MANDAVA INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERONG AND TECHNOLOGY ,

JAGGAIAHPET
1 Year 1 st semester English UNIT-I
st

A Drawer full of Happiness

1. What could be reason for the drawer remaining locked for close to 25 years?
Ans. The drawer of the custom made dressing table was locked close to 25 years.
After being pestered by his daughters, the father broken the drawer that had revealed
memories of that wonderful decade back in the late 1980s and 1990s. the drawer consisted
an array of cosmetics such as wooden hair pins, wooden kumkum cases, metal bindi
stamps, coloured bindi powder, mascara, liquid foundation and a collection of lipsticks
etc., that belonged to the period around 1995.
Though the women of that generation used a range of cosmetics, they maintained a kind of
privacy filled with dignity unlike today. Use of cosmetics was considered purely personal.
Cosmetics were strictly kept away from the reach of children. This drawer key was missed
and the author tried number of times and with number of keys but failed. So the drawer
remain locked for nearly 25 years.

2. How does the writer support her statement that the 1990s had a ‘fine balancing act’?
Ans. People of 1990s generation experienced everything in equal measure. They are well
versed all the latest technologies like computers, mobile phones, TVs, cars cinemas. Yet,
they pretty well spread their attention on reading general books, listening to music,
watching some good TV serials like ‘Ramayana’ playing out-doors. Still they had time to
observe some good hobbies like philately. They even had good family relations and social
relations.
Getting involved in such a large variety of deeds is really a ‘fine balancing act’.

3. What could be the justification for the contrasting behaviours of mothers from
different generations towards their young? Which generation mothers would you
prefer?
Ans. We could find many contrasting behaviours of mothers of 1990s to that of the present.
Mothers of 1980s and 1990s kept their cosmetics deliberately inaccessible to the younger
ones while the mothers today quite accept their little girls smearing lip-gloss or eyes lining
in ‘kohl’.
I very much prefer the attitude of the mothers of 1990s as the girls at their tender age will
grow healthily without unnecessary distractions.

4. What does the author suggest by saying the current decade has ‘an excess of many
things’? Is the tone appreciative or derogatory?
Ans. The author in the story ‘A Drawer full of Happiness’ says the current decade has ‘an
excess of many things’. Here, the author’s tone, I feel, is derogatory and ironic.
The present generation is exposed to too many run of the mill books and articles,
disoriented entertainment on TV and internet. The author has indirectly drawn a parallel
 between past handful of iconic shows on TV and cherry-picked reading of books and
journals.

5. Justify the title, ‘A Drawer full of Happiness’.

Ans. The author very sensibly chose the title, ‘A Drawer full of Happiness for this story.
A drawer of an old dressing table that had been locked for nearly 25 years was opened. It
consisted of all wonderful cosmetic products being used back in the 1990s. To everyone’s
surprise, all those products looked afresh in usable condition just as the drawer revealed the
precious memories of those times afresh to us.
People of that older generation enjoyed enough all the modern styles and fashions; and the
advantages of all the technological developments. However, everything was in a ‘fine
balancing act’. They used technology but not over-used it unlike us today. The modern life
styles and the latest technologies did not subdue their happiness and childhood memories.
So, the author symbolically says the drawer that was locked close to 25years ago, when
opened now, has revealed bundles of memories and full of happiness the older generation
experienced.
 UNIT II
Nehru’s Letter to Daughter Indira on her Birthday
INTRODUCTION:

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s visionary prime minister and a much adored father to his daughter
Letters from a Father to His Daughter is a collection of letters written by Jawaharlal
Nehru to his daughter Indira Priyadarshini, originally published in 1929 by Allahabad Law
Journal Press at Nehru's request and consisting of only the 30 letters sent in the summer of
1928 when Indira was 10 years old. The letters were education pieces on the subjects of
natural and human history.

1. What suggestions did Nehru give to Indira in his letter?

Nehru wrote series of letters from1928 while he was at Mussoorie prison, which inspired and
carved Indira’s personality and instilled patriotism in her. He suggests best way to rationalize
what is good and what is bad. It is to ‘Never do anything in secret’ or hide from the society
but ‘make friends with the sun and work in the light’. He asks his daughter to be a
continuous learner from the ideal teacher “Nature”. The world is wide has infinite wonders
and knowledge within itself. No one can master everything in it.

Indira Gandhi states about her father’s advices as “these letters aroused a feeling of concern
for people and interest in the world around. They taught one to treat nature as a book. I
spent absorbing hours studying stones and plants, the lives of insects and at night the stars.”

2. What does the phrase great drama refer to?

3. During the freedom movement, What did Gandhiji focus on? Answer with
reference to the text.

During India’s independence movement the struggle for freedom has aroused only elite and
literate class at the beginning. According to Jawaharlal Nehru Gandhiji has focused on
spreading the word of liberty to the entire nation irrespective of caste, class and creed. Men
and women, and even little children, come out of their shells and become India’s soldiers of
freedom. This drastic change in people’s attitude and rise of patriotism and nationality for the
mother land was called “Great drama” in the lesson.

