All My Sons

                                                

                                                 

     

               The Play ‘All My Sons’  written by Arthur Miller. It is a tragic play. Joe Keller is the protagonist of this play. As the story is interwoven  to this character, Joe Keller’s problem as he can be called the representation of the American Society. It is set during the second world war. His story deals with confusion between family and nation or country.

       

              All Miller’s plays are concerns with the large social issues. The theme of the All my Sons is the importance of a Man’s social responsibility. A man generally think of his own interest and of family’s interest, he does so without paying attention to the efforts of his action on other people. Every man seeks his own material interests and make great efforts to promote the material ad money interest of his family at the cost of the other people. In this play manufacturer Joe Keller is such a man  who regards his family as his chief interest in life. He built up business for his own prosperity and family. But time comes to chose between family and  nation he chose with disastrous results that he decides to send the cylinder heads to air force which are defective. These defective cylinder heads prove risky to the air pilots, but he didn’t realized the enormity of risk  and that cylinders. AS many as 21 air pilots were killed before  the defect in aircraft was discovered. Joe Keller passed whole blame to Steve Deever who is sentenced to imprisonment and Joe  by the means of trick save his own skin but his wife and neighbors knew that he was guilty for what he had done. Because of his greed and selfishness , he being responsible for the death of 21 pilots of the American Air Force at the time of world war when every single pilot’s life was precious.

           

           Main point is that how the Joe Keller avoid his social responsibilities and order to maintain his business and property.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

                                

                                     Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

     

           Strange case of  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde  by the famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson , published in 1886It is associated with the rare mental condition  called ‘Split Personality’ where within the same body, exists more than one distinct personality. In this novella, Dr. Jekyll has duel  personality within himself good and evil as Each coin has two sides. He has duel personality but he wants to be civilized  in front of others. So he found the liquid which separates his personality but physically he is one. He create his evil personality that id Mr. Hyde through which he did all evil works and as civilized he lived life as Dr. Jekyll.

    

        In Freudian Theory the thoughts and desires of unconscious mind motivate the behavior of conscious mind. It also explains the Christian concept of hiding evil behind the light.

                                              

                                                Civilized  v/s Savage

                                               Appearance v/s Reality

         

               This theme reminds us of Mary Shelley’s work ‘Frankenstein’ which also deals with the same aspects the inner self and outer appearance through the character of Victor Frankenstein the  creator like Dr. Jekyll and Monster the creation like Mr. Hyde. The only difference between them is  physical separation of one person into two otherwise it directly shows the inner side of Victor through Monster. This is how Dr. Jekyll as a creator refers to his creation as his own darker personality the evil one.

       

          To sum up , one can say that in Dr. Jekyll’s view every soul contains of both good and evil but one dominates as in Jekyll’s case , his good side is dominant at   the beginning but he knows his evil inside him.

       

Moby Dick

                                                           Moby Dick

       

         I have studies this novel in my first year of graduation. Moby Dick is a novel written by Herman Melville, an American Writer. Ahab is a protagonist of the novel and captain of the ship named ‘Pequod’ is a whaling ship which goes for huge voyage the white whale at the beginning of the novel and destroyed  by the  white whale at end of the novel.

          

        This is the novel of Physical adventure and  psychological  one. It folds two voyages one is voyage upon seas and other is voyage into the human mind. Melville shows how the Ahab’s mind working to take revenge from White whale a once in a voyage  because of white whale he lost his one leg. Ishmael  is a narrator he is only one who  survives till the end of the novel. Here , the violent side of Nature is shown as Ahab try to destroy the nature by killing  white whale. But Nature punished him by toke his life and many other’s life with him. So, the Nature has both side happier as well as sad side. As Wordsworth’s poetry  about Nature as happier side and as Mother of Human beings but when we read the poems of Robert Frost , he has presented sad side of Nature which destroy human’s life.

        

         Ahab lost his life at the end only because of his ego, pride and wish of taking revenge from white whale .While Ishmael’s mind developed throughout the voyage and his emergence as philosopher cum psychologist who can speak authoritatively on human life and its vicissitude. Rightly does Ishmael say that the Pequod served as his Yale college and as his Harvard University.

A True Story

                                     

                                             

            

             Mark Twain has written a short story ‘A True Story’ , it begins with two characters in which one is the Master- C and another is Aunt Rachael. They are sitting in a farmhouse and it is the  summer time. From the very beginning, the readers  get an idea of social status and character’s level. Rachael is a servant of Master- C , a narrator as she is black woman. After raising the point of troubles and happiness the narrator asks Aunt Rachael about her happy life and to share her secret with him.

