Thursday, January 14, 2021

Analyze Kolatkar's Jejuri poems as a critique of religious hypocrisy with reference to the poem you have read.

 

Arun Kolatkar, a social, simple, truthful and skeptic poet of Indian English poetry contributes a lot for the development of Indian English Poetry. He helps to bring renaissance in this genre of poetry.  

 

Jejuri is a village situated about 30 miles (48 km) from the city of Pune in the state of  Maharashtra. It is a famous temple situated near Pune in Maharastra. Here he visits the temples and witnesses the blind faith of the people, the attitudes of worshipper and different gods. He shows all these and wants to access the truth of all these.

 

In Jejuri, one can find different value systems and quest and investigation behind all these. Primitive religious tradition, modern civilization in urban society and the life principle are found in his poetry. He is in a kind of dilemma between modernity and tradition, artificial and real, truth and legend, skepticism and belief and his own perception regarding religion and he do all these to find the actual truth. The poet tells that-

 

“You look down the roaring road.

You search for the signs of daybreak in

What little light spills out of the bus.”

The head lights of the Bus which again dispel the darkness of a little area are symbolic of the solace the human mind experience through these religious rituals. The only sign of daybreak that Manohar sees is the sight of his own divided face. The speaker’s own face appears to be on either side of the bus when he gets off.

 

This poem clearly stands out for its direct attack on the religious heads of the temple community. It takes a satirical tone displaying the ugly image of how religion has become a business. Kolatkar throws light on the dishonorable practices of the priest. The offerings get more importance, than the faith. And while the devotees are making offerings, the priest awaits as to see how much he can get out of it.

 

The priest is dependent on this faith of the people for his living. Hence, he is waiting eagerly for the bus. He is standing outside the temple under the hot sun looking for the bus. He is thinking about how much he can earn this day and whether or not he’ll get a puran poli in his plate. Puran poli is a sweet dish cooked during auspicious times in Maharashtrian homes. It is an expensive dish and hence is seldom cooked.

The priest also indulges in unhealthy bad habits like chewing a betel leaf. He is turning it over and over as though he is chanting a mantra. Priests are supposed to be holy people who have to chant mantras, but here the scene is otherwise. He is perhaps praying for the bus to arrive soon.

His foul materialism is mirrored time and gain in the poem. The source of his greed is dishonesty. But now he has been doing it for so long that he doesn’t seem to feel guilty at all. A priest vows that he will be away from all the worldly pleasures. But this priest is engrossed in counting the offerings. There is no simplicity in his thinking and living, the catgrin on his face symbolizes that.

“At the end of the bumpy ride

With your own face on either side

When you get off the bus”

 

 The last line of the poem “you don’t step inside the old man’s head” makes it clear that the pilgrims enters Jejuri, with the same urban skeptic mind, without succeeding in his efforts of getting adjusted to the religious temperament of the common people, Indians. This poem establishes the theme of perception and alienation.

From the above discussion it is clear that the poet’s motif to visit Jejuri is actually to know what is Jejuri about and what the truth is behind these rituals. Here he takes every stone, culture, tradition under his investigation to seek the actual story behind these.   It can be noted that materialism, commercialism, artificiality, hypocrisy and blind faith are the causes for this deterioration of tradition and rise of skepticism and quest.

Evaluate Derek Walcott's poems as an expression of his love for his own identity with reference to at least one of his poems.

 Derek Walcott is a painter, poet, and playwright born in Castries, Saint Lucia in 1930. Though his father, an artist, died when Walcott and his twin brother were very young, the brothers and their older sister were able to stay with their mother in Saint Lucia (Sture). Walcott’s experience of life in the formerly-colonized islands, his racially mixed heritage, and the history of abuse the island and it’s people had taken over the years greatly impacted his identity and work.

Walcott’s poems focuses heavily on just the theme of identity, which is why it is worth addressing here but not in an analysis of home. His poem “Love After Love”, where he tells -

And say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

It is clear that the message of “Love After Love” is to take the time to love yourself, by yourself, instead of forever chasing after the love of others.

Many individuals have struggled to see themselves, and have instead loved the experiences of the West and the things that westerners love as a result of assimilation and post-colonialism. In his poem, Walcott illustrates the prodigal return to the self, encouraging readers that one day they will eventually ” love again the stranger who was yourself.”

