MY ACADEMIC SPACE...!

Tree Walk @ MCC - A Report

2012-01-28T15:46:00.006+05:30

The much awaited Tree walk, jointly organised by the Scrub Society, MCC, Prakriti Foundation, and the Department of English, got off to a grand start this morning at the boxing ring at 8.15 am. Students and nature lovers alike joined in the walk which was an enlightenment cum eco-entertainment of sorts. Dr.D.Narasimhan, (D.N) Professor of Botany, was our guide all the way through. He sure has a way with words that's appealing, entertaining and ennobling all rolled into one, which made our "tree-walk-the-talk" a memorable one by all means.

Tracing the history of planting trees at MCC post 1937, Dr.D.N said that much of the greenery that we find today in Campus was a result of the planned efforts of illustrious nature lovers, apart from the enormous "tree-contributions" from birds and bats. Most of the trees in Campus today owe their existence to the first curator of the campus Prof. Edward Barnes, who took upon himself the noble task of planting trees and maintaining the biodiversity in campus, which happens to host the second largest scrub jungle in Asia. He is therefore rightly called the green visionary (or the green architect) of the campus. Under his stewardship, the entire campus was fenced to avoid cattle grazing and firewood cutting. More a Botanist than a chemist, he planted trees and also made a record of them systematically. Thus, MCC was able to contribute to the Chennai botanical directory, 36 new species of plants which were hitherto not recorded in the archives. Moreover, Dr.D.N added that, our forest type at MCC is unique because it is a tropical dry evergreen forest in a region where we get 1000 to 1200 mm of rainfall per annum.

"Birds and bats brought along and broadcast the seeds for our benefit today. So, the trees that we see today are a result of a seventy year growth," he said. Further, we had selective tree plantations, based on their ability to withstand cyclones, and their economic viability also. He therefore eulogised the early curators' vision of bringing in plants that suit the soil. Also, native trees (trees that are native to this soil) were found to be more cyclone resistant, and grew faster, than non-native trees. Thus, the stress was more on native trees or endemic trees.

The tree walk had its first stop at the Red Sanders, a tree that's around 30 years old, near the boxing ring. This tree is a native tree found in the Nallamala to Tirupathi range of the Eastern Ghats, and is unique only to Southern India. Contrary to popular opinion, it is Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) and not Red Sandal, for it has got nothing to do with sandalwood. The tree is named so, because the cut wood is reddish in colour. Inspite of its dwindling numbers, this wood is in great demand in Japan, where it is used in the making of a three-stringed musical instrument called the shamisen.

He pointed out that, an appreciation and evaluation of the various tree forms, sizes and shapes is essential before tree plantings are done.

The Tree walk entourage next had a stopover at the nuna tree or manjarathi in Tamil. Its botanical name is morinda citrifolia. It has a beautiful bark pattern, similar to a crocodile’s, and has been gaining wider recognition in the commercial market today. The wonder drug noli, which is priced at Rs.700 per litre, is extracted from the nice, small edible fruit of this tree. Its wood is yellow in colour, has anti-oxidant properties, and is also used in agricultural implements. Most native trees grow slowly, and such is the case with this tree too.

The next tree was the tree with yellow blossoms, also known as the Copper Pod tree, yellow gulmohar etc. These trees are found all over Chennai, and they flower profusely. Bright yellow and red are the two prominent colours that dominate Chennai’s skyline, thanks to yellow blossoms. The flowering season for this tree is ideally between February and April. The pods remain on the trees and turn copper in colour, and hence the name. They are very efficient in trapping dust particles from the atmosphere. It’s called ‘ayalvaagai’ in Tamil, as it is not a native to India, but brought to us from neighbouring Sri Lanka. Apart from its various medicinal properties, the tree propagates quite easily.

The Rosy Trumpet tree was our next destination. The rose flowers of this tree resemble a trumpet in appearance, and hence the name. Called senguzhal poo maram in Tamil, these trees form a nice avenue, like the ones that are found arrayed along the stretch leading towards the Principal’s residence. They were planted in the 1960s, by Prof.Venkatasubbu. They are quick-growing, are gigantic, and the preferred tree form in the old settlements of Chennai. However, they are prone to being easily knocked off by cyclones. They bloom between February and March, and are found in the Tropical American region, below Mexico and above Chile. It is a native tree to many countries of that region.

Dr.DN next enlightened the group about the unsuitability of non-native trees for local planting. Pointing at a tree that had fallen due to the recent winds, he said that, non-native trees cannot withstand our soil and winds, and the huge crown of this tree can be pushed quite effortlessly. They add colour and aesthetic beauty to the city skyline in summer. When in full bloom, the flowers cover the whole tree, revealing only a few leaves here and there. The petals of this flower have a nice sour taste, and it is supposed to have a lot of anti-oxidant properties. A cut branch, when put in a pot, sprouts easily. This tree, popularly known as the gulmohar, is native to Madagascar, and grows to a maximum of 30-40 feet, and its leaves fold up during the evenings. It is grown in India mainly for its ornamental appeal and for its shade.

Like to Read............? Proceed.............!

2012-01-18T19:30:00.010+05:30

Reading is an art. Yes, an art. Good and effective reading is an art that requires a considerable degree of creativity, receptivity and imagination. In short, a creative eye/ a receptive eye/ an imaginative eye..!

Let’s take a cursory look at our tryst with reading down the years when we were in school.

During those good ol' days of our primary schooling, we were all initiated into the world of Oral Reading. Those were indeed the 'good old' days unaffected by most of the trendy gizmos of today! Sigh!!!!!!!! :-)

'Eloquent Oral Reading' we call it. 'Blab schools', as they are called in the US. Teachers used oral recitation with special emphasis on correct stress and intonation. Then, students were evaluated based on how receptive they were to their teacher and they had to recite back with the correct yardsticks given by the teacher. In oral reading, the focus was more on an accurate recitation of the text, with correct pronunciation!

Then, we got promoted to secondary school. The shift or rather the emphasis here was more towards silent reading. "No lip movements, no mumbling, no noises!" we had our teacher - administering corrective measures. In silent reading, the focus of the student was directed more towards grasping meaning , which was the ultimate goal of reading! Comprehension exercises were also given and students were asked to solve them 'quietly'.

In short, we evolved over the years... in our tryst with reading!

Now, fast forward to 'reading as an undergraduate'. The transition to degree level is rather

sudden... What with the shift towards reading for marks marks and marks alone for our final Board Exams in school, firmly implanted in our minds by our parents, teachers and well-wishers! The skills we had so far acquired in our schools, on reading skills, now seem grossly insufficient. There seems to exist a lacunae!

Herein, I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to a great Professor of our times, Neil McCaw, Reader in Literature and Culture at the University of Winchester, and Programme Leader of the BA Creative Writing Course, for his beautiful, spirited thoughts on Reading at the Undergraduate level. His book How to Read Texts has indeed had a profound influence on me.

Your university/college professors sure expect a progression in their undergraduate students' reading skills!

Students are expected to turn to the Critical aspects of the study of texts.

As Neil McCaw rightly puts it,

"If you want to write creatively then you study for a creative writing degree, whereas if you want to write critically then you study for an English degree."

He further says that, the moment the student accepts that the process of reading is inherently creative, it becomes clear how significant he/she is, in the production and interpretation of texts.

And wow, that is indeed a splendid way of putting it!!

I just would like to highlight two memorable phrases here: "Inherently creative" and "the reader's significance in the production and interpretation of texts".

Again, I wish to highlight these two lovable phrases: :-)

"Inherently creative" and "the reader's significance in the production and interpretation of texts".

Once more, if you don't mind:

"Inherently creative" and "the reader's significance in the production and interpretation of texts".

"When you are reading something," Neil McCaw [in his lovely book How to Read Texts] asks you, to just remember one thing:

"That the process you are engaged in is extraordinary!"

Well, yes... You are engaged in the extraordinary!! the art of reading.

“Readers have the power to create meaning; not just interpret meaning, but to create it”,

he tells the student, and adds that the student (undergraduate student) should begin to read in a more sophisticated, more interrogative way.