            

           Aunt Rachael answers him that she had lots of troubles in her life. Then she begins her story that she had loving and faithful husband with seven children but unfortunately her husband and six children were sold in an auction. When her seventh son Henry was about to be sold, she tried to save him from being sold  but she was beaten by her previous master. Henry was sold but before that he declared to his mother that he would buy freedom for her.

          

     As time passed Rachael got aged, she became the slave of  a colonel and appointed her as a cook. During the time that she spent in Colonel’s house she met with her seventh son Henry who had became a Soldier. At last after a party, in the morning at seven, she met Henry in front of her with the same remarks on her wrist and forehead which he got during his childhood.

       

          This story completes here with a striking message that  the Negro people were oppressed by American people. Mark Twain draws a picture of slavery in south America before it is abolished black people, it was believed that they were born to be slave. We can give example that lines spoken by aunt Rachael’s mother,  “I want you to understand that I was not born in the mash to be fooled by trash I was one of the old Blue hens and chickens , I is”. These lines are proof of how black people feel when they became slave. So, this story tells us about the problems, sufferings and pains of Negro people when they treat as a slave b others.

How much Land does Man need?

                           

                                  How Much Land Does Man Need?

            

          Leo Tolstoy is a writer of this short story which is supposed to be greatest short story ever written in English literature. This particular story revolves around the character mane Pakhom and his greed. It revolves around the theme of leading to your own demise. Story starts with the scene  wherein two sisters are talking to each other in the village from which one resides in the town and other in the village. One who state in the village is the wife of Pakhom , she is happy with the life but her husband is dissatisfied  with his life. Once out of arrogance finally decides to buy some land and saw seeds in his own land.

      

         After earning some good money he became more greedy and interested in the land which is very cheap and as good as dirt near Volga. He came across the fact that he would get 30000 acars in thousand rubles. Land is belong to the Bashkirs. They were king hearted  people who would give him  as much land  as he wants and all were expected good gifts in return. Pakhom decides to go there with family. He go there with his family and meet with Bashkirs with the gifts for them. They are very happy for gifts. They decides to give land to Pakhom but only he has to pointing the figures, he has to walking by the dawn and  as much as he covers by coming back to the hillock good.

          

           Pakhom can’t believe and tells them to sign a deed because if it is not done. Ecstatic Pakhom decides to start walking but his greed and ambition overpower his thoughtfulness and physical energy. As soon as he come back he lost his consciousness and causes his own demise.

      

        Thus, the story tells us that one should not be ambitious and dissatisfied with whatever have. Containment is what  required to be happy. The story is in a way didactic in nature and shows that excessive desire may lead to one’s own downfall.

The Post master

                                         

                                        The Postmaster

        

          Ravindranath Tagore has written this short story which deals with the cultural difference  and thought process with feelings that human mind goes through.  This is a moving story take place between Post Master (Dada Babu) and Village girl Ratan. The starts when Post master posted in a village near Calcutta. Being born and brought up in a city of Calcutta  , Post master can’t set with village atmosphere. He feels like a fish out of the village. The narrator of the story seems to be resident of a village , since narrator refers to ‘our Postmaster’.

         

             Ratan ,  orphan girl lives in a village who is extremely loving, pretty and much like the postmaster in the  village. The salary of Postmaster is very nominal and therefore he cooks food on his own  but for  household activity , Ratan used to do that and carry out of work in order to come out of his loneliness. The Postmaster on the other hand shown inclination toward Ratan. And share all his personal talks about family and friends. Postmaster talks their relationship is normal but Ratan getting attracted toward him. Once when Postmaster was ill , she took care of him and believe that Postmaster took her to Calcutta with him. But Postmaster was fed up with the lifestyle of village so he request to transfer but it rejects which forces him to resign from the post of the Postmaster and return to Calcutta. When Ratan comes to know about this she is upset but has  hope that he take her with him but Postmaster firmly denies her.  She shattered .

           

             So, this place was not able to hold the Postmaster for a long period of time. Through these two characters Tagore shows the cultural differences with the lot of expertise. 

A Cup of Tea

                                         A Cup of Tea

        

          This short story is written by Katherine Mansfield.  Rosemary   is a main character of the story who feels pity for one beggar girl named Miss Smith. The main concern of Rosemary is her beauty is compared  with that beggar girl by her husband, Philip. When the story begun, we find a fashionable woman who is fond of shopping  and fashion itself. We also find that Rosemary goes for shopping to Paris instead of Local streets. Through this can get an idea that she belongs to upper class and don’t have any idea about poor people.

