Shakespeare 's Hamlet 's Grave Digger 's scene.

Ans:
   Inductive method is method of reasoning which works from specific to general. In the Shakespeare 's Hamlet the grave digger scene is the example of it. It is specific scene which lead us toward general things.
   In this shows about blind faith in the religion Some buried rules of Christianity. In this Ophelia 's death is centre whether her death is nature and accident or suicide. According Christian religion suicide victims not normally buried in churchyard in those days.
  The second thing is the about the gravediggers that they are not effected   by the death of others because it is their rutin work. They have  romanticize relationship with their jobs. It is manifestations of the absolute integrity of gravediggers. So In this we come to general observations: corruption in society, their own worth and equality of all human kind , concept of death : Humanbeing is Mortal , blind faith about death and Hamlet ready Die for his love and ready for fighting with Laertes. So with the Specific scene we come to the general illustrations.

5) Briefly explain Deductive Method with reference to an analogy to music , painting, rhythm and pattern. Give example of outcome of  Deductive Method.

Ans :
   In the Deductive Method it come from general to specific or particular observations. In this Music has rhyme and Painting has patterns. Both are connected while listening the music at the first time we can't understand but when we start to understand the words we image a picture in the mind by this imagination we understand the things. As the same thing happens while reading literature we image the things through the imagination it helps us to understand the literature. So music , rhythm, painting, pattern so it helps to understand the literature.

6) Refer to the Indian seasonal grid ( below) If you can, please  read small Gujrati or Hindi poem from Archetypal approach and apply India seasonal grid in the interpretation.

Ans : 
     Here is one poem which about Nature : spring poem : 
Gujarati Poem on Nature –  

___વસંત ટહુકે છે___

મધુર અવાજ સુણી દિલ ધબકાર ચૂકે છે,

ફૂલ કહે કાનમાં, આ તો વસંત ટહુકે છે.

ફૂલોનો તાલ જોઈ ભમરો ઘેલો થયો,

નાચતો નાચતો મને પણ ખેંચી ગયો;

ને પછી તો ભાઈ! આ મન માઝા મૂકે છે,

કહી દો જગતને આ તો વસંત ટહુકે છે.

પતંગિયાં ઘોળવા લાગ્યાં કસૂંબીનો રંગ,

કુદરતને લૂંટવા હવે જામી પડયો જંગ;

સૌ ઉછળે છે,

પણ ડાળીઓ તો ઝૂકે છે,

એની તો પ્યારી આ તો વસંત ટહુકે છે.

   
    This poem talks about the spring season. What the changes comes of spring also talks about the flowers and tress , kite festival and also many things which comes when spring comes and people feels new life and feeling happy when spring comes. It also talks about that what  changes comes at this season.

Thank you...

Thinking Activity : Waiting For Godot

 This  blog is a part of our academic writing which is given by our mentor Prof. DILIP P BARAD SIR...

1.) What is Existentialism?

Existentialism is a way of thinking that focuses on what it means for people to exist. It is a philosophical movement. It became well known in books and movies of the 19th and 20th centuries. Existentialism is known for dealing with nihilistic problems, but is generally still a kind of anti-nihilism.a philosophical movement that stresses the individual's unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for making meaningful, authentic choices in a universe seen as purposeless or irrational: 

2.) What is the theme of The Myth of Sisyphus?

Humankind and the Natural World is the theme of Myth of Sisyphus .It poses a dilemma that goes to the heart of what it means to be alive. While people strive to create good lives for themselves, the inevitability of death renders this effort according to Camus—ultimately meaningless.Camus uses the Greek legend of Sisyphus, who is condemned by the gods for eternity to repeatedly roll a boulder up a hill only to have it roll down again once he got it to the top, as a metaphor for the individual's persistent struggle against the essential absurdity of life.

3.) Do you agree that Existentialism is Humanism?

Yes. I agree that Existentialism is Humanism .Jean-Paul Sartre said "existentialism is ahumanism" because it expresses the power of human beings to make freely-willed choices, independent of the influence of religion or society.

4.) What is Übermensch?

The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.An Ubermensch is Beyond-Man​," "Superman," "Overman," "Uberman", or "Superhuman". In his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche has his character Zarathustra posit the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself.

5.) What is Theater of Absurd?

Theatre of the Absurd, dramatic work of certain European and American dramatists of the 1950s and early '60s who agreed with the Existentialist philosopher.A theater that seeks to represent the absurdity of human existence in a meaningless universe by bizarre or fantastic means.

