Open Spaces
As students of literature, we are constantly reminded that a search for an absolute, universal truth is futile. Instead, our training (and the training received by most students of the liberal arts) pushes us to look for different perspectives on ideas and events. We learn that each individual is shaped by a complex criss-crossing web of influences and structures which leads to them developing a reading of events, ideas, or periods that is unique to them. Similarly, different communities may perceive events in their histories in different ways. We realise that no one perspective is the ‘right’ one, instead several perspectives may help us put together a more comprehensive understanding of an idea.
However, this is not to say that a perspective that is discriminatory or exclusionary, or one that incites violence is a perspective that should be accepted without being questioned. In fact, all perspectives, even those that we agree with, would benefit from a healthy dose of critical examining. This could then lead to an environment which welcomes diverse thought and allows for debate and discussion. One could argue that someone as provocative as Milo Yiannopoulos (formerly of the right wing publication Breitbart News) or someone as contrarian as Anupam Kher should not be welcomed within liberal university spaces. However, it would be more democratic to engage with views that may challenge even the very basis of a liberal space.
It is in this spirit that our department looks to organise events during which we are able to engage with a broad range of perspectives.
Meenakshi Nair
However, this is not to say that a perspective that is discriminatory or exclusionary, or one that incites violence is a perspective that should be accepted without being questioned. In fact, all perspectives, even those that we agree with, would benefit from a healthy dose of critical examining. This could then lead to an environment which welcomes diverse thought and allows for debate and discussion. One could argue that someone as provocative as Milo Yiannopoulos (formerly of the right wing publication Breitbart News) or someone as contrarian as Anupam Kher should not be welcomed within liberal university spaces. However, it would be more democratic to engage with views that may challenge even the very basis of a liberal space.
It is in this spirit that our department looks to organise events during which we are able to engage with a broad range of perspectives.
Meenakshi Nair
Tea-a-Tete : The Informal Interactive Session of the Department of English
Every year, Jabberwock, the English Department Academic Journal, organises an interactive session between the professors and students of the English Department. This year was no different: tea-a-tete was held on the 18th of January, 2018. And interact they did.
The session began with a round of questions, randomised through the good old ‘chit-picking’ system. Professors were asked to pick a chit and answer honestly (at least as honestly as modesty would allow!) Students were made privy to stories of misdeeds and mischief during the college days of our professors. While some professors shared hostel experiences and related pranks; other more senior faculty members ruminated on the differences over the years. Stories about changes in LSR, changes in the student-teacher relationships, and changes from the good old days of the canteen to the ‘cafe’, were discussed.
The chit-picking didn't end there. Members of the department union, class representatives, and other recognised members of the student body were asked to pick from the same randomised base of questions to provide a new perspective, and a significantly greater amount of humour. This ended in an unexpected round of caricaturing professors, in response to the question ‘what is the greatest insight a professor has had about a text’.
Next on the agenda was a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’, where participants were asked a question framed in the format ‘Never have I ever..’, to which they had to respond by raising their hands or by denial. Questions of sobriety and fictional crushes were raised here and so were hands.
Tea-a-tete ended the way it began – with plenty of excitement, a craving for more snacks, and another hoard of unanswered questions just waiting to be answered.
-Ishani Pant
The session began with a round of questions, randomised through the good old ‘chit-picking’ system. Professors were asked to pick a chit and answer honestly (at least as honestly as modesty would allow!) Students were made privy to stories of misdeeds and mischief during the college days of our professors. While some professors shared hostel experiences and related pranks; other more senior faculty members ruminated on the differences over the years. Stories about changes in LSR, changes in the student-teacher relationships, and changes from the good old days of the canteen to the ‘cafe’, were discussed.
The chit-picking didn't end there. Members of the department union, class representatives, and other recognised members of the student body were asked to pick from the same randomised base of questions to provide a new perspective, and a significantly greater amount of humour. This ended in an unexpected round of caricaturing professors, in response to the question ‘what is the greatest insight a professor has had about a text’.
Next on the agenda was a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’, where participants were asked a question framed in the format ‘Never have I ever..’, to which they had to respond by raising their hands or by denial. Questions of sobriety and fictional crushes were raised here and so were hands.
Tea-a-tete ended the way it began – with plenty of excitement, a craving for more snacks, and another hoard of unanswered questions just waiting to be answered.
-Ishani Pant
The Economics of Sexuality: Talk by Dr Karen Gabriel
Dr Karen Gabriel, an Associate Professor at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, was invited by the Department of English to deliver a talk titled ‘The Economics of Sexuality’ on Wednesday, 8th November, 2017. Dr Karen Gabriel began her session by stating that there are various understandings of sex and in her hour-long session, explored the concept of sex, sexuality, and the commercialisation of sex.
Gender is a social construct that establishes patterns of expectations for individuals and plays a significant role in the everyday life of people. Dr Karen Gabriel began by recounting the case of Herculine Barbin, a French intersex person who was determined female at birth but later reclassified as male. The anthropologist Gilbert Herdt identified Barbin as a crisis for modern ideology and its understanding of gender which is linked to an individual's genitals. Dr Gabriel argued that a person’s gender is not determined by their genitalia.
Sex and sexuality and gender refer to a web of concepts, practices, and beliefs around which a person’s identity is built. She said that it is very common to view sexuality and gender as a part of the private realm. She countered this by saying that both gender and sexuality are constructed in and by the public domain.
Human sexuality is the quality of being sexual, or the way people experience and express themselves as sexual beings. This involves biological, erotic, physical, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviours. Because of the broadness of the term ‘sexuality’, and because it is not static, it lacks a precise meaning. Outlooks differ on the origins of an individual's sexual orientation and behaviour. Some argue that sexuality is determined by genetics, while others believe it is shaped by the environment, while yet others believe that both of these factors interact to form an individual’s sexual orientation.
Sexual practices can offer a wealth of information about the nature of the society. Dr Gabriel explored this idea by taking examples from contemporary Indian society which revealed certain aspects of the wider social, religious, economic, or political contexts within which these examples exist. Dr Gabriel first spoke about love jihad and cited it as evidence of heavy social investment in the realm of the sexual. She argued that this was perhaps the case because of a larger societal preoccupation with reproduction. This preoccupation with reproduction could then have led to a linking of sex solely with reproduction. Dr Gabriel argues, however, that sex is not about reproduction alone; instead is about eroticism, pleasure, and intimacy.
In a society organized around race, class and gender inequality, there are sexual behaviours and stereotypes which reflect that inequality. Often, great acts of violence and discrimination take place against those who are engaged in sexual practices or identify with a state of being that may not legally approved of or have social sanction
Dr Gabriel also spoke about how there is a lot of focus on the female body because a woman is seen solely as someone who is meant to be socially and biologically reproductive. She explained that marriage is nothing more than a social alliance which creates a socially sanctioned framework within which there may be sexual expression. Culture plays an important role in how societies perceive, and process sexual acts, identities, and even violence.