Sophisticated reading! Interrogative reading!! Well, looks quite sophisticated perhaps! But it’s not that sophisticated as it seems, I bet. Real easy, once you start a ‘more rigorous engagement with texts’.

I would like to end this post with an insightful observation by McCaw:

"Some first-year undergraduate students say that learning to read in this new way for a university course takes some of the enjoyment out of reading, that they can no longer just pick up a book, read through and put it down without thinking about it more deeply. ‘I can’t just read for fun anymore’, might be the refrain. But by the end of their degree programmes these same students often remark on how they read with self-conscious rigour almost as second nature, and get much more out of texts than they ever thought was possible.

Which is a way of saying that any initial resistance you may have to this new way of reading is perfectly natural. You are being asked to interrogate material rather than simply absorb it, and that is a much more demanding mental process. However, the skills of critical and creative appreciation and understanding that you will hone and fine-tune as part of your undergraduate development will lead you towards reading texts in truly exciting ways, seeing sophistications and nuances invisible to you before, and as a consequence becoming a highly proficient, sensitive and creative reader of texts of all kinds."

Just go ahead...

Take a book....

Start reading....!

...

Happy reading :-)

Acknowledgements: My sincere thanks are due to Professor Neil McCaw, University of Winchester, UK, for spontaneously obliging me, and allowing me to quote from his marvellous book How to Read Texts

Inhale energy the eco-way! Join us for a Tree walk!

2012-01-17T10:52:00.003+05:30

The

English

Department,

MCC, invites you

to join in a Tree Walk

- a highly interactive, joyful

educational experience for the

staff and students alike, to appreciate

and enjoy the biodiversity-rich campus.

A great opportunity indeed to identify, observe

and appreciate the various species of trees, the rich flora

and fauna in this, our wonderful tropical dry evergreen forest,

at MCC,

Asia's II

largest

scrub

jungle

Pic of MCC Scrub Jungle - Courtesy: TOI

Date: Saturday, 28 January 2012

Starting Point: Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre

Time: 8 am SHARP

'Bioethics is the Love of Life' - Dr.Darryl R.J.Macer

2012-01-13T17:56:00.003+05:30

Dr.Darryl engaging the delegates in a group activity...

On the third day of the International Conference on 'Science, Society and Sustainability' today, Dr.Darryl R.J.Macer gave the first plenary on Bioethics. He traced the concept to human heritage thousands of years old, and defined it as the concept of love, balancing benefits and risks of choices and decisions. Although there exists various definitions for bioethics, the simplest would be consideration of the ethical issues raised by questions involving life, like:

"What food should I eat?
How is the food grown?
Where should I live and how much disturbance of nature should I make?
What relationships should I have with fellow organisms including human beings?
How do I balance the quality of my life with development of love of my life, other's lives and the community?"

Stating that we have the power to remodel whole ecosystems of the planets, he observed that, a fundamental

way of reasoning that people have when making decisions is to balance doing good against doing harm.

"We could group these ideals under the idea of love, though the question of benefits for whom and harm to whom is central to deciding whether an action is one of love or not."

One of the underlying philosophical ideas of society is to pursue progress. The most common justification for this is the pursuit of improved medicines and health, which is doing good. A failure to attempt to do good, is a form of doing harm, the sin of omission. This is the principle of beneficence.

Compassion has been proposed as common ground for bioethics in a Thai Buddhist context, and compassion can be considered as love as is discussed in the writings of Buddha. General compassion is focussed on a particular context in suffering whereas social justice looks at inequality. In Theravada Buddhism, the four prime virtues are mindfulness of friendliness, compassion, joy and equanimity.

He quoted from great philosophers of the past to authenticate his views.

Confucius, Analects, 6th C BC.
"To love a thing means wanting it to live".

Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving, 1956.
"If I truly love one person, I love all persons, I love the world, I love life".

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man, 1959.
"Love alone is capable of uniting living beings in such a way as to complete and fulfill them, for it alone takes them and joins them by what is deepest in themselves".

Stating that there are several basic theories of bioethics, he said that, the simplest distinction that can be made is whether they focus on the action, the consequences, or the motives.

to be contd...

Shared Stewardship Towards Nature - Dr.Peter Vujakovic

2012-01-12T18:30:00.004+05:30

A Case for the Planet...

The second day of the International Conference on Science, Society and Sustainability at Lady Doak College, Madurai, saw two plenaries in the forenoon session. The first speaker Dr.Hilconda P.Calumpong, Institute of Environmental and Marine Studies, Silliman University, Philippines, spoke on the various initiatives of Silliman University in which she had participated, and highlighted pioneering researches, the results of which have led to initiatives that have influenced the national and local government units' policies on CRM as well as Coastal communities' behaviour in caring for and managing their coastal resources.

Dr.Peter Vujakovic, Head of Geographical and Life Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), UK, gave a talk on 'Shared Stewardship of Nature - Past, Present and Future'.

His talk focussed on the 'Biodiversity' initiative currently being developed at CCCU, in the English county of Kent - known as the 'Garden of England' for its landscape and its fruit cultivation. The initiative is focused on the Canterbury UNESCO World Heritage Site (including Canterbury Cathedral, St.Augustine's Abbey and St.Martin's Church - the oldest Church in the English speaking world still used for worship).

He spoke on 'Conservation as Stewardship' and enumerated on the types of Biodiversity in campuses, namely, Species Biodiversity, Genetic Biodiversity, Habitat/Ecosystem Biodiversity, Cultural diversity/heritage varieties etc.

He then elaborated on Opportunities for Curriculum and Community Development, and Sustainable Biodiversity. According to him,

effective biodiversity strategies should be built on all the three modes of Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social & Cultural Sustainability. He stressed on the importance of people's access to Green Environments.

Enumerating next on the Biodiversity strategies for CCCU, he said that,

1. CCCU builds on Cultural Capital eg.World Heritage Site, Salomon's Estate etc.
2. Works with staff, students and local community to enhance social capital.
3. Focuses on Cultural sustainability eg.distinctive food production system of Kent/heritage varieties etc.
4. Aspirational, not preservationist.

He also discussed the part of Biodiversity as part of Curriculum planning and their Futures Initiatives. Stressing on the value of Biodiversity as an asset, he listed the various values thus associated, namely, Direct Value Use, Indirect Value use, Option Value use, Ecological value etc. He concluded with a note on the ambitious Virtual Arboretum Project as a learning environment, and linked this project to wider concerns for the links that exist between our knowledge of the earth, the evolution of life, the communities in which we live, and the stewardship of nature.

International Conference on Science, Society and Sustainability - A Report

2012-01-11T13:50:00.003+05:30

A View of the Delegates at the Conference

The International Conference on Science, Society and Sustainability, got underway today with the Welcome address by Dr.A.Mercy Pushphalatha, and prayer by Dr.Synthia Mary. The Inaugural Address was by Mr.N.Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu. The Key-Note address was by Dr.Robin Gottfried, Director, Center for Religion and the Environment & Professor of Economics, Sewanee: The University of the South, US.

Excerpts from Mr.N.Ram's Inaugural Address:

Citing an Opinion Article in today's 'The Hindu,' by Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman of the Press Council of India, he said,

Some 80 per cent of its people live in poverty, with unemployment, sky-rocketing prices, problems of healthcare, education and housing, and so on. Forty-eight farmers commit suicide on an average each day. And 47 per cent of the children are malnourished. Our national aim must be to abolish these evils and make India prosperous for all.

This stresses the need for the pursuit of accessibility, particularly focusing on those who have

been discriminated for centuries in the realm of education. Excellence doesn't descend from the skies. It has to be bought. In India, lack of synergies between the Undergraduate and Postgraduate departments, and above all between teaching and research is the bane that prevents this accessibility. Indian Universities don't do enough on those lines. Outlining the four people's principles of Science, Democracy, Livelihood and Unity of the People, he said that, our PM has openly acknowledged Malnutrition as a national shame, but, what exactly are we doing to bring it to the centrestage? Indeed, 'subcontinental malnourishment' is completely unacceptable in the 21st century India, for all the tom-tomming that we do about 'emerging India, and all the welfare programmes of the Centre and the States. Decade after decade, the malady remains.

