Reading comprehension

Reading Comprehension 

Here are  providing some tips to answer the comprehension passage questions of during the exam.

• Go through the entire passage thoroughly.
• Scan the passage quickly and try to find the main idea and theme on which the comprehension passage is based.
• Underline the important information in the passage.
• Now, read the question and go back to the unseen passage to find the answer.
• Avoid copy-pasting the answer from the comprehension passage. Try to frame the answer in your own words.
• To answer the vocabulary-based questions, like synonyms, antonyms, phrases, idioms etc., replace the word with the meaning. If the meaning is the same, then the answer is correct.
• To answer multiple choice questions, go through all the options and then mark the correct answer.

Example 

Paragraph 1

Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable creatures, the less we appear superior when we destroy them.

Questions

1. Why are dolphins regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea?

2. What historical accounts support the idea that dolphins help humans?

3. How has our understanding of dolphin society changed over time?

4. In what ways do dolphins care for one another within their communities?

5. What is the scientific debate regarding dolphin communication?

Paragraph 2

It was the summer of 1936. The Olympic Games were being held in Berlin. I wasn't worried about all this. I'd trained, sweated and disciplined myself for six years, with the Games in mind. While I was going over on the boat, all I could think about was taking home one or two of those gold medals; I had my eye especially on the long jump. A year before I'd set the world record of 26 feet 8½ inches. Everyone expected me to win that Olympic event hands down (without difficulty).

I was in for a surprise. When the time came for the long jump trials, I was startled (surprised) to see a tall boy hitting the pit (jumping) at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. He turned out to be a German named Luz Long. Every German was evidently hoping that he would win the jump. I too was determined to go out there and really prove myself.

1. What event was being held in Berlin during the summer of 1936?

2. How long had the narrator trained for the Olympic Games?

3. What was the narrator's main goal during the Olympic Games?

4. What specific event was the narrator focused on winning?

5. What world record had the narrator set a year before the Olympics?

6. How did the narrator feel upon seeing the tall boy during the long jump trials?

7. Who was the tall boy competing against the narrator in the long jump?

8. What distance was the tall boy achieving in his practice leaps?

9. What were the hopes of the German spectators regarding the long jump event?

10. What was the narrator determined to prove during the long jump competition?

Paragraph 3

In July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England, round the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. For the longest time, Mary and I a 37-year-old businessman - had dreamt of sailing explorer (adventurer). For the past 16 years we had spent all our leisure time travelling in British waters.

Our boat Wavewalker, a 23 metre, 30 ton wooden-framed beauty. We had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather.The first leg of our planned three-year, 1,05,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly. We sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler - to help us tackle one of the world's roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean. -On our second day out of Cape Town, we began to encounter strong gales (storms). The size of the waves was alarming - metres, as high as our main up to 15 mast.

1. In which month and year did the narrator and his family set sail on their voyage?

2. What was the starting point of their round-the-world voyage?

3. Who was the famous explorer whose voyage they were retracing?

4. What were the names and ages of the narrator's children at the time of the voyage?

5. What was the name of the narrator's boat?

6. What were the dimensions and type of the boat mentioned in the paragraph?

7. How long had the narrator and his wife been dreaming of a sailing adventure?

Dialogue Writing

Introduction

Dialogue Writing is an important skill in English. It involves writing conversations between people, which helps make stories more interesting. Dialogues need to be clear and to the point. They are used in novels, stories, and plays. Always use correct punctuation, such as exclamation marks and question marks, and put dialogues in quotation marks. Plato, a famous Greek philosopher, was one of the first to use dialogue in writing.

What is Dialogue Writing in English?

Dialogue Writing is about creating conversations between characters. Good dialogue makes stories engaging and memorable. It should be short, use correct punctuation, and be easy to understand. Each speaker’s lines should be in a new paragraph. Use quotation marks to show where the dialogue begins and ends.

Tips for Writing Good Dialogues

• 1. Keep It Short: Avoid long dialogues to keep readers interested.
• 2. Use Correct Tenses: Make sure the tenses match the time of the conversation.
• 3. Keep Language Simple: Use easy-to-understand words.
• 4. Include Multiple Speakers: Dialogue must involve at least two people.
• 5. Separate Speakers: Start a new paragraph for each new speaker.
• 6. Use Proper Punctuation: Place punctuation marks inside quotation marks.
• 7. Quotation Marks: Use quotation marks to show the start and end of a dialogue.
• 8. Use Dialogue Tags: Add commas to separate dialogue from tags and reflect the speaker’s tone and personality.

Examples of Dialogues

Planning a Vacation

   Aarush: “Hi Ravish! How are you? I’ve been waiting for an hour. Where were you?”

   Ravish: “Hey! I’m fine. Sorry, I was late because of the traffic.”

   Aarush: “No problem. Clean your hands and tell me about your job.”

   Ravish: “Thanks for reminding me. I’m not happy with my job. I work a lot and don’t get paid on time.”

   Aarush: “That’s tough. I’m thinking of taking a break from this busy life.”

   Ravish: “Me too! I have an idea.”

   Aarush: “What is it? You seem excited.”

   Ravish: “We have a week off this month. Let’s plan a vacation!”

   Aarush: “Great idea! We can invite Muskan, Avi, and Tanya. A group trip sounds fun.”

   Ravish: “Yes, we can go to Shimla or Mussoorie. It’s snowing there.”

   Aarush: “Perfect! I know a friend in Shimla who can help us find a good hotel.”

   Ravish: “I’m in! Let’s plan and book soon.”

   Aarush: “Let’s call the others and organize everything.”

   Ravish: “Sounds good. See you soon.”

   Aarush: “See you!”

Choosing a Course

   Student: “Good morning, Sir. How are you?”

   Teacher: “I’m fine, thank you. How can I help you?”

   Student: “I’m deciding which course to take during the vacation.”

   Teacher: “There are many options online. Make a list and choose based on your interests.”

   Student: “I’m choosing between Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science.”

   Teacher: “All are interesting, but you’ve always liked Artificial Intelligence.”

   Student: “Yes, I think it’s important for the future.”

   Teacher: “Then go for it. You can switch later if needed.”

   Student: “Great! Thanks for the advice.”

Graduation Plans

Riya: “I can’t believe we’re graduating tomorrow!”

 Jatin: “Time went by so fast. What are your plans after graduation?”

   Riya:“I got an internship at a well-known company.”

    Jatin: “That’s fantastic! It’s a great start for your career.”

   Riya: “I’m excited but a bit nervous.”

   Jatin: “You’ve worked hard. Enjoy the next steps.”

Exam Stress

Rahul: “I’m really stressed about the upcoming exams.”

   Yash: “Take a deep breath. You’ve prepared well.”

  Rahul: “I feel overwhelmed by so much material.”

   Yash: “Break it into smaller parts. It’s easier to handle.”

  Rahul: “You’re right. I’ll make a study plan.”

 Yash: “Also, remember to take breaks and take care of yourself.”

  Rahul: “Thanks for your help. I needed that.”

Planning a Birthday Party

 Ram: “I’m planning a surprise party for Shyam’s birthday.”

Raju: “That’s nice! How can I help?”

Ram: “I need help with decorations and the guest list.”

 Raju: “I’ll take care of it. We’ll make it special.”

 Ram: “Thanks! Shyam will be thrilled.”

  Raju: “Let’s start planning. It will be a great party!”

Practice Questions for Dialogue Writing

1. Write a dialogue between Manisha and her father discussing her career.

2. Write a dialogue between three friends talking about their teachers.

3. Write a dialogue between the Principal and the coordinator of Arya Public School discussing school renovations.

4. Write a dialogue between Amina and her brother about online exams.

5. Write a dialogue between Vijay and Mina discussing politics.

6. Write a dialogue between Ashu and his mother about social media.

Conclusion

Dialogue Writing helps bring conversations to life in stories. Keep dialogues short, clear, and engaging. Use proper punctuation and quotation marks to show who is speaking. Separate each speaker’s dialogue into new paragraphs to make it easy to follow.

