Punishment in Kindergarten - Kamala Das

Kamala Das is famous Indian woman poet.  She writes poem in support of feminism.  Her poems are marked with frankness and courage.  She, unlike other women poets, is more daring and expresses her thoughts openly against men, customs and other women too.  The poem Punishment in Kindergarten talks about Kamala Das’ childhood day wherein she went on a picnic, which did not allow her to enjoy and relish life.

Kamala Das was called as Madhavi Kutti at her young age.  When the poem opens, Kamala finds herself in a more commanding position and capable of taking her own decisions. Unlike in those old days of early childhood where she recalls the mental pain caused by her kindergarten teacher; a woman wearing a blue frock throwing negative words at her like the throwing pots and pans, to devastate that honey-coloured peace of mind that dwells in a peaceful child. The teacher used to torment Kamala by her words saying that she was a peculiar child; strange often in an unpleasant way; who is reluctant to join others for a play.

  

On the lawn, Madhavi Kutti’s classmates sit together sipping sugarcane juice-turning at each other's faces, chatting and laughing their way to glory. Indeed children are funny things. They laugh at the expense of other's tears of sorrow in mirth; formal laughter or happiness. She buried her face in the sun-warmed hedge; a row of bushes growing close together and she smelt the flowers and the pain in the same manner to fuse or melt (ore) in order to separate the metal contained.
           

After being punished, her words are muffled and the laughing faces of her friends are only a blur. The years have moved on speedily and have stopped briefly at rare incidents of sad events. At last, she discovers that she has discovered that she has found an adult peace. There is no need to remember that picnic day while in kindergarten when she laid hidden by a hedge, watching the steel-white sun standing lonely in the sky.

காதல் சண்டை

காதலிக்கிறோம்...

                      சிறிதாக சண்டையிட்டோம்

அட அதற்காக என்னை

                      திரும்பிக்கூட பார்க்க மறுக்கிறாள்

இந்த தாண்டவ திமிருக்காகவும்

                                           காதலிக்கிறேன் நான்

                                                                            அவளை!

Goodbye Party to Miss Pushpa T.S.

Introduction

Nizim Ezekiel, a famous Indian poet, makes fun at Indians and their way of using English. Indians have their own use of English, which is different. This poem ridicules the Indian functions and the funny behaviour of Indian speakers.

The poem is about a send-off party to Miss Pushpa, who goes to abroad. Her colleagues have gathered at one place to wish her bon voyage. One speaker, through whom the poet ridicules the Indian culture and language, speaks the whole poem.

The character of Miss Pushpa

The speaker, throughout the poem, talks about Miss Pushpa and slowly reveals her character. The opening lines reveal two different characters of Miss Pushpa. First is that she is intelligent, because she goes to some foreign country. The second is that the speaker calls her as his sister. This sows that Miss Pushpa is a woman of some respect.

Miss Pushpa has a smiling face. The speaker says that Miss Pushpa is always found smiling. She takes life in a happy way. The speaker also says that Miss Pushpa is kind. She is kind at heart too. She is popularly known for her kindness among many men and women.

The speaker also talks about her family background. He says that she comes from a rich family. Miss Pushpa is also known for her helping tendency and good spirit. The speaker says that whenever someone approaches Pushpa, asking for help, she would never say no. She helps everyone at all times.

The Use of Language in the Poem

The poem right from its first stanza makes fun at the way we speak English. In the first stanza the speaker says that Miss Pushpa will depart in “two three days” instead of “two or three days.”

Instead of saying that Miss Pushpa is kindhearted and gentle woman the speaker says that she is sweet both ‘internal’ and ‘external’. In the same stanza the speaker instead of saying that Miss Pushpa is a pleasant looking woman he says that she is “smiling and smiling even for no reason.”

While giving her family background the speaker says that she come from a ‘high family’ for saying ‘rich family’. The speaker’s deviation while talking about Surat shows the Indianism. He remembers his past, when he went to Surat to stay with one of his uncle’s friend.

“Just now only I will do”, is again a mistake committed by the speaker, when he attempts to say that Miss Pushpa would do things within minutes.

Conclusion

The speaker of this poem is not given a definite identity. We do not know whether it is male of female speaker. Nizim Ezekiel by hiding the identity of the speaker renders the mistakes to every Indian in general.

Good Manners

Introduction

J. C. Hill is a famous English writer. J. C. Hill’s Good Manners is an extract from his famous book An Introduction to Citizenship. This essay talks about the manners one should have in the society.

The story of the young man

The author opens the essay with a story of a young man. The young man would be very proud of himself. He would be selfish. He never minds about others. Once a disease attacked him and then it was difficult for him to walk and stand in the bus. Only at that time, he saw others, who were unmindful of him. He was cured and later he started helping others. Through this story, the author wishes to say that we should care for people around us, which is a good manner. He asks us not to laugh at the old people who find it hard to cross the road. He says that our laughter will turn back to us soon, as it happened with the young man.