In “As John to Patmos” he glorifies the allures and blessings of his dearest island hyperbolically.

The island is heaven

For beauty has surrounded

It’s black children, and freed them of homeless ditties.”

 

He says this out of his inexpressible love for Santa Lucia which likely to have blessed all her homeless people with accommodation. “As John to Patmos” is a bright example of his exuberant love for the sea, the hooks, flora and fauna, the sky of his dearest island and black islanders that are, as it were Celestial blessing to him.

He says in his 'As John to Patmos' poems-

“This island is heaven-away from the dustblown blood of cities;

 See the curve of bay, watch the straggling flower, pretty is

 The wing'd sound of trees, the sparse-powdered sky, when lit is

 The Night”

 

This is one of the earliest examples of Walcott's engagement with the natural world and proof of his love of it. Describing his island as 'heaven' has clear Biblical connotations, and he juxtaposes this paradise of a place with the 'dustblown blood of cities', referring to the violence that often takes place in urban areas ('blood') and the pollution of the natural world through human activity ('dustblown').  

The poet again mention his own identity in his poem 'A Far Cry from Africa' from 'In a Green Night' -

“I who am poisoned with the blood of both,

Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?”

 

This quote is one of the most famous in all of Derek Walcott's literary oeuvre.  He is describing how he has both African and European blood as he mixed-race and is not sure where he goes from here.  He is not only divided in terms of skin colour or outward appearance but internally as well. The use of the verb 'divided' conjures in the mind of the reader the phrase 'Divide and Rule' which was used by imperialists to show them how they could expand their empires.

 

So for Walcott, the heart that has always loved and known him is the Caribbean, and he has love for the stranger who was himself. For others, the path to finding that heart continues, but “Love After Love” promises that true identity will eventually be revealed and embraced

Therefore, in the light of above analysis it can be said that Derek Walcott explores in his writing the processes of identity-making in the colonial and postcolonial Caribbean and the complex connections between Caribbean identities and the Caribbean Sea and landscape.   His poetic posture shows that he is not restricted in the boundary of criticizing imperialism rather he shows his strong desire to celebrate both in their own way.  He tries to express of his love for his own identity his every poem.

Justify the title of the poem "The Logopathic Reviewer's Song".

 

The  title of the poem "The Logopathic Reviewer's Song" is very significant which he mocks the so called conservative critics who do not appreciate new writers or thier writing using irony and sarcasm. As a modern writer kaiser Haq write poetry in a new manner.  He thinks that critics should appreciate the new kinds of writing.  But in the world of poetry there are some vindictive reviewer who shows theirs hatred to the new poet, who writes poetry without following the classical poetic style. 

In this poem,  logopathic reviewer is the speaker who consider himself as a superior in poetic world. He act here like he is only the critic who knows everything under the sun. He proudly compares himself with a sun an says that likewise sun his duty is to cherished the lonely poet like a Demolition Derby. According to Kaiser Haq , critics should not be vindictive while giving criticism to others' writing.  They should not be destructive rather they should be constructive while judging  new poets' writing. But in this poem kaiser Haq portrays a logopathic reviewer who only appreciate his writing he does not show any kinds of respect or appreciation to new poet. Haq ridicules on this kinds of critic Who does not wants to see change or new kinds of writing  in poetic world, and Who only show cruelty toward new writers because they don't allow them to make a room in the field of poetry.

 

As the reviewer proudly mention it,

" I  am the greatest,  the one and only logopathic hit and runs critics".

In this line  which is used to mock through the logo logopathic reviewer so called poet who only values the writing which are written by following the traditional style of poetry.

The Logopathic Reviewer's Song, Kaiser Haq demonstrates  his ability to mould the English language into strange and beautiful forms that reflect his - distinctive vision of life —at once ironic, quirky, zany, and rich in emotional undertones and intellectual implications. With increasing exuberance, he explores varieties of free verse, experiments with prose poetry and aphorisms, and for good measure dips into the Rich Fund folk tales. Varied spanning three continents are distilled with innovative verve into this memorable volume.

So the title of the poem "The Logopathic Reviewer's Song is justifiable.

