INSPIRING LIVES
1. MADAM CURIE
Introduction:
Madame Curie was born on November 7,
1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Curie was the fifth child for her parents. Among the
few women scientist, her discovery of radio-active elements-polonium and radium
has more significance. It Caused a drastic change in the field of science
especially with relevance to the treatment of cancer. She is rightly awarded
with two Noble prizes.
Her Early Life
Madam Curie who is fondly called as manya was born in a country which
was not independent for almost a century. She faced emotional and economic Crisis.
She lost her sister and instability in job made the life miserable. She has to
simultaneously fight the deteriorating financial status and the depressing
treatment of Curie by Russia.
EDUCTION
Manya was a bright child from her
young age and always she stood first in the class. She won gold medal after the
completion of secondary education. Despite the nervous breakdown after the
higher education and the missing of medicine admission in university of Warsow,
She gained knowledge thought the education in floating university. Her early
knowledge of science learned from her father enhanced her skill in science.
LIFE IN PARIS
Bronia, Manya’s sister and her
husband invited Manya to Paris. she joined the Sorbonne, a famous Parisian
university. She had the opportunity to meet great physicists in Paris. She changed
her name to French ‘marie’ as she was called at French university. She came
first in physical science and she started her research in Lipmann’s Research
Laboratory. Her acquaintance with pierce in the spring of 1894 changed her
life. They got married on July 25, 1895.
DISCOVERY AND
ACHIEVEMENTS
Marie Curie and her husband together
carried out the experiments on uranium. She did her doctoral research and found
out thorium. Marie curie was awarded the doctorate of science in June 1903 and
her husband was awarded the Davy medal of the Royal society. In 1903, they both
won a Noble prize in physics. The sudden death of pierce was a bitter flaw but however
she persuaded her research and out of hard work, she achieved a lot. She saw
the completion of Radium institution at the University of Paris. Later this
centre became a university centre for physics and chemistry. Her service during
Second World War by the invention of X-ray is most noteworthy.
Her discovery of radium has changed
the modern science. No wonder she was conferred upon 15 gold medals, 19 degrees
and many honors.
2.
SUBRAHMANYAN
Chandrasekhar, nephew of Sir C.V. Raman
was born in Lahore on 19th October, 1910 as the first son of
Chandrasekhar Subrahmanya Iyer and Sita Balakrishnan. Both the father and
mother were high intellectuals. His father was the depth Auditor General in
Railways to translate Henric Ibser’s A doll house into Tamil.
As a child he did not receive any
formal education but was given a private tuition till the age of twelve due to
the transfer of his father to madras in 1918. He had an opportunity to study in
Hindu high school at Triplicane. He had his bachelor’s degree in science from
presidency college. He pursued his studies in Astronomy and physics in
Cambridge university. His research became intense with the introduction of
people like Edward Milne and Arthur Eddington.
He completed his Ph.D under the guidance
of professor R.H.Fowler. After the completion of Ph.D in 1933 he was selected
for the fellowship of Trinity College. From
the beginning to the end of his life, Chandrasekhar was very much interested in
astrophysics. Eddington’s book the internal constitution of stars kindled his
profound thought and he contradicted the notion that all stars become white
dwarfs. Chandrasekhar applied Quantum physics and relativity to Edding Ton’s
calculations and concluded that only stars of modest or law mass could become
white dwarfs but not the massive stars. This upper limit of 1.44 times is
called as Chandrasekhar limit.
He also added that a white dwarf is
the last stage in the evolution of a star such as the sun. Though sir Arthur
Eddington attacked him, after Several years of attempt his theory was proved
right. He moved to the University of Chicago in 1937. The famous American
astronomer otto struve offered him position. In 1936 he married Lalitha
Doriaswany. He has published more than ten books. He won the Nobel prize in
physics for his black hole theory. His students won the Nobel prize even before
him. He has guided ever 50 students for their Ph.D. He is known as one of the
best teacher in university of Chicago. His books are always referred as a
classical work in Astrophysics. This Nobel Laureate died of heart failure on 21st.
August in the university of Chicago hospitals. He was 84 years old at the time
of death.
3.
MOTHER TERASA
Agnese Gonxhe Bonjarhiv who is well
known as mother Teresa to us was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje. She
considered her baptization day August 27 as her birthday. After the loss of her
father, she was brought up by her Roman Catholic mother. At the age of 12, she
committed herself to religious life. However, after joining the missionary, she
never saw her mother or sister.