Dr Gabriel linked the idea of sexuality with the idea of nationalism. She argued that as it would be difficult to feel passionately for the abstract idea of a nation, the image of Bharat Mata serves to arouse the feelings of nationalism and patriotism. She problematised the image of Bharat Mata – an image meant to represent India – as Hindu, upper-caste, upper-class, north Indian, domestic, married, fair skinned, and perfectly moral. Dr Gabriel’s contention is that this figure, representative of India, could never be a Dalit or an adivasi or a woman without a single maternal bone in her body. Thus, she argues, the nation itself along with the concept of nationalism is highly gendered. Nationalism too, just like gender and sexuality, is socially constructed.
Women are also, according to Dr Gabriel, objectified and reduced to being embodiments of the nation. Women's worth is recognized and valued in relational terms, they are either mothers or daughters of the nation and they need protection from perceived 'others'. The idea of nationalism actually portrays Bharat Mata as a weak woman who needs protection whiles her citizens are portrayed ‘masculine warriors’ who must defend the mother.
Dr Gabriel also spoke on the subject of pornography. Pornography economically feeds mainstream businesses including large hotel chains, cable companies, major technology companies, media production companies and even Wall Street. It is more than a personal choice related to speech, expression or sexuality. It is more a global industry that trades on the bodies of men, women and children for profit. According to Dr Gabriel, pornography has changed the idioms around sex. Sex is everywhere on the web and very likely will influence the sexual practices of men and women. The view towards sex has changed from something within the private intimate space to something that is splashed over internet.
The vast majority of porn – violent or not – portrays men as powerful and in charge; while women are submissive. The growth of online pornography as a means of sexual expression is a complicated issue for women, whose bodies have historically been rigidly controlled by restrictive sexual norms and practices. Online pornography offers an accessible way to seemingly resist and challenge such restrictions. However, the pornography which is marketed to women as sexual empowerment is often violent and dehumanizing.
Dr Karen Gabriel spoke about the constructed nature of sex, sexuality, gender, and nationalism – ideas we often take for granted. She problematized the identity of Bharat Mata and how such an entity could be harmful to women. She spoke of how while pornography could be seen as liberating and empowering, it also largely depicts women in a dehumanised role in relation to men. Dr Gabriel concluded by saying that sex, sexuality, gender, and nationalism require nuanced thought and open dialogue, and that there should be comprehensive education about these ideas.
Shanna Jain,
Gender is a social construct that establishes patterns of expectations for individuals and plays a significant role in the everyday life of people. Dr Karen Gabriel began by recounting the case of Herculine Barbin, a French intersex person who was determined female at birth but later reclassified as male. The anthropologist Gilbert Herdt identified Barbin as a crisis for modern ideology and its understanding of gender which is linked to an individual's genitals. Dr Gabriel argued that a person’s gender is not determined by their genitalia.
Sex and sexuality and gender refer to a web of concepts, practices, and beliefs around which a person’s identity is built. She said that it is very common to view sexuality and gender as a part of the private realm. She countered this by saying that both gender and sexuality are constructed in and by the public domain.
Human sexuality is the quality of being sexual, or the way people experience and express themselves as sexual beings. This involves biological, erotic, physical, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviours. Because of the broadness of the term ‘sexuality’, and because it is not static, it lacks a precise meaning. Outlooks differ on the origins of an individual's sexual orientation and behaviour. Some argue that sexuality is determined by genetics, while others believe it is shaped by the environment, while yet others believe that both of these factors interact to form an individual’s sexual orientation.
Sexual practices can offer a wealth of information about the nature of the society. Dr Gabriel explored this idea by taking examples from contemporary Indian society which revealed certain aspects of the wider social, religious, economic, or political contexts within which these examples exist. Dr Gabriel first spoke about love jihad and cited it as evidence of heavy social investment in the realm of the sexual. She argued that this was perhaps the case because of a larger societal preoccupation with reproduction. This preoccupation with reproduction could then have led to a linking of sex solely with reproduction. Dr Gabriel argues, however, that sex is not about reproduction alone; instead is about eroticism, pleasure, and intimacy.
In a society organized around race, class and gender inequality, there are sexual behaviours and stereotypes which reflect that inequality. Often, great acts of violence and discrimination take place against those who are engaged in sexual practices or identify with a state of being that may not legally approved of or have social sanction
Dr Gabriel also spoke about how there is a lot of focus on the female body because a woman is seen solely as someone who is meant to be socially and biologically reproductive. She explained that marriage is nothing more than a social alliance which creates a socially sanctioned framework within which there may be sexual expression. Culture plays an important role in how societies perceive, and process sexual acts, identities, and even violence.
Dr Gabriel linked the idea of sexuality with the idea of nationalism. She argued that as it would be difficult to feel passionately for the abstract idea of a nation, the image of Bharat Mata serves to arouse the feelings of nationalism and patriotism. She problematised the image of Bharat Mata – an image meant to represent India – as Hindu, upper-caste, upper-class, north Indian, domestic, married, fair skinned, and perfectly moral. Dr Gabriel’s contention is that this figure, representative of India, could never be a Dalit or an adivasi or a woman without a single maternal bone in her body. Thus, she argues, the nation itself along with the concept of nationalism is highly gendered. Nationalism too, just like gender and sexuality, is socially constructed.
Women are also, according to Dr Gabriel, objectified and reduced to being embodiments of the nation. Women's worth is recognized and valued in relational terms, they are either mothers or daughters of the nation and they need protection from perceived 'others'. The idea of nationalism actually portrays Bharat Mata as a weak woman who needs protection whiles her citizens are portrayed ‘masculine warriors’ who must defend the mother.
Dr Gabriel also spoke on the subject of pornography. Pornography economically feeds mainstream businesses including large hotel chains, cable companies, major technology companies, media production companies and even Wall Street. It is more than a personal choice related to speech, expression or sexuality. It is more a global industry that trades on the bodies of men, women and children for profit. According to Dr Gabriel, pornography has changed the idioms around sex. Sex is everywhere on the web and very likely will influence the sexual practices of men and women. The view towards sex has changed from something within the private intimate space to something that is splashed over internet.
The vast majority of porn – violent or not – portrays men as powerful and in charge; while women are submissive. The growth of online pornography as a means of sexual expression is a complicated issue for women, whose bodies have historically been rigidly controlled by restrictive sexual norms and practices. Online pornography offers an accessible way to seemingly resist and challenge such restrictions. However, the pornography which is marketed to women as sexual empowerment is often violent and dehumanizing.