Justify the poem "Civil Service Romance" as a satire to bureaucracy and red tapism of postcolonial Bangladesh

 

A bureaucracy typically refers to an organization that is complex with multilayered systems and processes. These systems and procedures are designed to maintain uniformity and control within an organization. A bureaucracy describes the established methods in large organizations or governments.

  Red tape is an idiom referring to regulations or conformity to formal rules or standards which are claimed to be excessive, rigid or redundant, or to bureaucracy claimed to hinder or prevent action or decision-making. It is usually applied to governments, corporations, and other large organizations.

 

Kaiser Haq is a post-colonial modern writer and poet who widely used the literary technique of satire in a witty manner in his poetry to criticise the contemporary  society.  He attacks the convention of contemporary society and reveal the superficiality of them and shows that they have some faults and moral lacking as well though the usages of satire in his poems.

 

His poem " civil service Romance" is a direct satire on the civil service of our country. In our country people who are doing government jobs they are not loyal towards their job. They does not show any seriousness and responsibility toward their work. Through the poem " civil service romance " Kaiser Haq satirises the system of our government officials where people are keen on dealing with unnecessary things  and how ridiculously they ignore the urgent files. In this poem we find that an officer is quite busy for making love with a new beautiful lady employee.  He does not care the emergency file, what he care is only making romance with a new joined lady employee. Thus, portraying this love making incidents in a sarcastic manner, Haiser Haq mock the political system of our government’s jobs where employees show no morality or duty towards their job. Throughout this poem he mocks the traditional concept of our civil service where people are corrupted both morally and ethically. 

 

The poet is said to a real ‘ambassador of Bangladeshi culture’ who proudly reveals his origin and rationally tries to brand his country. Through a note of irony in 'Civil Service Romance, Haq portrays bureaucratic irregularities of the civil service in Bangladesh. He mocks the Babu English by deliberately mimicking the style used in letters of application to the English Sahibs or Masters.

 The poem starts with:

Subject: Improvement of Bilateral Ties

Dear Miss:

With due respect and humble submission

I beg to welcome you to neighboring section.

The title of the poem mentions a 'romance' that occasionally flowers in a work place. When in a government office, a male employee and a female employee are engaged in discussing family particulars, sharing likes and dislikes, making jokes (or love!) and improving all-round bilateral ties, the most URGENT file is kept pending as per rule of the red-tape culture. Haq then speaks about another embarrassing aspect of the civil service-the buttering or oiling of the bosses (the neo-imperialists). Which guarantees promotions and other benefits. These are some phenomena in a postcolonial civil service world coming down from the colonial political culture. The limitless power of the government officials is still seen in the civil service; the officers are more or less like Sahibs or Babus.

So we could say that the poem "Civil Service Romance" as a satire to bureaucracy and red tapism of postcolonial Bangladesh.

Justify the title of the novel” Seize the Day”.

 It is heavily ironical in the novel's context that the title, me of the novella should be pronounced by someone who, at the first superficial assessment, appears to be out and out a rogue and mischievous manipulator. The ‘carpe diem’ theme, taken from Horatian ode, lurks at the core of this small but profound book.

 

“ The past is no good to us. The future is of anxiety. Only the present is

Real- the here-and-now. Seize the Day.”

 

 The telling story of Seize the Day narrates how a man from the brink of utter despondency attains a position of ‘the consummation of his heart's ultimate need.’ Seize the Day is the story of one crisis day in Tommy Wilhelm's life, the story of his failures to adjust himself to the hard world of money,  selfishness, and exploitation around him. Being a failure in the world's standards, Tommy staggers at every juncture of life, suffers ignominious humiliation at the hands of his sardonically egocentric biological father, Dr. Adler, showy and pompous surrogate father, Dr. Tamkin and ever exploiting unsympathetic wife, Margaret. He passes through heavily shattering situations, arrives at a dreadfully disastrous edge of life-'as he had dreaded, he was wiped out. but eventually overcomes ignominy by being completely human and seizes the day.