Introduction of Novel

Introduction

Indian writing in English has made significant contributions in the field of novel writing. There have been numerous notable authors in history, including Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand, and R. K. Narayan. These are the authors who popularized and brought worldwide fame to this genre. In recent years, Indian authors of fiction have gained widespread recognition in the West. The majority have been lauded for their inventive use of English. Their works play a significant part in providing the Indian English Fiction a new image as a trendsetter. This book offers an examination of the evolution of Indian English fiction starting from its genesis to the present day.

Background of the period

This period is also compared with the Elizabethan period of English in England when new literature was born. Indian first learned to read and speak and comprehend ,and they soon started writing also… thus, The seed of Indian writing in English was sown during the period of British rule in India.

Now a days the seed blossomed into a large tree it’s ripe fruit and fragrance of flowers attracts not only Indian but also a Foreigners .Indian English literature also being chewed and digested by readers. There are many fingers who feeding this seed and made it ever green large tree. From the pamphlets to books many writing increase including the news papers many short stories… drama… and Novels started writing..

The Novel : Themes, Background and Types.

The Novel is an old form of the history of English literature. Novels was started during the time of Elizabethan age. The first English novel is Pamela by Richardson in 1740. Then the novel rapidly increase in 19th e field of English literature but ‘novel’ as a literary form is new to India. It was practically non-existance in the Indian language besides the Sanskrit novels, the first Indian novel appeared in 1864 and it is Bankimchndra chetarjee’s Rajmohan’s wife.

Background of the Novel

The urge for social reformer was an important theme in some early Indian English fiction, Matter or subject like the position of women, the decay of the old aristocracy and the plight of peasants.

The Indian English novel of the early 19th century was deeply influenced by the political, social and ideological ferment caused by the Gandhian movement. The novelists of the Gandhian age were so much preoccupied with the politics.

In those days freedom struggle, the landless poor, east west relationship. The communal problem, the plight of untouchable etc. these all very significant themes. K.S. Venkatarmani’s novel Marugan the Tiller was the first come up under this influence Bankimchandra’s first published Raj Mohan’s wife in 1864 meanwhile, Raj Laxmi Devi’s The Hindu wife was published in 1881. Besides it Kapalkundala, Vishvriksh, Anandmath, and Devi Chaudhrani and other novels appeared between 1866 to 1886.

Rabindranath Tagore was also Considerable novelist in India. Tagore achieved his first success with chokher Bali 1902. Many other his famous novels like Gora 1910, Naukadubi 1906, Gharebaire 1916, jogajog 1929 etc.,

Variety of theme and types:

•After the independence the more serious novelist has shown how the joy of freedom have been neutralized by the tragedy of Partition. The problem of choice of subject, the choice of the medium, the choice of technique, the choice of audience this problem of choice at various levels bristle with the endless difficulty.

Historical themes:

In the historical theme, novelists have depicted the rich and adventurous history and life of ancient India. Indian novelists were very well aware with the great lives and history India and they put their effort in novel with historic stories of great kings and queens. Most popular historic novels are "Ambapali", "Ajatshashtra" is the story of a dancer who has rejected the love of king and joined Buddha. A. S. P. Ayyer's "Chankya" and "Chandragupt" is also recaptured life in ancient India.

Novel on politics:

Some novelists covered the period of Second World War in India. The growing charm between the Hindu and Muslim communities and the Bengal hungers. N. S. Phadke's "Leaves in the August Wind", Novelists have also written about Gandhian Civil movement. Vankatramani's "Kandan - The Patriots" and Raja Rao's "Kanthapura" are great novels on Gandhian civil movement.

Theme of Partition:

One of the most satisfying imaginative records of the partition is Khushavant Singh's "Train to Pakistan." The whole horror is there but humanity and compassion are there too. In Balchadra Rajan's "The Dark Dancer" we also get glimpse of partition horrors.

Novel of Social Criticism:

Like the historical novels, social criticism is also important as a subject of novel, novelist took up the issues of social civilization and from society which is from a distinctive group. "The Lake of Palms" is structured of life in Bengal. T. Ramakrishna's "The Dive for Death" is woven around certain superstitions that wake cowards of the character.

These all are the various theme or subject matter of Novels. Some novels covered the second world war period in India, the growing charm between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Two of the best novels about the Gandhian civil disobedience movements in the early thirties are… K.S. Vankatrmani’s Kandan and Patriot and Raja Rao’s Kanthapura.

One of the most satisfying imaginative records of the partition is khushvant Singh’s ‘Train to Pakistan'1956 . Like the historical novels the social criticism and social protest also form a distinctive group. Ramesh chunder dutt's The lake of Palms is a study of social life in Bengal towards the close of the 19th century . T.Ramkrishna’s The dive for the Death is woven around certain superstitions.

Style and technique of Indian Novels

The Indian novelist is not usually attracted to the new techniques in plotting, narration or characterization. The stream of Conscious method of narration is hardly tried by the Indian novelist, except G.V.Desani’s all about H. Hatter. And Anita Desai’s cry the peacock and the Vices in the city.

Numberless novels are published and they are clearly of unequal quality. The best novels are not many but… there are some very good novels. Thus Indo Anglian literature continuous to grow and flourish with the great writers. There is three major novelist in pretty independence era of Indian writing in English.

(1)Mulk Raj Anand.(12dec. 1905 - 28sept. 2004)

Mulk Raj Anand was an Indian writer in English. He is admired for his novels and short stories, which have acquired the status of being classic works of modern Indian English literature.

Literary Style

Associated with communism, he used his novels to make broad attacks on various elements of India’s social structure and on British rule in India.

•Novels

-Untouchable 1935

-Two leaves and bud 1937

-The Village 1939

-Across the Black waters 1939

-The swoard and the sickle 1942

-The big Heart. 1945

-The private life of an Indian prince 1953

-The Road 1961.

He wrote autobiographies also and for the morning face 1968 he won the Sanity Academy Award. He was also recipients of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan Award.

“silent suffering and agony in Mulk Raj Annand’s Untouchable. “

- shailaja B.wadikar

(2)R.K.Narayan

Rasipuram Krishnaswami iyer Narayan swami

Narayan among the best known and most widely read Indian novelist who wrote in English and known for his works set in the fictional south Indian town of malagudi. Narayan highlights the social context and everyday life of his characters. He has been compared to William Faulkner who also created a similar fictional town and likewise explored with houmour and compassion the energy of ordinary life.

•Literary style

Narayan’s writing technique was unpretentious with a natural element of humour about it. It focused on ordinary people, reminding the reader of next door, neighbors and cousins.

Critics have considered Narayan to be the Indian Chekhov ,due to the similarities in their writings the simplicity and the gentle beauty and humour in Tragic situation. Critic have also noted that Narayan’s writings tend to be more descriptive and less analytical, the objective style, rooted in a, detached spirit, providing for a more authentic and realistic narration.

•Major Novels

-Swami and friends 1935

-The bachelor of Arts 1937

-The Dark Room 1938

-The English Teacher 1945

-Mr. Sampath 1948

-The financial experts 1952

-Waiting for Mahatma 1955

-The Guide 1958

-The Man eater of Malagudi 1961

-Talkative Man 1986

-Grandmother’s Tale 1992

In a career that spanned over sixty years Narayan received many awards and honours including the A c Benson Medal from the Royal society of literature, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma vibhushan and he also achieved India’s third and second highest Civilian Awards.

(3) Raja Rao (8nov 1908 – 8july 2006)

Raja Rao was an Indian writer of English language novels and short stories, whose works are deeply rooted in metaphysics.