Dr Karen Gabriel spoke about the constructed nature of sex, sexuality, gender, and nationalism – ideas we often take for granted. She problematized the identity of Bharat Mata and how such an entity could be harmful to women. She spoke of how while pornography could be seen as liberating and empowering, it also largely depicts women in a dehumanised role in relation to men. Dr Gabriel concluded by saying that sex, sexuality, gender, and nationalism require nuanced thought and open dialogue, and that there should be comprehensive education about these ideas.
Shanna Jain,
Sound Proof - A Paper Presentation Event by Jabberwock
Jabberwock, the Academic Journal of the Department of English held its first paper presentation event, ‘Sound Proof’, on Thursday, the 9th of October. The event, based on the journal’s theme for the year of ‘Silence’, invited papers from across departments, and saw a wide range of presentations on subjects ranging from music to fairytales with regard to the theme of silence.
Silence is not just the absence of sound - it has various connotations of its own. It can be a form of protest, a symbol of oppression and disenfranchisement, or it can indicate a failure of language in the face of memories, experiences and desires.Silence |
is everywhere around us – in gestures, in conversations, in the texts we read, and in the culture that we're a part of. Thus, silence as a theme lends itself to multiple interpretations, including narrative styles, protest cultures, subversion, gendered readings, and linguistic expressions.
The first presenter was Devika, who presented a paper titled “What She Said: Reading the Gender Politics of Traditional Fairy tales in contrast with Sexing the Cherry through the Silence Motif.” This paper examined how silence is used as a tool to police women within the metanarrative of the fairy tale, with the wicked witches cackling loudly, and the mothers, princesses, and other ‘good women’ being silent, and thus, having no agency or identity of their own. The paper then looked at how Jeanette Winterson rewrites these narratives in Sexing the Cherry, thus creating a space for the formation of alternative identities and sexualities.
The next paper, “Pingu-istics: Silence and Nonsensical Language in Pingu” was presented by Vrinda Bhatia (and a penguin hand puppet!). The paper explored how the lack of a recognizable, formal language system in Pingu is used to form points of identification for the intended audience of the show, and how the lack of a language in the show links with a process of cognition as seen in Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Tejasvani Datta presented a paper titled “A Language of One’s Own: The Lack and Creation of Lesbian Language in India.” Tejasvani talked about how integral language is to the formation of identity, and put forward the question of what happens when there are no words for what one desires and feels. She traced this process through the history of women not being allowed to write, and how this silence masked the presence of lesbian narratives for women in India.
Silence is embedded within music: the spaces between beats are as important as the beats themselves. Tanvi Chowdhary presented a paper entitled “Silence and the City: Aural Spaces in BOY’s Discography.” The paper looks at how city spaces are constructed through music, and the language of music takes on a transgressive function of its own, through the music created by BOY. By analysing songs such as “Waitress”, “Skin”, and “Boris”, Tanvi discussed the city which functions as the silent listener, and raised the issue of how we interact with spaces around us.
The final presentation, by Pallavi Barua, was called “Communities of Silence”. Interpretations of silence are often based on the physical ability to speak. Silence then becomes a choice, and can be used to coerce or express. But this reading neglects the reality of the hearing impaired, for whom silence becomes a given, and language systems acquire very different roles. Pallavi discussed how dominant discussions of silence become rendered meaningless in the face of this reality, and how this reality is very often ignored.
Ihab Hassan wrote in The Metaphors of Silence, “McLuhan heralds the end of print; the Gutenberg galaxy burns itself out. Electric technology can dispense with words, and language can be shunted on the way to universal consciousness… At a certain limit of contemporary vision, language moves towards silence. Criticism must learn this to acknowledge this metaphor.” The event thus saw various nuanced interpretations of silence, and was a step towards the generation of research and personal resonances.
Anushmita Mohanty, English IIIB
The first presenter was Devika, who presented a paper titled “What She Said: Reading the Gender Politics of Traditional Fairy tales in contrast with Sexing the Cherry through the Silence Motif.” This paper examined how silence is used as a tool to police women within the metanarrative of the fairy tale, with the wicked witches cackling loudly, and the mothers, princesses, and other ‘good women’ being silent, and thus, having no agency or identity of their own. The paper then looked at how Jeanette Winterson rewrites these narratives in Sexing the Cherry, thus creating a space for the formation of alternative identities and sexualities.
The next paper, “Pingu-istics: Silence and Nonsensical Language in Pingu” was presented by Vrinda Bhatia (and a penguin hand puppet!). The paper explored how the lack of a recognizable, formal language system in Pingu is used to form points of identification for the intended audience of the show, and how the lack of a language in the show links with a process of cognition as seen in Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Tejasvani Datta presented a paper titled “A Language of One’s Own: The Lack and Creation of Lesbian Language in India.” Tejasvani talked about how integral language is to the formation of identity, and put forward the question of what happens when there are no words for what one desires and feels. She traced this process through the history of women not being allowed to write, and how this silence masked the presence of lesbian narratives for women in India.
Silence is embedded within music: the spaces between beats are as important as the beats themselves. Tanvi Chowdhary presented a paper entitled “Silence and the City: Aural Spaces in BOY’s Discography.” The paper looks at how city spaces are constructed through music, and the language of music takes on a transgressive function of its own, through the music created by BOY. By analysing songs such as “Waitress”, “Skin”, and “Boris”, Tanvi discussed the city which functions as the silent listener, and raised the issue of how we interact with spaces around us.
The final presentation, by Pallavi Barua, was called “Communities of Silence”. Interpretations of silence are often based on the physical ability to speak. Silence then becomes a choice, and can be used to coerce or express. But this reading neglects the reality of the hearing impaired, for whom silence becomes a given, and language systems acquire very different roles. Pallavi discussed how dominant discussions of silence become rendered meaningless in the face of this reality, and how this reality is very often ignored.
Ihab Hassan wrote in The Metaphors of Silence, “McLuhan heralds the end of print; the Gutenberg galaxy burns itself out. Electric technology can dispense with words, and language can be shunted on the way to universal consciousness… At a certain limit of contemporary vision, language moves towards silence. Criticism must learn this to acknowledge this metaphor.” The event thus saw various nuanced interpretations of silence, and was a step towards the generation of research and personal resonances.
Anushmita Mohanty, English IIIB
Report on Research Methodology Lecture
"Academic writing is a skill, it is not something you are born with."
On Thursday, 26 October 2017, the Department of English collaborated with Jabberwock and invited Prof. Karuna Rajeev to give a lecture on Research Methodology. The lecture started with a heads-up about how academic writing in college is very different from what students had in their school level education. In contrast to how dependent one was on Wikipedia for a project, papers in college demand excessive research and development of writing skills.