 

Tommy Wilhelm, the anti-heroic hero of Seize the Day, is an ignominious failure. There is hardly anything heroic in him in the true sense of the term. 'Victory' or 'success are words, which are not found in his private dictionary He had never won. Not once.'  Throughout the novel he fights a solitary battle and on the very verge of collapse he wins it. He parts the mundane aspirations, cuts off all his ties with the dehumanized materialistic world and, in the long run, advances toward the establishment of a personal world based on the universal passion called 'love to live a life befitting humankind and to enjoy it to the heart's content.

Being motivated by the juvenile enthusiasm, Tommy aspired to become a film star: "He was to be freed from the anxious and narrow life of the average."   Against the counsel of an agent, and against his parent's will, he rushed out to Hollywood, changed his name; but, as ill luck would have it, his screen test went powerfully against him and ultimately his adolescent

aspirations turned into gnawing disappointments. He barely survived as an extra. His obstinate attachment to the Hollywood mission to be a film star consumed much of his youthful vigor and vivacity making him incompetent for any quality jobs. Now a grown man with an estranged wife, he sets himself in pursuit of filial affection and help. He remains unable to accept his fate as an ordinary man.

The story of Seize the Day ends with the magnified image of a man. Throughout the novel Tommy has fought a solitary battle against forces of darkness, against what is annihilating for mankind. He transcends the margin of alienation that threatens to overthrow him. The last paragraph tells about Tommy's regeneration:

“ The flowers and lights fused ecstatically in Wilhelm's blind, wet eyes; the heavy sea-like music came un to his ears. It poured into him where he had hidden himself in the center of a crowd by the great and happy oblivion of tears. He heard it and sank deeper than sorrow, through torn sobs and cries toward the  consummation of his heart's ultimate need."

Here we see a meaningful suffering affirmed rather than denied There is a kind of rebirth, as the image of drowning - (sank deeper than sorrow)- makes clear. Wilhelm has been metamorphosed; he has undergone a sort of baptism by being washed by his happy tears. Tommy not only attains his emancipation but also achieves purification. His tears have led him toward 'the consummation of his heart's ultimate need.’ This powerful ending of the novel shows Tommy as triumphant in the long run.

 

Seize the Day is much about love as it is about money. Like a child, the protagonist of the book literally craves for sympathy and attention from both his biological father and surrogates one; but his hope is unremittingly thwarted as he meets with unnatural and dubious treatment from both of them. Though his hunt for filial love and compassion ends in dismal frustration, there is a suggestion, however faint it may be, in the last chapter of the novel that Tommy's ever-ravenous heart is going to be satiated with the long cherished touch of love. In the novel, Tommy is the only character who cares much about such things called love. In the end, Tommy makes up his mind to establish a care free world with his beloved Olive founded on this universal passion of love with a view to enjoying life to the fullest extent:

“ I’ll get a divorce if it's the last thing I do” he swore" As for Dad- As for Dad- I’ll have to sell the car for Junk and pay the Hotel. I’ll have to go on my knees to Olive and say, ’stand by me a while. Don't let her (Margaret) win, Olive" And he though,  I’ll start again with Olive, In fact, I must. Olive loves me, Olive'

In Seize the Day, the oppressive forces cannot completely crush Tommy. Bellow endows his protagonist with Compelling human qualities by dint of which he overcomes ignominy. Throughout the novel Tommy Wilhelm, an epitome of suffering humanity, undertakes a highly metaphorical journey, the closing stage of which is the assertion a meaningful life. From a very faltering position to a sturdy ground, from all pervasive loneliness to heart refreshing accommodation, from ignominy to admiration.

Seize the Day tells us a tale of a man's success not through physical prowess but by humble human qualities, The book is about the vicissitudes and fluctuations in a man's 1ife and also how he passes the hurdles to seize the day, that is, the present Bellow, presenting a magnified vision of life, presents his hero, Tommy Wilhelm as exemplary and shows how to seize the day, the big, colossal present and also what is life meant for. The title of the story not only covers the quest story of the protagonist, but also throws powerful light on the purport of the book. Seize the Day tells us how a man seizes the day, and the title, being the best summation of it, is an apt one. By giving this title to the book, Saul Bellow has lent almost an allegorical dimension to it.

Explain the predicaments of a modern man from Seize the Day.

 

Seize the day is a reflection of the times in which it was written. The novel was written in a post-war world. WWII created several factors that serve as a backdrop to Wilhelm's isolation in the novel, an isolation that represents the feeling of many during the time period.

