My Comments on Worksheets: Frankeinstein

Frankenstein

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What is the difference between the movie and the novel?
· Does the movie help you to understand narrative structure of the novel?
· Do you think the movie is helpful to understand the viewpoints of different characters?
· What do you think about the creation of lady monster in the novel and Elizabeth's look of a monster in the movie?
· Think about Victor's acceptance of Elizabeth and rejection of the monster.
Do you think the director is faithful to the novel?

First, Kenneth Branagh is very talented director. He is genius in this art.
He made many changes in the movie. Restoring life of Elizabeth is a big difference, but, there is also many difference he made. Like, the story of De lacy family, Creature's way of learning, and many other things are presented differently. But I think some important things are also missing there. Like, In the novel there is an incident of victor's childhood that, he show lightning in the sky and because of the lightning, one tree near his house burnt. This may be symbol of destroying element of electricity or lightning.
The novel is also called as 'The modern Prometheus' , in the novel there is an incident of monster that he is struggling from cold and found 'fire' and used it for various purpose. These are missing in the film.
Accept these, imprisonment of Victor, Henry Clervel's murder, Case of Justine in the Court, these are not in the movie. That way there is many differences in the movie and novel.
But, definitely movie can help to understand the novel. the process of making creature is shown very well. At some extent, movie can also help to understand narrative structure, but for study, we have to read original novel for it's narrative structure.
Movie can help viewers to imagine the look of both the creatures and process of making them.
According to me, with restoring life of Elizabeth as lady monster, the director made the story more complicated. And the novel is very simple so, because of this complexity, the question of acceptance is raised. which creates doubt in viewers mind.
The director presents the story very well, but movie cannot become so faithful to the novel. Mary Shelly's novel is very simple and with many symbols, but the movie raised many questions in the case of lady monster and Justine's case.
Still, Movie is wonderful and perfect in the sense of audio visual form of novel. But the novel shows genius of Mary Shelley. 

My Comments on Worksheets: The Birthday party

The Birthday party

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· Why are two scenes of Lulu omitted from the movie?
· Is movie successful in giving us the effect of menace? Where you able to feel it while reading the text?
· Do you feel the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie? Where you able to feel the same while reading the text
What do you read in 'newspaper' in the movie? Petey is reading newspaper to Meg, it torn into pieces by McCain, pieces are hidden by Petey in last scene.
Camera is positioned over the head of McCain when he is playing Blind Man's Buff and is positioned at the top with a view of room like a cage (trap) when Stanley is playing it. What interpretations can you give to these positioning of camera?
"Pinter restored theater to its basic elements: an enclosed space and unpredictable dialogue, where people are at the mercy of one another and pretense crumbles." (Pinter, Art, Truth & Politics: Excerpts from the 2005 Nobel Lecture). Does this happen in the movie?
· How does viewing movie help in better understanding of the play ‘The Birthday Party’ with its typical characteristics (like painteresque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger)?
· With which of the following observations you agree:
o “It probably wasn't possible to make a satisfactory film of "The Birthday Party."
o “It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin”[3]. (Ebert)
· If you were director or screenplay writer, what sort of difference would you make it the making of movie?
· Who would be your choice of actors to play the role of characters?


Respected Sir, here is my interpretations...

• It’s not easy and fair to justify writer’s intentions. About lulu’s scene, in the last scene she is complaining about Nat’s behaviour in the birthday party. Lulu’s scenes are omitted because it does not clarify anything, what she is complaining; she is actively participated in this. And in the play all things happen behind the scenes so, one cannot rely on Lulu and her complain. As Stanley is protagonist, writer, while making movie (after having experience of play performances) does not seems necessary to make these scenes.
• I do not read original play yet. But movie is successful in creating menacing effects. When McCann and Goldberg came and Stanley ran away with fear from kitchen. The scene of Blind man’s Bluff is the most frightening scene of the movie/play. These scenes show upcoming danger on protagonist.
• According to me, Newspaper is connection to reality as Petey is reading it and Meg is completely unaware about reality, she has her own imaginative world without concerning with reality. When McCann is tearing newspaper it shows his destroying mentality especially about Stanley. At the end of the play, Petey hides these pieces means he is hiding reality of Stanley as he is also torn by two fellows.
• In this movie camera is well positioned and successful in creating appropriate effects. In those scenes it shows particular person’s mental condition (as fear or ambiguity) and what others are doing or thinking about him. (Like trap for Stanley or situating Drum…)
• Yes, it’s very well shown in the movie as well as in play. ("Pinter restored theater to its basic elements: an enclosed space and unpredictable dialogue, where people are at the mercy of one another and pretense crumbles.")
• Movie really helps much in better understanding. Even it is directed by original author so, there is not any question or doubt about another interpretation or point of view, and it shows all the things which writer wants to show. All the elements are well captured with background sound, expression and visualisation of scene and character’s emotions. Because of these effects, we can understand far better than reading play.
• I have not seen other movie versions and haven’t read original play so; I can’t say anything about this movie that it is the best. But it cannot be said that other performances cannot be more effective, it is upon creativity of an artist, director!
• For making changes still I should study original play many times then I will be able to give this answer.
• It seems very interesting to think about characters of our choice. I am agree with Riddhi’s selection but if it is in my hand than I think, following artists can perform well the role of these characters.
Stanley- Nawazuddin Siddiki
Goldburg- Anupam Kher
McCann- Irfan Khan
Meg- Kiran Kher 
Petey- Nasiruddin Shah
Lulu- Priyanka Chopara
Thank you for interesting questions which make us thinking and we enjoy a lot in answering these questions.

