Anita Desai s Fire On The Mountain - 1627 Words

This paper examines the way in which Anita Desai’s novel Fire On The Mountain deals with highly topical issues of the current century. The ecofeminist reading of the present novel outlines the postcolonial condition of the Indian women and the environment in terms of both activism and fiction. Through feminizing nature and naturalizing female, Desai aims at voicing against the ideology which authorizes the exploitation and subjugation of women and environment on the basis of class, gender, race and ethnicity. I also argue that the ambivalent relationship between the women and the environment leads to disputing dualism of nature/culture identity and yet straddling the grey area between these two binaries which allows them to be used as a tool only in the hands of patriarchy for its benefit leading the exploitation and subjugation of women. In the novel Fire On The Mountain (1977) Nanda Kaul, the protagonist is the wife of vice-chancellor but a passive sufferer who strive s for her freedom from silent miseries, agony and helplessness from the problems of day to day’s life and seeks her freedom in Kasauli at the later stage of her life. Her great grand daughter Raka; also a victim of her parent’s complex marital staus;comes to live with Nanda. Ila Das, a spinster and Nanda’s childhood friend is the epitome of the gender biasness and class consciousness.All the female characters seek their alliance with the forest of carignano to heal their sufferings but at the end of theShow MoreRelatedAnita Desai : An Indian Novelist2023 Words   |  9 Pages Chapter-1 Introduction Anita Desai is one of India s foremost writers. She is an Indian novelist, short-story writer and children s author. Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award and Guardian Children s Fiction Prize, Desai has authored as many as sixteen works of fiction, some of the best ones being Fasting, Feasting , The Village By The Sea , In Custody , and Clear Light ofRead MoreThe Great Deal Of Poetry1790 Words   |  8 PagesBhattacharya, Manohar Malgonkar, Khushwant Singh, Balachandra Rajan, Kamala mark Andaya and Anita Desai. All these novelists and many more, have considerably enriched Indo-Anglican fiction. Anita Desai began to write in English at the age of seven and published her first story at the age of nine. Several short stories were written by her regularly even before her marriage. As a novelist Desai made her debut in 1963 with the novel Cry, the Peacock. It was published in Britain by PeterRead MoreMajor Works of Anita Desai, the Indian Novelist2230 Words   |  9 PagesMajor Works of Anita Desai, the Indian Novelist Most of Desais works engage the complexities of modern Indian culture from a feminine perspective while highlighting the female Indian predicament of maintaining self-identity as an individual woman. Cry, the Peacock, Desais first novel, chronicles the morbid dread, descent into madness, and suicide of Maya, a young Delhi housewife who is trapped in a loveless, arranged marriage to the much older Gautama, a misogynistic lawyer. The novel foreshadowsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Cry, The Peacock Essay1815 Words   |  8 PagesAnitaMazumdar Desai was conceived in Mussoorie in1937. She was granted Sahitya Academy Award by Sahitya Academy for her novel Fire on the Mountain in 1978. She won the Brooker prize three times and the British Gaurdian prize for The Village by the Sea. Anita Desai is among the Anglo Indian Novelist and a women s activist author. A women s activist tries to see just the concealment, persecution, bad form and savageries did to the ladies however Anita Desai does not waver to call attention to theRead MoreAnalysis Of Kashmira Sheth s Keeping Corner, Mira And Pemala1651 Words   |  7 Pageswhen the woman starts thinking and questioning the codes of conduct laid down by society, especially a patriarchal one. This thinking and questioning attitude can start right from the woman s childhood, persist through adulthood, that is, marriage and motherhood, and become a mature understanding of one s individuality leading to an integrated, whole personality. Once they have succeeded in the quest, and found their true selves, they are at peace with themselves and with the world. They becomeRead MoreLiterature : A New Realm Of Understanding Of Human Nature And Behavior1761 Words   |  8 Pagesartistic works that fall within a certain central theme; examples of genre include Romance, Mystery, Crime, Fantasy, Erotica, and Adventure. Indo-Anglican novel begins with K.S.Ventkataramani s kandan the patriot (1935) and MulkRaj Anand s Untouchable (1935) and Coolie (1936). Raja Rao s Kanthapura is Indian terms of its story telling qualities Rabindranath Tagore wrote in Bengali and Mukerji was the first Indian author to win a literary award in the united-fiction is best knownRead MoreChildren’s Literature in India Essay1893 Words   |  8 Pagesspontaneous, allowing absurdities of all kinds to exist. Their horizons are fleeting, giving space to dragons, fairies, elves, wizards, goblins and unicorns, to rabbits that talk and broomsticks that fly. Their sense of adventurism make them scale mountains, drink potions that do wonders and imagine frogs that turn into princes. Their world is the world of pure innocent fun. And their literature is as a colour-riot as their world. Perceived as adults in the making, their books deal also with the issuesRead MoreIndian English Novel17483 Words   |   70 Pagescontemporary touch with the coming of Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao and R.K.Narayan. The social disparity of India which was aptly described by Mulk Raj Anand in his Coolie, the imaginary village life with its entire unedited realities in R.K. Narayan`s Malgudi Days and last but not the least the aura of Gandhism depicted by Raja Rao in his remarkable novel Kanthapura portrayed a whole new India. The need of the `foreigners` depicting India amidst their write ups was not needed as Indians wantedRead MoreHemp Cultivation in China42289 Words   |  170 PagesProvince, Peoples Republic of China. Journal of the International Hemp Association 2(2): 57, 60-65. This paper summarizes the history of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation and traditional use in the Tai an District of Shandong Province in the People s Republic of China, and investigates the cultivation and processing techniques currently being employed to produce hemp ribbon and hemp seed. Recent production levels and marke t conditions are reviewed. Comparisons with Hungarian hemp cultivation and