Commenting on India's R&D spending, Mr.Ram said that we spend only 2% of our GDP on R&D, whereas countries like Japan spend thrice the amount on the same.

Lamenting the fact that not many Indian researchers get published in reputed International journals, he emphasised on the need for cutting-edge science.

We've to do something radically different from what we've been doing in recent times,

he opined.

Proceeding to the rift between science and religion, he said that, if the society is to be sustainable, we should concentrate more on effectively bridging the widening chasm between science and religion.

He spoke next on the 'triumph' of European Climate Diplomacy, with no great benefit for India. He said that, they did not effect a legally binding agreement, but only agreed to a roadmap towards a legally binding agreement. He also had a word on the Kyoto Protocol, questioning "What was India's response to this major development?"

Quoting David Miliband's remarks on the Indian Constitution calling it an Inspirational Document, Mr.Ram said that, it is inspirational because it is truly secular. It protects and places on a pedestal the principles of equality that all sections of Indian society are equal, through the abolition of untouchability, affirmative action programmes etc. These are all fine attempts but not successful enough to eradicate the evils of society.

What is unacceptable is that, 80% of the people lack the ways and means to the minimum acceptable ways of living. There are huge deprivations, and governments, by the way, underestimate these deprivations. Of course, there are direct interventions like Rural Employment Programmes, Noon-meal schemes etc, but at the end of the day, the question is, is it sustainable or not?

His concluding remarks called for these issues to be brought to centrestage.

Maoism, violence, terrorism and related pernicious evils have their roots in mass deprivations. No significant dents have been made on these lines. Unless we work on it, it is not going to be sustainable. They have to be brought to centrestage

he signed off.

International Seminar on Culture Studies

2012-01-09T20:54:00.001+05:30

The UGC-Sponsored International Seminar on Culture Studies was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras, Col.Dr.Thiruvasagam. Dr.Mark Harbold, University of Elmhurst, Chicago, gave the key-note address. Dr.P.Ajay Kumar, Director, Institute of Distance Education, University of Kerala spoke on Culture Studies. The first day [Monday, 09 January] of the two-day Seminar saw more than forty authors presenting their papers chaired by eminent Professors in their respective fields of study.

Dr.Armstrong addressing the delegates (Photo Courtesy: Prof.Dinesh Kumar)

Dr.P.Ajay Kumar, dwelt at length on the transition from literary studies to culture studies, in most of the English/Language departments across the world, and its wide-ranging applications and/or ramifications today. Touching upon theories from Structuralism to Poststructuralism, he said that, Marxism and poststructuralism are different kinds of philosophies with different aims. While Marxism is political, poststructuralism is not. The poststructuralist suspicion is that all forms of politics are equally suspect. In a sense, the rise of postmodernism and poststructuralism are attributed to the crisis in Marxism. 'Post-structuralism,' he said, 'is marked by a rejection of totalizing, essentialist, foundationalist concepts.'

Speaking on Marx's concept of the consciousness and its relation with political economy, he quotes Marx: "It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness."He then proceeded to talk about the significance of language, language and meaning, Ideology etc in Culture Studies. Explicating further on Ideology, he discussed Louis Althusser's concept of Ideological State Apparatuses, that shape our perceptions and attitudes.

2012-01-08T23:42:00.002+05:30

Every perceiver's method of perceiving can be shown to contain an inherent bias which affects what is perceived to a significant degree.

A wholly objective perception of individual entities is therefore not possible: any observer is bound to create something of what he observes.

Accordingly, the relationship between observer and observed achieves a kind of primacy. It becomes the only thing that can be observed ...

In consequence, the true nature of things may be said to lie not in things themselves, but in the relationships which we construct, and then perceive, between them.

This new concept, that the world is made up of relationships rather than things, constitutes the first principle of that way of thinking which can properly be called 'structuralist'.

- Terence Hawkes in Structuralism and Semiotics

Celebrating 175 years of Madras Christian College

2012-01-07T23:17:00.002+05:30

A thanksgiving service was organized on Saturday, 07 January 2012 to mark the College's 175th year. Rev.Robert Willis, Dean of the Canterbury Cathedral, took part in the Service. As part of the service, the Principal gave the Welcome and Introduction, excerpts from which are given below:

The Very Rev.Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, UK; the Very Rev.Canon Ivor Smith-Cameron, Former Chaplain to the Queen of England and an alumnus of our College; Dr.Besant Raj, Chairman, MCC Association, Board of Directors, Bursar, President of the Alumni Association, former Principals and Bursars, Deans, Heads of Departments, Teaching, Administrative and Support Staff, former staff, alumni, student-friends, invitees, press, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the MCC family, it is my great privilege and pleasure to welcome you all to the Thanksgiving Service organised by the Madras Christian College for having rendered 175 years of dedicated service to humanity.

The year 2012 is not only a milestone in the illustrious journey of MCC as it completes 175 years of impeccable and rewarding service to humanity, but also a significant moment in the very history of Indian Higher Education. The growth of MCC from a small school, started by the Rev.John Anderson, to a globally renowned institution of higher learning has paralleled the growth of higher education in modern India and of the world. Today, the College stands as a monument of higher education on 365 acres of salubrious greenery in Tambaram, a suburb of Chennai. This year also marks the 75th year of MCC's migration to Tambaram, in 1937, after a century of service in George Town.

While generations of good men and women have toiled and sacrificed for the growth and well-being of this institution, scores of men and women have passed through the portals of MCC, imbibing its values such as academic excellence, spiritual vitality and social relevance.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have now come here to thank God for: our founders, Scottish missionaries, successive Principals and Bursars, the present management, teaching and administrative staff and the multitude of students who benefitted through this temple of learning, and who are now placed in adorable positions in almost all walks of life. As we celebrate the history of MCC, we are called to rededicate ourselves for the mission of this great institution, that being to serve humanity.

2012-01-01T10:40:00.000+05:30

Lookin' Back..!

2011-12-26T08:52:00.009+05:30

This month, we celebrate eight fruitful years of blogging, and we've completed more than 8oo posts till date. Looking back, I just wonder at the pace at which Time flits by, on the wings of the whole wide web...

Indeed it looks like, I wrote my first blog post just yesterday!! What started off as a log/record of class activities for my students, expanded over a period of time to accommodate posts on general awareness, Educational scholarships, Association Activities, Recruitments, acknowledging Student achievers, etc.

Herein i would like to present memorable highlights of my blog:

The cream of the blog, if at all there is, would be, Student Assignments and students’ answer scripts, which speak volumes to the creative abilities latent within every student. ‘Inspirational posts’ which are the lighthouse to the blog, serve to motivate students towards their goals, and they have also got rave reviews at times. Posts on ‘General Awareness’ have become a huge hit with netizens, going by indications, and I am sure convinced that they help students a lot.

I would also like to say, with all humility, that we have got requests for lesson plans/lesson help/ lesson ideas/ lesson summaries from more than 200 netizens (students and/or researchers and/or fellow teachers) from across the world, and, thanks to my illustrious staff friends, we have been able to help out everyone who has asked us for academic help, totally free of cost.

Now for the acknowledgements:

My gratitude and respects to all my teachers who have been the chief source of inspiration in all my academic endeavours thus far. My librarian (on whom i've written a separate post on Teacher's Day), who has been a great source of encouragement to me, Dr.Suresh Frederick, more of a friend than a teacher, who has always been there for me, Prof.Natarajan, Prof.Joha, Prof.Duvarakan, Prof.Baby Eliammal, Prof.Shobana, Prof.Dhanapal, Prof.Azariah, Prof.Cruz, the late Dr.Ranjan Samuel, (who's the bestest i've ever seen), Prof.Edward, Prof.Athmanathan, Prof.Stanley, Prof.Chandramohan Nair, Prof.Nedumaran and the list goes onnn...

I thank my dear students for their comments and suggestions, which have proved valuable in finetuning the nitty gritties of our blog.