She took her first religious vows on
May 24, 1931. She chose the name Teresa after a patron Saint. Initially she
served as a teacher at the Loreto convent school in eastern Calcutta. Famine
and riot in India disturbed her. After experiencing “the call within the call”
she decided to serve the poor leaving the convent. She began her work for poor
in 1948. After beginning a school in motijhil, she started catering the needs
of destitute and starving. Teresa received Vatican permission on October 7,
1950 to start missionaries of charity. The charity that began with 13 members
grew into a missionary that had 4000 nuns running orphanages.
Kalighat home for dying later become
Nirmal hriday and Nirmala Shishu Bhavan cared for the orphans and homeless
youth. The missionaries of charity brothers was founded in 1963 and a Branch of
the sisters followed in 1976. Not only in India but she travelled through the
war zone to the devastated hospital to evacuate the young patients. She
assisted the hungry in Ethiopia, radiation victims at earth quake victims in
America. By 1996, she operated 517 missions in more than 100 countries.
Despite bad health
and subsequent heart failures she was requested to hold the position as head of
the order. She stepped down from the head of missionaries of charity on march 13,
1997 and died on September 5, 1997. At the time of her death, the missionary
had 4000 sisters, associated brotherhood countries, 610 missions in 123
countries. This included home for AIDS.
Mother Teresa has
got numerous award. She was awarded the Padmashri in 1962. In 1980 she received
the Indian’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. A film was released
about her in 1969 with the title something beautiful for God. The same movie
was released as book in 1971. During this year, paul VI awarded her the first
pope John xxii peace prize. She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet
given to laureates and asked that the $192,000 funds be given to the poor in
India. She asked the people to go home and love their family. Her death was
moved devoid of caste, religion and colour.
Renowned person throughout the world paid tribute to mother Teresa
on her death. She is rated as the “most admired person of the 20th
century.” She is the only person who was admired both during the life time and
death.
4.
Dr. AMARTYA KUMARSEN
Dr. Amartya Kumar
sen won the Nobel prize for economics in October 1998. He was born on November
3, 1933 at Shantiniketan Bengal. His father was Ashutosh sen and mother was
Amita. He was christered as “Amartya” which means immortal in Sanskrit. Amartya
had his early education in St. Georgory’s school Dhaka. Initially at the young
age, he planned to become a teacher and researcher. He tried with Sanskirt,
Maths and Physics but finally settled death for economics. His education in
Shantinketan gave him a great exposure.
During his teenage in the mid-1940 he Visualised an incident which
made him to think about the poverty. One afternoon in Dhaka, a man named Khadar
mia was stabbed to death in a communal rioy. Partly it was due to the cause of
poverty. Despite the attempt of Amartya’s father to rescue him, he died on his
way to the hospital. He was repeatedly mourning about his family. It gave a
clue to the economic limitation. In the
form of extreme poverty that person becomes a helpless prey.
Amartya moulded himself at presidency college, Calcutta. His idea
was radically broadened by the educational excellence. His great teachers are
Bhabutosh Datta, Tapas Maumdar and Dinesh Bhattacharya. He was influenced by
the ideas of the “left”. He had the quality of doing service to the people and
thought widely about the poor and the landless rural laborers.
After the collegiate education in presidency, Amartya sen moved from
Calcutta to Cambridge to study at Trinity college. He graduated with B.A.
economics from Cambridge. He completed his Ph.D thesis under the supervision of
the famous economics methodologist. He became the head of the newly inaugurated
department of Economics at Jadaupur university. Being the winner of various
fellowships, he also expanded his studies into philosophy. His contribution to
the growth of Delhi school of Economics is immense. He joined hands with the eminent
economist K.N.Ray and plunged himself into the social choice theory.
He suffered from oral cancer and in 1985 he was shifted to America.
He involved himself in analyzing the perspective on welfare economics and
political philosophy. He always had a strong attention for this motherland and
therefore he would not stay away from this land even for six months. He spent
all his money on pratichi trust which did social and charity work in India.
This trust took care of literary basic health care and gender equality.
He has published over twenty books and has won many awards like
Indira Gandhi Gold Medal Award of the Asiatic society 1994, Nobel prize and
Eisenhower medal USA for the year 2000. He is rightly called as mother Teresa
of Economics. His idea had a global impact. Till his death he continued his
work and academic teaching as master at Trinity college, Cambridge UK.