4. According to Pt. Nehru, how does a great leader help?

Pt.Jawaharlal Nehru reminds his daughter about her admiration for Joan de arc, a French
woman leader and says ordinary men and women are not heroic. They usually prefer to lead
domestic lives without any great ambitions for the nation and society. Great leaders help to
motivate poor and oppressed enhance them to work for great cause of freedom and make
them heroes of the history.

5. What does Pt. Nehru mean by ‘make friends with the sun and work in the light?
 Honour and trust are the basic moralities to be inculcated in every citizen in their
personal lives.
The rationality to decide good and bad comes by being transparent in the works and ideas and
if we do not hide from the world and let us make friends with the sun and work in the light do
noting secretly. So that people can create brave, serene and unruffled society.
 UNIT -3

STEPHEN HAWKING-POSITIVITY ‘BENCH MARK’

Stephen Hawking was regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in
history. His work on the origins and structure of the universe, from the Big Bang
to black holes, revolutionized the field.

1. What is a turning point? How does it affect one’s life? Discuss it with reference to
Prof.Stephen Hawking’s life?
Hawking’s graduate education at Cambridge marked turning point in life. It was then
that he embarked upon the formal study of cosmology which focused his study.
2. What are Prof. Hawking’s greatest contributions to the field of science?
Hawking’s major contribution to the field of science was his idea of singularity, in
collaboration with Roger Penrose. He continued his examination of nature of
black holes.
In 1974,he outlined his theory that black holes can give off heat
called”Hawking Radiation”. His studies further concerned the size of black holes.
3. What is the meaning of the statement….’people will know the mind of god’?
Hawking’s idea about famous unified field theory of Einstein is a complete theory that
includes of four main interactions of modern physics.
i) Electro magnetic force
ii) Gravitational force
iii) Weak force
iv) Strong force
The unified theory explains the conditions of beginning of the universe and
laws of nature which is equal to the vision of god in creation of the universe.
4. How does Hawking change the perceptions of people with
disabilities? People with disabilities look to him as a hero
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”
He refused to let his disability halt his research. My advice to other disabled people
would b e concentrate on things it interferes with. “Don’t get disabled in spirit as
well as physically”
He was determined that his disability was not going to be an obstacle.
5. How could prof.Hawking live for more than half a century with a deadly disease? At
the age of 22 prof. Hawking diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease. He
th th
spent a highly intellectual and challenging life till his 76 year. He died on 14 march
2018 at the age of 76. Prof. Lord Martin Rees compliments Hawking for his
“amazing will power and determination”.
Prime Minister Theresa May called him a “brillian and extra ordinary mind and ”one
of the greatest scientists of his generation”.
6. Why are Prof. Hawking’s books popular, though they are non-fiction?
7. “Prof. Hawking’s works are larger than his life”. Comment briefly.
 Hawking firmly believed that knowledge was to be shared. His ambition was that his
books would be widely read and that they would be available even at airport bookstalls.
His “A Brief History of Time” sold million copies. He also wrote “George’s secret key
to universe” a children’ s book designed to explain Theoretical Physics. Hawking wrote
“Black Holes and Baby Universe and Other Essays”.
8. What have you admired most about prof. Hawking?
9. What are the eight lessons one can learn from Prof. Hawking’s life?

Here are 8 lessons from his extra ordinary life and achievements that can inspire us.
i) He has used technology to overcome his disability. He explained power of
technology to transform lives.
ii) He refused to let his disability halt his research. He advises “don’t be disabled
in spirit as well as physically”.
iii) He was always curious. Hawking had child like curiosity to know how and
why of this universe.
iv) He had never lost his sense of humour. He joked about his appearances on
TV shows and maintained an active mind with sense of humour.
v) He stood by his principles. Hawking concerned lack of funding mismanagement
of funding for scientific research and education in the U.K.
He rejected knighthood as part of his principles.
vi) He never gave up
Inspite of criticism and controversy he carried out his study of black
holes remained as an inspiration for success.
vii) He valued time as a precious resource “I have so much that I want to do. I hate
wasting time”. Stephen hawking
viii) He shared his knowledge. His ambition was that his books would be widely read
and that they would be available even at airport bookstalls. His “A Brief History
of Time” sold million copies.
 UNIT IV
Like a Tree, Unbowed—Wangari Maathai - Biography

1.Mention any three qualities in Wangari Maathai that impressed you.

Ans. Wangari Maathai was an environmental activist, women’s rights activist, Nobel Laureate
from Kenya who was born on 1st April 1940.
In spite of coming from a poor agricultural family and from a social background where
girl education was not valued nor even encouraged, Maathai was the first woman in East
Africa to earn a doctorate degree.
Maathai was a woman with confidence, outspokenness, and uprightness. She became
the target of harassment with these qualities by the Kenyan government for which she was
arrested, imprisoned and intimidated time and again.
She had courage to stand up for her beliefs and she even risked her life for her beliefs.
She remained undaunted against any hurdles, assaults and intimidation.

2.What are two similarities and two differences between the GBM and India’s Chipko
Movement?