First and foremost, war creates dissolution and in many cases dislocation because of forced immigration. During the war many people, Jews especially, were escaping the Germans and, thus, fleeing, when they could. Also, American troop and other members of the alliance were disillusioned to see that such horrors could exist. Finally, and in opposition to the above, the war had a positive effect of creating an economic boom. There was also a surge in technological interest in America. The reasons for this serge are two-fold: America was rich and America was involved in a post-WWII cold war with the Soviet Union, since the countries competed technologically. It is in this world that a man like Tommy Wilhelm is lost.

Tommy is an idealist surrounded by the pressures of the outside world. He is isolated and, thus, is forced to turn inward. The urban landscape is the symbol that furthers his isolation, for he is always "alone in a crowd." Bellow wants the reader to understand this isolation and thus has almost the entire novel take place within Wilhelm's head. We experience the back and forth of uncertainty, the wavering of watery thoughts, the sadness and frustration of being that person that is "alone in the crowd."

This isolation and inner struggle is the predicament of modernity. Bellow would not be the only modern master to touch up the subject. For instance, T.S. Eliot had written The Wasteland in which he discusses many of the same subjects as Bellow, albeit in a very different fashion and style. Eliot discusses the "unreal city" which can be compared to the city that Wilhelm feels so uncomfortable within. Eliot also claims that there are many "dead" within the crowds. This symbolic death points to the fact that the modern man seems only to be going through the motions of things. Wilhelm, for instance, at the beginning of the novel, is like a character seemingly dead, both in appearance and in the way he claims he will simply go about the actions of his day. Other similarities between The Wasteland and Seize the Day include the images of "drowning" and "water." Both writers used these images to illustrate a person drowning in life.

Seize the Day is not a regular day in the life of the modern man because it is a "day of reckoning," a day in which someone that is truly dead will give the protagonist a jolt of life. Unlike many modern masterpieces, Bellow has chosen a positive ending for his novel. He has also allowed his protagonist connections with the modern world. In Times Square, for example, Wilhelm had felt connected to the "larger body" of humanity. Furthermore, Bellow complicates the predicament of modernity by adding a very human and positive element. Bellow seems to be saying that the predicament of modern man goes far beyond the typical pessimism, cynicism, and isolation because it has the potential of reaching understanding and love.

Compare and contrast between the characters of Tommy and Tamkin.

 

The  compare between the characters of tommy and Tamkin is that : Tommy Wilhelm, the protagonist of Seize the Day, is a character in turmoil. He is burdened by the loss of his job, financial instability, the separation of his wife, and his relationship with his father, among other things. He is a man in search of self who the reader is allowed to watch and follow through the course of a single, significant day in his life, a day that is called his "day of reckoning."

  Tommy is a complicated and layered character who wears masks and has to peel away his social armor and mask in order to understand himself, at the end of the book. The book begins, "when it came to concealing his troubles, Tommy Wilhelm was not less capable than the next fellow. So at least he thought…" Concealment is an issue at hand. Significantly, Tommy had been an actor, albeit a failed one, as well as a salesman. He had learned to wear masks, play roles, and "sell" himself. However, on the day that the narrative takes place, Tommy must rid himself of all of this and find out who he really is.

Tommy, it is evident, plays many roles. He plays the role of Adler's son, a role that is difficult for him to escape. He cares too much how his father sees him. And, he often becomes the "failure" that he believes his father sees in him. He has been an actor, a hospital orderly, a ditch-digger, a seller of toys, a seller of self, and a public relations man for a hotel in Cuba. He has, therefore, been many characters and never his true self. Beneath his masks, as the reader is privileged to discover through interior monologues, he is truly an introvert trapped in the body of a man who has been forced to be extroverted, he is also sensitive and almost, at times feminine. This femininity is poked at and criticized, however, by his father when he accuses him of having had a relationship with a man from his office.

