Pepar :-15 mass midia communication study

 

Paper 15 mass media from Hitixa Goswami

pepar :- 14 The African Literature

 

Paper 14 from Hitixa Goswami

Thinking Activity : Sense of an Ending

 Hello readers!

                              Here I am going to wrote about the famous novel The sense of an Ending is written by Julian Barnes. This blog is my academic task given by Dr Dilip barad sir from Department of English Bhavnagar University. Click here

   1. How do we understand the concept of suicide with reference to your reading of literature ranging from Renaissance play Hamlet, 20th century Existentialist philosophy and this 21st century novel Sense of an Ending?

Ans :-  "Once suicide was accepted as a common fact of society not as a noble Roman alternative, nor as the mortal sin it had been in the Middle Ages, nor as a special cause to be pleaded or warned against but simply as something people did, often and without much hesitation, like committing adultery, then it automatically became a common property of art" - Duaz 1971

                 People have different concept about suicide, rational thinkers like literary writers look suicide as an art and religious people look as a sin. Suicide is very interesting element in literature, for other people like doctors and businessman suicide is like failure of life and escaping from terrible experiences. While for literary writers suicide is Philosophical answer of life. If we see the Saussure's sign, signifier and signified then we come to know that it is all about language which create different meaning of death and suicide. 

            Suicide is beyond the death, it is transcendental idea of writers. From the age of enlightenment the idea of suicide came into the canon of literary work. There are many suicidal events in the work of William Shakespeare, for instance 'Hamlet' in which Prince Hamlet's soliloquy "To be or not to be" was very significant about suicide. He did not committed suicide because he had faith in the divinity but somehow Hamlet also thought about philosophical answer of the life. In twentieth Century After the world wars and scientific theories cause of spiritual degradation in people's life.

                     In addition, theory of Existentialism asked the question about existence and meaning of life. Albert Camus, Jean Paul Sartre, the theorists of Existentialism gave the philosophical idea of suicide and said that suicide is beyond the death, it is not about failure in the life and escaping but it is all about transcendental idea of death, meaninglessness of life and absurdism. Further, in 21st century's 'Sense of an Ending' by Julian Barnes also have two episodes of suicide. There are two characters who committed suicide but it is not reliable facts that why they done suicide because it is said by other people, so we can say that Adrian's suicide is somehow seems philosophical but not reliable. However, psychologists say that it is all about Thanatos and Eros which are drive us into the life and death. 

2. How do you understand memory and history with reference to your reading of this novel

Ans :- At the end we come to know that memory has record something which is good or which we think it's a good and its preserved by us and when we think it's good about us then we preserve but one more thing is that memory is not perfect memory is in perfect so we cannot rely on some of the thing is perfectly clear in our mind in our memory also but something is not clear and after letter on its mixing so we cannot rely that what exactly happened in past

Same way we find in history that history is written by historian and its base on the someone's memory and its deal with the evidence but we can find that history is always problematic just because whenever that accident or event happened at that time how we remember then give interpretation or language used its depend upon that if that accident or event is good for us then we preserve different way but when that event or accident husband memory then we will do different kind of interpretation.

                       

Thinking Activity :- Harry Potter

 Hello readers!

   Click here see my Webquest Table 1

      Click Here see my  Table 2

   Here I am going to wrote about the Harry Potter Series. We know that the Harry Potter is famous book series worldwide written by J. K. Rowling. This book takes us into a world full of fantasy, horror, mystery, magic. This book is not limited to children only but it goes beyond that if we study this book from the lens of literature. This blog is part of my classroom Activity that is given by Dilip barad sir from Department of English Bhavnagar University. This is the blog link of Activity Click here.

Feminist reading of Harmione’s character in Harry Potter

                Hermione Granger, a good, loyal friend of Harry Potter. She is a manifestation of the author herself within the text. “Hermione is me,” Rowling has said in several interviews, “A caricature of me when I was younger”. She is not only as a strong female character, an essential part of Harry's life, but also as a feminist protagonist in her own right. Hermione represents the bookish knowledge, she knows the spells very well and also knows how to apply it. In the first and second part she represents the good virtues like, friendship, loyalty. In any kind of situation she stands for Harry.  

Hermione is the perfect example when examining the feminist principles in the novels. Throughout the series she has many strengths and weaknesses, but she is mostly criticized about her weaknesses as a character. At some time she becomes concious about her look, which becomes very problematic from feminine perspective. Other female characters like Mrs. Weasley, who represents motherhood, caring nature. Ginny, Luna, ProMcGonagall, all has significant role, though they remains shallow under the patriarchal power.

