Breaking Ties - Sara Aboobacker - Notes

Link: Breaking Ties - Sara Aboobacker - THEMES - NOTES

"The Unknown Citizen" - W. H. Auden, 1907 - 1973

(To JS/07 M 378

This Marble Monument
Is Erected by the State)

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be

One against whom there was no official complaint,

And all the reports on his conduct agree

That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a

   saint,

For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.

Except for the War till the day he retired

He worked in a factory and never got fired,

But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.

Yet he wasn’t a scab or odd in his views,

For his Union reports that he paid his dues,

(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)

And our Social Psychology workers found

That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day

And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,

And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare

He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan

And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,

A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content

That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;

When there was peace, he was for peace:  when there was war, he went.

He was married and added five children to the population,

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his

   generation.

And our teachers report that he never interfered with their

   education.

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:

Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

R.K. Narayan – myths and legends

Ø  Subtle prose and humour

Ø  Malgudi – nice calculated between

Ø  The status of Malgudi changes through his novels

Ø  Extraordinary characters

Ø  More easily understandable

Ø  Traditional Hindu Mythology

Ø  Symbols of colonial progress

Ø  Overtly ideological

Ø  Manglic -  example

Ø  Guide -  Raju – the religious believes – supernatural elements

Ø  Theory of Karma

Ø  Attached evils following money

Ø  An attempt to establish the views of prolonging myths and legends in Indian society

P.B. Shelley’s world of Imagination

Ø  Different personalities in him

Ø  Wealth and luxury – born with

Ø  “the mad shelley”

Ø  Was wonderer – a master of his own

Ø  God’s creation

Ø  Ode to the west wind

Ø  Personifies the wind as a shepherd

Ø  Burial – leaves

Ø  Birth – seeds pushing their way up

Ø  Human imagination

Ø  Colour and cream

Ø  Writing style – the eyes of a nature admirer

Ø  Nostalgic about his childhood experiences

Ø  Skylark –

Ø  No mortal bird – its sounds come directly from heaven

Ø  Floating towards the mighty heaven

Ø  Spiritual view

Ø  Contrasting the world of nature to man

Emily Dickenson – theme of DEATH

Ø  The theme of death in her poetry

Ø  Unique for the era

Ø  Theme of death

Ø  Personal experience

Ø  Death as eternal

Ø  Death personified as a gentleman

Ø  Chariot – image

Ø  Giving death a religious context

Ø  Dress – the bride’s gown

Ø  Death – an extension of life

Ø  House – tombstone

Ø  A one way ride – towards eternity

Ø  Civil war – casualties – influence

Ø  Highly ironic – preoccupied with life’s most influential events

Ø  Paradox – not accidental

Ø  The arrival of King – waiting for the death

Ø  Flies – death and decay

Ø  Poetic device – usage of sound with colour

Ø  Between the light and darkness

Ø  Personification – over simplification of death

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Ø  Romantic era

Ø  Active reawakening of the English repulse

Ø  Intense emotion

Ø  “I would compare the human soul to a ship’s crew cast on an unknown island – T.J. Coleridge

Ø  Experiences in personal life –

Ø  Mysterious workings of our mind

Ø  Never knowing when the agony of remembrance will return

Ø  Christian belief abundant throughout the poem

Ø  Albatross – as Christ

Ø  Lingering question – how the mental agony is relieved? By sharing

Ø  Struggle between – ego and super ego

Ø  Never truly be free from Opium – guilt

Ø  Psychological poet – par excellence

On the Abolition of English Department

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Comment on HOD’s paper at University of Nairobi.

Issue: Developments in arts faculty and relation to English dept.

1. place of modern languages like French

2. Place of English

3. Emergence of Dept of Linguistics and languages

Suggestion: Dept of Linguistics and Languages closely related to English

Possibility of Dept of African literature and Culture

Important questions raised – values, direction, orientation

The suggestions question the role and status of an English Dept in an African situation and environment. “The English Dept has had a long history at this College and has built up a strong syllabus which by its study of the historic continuity of a single culture throughout the period of emergence of the modern west, makes it an important companion to History and to Philosophy and Religious Studies. However, it is bound to become less ‘British’, more open to other writing in English and also to continental writing, for comparative purposes.”

Assumption: the English tradition and the emergence of the modern west is the central root of our consciousness and cultural heritage. Africa becomes an extension of the west, an attitude.

There is assumed centrality of the dept into which other cultures can be admitted from time to time as fit subjects for study, and other satellite depts can spring depending on time and money. E.g. African writing in English syllabus

Imp question: If there is need for a ‘study of the historic continuity of a single culture’, why can’t this be African? Why can’t African literature be at the centre so that we can view other cultures in relationship to it?

Primacy of English literature and culture is rejected.

The aim- to orientate ourselves towards placing Kenya, East Africa, then Africa in the centre. Rest consider to understand ourselves

Suggestions: Abolish English dept

Begin dept of African literature and language.

Duty of literature dept: to illuminate the spirit animating a people, show how it meets challenges, innovate possible areas of development and involvement

Sources of influence

1.             English French, Portuguese

2.             Swahili, Arabic, and Asian

3.             African tradition – stuff gown on, base

Oral Tradition

Living littered tradition- can be found in political rallies, churches and night clubs.