I thank Olivia Coleman, Karen Schweitzer, Holly McCarthy, and Heather Johnson who have written motivational guest posts (exclusives) for my blog.

I thank my staff friends, especially my kindred spirit Dr.Ganesh, my invaluable friends Prof.David and Prof.Wesley, my beloved brother Prof.K.Ravi, who have all along been a strength and a solace in all my academic endeavours.

I thank all my family members for being the inspiration that they always are.

I thank my good old classmates (including the two in Bangalore ) for constantly being in touch, and giving valuable inputs on the blog posts. Indeed they are the touchstones for excellence.

I thank blogger.com for giving bloggers like me a panoramic platform of sorts to connect with netizens from across the globe.

Above all, I thank God Almighty, Our Help from Ages Past whose grace and guidance follow us in all our endeavours.

If at all I should write something in honour of this occasion, I would put it this way:
“Still far more to conquer.........”

Topics for Oratory.:

2011-12-23T10:55:00.002+05:30

Dear Students of II BA English Literature,

Please find below the topics you've opted for, as part of your obligations towards your Paper on Rhetoric.

Your names are displayed against the topics you have chosen. Students who have not yet chosen your topic, may do so at the earliest. You can send me an email to rufusonline@gmail.com and confirm your topics. You may also start preparing for your Speech rightaway, by collecting data for the same.

Criteria on what makes a good speech, will be displayed shortly.

All the very best!

Regards,

Rufus, Course Teacher

Topics for Oratory:

1. Alcohol should be illegal. - ANTONY

2. Children should provide room and board for their aging parents.

3. Studying grammar is more important than practising conversation skills.

4. Television is the leading cause of violence in today's society. - JENILA

5. Dogs make better companions than cats.

6. Smoking should be permitted in public places. - JEON

7. Females are better students than males. - LOGESWARI

8. Reading English is more difficult than writing English.

9. Summer is the best season of the year. - SANDHIYA

10. College students should wear uniforms.

11. 21 should be the legal driving age around the world.

12. Rock and Roll is the best kind of music.

13. "Is being happy connected with having a lot of money?" – JEEVAN / CHRISTINA GEORGE

14. Beauty is only skin deep.

15. The Olympics are a waste of money.

16. Does violence in television and movies influence the way children behave?

17. Superman, Spiderman, Batman - superheros or misleading idols? - AKILANDESHWARI

18. Should homework be banned?

19. Do video games really cause bad behavior in children?

20. Are there aliens? - NILAVARASAN

21. Bottled water: more harmful than good.

22. Single sex education system is better than a co-ed system.

23. Mobile phones in school/college - should we ban them? – JASMINE / SRUTI

24. Reading - is it the new style trend?

25. Does detention actually serve a purpose?

26. Junk food should be banned from public schools.

27. Thanks to social networking, there is no face-to-face interaction.

28. Are Barbie dolls affecting the mental image we create for our appearance?

29. Which came first? Chicken or egg? – ANGEL EZHILARASI

30. Is animal testing humane? - MATHAN

31. Euthanasia: Should the right to die be granted? - RENJINI

32. Paparazzi livelihood vs privacy of celebrities: what is important?

33. Global warming is a figment of our imagination.

34. Should the death penalty be repealed? - JISHA

35. Is the law easier on celebrities? - JAGADEESH

36. Are school uniforms a good or a bad idea?

37. Recycling should be compulsory.

38. God: myth or reality? – ABISHA SELVA SHARON

39. Sex education - when is the right time to start it?

40. Media censorship - a necessary change?

41. Abortion - should it be banned. - RUTH

42. Nuclear proliferation: will development of nuclear weapons fuel a third world war?

43. Is the world going to end in 2012? - APARNA

44. US military involvement in Iraq has done more good than harm.

45. Human cloning should be allowed.

46. The United States should eliminate its own weapons of mass destruction - do you agree or disagree?

47. Is the American dream overrated?

48. Is it justified to give a dictator a tit-for-tat treatment?

49. Should we encourage the belief that kids have in Santa Claus? – RHONDA MARIA

50. Should there be a censor board for the internet?

51. Should there be a ban on using animals for testing chemicals and drugs?

52. Should there be a ban on beauty contests?

53. Should capital punishment be abolished? - PRIGYA / HEMA

54. Should gay marriages be legalized? - KAVERI MURTHY

55. Is there an alternative for prison?

56. Should working women be given special privileges? - NANCY

57. Is dieting harmful? – ZHANG XIAO

58. Is juvenile sentence right or wrong?

59. Should gambling be regulated?

60. Is the current tax system unfair?

61. Should wearing helmets be made compulsory?

62. Should all citizens be covered by health insurance?

63. Should sportsmen be allowed to use steroids?

64. Should wearing fur be banned?

65. Hidden cameras - invasion of privacy or necessary precaution?

66. Defend the argument for 'does television affect your intelligence'.- BLESSY

67. Greenhouse effect and global warming, are they really interconnected? - MANIVANNAN

68. Are computers and internet stunting our natural thinking process?

69. "Has Science made man's life quite comfortable?" MARIYA / SHINY

70. Is it possible to keep politics out of sports?

71. Do you think we should maintain our traditions or give way for change? - SHUBA

72. There should be strict censorship of films and news bulletins on television and movies to prevent children from copying violent incidents. Do you agree?

73. Do you think that the young have anything to learn from the elderly and vice versa? – SINDHUJA

74. How about boarding schools? Don’t you think they teach children how to live together? - IYNISHA

75. What are the advantages and disadvantages of getting married? Don’t you think it’s better to stay single? - SUBHASHINI

76. What do you think are the causes for the increasing violence in our society?

77. Why do people commit crimes? - DAISY

78. Fashion – A complete waste of time, money and resources.

79. English should be the world language.

80. Written Exams alone serve no useful purpose.

81. Extended/large families are more successful than nuclear families.

82. Teenage drivers are unsafe.

83. Books will soon be old-fashioned. – NIKHILA / CATHERINE

84. Politicians should be paid higher salaries.

85. Internet is a useful resource for children.

86. Reservation for women - ARYA

87. Science has made man’s life quite comfortable.

88. Privatisation is desirable.

89. Indian independence is a success story.

90. TV is harmful to society. – VIVEK / SHIRLY

91. Family planning should be made compulsory. - PEMA

92. There should be a ban on migration of educated Indians.

93. The need to implement a ban on the Public Sectors.

Prakriti Poetry Fest @ MCC - A Report..:

2011-12-13T18:33:00.006+05:30

Shri Arjun C.Bali, reading out from his poems...

The First day of the Prakriti Poetry Reading Fest @ MCC saw eminent poets from across the globe, congregating at the sylvan surroundings of Selaiyur Hall, under the shades of the mighty trees of yore, on Saturday, 10 December 2011.

French Lebanese poet and essayist of international renown, Salah STÉTIÉ and Giuseppe CONTE, Italian poet, novelist, and translator who constitute the “Mediterranean Poets” panel, read out from their poems. They, along with Tamil poets Anand KRISHNAN, Kavitha MURALIDHARAN and Sivakami IAS, read out from their works and explored the Mediterranean - south Indian i.e. the South-South parallel.

The Second Poetry Reading on Monday, 12 Dec, saw eminent poet Ranjit Hoskote read out a few of his translations of Lal Ded, a forerunner of Sufism in the Kashmir Valley. He read out from his translation of Lal Ded - a selection of 146 poems from the circulating corpus of Lalla's utterances and rendered them freshly into English.

An excerpt from his rendition on Lal Ded:

I'm towing my boat across the ocean with a thread.

Will He hear me and help me across?

Or am I seeping away like water from a half-baked cup?

Wander, my poor soul, you're not going home anytime soon.

At the end of the reading, Mr.Hoskote answered a lot of interesting and inquisitive queries from students.

Our Principal, releasing Cornucopia...

Day 3 of the Prakriti Fest @ mcc saw eminent poets from the Rabindranath Tagore Panel, perform a heart warming recital at 11.30 am on 13 Dec.2011 in the Selaiyur Hall guest room.