Sometimes common patriarchal gender roles have been reversed and Hermione is given the power to take control of the situation, while harry just follows her. McGonagall holds powerful position in Hogwarts against professor . Tom Riddle uses Ginny for power , Rowling criticising the immorality of society where men feel free to victimize women. nowadays fight against patriarchy in real world for own identities and empowerment.

Discourse on the purity of Blood and Harry Potter

Pure blood for Wizards and Witches who have no muggle blood or muggle born They are supremacists, weasly, potter and lang bottoms.Half-blood for those Wizards and Witches who have magical and muggle ancestors in their family trees.Half-blood inferior to pure blood.The malfoy family, Voldemort and Severus snape belong to it. Harry is himself a Half-blood, his father married to Muggle born Lily.Muggle is born Malfoy used the term Murdoch to insult Hermione.

Confronting reality by reading fantasy

            We know that the Fantasy story could be the reality of our own world. In this series we can find author tells many problems of racism, class conflict, in the form of fantasy. But the characters are very much realistic which represents the universal emotions, moral values and so on. Through the fantasy author shows the reality of contemporary time. May be it speaks of, the racial issues, class discrimination. As the issue of blood described in the series. Harry Potter is a fantasy story, but it is not stereotype. Harry who is protagonist, he is presented as a orphan, wearing glasses, which breaks the stereotype of great hero. Writer presented 21st century’s mind, modern ideas, Rationality well though it is fantasy.

Self - help culture and Harry Potter 

        A self-help book is one that is written with the intention to instruct its readers on solving personal problems. It can also called 'self improvement'. In the novel Harry himself find his own way. In the whole novel he and his friends do self learning in Philosopher's Stone, chamber of secrets, and in order of phoenix they chooses practical education and practice with great effort. Hermione, leaps and bounds ahead of her classmates in wizard knowledge, potions and spells. This great intellect was both gifted to her, but also the result of hard work and intense studying. At times her skills  was off-putting to others, but she never felt she needed to hide just how capable she was. So, characters finds their own way.

The Discourse of power and politics in Harry Potter 

          Harry Potter very deeply making statement on power and politics Foucault's power and knowledge Knowledge is always a power of power and power is always a function of knowledge and knowledge created by those who are in power position. In Harry Potter the Ministry of Magic is the power and rules over the Hogwarts school. Prof. Dolores Umbridge declares theoretical education rather than practical Voldemort and his death eaters have the ultimate power and practices on the mudbloods and Muggles. Role of Ministry of magic, considered as the power, ministers like Dolores Umbridge who seeks the power of their own rules. Author very well observed the talk of power and apply in the novel.

Children's literature and Harry Potter 

                 Harry Potter was written as children literature because it deals with fantasy world, mystery story, school story, adventure novel, humorous story, and epic after four books it does not remain as a children's literature. Along with children's literature It includes some aspect of adolescent literature as well. It takes children to the reality that if you know magic then also After fifth and sixth part it does not stay as much of it. Harry deals with power and politics, the dark lord The different perspective of this novel like racism, ministry, politics, which is more than children's literature.

Speculative literature and Harry Potter

                  Speculative writing is defined as a photo or reading a short scenario and then writing a fictional story about what will happen next This novel has aspects of speculative fiction. Speculative means do not exist in real world, often in the context of the supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. It includes science fiction, fantasy, superhero, horror and supernatural fiction. 'Harry Potter' is also considered as speculative fiction, it has the supernatural powers, the magical world, horror, mystery. The novel refers to the imaginative kind of animals, places, which we never listen. Like, Basilisk, nicknamed the King of Snakes by wizards, fluffy- three headed dog. 

The Theme of love and Death 

                   Love and death are the major themes in J. k. Rowling's fantasy novel and she also said that these series all about death and love. She justifies her point by presenting the characters of Ron and Hermione who are in love from the very beginning even they are fighting with each other. Further, the love between Harry and Dumbledore, Lily's love for Harry, harry's love for his friends, etc. In the other death also a crucial element in the novel. At the very beginning of the story we heart that Harry's parents have died, and in due course both we and Harry learn that they were murdered. The Shadow of death hangs over Harry; he learns that he, too, was intended to be a victim, but spared in a way no-one can explain. He narrowly escapes death again at the close of the first two books, and third is concerned with his pursuit by an escaped murderer. At the end of the fourth book, a school friend is killed before his eyes, and he himself barely escapes again. In the fifth book he loses his newly regained godfather, and in the sixth even his great and seemingly indestructible mentor, Dumbledore. Yes, death is a constant visitor to Harry's world.