Ans. Both the Chipko Movement in India and the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in Kenya
were the most successful forest conservation and environmental movements.
Both the movements were successful in their own countries initially and later on they
spread across the world. Though both the movements were initially started as forest
conservation movements, they further extended their struggle to fight for women
empowerment, tribal and marginalized people. Both the movements followed non-violent
ways and they were initiated and led by women.
However, there were few differences between these two movements. The Chipko
Movement was primarily initiated by tribal women to save the trees and later on many
women volunteers and leaders joined the movement. But, the GBM was initiated by
Professor Wangari Maathai and many women joined the movement through her
motivation.
The Chipko Movement was confined only for afforestation works while Maathai
combined democracy and women empowerment with the Green Belt Movement.

3.Do you think that the Green Belt Movement can be encouraged in India? Justify your
answer.

Ans. Green Belt Movement was founded by Professor Wangari Maathai in 1977 under the
auspices of the National Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK) to respond to the needs of
rural Kenyan women. GBM encouraged the women to work together to grow seedlings and
 plant trees to bind the soil, store rainwater, provide food and firewood and receive a small
monetary token for their work.
After being awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, Prof. Maathai raised the GBM
worldwide. A similar movement was organized in India in the 1970s to resist the
destruction of forests and it was the ‘Chipko Movement’. The success of this movement
encouraged similar movements and protests to spread across the country. Sundarlal
Bahuguna, a Chipko Movement leader said, “Ecology is permanent Economy”.
As India’s forest reserves are at danger due to various reasons, many ecological
imbalances like extreme weather conditions, there is a dire need to get another revolution
of Green Belt Movement to save India for future generations.

4.Maathai tells her fellow African women that the solutions to their problems lie within
themselves. Howfar is it true for India and its problems? Justify?

Ans. Dr. Maathai overcame incredible obstacles to devote her life to service—service to her
children, to her constituents, to the women, and indeed all the people of Kenya-and to the
world as a whole. She always thought to make women see they can do something
worthwhile. She tried to empowerpeople and let them identify their mistakes/problems.
She encouraged women education in order that they could raise their thinking levels and
would be able to find themselves solutions to their their problems.
India, being a country with huge population and plenty of problems; and where women
empowerment is miles away, Dr. Maathai’s words are right to follow. Government alone
may not be able to resolve every problem people usually fce. Hence, let people especially
the women understand that the solutions to their problems lie within themselves.

5.What philosophy does Maathai propagate? Is it typically Kenyan? Why or why not?

Ans. Nobel Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai spent decades working with the Green Belt
Movement to help women in rural Kenya. Maathai believed in the traditional spiritual
values—love for the environment, self-betterment, gratitude and respect and a commitment
to service. According to Maathai, educated people are in a position to understand what the
country is being lost. She says, “If you stay focused on what you want to attain then you
actually go right in there where many people would not dare to go.”
Dr. Maathai’s philosophy is based on the Kenyan traditional spiritual values. However,
being educated in Christian tradition, she drew inspiration in many faiths.

6. There are many uncommon turns in Wangari Maathai’s life. Point them and mark
the most influential ones in the order of priority.
Ans. Dr. Maathai has not only had the courage to stand up for her beliefs, but she has risked
her life for her beliefs. During the course of her life, Maathai came across many
uncommon turns too.
 The first major turn in her life was leaving her village to be educated in boarding
schools run by Catholic missionaries. This laid a strong foundation to think differently and
to work vigorously.
.It is that the Green Belt Movement which brought her all the recognition. She launched
the GBM in 1970 to reforest her beloved country while helping the nation’s women.
Joining NCWK to educate women or protesting the construction of a skyscraper in
Nairobi or fighting the real estate corruption and for many other social causes, Maathai was
arrested, imprisoned, insulted and beaten. Another important turn in her life was winning
the Nobel Prize for Peace. This gave the ultimate recognition and support for her struggle
at international level.
 UNIT-5
Stay Hungry—Stay Foolish – Steve Jobs

7. Steve Jobs frequently uses the words ‘drop out’ and ‘drop in’ in his first story. How
are those words closely related to his ‘connecting dots theory’?
Ans. ‘Connecting the dots’ is a metaphor used to show one’s ability/inability to associate one
idea with another to find the big picture of it.
In his speech, he tells us that everything happens for a reason. You won’t be able to see
your future but as time passes you will understand why certain things happen. As he
continues to tell us his story, he talks about the opportunities he gained as he lost what he
loved most. Finally in his last story he talks about having the courage to follow what your
heart desires because time is limited. Each part of this speech tells a different scenario that
took place in his life.
Through his stories of “Connecting the dots,” to “love and loss,” and “death”, Jobs has
become one the most influential man in this world.
As Steve Jobs said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect
them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your
future.” This quote tells us that everything happens for a reason. Whether for good or bad,
life will eventually work itself out for you. Ten years from now, I will look back and see
that everything in my life has happen for a reason. By finding what you love and work hard
to achieve your goal, life will take you on the right path.