Day 4 of the Prakriti Fest @ mcc saw poet, film maker and movie director Arjun Bali recite his poems to a rapt audience. He also had a 'listener's choice' session. Our Principal Dr.Alexander Jesudasan then released the first variety ensemble of TEA @ MCC - Cornucopia, and Shri.Arjun C.Bali received the first copy of the book. Dr.Felix Moses and Dr.Stephen Jebanesan were present on the occasion.

On the whole, the four-day poetry fest @ MCC saw a host of performances by eminent and emerging poets, catering to the mind and the heart alike.

2011-12-06T20:51:00.001+05:30

Bringing Poetry Closer to You...

Poetry with Prakriti @ MCC

The festival brings together eminent and emerging poets,

featuring readings to small, intimate audiences.

So,

if there’s a poet in you waiting to come out,

Don’t miss out...!

The Schedule:

@ MCC

On Saturday, 10 December, 10 am – Mediterranean Poet Panel @ SH, MCC

On Monday, 12 December, 1 pm – Noted poet Ranjit Hoskote @ SH, MCC

On Tuesday, 13 December, 11.30 am – Rabindranath Tagore Panel @ SH, MCC

On Friday, 16 December, 11.30 am – Arjun Bali @ SH, MCC

Deborah Parsons on Modernism

2011-11-28T15:17:00.000+05:30

The beginning of the twentieth century witnessed an international revolution in the arts, as a wide range of cultural groups, aesthetic movements and individual writers and artists sought to extend and transform their relationship with and representation of reality.

The word ‘modernism’ represents the retrospective fusion of these very diverse aesthetic experiments into the comprehensive style or social and psychological temper of a ‘modern’ age typically dated between 1910 and 1930. In their now classical guide, Bradbury and McFarlane describe Modernism as ‘an art of a rapidly modernizing world, a world of rapid industrial development, advanced technology, ubrbanisation, secularisation and mass forms of social life’, but also ‘the art of a world from which many traditional certainties had departed, and a certain sort of Victorian confidence not only in the onward progress of mankind but in the very solidity and visibility of reality itself has evaporated’ (Bradbury and McFarlane, 1976:57).

This double condition results in a central contradiction: depending on context and perspective, modernism can be seen as a vigorous creative impulse to ‘make it new’, through a determined break with the stultifying artistic conventions of the immediate past and an embrace of the modern, or as a literature of crisis and dislocation, desperately insisting on the power of art to give shape to a world that has lost all order and stability.

Because modernism connotes a cultural sensibility rather than a particular period in time, however, it is not simply interchangeable with strictly historical references such as ‘the early twentieth century’ or ‘the 1920s’, even though it overlaps with them.

The label ‘high modernism’ refers specifically to the canonical account of Anglo-American literary experimentation between the world wars, characterised by a turn away from direct modes of representation towards greater abstraction and aesthetic impersonality and self-reflexivity. Such aesthetic formalism is typically identified with the canonical figures of Ezra Pound and T.S.Eliot, as well as Joyce and Woolf.

As a result of the insights of post-structuralist, feminist and post-colonial critics, however, the concept of modernism is now widely recognised to be open to much broader interpretation and redefinition than this reading previously acknowledged.

Work Cited: Parsons, Deborah. Theorists of the Modernist Novel. New York; Routledge, 2007. Print.

Oratory Topics..:

2011-11-24T15:09:00.004+05:30

Dear Students of II BA English Litt.,

Your topics for Oratory as part of your Paper on Rhetoric, are given below. You may opt for any one from among the options given. Moreover, kindly check back for updates on the Lesson Plan for the Paper.

1. Alcohol should be made illegal.

2. Children should provide room and board for their aging parents.

3. Studying grammar is more important than practising conversation skills.

4. Television is the leading cause of violence in today's society.

5. Dogs make better companions than cats.

6. Smoking should be permitted in public places.

7. Girls are better students than boys.

8. Reading English is more difficult than writing English.

9. Summer is the best season of the year.

10. College students should wear uniforms.

11. 21 should be the legal driving age around the world.

12. Rock and Roll is the best kind of music.

13. "Is being happy connected with having a lot of money?"

14. Beauty is only skin deep.

15. The Olympics are a waste of money.

16. Does violence in television and movies influence the way children behave?

17. Superman, Spiderman, Batman - superheros or misleading idols?

18. Should homework be banned?

19. Do video games really cause bad behavior in children?

20. Are there aliens?

21. Bottled water: more harmful than good.

22. Single sex education system is better than a co-ed system.

23. Mobile phones in school/college - should we ban them?

24. Reading - is it the new style trend?

25. Does detention actually serve a purpose?

26. Junk food should be banned from public schools.

27. Thanks to social networking, there is no face-to-face interaction.

28. Are Barbie dolls affecting the mental image we create for our appearance?

29. Which came first? Chicken or egg?

30. Is animal testing humane?

31. Euthanasia: Should the right to die be granted?

32. Paparazzi livelihood vs privacy of celebrities: what is important?

33. Global warming is a figment of our imagination.

34. Should the death penalty be repealed?

35. Is the law easier on celebrities?

36. Are school uniforms a good or a bad idea?

37. Recycling should be compulsory.

38. God: myth or reality?

39. Sex education - when is the right time to start it?

40. Media censorship - a necessary change?

41. Abortion - should it be banned.

42. Nuclear proliferation: will development of nuclear weapons fuel a third world war?

43. Is the world going to end in 2012?

44. US military involvement in Iraq has done more good than harm.

45. Human cloning should be allowed.

46. The United States should eliminate its own weapons of mass destruction - do you agree or disagree?

47. Is the American dream overrated?

48. Is it justified to give a dictator a tit-for-tat treatment?

49. Should we encourage the belief that kids have in Santa Claus?

50. Should there be a censor board for the internet?

51. Should there be a ban on using animals for testing chemicals and drugs?

52. Should there be a ban on beauty contests?

53. Should capital punishment be abolished?

54. Should gay marriages be legalized?

55. Is there an alternative for prison?

56. Should working women be given special privileges?

57. Is dieting harmful?

58. Is juvenile sentence right or wrong?

59. Should gambling be regulated?

60. Is the current tax system unfair?

61. Should wearing helmets be made compulsory?

62. Should all citizens be covered by health insurance?

63. Should sportsmen be allowed to use steroids?

64. Should wearing fur be banned?

65. Hidden cameras - invasion of privacy or necessary precaution?

66. Defend the argument for 'does television affect your intelligence'.

67. Greenhouse effect and global warming, are they really interconnected?

68. Are computers and internet stunting our natural thinking process?

69. "Has Science made man's life quite comfortable?"

70. Is it possible to keep politics out of sports?

71. Do you think we should maintain our traditions or give way for change?

72. There should be strict censorship of films and news bulletins on television and movies to prevent children from copying violent incidents. Do you agree?

73. Do you think that the young have anything to learn from the elderly and vice versa?

74. How about boarding schools? Don’t you think they teach children how to live together?

75. What are the advantages and disadvantages of getting married? Don’t you think it’s better to stay single?

76. What do you think are the causes for the increasing violence in our society?

77. Why do people commit crimes?

78. Fashion – A complete waste of time, money and resources.

79. English should be the world language.

80. Written Exams alone serve no useful purpose.

81. Extended/large families are more successful than nuclear families.

82. Teenage drivers are unsafe.

83. Books will soon be old-fashioned.

84. Politicians should be paid higher salaries.

85. Internet is a useful resource for children.

86. Reservation for women

87. Science has made man’s life quite comfortable.

88. Privatisation is desirable.

89. Indian independence is a success story.

90. TV is harmful to society.

91. Family planning should be made compulsory.

92. There should be a ban on migration of educated Indians.

93. The need to implement a ban on the Public Sectors.

* Picture Courtesy: ehow.com

Test your Word Power and Memory Power..:

2011-11-22T12:54:00.003+05:30

Dear Students, These are the words you need to remember as part of your 'Word Building' schedule in class. Now, try remembering each word given here, by associating it with its corresponding number. All the best:-)

