What is Literature ?

Literature

What is Literature ?

 

Yes, of course things are same but our perspective is changed to see towards  it with time.With passing time , we grown up with more understanding and maturity. We learn today what we  learnt  yesterday was  wrong.  and I learn that from the literature. Literature- what does it mean? After passing these many years with literature, still it is not easy for me to define literature . But with  my confident, I would like to say that after studying literature in M.A , I am not same now.

Now I know that literature has no boundary. It can be anything.  There are many definitions of literature. It depends on readers and individualism. To understand and reading literature under the guidance of  Dr. Dilip Barad is precious  occurrence for me which I couldn't learn in my B.A. Though I was student of literature in my B.A, I never realised it because I was not taught how to read.

Literature is imaginative writing.  A kind of story that cannot be literally true. If it is true then it is fact, not fiction. It is man made,  not natural.

So, there is always clash between imaginative V/s Realistic,  Fiction V/s  Fact,  Historical truth V/s Artistic truth (Jodha Akbar,  "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", Jesus and Mary Magdalene in Christian history and in The Da Vinci code , the list can be extended. ..) So, the question may arise that how to discriminate novels and news stories,  fact & fiction. Because comics and pulp fiction are purely imaginative & fictitious YET not literature.

 Another definition can be given is Literature is like organic body,  everything is interrelated deeply.

    Apart from just story- what is told,  'HOW' it is told is also very important. Literary techniques used by writers makes it perfect.  Epistolary technique,  stream of consciousness,  memory narrative etc are fine example of it.

"The Sense of an Ending" - Julian Barnes

 Introduction

Julian Barnes is a contemporary English writer of Postmodernism in literature. He was more famous for his prosaic style, who was born in Leister on 19 January 1946 and was educated at the city of London school and magladen college Oxford.

The Sense of an Ending is about the person’s memory of youthful days. The novella is divided into two divisions. The divisions are entitled as Part1 and Part2. The first part begins in the 1960s.It begins with four intellectually arrogant school friends.

"You still don’t get it. You never did, and you never will. So stop even trying”.

Imperfection of Memory:

                          

 1. What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?

This phrase can be interpreted in various ways like Tony is self-centric narrator and he think Veronica’s mother sent 500 dollar because she damages him is silly thing.

 Ans: For Sarah it means because of Tony she got handsome young boy who in love with her and that’s why she sent money to him which is blood money for Veronica. She may felt guilty of Adrian’s suicide and she wants to blame Tony or wants to regret for that and so she sent him.  Veronica thinks that because of Tony Adrian would have relation with her mother. If Tony had not sent letter to Adrian or informed him that if you are not believe in me than ask her own mother who will inform you. And Adrian may go to ask her and since there their relation would have started and she became pregnant and that’s why intellectual Adrian had suicide. It means Tony played feelings of people and which lead to the destruction of some character’s life like Veronica, Sarah, baby, Adrian so it is blood money. 

 2:Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

Ans: Possibilities not lie there because there is the clarification of suicide note. Adrian did very intellectual philosophical suicide. He believes that there is nothing wrong in suicide. There are different reasons of suicide but there are not possibilities of Adrian living with hidden identity.

5.Do you see any missing block – some dot which is not getting connected with the whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel - in the plot of this psychological thriller?

The whole novel is dependent on possibilities, there so many things that are not clear for instance we are not told that how and where Veronica and Adrian met? What Sara told to Adrian that he immediately ends his relation with Veronica? What were the reasons that Sarah did not pay much attention to his husband? Why she kept herself busy in search of other man? Why she felt jealousy from Veronica? The novel is just like “The Birthday Party “where we are not told much about all character’s history and we are left with so many possibilities.


  6. In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, Good Samaritan?

In the light of new revelations I read her as sacrificial and trustworthy. With one reading we may find her calculative when she ends her relation with Toney  due to Adrian, as she finds Adrian more suitable for her. But In second Part Tony do not understand what Veronica tried to convey by showing him that group of mentally retired people at that time Veronica says that you still don’t get it, you never did and you will never will. It shows that even in past when they were in relation whenever Veronica tried to convey something to him, he never get it. And when she met Adrian, she feels that Adrian can understand her. Tony was not able to understand Veronica’s perspective and both had their own different nature and way of thinking and communication and because of that they failed to understand each-other. 

Death, Be not Proud

Introduction :

        The  Term  Metaphysical as applied  to English and Continental European Poets of the seventeenth  century .whose poetry comes to be known as the Metaphysical Poetry . it was Dr. Johnson  who while  writing on the life of Abraham Cowley in his Book ‘ The Lives’ Commented extensively on the poetry  of Donne and his Followers, calling at Metaphysical  Poetry ,and the Metaphysical poets Continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality.

Metaphysical Poetry of john Donne

§  Death, Be not Proud

§  Sweetest Love, I do not go

§  The Dream

§  The  Ecstasy

§  The flea

Death , Be not Proud

In this poem , poet addresses the death . saying that there is no need for death to be proud through  some people call it very powerful nor dangerous . it neither powerful nor dangerous. Death believes that even throws those people do not die at all . Death has no capacity to kill poet . This how Donne challenges the death , the picture of death is nothing but sleep and rest.