The Theme of choice and chance 

                     Harry Potter novel says that in life chances and our choices both are important. First, it was only chance that Harry lived. When he needed help, help is always there. He gets invisibility cloak when needed. In Chamber of Secret Phoenix comes to hlep Harry. There are fortune portion alos. When Harry can't find way the fortune potion works. But choices have given same importance. Sorting hat puts Harry in Gryffinder because he wanted. Harry doubts that sorting hat may have put him in wrong house but in answer Dumbledore tells him that it is not our abilities that make us, it is our abilities who define us. Sirius Black also says same things. There are good and bad inside us but what path we choose determine us. In the final part, king cross station chapter when harry meet Dumbledore, Dumbledore says Harry that it is your choice to return or not. So both choice and chance are important in life. 

Moral and philosophical reading of Harry Potter 

           Harry and Voldemort, different morality values. Harry's moral values ​​becomes the Voldemort In his acceptance of his mortality, "the boy who lived" is able to be more fully and wholly to live. Voldemort in the quest to be immortal he loses his morals. In the end of many books Dumbuldore give love, choices, friendship Throughout the Harry Potter series there are two distinct types of characters, morally good and bad. On the good side there are characters such as, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore. While on the bad side Draco, Umbridge, Voldemort Who are in the favour of good moral values. 

Christianity and Harry Potter Series 

                        Harry Potter series directly have no relation with Christianity. Many critics say that the novel is anti-christianity because there are many thing in the fiction are ant Christian like magic. Magic js abondon in Christianity so Rowling written an anti christian work. In addition, there is not any kind of church for prayer even the good fights with powerful evil force though they do not pray to God for survival. All the characters fights and save themselves without any divinity power. But there are couple of scenes which somehow connected with Christianity like Christmas celebration and after the death of Albus Dambledor we see the view like heaven. So, at last we can say that Harry Potter is ant Christian fiction.

What is your Opinion on this 

          As per the Mitchel Foucault's theory "Power and Knowledge. J. K. Rowling similarly conveys the message that question the power because what is written is not always true in the post truth era. These lines by Rowling is also relevant in the present era, we see in many political leaders and media who keep on speaking lies for remaining in the power and also there are many speeches or write fake history. So, we have to cross check everything rather than follow blindly.Harry Potter, the novel conveys the message which is not liked by reader and many who watched the movie. Because the protagonist, the half blood wins over the pure blood, which can not digest And what can be assume about media and press.

      

                               Thank you... 

Sunday Reading : Bonfire ( Holika Dahan)

 Hello readers!

                       Here I am going to wrote about A Bonfire. This task is my academic task so my professor was given question about bonfires and I have answer this question. This task is given by Dilip barad sir from Bhavnagar University. So let's see, 

1) How Many Countries Celebrate Bonfire? Why. 

Ans :-     India

           We all know that India is a religious country. Holi is a fastival  of India. Holi is not only celebrated In India, but in other parts of the world as well. It is celebrated with much fanfare in countries outside India and Nepal, Holi is observed by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan as well in countries. With large Indian subcontinent diaspora populations. Such as Suriname, Gugana, Trinidad and Tobago, south Africa Malaysia. 

Assam:

Holi is known as PhakuWa/Doul or Doul Jatra in Assam. Here, the festivities span over two days. On the first day, the Assamese people burn clay huts to symbolise Holika Dahan and, on the next day, play with colours. 

■Odisha

n Odisha, Holiis referred to as Dola. On this day, devotees worship Lord Jagannath and apply abira (gulal) on each other.

■West Bengal: 

In West Bengal, Holi is celebrated on the Purnima Tithi and is known as Dol Purnima or Dol Jatra. People greet each other with abeer (gulal) and enjoy the festival while getting drenched in the colours of joy.

■Uttar Pradesh: 

The Braj Bhoomi (a place associated with Shri Krishna) is in Uttar Pradesh. Here, in the towns of Barsana and Nandagaon, people celebrate Lathmar Holi. Women from Barsana would hold bamboo or wooden sticks to beat men from Nandgaon, as they would use a shield to guard themselves. The natives follow the tradition that has been in practice since the times of Shri Krishna and Radha. In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, people also use flowers to celebrate Holi.

■Uttarakhand: 

Holi in this state is known as Baithaki Holi, Khari Holi or Mahila Holi. Men and women dressed in their traditional attire sing songs and take part in folk dance. And they also in make use of natural colours to play Holi.