5.
GERTRUDE ELION
Gertrude Belle Elion was born in New York City on January 23, 1918.
Her father and mother belonged to Lithuania and Polland respectively Elion was
called as Trudy. She was very talented and therefore when she was twelve double
promotions was granted to her. She got her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from
Hunter college in 1937. The whole world looked Trudy with strange eyes as she
wanted to become a chemist when no women were doing that.
After her experience in hospital and school, she pursued her
master’s degree in 1941 from New York university. Even after the master’s
degree she kept working for $7.50 a day. The second world war gave her a break.
As there were only few men to work women employees and she got due importance.
Initially she started testing the acidity of pickles. Ahead of time, Trudy talked about synthesis and her
knowledge sought the position of biochemist in 1944. She the next 39 years at
Burroughs welcome becoming head of the department of experimental therapy in
1967.
She visited many libraries to gain knowledge about the notion of
making compounds. She eventually ended up in finding drug for childhood
leukemia. She was always closely associated with Dr.Hitchings. Even after becoming
the scientist emeritus, she remained active in her field as an advisor to many
organizations including the world health organization and the American
Association for cancer Research. She was always a good teacher and she made
herself available to the students. She was awarded the Nobel prize in
physiology in 1988.
She did not have any aim to win the Nobel prize. Her only aim was to
cure the patients. she remained active in research and held professorship at
Duke university and the university of North Carolina and ohio state university.
She was elected to membership in the national academy of sciences in 1990. Her
pass times were photography, music and travel. Her thirst for travel knew no
bounds. Dr. Elion describes the beauty of his wife in blue dress during the noble
prize ceremony.
Trudy’s husband Jon Elion brings out the real character of Elion by
describing an incident. There were two letters that were received after Elion’s
death from two different people. One letter was from a young girl and the other
one was from university president. As Elion would have done, her husband took
time to write a reply only to the school girl. Till the end of her life she had
led a life of a good human being. He also dispatched a copy of Trudy’s last
book to the girl.
6.
VIKRAM SARABHAI
He was born on 12 August, 1919 in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat
state in western India. His family was very rich. His parents are Ambalal and
Sarladevi Vikram Sarabhai. He was one of the eight children of Ambalai and
Sarala devi. During the freedom struggle, many freedom fighters visited his
house and that had a lot of influence on him.
Vikram Sarabhai moved to England and joined the St. John’s college
after passing the inter mediate science examination. After the second world war
Sarabhai returned to India and joined the Indian Institute of Science in
Banglore. He began his research in cosmic rays under the guidance of Sir
C.V.Raman, a Nobel prize winner. He was awarded a phd degree in Cambridge in
1947 for his thesis called cosmic Ray investigation. Vikram Sarabhai married a
well-known classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabai. His daughter Mallika Sarabhai
renowned dancer. He contributed a lot to the development of space research in
India. He founded the physical research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmadabad on November
11, 1947. He was only 28 at that time.
Dr.Homi Jehangir Bhabha widely regarded as the father of Indian
nuclear science program. He supported Dr.Sarabhai in setting up the first
rocket launching station in India. It was established at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram.
As a result of his effort, the first Indian satellite Aryabhata was out in
orbit in 1975. Always he had a love for the study of cosmic rays despite the
interest in space program. He realized the importance of study in cosmic rays.
He also founded a community science centre at Ahmadabad in 1966. At present it
is called as Vikrama Sarabhai community science centre.
His setup of ATIRA (Ahradabad textiles industrial research
association) helped the booming textiles business in Ahmadabad. His another
major contribution is CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology).
His service mind is evident from the formation of Blind men association. He has
won many awards like Padma Bhusan, Padma Vibushan and Shanti Swarup, Bhatneyar.
He died on 30 December 1972 at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The India
can never forget the service rendered by Vikram Sarabhai.
1. DRESS IN COMMUNCATION
This prose piece discusses the
importance of dress code that will communicate one’s character and attitude to
the others. The prose begins with the quote “clothes make the man (or woman)”.
Though this expression seems to be a slight exaggeration still it holds good in
many cases as people have a tendency to judge a person by his/her dressing
style. The first impression is mother instantly formed by the dress. This is
especially true in the job interview setting.