Speaking in company

He asks us to be cautious while speaking with others. If we are talking with another person, we should give him a chance to speak too. If they do not speak, it means that they do not want us to talk too. Then we are asked to be listener cautious too. If we speak of some subject, we should be aware of the fact that the listener might have a different idea about what we are talking. The author gives different meanings for the word socialism for different people.

Understanding ourselves

The author advises us to understand ourselves before teasing or talking ill about others. He gives several examples for this. If an old woman asks a boy with scout uniform whether he is a scout boy then the boy should explain himself. He should not scold her for being silly. He also says that none of understand ourselves. He gives an experiment as an example. The experiment conducted in a college in which the students were shown a bull picture. Some students said that the bull’s tongue was out of its mouth, but it was not so. The author says that every one of us are not aware of ourselves and we should take care of what we argue and speak.

Conclusion

The author concludes the essay by saying that there is not single truth in the world. What might be true to us might be false for someone else. So he asks us to cultivate the good manners of understanding other people and not hurting them.

The Progress

Introduction

St. John Ervine's The Progress is a deeply moving anti-war play. It presents before us the crudeness of war and its aftermath. The play in itself carries a war raged against the scientific progress that is happening all over the world to shatter human kind, into pieces.

Professor Corrie

Throughout the play, we could find Prof. Corrie busy with his experiments, formulae and mumbles. Prof. Corrie is engaged with his new invention so that he forgets the rest of the world. He forgets to bring his sister, Mrs. Meldon from the railway station; he forgets to listen to the knocks at the door by the servant, Hannah. He even forgets to talk with other persons.

His regular activities are to give a slight laugh, to murmur and to feel happy about his new invention, a powerful atom bomb. Prof. Corrie never refuses to give away his stand of scientific view of the society. He is a strong believer of war as a means to peace.

Mrs. Meldon

Mrs. Meldon, even before she appears on the stage is said to be mourning. She feels sad about the loss of her son, Eddie, who was killed at the age of 19 in the First World War. Her mind is fully occupied with the third anniversary of her son’s death. That is the reason she orders a wreath.

She refuses to come out of the past. She feels very bad about her loneliness. She also refuses to accept with Prof. Corrie’s thoughts. In short, we can describe Mrs. Meldon as a sensitive woman, who is filled with emotions and motherly love.

The War between Corrie and Mrs. Meldon

Corrie and Mrs. Meldon are poles apart in their view of life. In the play, we could see Corrie to be happy for his new invention, whereas Mrs. Meldon is sad for the same reason. Corrie compels her to take a broad point of view and look at war in a new patriotic manner. Mrs. Meldon does not accept to Prof. Corrie instead she views the world and war as a mother.

Their conflict rises into a pleading. Mrs. Meldon requests Prof. Corrie to destroy his new invention. She feels afraid that Corrie’s new invention would destroy several young chaps like Eddie. Prof. Corrie is under the belief that he would have a best deal with the government and earn lots of name and wealth. He does not care for human life instead; he wants his name to be written in the history of wars. Mrs. Meldon stabs Prof. Corrie in order to bring peace in the world.

Conclusion

This play realistically portrays the rough hands of war and about the loss of human life in vain.

The Pie and the Tart

Introduction

Hugh Chesterman’s play The Pie and the Tart is set in 15th century France. It portrays the then French life in a humorous way.


The condition of Jean and Pierre

John and Pierre are beggars. As the play opens, they pity themselves for not having taken food for the past few days. Pierre and Jean are roaming in the street because they do not have a house. They both talk about their troubles. Pierre says that he was arrested for begging and the judge did not consider him as a human being. They both plan to get some food by begging.


Gaultier and Marion

They both decide to go to different streets and beg. Jean goes to Gaultier’s bakery shop and knocks the door. Gaultier scolds him and shuts the door. On the other street, Jean knocks the back door of the bakery and Marion, Gaultier’s wife, scolds him. Gaultier comes out of the house with Marion and says that he is going to dine with the Mayor. He says that he would send a person to take the eel pie from the shop for dinning. Gaultier says that the person would kiss her hand to get the pie. Marion agrees for the plan.


Jean’s Plan

Jean hears their plan. He asks Pierre to kiss Marion’s hand and get the pie. Pierre goes to the bakery and says that Gaultier sends him and he tries to kiss her hand. Marion believes him and gives him the pie. Both Jean and Pierre enjoy eating the pie. They both like the pie very much. Pierre says that he say a tart in their house and asks Jean to get the tart as he got the pie.


Gaultier’s Return

In the meanwhile, Gaultier comes home angrily and says that the mayor is not home. He asks Marion to give the eel pie. Marion says that she has given it to a person. Gaultier scolds her for being a stupid. At this time, Jean comes to the door asking for the tart. Gaultier beats and asks for the pie. Jean says that Pierre got the pie. He also brings Pierre to Gaultier.


Pierre’s Idea

Pierre comes there and says that he gave the pie to the mayor, who came home just then. He says that the mayor asked for the tart. Gaultier feels happy. He is cheated by giving the tart to Pierre.