The speaker began the lecture by saying: "Buy the 7th edition of MLA handbook; that will become your Bible for the rest of the years in the academic front." Then she talked at length about what a term paper means and how it is prepared. She emphasized on the need for articulating well and substantiating an argument with proper research throughout the lecture. She also gave an overview of the conventional citation styles — MLA, APA, and Chicago formats — that has to be kept in mind while quoting any argument. Further, she said that a ‘good’ term paper requires a work of five weeks at least, and she furnished a timeline for this. This gave the students an idea about how workload must be allocated across the span of five weeks.
The students, especially the first years, came across the concept of a thesis statement and the general guidelines that revolve around the framework of a thesis. The speaker elaborated on the importance of narrowing down an idea from a broad topic and not getting too ambitious while writing a term paper. She described in detail the different types of research, particularly in the context of English Studies, that one can undertake. She concluded the lecture with a brief differentiation between providing references and framing a bibliography and this was followed by a short Q&A session.
Akshita Ajitsariya, 1B.
Lecture on Paradise Lost by Kasturi Kanthan
“I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall (3.95-9)"
On the 25th of October, the English Department Union organised a guest lecture on ‘Paradise Lost’. They invited ex-faculty member Kasturi Kanthan to impart her knowledge on the piece for the benefit of the students.
Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton; that was first published in 1667. The epic is a fusion of the classical with the religious, and essentially discusses Milton’s ideas on liberty within the jurisdiction of the 17th-century Christian society. This includes the principles of the Calvinist and the Arminian schools which discuss the notion of God’s grace and man’s role in accepting that grace. Furthermore, the nearly ‘anti-epic’ construct of Milton’s layered epic explores the role of a hero, the concept of military valour, and the usage of similes to establish a novel metric. Finally, keeping in mind the ‘reader-response theory’, which states that multiple readings of the same text can exist as per the reader’s response to the text, the myriad interpretations of Paradise Lost can be appreciated or discarded.
Kasturi Kanthan Ma’am discussed five different readings of the epic – Historical, Marxist, Feminist, Psychoanalytical and Postcolonial.
The historical interpretation deals with the biographical details pertaining to Milton’s times. John Milton was a revolutionary who defended the regicide of King Charles and was utterly defeated when Charles II was restored to the throne. Thus, Paradise Lost can be seen as a means for Milton to justify the acts of God, both to himself and the public.
The Marxist interpretation views the setting of Paradise Lost as symbolic of the feudal society, with Satan as a feudal baron who revolts against his liege, God; and Adam representative of the bourgeois gentleman. Eve appears to possess certain capitalist tendencies with regards to the ethics of labour. She proposes that they divide the work and execute it separately in order to maximise output.
The feminist reading often ranges Eve and Satan together, staging a revolt against the patriarchy of God and Adam. While some feminist critics denounce Milton as misogynistic, one must consider his work within the conservative times. He was married thrice and divorced twice, not because he saw women as replaceable but rather because he wanted a wife whom he could converse with freely. Eve reflects this notion of free speech as well. In fact, Eve is made out to be a more three-dimensional character, while Adam is shown as docile. Eve is the key to mankind’s attainment of knowledge after she eats the forbidden fruit. Even after Eve disobeys God’s instructions, Adam chooses Eve over obedience to God. Lastly, Milton portrays sex in heaven as a beautiful rather than a disgusting practice; an unheard of perspective during that time.
The psychoanalytical interpretations consider the dreams Eve and Adam have, and their ramifications. Eve is seen as the seductive Venus in the episode with the snake, and also as a representation of the virginal goddess. Satan’s sexuality is believed to be portrayed by the serpent, as a phallic symbol. In visual depictions, the serpent is often shown as curling around the body of Eve, and the episode of their interaction is seen in a sexual light. Lastly, the psychoanalytical school of thought also analyses Eve’s narcissistic tendencies when she sees her reflection in the Lake.
The postcolonial reading is centered around the hierarchies which exist in ‘Paradise Lost’. Was Milton subverting or supporting British colonialism? Satan battles hierarchy in Heaven, yet creates a food-chain in Hell with himself on top. Satan’s attempts to colonise the minds of Adam and Eve and the portrayal of the serpent’s cunning words as a barbaric oriental tendency are observations made by the postcolonial school of critics. Lastly, God might be perceived as an overbearing, colonial ruler.
In addition to these major ideas, Kasturi Ma’am analysed the functioning of liberty in Milton’s Epic, as well as the role of Satan as an alluring, hubristic, and dangerous character. The Satanist school sees him as the hero of the epic because he defies God to preserve autonomy. He is compared to Prometheus in this way, a character who sacrifices himself for others. He reveals to Eve the means for the attainment of knowledge. Many critics believe Milton was aggrandizing Satan. However, like Adam and Eve, “the critics too have been mislead by the Devil.” Unlike the sacrifice of Prometheus, Satan’s actions stem from dark self-interest. His descriptions begin charmingly, but always end with a bitter twist. The essence of his character is the temptation he evokes and the consequences which follow. “Evil thou be my good!”
To explain the fundamental questions of such a complex literary creation to a multi-cultural audience in the 21st century, unfamiliar with the workings of Christian ideals, is nothing short of a daunting task. Yet, on the evening of 25th October, the students of English literature left Room Number 28 with a greater understanding of Milton’s conceptualisation of man, his ways and the workings of the world.
Ishani Pant, 1A
Film Screening: Hanif Kureishi's The Beautiful Laundrette
Film Screening: The Beautiful Laundrette (1985, Running Time: 97 minutes)
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Screenplay By: Hanif Kureishi
Screened On: 12 October, 2017
It is unfair to understand art by breaking it down into pieces, until the collection barely resembles the whole. However, the subjective experience of the perceiver might do just that — it may revel in the beauty of font, the intricacy of brushstrokes, or the aroma of freshly cooked food. One sense may overpower the others so that the entirety of experience is determined by this understanding. Kureishi’s The Beautiful Laundrette (I will call it Kureishi’s because it is more ‘his’ than it will ever be Frear’s) eludes this tendency to create a patchwork quilt of dialogue, character, lighting, sound, movement etc. such that the montage of multiplicity drowns the static of monochrome. It begins with a slew of sounds — of sickness, hurried escape, and cluttered crashes, to mirror the chaos of squatters being thrown out of a house. Water laps at the margins and swivels like clothes in an angry laundrette. Bubbling, or the furious motion of water, constitutes the background score to indicate the ferment of the storyline, or to accentuate it.
Revolving around inter-generational South Asian immigrants’ attempts to derive a sense of home with socio-economic stability out of an alien country, the film traces the emergence of the homosexual protagonist (Omar) and his relationship with working class English 'punk’ Johnny. It portrays the violence of ethnic clashes exacerbated by the desperation to survive. Thus, it shifts between the past and present of the central characters through themes like family, identity and conflict.