•Novels

-Kanthapura 1938

-The serpent and the rope 1960

- The cat and the Shakespeare : A tale of India 1965

- Comrade Kirillov 1976

-The Chess Master and his moves 1988

The serpent and the rope a semi auto biographical Novel recounting a search for spiritual truth in Europe and India, established him as one of the finest Indian prose stylist and won him the sahity Academy Award in 1964.for the entire body of his work Rao was awarded the Neustadt international Prize for literature in 1988.

Conclusion

Indian English novels have come a long way since their inception, evolving from imitative works to a distinct and mature literary tradition. Authors like Mulk Raj Anand, R.K. Narayan, and Raja Rao laid the foundation for this genre, while contemporary writers like Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, and Arundhati Roy have continued to innovate and expand its boundaries. Today, Indian English literature is recognized globally, contributing significantly to the world of literature.

Personal pronouns

Introduction

Personal pronouns play a crucial role in the English language by allowing speakers and writers to refer to people, objects, and concepts without repetitively using proper nouns or names. These pronouns are versatile and efficient tools that facilitate clear communication by providing a means to indicate the person, number, gender, and case of the subject or object being discussed. This essay will delve into the four key factors that guide the use of personal pronouns—person, number, gender, and case—demonstrating how they contribute to effective communication.

Person

The concept of "person" in grammar refers to the point of view from which a sentence is written or spoken. There are three categories:

1. First-Person Pronouns: These pronouns, such as "I" and "we," refer to the speaker or writer. They are used when someone wants to express their thoughts, actions, or emotions directly. For example, "I believe in this idea" uses the first-person pronoun "I" to clearly identify the speaker as the one holding the belief.

2. Second-Person Pronouns: Pronouns like "you" are used to directly address the listener or reader. This creates an immediate connection between the speaker and the audience. For instance, "You should try this" directly involves the listener, making the statement more engaging. However, in formal writing, the use of second-person pronouns is often avoided due to its informal tone.

3. Third-Person Pronouns: These pronouns, including "he," "she," "it," and "they," refer to people or things other than the speaker and listener. Third-person pronouns are essential in narratives and descriptions where the speaker is not directly involved. For example, "She went to the store" clearly indicates that someone other than the speaker or listener performed the action.

Number: Singular and Plural

Personal pronouns also vary based on number, which indicates whether the pronoun refers to a single entity or multiple entities.

1. Singular Pronouns: Words like "I," "he," "she," and "it" are used to refer to one person or thing. Singular pronouns are vital for making clear distinctions between individuals or singular objects.

2. Plural Pronouns: Pronouns such as "we," "you" (when addressing more than one person), and "they" refer to multiple people or things. Plural pronouns are essential when discussing groups, as they simplify communication by allowing the speaker to refer to multiple entities without listing them individually.

Gender

Gender in personal pronouns refers to the pronoun's reflection of the gender of the person being referred to, or the absence of gender in the case of objects and concepts.

1. Masculine Pronouns: Pronouns like "he" and "him" are traditionally used to refer to males. These pronouns are important in contexts where the gender of the subject is known and relevant.

2. Feminine Pronouns: "She" and "her" are used to refer to females. Like masculine pronouns, feminine pronouns are essential in discussions involving known gender.

3. Neuter Pronouns: "It" is commonly used to refer to objects, concepts, or sometimes animals, indicating that the subject does not have a gender or that gender is not relevant.

4. Gender-Neutral Pronouns: The singular "they" has gained acceptance as a gender-neutral pronoun, particularly in contexts where gender is unknown or irrelevant, or when referring to individuals who do not identify strictly as male or female. This use promotes inclusivity and respect for diverse gender identities.

Case

The case of a pronoun determines its grammatical role in a sentence, whether it is the subject, object, or indicates possession.

1. Subject Pronouns: These pronouns (e.g., "I," "he," "she," "they") function as the subject of a verb, performing the action described in the sentence. For example, "They are going to the park" uses "they" as the subject performing the action.

2. Object Pronouns: Pronouns like "me," "him," "her," "us," and "them" serve as the object of a verb or preposition, indicating who or what is being acted upon. In "The teacher praised him," "him" is the object of the verb "praised."

3. Possessive Pronouns: Words such as "mine," "yours," "his," and "theirs" indicate ownership. They differ from possessive determiners (e.g., "my," "your") and stand alone to show possession, as in "This book is mine."

4. Reflexive Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns (e.g., "myself," "yourself") are used when the subject and object of the sentence are the same. For instance, "She prepared herself for the exam" uses "herself" to show that the subject is acting on itself. Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis, as in "I did it myself."

Conclusion

Personal pronouns are indispensable tools in language, facilitating clear and effective communication by allowing speakers and writers to refer to people, objects, and concepts efficiently. Understanding the four factors—person, number, gender, and case—that govern their usage is crucial for mastering the use of personal pronouns. As language continues to evolve, so does the use of personal pronouns, reflecting broader cultural changes and the growing recognition of diverse gender identities. The proper use of personal pronouns is not only a matter of grammatical accuracy but also of cultural sensitivity and awareness, making it a vital aspect of modern communication.

Leaders in Indian Renaissance

 

Leaders of  Renaissance in India

Introduction

                                          

In the 19th century. India had lost of superstitions, blind firth, ignorance evil-customs and the cast system. People were narrow condition and conservative. The condition of woman worst. The evil curbstone like, female infanticide sari, lee-an on widow remarriage etc...........Were Reverend every where, As a result of English education those evile were supposed to be eradicate various movement for social and religious reforms were started. This reform's brought culture and religions awareness and as a result this Evert may be, consider as Indian renaissance, it is believed there it has been started by Raja ram Mohan roy.

The Influence of new Education

The perioud of 1835-1855 is consider as the perioud when the British influenced. The Indian in a layer context. This perioud also called the perioud of lord Macaulay who introduce education in English which increased as a fashion vogue day by day. This period is also compare with the Elizabethan period in England that is when a new literature was born. Indian people learning and spooking English and they soon started writing as well.

                             

 The new education system brought roped changing among people and make them similar to western. This is how people where highly effected by forging language. They made a move to wards new language and that is why Underneath Tagore who was conceded for native language went home to home and requested them not to change their Ventricular language in a crag of for-gin language.

 Raja Ram Mohan Roy / Brahmo Samaj

Rja Ram Mohan Roy had been attracted to the west he had been repelled by Hindu practices and believes. He was completely influence by Christianity. He informed " Brahma Samaj" in 1828. The samaj's works were to eradicate evil customs like " being sati, child Mirage, Dudhpiti, Dower, Remarrige" by etc... His work was continued by prince dwarrakanth tegore and them his son maharishi Evenhanded Tagore. The members of this samaj had taken seven Vows wise. To best perform to good to worship only the crater not the object to share love among the people , to perform right deeds to keep oneself away from curious deeds in mistake one should to redemption to follow the duties with great faith in god.

It is said that after raja Ram Mohan Roy, is havar chandra Vijayanagar be came the most powerful social reformer of this Samaj. There are many other reformer who contributed there affairs in this Samaj like Chandrasekhar sen, Ana and Mohegan Bose and akshay markup data.

Swami dayanand Saraswati / Aryan Samaj 

   One of the important figure swami Dayanand Saraswati was Hindu leader from the panjab and the founder of arya Samaj. This Samaj had various important leader who gave there west effect to reform the society. They tried to effect a marriage of Indian and the west to build a bridge between Hindu spirituality and christian thoughts, to again in short the best of both worlds. He wanted only a return to Hinduism in its video simplicity, clarity and spirituality also purification of souls.

To purify and to preserve Hinduism were Dayanand's cardinal objectives and to achieved this ends he organized the Arya Samaj in 1857 Praise, prarthana and Up as an a were to be the work was continued by lata HansRaj, Swami Shraddhanand and Lara lajpat Rai. It is said that the arya Samaj has remained a power ever today.