History Is Written By The Victors Essay - 1382 Words

â€Å"History is written by the victors† aptly describes the inconsistency between the indigenous people’ and the European newcomers’ recounts of the American settler-colonialism period from the 16th to 19th century. To the Spanish and other European powers their presence in the New World had transformed the ecology and social dynamics for the better. However, through the lens of the Native Americans, there lies a different portrayal of the European influence: the foreigners brought a wave of negative events. Even though the colonists introduced new technology for warfare, hunting, and transportation and a plethora of domesticated animals to the natives, they also ushered a phase of epidemics, mass murder, and relocation. Whether it was indigenous people seeking independence from or assimilating into the new sovereignty, America’s natives were ultimately eliminated either physically or culturally. Defining elimination, Patrick Wolfe states that â€Å"inva sion is recognized as a structure rather than an event† because it can establish its intention as â€Å"structural genocide† (Wolfe, 402). Actions such as burning villages and pillaging when the members of the pueblos would not offer food and supplies as tribute were some of the many examples of European settlers justifying their undertakings for nonsensical reasons. Those who chose to acculturate into the dominating power found themselves losing their entire identities: the names of places and language all were replaced with EuropeanShow MoreRelatedHistory : Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, And Alexander The Great919 Words   |  4 Pageshroughout history, Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great are successful conquerors in history. Genghis Khan a tyrant and a bloodthirsty villain during his period he conquered more territory than any other leader in history. Julius Caesar a great general that ever lived, he also knew how to elevate money for festivals and gi fts. Lastly, Alexander the Great is a person who conquered many territories, had a large empire, formed the Hellenistic culture, and became very successful. E.HRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 843 Words   |  4 PagesThe Wretch Frankenstein is a novel written by English author Mary Shelley about a peculiar scientist named Victor Frankenstein. Victor, who is a scientist endeavoring to make history, engenders a monstrous but attentive creature in an eccentric scientific experiment. The monster that he engenders faces abnegation and fear from his creator and society. The monster is the worst kind of scientific experiment gone awry. The creature has compassion for society but additionally wants to take revenge onRead MoreSmoke Signals: the Importance of Oral Tradition in Native Culture997 Words   |  4 Pagesfondness for intimate storytelling, strongly represents the Native culture of the Oral Tradition, whereas Victor, however part of the Native culture himself, doesn’t fully embrace this practice, and is reluctant to engage in verbally sharing his feelings and memories of his father. As Tonto and the Lone Ranger set out on a journey to Arizona, two strangers in a land of Written Tradition, Victor mus t learn to accept the Oral Tradition as his own, as well as begin to understand his father’s unconditionalRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Pigs And The Party 1562 Words   |  7 PagesWinston Churchill once said, â€Å"History is written by the victors.† This means that victors ultimately document history and have jurisdiction over it. They control the past, present, and the future, establishing their accounts of â€Å"history†. In 1984 by George Orwell, Oceania and the Party is the victor and have absolute power over history. The totalitarian government authorizes practically everything and manipulates the citizens to the most extreme level. From psychological manipulation to NewspeakRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 966 Words   |  4 Pagesthe ideals proposed in Frankenstein, written in the late nineteenth century by Mary Shelley, can be applied to modern day practices. She proposes that an abundance of knowledge and technology can be threatening to individuals and all of humanity if used incorrectly. Shelley s novel provided society with philosophical insight of the impact of morally questionable scientific and technological research. The popular belief of how Frankenstein came to be written is explained in the introduction to theRead MoreWarning Of The Dangers Of Science Or Suggestion That The Human1309 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscover solutions for problems; humankind is truly one of a kind. This distinctive quality grants humanity the ability to innovate, improve on what already exists, and create completely new things. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein the main character Victor Frankenstein does just that, by creating his monster. Delving into the pages of Frankenstein one can discover many underlying themes such as science and morality, true monstrosity, and human thirst for discovery. Over the years many have posed theRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein - Romanticism And Enlightenment1233 Words   |  5 PagesMary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a true literary masterpiece and one of the best horror novels ever written. The book also allows for us to get a glimpse into the nineteenth century world and the society in which this novel was written in. Like most novels, Frankenstein was deeply influenced by the society in which it was written in. Ideas such as romanticism and post enlightenment are seen throughout the work and have a great impact upon the book. Now the story of Frankenstein is legendary and everyoneRead MoreThe Victorian Era1706 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history, cultures and societies across the globe have used monsters or any sort of creature to exemplify anxieties and fears that they have. The same can be said for works of literature and art. These authors use these anxieties, personify them, and use them to exaggerate the fears of the readers. In short, the monsters/creatures that are created in each literary era depict and personify the biggest fears and viewpoints of the society that it was written in. In the case of the Victorian/RomanticRead MoreMonsters within a Young Girl’s Mind: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley1379 Words   |  6 Pagesbliss. O n Eric McMillan’s website, The Greatest Literature of All Time: the commentary on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein shows criticism. Though Eric states at the beginning, â€Å"that the novel only had three things going for it and that it was very poorly written† (McMillan). Furthermore, that it is, â€Å"unfortunately, the moral that readers and critics have taken from the story—and which Shelley clearly intends—is that expressed by Frankenstein: Knowledge is dangerous; ignorance is bliss† (McMillan). In theRead MoreA Comparison Of The Short Story In Smoke Signals1244 Words   |  5 Pagesnot going to follow The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven in quite the way that I originally expected. I do not think that this was a terrible thing. While the novel itself was made up of short stories, Smoke Signals focused primarily on Victor and Thomas’s trip to Arizona. Following their trip to retrieve Victor’s father made the film alm ost entirely different from the novel, but the film directors did a wonderful job ensuring that the message behind the film, as well as the native culture