A dress is mean to convey non-verbal clues like
personality, education, background, financial status and credibility. The dress
adds dignity to a profession. In society contain “looks” have specific
meanings. A well-groomed person can attract people in a positive way. Dress
also can convey our moods like anger, aggressiveness and depression. Textures
and lines of clothing also transmit silent messages soft textures invite human
contact and closeness while crisp textures may indicate that a person wants to
be regarded as efficient.
Interpreting dress code becomes an important
strategy while establishing close contacts with people on a daily basis. as we
gather messages from others through dress code so we are transmitting about
ourselves to others. Our clothing can be a self- portrait. A right aspect of
dress of grooming can inspire confidence in abilities and judgment with self-esteem.
2. A SPEECH BY
N.R.NARAYANA MURTHY
This speech was rendered by
N.R.Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor and Chairman of Board, Infosys technologies
on May 9 of the New York University (stern school of business). In this
graduation ceremony, he thanks Dean Cooley and Prof. Marty Subrahmanyam for
inviting him to deliver a lecture. He shares his life lessons to motivate the
students. At first he acknowledges a famous computer scientist from United
States who opened up a forum by suggesting a few papers on computer field to be
read in the library. The knowledge from an unknown source motivated him to
study computer science.
After narrating the above incident,
he recollects his experience in Nis, a border, town between Serbia and Bulgaria.
He along with a French girl was confiscated under suspicion over the discussion
and criticism on the communist government of Bulgaria. After 10 and hours of
starvation he was relieved only for the reason that he hails from India. This
incident made him to arrive at a conclusion that “the entrepreneurship”,
resulting in large scale job creation, was the only viable mechanism for
eradication poverties in societies. The sequence in Bulgaria – eventually led
to the foundation of Infosys in 1981.
Next two incidents were related to
the Infosys journey. After nine years of toil in India the five board members
of Infosys among the seven met in a small office at a leafy Bangalore suburb.
All stood up for the sale of Infosys for $ 1 million but without a penny in
pocket he afford to buy the company himself as he did not wish to sell it. At
last the idea of selling was given up and the same company created more that
70,000 well-paying jobs, 2000-plus dollar-millionaires and 20,000 plus rupee millionaires.
The last narration is about the
encounter with fortune -10 corporations who were tougher in case of
negotiation. Though they were initially nervous, at the end Murthy’s openness
led to the creation of a council called Risk Mitigation council. This council
led to a great success. From Murthy’s speech it is evident that the beginning
is not important but in due course of time learning becomes more vital that
would lead one to an unattainable place. According to him, Infosys story is a
living proof for this. He asks the students to design their own future and
advices them to share their fortune with less.
3. A SPEECH BY
BARACK OBAMA
The speech delivered by Barack Obama
in St.Paul Minnesota on 3 June 2008 calls for the need of the hour in America.
He proves to be an eminent speaker who in due course of appreciating his
co-contestant pin points their faults and lacuna. He quotes the statement and
phrases of former presidents and influential people of America. He rekindles
the spirit of freedom and national feeling in the mind of audience.
Obama clearly states and expresses
his ideas in administration through placing the already existing problems and
rendering the solution for them. He insists on the return of army troupe from
Iran to America. He first demands for a focus on American unemployment and
economy problem. The need for good education and worker’s security through
proper insurance is repeatedly quoted. He requests his fellow contestants to
visit the places like Ohio and Philadelphia which was highly affected by
economic crisis. He calls for the unity by working together for the upliftment
of America. His diplomatic speech is evident in the sarcastic appreciation of
John Mc Lain and Hillary Clinton. He list down the reasons for why he has to
become the president of America. He calls for a new energy and new ideas of
challenges to face. Despite the difficult in Journey, he is ardent to turn the
America with bright future.
4. UNITY OF MINDS – A.P.J ABDUL KALAM
Abdul Kalam delivered this speech on
the eve of the 55th anniversary of our Independence. He utters
solutions to all the Indians and convey his special appreciation to formers,
technical defense, teachers, scientists, technologists, administrates and other
professionals. He especially wishes the youth of the country. After wishing the
present generation he appreciates the people of the past who laid the
foundation for freedom.
He lists down two visions for
Indians as follow,
1. He
emphasize on the presentation of freedom which has been achieved by unity of
minds of our people.