Prarthana Samaj

Some of the leader however organizes the movement for religious reforms in Rimhay and therefore prasthana Samaj which is less electric then the Brahmo Samaj and less militant then the arya Samaj Pune and Bombay work important intellectual eentre of this Samaj During the second half of the 19th century and that is why it made cosmopolitan atmosphere in Bombay. Which made it unique among the cities of India. The important leaders like Paramhansa Sabha and he laid the Prarthana Samaj in 1867 two names are vary Kashinath telang . Telang and Mahadev Govind Ranade.

Kashinath Telang

He is one of the remarkable figure of the renaissance. He is the men of vast reading . He read in English and Sanskrit and translated many books his a speaking and writing’s on regal, literary educational, social, religious and political problems were marked by simplicity and lucidify as he was as luger. He couldn’t ributed a number of advantages to Indian people so far as the literature is concern.

Mahadev Ranade

He was a poor headmaster whose discipline was Gopal Krishna Gokhale who carried forward the work of his masler. Rande was scholar, economist and who belief that the varied races of India could really fuce into the nation. His activities were many could the prarthana Samaj the phone sarvajanik sabha . The oratory an encouragement society the Indian national, congress. He taught history, Geography, English poetry , mathematics, logic and economics and contributed wrticats to the “ Indian prakash “ he was just like a prince among man.

 The Theosophical society

This society or Samaj was a western attempt to fuse with the springs of Indian spirituality it was founded al new york in 1875 by Madame Blavatsky, Ilcottand William.q.Judge later on this society shifted to madrasa in 1878 and has since functioned from there.

Indian Renaissance

  

Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo is Indian Hindu nationalist, philosopher, scholar, poet, evolutionary, yogi and guru. After a short political career in which he become one of leader of the early movement for the freedom of India from British rule, Sri Aurobindo turned to the development and practical of a new spiritual path which he called the “integral yoga”, the aim of which was further the evolution of life on Earth by establishing a high level of spiritual consciousness which he called the super mind that would represent a divine life.

Sri Aurobindo wrote prolifically in English on his spiritual philosophy and practice, on Indian culture including extensive Indian scriptures, on literature and poetry including the writing of much spiritual poetry.

Critically Analysis of ‘The Renaissance in India’ by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh.      

Introduction

In the19th century, India had lords of superstition blind faith, ignorance, evil customs, and the class system. People were narrow minded and conservative. The condition women was worst the evil customs like female infant, sati ban on widow, remarriage etc. stared. This reforms bought culture and religion awareness and as a result, this event may be considered as Indian renaissance. It is believed that Raja Rammohan Roy has started it.

   The influence of new education

          In the period of 1835-1855 considered as Indian people influence by English education. The period when the British influenced the Indian in a large context this period is called as the period of Lord Macaulay who introduced as vogue (fashion) day by day this period is also cooperated with the Elizabethan period in England that time new literature is born and Indian people start speaking and learning English. They soon start writing as well as.

         The new education system brought rapid changes among people make them similar to western. This is how people were highly affected to foreign language. The moved towards new language that is why Devendranath Tagore concern for native language. He went home to home and requested them not to change their vernacular language in craze of foreign language.

This period are called:

1. Lord Macaulay and

2. Elizabethans

How renaissance began in India

The Indian Renaissance begins with the Modern period. In addition, the modern period starts with the British domination in India. The British rule brought political unity to India, which she was lacking for centuries. It also brought with it a new and expanding religion, a different culture and civilisation, which has had enormous impact the life and mind of the people of India.

The British Impact [negative aspect]

The important fact to be note is that with its roots in a materialistic view of the universe and self-unsteadiness as well the western civilisation was incapable of reviving the spiritual culture of ancient India directly onto the floor. It will be too much to hold that a civilization. Which exaggerates bodily and mental life could directly lead to the discovery of the inner spirit of man and its immense possibilities. At best, it could give rise to condition under which the dormant creative faculty the Indian spirit could be revived.

     “This was the first time perhaps that the Indian mind was thrown off its balance. Even the devastating Muslim invasion and conquests had not produced a result of this kind.”

The British Impact (positive side)

Every “no-moon” has its positive side to show at some or others time. In addition, the impact of western thought is no exception. It gave momentum to the renaissance movement in India. English education enable Indian mind for the first time to have a closer view of western culture. Because of which the mental outlook of the educated Indian mid was broadened. Indian people now could understand and appreciate the ideological force that was the living force for the west. They also felt the direct impact of a great industrial, scientific and technical civilization, which was in a process; to change the shape of the critical and reflective attitude, and they become more conscious of the shortcomings of their own society. Moreover, they could be conscious of evils that had entered Indian society through the ages and had almost deprived it of its dynamism and creative vigour.

The Renaissance in India with defence of Indian culture

1. Essay on the volume of Indian civilisation and culture.

2. This volume consists of three series of essay and one single essay.

 1“The renaissance in India”

 2 “Indian Culture and External Influence

 3 “Is India Civilised?” and “defence of Indian Culture”. 

                

They were first published in the monthly review Array between 1918 and 1921 and 1913 and, they appeared a book under the title. The Foundations of Indian Culture.

The Renaissance in India

The renaissance was a new birth in India. It is the Fact must become a thing of immense importance both to herself and the world to herself because of all that is meant for reassign of a force that is in many respects unlike any other its genius very different from the mentality the modern idea in mankind, although not so far away perhaps from that which is preparing to govern the future.

                There is a first question whether at all there is really a renaissance in India that depends a good deal on mane by the world;

It depends also on the future for the thing itself is only in its infancy and it is too early to say to what it may lead. The shaping for itself of a new body of new philosophical, artistic, literary, cultural, political, social forms by the same soul juvenescent will, I should think, be the type of the Indian renascence,- forms not contradictory of the truths of life which the old expressed, but rather expressive of those truths restated, cured of defect completed.

Sri Aurobindo on Indian Culture

Sri Aurobondo, the hared of India, is unique in interpreting Indian culture he has distinctly advanced the thought of the age on the subject. The meaning of India’s cultural history is depended and widened in the fluent ideas and thoughts imbued in his Stung by the ignorant foreign criticism against Indian culture, Sri Aurobindo has given a new scope to the hitherto unknown world of thought. The image of Indian culture is tarnished indeed in later times but not wholly invisible, nor wholly without its power of inspiration.

       Sri Aurobindo gave as the panorama of India’s past culture history in stimulating and enlightening manner. The political westernisation was followed by a social turn of the same kind, brought consequently all Indian had been vulgarise, and anglicised in its aesthetic nations by English education and influence. The velocity of these rapid, inevitable changes did leave no time for the growth of a sound though and spiritual reflection. Nevertheless, thanks to Sri Aurobindo have forewarned effort in his writings.

      What then was the true meaning of this ancient Indian culture as elicited By Sri Aurobindo? He unfolded the mine of this culture layer so that we can recapture the essence of it. He held a mirror up to. India’s scriptures, religions, literature, social, political and cultural history reflects a comprehensive image of the tree of Indian culture.

      Right from the beginning of Vedas, Indian literature is the mental activity of so great a creative people. The early mind of Indian in its growth is represented by the four supreme productions of her genizus –

     i. The Vedas

  ii. The Upanishads and

Psychological seeds of Indian culture and the Upanishads the true expression of the highest spiritual knowledge and experience. The pure literature of the period is exposing though the two great Epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata. There was an equally opulent and richly coloured decline. Nevertheless, the decline is not to death, for it is followed by certain rejuvenation as was shown by the extraordinary flourish of Bharturihari, Kalidasa and others.

              The cloudy sky of Indian culture is silver lined by Sri Aurobindo’ promising thought. Indian will be the leader in a new would phase. The spiritual and intellectual gulf between East and west if not filled up, will at deist be bridged. There was already the influence of Geeta and Upanishads and great intellects like Schopenhauer and Remer son. The aim of Indian culture was a lasting organisation that would minimise or even eliminate the principal of struggled.