1. Dishevelled appearance - untidy

2. A baffling problem - puzzling

3. lenient parent - not strict

4. repulsive personality - disgusting

5. audacious attempt - bold

6. parry a blow - ward off/avoid

7. prevalent disease - widespread

8. ominous report - threatening

9. an incredible story - unbelievable

10. an opthalmologist - eye doctor

11. will supersede the old law - take the place of

12. an anonymous donor - name not known

13. performed an autopsy - examination of a corpse

14. an indefatigable worker - tireless

15. a confirmed atheist - disbeliever

16. endless loquacity - talkativeness

17. glib talker - smooth

18. an incorrigble optimist - beyond correction or reform

19. an ocular problem - visual

20. a naive attitude - unsophisticated

Please refer to: Word Power Made Easy - Norman Lewis

A Tribute to a Legend..:

2011-11-19T09:12:00.008+05:30

The Website inaugural in honour of the memory of Dr.Vishnu Bhat, held at TGP Kalyana Mandapam, Tambaram, on Friday, 18 November 2011, saw a grateful gathering of myriad minds, who had been touched by the spell of this literary wizard in one way or the other. The life of Dr.Vishnu Bhat – the teacher, philosopher, guru and friend was an inspiration and a motivation to innumerable students and staff alike, now spread far and wide across this globe, lightening lives.

Dr.Jayaraman and Dr.Neelakandan

The programme began at 3.15 pm and ended at 5.30 pm. Many scholars paid their tributes, the notable one being Dr.Jayaraman, his bosom friend and soul mate. Given below are excerpts from the tributes/eulogies in honour of the memory of the late Dr.Vishnu Bhat.

Firstly, Dr.Ganesh, speaking of his Guru, said:

Dr.Vishnu Bhat breathed literature. The kind of man that he was, was evident in the way in which he helped his students, right from the way in which he helped them prepare for a CA test, or an MA Project or an MPhil project, or a PhD Scholar, with the same enthusiasm and energy, without looking for standard. Sir did not like the word ‘standard’ – a word that any teacher today flaunts. He always said that the interest level must come up. So he will teach anybody anything at anytime.

Like Emerson talks about Shakespeare, ‘his range and extent was terrific’. The man’s greatness was proved when Harvard invited him. No class, caste or religious distinctions were there when it came to his students. My PhD viva was unique because, for once, the supervisor was happier than the candidate.

He took enormous pains to shape me. We were all shaped by him. Before we met Vishnu Bhat sir, we were non-entities. At least, we were dabbling in literature, before we met this man, who breathed literature, and breathed literature into us. Here is the passion; here is the conviction that literature saves humanity from all its perils that can be created in the mind, maybe out of the external circumstances of life. So, when we came to him, and i am hugely indebted to Dr.Neelakandan, (I am extremely happy that he is here). He was my senior in Loyola College. He came one year before me to MCC, and the one single topic we discussed was Vishnu Bhat. Neelakandan took me to his house. He led me to his wonderful gurukulam, to sit at the feet of this eminent guru of modern times. A very traditional man with the most modern view.

His practice of religion was reflected in the way he related to people. It was not a singular practice which created a wall in between himself and the others. What he walled out was hatred. What he walled in was human warmth and understanding. I delayed going to his house for one semester. I met Vishnu Bhat sir in the year 1981. He was waiting for one of my teachers Dr.Ramani in Loyola College. I did not know who he was, but destiny led me to him. He was just standing there, quietly outside the English department. Nobody was bothered about him, and he was not bothered about anybody either. I went up to him and asked him, ‘Sir, are you waiting for somebody?’ He said that he was waiting for one Dr.Ramani, and so I immediately went up to Dr.Ramani and told him that Dr.Vishnu Bhat from MCC was waiting for him. That was my first meeting with him, and what a meeting that was! It was a life-transforming meeting. You can never talk about Vishnu Bhat sir individually, because for him it was a family – a family of students. A man who did not have a private space or private belongings, because we can take his dhotis or his shirts. He did not have anything for his own, but for his chair, on which we dare not sit on, out of reverence.

Dr.Jayaraman and Dr.Vishnu Bhat were very close friends. They were like two eyes to students at that particular time. The humour that both of them shared – laughed, laughed and always laughed. Not that they did not have problems; they did have. Sir will make a mountain into a mole hill when you went to him with a problem. We were very fortunate that we could go to such a scholar, a committed teacher for anything and everything. He lent us financial support, lent us emotional support most importantly. People from different economic, social backgrounds could come and relate to him. They ate with him at the same table. Nobody who went to Vishnu Bhat sir’s house would leave without a cup of coffee or something to eat. He always took it at the hugest problem in his life if one went out without eating anything. Dr.Radha Bhat, his beloved wife, fed us with love and food. So we are all beholden to them and blest to have such a great guru and a guru pathini.

Anbarasan is a senior correspondent in BBC. He came from Auroville. Sir took him under his wings. Not many people in the department were favourably disposed because he could not speak English well. He could not write English well – that colonial hangover that we suffer from. But Sir said, English is just a language. English is just a vehicle of communication. He can master English by and by; and he always used to tell his story of how he mastered English by and by. He would tell us how he faced problems when he started speaking English.... to be continued...

Tackling the Question Paper [Semester III]

2011-11-01T20:06:00.003+05:30

Tackling the Question Paper - Semester III - Part II English

The first three Essay questions carry 20x3=60 marks each, and so give your best time and effort to these three questions. You will have one question each from Poetry/Prose/Short Stories with internal choice too!

Spend between twenty and thirty minutes on each ESSAY question, which totally takes 1 hr and 30 mts of your time.

Essay questions are meant to be at least three to four sides in length. Do not waste answer sheets by writing a mere five or six lines in it. Make sure you write at least a minimum of 14 lines per page.

Make your introductory paragraph sound attractive. So, write a good and concise introduction to the essay lasting ½ to 2/3 of the first page. Do not write extensively about the author’s biography. It is not needed! And, please... do not write the story. The examiner does not expect you to write the story, which even a fourth grader can write down with extreme finesse. On the other hand, the examiner expects you to give a critical evaluation of the text that you have studied. A critical analysis involves a creative analysis. And, always stick to one tense form. If you start with the present tense, continue in the same tense form till the end of your essay. Finally, while summing up your ESSAY, remember to make it memorable!

And please do not overwrite. It is a great irritant to the examiner.

Now, let us deal with Story Completion:(10 marks) Spend 20 mins on this question.

Observe the opening lines of the story.

This task is to test you for your ability at creativity using a range of adequate vocabulary. Try to finish your story by arriving at an interesting climax. The four parts of the short story, that we have discussed in class, should prove useful for you here. To recap on them, the four features of a short story are:

1. Premise (Introduce all the major characters)

2. Development (Move the story towards the crisis)

3. Complication (Crisis), and

4. Denoument (Climax)

Make your endings memorable and to the point. See the tense of the opening lines. If the opening lines begin in the present tense, better stick to it till you finish the story. If it begins in the past, it is always good to stick to the past tense till the end.

Note-Making: (10 marks) Take around 20 minutes.

You should read each paragraph carefully to know what it is all about.

After you have found out the main idea or the central theme, you should write down the Topic Sentence and the topic.

Then, using proper indentations, present the key words/phrases/signpost words of each paragraph in proper order.

An example is given below:

Read the following essay and make notes on it:

Noise, by definition, is unwanted sound. What is pleasant to some ears may be extremely unpleasant to others, depending on a number of factors. The natural environment contains many sources of noise - wind, volcanoes, oceans, and animal sounds are all familiar intrusions accepted at various levels. Man-made noises - from machines, automobiles, trains, planes, explosives and firecrackers, etc. - are more contentious. Both kinds of noise affect sleep, hearing, communication, as well as mental and physical health.

When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies, they get dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed. This results in the pollution of water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates, affecting aquatic ecosystems. Pollutants can also seep down and affect the groundwater deposits.

The effects of water pollution are not only devastating to people but also to animals, fish, and birds. Polluted water is unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture, and industry. It diminishes the aesthetic quality of lakes and rivers. More seriously, contaminated water destroys aquatic life and reduces its reproductive ability. Eventually, it is a hazard to human health. Nobody can escape the effects of water pollution.