■ Bihar : 

Holi is known as Phaguwa in Bhojpuri. Here, on the first day (Purnima Tithi, people light the bonfire, and on the next day, celebrate Holi with colours.

Holi is celebrated with the same zest and enthusiasm in the other parts of Northern and Western India. The Indian states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh Chattisgarh and the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir also celebrate the festival of colours.

Other countries 

Canada

Due to their historic connection to Britain, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador have many communities that celebrate Bonfire night; this is one of the times when small rural communities come together. In the province of Quebec, many communities light up bonfires on June 24 to celebrate. 

Iraq

In Iraq bonfires lit to celebrate the Feast of the cross by the Assyrian Christians. Beside the bonfire every household hang traditionally a lighted fire in the roof of their house.

Nepal

Bonfire in Nepal is taken almost synonymous with camp-fire. During winter months its quite common to have a bonfire in hotels, resorts, residential area as well as private properties.

Bonfire is also done during Siva ratri in th evening. It is based on lunar calendar falls during month of February. 

2) what are the rituals around such Celebration?

Ans :- Holi rituals include  Holika Dahan. Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, however, disagreed. He was and remained devoted to Vishnu.This infuriated Hiranyakashipu. He subjected Prahlada to cruel punishments, none of which affected the boy or his resolve to do what he thought was right. Finally, Holika, Prahlada's evil aunt, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. Holika was wearing a cloak that made her immune to injury from fire, while Prahlada was not. As the fire roared, the cloak flew from Holika and encased Prahlada,survived while Holika burned. Vishnu, the god who appears as an avatar to restore Dharma in Hindu beliefs, took the form of Narasimha.

The Holika bonfire and Holi signifies the celebration of the symbolic victory of good over evil, of Prahlada overHiranyakashipu, and of the fire that burned Holika.

Festival of Colors.Religion, bonfires and an abundance of colored chalk.India's Holi Festival could just be one of the world's most beautiful celebrations. Holi is an ancient Hindu festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Holi is popularly known as the Indian "festival of spring", the "festival of colours", or the "festival of love". The festival signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season.

《3》 Is there any story or myth around  those celebrations?  Write  about various  myths  around  bonfire. 

Ans :- yes, I believe because The word Holi derives its name from Holika. According to Hindu mythology, Holika was the sister of demon King Hiranyakashyapu.As per the legend, Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, Prahlad was born to Hiranyakashyapu. Prahlad’s devotion to lord Vishnu did not go down well with his father. As a result of this, Hiranyakashyapu tried to kill his son several times, but the Vishnu devotee escaped unhurt every time, frustrating the demon king.After numerous unsuccessful attempts, the demon king thought of taking help from his sister, Holika, who had a boon by Lord Brahma which said she would not be burnt in a fire.As per the myth, Holika had a shawl which would protect her from the flames of a fire. The demon king asked her sister to take Prahlad on her lap and set the two on fire. Prahlad kept chanting the name of Lord Vishnu and as the fire got intense, a gust of wind removed the shawl from Holika and went on to cover Prahlad, killing the enchantress in the flames.

Thank you...

   

Sahitya Academy Award poet :- Arundhathi Subramaniam " when God is a Traveller"

 Hello readers!

                                 Here I am going to write about " when God is a traveller",  this poem is written by the famous sahitya Academy Award winning poet Arundhathi Subramaniam. This blog is my academic task is given by Dilip barad sir from Department of English Bhavnagar University. 

Arundhathi Subramaniam 

                          Arundhathi Subramaniam is an Indian poet, writer, critic, curator, translator, Journalist, writing in English. Arundhati Subramaniam' s volume of poetry. " when Gof is a Traveller" was the season choice of the poetry Book, society, shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot prize. Her poetry has been published in various international Journals and anthologies. She has worked as Head of Dance and chauraha at the national centere for the performing Arts in Mumbai, and has been Editor of the India domain of the poetry international web. 

Award :-  Khushwant singh memorial prize for poetry on 25 January 2015, Arundhathi won the first Khushwant singh memorial prize for poetry for her work when God is a Traveller. 

Works 

Poetry Collection 

1) love without a story 

2) when God is a Traveller 

3) when I live : new & selected poems

4) where I Live

5) on cleaning Bookshelves. 

Prose

1) Sadhguru

3) The Book of Buddha

" when God is a Traveller" 

      Trust the god back from his travels, his voice wholegrain (and chamomile), 

his wisdom neem, his peacock, sweaty-plumed, drowsing in the shadows.