My Comments on Worksheets: The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code

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1. Brown states on his website that his books are not anti-Christian, though he is on a 'constant spiritual journey' himself, and says that his book The Da Vinci Code is simply "an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate" and suggests that the book may be used "as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith."
2. “Although it is obvious that much of what Brown presented in his novel as absolutely true and accurate is neither of those, some of that material is of course essential to the intrigue, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman has retained the novel's core, the Grail-related material: the sacred feminine, Mary Magdalene's marriage, the Priory of Sion, certain aspects of Leonardo's art, and so on[1].” How far do you agree with this observation of Norris J. Lacy?
3. (If)You have studied ‘Genesis’ (The Bible), ‘The Paradise Lost’ (John Milton) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative/s seem/s to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?
4. What harm has been done to humanity by the biblical narration or that of Milton’s in The Paradise Lose? What sort of damage does narrative like ‘The Vinci Code’ do to humanity?
5. What difference do you see in the portrayal of 'Ophelia' (Kate Winslet) in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, 'Elizabeth' (Helena Bonham Carter) in Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or 'Hester Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffé's The Scarlet Letter' - and 'Sophie Neuve' (Audrey Tautau) in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code? How would justify your answer?
6. Do novel / film lead us into critical (deconstructive) thinking about your religion? Can we think of such conspiracy theory about Hindu religious symbols / myths?
7. Have you come across any similar book/movie, which tries to deconstruct accepted notions about Hindu religion or culture and by dismantling it, attempts to reconstruct another possible interpretation of truth?
8. When we do traditional reading of the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University emerges asprotagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as antagonist. Who will claim the position of protagonist if we do atheist reading of the novel?
9. Explain Ann Gray’s three propositions on ‘knowability’ with illustrations from the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’.

respected Sir,
Here is my interpretation about the movie because I did not read original novel.
• Dan Brown is very right, not only this but any work of art tries to generate debate on spiritual and religious costumes (like recent Indian movies). The central scene of the movie/novel is debate between Robert and Leigh- (climax), which indicates what writer wants to show. Brown makes his hero very faithful and believer of spirituality, even he does not want to break faith and in the last scene he kneels down. It shows that the novel is not anti-Christian and brown does not break spirituality, but with character of Robert Langdon, he shows internal and external struggle of spirituality and also generates debate about that.
• Dan Brown’s novel is fiction. Anyone can claim that the elements which are connected and described are wrong not truths. Because it is imaginative, imagination-perspective of one man so, it must not be truth, what the writer already said that it is an entertaining story… Dan Brown only supposes or tries to give his idea that, these dotes can be joined that way also. So, any person can deconstruct the novel but some proofs are required.
• Obviously, as ‘The Da Vinci Code’ is written in contemporary time and with very interesting points, it is near to young mind. But according to me, Paradise Lost- Milton’s narrative is more convincing and truthful even today.
• Bible bounds religion or people through religion. It also makes man to God. But the most harmful thing is it attacks female as unworthy and reason for downfall of human kind. Paradise Lost tries to show logically with giving Eve some space. But it also decreases women. Many ways ‘The Da Vinci Code’ breaks human faith with showing history of Christianity. Though it tries to show feminine sacredness somehow it also harms women with objectifying them. We cannot say now, let some more years pass…
• All characters are portrayed as an object, they needs man’s help or love. They are presented as secondary characters accept Hester Prynne. Ophelia and Elizabeth both are much similar, whose strings are in men’s hand. Hester is only one who is hero or doer of all actions than other female characters.
• Of course this type of novel or movies leads to deconstruct religion or doubting it. It raises debate in minds. But to find conspiracy about Hindu religion, it takes more time and vast reading. one example is ‘100 Ramayanas’. It is said that, ‘BhagvadGita’ is not there in Mahabharata but added… there are other examples related with deconstruction of Hindu Gods.
• Leigh Teabing will become hero with atheist reading of the novel as he wants to reveal truth even with the cost of destroying human faith.
• Well, it is very difficult to explain this concept of knowability. And we can apply this concept everywhere. Knowledgs is very vast concept and one cannot claim that whatever we know is truth. Character like Silas dies in blindness about his knowledge. Bezu Fetch who is believer of Opus Dei, insider will work in blindness. It matters from where we try to get knowledge. The best way to get knowledge is to doubt our own knowledge. 