Pre-empting the danger of ‘reading too much’ into the plot, one can’t but help notice how Omar doesn’t talk for the first few minutes of the film. The loud intrusion of trains into their quiet room serves as a mode of contemplation for the major characters. It is an intersection of space and time; a crossing of Omo’s mother’s suicide and Tania’s leaving. Hussein (Papa) slips into bilingual morbid humour to introduce notions of masculinity by commenting on Omo’s emasculation due to the performance of domestic chores. This comparison is significant because of the future shift into ‘alternative’ sexuality. Omo is initially constructed as ‘queer’ but this becomes double-edged wordplay because the ‘strangeness’ of an immigrant’s sense of belonging and the ‘queerness’ of his sexual orientation emerge as related themes.
The treatment of spaces foregrounds the execution of sexuality because the extramarital heterosexual couple (Nasser and Rachel) can freely embrace in public, while Omo and Johnny’s homosexuality escapes into shadowed alleys, hidden back-rooms and empty streets. This privacy is deliberately ‘doubled’ because it is not only associated with the domestic realm, the bedroom, or the house (carrying connotations of belonging), but also because it is obstructed by grilled boundaries, windows made opaque by the ‘normative’ couple dancing freely, and closed doors. Their homosexual relationship is a closely guarded secret, not because they attach mystery to it (Tania realizes easily), but because no one else thinks about noticing it.
The difference in idealised values is evident in Papa’s emphasis on college education and Nasser’s claim of sucking the former colonising power dry, economically. Omar gravitates towards the financial success of his uncle, and desperately drinks in the details of wealth- the fancy cars, lavish lifestyle and collection of paintings the nouveau riche ‘wogs’ enjoy. The degraded form of his emaciated drunk father, previously a leading journalist in Bombay, is clubbed with the tragedy of the ‘unscrewed’ poet- their commitment to creativity and intellectual growth is subordinated to the economic realities of Thatcherite England.
Nasser’s wife Bilquis’ portrayal of a post-colonial subject appears to be disturbing because of its ‘orientalising’ aspects. She is shown engaging in ‘black magic’ to curse the ‘other woman’, and successfully causing Rachel to get a rash. Notwithstanding the sexual implications of the rash of ‘infidelity’, this sequence is curiously incongruous. If the male ‘wogs’ adopt fine British language and behaviour to shift away from dole-queues, why are only escapist or aggressive alternatives available to the women? They either kill themselves (Omo’s mother), leave the family or relationship under duress or choice (Tania leaves her fragmented family while Rachel leaves Nasser), or remain in exploiting relationships while cursing others. It inspires the following questions: What happens when the Oriental subject orientalises his/her own art? Why is the woman’s behaviour exoticised while the immigrant men easily obey the norm of rationality?
The film is embedded in homosocial bonding, and balanced on homosexuality, thus bringing the marginalised to the centre of discourse. This discourse is shut behind veiled insinuations and lingering looks, but it carries a hopeful promise — these suppressed states of being will soon leap into the open, wild and free.
-Tript Kaur
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Screenplay By: Hanif Kureishi
Screened On: 12 October, 2017
It is unfair to understand art by breaking it down into pieces, until the collection barely resembles the whole. However, the subjective experience of the perceiver might do just that — it may revel in the beauty of font, the intricacy of brushstrokes, or the aroma of freshly cooked food. One sense may overpower the others so that the entirety of experience is determined by this understanding. Kureishi’s The Beautiful Laundrette (I will call it Kureishi’s because it is more ‘his’ than it will ever be Frear’s) eludes this tendency to create a patchwork quilt of dialogue, character, lighting, sound, movement etc. such that the montage of multiplicity drowns the static of monochrome. It begins with a slew of sounds — of sickness, hurried escape, and cluttered crashes, to mirror the chaos of squatters being thrown out of a house. Water laps at the margins and swivels like clothes in an angry laundrette. Bubbling, or the furious motion of water, constitutes the background score to indicate the ferment of the storyline, or to accentuate it.
Revolving around inter-generational South Asian immigrants’ attempts to derive a sense of home with socio-economic stability out of an alien country, the film traces the emergence of the homosexual protagonist (Omar) and his relationship with working class English 'punk’ Johnny. It portrays the violence of ethnic clashes exacerbated by the desperation to survive. Thus, it shifts between the past and present of the central characters through themes like family, identity and conflict.
Pre-empting the danger of ‘reading too much’ into the plot, one can’t but help notice how Omar doesn’t talk for the first few minutes of the film. The loud intrusion of trains into their quiet room serves as a mode of contemplation for the major characters. It is an intersection of space and time; a crossing of Omo’s mother’s suicide and Tania’s leaving. Hussein (Papa) slips into bilingual morbid humour to introduce notions of masculinity by commenting on Omo’s emasculation due to the performance of domestic chores. This comparison is significant because of the future shift into ‘alternative’ sexuality. Omo is initially constructed as ‘queer’ but this becomes double-edged wordplay because the ‘strangeness’ of an immigrant’s sense of belonging and the ‘queerness’ of his sexual orientation emerge as related themes.
The treatment of spaces foregrounds the execution of sexuality because the extramarital heterosexual couple (Nasser and Rachel) can freely embrace in public, while Omo and Johnny’s homosexuality escapes into shadowed alleys, hidden back-rooms and empty streets. This privacy is deliberately ‘doubled’ because it is not only associated with the domestic realm, the bedroom, or the house (carrying connotations of belonging), but also because it is obstructed by grilled boundaries, windows made opaque by the ‘normative’ couple dancing freely, and closed doors. Their homosexual relationship is a closely guarded secret, not because they attach mystery to it (Tania realizes easily), but because no one else thinks about noticing it.
The difference in idealised values is evident in Papa’s emphasis on college education and Nasser’s claim of sucking the former colonising power dry, economically. Omar gravitates towards the financial success of his uncle, and desperately drinks in the details of wealth- the fancy cars, lavish lifestyle and collection of paintings the nouveau riche ‘wogs’ enjoy. The degraded form of his emaciated drunk father, previously a leading journalist in Bombay, is clubbed with the tragedy of the ‘unscrewed’ poet- their commitment to creativity and intellectual growth is subordinated to the economic realities of Thatcherite England.