Conclusion

Sri Aurobindo Ashram and auroville as experiments of international communities as embodying the social context of the integral yoga. It is useful to ponder these possible in the ideal and life of the Sri Aurobindo ashram, whose population increased hugely during the 1940s and began to be dominated by increasing religious devotionals. In 1968, the mother took the idea of the spiritual community a step closer to the world at large with the creation of God, and international city with the aim of fostering world unity through spiritual growth in understanding and oneness. Among other things, the mother may have respond to some of the shadows of the Ashram idea in setting up this alternate social field for the practice of the same yoga. This pessimistic though realistic scenario is not, however, without its silver lining-both the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Oroville continue to harbour personalities and possibilities capable of giving a positive expression to the social experiment that Sri Aurobindo conceived as part of his “dialogic Orientalism” and articulated in his texts and practices partner by the mother. It remains to be seen how the unstable force in these two habitation, whether in fulfilment or failure of their promise, they are able to manifest.

Ravindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore: A Pioneer in Bengali Drama

Introduction

Rabindranath Tagore, born in 1861, was not just a poet, writer, and philosopher, but also a significant figure in Bengali drama. His contribution to Bengali theatre is unique, as he developed a style that set him apart from other playwrights of his time. Despite his significant impact on literature, his approach to drama was unconventional and sometimes misunderstood.

Early Life and First Stage Experience

Tagore was born into a prominent family in Kolkata that was deeply involved in the arts. From a young age, he was exposed to literary and artistic activities, which influenced his future works. His first appearance on stage was in 1877, in a play written by his elder brother. This experience sparked his interest in theatre, and by the age of twenty, he had written and acted in his own play, "Valmiki Pratibha".

Variety of Plays

Tagore wrote a wide range of plays throughout his life, each with a different purpose, theme, and structure. His first play, 'Valmiki Pratibha', was a musical drama with minimal conflict, focused more on songs and music. Later in life, he wrote plays celebrating the seasons, like "Rituranga" and "Basanta", which were also rich in music and dance. In the 1930s, he wrote some of his most famous dance dramas, such as "Chandalika" and "Chitrangada", which combined drama, dance, and music.

Relationship with Kolkata Theatre

Tagore had a complex relationship with the professional theatres in Kolkata. While he allowed some of his plays to be staged, he generally disapproved of the way these theatres operated. He preferred a more intimate and philosophical approach to drama, which often clashed with the commercial nature of Kolkata's theatre scene.

Major Plays and Shifts in Style

Tagore's early plays, like "Raja O Rani" (1889), were popular in commercial theatres for their melodramatic content. However, his style evolved over time, and by 1910, with the play 'Raja', he began to move away from traditional dramatic structures towards more philosophical themes. This period marked the beginning of his "golden period" of plays, which were more focused on internal thoughts and emotions than on external action.

Later Plays and Legacy

One of Tagore’s most widely known plays is "Dakghar" (1912), which he wrote during the time he composed "Gitanjali", "Dakghar" is simple yet powerful, showcasing his mastery of symbolic drama. His later plays, like "Raktakarabi" (1924) and "Muktadhara" criticized the materialism of modern civilization and reflected his deep philosophical insights.

Conclusion

Rabindranath Tagore’s contributions to Bengali drama were groundbreaking, even if they were not fully appreciated during his lifetime. His plays, with their unique blend of music, dance, and philosophy, continue to inspire and challenge audiences today. Tagore’s vision for an Indian theatre rooted in traditional forms has influenced generations of playwrights and remains relevant in the world of drama.

Active and Passive Voice

 Active and Passive Voice:

When writing sentences, we often choose between two different structures: active voice and passive voice. Understanding these two can help us communicate more clearly and effectively. Let’s break them down into easy-to-understand steps.

I swim in the ocean. – 

I is the subject

swim is the verb

 ocean is the object.

My mom plays violin. – 

My mom is the subject, 

plays is the verb, 

violin is the object.

Active voice: When a subject is directly acting on the object, the sentence is written in Active voice.

Passive voice: When the object is acted upon by the subject, the sentence is written in Passive voice.

In both the above sentences, the meaning remains the same and only the structure is what that changes. Usually, the structure or sequence of the subject, verb, and object expressed in the active voice sentence gets reversed in the passive voice of the same sentence. To understand the difference, just focus on how the subject and object change the structure of the sentences in the table below:

Active Voice Passive Voice

Active:-I ate an apple

Passive:-An apple was eaten by me

Now you must have gotten some idea of how the active and passive voice sentences look like.  From one voice to another voice is really simple when you know a few rules that we will chalk out for you here:

Structure of Active and Passive voice:

Active voice: Subject + Verb + Object

Passive voice: Object + Verb + Subject

How to Change from Active to Passive Voice

Changing a sentence from active to passive voice is simple once you know the basic rules

1. Switch the subject and object: The subject of the active sentence becomes the object in the passive sentence, and the object becomes the subject.

Active voice: She bought a new car. (She is the subject and a new car is an object.)

Passive voice: A new car was bought by her. (A new car is a subject and her is the object.)

2. Change the verb to its past participle form: In passive voice, the main verb is always in its third form (past participle).

First form  Second form   Third form

Buy                   Bought          Bought

Sing                   sang                sung

Grow.                grew               grown

Active voice: Bhaanu wrote a book on gun violence.

Passive voice: A book on gun violence was written by Bhaanu.

3. Use the word “by” before the subject in the passive sentence. For example:

Active voice: My brother sang a song.

Passive voice: A song was sung by my brother.

4. Change of tense of the auxiliary word: Now when you change the verb form of the main verb, the tense of the auxiliary also changes accordingly. Let’s see this with the help of a few examples:

Present tense–

Active voice: I drinks a water.

Passive voice: A water is drank by me.

Past tense–

Active voice: She walked my dog home.

Passive voice: My dog was walked home by her.

Future tense–

Active voice: Sheena will do the craft work.

Passive voice: Craft work will be done by Sheena.

5. Sometimes you may completely omit the subject from the passive voice if the idea you are trying to convey is clear. You just have to take a judgement call for that. For example:

Active voice: Distance is measured in kilometers.

Passive voice: Kilometres is a measurement unit for distance.

6. Words like “with” or “to” are also used in passive voice. You may recall that we use “by” quite frequently in an active voice to passive voice conversion.

Active voice: I know her.

Passive voice: She is known to me.

Active voice: Love fills my heart.

Passive voice: My heart is filled with love.

7.Use a word "being" while converting continue tense sentence into passive.

Active voice: I am giving a pen.

Passive voice: A pen is being given by me.

8.Use a words "been" while converting perfect tense sentence into passive.

Active voice:I have helped his father 

Passive voice: His father have been helped by me.

8. Change pronouns as needed:Pronouns also change when converting from active to passive

I- me

We-use

He- him

She- her

They-them

Example of all tenses 

Conclusion

Understanding and using active and passive voice correctly is essential for clear communication. While active voice is more direct and preferred in most cases, passive voice can be useful when you want to emphasize the action or when the doer of the action is not important. By following the simple rules outlined above, you can easily switch between active and passive voice in your writing.

Thank you 😊 

Themes of Gun Island

  Personal Information 

Name:- Mansi B. Gujadiya

Roll Number:-12

Enrollment Number:-4069206420220013

Batch:-M.A SEM -4 ( 2022-23 )

Email ID:- mansigajjar10131@gmail.com

Paper Number:-207

Paper Code:-22414

Paper Name:-Contemporary Literature in English

Submitted to:- English department MKBU

Topic:-Themes of “Gun Island” 

Introduction 

Gun Island describes the quest of Deen, a scholar and collector of rare books, who returns from New York, his city of domicile, to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to unravel the mystery and legend of a seventeenth-century merchant, Bonduki Sada-gar, translated “The Gun Merchant,” and his persecution by Manasa Devi, mythical goddess of snakes. Now let's see the themes in detail. 