The novel portrays Tommy as a man who is drowning. The imagery that surrounds him is the imagery of water and he is constantly "descending" and "sinking" into hellish depths. However, the author must bring into question the character of Tommy because although he constantly blames others, such as his father, his wife, or Dr. Tamkin, for his strife and place in life. He must learn to take credit for his own mistakes. He is character in flux, a character that wavers between victimization and a temptation to martyrdom and a self-acceptance, and he wavers too between childishness and maturity. Nevertheless, it is this very fluctuation that will help him on his way to seeking truth because, as Dr. Tamkin says, the path to victory is not a straight line.

On the other hand Dr.Tamkin the Antagonist of seize the day. Dr. Tamkin, like many of the characters of the novel. He claims to be many things, but what is true is difficult to surmise. He claims that he is a psychiatrist, a healer, a poet, a stock market specialist, that he has tended to the Egyptian royal family and that he is, among other things, a master inventor. He is also an advocator of Reichian philosophy: he believes in juxtaposition. However, there are many truths within his lies. Perhaps also, one might come to understand his "lies" as simply stories or parables. For a man who believes in the power of juxtaposition and the force of opposites working together, a man who believes in flux and in alternative ways of looking at the world, it makes perfect sense for the reader to find truth within his lies. The paradox, itself, is a work of juxtaposition.

In many ways then, one might say that Dr. Tamkin is much like Bellow himself. That is to say that he is an "inventor," a teller of tales and truths, and, therefore, an authorial figure. Significantly, he also takes on the role of a surrogate father for Wilhelm, giving him advice and leading him to an eventual recognition of self.

Dr. Tamkin, whether a liar or not, is an attractive figure. This is not to say that he, along with the psychology and Romanticism he preaches, is not often the subject of Bellow's parodying force. However, it is important to disregard Tamkin, for he always practices what he preaches even if his methods are seemingly "unsound."

The contrast between the characters of Tommy and Tamkin, they both start the same business and they believe each other.  Both of them are playing an important role in Seize the day.    

Evaluate the ending of Seize the Day.

 

 The ending of Seize the Day, one of the representative works of American contemporary famous writer Saul Bellow, has multiple meanings. Firstly, in the first part of his life, Wilhelm is constrained by his "pretender soul". At the end of the novel, in the Jewish chapel, Wilhelm begins to realize the "ultimate need of his heart" is to seek the "real soul". Secondly, in the Jewish chapel, Wilhelm realizes his Jewish identity once again. The awareness of suffering comes to the surface of his mind again. Wilhelm's spirit is redeemed. Thirdly, in spite of the pitiful relationship between people, Wilhelm identifies with and adheres to the commandment of loving one's neighbors in Jewish ethics.

Living  a life  full of  mistakes, Tommy  never seemed  to correct  himself or  even be  bothered  about  repeating the same mistakes over and over again. But, losing everything he had and reaching the state where he had nothing else left to lose, he started to have a different kind of self-actualization. Psychologically, he started to dig deeper  and deeper  within himself.  He regretted,  “I  should  have  done hard  labor  all  my life” . He realized that he should have listened to his father when he warned him about Tamkin. He also realized that he should have listened to his mother Florence Adler, who tried to stop him many times when he was making all those mistakes. He now thought he must get a divorce from Margaret in his last-ditch effort to get united with Olive. He decided to sell off his car to pay the hotel. He thought he would have to go on his knees asking Olive to be  with him. He now came out of  his confused  life and  clearly had  a plan  how to  start things  over. He thought,  “I’ll  try  to  start  again  with  Olive.  In  fact,  I must” . His self-realization led him to his spiritual rebirth.  “This  spiritual  rebirth  is  apparent  in  the  tears  pouring  down  at  the  end  of  the  novel,  when  Wilhelm accidentally gets  swept  into  a funeral ceremony”. The pretender soul of Tommy died thus and the real soul of Tommy was born through his self-actualization. 

 The story ends not in fragments but with the magnified image of a man. Tommy has fought a solitary 

battle against what is annihilating for mankind. He transcends the margin of alienation that threatens to
 overthrow man. The last paragraph tells about Tommy's regeneration:
 

“The flowers and lights fused ecstatically in Wilhelm's blind, wet eyes; the heavy sea-like music came up to his ears. It poured into him where he had hidden himself in the center of a crowd by the great and happy oblivion of tears. He heard it and sank deeper than sorrow, through torn sobs and cries toward the consummation of his heart's ultimate need". 