8. Steve Jobs said, “You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma,
whatever.” Can you explain a few instances where Steve Jobs followed his philosophy
in his life?
Ans. Steve Jobs said,” You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma,
whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my
life.” As much as we try to plan our lives ahead in advance, there is always something that
is completely unpredictable about life.
Steve Jobs chose and joined Reed College that was almost as expensive as Stanford
while his parents were of working class. After six months in the college, he couldn’t see
any value it it and so he dropped out but then, he dropped in the college for another 18
months during when he underwent calligraphy training course. Steve Jobs did not have a
hope of any practical application in his life. But ten years later, this became useful in
designing ‘Mac’ Computer with beautiful typography.
Steve Jobs was the founder of ‘Apple’ who started his company in his father’s garage
rose to over $billion company. When the Board of Directors sided him from the company,
he started another company named neXT. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought
neXT and thus Steve Jobs returned to Apple.
 NON-DETAIL

Deliverance (Sadgati)
By Premchand
Dukhi, the tanner was sweeping the door front, and his wife, Jhuria, was plastering the floor with cow dung.
After they were done with their chores, the chamarin said, ‘Go now and speak to Pandit Baba, lest he should
go somewhere else.’

Dukhi said, ‘Yes, I’m going, but think where we would seat him.’

Jhuria said, ‘We’ll borrow a cot from someone. Get it from the Thakurs.’

‘Sometimes you say things that make my blood boil. Why would the Thakurs lend me a cot? They don’t
lend us even fire for lighting, and you expect them to lend us a cot! If I ask for water at the house of a
Kaistha, I won’t get it. No question of getting a cot. It’s not like our dung cakes, reed stems, straw and
wood; which anyone one can pinch. Let’s wash our own cot. Being summer, it’ll dry up before he comes.’

‘Why would he sit on our cot? Don’t you know how strict he is in his observances?’

Dukhi replied, a little worried, ‘That’s true. It’ll be better if I make a leaf-plate from Mahua leaves. All big
people eat in those plates. These are clean and taint less. Get me the stick. I’ll bring down some leaves
from the tree.’

‘I’ll make the leaf-plates. You go. Oh yes, we’ll need some offerings too him. Shall I put them in our
thali?’ (thali means a plate)

‘Don’t be mad. We shall lose the offerings. And the thali too! Baba will hurl the thali away. Gets wild in
no time. When angry, he doesn’t spare even the panditayan. He thrashed his son so badly that he still has a
broken hand. Put the offerings on a leaf-plate. And, don’t you touch anything.’

Jhuria nodded her head in assent.

‘Take the Gond’s daughter with you and buy the offerings from the grocer’s. They should be plentiful. One
seer flour, half seer rice, a quarter of lintels, ghee, salt, turmeric. And put a four-anna coin in one corner of the
leaf-plate. And if the Gond’s daughter is not around, request Bhujin. Don’t touch anything, or we’ll be in
serious trouble.’

Repeating all that once again, Dukhi picked up the stick and a big bundle of grass, and started on his way
to panditji’s. How could he go empty-handed? But he had nothing else for a gift. If Baba saw him empty-
handed, he would drive him away from a distance.

Pandit Ghasi Ram was a man of God. As soon as he woke up, he would begin his devotions. It would be
eight by the time he washed himself, and then the rituals began in the right earnest. First of his acts was to
grindbhang leaves and soak them in water. Then he would grind some sandalwood into paste; after which he
would stand before the mirror and put two long paste marks on his forehead with a thin stick. And then, a
vermilion dot between the lines. Then he would draw, with the paste, roundish shapes on his chest and arms.
Then he would take out God’s image, give it a bathe, put sandalwood marks on it, offer flowers, and recite
the aarti, tinkle the bell. It would be ten when he completed his daily rituals. Finally, he would filter the
bhang-brew, and come out. By then a few clients would be waiting at his door, an immediate reward for his
devotions, this being his vocation. Today when he came out of his prayer room, he saw Dukhi chamar sitting
at the door with a bundle of grass. Dukhi got up as soon as he saw him, made his obeisance by lying down
flat on his chest in front of him, and then stood up folding his hands. Watching the glorious face in front,
Dukhi’s heart was filled with great reverence. What a godly image! Small round and plump body, shining
head, full cheeks, and eyes radiating godly refulgence! The sandalwood paste and vermilion further
heightened this glory. Turning towards Dukhi, the radiant-faced pandit said, ‘Why have you come, Dukhia?’

Dukhia said, bowing his head, ‘It’s about my daughter’s engagement. I want you to suggest a propitious time
and day. When will you be pleased to come?’

‘Dukhia, I’m not free now. I would come by the evening.’

‘Maharaj, come early. I have kept everything ready. Where shall I put this bundle of grass?’

‘Put it in front of the cow. And take the broom and sweep the door. The sitting room hasn’t been plastered for
many days. Plaster it with dung. By then I shall finish my food, then after resting for a while I shall come.
And yes, chop this log of wood into small pieces. And there’re four sacks of straw in the field. Bring those
also and put them in the hay store.’