Themes in Gun Island 

1] The Theme of Etymology / Etymological Mystery in the Novel / Etymological Concern in the Novel (Title of the novel):- 

If we look at the themes of the novel "Gun Island" we find the etymological concern in the novel. The words which are used have different meanings in the novel. At first glance, we might think of the usual meaning of those words, but Amitav Ghosh used the term etymology. The question that arises first in our mind is, what is etymology? According to Merriman Webster dictionary the definition of 'Etymology' : 

The history of a linguistic form (such as a word) is shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language.

It means going into the origin of words. If we look at the novel Ghosh used many etymological words. As Soumya Bhattacharya said 

“At the heart of the story of Gun Island, there lies an etymological mystery, a derivation that points to the deep and inextricable intermeshing of cultures and civilizations over the ages. This is why etymology fascinates me: like sailors, words, too, are travelers, and tracing their journeys is like describing voyages of adventures.” (Bhattacharya, Soumya) 

We can see the use of such words that go into the origin of those words. Let's see some examples. 

Gun Island

When we read the title we thought there may be a reference to 'Gun' in the novel. But no, there is no direct reference to guns in the novel. As Somak Ghoshal observed, The novel opens with a subject that he describes as one of his “obsessions": etymology. In the beginning, is a word and that word is “bundook". Used to mean “gun" in many languages. (Ghoshal, Somak) 

If we see in the novel there is an 'Island within Island…' 

There is one foundry where armaments, including bullets, were cast. And the word used for foundry in Venetian dialect is "getto". The word "ghetto" is derived from "getto" and it is connected with Jews. 

The other vocabulary for Venice is linked to three apparently unrelated things - hazelnuts, bullets, and guns! The shape of hazelnuts is similar to that of bullets which are, in turn, indispensable for guns! Venice in the Arabic language is "Banadiq" - the ancestor of the German and Swedish "Venedig". In Arabic "Banadiq" became "al-Bunduqeyya". So this gun is referred to as Venice, not gun! So the ultimate meaning of the title is - a merchant who visited Venice and who found a ghetto-foundry. 

Bhut - Ghost 

In part one of the novel in one of the chapters named Brooklyn, there is a conversation between Dinanath Datta and Tipu through email. Tipu asked Deen, ``What is the meaning of "Bhuta"? Does it mean "ghost" or something else? Deen explains that in Bangla boot/bhuta means according to the Sanskrit root "bhu" means "to be" or "to manifest". So "bhuta" simply means "a being" or "an existing presence". This word "bhuta" also refers to the past, in the sense of "a past state of being". Like we use "bhuta-kala" or "times past". So this "bhuta" is not a "ghost" but it is a "memory". So it can be with you in the form of memory. 

Possession 

There is reference to the word possession in the novel. Possession is when someone is taken over by a demon. And the demon is nothing but it's just a metaphor for greed, an imaginary thing. So possession is not like someone's soul comes into our body and all things ! It's our greed that we have taken over that greed. 

When Cinta and Deen talk about possession, Deen said he has symptoms like possession. At that time Cinta explained that possession became when a person loses "will" and "freedom". Further she said it is a kind of awakening, you are waking up to things that you had never imagined or sensed before. In other words we can say possession is consciousness of things. 

Land of Palm Sugar Candy

The Bengali word for this is "taal-misrir-desh". Desh = country, taal= kind of palm tree that produces a sugar syrup, Bengali word for sugar candy is misri. Cinta said that Arabic word "Misr" is used for Egypt. So this place is referred to Egypt. 

Land of Kerchieves 

Cinta asked for the Bengali translation of this word. Deen told her it was called Rumaali-desh. In Bengali Rumaal is a handkerchief. Chinta said it is about Rumelia, and this Rumeli-Hisari is located in Turkey. 

Island of Chains

The Bengali word for this is "shikol-dwip". And this is a reference to Sikelia and that is now Sicily. So the Island of Chains is used for Sicily. As  

This is how we can see the words and it's meanings. We can't easily understand the meaning of those words, which Ghosh used in the novel. 

2] Theme of Historification of Myth & Mythification of History (Myth & History) :- 

Gun Island describes the quest of Deen, a scholar and collector of rare books, who returns from New York, his city of domicile, to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to unravel the mystery and legend of a seventeenth-century merchant, Bonduki Sadagar, translated “The Gun Merchant,” and his persecution by Manasa Devi, mythical goddess of snakes. This myth is not myth but history, that Ghosh described in the novel. As we see the historical locations which are mentioned are correct. So here we see myth is real history that is alive with us. 

The several questions that we can ask here to understand the theme are,

Are myths subtle codes that contain some universal truth ? 

Are they a window on the deep recesses of a particular culture ? 

Are they just entertaining stories that people like to tell over and over ? 

We can answer these questions in the context of Gun Island, like this… 

Yes, a sort of truth that Ghosh want to prove here about climate change and human trafficking. He wants to say that myths do have reality.

We can say that this myth is not about any particular culture, but it is about all cultures. We find references to Kolkata, Los Angeles, Venice, Egypt, Turkey etc. So it's not only for one particular culture. 

The story that Nilima Bose told to Dinanath Datta is not a children's story. So it's not for entertainment, but to see the reality and to take these problems seriously. 

If we want to study mythology, we find some box of tools to study mythology,

1. Functionalism

The founder of functionalism is Bronisław Kasper Malinowski. It studies about what is the function of myth in society. If we look into the novel, the function of myth is trying to tell us that going to another country is not allowed in our tradition. Against that going out is not wrong and harmful. So Ghosh uses this myth as an example and proves his point. Merchant suffered a lot while traveling but he was saved also. 

2. Structuralism

The founder of structuralism was Claed Levi-Strass. It studies how the story is told to people. Amitav Ghosh used a very mysterious way of telling the story. The merchant was not happy but after becoming a devotee he became very rich. People might think there may be divine power and all kinds of stuff. But very interestingly Ghosh told a story of myth. 

3. Psychoanalysis

The founder of the study of mind and psychology was Sigmand Freud. He studied psychological analysis. If we had a dream, that is because of our desire for that thing or we have fear, that fulfils in our dream. So we see the thing that constantly becomes the cause of fear of serpent. Or serpent may represent sexual energy; energy to have new life. So if we see in the novel we find that anything that deriving Deen is to know more about Piya. He is looking for a life partner, a new life. At the end of the novel also Piya said Deen to stay there, to live there. So this connection we see in this analysis. 

4. Myth and Ritual

The pioneers of myth and ritual were Emil Durkheim and Jane Harrison. If people do anything connectivity different kind of tempo they get. But what is troublesome is walking alone ! So if you want to establish a thing you have to arrange a ritual around it. Myths also have stories, so it is easy to establish the thing. What ritual can we see in the novel ? The ritual of pilgrimage "Jatra" can be found here. Deen goes to the pilgrimage and the same path he has visited like a merchant. We find the same events also happening during the journey. 

According to Roland Barthes,

"Myth converts history into nature, and the task of the mythographer is to rediscover the element of history (truth-fact-past) that motivates the myth, to elicit what is specific to a given time and place, asking what interests are served by the naturalization of particular convictions and values."

Myth is doing something that is not natural. Naturalization of something is the opening fact behind the myths. Things are opened with facts. These facts convince us so we can't deny it. What does Ghosh want to prove or naturalize ? 

If we connect it with the novel Gun Island, we find that Ghosh naturalize the problem of climate change and human trafficking. To tell the reality about climate change Ghosh used a myth, that is what he wanted to naturalize it. 

Historification was a term Brecht used to define the technique of deliberately setting the action of a play in the past in order to draw parallels with contemporary events. 

The contemporary problems that people are facing today are climate change and human trafficking that we have to take it seriously. We have seen in the novel about human migration. We see the body organ transplantation is quite terrifying. The people who are migrating are demonised. In reality, these are serious problems before they go beyond control.  

'Historification' enabled spectators to view the events of the play with emotional detachment and garner a thinking response. 