2. Transformation
of India from the present developing status to a developed nation by integrated
actions. According to him Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
He hopes for the peace in Jammu and Kashmir after
the normal election process. Kalam talks about the necessity of water mission,
networking of river, water harvesting, along with environment purity that can
bring great change in India. The entire programme should aim at larger
employment. He recollects his visit to Gujarat. He quotes great souls like
Mahatma Gandhi. Vallabhai Patel and Vikram Sarabhai for an inspiration that
would result in nation’s welfare.
He demands the people to work together for bringing
the unity of minds to preserve the attained achievements and to achieve further
heights. He wishes to create role models from the present for the future
generation. He wants the parliament leaders to be a role model for the
students. He positively hopes for the fulfillment of the second vision through
unity of minds. He prays to the almighty for the unity of minds.
5. I LOVE YOU MOM
After twenty one years of marriage,
the author’s wife wanted him to take his mother for a dinner. His mother has
been a widow for 19 years. That night he called her for a dinner and movie. His
mother was surprised. That Friday his mother was little bit anxious to meet
him. She had curled her hair and she had worn her last wedding anniversary
dress. When he read the menu card his mother smiled briefly and recollected the
way she would read the menu for him when he was a little boy. During the dinner
they had ordinary conversation. The author was very much exited and he planned
to call his mother for another dinner. Meanwhile he passed away. After some
days, he received a bill from restaurant. She had paid the bill in advance for
him and his wife as she was not sure about joining him in next dinner. However
she had left a note stating “I love you son” and the last dining meant a lot
for her. At the moment, the author realizes that how it is important to say
one’s love at the right moment.
Different
History-Sujata Bhatt
The poem begins with "Great Pan is
not dead; he simply emigrated to India". With this short and brief opening
the reader is able to know that the poem deals with conflicting theories on
tradition and culture between two different continents. The narrator continues
to speak against untraditional behaviour with the repetition of the phrase
"a sin". The sins include actions such as "to shove a book aside
with your foot", "to slam books down hard on a table, a sin to toss
one carelessly across 0a room." In line fifteen, the narrator tells the
readers that they "must learn how to turn the pages gently"- use of
second person narration. The line is a universal message as how the narrator
wishes to communicate the immense importance and urgency of having a respectful
approach towards books. The line is also an imperative, where the commanding
word "must" seems to give the readers no option but to obey. One of
the key aspects of the poem is Bhatt's notable efforts to not disturb
identities such as "Sarasvati", the Hindu goddess of arts and
knowledge, due to her extreme importance to the Indian culture.
Towards the end of the poem, comes the
rhetorical questioning of the cross cultural issue. The questions of the
narrator not only indentifies a harmful and dangerous oppressor or colonist but
it shows how the Indian culture has been part of the damaged cultures and
tongues that have been lost due to colonialism, which is also becomes a
prominent theme in the poem. The tone of the questions should also be
considered, the passion and sadness of the narrator is given through the
questioning of the current world order. An extended metaphor also exists within
the closing lines of the poem, where the parallels between the agriculture and
the cross cultural difference are drawn. The peace may come from the narrator's
relations that the plant of Indian Culture has in fact, not died as suggested
before, but that the plant has always been growing and developing even before
the narrators time. The narrator may have realised that there was one moment
where the traditions and language they held dear was once seen as radical by
those further in the past.
Through a well selected series of
language and literary techniques/terms, Bhatt achieves to produce a poem which
discusses the mistake made after the collision of very different cultures and
then explains the truth and proper customs which have been lost. The narrator,
in the process of this discussion also resolved the intense emotions they once
had, by accepting that cross- cultural consequences such as colonialism do not
ruin a history, but creates a different tone. Bhatt was born and spent her
childhood in India and then moved to the united states of America for her
education. She knows best of the cultural difference between two vastly
distinct nations and writes the poem as one of the "unborn
grandchildren" hoping to hold on to the past, as she goes on into the
unknown future.
Digging-Seamus Heaney
The poet begins the narration with his
own image of holding a pen. Then the image shifts to his father who holds a
spade sinking into the gravel ground. He looks down at his father who digs. The
description of the two contrary images between him and his father is clearly
given to manifest the idea of the poet. The poet loves the farming work that
has been carried out by his ancestors but he has developed a passion for the
art of writing. He could capture the image of his father working amidst the
flower beds. He was keenly working with his boots to clear the ground and to
pick the scattered new potatoes. He wonders at the strength of his father who
could just hold the spade like his father. He recollects his past as a young
boy. He use to carry milk in a bottle corked sloppily with paper. He just
straightened up to drink the bottle and then right away he went for work. His
shoulders go down to keep on digging. The smell of potato delves deep in the
head of the poet but he has no spade to follow their routes. He wants to dig
the world with his pen. His heart and soul operates with pen rather than spade.