My Comments on Worksheets: One Night @ The Call Center

One Night @ The Call Center

To view worksheet and questions in detail click here

1. Contemporary issues in on@tcc:

2. Mannepean satire:

3. The effect of Globalization:

4. Narrative Structure:

5. Popular Literature and ON@TCC

6. Self-help book and on@tcc:

7. One of the themes of the novel is its anti-American sentiments which are intertwined with Nationalism. Had you been God, what would have been your answer to Vroom when he said "If only you had given India as much as America!"?

Respected Sir, here is my views about given points...

It is very clear that, writer can write the things, incidents and actions which he knows and feels. So, as Bhagat is coming from that society he knows the problems which their youth faces and can justifiably portray. As he is young he portrays problems of intelligent youth. Though he is much criticized, he is good observer, the way he presented life style of youth, is very real. But he comes up with new problems of them, not economy. He criticises those sucking jobs, which kills youth, their intelligence, free ideas, courage and confidence. It’s very true that, in Bhagat’s work, we can find contemporary issues. That’s why they become popular. Either it is call center problems or English language issue. (Perhaps, because they only deal with these contemporary issues, which are well known and superficial ideas, but not presenting new and deep, thought provoking ideas, they are criticized by the critics.

As the answer is already there, the novel is Mannepean satire. It is set in 21st century background, time of modernisation and globalisation, because of that, some traditional ideas are satirised, like, hacking and blackmailing Boss, listening another’s private talk, smoking and drinking with throwing old values(including mentioned).

As it is already discussed, because of this ‘global village’, it unconsciously effects individually and culturally both. For example, because of this call center, one can get a job, (lead money from other country) but their services are helping other country and they also kill employees freedom and confidence to do something more than that. Globalisation effects culture as in the novel character’s life style is portrayed, it also affects personally as characters are having modern, western values with rejection of their own culture and values.

Perhaps the most beautiful and appreciated part of the novel is its narrative. Prologue and epilogue make its narrative more beautiful. And because of that, there is many interpretations and alternative. Even shyam’s narrative is also artistic, connecting past and present and with that, characters and actions are portrayed. But if Bhagat narrates (with Shyam’s narrative as it is) this without putting episodes or chapter (section) than it will more effective and beautiful. Like other novels The White Tiger or The Sense of an ending.

Because the literature affects larger people and easy to understand and can also give pleasure instead of anxiety can be popular literature. All the points are true. As I already said Bhagat’s novel talks about well known contemporary issues and tries to give simple lesson to face problems in our life, it becomes popular.

Like self help book, there are some general instructions or ideas are suggested (Ex. by God) to face problems and also shown that with these technique, problems can be solved and there will happy ending!!!
We cannot say that it is possible that, there can be call from God but alternative is given and in the narrative, there can be interpreted that the story is in dream!! But one can argue that, if in Shakespeare’s plays ghost and witches can be appeared than why not God in this novel???

"If only you had given India as much as America!"?
Than …even problems are remaining
Than …India will also have some stupids like in America (as it is mentioned in novel)!!!!!! 

My Comments on Worksheets: The Sense of an Ending

The Sense of an Ending

This is an comment on the worksheet of academic text, to view worksheet and questions click on link given below:

http://dilipbarad.blogspot.in/2014/02/the-sense-of-ending-julian-barnes.html

o What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?

o How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

o Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. How come Sarah Ford owned it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica?

o Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

o How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care-in-the-community?

o Do you see any missing block – some dot which is not getting connected with the whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel - in the plot of this psychological thriller?

o Do you see any possible reason in the suicide of Adrian Finn?

o In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, good Samaritan?

o What do you mean by Unreliable Narrator? Is Tony Webster classifiable as Unreliable Narrator?