“Die not , poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me from rest and sleep, which but thy picture.”

Donne  considered his  sonnet  saying that death need not become Proud. This life is a sleep in the sense that it is full of illusion but death liberate  us from that illusion and we wake up forever. Donne believes that if death is accepted with this spirit  there is no any death itself die.

The white tiger

The white tiger

1.  Arvind Adiga won the man Booker prize in 2008 for his debut novel ‘The white tiger’. 33 years old Adiga is a journalist and author by profession. He is an Australian citizen of Indian origin.

The White tiger is about economic disparity conspicuous in modern Indian society. It tells the pathetic tale of two eras, one that still clings to the old decaying moral values and another that is anxious to accept the fast emerging new moral values.

Balram has caught antihero like complex character who plays many roles like, servant, a car driver, an entrepreneur and the murderer rolled into one in the novel.

This novel creates different India darkness which is focused by the novel. It also trying to dismantle the discrimination between the big bellies and the small bellies and also created principles of equality and justice. So we can say that India is represented very well into the novel.  Because India is also known as poor country that others so the hero Balram  also wants free from the struggling to set free from age old slavery and exploitation. And corruption also described into it.  The novel also provides a darkly comical view of modern day’s life in India though the narration of the protagonist. First we can see the Balram was born into the Dark India who has face many problems like economic, social, and political. So that they can earn better as his father was. So the novel shows dark image of India which is acceptable.

2.  Yes, I am totally agreed with these Ideas that the novel The White tiger is archetypal example of all the novels from ‘rages to riches’
In this novel we will found The Indian family how they were suffering for the better life , Lightness and darkness, Marriage In India, The cast system, India’s relationship to china, Freedom, Individualism, immoral corruption etc.

IF we talk about Balram the protagonist of the novel he struggles allot to fulfill his own dream and existence and for that he has to face many circumstances. A drop out in a village school, Balramreceived titleknowledge as a student. He took a lesson in driving in lieu of a fixed amount. Then he went straight to Dhanbad to the house of the landlord of the village. There he was engaged as a driver cum – servant in the landlord’s family. Balram managed to get the senior driver dismissed and cleared his way to be a driver of the landlord’s son Ashok in Delhi. So here we can see that how Balram wants to remove his self from servitude and wants to be a master by hook or crook so for it he will be able to do anything for the sake of richness. So from rags to riches these things were only possible if anyone can walk into a wrong way. Which will done by Balram by killing Mr. Ashok and such stories were also known as archetypal stories which is related with from rags to riches. Balram who cannot see the stones being thrown at animals is forced by the circumstances to be a murderer. After murdering Ashok he remains upset four weeks and he says…

“I am not a politician or a parliamentarian. Not one of those extraordinary men who can kill and money on, as if nothing had happened. “

But Balram does not lose the soul of nobility even after becoming an entrepreneur in Bangalore. He justifies his choice of murder as he does no other alternative to realize his dream to climb the ladder of success. It also seems as if he wants to take revenge, upon all the masters for the age – old exploitation of their servants.

“It appears to him to be the only means to break the shackles of bondage he is trapped into”

But Balram also said about his success is that “haven’tsucceeded in the struggle that every poor man here should be making the struggle not to take the lashes your father took.”

We can also compare the character of Balram with Macbeth is that Macbeth get nothing by removing from his way to king to king Duncan just like that Balram also get nothing by removing Mr. Ashok from his way. So such stories we will found into all types of the stories as archetypal stories of ‘rags to riches.

3. In the novel we will found many words like ‘half backed Indian’ which related with

“The Autobiography of a Half-Baked Indian.’ That’s what I ought to call my life’s story.”

 The word 'Aporia' and ‘Lacuna also related with the appropriate image of half backed Indian. As the narrator describes himself appropriately. So maybe we can say that in the novel we will found many words which were related with the same ideas which lead us towards deepest meaning which leads us towards the real image of India and also those people who were corrupted. So we can also understand with it is that to release from servitude it is better to remove all the hurdles which comes into our way of progress as half backed Indian.

The Ecstasy

Introduction :

        The  Term  Metaphysical as applied  to English and Continental European Poets of the seventeenth  century .whose poetry comes to be known as the Metaphysical Poetry . it was Dr. Johnson  who while  writing on the life of Abraham Cowley in his Book ‘ The Lives’ Commented extensively on the poetry  of Donne and his Followers, calling at Metaphysical  Poetry ,and the Metaphysical poets Continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality.

Metaphysical Poetry of john Donne

§  Death, Be not Proud

§  Sweetest Love, I do not go

§  The Dream

§  The  Ecstasy

§  The flea

                                         

                                               These two images in the very opening of the poem qualify the present of poem as a metaphysical poem. Their hands are committed – they have set on the bank of river hand, though no words exchange between the two. Their four eyes became one and get tide up with an indivisible thread. Both realize an exchange of words between their souls though body doesn’t speak. The soul of both speak  the same and listen the same and so the lovers find  it difficult to realize what exactly is exchanged between the two both the knowledge that it is not love of body ,for a body. It is beloved two souls. 

