English Notes

Click for Questions & Answers Introduction Mudnakudu is a popular Kannada poet. Poetry is his passion. He has also written several works in other genre of literature. His interests range from culture and theatre to social work. He is widely translated into many Indian languages apart from English, Spanish and Hebrew.  Translator ‘If I was a Tree’ is a translation by Rowena Hill. She has translated several literary works in Indian languages into English and Spanish. Synopsis ‘If I was a Tree’ exposes the complex evil caste system in Indian society. The poet wishes that he would be happy born as a tree instead of a human, for mankind practices even now this inhuman discrimination based on caste. In contrast, the poet finds recourse with nature which he thinks does not discriminate against any creature of size, colour, gender or habitat. Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy wished to be a tree because unlike a human born into a low caste family, a tree does not fa...

Click for Questions & Answers Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma is a full time freelance writer-cum-editor. She is a member of the dynamic action oriented online magazine network. She has won various awards including recognition from the United Nations Volunteer. Synopsis ‘Babar Ali’ is a story about a real hero Babar Ali from Murshidabad, West Bengal, India. He becomes the youngest headmaster at the mere age of 16. Babar still as a student himself at the government-run school in Beldanga, West Bengal, started a school in the afternoons in his parents’ backyard in Murshidabad. He mainly wanted to help the underprivileged kids with education. Coming from a privileged family Babar realized he must do something for the other children in his village. ‘Anand Shiksha Niketan’ started as a game got institutionalized in 2002. Babar gradually got support from local Ramakrishna Mission, IAS officers and local cops. His venture was soon recognized by the West Bengal State Government....

D.H. Lawrence was a major twentieth century English writer. He has written several novels, short stories, poems, plays, essays, travel books and translations. ‘Money Madness’ is the poet’s perception of materialistic world. He visualizes a moneyless society through this poem. Theme The poem, ‘Money Madness’ shows us the picture of a world obsessed with money. The poet has brought out a money-centered society wherein an individual is measured based upon one’s money power. He says that money madness is the vast collective madness; each individual carries her/his share of insanity. If one has to hand out a pound note, one feels the pang and to hand out a ten-pound note, it is a real tremor. Money has made us slaves. It has a cruel power. The poet says that we are terrified of the collective madness. The mankind measures an individual with money. If he has no money, he has to eat dirt and go cold. If we do not have money, they will give a little bread so that we do...

Click for the Questions & Answers Vaikom Muhammed Basheer was Indian writer who wrote in Malayalam language. He was a writer, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. His down-to-earth style of writing made him very popular. His stories have been translated into English and various other Indian languages. Synopsis The story ‘Oru Manushyan’ stresses on the need of human values to understand and help the fellow human beings when they are caught in strange situations. The author narrates a story about a big city with cruel people. He stayed in that city teaching English to migrant labourers. One day, he went out for his tea and a meal. He entered a restaurant and ate a full meal. When he checked his pocket for his wallet to pay, it was not there. It was picked. The owner did not believe his story. He asked the narrator to remove his clothes one by one. When the situation was getting worse, there appeared a tall, fair-complexioned man. He paid the bill fo...