Art forms are interlinked in traditional practice are interlinked.

social purpose of tale, dance, song, myth

Dance – symbolic expression system of social reality reflecting and influencing cultural and personality systems of which it is a part

Oral tradition comments on society

Multidisciplinary approach to oral literature: Literature, music, Linguistics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy,

Study can give fresh approaches

Oral tradition can supplement Modern African Literature.

Conclusion

Question of literary excellence

Abolish English dept and establish Dept of African literature and language.

Establish centrality of Africa

Principles of Radio and Television Management

“Why this kolaveri di?” becomes the first musical video spreading like virus on the music net, which has created a history in the Indian broadcasting. If this sudden and accidental uploading and viewing has an immense impact, which can make it in one of the leading views of You-tube worldwide, the basics for the present broadcasting in India has to be questioned. What Principles of Broadcasting would work with such pregnant potentiality seen on the web arising from India? Does this mean that the present Principles of Radio and Television broadcasting need close attention? Is there a need for the media management to come up with much more various principles?

With the increasing advancement of the technology, the broadcasting media has to be revised and looked back throughout the past few decades with much changing trends. The many different perspectives which have made the broadcasting media to be defined with various new elements, also questions the basic assumptions and principles which make the framework of broadcasting. The limited word ‘broadcasting” which included only Radio and Television during the past decades, has increased in its list with new additions, which were the results of the advanced and rapid growth in the communication systems during the last one decade.

Through all these changes and growth, media being the fourth pillar in a democracy, has to maintain itself within few principles which will hold on the media as the fourth pillar. But in the present Indian context, is it worth maintaining such systems of broadcasting within the rigid body of principles, which are expected to be commercially potential instruments. Even though maintaining one broadcasting system within the principles is challenging at present, media is having the responsibility to do so. As long as the media tries to assure itself within the boundaries of the Principles of Broadcasting, it becomes a true and integral part of democracy. The principles give the media a framework to maintain its integrity and also to confirm to the ethics. Every move done by the organization will be scrutinised through this narrow filters of Principles. But will the media’s broadcasting under such principles provide what the audience need and can it assure the expected profit?

Generally in any media management we fine the principles such as, being objective, specialization, span of control, authority and responsibility, unity of command, the scalar principle, equity and many more. But apart from them, the management of a broadcasting organization has to hold to some particular principles, especially in an Indian context. The few principles being discussed below are some of the challenges kept before the management of various media organizations.

One of the basic principles which a radio and television management holds is that, “we are trustees of a public service”. With the current context of Indian broadcasting showing out increasing competition day by day, with becoming a country having one of the leading number of broadcasts in the world, how can the broadcasting organizations ensure that they work within this principle. As the trustees of public service, they have been gaining the credibility of the listeners and audiences throughout the past decades. But is the present growth in the others kinds of media such as internet, provide a space for the media organizations to come up with news which is truth and just. Compared to the immense competition between other kinds of media, the broadcasting of Radio and TV needs to be looked through clearly to ensure a trustworthy broadcasting without sensationalism as well as safe guarding their credibility which makes them the trustees of the public service.

Another one of the principle of broadcasting is that, to broadcast news which is consistently reliable and authoritative, accurate, objective, and comprehensive. Especially in a country like India, where the total literacy level is low, the broadcasting has to be designed in such a way that even the illiterate are able to understand the contents. This principle also embraces the need for the broadcasting to have the much needed authoritative tone which really raises issues in any parts of development of the country. The broadcasting should also contain news which are accurate and objective too.

Diversity of programming is another important principle maintained amongst the Indian broadcasting. With the immense diversity in the country, the need for bringing out thoughts and ideas suiting to the many different cultures and regions of the country in an ample need which has to be considered and worked on. Sometimes even the same content of news may have to be redesigned in such a way that would suite a particular region or ethnicity of country. The selection of the genre of programmes also need to be perfectly suitable for the different diverse cultures and regions.

Another important principle is the Provision for Minority. India, with such a huge diversity has many minorities whose issues need to be addressed well. Because the number of the minority is less, their own actions may not bring the much needed concern or even may not make the impact. In such a context, it is the effective broadcasting media’s responsibility to make the issues be realized by the concerned authorities or may be to explain their problems or issues to the public.

Providing information about development in each region and awareness. Indian broadcasting, being an important part of the development of the country, has the responsibility of informing and raising issues related with the development of the country. Let it be economic, social, spiritual or cultural well-being of the country, the radio and television organizations follow the principle of involving themselves in the valuable part of helping the development to be sustainable. Coupled with this, the awareness needed in the country regarding any issues also is put down as a principle of the broadcasting media. It can be the awareness needed in the political arena, or may be any health issues or even the nation’s own security. Media is expected to play this role having it as one of its important principles.

With some of these above mentioned and principles, there are also many other such as, a balanced and comprehensive projection of Indian thought and institutions, reflecting the diversity of Indian culture and society, programming to meet needs which remain unserved by the totality of media voices available to the people of certain regions, variety of opinions and voices from within particular states and regions prevented by censorship or repression from speaking to their fellow countrymen, are also important.

Thus, the principles of radio and television broadcasting in India seems to be able to look towards the needs of a developing democratic country. But the media should be given the fullest support and space to make itself available with integrity, which will be helpful in the achievement of producing a system of broadcasting which will uphold the necessities of the principles of broadcasting in India.