Respected Sir, here is my interpretation of asked questions.

The phrase 'Blood Money' can have meanings like, relationship with Sarah caused Adrian's suicide. And her money is given to Tony. Their relationship damages young Adrian's life so it can be called Blood Money and Tony is cause of all damages so Veronica call his (given) money as 'Blood Money'.

The equation Means b =baby or young Adrian, s = Sarah, V= Veronica, a= Adrian.
b = s – v x/+ a1 means, Young Adrian, b is a result of Sarah's relationship with Adrian (x/+) with breaking relationship with Veronica(-).
a2 + v + a1 X s = b? a2 means Anthony ( Adrian used to address Tony as Anthony) It says relationship of Tony with Veronica, and her relationship with Adrian. And Adrian and Sarah's relationship multiplies b means gave birth to baby or young Adrian.

As in last days Adrian is in relationship with Sarah and they both are happy. So, Adrian's diary is with Sarah. Their relationship is an effect of Tony's letter. So, she willed it to Tony. But Veronica knows all the things. even she can view that the reason of young Adrian's suffering is also three of them. The bitter and cruel letter of Tony is in the route. So, she did not want to give him diary. Because of Tony's strong affords, she started giving clues to him and want him to understand all the things. Perhaps that can be reason of her possession.

Yes, though is is not clearly described but the way he behaves and what another fellow says to Tony that Young Adrian have problem with Tony's presence it can be interpreted.
Veronica is his sister and she is so sincere that she takes care her. And she understands that Adrian's suffering is result of other people.

All the mysteries are revealed in the novel. The reason of Adrian's death is not much clear and open to interpret. It can be because of his illegitimate relationship with Sarah as the novel ends with this or it is because Adrian was existentialist, what his suicide note suggests...
Another thing which is not clear is why Veronica did not want to give him diary or inform all the things clearly to Tony. At one stage she even stops giving him clues. But it is not missing block with this indirect clues novel becomes more interesting and mysterious.

Smart, Intelligent, manipulative, trustworthy, stubborn at some extent and sacrificial.

Definitely, the narrator is unreliable, he himself goes on telling and deconstruction his own narrated events. Another thing whatever he narrated in part one, is deconstruction and challenged in second part. So, he is unreliable. Whatever is said. is only with his point of view and even in far past, so to recall all events truly is impossible and he himself goes on telling that, memory is imperfect...
That is from my side, but the novel has many good, significant things to be discussed about.
Thank you. 

ELT Group Task

                      
                In context of English Language Teaching, we have taken a task to evaluate answer sheet of three semesters of all the students of  batch 2013-15, and we tried to find out the progress of students after studding in our Department of English. This is detailed information about this task in methodological way...

Group Members:
Rasila Jambucha
Poojaba Jadeja
Drashti Dave
Riddhi Jani 
Binita Solanki

Process of evaluation

• Students have 32 students’ answer-sheet of first, second and third semester.  As an entrance test, students have given descriptive answer of a question after taking their admission in department of English, so, to evaluate their writing and language competences before MA, we evaluated these one page answer of each students. 
• Grammatical and language errors of each students are identified and marked as their form by students first individually and than all the answer-sheets are rechecked in group and errors are divided with their forms, like, errors of tense, sentence structure, vocabulary, punctuation mark, capitalization, spelling and other grammatical errors…  and categorized with major, minor and medium.
• Then, in group we evaluated errors of individual students and also compared all the answer-sheet of entrance test, semester-1, 2, 3 of each student.
• We generalized every students, progress or change in forms of errors in every semester.
• For example- does the student’s sentence structure is improved in 3^rd semester or not, do their vocabulary increased…  which type of errors are stable in every semester….
• In conclusion, we generalized all the students’ progress of stability in errors with regarding their forms… for example how many students’ sentence structure is improved?...

Limitations

• One answer of each answer sheet is evaluated
• Answer sheet is different with regarding to criticism and literary texts for example, semester 1 and 2 have criticism and 3^rd have questions from novel or play…
• Evaluation with help of students’ knowledge of grammar
• Students’ state of mind is not considered

Fore findings...