Dukhi at once set himself to obey the commands. He swept the door-front, plastered the sitting room. By then
it was noon. Panditji had gone in for his food. Dukhi had eaten nothing since morning, and he too was hungry,
but there was nothing for him to eat. His home was a mile away, and if he went there panditji would get
angry. The poor fellow suppressed his hunger and began to chop the wood. The piece of wood had a thick
knot which had defeated many a devotee, and was now ready for battle again. Dukhi was good at cutting
grass, but had no experience of chopping wood. Grass would always bow its head before him, but here he
attacked the knot with all his force yet it refused to yield even a bit. His axe would slip again and again. He
was sweating profusely. He gasped for breath and sat down, rested a while and got up again. He was unable to
lift his hands, his legs were shaky, his back would not straighten. Darkness clouded his eyes and his head
reeled. Even then he continued his labours.

A chillum of tobacco could give him some strength, he thought. But where would he get it? This was the
brahmin habitation, and brahmins don’t smoke like us low-castes. Then he thought of the Gond. He would
surely have tobacco, and he ran towards his home. He was lucky. The Gond gave him a chillum and also
tobacco, but he had no fire to light the chillum. Dukhi didn’t worry, for he said he would borrow fire from
panditji’s, where food was being cooked. He came back and went straight into panditji’s house and said,
‘Master, could I get some fire to light my chillum?’

Panditji was eating at that time. Panditayan questioned, ‘Who’s asking for fire?’

“It’s the same silly Dukhia chamar. I’ve asked him to chop some wood. Give him some fire.’

Panditayan folded her eyebrows, and said, ‘Haven’t you thrown overboard all the taboos of your dharma ?
Anyone may come in freely, whether he’s a chamar, or dhobi or passi. Is this the home of a Hindu, or a
sarai? Ask him to get out of here, or I shall singe his face with this burning piece of wood. How dare he ask
for fire?’

Panditji tried to pacify her. ‘What if he has come in? He hasn’t touched anything here. And he’s working for
us. If I had called a wood-cutter to do this, he would have charged at least four annas.’

Panditayan thundered, ‘Why did he enter the house?’

Panditji was irritated , ‘His evil day, what else!’

Panditayan said, ‘All right, I shall give the fire this time. But if he enters the house like this again, I shall
burn his face.’

Dukhia was listening to all this. He was regretting that he ever came in. She’s right. How can a chamar enter
a brahmin’s house! They are so pure, these people. That’s why the world worships them. That’s why they’re
revered so much. They aren’t chamars. I have grown old in this village, and yet I did not have this much
sense.

When panditayan came out, he felt he was in heaven. He folded both his hands and bent down and put his
head to the ground and said, ‘O mother panditayan, I made a great mistake by entering the house. It’s
because of my follies that I’m punished again and again.’

Panditayan had brought a piece of burning wood held in tongs. She threw it towards Dukhi from a distance. A
splinter from this fell on his head, and he began to shake it off. This is the retribution, he thought, for polluting
a brahmin’s house. God has sent it so fast. That’s why the world is afraid of brahmins. Everyone can be
cheated of his money. But just you try to cheat a brahmin! You’ll be destroyed. Your feet will begin to rot,
and then fall off. He came out and smoked his chillum, and then began to ply the axe again. Pandityan heard
the khut-khut of the axe. Realizing that she had been too harsh in throwing the burning piece of wood at
Dukhi, she softened a bit. After panditji had finished eating, she said, ‘Give this chamar something to eat. He
has been working for so long. Must be hungry.’

Panditji, treating the suggestion as impractical, said, ‘Do you have any rotisto spare?’

‘Only a few,’ she said.

‘A few won’t do. He’s a chamar, and would consume at least a seer of flour.’

‘O God, a seer! Then, forget it.’

Now panditji became aggressive. ‘If you have some bran, mix it with a little flour and make two
thick rotis. That will fill his stomach. Thin rotis made from wheat flour can’t fill their stomach. These
menials need thick ones made from barley.’

Panditayan said, ‘Then leave it. Who would go out in the heat?’

Having smoked his chillum, Dukhi began plying the axe. Resting had restored some of his strength. He kept
on plying the axe for another half an hour, and then he sat down with his hands on his head, gasping for
breath. In the meantime the Gond came there. He said, ‘Why’re you killing yourself, old man? This knot will
not crack. You’re wasting yourself for nothing.’

Dukhi wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, ‘I have to bring a cartful of straw, too.’

The Gond said, ‘Did they give you anything to eat? They know only to extract work. Why don’t you go and
ask for food?’

‘Chikuri, what’re you saying? Will I be able to digest a brahmnin’s food?’

‘Yes, you will be able to, but first you should get it. He has eaten to his fill, and is sleeping peacefully, having
ordered you to chop this log. The landlord at least gives something to eat. The officer makes you work, yet he
too gives you something. And these ones have beaten them all, and they call themselves men of God!’

‘Don’t shout, brother. He’ll explode, if he hears all this.’

Dukhi got up and began to attack the wood. Chikuri took pity on him. He snatched the axe from him and plied
the axe with all his force for half an hour, but the knot refused to yield. Then he threw away the axe, and
walked away saying: ‘This knot will not crack, even if you die trying it.’
Dukhi was wondering why Baba had kept this log that refuses to split. How long shall I go on? I have a
hundred things to do at home. We are preparing for our daughter’s engagement. I have so much to do. But
why should this man care? I’ll go and bring the straw. I’ll tell him I could not chop the wood and do it
tomorrow.