Nasser’s wife Bilquis’ portrayal of a post-colonial subject appears to be disturbing because of its ‘orientalising’ aspects. She is shown engaging in ‘black magic’ to curse the ‘other woman’, and successfully causing Rachel to get a rash. Notwithstanding the sexual implications of the rash of ‘infidelity’, this sequence is curiously incongruous. If the male ‘wogs’ adopt fine British language and behaviour to shift away from dole-queues, why are only escapist or aggressive alternatives available to the women? They either kill themselves (Omo’s mother), leave the family or relationship under duress or choice (Tania leaves her fragmented family while Rachel leaves Nasser), or remain in exploiting relationships while cursing others. It inspires the following questions: What happens when the Oriental subject orientalises his/her own art? Why is the woman’s behaviour exoticised while the immigrant men easily obey the norm of rationality?
The film is embedded in homosocial bonding, and balanced on homosexuality, thus bringing the marginalised to the centre of discourse. This discourse is shut behind veiled insinuations and lingering looks, but it carries a hopeful promise — these suppressed states of being will soon leap into the open, wild and free.
-Tript Kaur
'Learning Lessons Through Children'
Movie Screenings in Collaboration with Jabberwock
The English Department in association with Jabberwock held the screenings of two short films on Friday, the 28th of September. It was followed by a discussion of the films moderated by the Chief Editors of Jabberwock.
The first film, The Bigger Picture by Daisy Jacobs, was an animation about two brothers who live with their aged mother. It showed their struggles, their emotions, and their relationships. It explored, through unique animation and art, the way adults relate to their parents. The second film, Two Solutions for One Problem by Abbas Kiarostami, was an Iranian short film which showed a classroom situation with the spiralling effects of simple negative actions. A simple matter of returning a damaged book was blown out of proportion, even leading to violence.
What related the two films was the interpretation of children. In the former, Jacobs showed childlike behaviour in adults and how they too must be viewed as the children of their parents. In the latter, Kiarostami showed, through children, how conflict can escalate and quickly turn into something ugly. This behaviour can often be extrapolated to adult situations as well. Both films were obviously meant for audiences more mature than juveniles, yet the fact that they both used the idea of “children” was very interesting. One understood children in an adult context, while the other understood children as a reflection of adults. Both related fairly simple ideas in deep, complex ways, and both were charming in their use of cinematography.
The best thing about The Bigger Picture was the distinction between two-dimensional action and three-dimensional action. Despite most of the emotional and story balance being in the characters, they were flat and painted on walls. However, the objects — vegetables, teapots, furniture — were made in clay for stop-motion. This interchanged reality really brought “the bigger picture” out stupendously. The use of vibrant colours outside contrasted with the colours indoors was very sharp; Jacobs had in fact used life-sized paintings for her animation, making the film’s title both metaphorically and literally apt. The film was also part-autobiographical, written after Jacob's own grandmother’s demise, and she had to see her parents be their parents’ children.
The beauty of Two Solutions for One Problem lay in its simplicity. The film was evidently didactic because the conclusion led to the problem being explained on a chalkboard, as if the audience was the student in a classroom. The petty behaviour seen in the children was learned and calculated; obviously, these lessons had been learned by watching adults. Or were adults the one learning from children’s behaviour? Perhaps it is cyclical: aggression as a performative act which leads to violence is petty and childish. Using the children as mirrors, Kiarostami makes a very pointed statement in 1975 Iran: solutions are better than comebacks.
Both films were great in their own unique way. Their thematic commonality can perhaps help to us understand the term “children’s literature” some more — a discussion that we’ll soon be picking up during the Annual Conference, Litmus.
-Arundhati Subhedar
Photos by Aneesha Sopori
The first film, The Bigger Picture by Daisy Jacobs, was an animation about two brothers who live with their aged mother. It showed their struggles, their emotions, and their relationships. It explored, through unique animation and art, the way adults relate to their parents. The second film, Two Solutions for One Problem by Abbas Kiarostami, was an Iranian short film which showed a classroom situation with the spiralling effects of simple negative actions. A simple matter of returning a damaged book was blown out of proportion, even leading to violence.
What related the two films was the interpretation of children. In the former, Jacobs showed childlike behaviour in adults and how they too must be viewed as the children of their parents. In the latter, Kiarostami showed, through children, how conflict can escalate and quickly turn into something ugly. This behaviour can often be extrapolated to adult situations as well. Both films were obviously meant for audiences more mature than juveniles, yet the fact that they both used the idea of “children” was very interesting. One understood children in an adult context, while the other understood children as a reflection of adults. Both related fairly simple ideas in deep, complex ways, and both were charming in their use of cinematography.
The best thing about The Bigger Picture was the distinction between two-dimensional action and three-dimensional action. Despite most of the emotional and story balance being in the characters, they were flat and painted on walls. However, the objects — vegetables, teapots, furniture — were made in clay for stop-motion. This interchanged reality really brought “the bigger picture” out stupendously. The use of vibrant colours outside contrasted with the colours indoors was very sharp; Jacobs had in fact used life-sized paintings for her animation, making the film’s title both metaphorically and literally apt. The film was also part-autobiographical, written after Jacob's own grandmother’s demise, and she had to see her parents be their parents’ children.
The beauty of Two Solutions for One Problem lay in its simplicity. The film was evidently didactic because the conclusion led to the problem being explained on a chalkboard, as if the audience was the student in a classroom. The petty behaviour seen in the children was learned and calculated; obviously, these lessons had been learned by watching adults. Or were adults the one learning from children’s behaviour? Perhaps it is cyclical: aggression as a performative act which leads to violence is petty and childish. Using the children as mirrors, Kiarostami makes a very pointed statement in 1975 Iran: solutions are better than comebacks.
Both films were great in their own unique way. Their thematic commonality can perhaps help to us understand the term “children’s literature” some more — a discussion that we’ll soon be picking up during the Annual Conference, Litmus.
-Arundhati Subhedar
Photos by Aneesha Sopori
Department Assembly
On Tuesday, 26th September, 2017, the Department of English conducted an assembly in which students showcased their talents enthusiastically. The assembly commenced with the college prayer, which was followed by a welcome address by Deep Kaur Samlok, the Treasurer of the Department.
The first performer of the day, Maitri Singh Tomar of IB, set the stage on fire with her bold and powerful voice that compelled the audience to clap along.
Vrinda Bhatia of IIIB, enlightened the crowd with her poetry titled “On Befriending Strangers”, describing her experience at the Central Secretariat metro station. She spoke about how we often get lost in public places and she described how the coloured footprints in metro stations ultimately lead us back to home.
Vrinda’s performance was followed by yet another musical piece by Bhargavi Kouli, of IA. Despite a technical glitch, everyone was left awestruck by her melodious and soothing voice. The audience was cheerful and supportive and did justice to their role.
The assembly was a stress buster in the hectic schedules of all students.
Akshita Ajitsariya, IB
The first performer of the day, Maitri Singh Tomar of IB, set the stage on fire with her bold and powerful voice that compelled the audience to clap along.