Here we see a meaningful suffering affirmed rather than denied.  There is a kind of rebirth as the imagery of drowning sank deeper than Sorrow makes clear.  Wilhelm has been metamorphosed; he has undergone a sort of baptisms by being washed by his happy  tears. Tommy not only attains his emancipation but achieves purification. His tears has led him  toward the consummation of his heart's ultimate need.  This is a powerful ending.

Seize the Day is much about love as it is about money. Like a child he literally craves for sympathy and attention from both his biological father and surrogate father. In the world of the novel he is the only character who cares much about such things as love. He is a loving father and expects love from his father, from his wife, from his kids, and from his beloved. In the last chapter of the novel there is a suggestion that Tommy is going to establish a 'little society', as E.M. Forster terms it, based on this universal passion called love:

"I’ll get a divorce if it's the last thing I do" he swore. "--As for Dad-- As for Dad- I'll have to sell the car for junk and pay the hotel. I’ll have to go on my knees to Olive and say, stand by me a while. Don't let her (Margaret) win. Olive!" And he thought, I’ll try to start again with Olive. In fact, I must. Olive loves me. Olive' The oppressive forces cannot completely crush Tommy. Bellow ends the novel in an optimistic note, however faint it may be. The ending shows the triumph of human over inhuman. The novelist has lent almost an allegorical dimension to the book. The ending testifies it.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

GOTHIC ELEMENTS are found in Wuthering Heights.


Emily Bronte famous novel “Wuthering Heights” is a well mixture  of gothic elements. Gothic novel is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. In gothic novel the atmosphere is gloom, terror and mystery. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, we encounter a atmosphere which is gloomy and lonely. For example, the ancient manor Wuthering heights and the moors everything seems to be gloomy and mysterious.
Gothic novel is often set on a ruined castle or abandoned house. The setting of Wuthering heights is also a ruined castle which is full of terror and mystery. In gothic novel the protagonist is usually villein. We find a villain protagonist in withering Heights which name is Heathcliff, Heathcliff is the perfect gothic villain.  He is dark, handsome, mysterious, and rotten to the core.  No one really knows where Heathcliff came from.   Heathcliff is also a tragic figure. He is not considered suitable to marry Catherine because he is not “a gentleman” Although he has the makings of a romantic hero, he is the villain of the story. He ultimate destroys the woman that he loves. And he becomes avenger for taking revenge on Linton family and Hindley for the sake of his insane love. Greed, revenge, jealousy, ghosts, insane love, mysterious death all  gothic things are found in Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights.
     Like all Gothic romances, Wuthering Heights has elements of the supernatural.  Supernatural events happen in the beginning of the novel and continue until the very end.  like the ghost of Catherine, barking dogs in the wuthering heights, Yorkshire moors , Tragic death of Heathcliff all stands for the supernatural existence in wuthering Heights.
It is a dark and stormy night when Mr. Lockwood is forced to spend the night at Wuthering Heights.  And while sleeping his hands are grabbed by the ghost of Cathrine This terrifying nightmare of Lockwood tells us the supernatural existence in wuthering heights.
Wuthering Heights is the ancient manor of the Earns haws.  It is situated on the Yorkshire moors.  The moors and the house are dark, desolate, and lonely.  The very name of the house suggests stormy and violent weather. The ancient house and its gloomy surroundings help to give story its gothic feel.
Wuthering Heights is also a Gothic romance because even after death of Catherine, Heathcliff calls the soul of Cathrine to come and living around him. This horror romance between Cathrine and Heathcliff demonstrates the idea that their love is alive even after death.
To sum up, we could say that Emily Bronte novel wuthering Heights is a perfect gothic genre because it is a novel which is full of Gothic elements.

How young Characters learns from their parents mistakes (cathy & Hareton) Written communication in wuthering Heignts?