He picked up the sack and went for the straw. The field wasn’t less than two furlongs from here. If he had
stuffed the sack to its fill, he could have completed the task faster, but then he wouldn’t have been able to
carry it. So he only half filled the sack, and was able to bring in the whole load gradually by four o’clock.

By this time Panditji had woken up. He washed his face, stuffed a paan into his mouth and came out. He
found Dukhi sleeping with the sack on his face. He shouted, ‘O Dukhia, you’re sleeping. The log is lying
uncut. What have you been doing all this time? You have wasted the whole time hauling a handful of straw.
And on top of it, you’re sleeping. Get up, pick up the axe and chop the wood. You can’t chop this small piece
of wood! Don’t blame me if I follow your way to determine the propitious day for the engagement. People
are right when they say that the moment a menial has food in his house, he turns a dodger.’

Dukhi picked up the axe once again. He forgot everything. His stomach was beginning to touch his back. He
had eaten nothing the whole day, for he hadn’t got time for this. He was unable to stand up, yet he argued with
himself: He’s a brahmin, and if he fixes an inauspicious day, all will be ruined. That’s why people respect
them. Everything depends on them.

Panditji came close to him and began to egg him on: ‘Come on, hit hard, still harder…don’t you have strength
in your hands? Hit harder. What’re you thinking of. It’s about to crack. Hit into that opening.’

Dukhi was now out of his senses. He did not know what mysterious force was driving him on. Weakness,
exhaustion, hunger – all were gone. He was wondering at his own strength. Each of his strokes came down
like a thunderbolt. He kept on hitting at the wood for half an hour, and then the knot gave way and the axe fell
off his hands. His head reeled and he too fell down. The hungry, thirsty and exhausted body had given way.

Panditji shouted, ‘Get up, a few strokes of the axe. Chip the log into small pieces.’ But Dukhi didn’t get up.
Panditji didn’t want to trouble him any further. He went inside, readied his bhang, answered the call of nature,
bathed, wore his pandit’s dress and came out. Dukhi was still lying on the ground. He shouted loudly, ‘O, will
you keep lying there? Get up.I’m going to your home. Is everything ready?’ But Dukhi still did not get up.

Now panditji became apprehensive. He went close and saw that Dukhi’s body had become stiff. Horrified,
he ran in and told panditayan, ‘It looks Dukhi is dead.’

She said, frightened, ‘But he was chopping wood just now.’

‘Oh yes. He died while chopping. What shall we do now?’

Panditayan said in a calm voice, ‘Nothing. Send a message to the chamars. They will carry away the body.’

The news spread in the village in no time. The village belonged to the brahmins, except for the house of the
Gonds. People stopped using this pathway. The way to the well led through this path. How shall they draw
water? Who will go to the well passing by a chamar’s dead body? An old woman said to panditji, ‘Why
don’t you have the corpse thrown away? How shall we drink water?’

On the other side, the Gond warned the chamars not to touch the body. ‘The police have to investigate,’ he
said. ‘It’s not a joke. He has killed a poor man. He may be a brahmin. If you touch the corpse, you too will
be in trouble.’

Panditji came to the chamars’ habitations, but no chamar was ready to lift the body. Dukhi’s wife and his
daughter came to panditji’s door crying, and began to beat their heads. A number of chamar women
accompanied them. A few of them cried; others tried to console. But not a single chamar came there.
Panditji, threatened, argued, pleaded, but the chamars were frightened of the police, and none agreed. At last
he gave up and returned home.
4

The women kept weeping and wailing till midnight. It became difficult for gods to sleep. Yet no chamar came
to carry away the corpse. And how could a brahmin touch a chamar’s corpse! The shastras and purans
forbade this.

Panditayan said in exasperation, ‘These she-devils have licked our heads. Their throats don’t dry up.’
Panditji said, ‘Let them cry, these chudels. How long will they go on! When he was alive, no one cared. Now
that he’s dead, they’ve come here to hue and cry.’

Panditayan said, ‘A chamar’s crying is unpropitious.’

‘Yes, very much so.’

‘The body is beginning to stink now.’

‘I wonder whether he was a chamar. These fellows see no difference between what to eat and what not to eat.’

‘They don’t even feel any repulsion.’

‘They’re all renegades.’

The night passed somehow, but no chamar came there in the morning. The chamar women had also gone
away, ending their crying and wailing. The stink had begun to spread. Panditji took out a rope. He made a
loop at one end and slung it round the corpse’s feet and pulled it to tighten it. It was still dark. Panditji caught
the rope from the other end and began to pull the corpse. He dragged it out of the village. Then he came home
and bathed, recited the prayer to goddess Durga and sprinkled the Ganges water all over in the house.

Out there in the fields, jackals and vultures, dogs and crows were tearing at Dukhi’s corpse. This was
the reward for a life-time of devotion, service and steadfastness.

Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand (31 July, 1880), an Indian writer well renowned for his modern
Hindi-Urdu literature.