                                                    

 Conclude:

                                                In the sum up Metaphysical poets, to take the early English poet John Donne as an example, connected with  very abstract philosophical questions into their poetry. This has come to be called 'metaphysical poetry.' That is not to say their poems are not still beautiful which is why John Donne is such a marvelous example - he uses rich symbolism and imagery in his poems too, which makes them superb .

Sweetest Love, I do not go

Introduction :

        The  Term  Metaphysical as applied  to English and Continental European Poets of the seventeenth  century .whose poetry comes to be known as the Metaphysical Poetry . it was Dr. Johnson  who while  writing on the life of Abraham Cowley in his Book ‘ The Lives’ Commented extensively on the poetry  of Donne and his Followers, calling at Metaphysical  Poetry ,and the Metaphysical poets Continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality.

What is Metaphysical Poetry?

        Metaphysical Poetry is  concerned with the whole experience of man , but the intelligence , learning and seriousness of the Poets means that the poetry is about the Profound areas of experience especially about Love ,Romantic and Sensual ; about man’s Relationship with the God the eternal Perspective ,and to a less extent about pleasure , learning and Art.

Metaphysical Poetry of john Donne

  Death, Be not Proud

  Sweetest Love, I do not go

  The Dream

  The  Ecstasy

                 The flea

Sweetest Love, I do not go
 

                                Sweetest love, I do not go,

                                           For weariness of thee,

                                   Nor in hope the world can show

                                           A fitter love for me;

                               

                                               Johan Donne Poem with the title song sweetest love deals with the theme of love. The Poem is addressed by a lover to his believing it’s to want to connives his believing. The Poem opens the lovers confession that now time has come from him to go forever – not because he is tired of or find out a better person than he has to go forever because his death is very near to him.

                                                 He would to like accepts his death as a joke because whether his takes likely or seriously he has to go the lover gives a example of sun to  connives to her that going away is not forever. The way the sun sets previous evening comas back to next morning.

                                                He would like to come back the sun has no sense or no desire to come back but  he  has got the sense and desire to comeback and so he would come back earlier than sun. Their lover ocher’s that is desire would as the   work most powerful back. The Lover is picture of human existence and Life. Man considers himself all powerful but in reality man is very weak. It is not possible for man to add even to single hour more to his life .If his passing through a state of happiness man cannot bring back and relive a part of life. Which is already left by this reality of human beings cannot stay as a long as it monster but it cannot cause pain to the reason is he is company of is believed. The lover requested to believe not to sight’s weak because when sight’s is soul comes out. When she weeps blood of life’s come out.

                                          The lover request not to west is life this otherwise her claim that she loves him would be wrong. The best part of lovers self is in beloved.  And so she should not west his life by weeping and side.

                                         In the Last Stanza speakers good conclude of love of life thinking. This lovers addressed to his believed same that destiny will work in it’s that there is no need for believing to go very far in her thinking. If destiny fulfills her desire not to live for a long time. After his death, both should accept death as a helper which would allow both to sleep side by side in their grave. Death is not capacity to separate this is how the lover derives solace than find himself very near full death. 

                                     

                                                The present song experience Donne’s faith in love through the addressee to lover to believed. It shows the power of love and miracle which love can performance. The miracle is thus who love never die.

The Dream john donne

Introduction :

        The  Term  Metaphysical as applied  to English and Continental European Poets of the seventeenth  century .whose poetry comes to be known as the Metaphysical Poetry . it was Dr. Johnson  who while  writing on the life of Abraham Cowley in his Book ‘ The Lives’ Commented extensively on the poetry  of Donne and his Followers, calling at Metaphysical  Poetry ,and the Metaphysical poets Continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality.

Metaphysical Poetry of john Donne

  Death, Be not Proud

  Sweetest Love, I do not go

  The Dream

  The  Ecstasy

                      The flea  

 The Dream
 
 IMAGE of her whom I love, more than she,

Whose fair impression in my faithful heart
Makes me her medal, and makes her love me,
As kings do coins, to which their stamps impart
The value; go, and take my heart from hence,

                                       Johan Donne Elegy with the title ‘The Dream’   is about a lovers confession on his love for his beloved and the  The way of a coin is impressed  With the images of the kings, The heart is impress the of the image of beloved. The way of images of king a science value to a coin her images of give a humor a important to his heart. The lovers says that only though who are weak  in these spirit  bother honor he does come for because he believes that her images has given owner to me.

          The Lover going ahead in this confession Manson that when she goes away is resigning ends there is beginning for the emperor for fantasy. The love is opinion that fantasy cannot give him the joy of that height which real present can give. The reason is the joy of given by fantasy is convenient and proportional the real arrival has the capacity of giving joy of shock. If the lovers dreams he would like to had the dream about her real present and not just grimy about. The lovers consider sleep a great escape from pain because sleep locks the proses of thinking. Then the lover gets up after his he wake up his sleep he want rape of the end of dream.