Vrinda Bhatia of IIIB, enlightened the crowd with her poetry titled “On Befriending Strangers”, describing her experience at the Central Secretariat metro station. She spoke about how we often get lost in public places and she described how the coloured footprints in metro stations ultimately lead us back to home.
Vrinda’s performance was followed by yet another musical piece by Bhargavi Kouli, of IA. Despite a technical glitch, everyone was left awestruck by her melodious and soothing voice. The audience was cheerful and supportive and did justice to their role.
The assembly was a stress buster in the hectic schedules of all students.
Akshita Ajitsariya, IB
'Natyashastra: A Universe of Possibilities'
by Meenakshi Nair and Sreelekshmi Namboothiri
On Thursday, 7th September, 2017, the English Department organised a lecture-demonstration on Bharata’s Natyashastra, (incidentally, also a background text to the paper on Indian Classical Literature). This lecture-demonstration was conducted in the Auditorium by Sreelekshmi Namboothiri and Meenakshi Nair, dancers from the second year of the department itself. The purpose of the event was to bring to life Bharata’s theory of rasa.
The presentation kept returning to the following shloka:
The presentation kept returning to the following shloka:
Yato hastah tato drishtih, yato drishtih, tato manah
Yato manah tato bhaava, yato bhaava tato rasa.
Yato manah tato bhaava, yato bhaava tato rasa.
(Where the hand goes, there the eye must follow; where the eye follows, there there is mindful action
Where there is mindful action, there a feeling exists; where there is a feeling, there, the essence of a particular emotion of state of being can be experienced.)
The dancers traced the argument of the shloka through simple explanations and pieces of dance in both Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam. They showed how Bharata’s text offered guidelines for a particular kind of performative art found in South Asia and how these guidelines suggested the existence of a whole universe of possibilities.
The English Department Archive Team
Where there is mindful action, there a feeling exists; where there is a feeling, there, the essence of a particular emotion of state of being can be experienced.)
The dancers traced the argument of the shloka through simple explanations and pieces of dance in both Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam. They showed how Bharata’s text offered guidelines for a particular kind of performative art found in South Asia and how these guidelines suggested the existence of a whole universe of possibilities.
The English Department Archive Team
Remembering Eunice de Souza: A Talk by Keki N. Daruwalla
All of us write, some of us even write well, but only sometimes does someone exceptional come by. Eunice was that someone exceptional.
On Thursday, 24th August, 2017, the Department of English played host to Keki N. Daruwalla, the acclaimed Indian writer. He delivered a lecture in memory of his friend and contemporary, the late Eunice de Souza. “All of us write, some of us even write well, but only sometimes does someone exceptional come by. Eunice was that someone exceptional,” he said.
Mr Daruwalla described Eunice de Souza’s poetry as fierce, lucid, sometimes acerbic. He recounted a conference from 1977 when Nissim (yes, Nissim, as you do) said that the attendees should read their poetry out during lunch; Eunice, of course, striking as she was, stole the show with her sprightly readings. Mr Daruwalla remembers his friend - whom he somehow hadn’t managed to meet for the last several years - as someone with strong likes, stronger dislikes, and an equally strong persona. He told us of how her students, although terrified of her, found her to be a splendid teacher and diligent scholar. Eunice de Souza was reconstructed as someone who was indeed lonely, but never built a wall around that loneliness.
The session was warm and tinted with nostalgia for a time past and a friend now long gone. Through his animated reading of her poetry, Mr Daruwalla helped us not mourn the passing of Eunice de Souza, but instead celebrate her life.
Meenakshi Nair
Images: Shivani Raturi
Mr Daruwalla described Eunice de Souza’s poetry as fierce, lucid, sometimes acerbic. He recounted a conference from 1977 when Nissim (yes, Nissim, as you do) said that the attendees should read their poetry out during lunch; Eunice, of course, striking as she was, stole the show with her sprightly readings. Mr Daruwalla remembers his friend - whom he somehow hadn’t managed to meet for the last several years - as someone with strong likes, stronger dislikes, and an equally strong persona. He told us of how her students, although terrified of her, found her to be a splendid teacher and diligent scholar. Eunice de Souza was reconstructed as someone who was indeed lonely, but never built a wall around that loneliness.
The session was warm and tinted with nostalgia for a time past and a friend now long gone. Through his animated reading of her poetry, Mr Daruwalla helped us not mourn the passing of Eunice de Souza, but instead celebrate her life.
Meenakshi Nair
Images: Shivani Raturi
How long will you write about Eklavya and his thumb?, asks Keki N. Daruwalla
“Ask whatever you want to”, he said with a smile as we were waiting for the Hospitality Team to bring him refreshments in the Visitor's’ Room of Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
Keki N. Daruwalla is a major Indian poet and short story writer in the English language. He had agreed to do an interview with us on the sidelines of a session called “Remembering Eunice de Souza”, organised by the Department of English, Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Meenakshi Nair and I had the privilege of interviewing him. The wit and simplicity of his writings have always enraptured his audiences, and it is his repartee that makes him a delight to talk with. What followed was an engaging discussion on the humanities, literature, and religion. Excerpts from the interview have been transcribed below.
We are all from the Humanities, so it’d be nice for us to imagine that we could be like you someday. What do you think is the importance of the Humanities and how does it influence our understanding of the world?
KND: I think it is very important. I go to seminars now and then in various colleges and I find that most of the students are into IITs, Science, Engineering, IT or business management. And the number of people in the humanities is terrible. We have lost half our readership. Books are selling less (pauses). I am only joking (laughs). But yes, it is disappointing to visit these places and see that children have not read anything other than you-know-who! I will not take any names.
I think in America and other places too, they are insisting on having at least one course on the humanities. We should do it here too.
What do you think is the role of literature within the scope of the Humanities, and how does it help us to know and learn more about the world?
KND: I think that lessons about life, and about knowledge itself, come through literature. After all, what is literature about? You are talking about life -- how men, women, and sensitive writers reacted to their times and their world. Now you remember those lines from Wallace Stevens — equal to then being in a tragic land than being in a tragic time. Sometimes I feel, some of us are, at the moment, living in tragic times.
My first novel had a bit about ‘ducats’ in the beginning. Anyone who has read The Merchant of Venice will get it. But, unfortunately, we don’t read as much anymore.
There is a vast gap between what we as literature students are reading and what the general populace reads. How do you think can we bridge this gap?
KND: I think there’s no intellectual stamina in people now. We make reading very reductive in order to make it more accessible. I think it is because of technology; perhaps the only way to counter this is to ignore stupid messages from stupid friends and read!
What kind of space does English have in India in terms of writing? Do you feel that it can capture the full nuance of life?