In 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte, the characters find themselves unable to understand the meaning of love, but rather engage in a series of destructive, dysfunctional relationships with one another. In this lesson, we will analyze the destructive, obsessive relationships in this novel.
Dysfunctional Relationship : Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is the story of two generations of Heathcliffs, Earnshaws, and Lintons. After Heathcliff is recovered from the streets of Liverpool by Mr. Earnshaw and brought to Wuthering Heights to be part of the Earnshaw family, he is eventually well-received by his new sister, Catherine, but not by his brother, Hindley. Mr. Earnshaw's marked favoritism towards Heathcliff improves the sibling rivalry that already exists to the point that Mr. Earnshaw's death places Heathcliff in a precarious position of being raised by a brother that hates him.
With Catherine as his only ally, they become extremely close, until Catherine marries Edgar Linton for the social status and wealth he can provide her, although she truly loves Heathcliff. Heathcliff's jealousy turns into revenge after he comes into money of his own. He diabolically sets out to hurt the people around Hindley, Edgar, and Catherine, including Edgar's sister, Hindley's son, Edgar and Catherine's daughter, and even his own son. Let's look at some of the more destructive relationships from this novel.
First Generation Parenting: What was Heathcliff's life like before he came to Wuthering Heights? We know nothing about Heathcliff's parents except that they left him alone on the streets of Liverpool. Whether it is death, abandonment, or an inability to care for him that left him filthy and starving at the point where Mr. Earnshaw took him in is unknown, but the destructive effects of being left on your own at the age of seven are undeniable.
Mr. Earnshaw adores Heathcliff, but with his own children, he is more of a rigid than a loving parent. He punishes Catherine for misbehavior by withholding his love saying, ''I cannot love thee, thou'rt worse than thy brother. Go, say thy prayers, child, and ask God's pardon.'' Mr. Earnshaw shows a marked preference for Heathcliff over Hindley and even sends Hindley away to school because the two can't get along. It is no wonder that Hindley, Heathcliff, and Catherine are confused about the selfless nature of real love.
Second Generation Parenting: Catherine dies in childbirth, so we are unable to see what she would be like as a parent, but Hindley and Heathcliff are both even worse than their father. After Hindley's wife dies giving birth to their son, Hareton, Hindley becomes a violent drunk. Hareton is solely cared for by a servant, Nelly, who hides him from his father to prevent exposing the child to his rage. At one point, Hindley threatens Nelly with a knife and says, ''By heaven and hell, you've sworn between you to murder that child!''
When Hindley dies and Heathcliff takes custody of Hareton, it is only to torture him and treat him as a servant to avenge the way Hindley treated Heathcliff as a child. Heathcliff also takes custody of his own child, Linton, but doesn't treat him any better. Nelly remarks, ''I could not picture a father treating a dying child as tyrannically and wickedly as I afterwards learned Heathcliff had treated him....'' Heathcliff forces his very ill son, Linton, and Catherine's daughter, Cathy, to get married so that he can become Cathy's father and inherit Thrush cross Grange upon Linton's death.
Heathcliff and Catherine:
As bad at parenting as the characters are, they are probably even worse at developing loving romantic relationships. The worst of these is the destructive nature of the relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. Catherine knows that Heathcliff is the one she wants to be with. She tells Nelly, " It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him; and that not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire." Although she feels passionately towards Heathcliff, and even at one with him, she marries Edgar because Heathcliff does not have the means to provide her with material wealth or social status.
Resolve mistake:   Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Heathcliff, and Catherine Linton.  Cathy begins as Earnshaw, dreams of becoming Heathcliff, but ends up marrying into the Linton family.  Catherine, her daughter, does the opposite: born Linton, she becomes Heathcliff through her brief marriage to Linton, and eventually becomes Earnshaw when she marries Hareton.
      Hareton is able to forget Catherine’s unkindness. Their courtship, like Cathy and Heathcliff’s, is not shown directly.  The only explicit portrayal of their love resides in the scene at the novel’s end in which Catherine helps Hareton learn to read. Poignantly, this scene shows how Hareton finally, through the help of Catherine, is redeemed to his rightful social placing within the family.  As Catherine teaches Hareton to read, rather than scoffing at him, she rewards him with kisses.  Also like Cathy and Heathcliff, Catherine and Hareton are prone to “late rambles” on the moors (Brontë 275).  Thus, the love story of Catherine and Hareton revises that of Heathcliff and Cathy.  While the first generation breaks their attachment beyond repair, the novel shows how two very similar, though overall gentler, characters can make such a relationship work.  In this way, the two children undo the bad decisions made by their predecessors.