One of the formal definitions of air pollution is as follows – ‘The presence in the atmosphere of one or more contaminants in such quality and for such duration as is injurious, or tends to be injurious, to human health or welfare, animal or plant life.’ It is the contamination of air by the discharge of harmful substances. Air pollution can cause health problems and it can also damage the environment and property. It has caused thinning of the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere, which is leading to climate change.

Modernisation and progress have led to air getting more and more polluted over the years. Industries, vehicles, increase in the population, and urbanization are some of the major factors responsible for air pollution.

Air pollution results from a variety of causes, not all of which are within human control. Dust storms in desert areas and smoke from forest fires and grass fires contribute to chemical and particulate pollution of the air. The source of pollution may be in one country but the impact of pollution may be felt elsewhere. The discovery of pesticides in Antarctica, where they have never been used, suggests the extent to which aerial transport can carry pollutants from one place to another.

Answer:

Topic Sentence: The Various Types of Environmental Pollution

A. 1. Sound Pollution

a) Causes of Sound Pollution

(i)

(ii)

b) Effects of Sound Pollution

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

c) Experts’ Opinion on Sound Pollution

(i)

(ii)

B. 2. Water Pollution

a) Causes for deteriorating Water Quality

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

b) The Various Pollutants:

(i)

(ii)

c) Impact of Water Pollution

(i)

(ii)

C. 3. Air Pollution

a) Definition of Air Pollution

(i)

b) Harmful Effects of Air Pollution

(i)

(ii)

(iii)... ... ...

Cloze Test (10 marks) is supposed to be very easy once you get to understand the story well.

Grammar questions (10 marks) are similar to the ones that you’ve faced in your I, II Semester Qn.Papers.

Tackling the Question Paper [Semester I]

2011-11-01T14:41:00.001+05:30

Tackling the Question Paper for Semester I:

Firstly, let us deal with the first three Essay questions that carry 20x3=60 marks each.

Spend between twenty and thirty minutes on each ESSAY question, which totally takes 1 hr and 30 mts of your time.

For answering essay questions, give a neat, catchy introduction. Use textual quotations to authenticate your views. Do not write extensively about the author’s biography. It is not needed! And, please... do not write the story. The examiner does not expect you to write the story, which even a fourth grader can write down with extreme finesse. On the other hand, the examiner expects you to give a critical evaluation of the text that you have studied. A critical analysis involves a creative analysis. And, always stick to one tense form. If you start with the present tense, continue in the same tense form till the end of your essay. Finally, while summing up your ESSAY, remember to make it memorable!

And please do not overwrite. It is a great irritant to the examiner.

Now, on tackling the Letter: (10 marks) Spend 20 mts on this question.

A formal letter has the following pattern:

From

V.Wesley Samuel

I BA English Literature

Regn.No: 11ENG23

Madras Christian College (Autonomous)

Chennai – 600 059

The Dean of Student Affairs

Madras Christian College (Autonomous)

Chennai – 600 059

Through

The Head, Department of English

Madras Christian College (Autonomous)

Respected Sir,

Sub: Request for Leave of Absence to attend my Brother’s Wedding – Reg.

I am V.Wesley Samuel studying I BA English Literature in our College with Regn. No.11ENG23. I request you to kindly grant me leave for three days from 02 December 2011 to 04 December 2011, as I have to attend the wedding of my brother in my hometown Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. I have submitted all the concerned details to the Head of the Department. Hence, I request that I may be permitted to take leave of absence for the above three days.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Wesley Samuel

II BA English Litt.,

Do not write ‘Address on the Envelope’ for your letter. It is not required.

Dialogue Writing: (10 marks) spend 20 mts on this question

As far as Dialogue Writing is concerned, use the direct speech as much as possible.

You may use contractions (“don’t”, “shouldn’t”, “can’t”. Make it lively and witty, and make your sentences short! Try to move the story or discussion forward naturally. Do not give long-winding sentences in dialogues. It takes the sheen off the main idea.

Coming next to Critical Appreciation of a poem: (10 marks) spend 20 mts on this qn.

In short, a critical analysis means, explaining by means of interpretations. And, interpretation is an individual’s response to creating meaning out of a given text.

Some of the features that you can bear in mind, while giving a critical appreciation are:

Title: - You can comment on the title, and say how appropriate it is to the subject of discussion. Does it generate interest, and hint at what your poem's about?

You can comment on Style/Symbol/Pun/Paradox/Antithesis/Sign/Metaphor/Simile/Language etc.
Content:
Who is addressed?
What kind of time and place is the poem set in?
What's the message of the poem?
What's the tone of the poem? is it serious/reflective/ironic/satirical?
What type of poem is it - lyrical/pastoral/epic/narrative/descriptive etc?
Form: Any set pattern or layout - like Ballad, sonnet etc.
Metre: Stress, Pattern, rhyme scheme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, end rhyme etc.

Remember not to make it lengthy. It should be just around 150 words. Not more!

Sentence Correction exercises (10 marks) are meant to test your familiarity with the basics of grammar. (like tenses, reflexive pronouns, Voice, Articles, etc.

Do not waste time in decorating your answer sheet with multicoloured felt pens. They are a complete waste of precious time. Remember, what matters in an examination, is not the decoration, but the substance!

Finally, number all your pages: (they're worth the time spent!). Try not to over-write (especially on question numbers!).

The examiner wants to be sure that you have a good understanding of the texts, which reflects in the way you approach your questions. So, don't waste too much time staring at the blank walls, or watching the guy sitting in front of you, or giving a furtive look at the invigilator from time to time! When you're in the Examination Hall, remember, that you are at war!

And, there you go! All the very best.!

Blueprint for Semester III - Part II English

2011-10-31T18:49:00.001+05:30

Semester III

Question Paper blueprint for the End of Semester Examination - November 2011

Time: 3 Hrs Marks: 100

I. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from poetry.

II. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from prose.

III. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from short stories.

IV. Story Completion: [1x10=10]

The electric train stopped at Saidapet Station. The Station Master announced that the Adyar river was flowing over the railway bridge...................

V.Note Making: [1x10=10]

One passage of about 300 words. No choice.

VI. Cloze Test: [1x10=10]

One passage of about 150 words with 10 missing words. The 10 missing words to be supplied in a jumbled order.

VII. Grammar: [5x2=10]

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms. Five sentences will be given.

Eg: 1. He is the ....... [tall] boy in the class.

*****

Blueprint for Semester I - Part II English

2011-10-31T18:43:00.000+05:30

Semester I

Question Paper blueprint for the End of Semester Examination - November 2011

Time: 3 Hrs Marks: 100

I. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from poetry.

II. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from prose.

III. Answer any ONE of the following in about 500 words: [1x20=20]

Three questions from Ibsen's "A Doll's House"

IV. Answer any ONE: [1x10=10]

Two questions on writing a Formal Letter.

E.g.: A formal letter to the Dean of Student Affairs requesting for leave of absence to attend a relative's wedding. OR .......

V. Answer any ONE: [1x10=10]

Two imaginary situations for Dialogue Writing.

E.g.: Two students discussing a movie they have seen. OR .........

VI. Write a critical appreciation of the following poem in about 150 words: [1x10=10]

The poem should not be one of the prescribed poems.

VII. Sentence correction exercises: [ 5x2=10 ]

No internal choice. Five incorrect sentences to be given. Students have to write out the corrected sentences.

******

"A Doll's House" - Henrik Ibsen - Critical Analysis

2011-10-31T15:05:00.001+05:30

Introduction:

Ibsen is called the father of realistic drama. He perfected the drama of conversation. He was the first man to show that high tragedy could be written about ordinary people and in ordinary everyday prose. His plays deal with the problems of contemporary everyday life situations. “A Doll’s House” is the best known and one of the most popular of Ibsen’s works. It is a play about women’s freedom, which deals with the liberation of the individual from the shackles and restraints of custom and convention.