The story has been originally written under the Hindi title “Sadgati” which
literally means a good death. But the title is quite ironic and through the story Premchand
has been successful in criticizing and satirizing Hindu society and its prejudiced norms.

BOSOM FRIEND
 - HIRA BANSODE
Poem Bosom Friend is written by Dalit Marathi poetess Hira Bansode. She used to criticize the casteism and
cast prejudice prevalent in Indian society through this poem. The poem reflects her strong objection to the
cast prejudices. Hira Bansode was a Dalit women writer, thus she had a bad experience from her bosom friend
belongs to an upper class family. The entire poem discusses about the welcoming of that upper class bosom
friend to the poetess’ small house, still she tried her maximum by arranging all the facilities standing inside her
limitation. At the very first moment the bosom friend came to poetess’ house she felt very happy, she
thought her friend has thrown all the cast prejudices out. But finally at the time of serving meals the happiness
faded out from poetess’ face as her friend accused her by calling “Folk” for making mistakes in the manner of
serving food to the upper classes.

Bosom Friend is a poem authored by Hira Bansode, a woman Dalit poet. The poem is a critique of the
caste system in Indian society, the pretensions and hypocrisies of the higher caste towards the lower caste.
In the poem, Bansode tells the conflict between her expectation and reality.

One day, the poet’s close friend from a higher caste community comes to her home, a lower caste family to
have dinner for the first time. When her friend comes to her lower caste family, the poet thinks that her friend
has left behind the caste prejudices, the rigid high and low caste distinctions. She thinks so because in their
society women do not usually ignore the caste disparities. The poet thinks that her friend has ripped out all
those caste distinctions bridging the gulf of those caste prejudices that divide between people, between
communities and relationships. She thinks that her friend comes with a mind as large as the sky to her small
house leaving behind the age old divide between higher and lower castes. She is very excited and happy. She
praises her friend and regards and call her ‘bosom friend.’

The methods of serving food to the higher caste friend draws a line between two bossom friends. As she
reminds her of the level of their living and the author feels inferior to guest. Her friend then tells the poet
that the low castes will never rise above their old and outdated manners and customs.

Her friend’s words make the poet embarrassed. She remains silent. Then towards the end of the meal, her
friend expresses surprise when she learns that there is no buttermilk or yoghurt with the last course of the
rise which is normal among higher castes.

At this time, the poet has lost all her courage. Her strength fell away like a falling star. She has lost all her
pride in front of her friend whom she dearly calls ‘bosom friend.’ In her childhood, the poet did not have
even milk for tea which is much less compared to yoghurt or buttermilk. Her mother cooked on sawdust
which she brought from the lumberyard. The poet recollects that she never smelled the fragrance of ghee and
never tasted halva, basundi.

Lifelong prejudices and beliefs do not disappear overnight.The poet serves her friend yoghurt with the last
course of rice..

The poet always thought that she was equal to her friend. Since she was well-educated, she expected that her
friend would have no caste prejudice. She was of the belief that her friend came to her home for dinner
without any consideration of caste. She thought that her friend was broad-minded and a true friend. But
everything happened in contrast to her expectation.

The poem tells about the deep-rooted caste prejudices and disparities in her society. In the poet’s own
words, “my hand which had just touched the sky was knocked down.”

—
Wole soyinka’s

TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

The poem depicts a black man who is trying to confirm housing with a landlady over the
phone and begins after the two have discussed location and pricing. The speaker wishes to
inform the landlady that he is black, and then a ridiculous conversation ensues regarding how
dark his skin color is. Overall, the poem is a tongue-in-cheek statement on racism, the
speaker responding with sarcasm and humor to her insulting questions. The poem also
emphasizes the lack of communication between different races.

The poem opens with the African speaker clarifying the essential information about the
location, the cost, and similar business details. The landlady is initially described as being of
"good-breeding," a standing that makes her questions about the color of the speaker's skin
seem suddenly and dramatically out of place. Specifically, she wants to know if he is light
or very dark skinned, a distinction that seems to carry particular weight within the racial
atmosphere of the day.

From this pointed and clearly prejudicial question, the poem moves smoothly between the
thoughts of the speaker as he considers the question as a political statement and the landlady's
insistent repetition of the same questions or variations thereof. As the conversation unfolds, it
becomes a painful accumulation of ironic miscommunication and blatant racism. The more
the speaker tries to answer the questions, the deeper the exchange slips into irony as the
speaker answers the woman with cool logic that clouds rather than clarifies the situation. At
first comparing himself to chocolate, for instance, the speaker settles on describing himself as
"West African sepia," a term he knows will further confuse his listener.