6.) What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree.Evening.”) of the play and these paintings?

Two Men Contemplating the Moon (Zwei Männer in Betrachtung des Mondes) is an oil painting by the German Romantic artist, Caspar David Friedrich.

Samuel Beckett’s biographer, James Knowlson, has revealed that the playwright claimed he had used Two Men Contemplating the Moon as visual inspiration for his ground-breaking first play, Waiting for Godot (1953).Beckett saw the work on a visit to Germany in 1937. It captures perfect, simple stillness  a quality that Beckett greatly admired in painting, and which he pursued throughout his career in his own writing.

The first visual connection between Friedrich’s composition and Waiting for Godot is suggested by the play’s iconic opening scene setting:

A country road. A tree.
Evening.

Later, the painting is strongly evoked in a scene at the end of Act 1. Here, Beckett visually echoes Friedrich’s composition the stage directions describe the moon ‘standing still, shedding a pale light’, as Estragon and Vladimir stand by the tree.

7.) The tree is the only important ‘thing’ in the setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ? 

Leaves on Tree - Waiting for Godot

 The tree is the only important thing in the setting. Tree suggest the presence of nature in the ruined setting. In act l  Hopelessness presented through it because tree without leaf is like life without breath. But, in act II there are few leaves grows on the barren tree it shows the hope of rebirth. We can not exactly clarify reason that why Becket grows a few leaves on the barren tree, but Maybe he wants to show the hope. ‘Constant Waiting and yet nothing happens’ this condition of characters can lead them to disheartenment but they are spiritual or inner grow is shown through leaves on the barren tree

8.)  In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?

Night and Moon - Waiting for Godot

• Evening falls into night and moon rises signifies that the universe is indifferent to us.  Whatever happens in human life despair, anxiety, absurdity; nature’s cycle goes on.

9.) The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

• We found setting with scattered fragments, something wrecked or destroyed. After two world wars, people's life became miserable. They find nothingness in the world. It inspires many literary writers to portray such images in artistic expression. Buckett was one of them. The setting reflects the influence of World war 2. 

10.)  The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?

• " Nothing to be done" reflects the Existentialism. This theory shows that life is meaningless, whatever you do it has no ultimate meaning. This play starts with this idea of nothingness.  Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot without knowing that he will come or not, is he exist or not, who is he?. Their incoherent babblings, changing of hats, unclear theme these all show the Nothingness of the play.

11.) Do you agree: “The play (Waiting for Godot), we agreed, was a positive play, not negative, not pessimistic. As I saw it, with my blood and skin and eyes, the philosophy is: 'No matter what— atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything—life goes on. You can kill yourself, but you can't kill life." (E.G. Marshal who played Vladimir in original Broadway production 1950s)?

• The play is completely optimistic. The dialogues between Vladimir and Estragon, Lucky and Pozzo, messenger the boy reflect the deep philosophy of life. As Pozzo exclaims " One day is not enough for, one day like any other day he went dumb, one day I went blind, one day we will go deaf, one day we were born, one day we"ll die, the same day, the same second........ " Hindu philosophy says that Nothing can be meaningless. you will gain the fruits of your deeds. And if life is meaningless yet we are going on living. So many people are connected with us but if we kill ourselves then also life will go on as it is for other people. We are almost on the verge of war with other country but yet we are living. Every time we face one or another fear, but after all, we live happily. 

12.)  How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

•  Beckett has presented all the symbols very well. In the symbol of a hat, we can connect intellectuality. And boots as a dumbness of person. Or we can say carefree spirit with a valid reason as Estragon represents in the play. 

13.) Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?

Pozzo - Lucky: Master-Slave

• Yes, as I saw the film I think the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic. When his master becomes blind he has the chance to run away but he didn't do that. We also like Lucky, we all have a chance to free from slavery but we are acting like Lucky. It raises the question of existence. We are tied up with some kind of rope from which we don't want to free.

14.)  Who according to you is Godot? God? An object of desire? Death? Goal? Success? Or  . . .

• In the play, we can say that God is Godot. But according to me the deep desire to be something,  to achieve more and more in life. In between so many obstacles will keep coming but we don't have to stop. That's the thing which makes this play positively. 