          

          The narrator who is unknown narrates beautiful picture of Rainy season in which Rosemary went on shopping after that she met a beggar girl who ask Rosemary for a price of cup of tea. She feel sympathy for her and decides to take her home. The house is glorious mention Rosemary serves food and tea to girl. Philip, Rosemary’s husband, comes and sees that beggar girl and became angry and talks with Rosemary and she declares to adopt the girl. But as woman is naturally jealous by other woman. Philip find a single way to persuade that h praise that beggar girl which automatically affects Rosemary as she jealous from that girl and goodbye to that girl by giving her three pounds.  Here we find that woman is enemy of another woman and the theme of beauty works here. This story focus on woman’s mind when her romantic dreams come into conflict with reality. Psychological condition of woman’s mind is very well presented here.

          

Blow up with the Ship

                                        

                                  Blow  up with the Ship

        

            This story is written by Willkie Collins , it takes place in 1818. The narrator  joined the worker’s ship  on the ship named ‘Good Intent’.  From his childhood he has been working on the ship. It is was the time when the Spain government and the American people fought for their  rights. Indirectly this means that a war  was going on between them and through this ship American people provide volunteers and needy weapons. Thus. This ship contains a huge source of gun powder and sortie soldiers.  There were two instruction for the voyagers that they should not smoke their pipes and they should not light the lanterns. All follows except captain of the ship, one day they face the problem with two strangers an Irish man and native pilot , this mystery reveals at the end. 

         

           In second part as it divided in three parts, the narrator has to suffer because of revengeful mind of a pilot. He plans to blow narrator with the ship, and successful in killing narrator. This is the adventures story in which narrator serves at the last. In third part narrator finds himself in his native place and with his people , he has eight months sleep which confused the readers to believe. There is no destruction , no harm but a question how the narrator could sleep continuously for eight months.

      

               Another thing is that narrator is afraid of kitchen candle stick which shows the human’s phobia for fire and other things which is also in narrator’s mind . it’s present his unconscious mind highly joined with conscious one. Example we feel fear for exams, insects darkness and many more. So. One can say that this story is based on a long lasting dream which effects the real life of the narrator.

The Mother

                                                 

                             

           William Somerset Maugham has written this short story, is a touching story of a jealous,  possessive and quarrelsome nature of  woman whose name is La Cachirra. She lives on her own , becomes possessive when her son , Currito visits her. Currito loves Rosalia , a daughter of Pilar. When La Cachirra Comes to know about it she became horrible  and violent because she doesn’t want any woman let her son rob. This psychological state of La Cachirra’s mind can be found or understood very easily . She spent seven years in prison to save her child from the torture of Pepe Santi. So, it’s quite natural to mother who worried for her child.

    

            So far as La Cachirra’s psychological state is concerned  she earns reader’s sympathy. She is right as Currito should give priority to her mother. She is the woman who craves for someone’s company in her life as she has been alone a long time. She is a woman who has suffered a lot throughout her life. Her life centered around her love for her son and as a wretched woman she is shaken by Currito’s love for Rosalia and as a result  she stabs Rosalia into her neck and kills her. She is a representative of women who are psychologically disturbed.

              

The Old Woman

                                                                    

                                                           The Old Women

      

        Joseph Campbell has written this poem, his work is vast  covering many aspects  of the human experience. His philosophy is often summarized by the phrase ‘follow your bliss’. “The Old Woman” is  about the beauty of old lady. The poet represents her beauty by comparing her with natural elements. The Poet portrays a life of old woman with all her major responsibilities over and who is living her life in Solitude.

 Analysis

  

      This poem consists of three stanzas with each stanza comparing her with three different aspects.

     

       In the First Stanza, he compares her with Purity, Piousness, Holiness and Peace of the ambiance  of the holy temple as white candle looks beautiful in the holy place in same manner she looks extremely beautiful in the old age. Poet wants to focus on the sense of satisfaction that can be seeing on the face of the old woman. The old woman guides other family members and younger with the wide experience of her life.

       

           In the second stanza, he compared her with radiance of the sun which gives sense of calmness and happiness in the season where the sun is required the most along with this the poet wishes to justify that her long travel with lost and lost of ups and down in life.

      

       In the last stanza, the comparison goes further the poet compares her with the Mill, stillness, steadiness, understanding , maturity  with the still water of the ruined mill. Her thought is still like still water if her thoughts on presses by becomes static in mature.