As the speaker's ironic tone takes hold of the conversation, he begins to describe various body
parts, from his hair to the soles of his feet, in an effort to explain to her that he is, like all
people, several different colors. The final lines of the poem carry a double-edged message.
The first is clear: making a judgment about a person's character based solely on the color of
their skin is the key absurdity of racial prejudice. The second layer of the closing lines
underscore the meeting of absurdity with additional absurdity, an approach Soyinka often
brings to his explorations of such situations, as the speaker invites the woman to "see" for
herself all of the varied colors of the body parts he catalogues.
 SHAKESPEARE’S SISTER

VIRGINIA WOOLF

1. Why does woolf turn to history books in her attempt to find out about women
writers?
Virginia Woolf, original name in full Adeline Virginia Stephen, (born January 25,
1882, London, England—died March 28, 1941, near Rodmell, Sussex), English writer
whose novels, through their nonlinear approaches to narrative, exerted a major
influence on the genre.
While she is best known for her novels, especially Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and To
the Lighthouse (1927), Woolf also wrote pioneering essays on artistic theory,
literary history, women’s writing, and the politics of power.

Virginia wolf turns to history books to know truth about women of earlier
generations. She finds out there were no legal rights for women of those days except
few names. Women have no existence in history and they are powerless.
2. But by no means could middle class women with nothing but brains and
character at their command have taken part in any one of the great movements
which,brought together , constitute the historian’s view of the past. Explain why
most women would get excluded from the ‘the historian’s view of the past’
Gifted and intelligent women of middle class were overloaded with many
household and domestic responsibilities. They were neither provided with space and
money to meditate upon any creative works. The bishop words reflect the opinion
of the times entirely.
“Cats do not go to heaven, women cannot write plays of shakespeare”.
3. Analyse the complex attitude of her family , particularly her father, towards
Judith in Woolf’s imaginative reconstruction
Judith’s father enforces his choice of marriage with a wool stapler. She rejected the
hateful marriage choice. Father felt her rejection a damage to his prestige. He gifted her
some jewellery and fine clothes to obey him.
4. ‘At last Nick Greene the actor manager took pity on her: she found herself with
child by that gentleman…’comment on woolf’s irony here.
Judith left her home in search of her passion for being a actor or an author after
rejecting a marriage decided by her dream to be an actress. At last Nick greene the
actor manager shown mercy on her. At last she was exploited by the kind man and
killed herself one winter night. She was buried at cross roads where busses stop at
Elephant and Castle.
5. What kind of value does the hypothetical shakespeare’s sister assume in the
final paragraph? Describe the tone of this section?
Shakespeare’s sister created by Virginia woolf is every common woman who were
not provided with freedom to choose her career. Virginia woolf wakes up all modern
women to lead a purposeful life with a career of her own interest balancing family on
par with equal importance.
Still I Rise- MAYA ANGELOU
The poem is directed towards those oppressors in society who would tie the speaker to her
past and to a history that has been misrepresented and cannot be relied upon. Her ancestors
were depicted unfairly and dishonestly in history, and she will rise above the cruelty and
suffering they experienced. The speaker is both angry and confident throughout the poem.
Initially, she is baffled by the way in which her oppressors—ostensibly, white people and
specifically, white males—do not want her to succeed or become more than the sum of her
history. She notes that her joy seems to make them miserable, and she questions why that is.
At the same time, she taunts these oppressors, acknowledging the impact of her behaviors
and personality and delighting in the fact that she bewilders them with her power and
confidence. The poem as a whole is a declaration of strength and of determination.
The speaker proclaims boldly that whatever her oppressors do to try to hamper her progress
or take away her rights, it will not matter. Nobody will ever take her power away, and she
will always rise above the racism, pain, and sexism to be the powerful woman she knows she
is. She will break the negative cycle of the past.

She also speaks on behalf of other black people without actually stating that this is what she is
doing. By making references to her ancestors and naming slavery explicitly near the poem's
conclusion, she is addressing the collective experiences of her people and stating that they as
a race are more powerful than their oppressors. Whatever the oppressors do, they cannot stop
her people from moving forward in their lives.

The poet ends her declaration by affirming that no matter what happens, she will continue to
rise above history, hate, and bigotry just like her ancestors dreamed would be possible. She
will fulfill their dreams and hopes for freedom and happiness.
VSM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Dept. of H&BS

ENGLISH E-CONTENT

UNIT Lesson Topic weblink

UNIT A Drawer full Asking and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
-1 of happiness answering general =80UVjkcxGmA
questions on familiar
topics such as home,
family, work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
Parts of Speech =FDbhU8Dhy_k
UNIT Nehru’s letter Functional English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
-2 to his Greetings and leave =m9Cda9xyMr0
daughter takings.
Indira on her
birthday Articles and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
prepositions =-zZau_dttRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=1cmF_VT_NV8
UNIT Stephen Stephen Hawking- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
-3 Hawking- Positivity =bKUOzm-goxE
Positivity : Reading a text in
detail by making
basic inferences -
recognizing and
interpreting specific
context clues;
strategies to use text
clues for
comprehension.
Critical reading. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=CyK01USxdg0&t=27s
Tenses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=CyK01USxdg0&t=27s
UNIT Liking a Tree, Technical vocabulary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
-4 Unbowed: Writing SOP =mRBNkiS-Brk
Wangari
Maathai- Information Transfer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
 biography =qhBgvVMvPH8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=2zNbJAyfbj0
UNIT Stay Hungry- Intensive reading and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
-5 Stay foolish Extensivereading =uHS652Ji4Ww
techniques. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=v7BJLFCFKVY