Ozymandias of Egypt
This poem describes the futile venture
of an ancient king who always boasted about his power and wealth. The time
disapproves the mightiness of the mortal. After the destruction of time, only
broken statue of the king and the lines written below the statue remains. The
lonely sands that stretch away symbolize the enduring power of nature, which
has effortlessly taken over Ozymandia’s kingdom. The poem begins with the first
narration. He meets a traveller who describes the statue of a two vast and
trunkless legs of stone in the dessert. The half buried statue in the stand
shows a face with frown and wrinkled lip. The sculpture had passionately read
the character of the king. The words “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings”
appear following with the proud declaration of king about the exhibition of
works around him. Irony is the absence of mighty work around him. Nothing
remains around him. The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Leave this Chanting and Singing and
Telling of Beads
This poem talks about the real way of offering prayers to God. Tagore
wants the religious minded to go beyond the four walls of their shrines to
where god really exists with the farm worker and the construction labourer. In
the first paragraph the poet says one should leave this chanting, singing, and
telling of beads. He questions the religious people that who do you worship in
this dark corner of a temple? Open your eyes and see God is not there before
you.
One can see God where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and the
pathmaker is breaking stones. The poet says that one can see God in sun and
shower where the tiller and the pathmaker is and come down to the dusty soil. The poet then questions what is deliverance?
And where can we find it? God is the creator and master of everything. God has
created this world joyfully and is attached with us, then why people are
meditating and chanting? They think that when one is doing chanting he is very
real to God and he can achieve everything. But according to the poet one can
find God not only in the temple but with the workers who are working whole day
in the dirt and under the hot sun. He asks us what harm is there if you work
under the sun and if your clothes become dirt. God will always remain with the
hard working and poor people. According to him supporting those kind of people
is the real worship offered to the God.
The Justice of the Peace-Hillaire
Belloc
The poem is filled with sarcastic tone.
It talks about the way for peace but the peace at the expense of the poor. The
poet presents the sharp difference between the rich and the poor. The poor has
just a shirt, hat, shoe and a coat. The speaker declares him to be the owner of
fifty hundred acres of land. There is no reason that how he came to possess it.
Just because he possesses it, he has the right over it. To maintain peace he
asks the poor to be calm and quiet. The people of low station are not supposed
to fight. As the speaker does not care about the poor man possession he is not
supposed to envy him in return. According to him it is illogical to fight with
an economically strong person. He declares assertively that he has got an upper
hand and he means to keep it forever. The entire poem operates in a dramatic
monologue context. The reader can make a guess about the rich speaker but the
listener is absent in the scene.
Short Story
The Happy Prince-Oscar Wilde
“The
Happy Prince” is the story about the good hearted happy prince himself and the
little swallow. The swallow was about to fly to Egypt but its encounter with
the happy prince changes its life. The happy prince during his life time was
totally ignorant about the sufferings of the poor. After his death, as a statue
he observes the plight around him. He seeks the help of swallow for
distributing his jewels, sapphires and ruby to the needy. After the loss of the
stones in eyes he could not see the sorrow of the poor but he has done his best
to get rid of the plight of seamstress, poor dramatist and a little child. His
gold jewels are distributed to a maximum through the swallow. At the end of
their service, the happy prince statue was pulled down terming it to be ugly
and the swallow dies due to the cold winter and exhaustion. The statue is
melted down but however the heart remains unmelted. When the God asks one of
his angels to bring two most precious things from the city, the angel brings
the unmelted heart and the dead bird. The story presents the moral values and
the concept of socialism.
The Story of Stanford
This
story presents a fact that appearances are always deceptive. One should never
judge a person by the way they look. Once a lady and her husband paid a visit
to Harvard University. They looked terribly poor in their faded clothes. They
wanted to meet the President of Harvard University. The secretary made them to
wait for hours together and after much hesitation she seeks permission from the
President. The President gives them an unfriendly welcome and asks them about
their purpose of visit. They express their wish to erect a building in memory
of their lost son who studied in the same University. The President makes fun
of them and tells “Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs”? At
the end the mother is happy to know about the cost of the building from his
remark. She casually points out to her husband about the cost of construction.
