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 face a

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

Introduction K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi is one of the most prominent Kannada writers known for his distinct style of writing. He has written some of the best known novels and short stories. Born in Malnad, he imbibed a natural love for nature and a keen interest in unravelling its mysteries. After his post graduate studies he chose to follow his heart. His passion for agriculture, photography, ornithology, nature and writing took him to Mudigere, a pocket of Malnad. All of his eminence as a writer and a votary of environmental and social issues began from this heartland. He cut away from his father, Kuvempu’s influence and created his own niche in Kannada literature. Synopsis ‘Around a Medicinal Creeper’ is a humorous story with serious concerns at its core. It revolves around a medicinal creeper and its unique therapeutic values. It highlights the importance of our system of medicine and a treasure of medicinal plants in our forests. The story stresses the need to kno

Click for Questions & Answers   Introduction William Blake was a poet and painter. He had little formal education. “Inventions to the Book of Job” is his finest work as an artist. ‘The School Boy’ is a lyric from his work ‘Songs of Experience’. Synopsis ‘The School Boy’ is a beautiful poem written by William Blake, a poet and painter. This poem evokes feelings of early childhood in every reader. One who reads the poem cannot help reflecting on one’s past and remain regretful. The loss of freedom and absence of nature’s company during the formative years continue to haunt the deprived souls even now. Like the speaker of the poem, children in general love to play and learn outdoors; the joy of sunshine and beauty of nature give them unlimited joy and happiness. The poet here apparently raises serious questions against formal education. However, his argument is not against education. Theme The school boy, the speaker o

                                                                                          Click for Questions &Answers                                                                                                          “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” is a fable written by Jomo Kenyatta who was an African political leader and the first president of Kenya. This story reflects the attitude of Kikuyu people of Kenya toward European laws and commissions. It was in the late nineteenth century the European powers divided Africa among themselves. This story begins in a context where an ‘act of kindness misunderstood as weakness’. Once, an elephant made a friendship with a man. One day, due to a heavy thunderstorm, the elephant went to his friend for shelter. The kind man offered to let the elephant put his trunk inside his hut as he had room only for him and the trunk of the elephant. But the cunning elephant pushed his head inside and flung the man out. The man started to g