If we talk about what kind of response we are getting in the novel; emotional one or rational one. We can say that we receive both kind responses. Cinta is a kind of believer in magical realism. But she is a historian so she also gives facts to prove her points. But in a way she is a kind of believer in some divine power. The other female character Piya strongly believes in scientific reasons. She thinks rationally and gives rational clarifications. As JR Ramakrishna observed,

Ghosh weaves the myth of the Gun Merchant into contemporary weather-related realities such as the Los Angeles wildfires, the unusual travels of dolphins and spiders, and the sinking buildings of Venice, to create a pacy, absurdist, and ultimately hopeful tale of our times. (Ramakrishnan, JR)

In brief the novel tries to tell us that we have to think seriously about climate change and migration. 

3] Theme of Climate Change :- 

If we want to understand the theme of climate change in Gun Island, we have to see first the another novel of Amitav Ghosh "The Great Derangement". Because this book asks the question, What is the role of literature in the context of climate change ? Why aren't authors talking about it in their works ? And how can they talk with the help of literature ? It argued that not enough contemporary novels were addressing climate change as a central issue of our time. 

So Gun Island is a kind of example or explanation of those questions. With the help of literature we can understand serious problems like climate change and migration. We see many incidents in the novel that are talking about climate change. Animals and various species are changing their places because of pollution and human disturbance. Deen said while talking with Cinta, 

‘You know – temperatures are rising around the world because of global warming. This means that the habitats of various kinds of animals are also changing. The brown recluse spider is extending its range into places where it wasn’t found before – like this part of Italy.’ (p.214 Gun Island) 

If we read in the novel we find 'Corpus' (list of words) in the novel that connects or describes climate change. For example,

Flood, cyclone, storm, calamities, drought, weather alert, wildfire, tsunami, apocalypse, volcano, temperature, reforestation, femine, earthquake, plague, smoke, air quality, tornado, global warming, greenhouse, carbon dioxide, coal, tufaan, wind, water, catastrophe, hailstorm, fossil fuels etc. 

Humans see benefits and are not much aware about climate change. That is why the seasons have changed. As Piya said in the novel, because of climate change animals are migrating, and finding a better place. But there is also the same problem. So in this way we can study the theme of climate change in Gun Island. 

4] Theme of Migration - Human Trafficking / Theme of Illegal Migration and Refugee Crisis :- 

Amitav Ghosh talking about the problem and the reality of humans. People are selfish who think about themselves, not about others. There are many reasons behind migration. It may be because of political issues, religious problems or it can be climate also. JR Ramakrishna rightly said that, 

This journey sets off a chain of others and brings in Piya, an American scientist monitoring dolphins in the Sundarbans; Tipu, a slippery, ever-hustling young man who schools Deen; the earnest Rafi who goes from the Sundarbans to Venice via a convoluted, dangerous route taken by migrants today, and Cinta, the glamorous Italian academic, whose faith and insight glimmer through the book. (Ramakrishnan, JR)

If we see the reasons of migration in the novel, we find four main reasons: 

Calamities :- Lubna Khala and her family members migrated because of the flood. Everything was destroyed in her village. So they have to migrate to other place. Many other people are also migrating because of drought, cyclone, flood etc. 

Communal violence :- Bilal was a kind of person who helped his friend's family. He and Kabir are friends. Kabir's land was grabbed by his uncle. 

Poverty :- Tipu and Rafi migrate because of poverty. Rafi hasn't enough money to pay the loan. 

Socio-Economic Condition :- There is a character of Palash whose financial condition was good, he is not facing any violence nor calamities. But he has a kind of fantasy or dream to go Finland and for that he is migrating. But then he was not able to make his dream true. 

Deen, who was working in New York, has a reason for migration. He gives a reason that there is a sort of restlessness that drives people to migrate. He read many books so he dreamed of going abroad. Tipu listened to some voices and sometimes he was suffering from seizures. To discover or we can say to forget it he migrates. 

Conclusion

So these are the major themes of this novel. In short Ghosh want to tell us that climate change and human trafficking are serious problems, we have to think seriously about it. It is hard to understand the words because you have to go deep in the origin of the word. By using these words Ghosh makes the novel complex. Here we can see that Ghosh gives importance to Bengali Language. And it is an interesting way to describe the story. 

Works Cited 

Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. London: J. Cape, 1972.  

Bhattacharya, Soumya. “Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh: A Gripping Parable for Our Times.” Hindustan Times, 8 June 2019, https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/gun-island-by-amitav-ghosh-a-gripping-parable-for-our-times/story-Zygav4yLecQZb9xCO1KW1N.html.  

“Etymology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etymology. Accessed 18 Mar. 2022. 

Ghoshal, Somak. “Amitav Ghosh on Myth, Magic and His New Novel, 'Gun Island'.” Mint, 15 June 2019, https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/amitav-ghosh-and-the-sea-of-stories-1560505247731.html.  

Ghosh, Amitav. Gun Island. Penguin Random House India, 2019. Book. 2 January 2022.  

Ramakrishnan, JR. “'Gun Island' Is a Surreal Novel about Climate Change and Migration.” Electric Literature, 10 Sept. 2019, https://electricliterature.com/gun-island-is-a-magical-realism-novel-about-climate-change-and-migration

Words :-2805 

Article

  Personal Information 

Name:- Mansi B. Gujadiya

Roll Number:-12

Enrollment Number:-4069206420220013

Batch:-M.A SEM -4 ( 2022-23 )

Email ID:- mansigajjar10131@gmail.com

Paper Number:-208

Paper Code:-22415

Paper Name:- Comparative Literature & Translation Studies

Submitted to:- English department MKBU

Topic:- Comparative Literature in India: An Overview of its History.

Subha Chakraborty Dasgupta

Abstract:-

The essay provides an overview of Comparative Literature in India, focusing primarily on the department at Jadavpur University, where it began, and to a lesser extent the department of Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies at the University of Delhi, where it later had a new start in its engagement with Indian literatures. The department at Jadavpur was founded on the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore's World Literature address and by a modern poet-translator. While there were early attempts to decolonize and an overall desire to enhance and foster creativity, there were also subtle efforts to decolonize and an overall attempt to promote and nurture creativity. Indian literature, as well as literature from the South, began to gain significance over time.

In comparative literary studies, paradigms of techniques evolved from impact and analogue studies to cross-cultural literary interactions, with a focus on reception and transformation. In recent years, Comparative Literature has taken on new directions, focusing on recovering new regions of non-hierarchical literary interactions and connecting with many sectors of culture and knowledge, particularly those relating to excluded spaces.

Keywords: Decolonizing process, creativity, cross-cultural literary relations, interdisciplinarity.

The Beginnings:-

Rabindranath Tagore coined the phrase 'VishvaSahitya,' and with it, the field of comparative literature was born. Buddhadev Bose, one of the most important figures in modern Bengali poetry, did not entirely subscribe to Tagore's ideal. Baudelaire was translated by Buddhadev. Sudhindranath Dutta, recognised for his Mallarmé translations and erudition in both the Indian and Western contexts, will teach at the Comparative Literature department. Three of the department's initial five students went on to become well-known poets, and the fourth became an excellent critic of Bengali poetry. Naresh Guha, a poet, succeeded Buddhadeva Bose as Chairperson of the Department, where he remained for the next two decades.VishvaSahitya,' and with it, the field of comparative literature was born. Buddhadev Bose, one of the most important figures in modern Bengali poetry, did not entirely subscribe to Tagore's ideal. Baudelaire was translated by Buddhadev. Sudhindranath Dutta, recognised for his Mallarmé translations and erudition in both the Indian and Western contexts, will teach at the Comparative Literature department.

 Three of the department's initial five students went on to become well-known poets, and the fourth became an excellent critic of Bengali poetry. Naresh Guha, a poet, succeeded Buddhadeva Bose as Chairperson of the Department, where he remained for the next two decades.In an interview given to us in his last years, he emphasized the role of the department in fostering an intensely creative environment. This part of the article is about the beginning od comparative literature in India. 