Mr and Mrs. Leland Stanford later construct their own university in California
for the loss of their son.
Engine Trouble-R.K.Narayan
This
is a story by Narayan which begins with an ironic note of how a prize won by a
man proves to be an expensive headache. A showman comes to Malgudi and brings
with him his Gaiety land. The Gymkhana grounds are used for the festivities and
the whole town pours in to see the show. Our protagonist wins a road engine at
a show, people gather around him looking at him as if he is some curious
animal. Now the problem that rises is how to take the prize back home. The
driver of the engine is an expensive one and the suggestion of bringing in the
municipality is not a good idea. It is decided that the engine can stay on the
Gymkhana grounds till the end of the season but the cost of maintaining it on
those grounds prove to be expensive for our protagonist. A cattle show comes to
town and he is given 24 hours time to remove it, so a temple elephant and 50
coolies are hired to take it to a nearby field owned by a friend. Joseph, a
dismissed bus driver comes in to help steer the engine. Hell breaks loose
resulting in undue expenditures.
Narayan
introduces a Swamiji who performs various impossible feats and insists on
having a road engine run over his chest. The municipality does not know how to
arrange for one. Our protagonist becomes the hero of the hour by lending his
engine for the feat. And in return it would be driven wherever he wanted it to.
Unfortunately in the story, the law comes in between and the feat cannot be
performed, through the figure of a police inspector, the legality of doing such
acts has been brought forward by Narayan where the inspector says that
Swamiji can do anything except have
potassium cyanide or have a rail engine run over him. It is a natural calamity
that comes as a stroke of luck for our protagonist and solves all his problems.
Again Narayan shows the irony of how a calamity that claimed several towns
bears good tidings for the owner of the engine.
After Twenty Years-O.Henry
The
story “After Twenty Years” presents the life of two friends who go in for a
mutual agreement to meet each after twenty years. The two friends are Bob and
Jimmy Wells. Bob sets out to Europe to earn his fortune while Jimmy remains in
the same place. After twenty years, the meeting is about to take place but
unfortunately Jimmy being a cop finds his friend to be the wanted criminal. He
realises his face in the dim light whereas Bob innocently discusses about the
strange meeting unknowingly with his friend. Jimmy leaves the place and sends
another cop to arrest him. He gives a note through him stating that he has been
in the place before appointed time and he has recognised him when he struck the
cigar. He could not arrest the friend by himself and therefore he has left the
spot and deputed another to arrest him. The time has changed both the friends as
cop and the criminal. Jimmy Wells is presented in a heroic light and on the
other hand despite being a criminal Bob appears to be a good friend.
Two Gentlemen of
Verona-A.J.Cronin
According
to the writer, the two gentlemen of Verona are Nicola and Jacopo. The two
brothers are introduced as normal kids at the beginning of the story but as the
story moves one gets introduced to the heroic deeds of these two brave boys.
They work hard to save their sister from spine tuberculosis. Apart from serving
the home, the narrator comes to know about their service to the nation. They
have undergone a tough time during war and even after war they do all sorts of
work to survive and save their sister. Their strength and courage moves the
author. They are not ordinary men who always think selfish. These kids are real
gentlemen of Verona who stand the test of times and face the difficulties with
smiling face.
The Avenger-Anton Chekhov
Anton
Chekhov takes the reader through the mind of an avenger. The protagonist finds
his wife infidelity and he wants to take revenge against the wife and her
lover. He goes to a shop for purchasing gun. He finds some of the gun to be
costly. He watches the display of guns and the shop keeper by all means
describe the uses of gun and tries his best to sell the costliest gun. His each
description makes the protagonist to revise his murder plans. Initially he
wants to make his wife suffer. Then he plans to kill her lover. At times he
also thinks to kill himself after killing her. He imagines the court
proceedings and newspaper review. After much thought process finally he
withdraws his idea of murder plan. The shop keeper talk ultimately gives him
time to change his mind. He purchases a trivial object and leaves the spot.
Chekov presents the story with great irony.
hi mam I'm dhayalan 2nd b.sc chemistry I saw this full notes it is so useful to study well...so two mam
ReplyDelete