 Conclusion

    

          In this way ,the poet  talks about the old woman is serene in her life. It is easy to see the beauty of young lady but it needs understanding and imagination to see the beauty of an old age. The poet’s presentation is very different and beautiful in this poem.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

                         

                          La-Bella  Dame  Sans  Merci

                (French for ‘The Beautiful Lady without Mercy’)

        

            John Keats has written this ballad, he was english romantic poet. This poem exist in two version with minor differences between them. This poem is about a Soldier who suffered  in hands of beautiful lady. This poem is written in 12 stanzas which show the suffering of soldier.

       

           In the very first stanza, the Soldier in questioned by a stranger near the river on the cold hill’s side wherein the stranger finds the Soldier in a pathetic condition alone and loitering aimlessly and in second stanza Stranger further questions the Soldier on his condition where the Nature is very beautiful but the Knight is suffering .

       

             The third stanza, the Stranger  talks about his fever and his facial condition as he was looking extremely pale. The Knight start answering the Stranger about how he met a beautiful Lady in the meadow ,who was like fairy’s child with beautiful eyes and long hair. In the next stanza, he talks about how he made garlands and bracelets of roses in love as a gift.

        

            In the six stanza, he talks about how he made her comfortable on her steed and kept looking at her by listening  to her wonderful songs. The seven stanza talks about how he taught  that in her strange language, she kept on speaking, ‘I love you’ and found him roots and honey to eat. Then she took him to the grot wherein she cried and I made her comfortable by kissing her eyes.

       

               In nine stanza, she made me sleep by singing a Lullaby and that is when he saw a dream which was very dreadful and found himself near the hill. In the next stanza, the dream continues where he saw many kings and princes almost dead and were crying “ La Belle Dame Sans Merci”.

       

      In eleven stanza, he found all the Kings, princes, soldier in extremely poor condition and he was awake  all of sudden almost shocked because of bad dream. In the last one , he says that that is the reason why he is “alone and palely loitering on the cold hill’s side”.

                                  “Memories are always painful”

I love all BeauteousThings

                    

             

          This poem by Robert Bridges talks about how the human beings have started  ignoring what is made for them. According to the poet ‘God has gifted humans with this beautiful world but we don’t have time to appreciate , we are always running after things which are momentary.

   

                    In the first stanza, the poet says that he is in love with all the beautiful things in the world and he is always looking forward towards created by God but most of us do not find time to even have a look at the beautiful things created by God. In the second stanza, the poet himself decides to make something and wishes to enjoy every moment of eat making on the other hand “he does not worry about whether it will have any significance tomorrow or not it mind seem, it will turn  out to be a  senseless creation  later on because poet believe that its about the process and not the product according to the poet beauty lies in the minute details.

        

              The poet through this poem wants us to represent the creation of God and enjoy its being.

                                 “Its all about Pedigree is not about degree”

Eagle

                                            

                                              The Eagle

     

           Composed in 1851, Tennyson’s poem ‘ The Eagle’ is a brief glimpse into the world of this powerful bird. In a mere six lines of poetry, Tennyson has constructed a masterly portrayal of the Eagle in its natural surroundings. This poem is very short but full of meaning. ‘ The Eagle, a fragment’ was first published in 1851. This poem is a poem expressing the Eagle’s attitude at which the eagle  flies along with its extreme amount of confidence and its rich at the top. A very simple poem but extremely complex in terms of its theme and its plot.

        

                  This poem comprises two stanzas with three lines each in the first stanza the poet personifies the Eagle by using the word the pronoun later on in the first line the word ‘hands’ is used which further personifies the eagle. In the second line, it is shows closer to the sun from where everything looks like a miniature.

      

              In the second stanza, the sea under heath looks as if it is wrinkled and crawling and from that height. It seeks prey and as soon as is locates. The prey it strikes like thunderbolt and goes to the top again. Though in  this poem Tennyson wishes to put in front of us the magnanimity of the eagle by projecting it as a human to the readers.

           

       “ There is always realm of the top and you are  alone at that”

        

            Since the title of the poem  identifies it as ‘ a fragment’ the reader may be led to wonder if it represents a complete work and a completed idea. This uncertain is enhanced by the question of what actually happens to the eagle at the end of the poem , does he became ill  somehow lose his ability to fly and tumble helplessly into the sea. The poem is too short and offers too little background for us to tell if the sudden reversal in the last line is meant to be ironic. Neither explanation seems more likely than the other and we can assume that a powerful poet like Tennyson could have leaned his audience  towards  one interpretation.