15.)    “The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’” (Esslin, A Search for the Self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

• In Martin Esslin’s essay ‘A Search for the self’ he said that the subject of the play is not Godot but waiting. I do agree with his statement because throughout our life we are waiting for something. We know that the future is unpredictable. So what? Can we give living life? Can we stop desiring something? Can we leave hope? No, we can’t. Our life itself is unpredictable but we go on living to meet with its end, i.e. death. So we can say that internally we are waiting for the liberation of our soul. And externally we are waiting for the death. But the common thing in the both is “waiting” and we can’t free ourselves from it.

16.)  Do you think that plays like this can better be ‘read’ than ‘viewed’ as it requires a lot of thinking on the part of readers, while viewing, the torrent of dialogues does not give ample time and space to ‘think’? Or is it that the audio-visuals help in better understanding of the play?

• Yes, I think that audio-visual gives us a better understanding of the play. It is also true that it doesn’t give us ample time to think. We have to move fast with changing scene on the screen. But if we try to look at the reading of the text it to has got some limitations for which in some parts we can’t imagine the actual scene or action or pause which is written in the text. But in a screening of this play, we came across a few things as such that why they take a pause or what does the meaning of silence in both the acts signify.

17.) Which of the following sequence you liked the most:

o   Vladimir – Estragon killing time in questions and conversations whilewaiting

Vladimir and Estragon: The Had and the Boot

• I like the conversational scene between Vladimir and Estragon. They pass many humorous dialogues while waiting to kill their time. As they make the audience burst out in laughter with their silly activities or silly questions over each other.

  

18.)  Did you feel the effect of existential crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe during the screening of the movie? Where and when exactly that feeling was felt, if ever it was?

• Yes, when Lucky and Pozzo enters it gives the different effect of the existence of Lucky. We can even tolerate the slavishness of Lucky. Pozzo treats Lucky as a slave, it raises the question on existential crises. How Lucky make himself slave for the piece of bones.

19.)   Vladimir and Estragon talks about ‘hanging’ themselves and commit suicide, but they do not do so. How do you read this idea of suicide in Existentialism?

• Vladimir and Estragon think to hang themselves. If we read it as an existential reader we can say that this idea of suicide is an existential idea. The idea of suicide rejects God. In Christianity suicide is an unforgivable sin. But they agree to commit suicide. They know about Christ and the Bible, though they decide to commit suicide. Though they did not do it, but not because of fear of God, but because they forgot to bring a rope. This idea of rejecting God and behaving on in owns way is an existential idea. So the idea of suicide can be read as existentialism.

20.)  Can we do any political reading of the play if we see European nations represented by the 'names' of the characters (Vladimir - Russia; Estragon - France; Pozzo - Italy and Lucky - England)? What interpretation can be inferred from the play written just after World War II? Which country stands for 'Godot'?16]  So far as Pozzo and Lucky [master and slave] are concerned, we have to remember that Beckett was a disciple of Joyce and that Joyce hated England. Beckett meant Pozzo to be England, and Lucky to be Ireland." (Bert Lahr who played Estragon in Broadway production). Does this reading make any sense? Why? How? What?

• European nations represented by the names of the characters. Vladimir represents Russia and Estragon represents France. There is a history of power politics between France and Russia. Many Russian are in favor of France and many against and vice versa. But still, they are together just like Estragon and Vladimir. Pozzo represents Italy and Lucky represents England, as in political reading Italy tries to impose their ideas and rule over England. Germany stands for Godot. As Hitler was ruling in Germany, and the way he excommunicated the Jews from his country is very much significant and relevant to the play. Both the tramps one or another way threw by their nations. The way they wait for Godot is similar to the way Jews waits for Hitler to accept them. 

21. ) The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy's question, Vladimir says: 

"BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?

VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't you?

How does this conversation go in Act II? Is there any change in seeming similar situation and conversation? If so, what is it? What does it signify?

• In the ending of both the acts conversation between Vladimir and the boy who is a messenger of Godot happens. It seems similar but there is a slight difference which can be read deeply. In first act even if Estragon was sleeping Vladimir says to a boy that day visite you saw both of us. While in the ending of second act Vladimir says to a boy that tells Godot you saw me. This from "Us" to "Me" clearly shows selfishness. When a time of salvation comes maybe people become selfish. Vladimir has known the biblical story of two thieves. He maybe thought that if only one has to be saved then it should be him. So this slight change in dialogues has made big difference in meaning.

Thank you...