Indian Literature as Comparative Literature:-

Comparatists working on Indian literature had to consider the interaction between the mainstream and the popular, the elite and the marginalised, and to some extent foreground intermedial perspectives as different forms coexisted in a composite manner, especially during earlier periods when textual and performative traditions coexisted. 

The department is continuing to develop teaching materials on various aspects of Indian literature from a comparative perspective, beginning with language origins, manuscript cultures, performative traditions, painting, sculpture, and architecture, the history of print culture, and modernity questions. The teaching used in the department stressed the fact that Comparative Literature studies had to be interdisciplinary by necessity.

Several researchers in the department looked for continuities and interventions in the tradition that would lead to pluralist epistemologies in the study of Indian literature and culture after T.S. Satyanath developed the theory of a script-centric, body-centric, and phonocentric study of texts in the mediaeval period.

Centres of Comparative Literature Studies:-

In 1986, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University in Surat launched a new full-fledged Comparative Literature department, with an emphasis on Indian literature in Western India. Dravidian University, Kuppam, established a department of Dravidian Comparative Literature and Philosophy in 1999. 

The Visvanatha Kaviraja Institute of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics in Orissa has taken comparative poetics, a core field of comparative literature studies and dissertations, particularly in the South, as a central area of research.

During this time, two national Comparative Literature associations were formed, one in Jadavpur called the Indian Comparative Literature Association and the other in Delhi called the Comparative Indian Literature Association.

In 1992, the two organisations combined, forming the Comparative Literature Association of India, which now has over a thousand members. In the early years of the Association, a great number of creative authors, as well as academics and researchers, attended its conferences, each expanding the other's field of vision.

Reconfiguration of areas of comparison:-

Along with Indian literature, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude was included in the syllabus, along with a few other Latin American classics, before African literatures were added.

In terms of the other Area Studies components, the department now has Centres for African, Latin American, and Canadian Studies, which do research and present annual seminars.

Some, including the present author, believe that the Area Studies programmes resulted in a division of scarce resources and diverted attention away from some of the key challenges in comparative literature studies in India, such as the systematic amalgamation of data related to the Indian context and its analysis from comparative perspectives, and possibly the mapping of intercultural relations with other cultures.

Burns and Wordsworth were well-liked, and their romanticism was thought to be characterised by inner strength and tranquillity. The romantic poet's much-discussed 'angst' was perceived unfavourably. The love of 'health' and ' serenity' dates back to the classical period and appears to be a significant value in the tradition.

While Shelley and Byron were criticised for introducing softness and emotion to Bengali poetry, they were also praised for standing up for human rights and liberty in contrast to Kipling's imperialist poetry. The paradoxical tensions commonly found in the reception of romanticism in Bengal were explained by the connection between contemporary political requirements and literary values.It's worth noting that as the independence movement gained traction, Shelley, the rebel poet, began to receive a warm reception. 

In another context, the question of whether Shakespeare was imposed on Indian literature rose to prominence, and comparatists demonstrated, as did Sisir Kumar Das, that there were different Shakespeares. Shakespeare's texts may have been imposed in the classroom, but the playwright's reception at the theatre was rich and varied.

From reception studies, the focus shifted to cross-cultural reception, where reciprocity and cross-cultural exchange were investigated. One attempt, for example, was to examine the Romantic Movement from a broader perspective, attempting to untangle its multiple layers as it moved between countries, particularly between Europe and India. The birth of the Romantic movement was aided by the translation of some Sanskrit texts into German, and Romanticism returned to India in various forms in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The next major area of study was reception studies, both vertically and horizontally - one looked at components of ancient and mediaeval literature in modern writings, as well as inter and intraliterary relationships, emphasising impact and responses. While studying Vedic, Upanishadic, Buddhist, and Jaina elements in modern texts, one also looked at clusters of Buddha, Mahavira, and Nanak sermons, qissas and katha ballads across the country, early novels in various Indian literatures, and the impact of Eastern literature and thought on Western literature and vice versa.

With the introduction of the semester system, the division was abandoned in favour of more general courses such as Cross-cultural Literary Transactions, in which Rudyard Kipling's Kim and Rabindranath Tagore's Gora were studied, or Literary Transactions, in which the tradition of Reason and Rationalism in European and Indian literatures of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was studied more closely.

The department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at Saurashtra University in Rajkot took up the theme of the Indian Renaissance and translated several Indian authors into English, studied early travelogues from Western India to England, and in general published collections of nineteenth-century theoretical discourse.

The department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at Saurashtra University in Rajkot took up the theme of the Indian Renaissance and translated several Indian authors into English, studied early travelogues from Western India to England, and in general published collections of nineteenth-century theoretical discourse.

The grant went to Dibrugarh University's Department of Assamese, which released a variety of volumes on translations, collections of rare texts, and documentation of folk forms.

Jadavpur University's Comparative Literature department also obtained funding to conduct study in four areas: East-West Literary Relations, Indian Literature, Translation Studies, and Third World Literature. In Manabendra Bandyopadhyay, the department had an ardent translator who translated works from numerous so-called "third-world countries."

Oral traditions across the country had their own knowledge systems that could provide valuable and sustainable alternatives to contemporary urban modes of life and living, as well as reveal certain cultural dynamics and value systems that were constantly replenishing mainstream expressive traditions. The Centre for Advanced Studies' second priority was the connection between Indian and neighbouring countries' literatures.

The first preliminary research in this area revealed connections that suggested a continuous series of interactions between and among Asian cultures and communities since ancient times, as well as the urgent need for more work in this area in order to engage in meaningful dialogue with one another in the Asian context and to uncover different pathways of creative communications. Efforts in this direction resulted in an International Conference on South-South Dialogues, which drew a large number of Asian and European attendees. An anthology of critical essays on the socio-cultural and literary exchanges between India and Southeast Asia has been released.

One of the projects in the inter-Asian series was a study of travelogues from Bengal to Asian countries, which resulted in the publication of an annotated bibliography that may serve as a starting point for the study of inter-literary linkages. The picture of Burma in Bengali and Oriya literature in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was the subject of a second study. Travel journals and diaries were compiled, as well as newspaper articles from historic publications, literary excerpts, and photos of Burmese people in the Indian press.

Conclusion:-

It's worth noting at this point that in the twenty-first century, Comparative Literature in the United States collaborated with two other related fields of study: Translation Studies and Cultural Studies. Different topics of interliterary studies are covered by translation studies. Translation histories can be used to identify literary relationships, while examination of translation actions can reveal key characteristics of both the source and target literary and cultural systems. In terms of Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature has always been interested in several facets of the subject, the most prominent of which being literature and its relationship to various arts. Cultural Studies may also play a role in a variety of multidisciplinary courses offered by the discipline.

For example, a course at Delhi University looks at representations of human habitat systems and ecology in literature, looks for concepts and terms for such settlements, and looks at archaeological evidence and accounts of travellers from Greece, China, Persia, and Portugal to show the differences that exist at different levels of perception and ideological positions.

It is clear that Comparative Literature in the country now has a variety of goals and visions that are aligned with local and global historical demands. The discipline, like the humanities and literary studies, is concerned with concerns that would contribute to the enhancement of civilizational gestures, as well as factors that are divisive and constantly limit the number of people who participate in them.

It is doing so by identifying new non-hierarchical links and lines of connectedness, a process Kumkum Sangari referred to as "co-construction" in a recent paper, a process rooted in "subtle and complicated histories of translation, circulation, and extraction." And comparatists operate with the understanding that much work remains to be done, and that one of the key tasks of Comparative Literature today, the development of literary histories, in terms of literary relations among neighbouring regions and bigger wholes, has yet to begin. However, the core goal of some of the discipline's early builders, to cultivate and develop creativity, remains a subterranean force in all of its endeavours.

Work Cited :-

Dasgupta, Subha Chakraborty. "Comparative Literature in India: 

An Overview of its History." Comparative Literature & World Literature Spring 2016.

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