Problem in Husband-Wife Relationship:

The play deals with the problem of marriage, of husband-wife relationship. It deals with the

condition of a married woman under the excessive control of a husband, and shows the method which the woman employs in order to get out of that predicament. The play’s central idea is that a woman is not given to a man as a commodity but as a human being to be respected and treated affectionately by her husband.

Nora’s wifely Devotion to her Husband:

Nora is full of devotion to her husband. She loves him and is very faithful to him. To save his life she borrows money and has to commit forgery. She hides the act of forgery only because of his love for her. She signed in place of her father as she was compelled by circumstances. Even though she is blackmailed, she tries to keep the secret of helping her husband. She enjoys doing something extraordinary for her husband. And, in return, she expects her husband to love her equally. But atlast she finds that her husband does not love her as an equalmate, but only as an inferior being. She has made all possible sacrifices for Helmer, but Helmer proves to be selfish.

Nora’s Treatment as a Pet:

When the play opens, we find that Nora has been leading the life of a pet in her husband’s home. There is no doubt that her husband is very fond of her, but the loving expressions that he employs when addressing her clearly shows that he regards her as a kind of pet. He addresses her as “my little squirrel”, “little skylark” etc.

Helmer’s Possessive Attitude towards Nora:

Helmer regards Nora as his property. He has a possessive attitude towards her. He believes that she belongs to him completely. His treating her as a pet only manifests his possessive attitude. In the end, as the danger from Krogstad has been avertd, Torvald compares her to a hunted dove whom he has rescued from a cruel hawk.

Nora’s Desire for Her Own Identity:

Nora thus develops a desire to find her own identity. She decides to leave Helmer and tells him that first her father and then her husband had wronged her. Under the parental roof, she had to adopt the views and opinions of her father; and under her husband’s roof she had to adopt the ideas and the tastes of her husband. Her father treated her as a baby doll, and her husband treats her as a doll-wife. Now, she realizes her duty towards herself. Besides being a wife and a mother, she is an individual. So, she takes back her wedding ring and steps out of the house, slamming the outer door behind her. Thus she becomes a woman who is in search of her own identity.

A Doll’s House – A Feminist Play:

The play thus deals with the problem of feminine liberty. A woman after her marriage does not lose her identity and individuality. She can maintain her freedom as an individual and can refuse to act as a slave to her husband. Ibsen championed for the right of women. Hence, without doubt, “A Doll’s House” can be called a feminist play. It advocates the rights of the women, and especially of wives in relation to their husbands.

Conclusion:

Thus, by the end of the play Nora becomes an independent individual, to discover her own potentialities and achieve self-awareness and self-reliance. Though she will be facing an uncertain future yet she is ready to take the risk. She has now matured. She has achieved self-confidence. Hence, “A Doll’s House” is a suitable title thematically and structurally. The play deals with the making and unmaking of a woman as a doll.

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Believe in Yourself..! Excellent Tips for Writing a Great Exam..:

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All the best..!

Before the Examination:

1. Get a normal night’s sleep before the examination date.
2. Reach the Exam Centre early and relax or discuss with close friends.
3. BE SELF-RELIANT: Check if you have taken your Hall Ticket, your College ID Card etc along with the required stationery needed for the exam. Do not borrow anything like pens, pencils, eraser etc from anybody in the Examination hall.
4. Check again the time and place of the Examination Centre.
5. On the examination day, leave home early so that you will don’t get caught up in traffic jams / hardships / tight-corners etc., as no student is permitted inside the examination centre 30 minutes after the commencement of the exam.
6. Have a light breakfast too, as energy is essential for good thinking.
7.DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES like mobile phone, jewellery, cash etc outside the EXAMINATION VENUE. It might not be safe at all.

During the Examination:

1. Read the question paper and the instructions thoroughly. Mark the questions which you find you can answer. Ask the invigilator for clarifications, if any.
2. Make a rough time scheme and decide how much time you should allot to each question.
3. Leave 15 minutes at the end to review the answers and make corrections, as needed.
4. Before you start on any particular question, make sure you understand it/interpret it correctly.
5. Answer the easiest and shortest question first.
Answers should be brief and conforming to what is asked in the question.
6. If you get stuck up, proceed to the next question and come back at the end if there is time.
Leave a margin of 3 cm at the left side of the answer sheet, if there is no printed margin.

7. Mark the question numbers clearly in the left margin.
8. Clearly understand the difference between the usages "Define", “Distinguish”, “Compare”, “Describe”, “Illustrate”, etc.

9.ORGANISE YOUR ANSWER SHEET:

Write legibly; use reasonably large size letters; don’t cram; space the lines. NUMBER ALL YOUR PAGES.
10. Do not write your name or any symbols that reveal your identity, anywhere in the answer sheet.

Morning Session starts at 9.30 am.
Afternoon Session starts at 1.30 pm.

Finally, be honest, and do your best..! God will take care of the rest..!

Here's wishing you happy writing! All the very best..!

"The Case for Short Words" - Richard Lederer - Lesson Summary

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The Case for Short Words

Introduction:

“The Case for Short Words,” written by Richard Lederer, explains how short words get your point across much more efficiently than many long words might. He says, “A lot of small words, more than you might think, can meet your needs with a strength, grace, and charm that large words do not have”. The essay is a heightened plea so users of the English language to go for short, crisp, swift words, instead of a long word.

The Wrong Notion about the Use of Short Words:

Students of the English language are often under a preconceived false notion that by using a more complex vocabulary in writing and by using long words in conversation, others might consider them as being ‘well educated’, and perhaps even a little more ‘intelligent’. Richard

Lederer says that the student of the English language should rather strive for ‘simplicity’ and ‘ease of understanding’ in using words. Getting others to understand your ideas, thoughts and feelings is not an easy thing to do; even for native speakers. By keeping things simple, clear and precise, we encourage greater understanding.

Small words Create Big Ideas:

Many students use words that look very long and complex, and most of the time they do not even know what these words mean. They like to throw in elaborate and complex words into their essays just because it looks more academic, although these complex words can cause confusion for the audience. When one wants to look academic and profound there is no need for big words.

As Richard Lederer rightly points out, short words can meet the needs of the speaker or writer with a strength, grace, and charm that large words do not have. Short words give clear light on big things like night and day, love and hate, war and peace, life and death, while big words can make the way dark for those who read what you write, and hear what you say. Big words sometimes seem strange to the eye and the ear and the mind and the heart.

Comparison of Short Words with Positive Images:

According to Lederer, short words are:

bright like sparks that glow in the night,

prompt like the dawn that greets the day,

sharp like the blade of a knife,

hot like salt tears that scald the cheek,

quick like moths that flit from flame to flame, and

terse like the dart and sting of a bee.

Studies and Statistics on Short Words:

One study show that twenty words account for 25% of all spoken English words, and all twenty of them are monosyllabic. Other studies also indicate that the fifty most common words in written English are each made of a single syllable.

Historical Evidence on the Importance of Short Words:

For centuries, our finest poets and orators have recognised and employed the power of small words to make a straight point between two minds. Even a great many of our proverbs punch home their points with short monosyllables: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” “A Stitch in time saves nine”, “Spare the rod, spoil the child”, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” etc.

Nobody used the short word more skilfully than William Shakespeare, whose plays abound with short, pithy phrases and sayings. Shakespeare’s contemporaries made the King James Bible a centrepiece of short words – “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good.” Even the famous Prime Minister of England, Sir Winston Churchill responded to Parliament with these ringing monosyllables:

“I will say: it is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all our strength that God can give us.”

Conclusion:

Lederer feels that one need not be a great author, statesman, or philosopher to tap the energy and eloquence of small words. He demonstrates this thought, with an exercise he had given his ninth graders at St.Paul’s School to write a composition composed entirely of one-syllable words, which they did with aplomb.

Thus, according to Lederer, by using short words we can express the idea that we are trying to get across to our reader or listener in a much easier way. We do not have to strain to think about what intricate and complex words to use, but instead focus more on what is to be said - the message. After all, the main reason for writing is usually to get an idea across. So, by using small words, Lederer opines that, one will be able to express one’s ideas more clearly and precisely.

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