• 50% students’ errors in sentence structures are decreased.  Among Other 50% of students, whose sentence structure are stable, 37.5% students’ language or sentence structure is already improved and good, so, they remain stable…
• Even the students, whose sentence structure is very weak, in their answer-sheet, errors of tense is becoming visible. So, they get some ideas of subject and verb agreement…
•  Most of the students’ (62.50% ) tense errors are decreased. The common errors of simple present- s-es after verb, -ed past is decreased. The students, who remain stable in tense errors their errors are of active-passive.
• 40% students’ vocabulary is increased and they started using new words, other students vocabulary remains related to content of particular answer. In that case, some students may know new words and understand but they could not apply or use in their answers…

Charts:

• The common errors of students is of plural, subject and verb agreement mostly in simple present (even whose sentence form is good they also may be unconsciously or with ignoring simple form make errors of s-es after verb) , use of coma (,) is hardly visible.

Examples:

• Many students draw various kinds of charts instead of using language descriptively. That may be their escape from using language, which is very shameful for literature students…
• Some students, who are regularly irregular, whose observation, listening and understanding  skills are not well developed, they remain stable in most of the forms of errors…
• Common mistake in content is, in second semester, most of the students made mistake in answer of fourfold of misunderstanding given by I. A. Richards (some have confusion in even name of Richards- Richard!!!) and T. S. Eliot’s theory of depersonalization is not properly understood by students…

• Suggestions:

Some students, should develop listening and speaking skills, observation and understanding power. The students who are weak in language and grammar should start with learning English language grammar in former and basic way.

Changing perspective of Indian Cinema

Bollywood heroes become…….‘Banjara’

Indian cinema started changing in this modern era with looking beyond its culture and identity… Let’s look on several super hit movies of the year, (accept Salman Khan movies) which are appreciated by critics and common people both. Some of them are Queen, Haider, Yeh Jawani He Diwani, Highway etc… Let’s look them with different perspective and observe what is they are indicating.

It is believed that wherever you go but you can find peace at home only. In Gujarati, “ધરતીનો છેડો ઘર” but modern India doesn't believe in that, and it is reflected in some recent movies. 

One of the appreciated movies is ‘Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani’, the main protagonist of the movie wants to fly… he wants to see the world, for that he sacrifices his all relations and his home also. Here the traditional mentality of home is broken. The character is not bounding him in one place. Like a ‘Banjara’ he wants to roam road to road.

The traditional idea is, to let go back to home and the modern perspective is to fly away from home. You may remember a movie which released some years ago, “Swades” in which protagonist comes back to his home-native land though he is living luxurious life in foreign for many years. Many traditional movies end with coming back home after long journey or suffering.

Traditional idea believes in nativism, homeland… one of the celebrated Indian ideas or values is to believe that the native land is more precious than heaven.  “जननी जन्मभूमि श्च स्वर्गादपि गरियसी”.

The idea of flying from native land is not only imposed in male protagonists. (Hero does not mean male protagonist only!!)  But female protagonists are also shown with this idea.

Other example is the movie ‘Queen’, where the female protagonist finds her happiness outside her home (the idea of peace at home is destroyed!??!!!). She wants to fly and see the world. Denying long lasting relationship, she chooses individuality and freedom to go beyond her world, to go around the world. As one of its song suggests...

In one of Shishir Ramavat’s articles (Multiplex), he compares ‘Queen’ with the movie ‘Arth’. One of the differences we can find between these is of flying from their small world. It is not possible to show in ‘Arth’ as ‘Queen’ shows because of time and traditional thinking. As this idea is not widely accepted and it becomes more problematic to show a woman going out from her city even, than what about country!!??!!!

Another very good example is from the movie ‘Hasee to fasee’. In this movie heroine wants to go away for her research work without caring her family and relation with her family members. Even the last scene suggests, after her marriage with hero, they are going out of the country instead of staying with her husband’s family.

 One of the reasons of success of ‘Highway’ is this new modern idea. Both of the characters want to run away from their culture, home… Roaming, journeying, going far away from native culture, land become appreciated value today. That’s why they like roads instead of home!?!!

That’s why ‘Haider’ wants to cross the border… one of the conflicts shown in Vishal Bhardwaj’s master piece is Haider’s wish to go away from his problematic land and traditional idea of mother land, as it suggests whatever problems are there, person should tolerate but have to stay.

It can be seen as effect of globalization, modernisation and westernisation, but truth is that, now for modern India, home is not end of journey but sky is the limit and mother land is not heaven whole world is home.