KND: Every language brings in its own culture with it. Indian writers in English are still writing about the Mahabharata and Ramayana (a little annoyed). Move out! How long will you write about Eklavya and his thumb? We have to understand that all these accounts were also fictional, perhaps bad novelists of those days. We need authors of the modern times to write about the modern world.
Since you have mentioned religion, how do you think in a country of diverse religions like ours — where religion often becomes the cause of violence — can we counter this issue?
KND: The Greeks no longer believe that Zeus was real. I understand that there was a time when we were savages and brutes and we required religion to bring us out of that. But, it is the 21st century and there is no longer a need for that. We need a rational outlook. I think that we must all embrace atheism. But, in our country, we can’t say these things out loud. People are not willing to listen.
Lastly, as a poet, do you think that poetry should serve a higher political purpose or it could just be for delight?
KND: Poetry has to come from the heart and also from the mind. If you find the atmosphere claustrophobic, you must write about it. Half of poetry is memory. If you can’t memorise poetry, is it even poetry? Now pick up a poem and learn at least two lines a day (laughs).
(Then, he went on to talk about how Sylvia Plath has lifted the phrase ‘The light burns blue’ in one of her poem’s from Richard III’s soliloquy. He narrated the whole soliloquy for us. Thereafter, we got a visual description of how poetry from memory can be delightful when he narrated the whole soliloquy for all of us.)
Ankita Adak
English 2A
Keki N. Daruwalla is a major Indian poet and short story writer in the English language. He had agreed to do an interview with us on the sidelines of a session called “Remembering Eunice de Souza”, organised by the Department of English, Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Meenakshi Nair and I had the privilege of interviewing him. The wit and simplicity of his writings have always enraptured his audiences, and it is his repartee that makes him a delight to talk with. What followed was an engaging discussion on the humanities, literature, and religion. Excerpts from the interview have been transcribed below.
We are all from the Humanities, so it’d be nice for us to imagine that we could be like you someday. What do you think is the importance of the Humanities and how does it influence our understanding of the world?
KND: I think it is very important. I go to seminars now and then in various colleges and I find that most of the students are into IITs, Science, Engineering, IT or business management. And the number of people in the humanities is terrible. We have lost half our readership. Books are selling less (pauses). I am only joking (laughs). But yes, it is disappointing to visit these places and see that children have not read anything other than you-know-who! I will not take any names.
I think in America and other places too, they are insisting on having at least one course on the humanities. We should do it here too.
What do you think is the role of literature within the scope of the Humanities, and how does it help us to know and learn more about the world?
KND: I think that lessons about life, and about knowledge itself, come through literature. After all, what is literature about? You are talking about life -- how men, women, and sensitive writers reacted to their times and their world. Now you remember those lines from Wallace Stevens — equal to then being in a tragic land than being in a tragic time. Sometimes I feel, some of us are, at the moment, living in tragic times.
My first novel had a bit about ‘ducats’ in the beginning. Anyone who has read The Merchant of Venice will get it. But, unfortunately, we don’t read as much anymore.
There is a vast gap between what we as literature students are reading and what the general populace reads. How do you think can we bridge this gap?
KND: I think there’s no intellectual stamina in people now. We make reading very reductive in order to make it more accessible. I think it is because of technology; perhaps the only way to counter this is to ignore stupid messages from stupid friends and read!
What kind of space does English have in India in terms of writing? Do you feel that it can capture the full nuance of life?
KND: Every language brings in its own culture with it. Indian writers in English are still writing about the Mahabharata and Ramayana (a little annoyed). Move out! How long will you write about Eklavya and his thumb? We have to understand that all these accounts were also fictional, perhaps bad novelists of those days. We need authors of the modern times to write about the modern world.
Since you have mentioned religion, how do you think in a country of diverse religions like ours — where religion often becomes the cause of violence — can we counter this issue?
KND: The Greeks no longer believe that Zeus was real. I understand that there was a time when we were savages and brutes and we required religion to bring us out of that. But, it is the 21st century and there is no longer a need for that. We need a rational outlook. I think that we must all embrace atheism. But, in our country, we can’t say these things out loud. People are not willing to listen.
Lastly, as a poet, do you think that poetry should serve a higher political purpose or it could just be for delight?
KND: Poetry has to come from the heart and also from the mind. If you find the atmosphere claustrophobic, you must write about it. Half of poetry is memory. If you can’t memorise poetry, is it even poetry? Now pick up a poem and learn at least two lines a day (laughs).
(Then, he went on to talk about how Sylvia Plath has lifted the phrase ‘The light burns blue’ in one of her poem’s from Richard III’s soliloquy. He narrated the whole soliloquy for us. Thereafter, we got a visual description of how poetry from memory can be delightful when he narrated the whole soliloquy for all of us.)
Ankita Adak
English 2A
Revisiting the Partition: A Talk by Sir Barney White-Spunner
On August 10, 2017, the departments of English and History of Lady Shri Ram College for Women invited noted military historian and former commander of British and allied troops, Barney White-Spunner, to talk about his new book Partition: The Story of Indian Independence and the Creation of Pakistan. The session saw an interesting discussion of history from both the Indian and British perspectives, the Partition and what triggered it, and the role of the army during the Independence and now.
Mr Spunner began with a brief statement about why history is important and how the happenings of the past influences life in the present. Thus, he said, it becomes extremely crucial for us to revisit the past time and again in order to get a better understanding of the present. In this context, he began talking about his book that is divided into twelve chapters, each named after the twelve months of the year. He said that it is based on “his own personal experiences, personal papers, and official records” of the Partition. The central theme of the talk was: Could the tragedy in Punjab have been avoided. Focussing on this, he said that the “violence could have been a lot less”. He also outlined the relationship between Lord Mountbatten and Mahatma Gandhi through a picture series.
The session ended with a brief Q&A session where Mr Spunner engaged in an interactive discussion with the students about the Indian National Army, Nehru, and the movie Dunkirk. It was an enriching experience for all the students.
Ankita Adak
Images: Shivani Raturi
Mr Spunner began with a brief statement about why history is important and how the happenings of the past influences life in the present. Thus, he said, it becomes extremely crucial for us to revisit the past time and again in order to get a better understanding of the present. In this context, he began talking about his book that is divided into twelve chapters, each named after the twelve months of the year. He said that it is based on “his own personal experiences, personal papers, and official records” of the Partition. The central theme of the talk was: Could the tragedy in Punjab have been avoided. Focussing on this, he said that the “violence could have been a lot less”. He also outlined the relationship between Lord Mountbatten and Mahatma Gandhi through a picture series.
The session ended with a brief Q&A session where Mr Spunner engaged in an interactive discussion with the students about the Indian National Army, Nehru, and the movie Dunkirk. It was an enriching experience for all the students.
Ankita Adak
Images: Shivani Raturi