Script

English Presentation
‘Playing The English Gentleman’

Code : P1E4PEPUXA2623
 ‘Playing The English Gentleman’

Good morning/afternoon to everyone present, I am honoured to share with you this

compelling essay, ‘Playing the English Gentleman’ , which presents an anecdote of the
Author. The Themes presented in this story challenge our assumptions and inspire us to new
heights of intellectual inquiry.
Before we dive into the essay itself, let me first introduce you to the brilliant mind behind
these thought-provoking ideas. The author of this essay, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,
popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian independence movement leader and
social activist who is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures of the 20th
century. Born in Porbandar, India in 1869, Gandhi trained as a lawyer in England before
returning to India in 1915 to lead the struggle for Indian independence from British rule.
Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance, known as Satyagraha, became the cornerstone
of India's independence movement, inspiring millions of people across the world to stand up
for their rights and resist oppression through peaceful means. His major achievements include
leading numerous nonviolent campaigns for Indian independence, including the Salt March
and the Quit India Movement, which ultimately led to India's independence in 1947.
In addition to his activism, Gandhi was also a prolific writer and thinker, producing an
extensive body of work on a wide range of topics, including religion, politics, economics, and
social justice. His writing style was characterized by simplicity, clarity, and directness, and as
devoid of fallacies as the life of its author, with a focus on conveying complex ideas in a way
that could be understood by a broad audience. He often used anecdotes and parables to
illustrate his points as is reflected in this essay, and his writing was marked by a deep sense
of compassion, empathy, and moral conviction.
Now that we have been introduced to the author of this essay, it is time to explore the ideas
and arguments presented in his work. This essay offers a compelling and nuanced perspective
on self-actualization, presenting a fresh perspective that is both thought-provoking and
insightful. Throughout the narrative, range of themes are present from Passion, Excitement
and Enthusiasm to Self-Doubt and Insecurity and Finally Epiphany and Self Revelation. With
Fast moving clock and rapidly evolving surroundings, one often doesn’t get time to familiarise
themselves with their true-self. The process of self-discovery requires introspection,
reflection, and a willingness to confront one's fears, insecurities, and past experiences. It can
be tempting to avoid this process or to hide behind a façade that we present to the world.
However, this can prevent us from living an authentic and fulfilling life. It often happens, how
just to please the people around us we begin to live a life of pretend, and in this process we
supress and hide our true identity until we completely forsake it.
The Essay is autobiographical and recounts Gandhi’s experiences as a young student, The
story begins with him talking about his newfound interest for Vegetarianism and Dietetic
Studies. He went on to study several books on the same topic and this idea became very
central topic of interest in his life as is reflected in the narrative. It says, ”The result of reading
all this literature was that dietetic experiments came to take an important place in my life”.
While Gandhi is fascinated by the vegetarian culture, His close friend despises him for it.
Gandhi mentions that his friend does not cease to worry about him. He explains, that his
friend thinks that, if he continued with his vegetarian diet, he would soon become deficient
and languid, and not only this but also ‘A Duffer’ for not keeping up with the ‘English Society’.
His friend expected Gandhi to forgo the vegetarian diet, So, He devised a scheme in a last
attempt to reform him, Gandhi’s friend took him to a lavish restaurant. The first course was
Soup, and Gandhi being a pro-vegetarian wanted to inquire about the contents of the soup
but was hesitant in front of his friend. Eventually he summoned the waiter to ask about the
soup, however His friend noticed, and what followed this scene was a scuffle between the
two. On account of their tussle, Gandhi decided to make up for his vegetarianism by
perfecting other accomplishment which suited a more polite and sophisticated society.
Gandhi with a purpose of becoming suitable for an English Society, fashioned himself with an
urban attire, got an extravagant gold watch and styled his hair every day. He wanted to direct
his attention to other details, so he took lessons in dancing, French and elocution. He then
later started learning violin to develop a taste for Western Music.
Gandhi soon realised that this lifestyle is not suited for him, and that he don’t want to live a
life as a false reflection of someone he is not. He reckoned that he needs to abandon these
infatuations and spend time in pursuits he regarded. What’s interesting to note here is that,
although these efforts style him as a good friend but at the cost of altering oneself and one’s
personality.
As we come to the end of this essay, I think it’s important that we discuss the overarching
themes and the message author is trying to send. In my opinion, it’s imperative that an
individual in their lifetime be true to themselves. This is the only way to self-actualise. The
same is reflected in the narration when Gandhi eventually realises that his precious time is
being occupied in running bootless errands. The story also delves into the theme of insecurity,
where Gandhi after his scuffle with his friend felt insecure about his identity. It’s evident that
after being shamed for a genuine interest, Gandhi lost his self-esteem and felt insecure. He
felt that, covering that insecurity beneath the suits tailored in bond street would mitigate the
feeling. It’s important for everyone to have self-esteem as gives one a sense of reason and
purpose. As is reflected in the narration, by rejecting the rules of being an English gentleman
Gandhi has not only found his true identity but he has also learnt a valuable lesson.