 Trust him who sits wordless on park benches listening to the cries of children fading into the dusk, his gaze emptied of vagrancy, his heart of ownership.

Trust him who has seen enough— revolutions, promises, the desperate light of shopping malls, hospital rooms, manifestos, theologies, the iron taste of blood, the great craters in the middle of love. 

Trust him who no longer begrudges his brother his prize, his parents their partisanship. 

"when God is a traveller" poem by Arundhathi Subramaniam. This poem is awarded by Kushwant Singh memorial prize fore poetry on 25 January 2015.we all find ourselves feeling closer to God in different ways. For you it might be reading a spiritual book on his love for us, for others it is worship music and for some it is fellowship at church. It varies from person to person and there is no right or wrong way to experience this, God makes Himself know through his creation so that all creatures are without excuse.

In this  poem poet use the word  Trust  many time, so some  time we feel that poet  wants that  we have to  trust that  God who  come back from the  travel. This  word  shown the prasoic in poem. Because  During the travel  God seen  many  things. This travel  is, he done without  reason.

In 'When God is a Traveller', Subramaniam weaves metaphors, metaphors that are distinctly hers, into language that is simultaneously fluid and simple. Everydayness is woven as a metaphor rife with allusions to the deeper meanings of life.Subramaniam’s poetry collection is the imagery. Even when the meaning of the poems eludes the reader, the meaning-making processes remain accessible through the vivid images constructed, which interact with each other to produce meaning. In this text, the meaning is created through the words as well as through the imagery.

Thank you...

Thinking Activity :- Da Vinci Code

 Hello readers!

                           Here I am going to wrote about the Da Vinci code written by Dan Brown. This Blog is a part of my classroom thinking activity given by Professor Dr. Dilip Barad in which students have to interpret given question. 

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."

Ans :- Dan Brown asserts that his books are not anti-Christian, and it is right also because he wants to reveal the facts. He also says that he is on the spiritual journey as he portrays the characters who have faith in the religion. Through the murder mystery he unfolds the factual things about the Christianity. The painting of Leonardo Da Vinci, The Last Supper, which tells about the relation between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Seemingly it is an entertaining story murder mystery, the puzzle, paintings of Da Vinci. As a part of spiritual discussion Dan Brown attempts to raise the issue of blind faith in religion, people like Bezu Fache, Silas, Bishop Aringarosa, who have faith in Opus dei. 

 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?

Ans :- I agree to the observation of Norris J. Lacy that many things in the novel is not accurate and fact like there is no any autheniticity and reliable proofs about the existence of priory of sion and also novel has not show real opes die. Furthermore, there is no such proof about marry Magdalene and so on. And absolutely the screen writer beautiful presented the core of novel to use appropriate materials about secrets and sybmols. And also choose very wonderful places and scenes. I can say that movie is worth watching than books because movie use very wonderful materials.

  3) 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?

Ans :- According to me the narrative of 'The Paradis lost' is better narrative than ''The Da Vinci Code' because Milton gave the voice to minor characters like Eve and Satan rather than God and Adam. So, somehow it is convince modern mind because they find the discrimination in the Bible. Whereas  'The Da vinci code' narrative look very far away from truth.

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?

Ans :-  By this kind of narration, people's faith in God can be lost and there is nothing like morality without God. Religion gives us a right path and teach moral lesson. So, if you narrate this kind of story then as Eliot said about spiritual degradation and sexual perversion make waste land. Some People are arguing that people keep on fighting with each other in the name of religion but it is not true because religion is innocent, problem is in humanbieng. These all hatred created by people for their benefit like relegious master and saint for power and wealth.                         

5) When we do traditional reading of the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University emerges as protagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as antagonist. Who will claim the position of protagonist if we do atheist reading of the novel?

Ans :- I do atheist reading of the novel the protagonist will be professor Robert Langdon because he himself said that I can not understand the God. Throughout the novel/movie I coudn't find Langdon had any kind of faith in God, he just solves and decoded the symbols and puzzles and I don't find that atheist attacked on religion like Teabibg. Whereas Sir Leigh Teabing seems anti christian in the novel but why? According to me he is not atheist. There are many reason behind his hatred against Christianity. Jaques Saunier and Teabing were known to each other and I think Teabing want to discover Holy Grail. If he is atheist then why very curious about Holy Grail? Jealous or avenge to Priori of sion is may be a reason behind that. 

Thank you...