Consider how far the work of scholars has helped give an understanding of religious experience free essay sample

In a study of 2,500 Finns, one in three (37%) said they had received help from God (Church Research Centre, 2001). Whatever you call this kind of encounter, it would be very difficult to even begin to discuss it at all without a language code to do so. Through â€Å"The Varieties of Religious Experience†, William James gave scholars a framework through which to discourse on religious experience. For example, one of James’ four characteristics of a mystical experience is ineffability, that Paul the Apostle’s religious experience transcends language. However, Pahnke’s features disagree. Alleged ineffability seems far more accurate, as Paul did speak of his experiences, using metaphor to share his conversion story through his epistles. Though the language has helped us to have a more tangible grasp on religious experiences, if those experiences were truly as ineffable as the characteristics claim, we would not be able to speak of them at all. We will write a custom essay sample on Consider how far the work of scholars has helped give an understanding of religious experience or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The largest problem with the variety of scholarly definitions is just that, the variety. A discourse between the intimate differences that arise in religious experience provides the topic with a larger context, but it has reached the point of pure self involvement. The language seems more important than its use. The story of the blind men and the elephant, present in Jain, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sufi writings summarises the problem with the language of religious experience. The men are so concerned with talking about what part of the elephant they are holding that they do not see the elephant for what it actually is. Terms like ineffability, noetic quality, transciency, and passivity are defining religious experience into being something specific, rather than capturing its range. Scholarly definitions work in the metaphysical, and accounts of religious experience hardly qualify as empirical evidence. Verificationists like the early Wittgenstein disregard a priori knowledge. Though religious experiences like Saint Bernadette at Lourdes have been â€Å"verified† by the Catholic church, their process for evaluation cannot exactly be called scientific. Private revelations are assessed by clergy and bishops before the Catholic church will give them liturgical recognition, but these men are the link with which we receive God, so there is no stand that could possibly be made against them. The later Wittgenstein would say, however, that the language games of â€Å"religion† and those of â€Å"science† can exist within their own parameters. The way that the Catholic church recognises religious experiences is not scientific, but it sits within its own language game. Even so, an unfalsifiable claim based in metaphysics is hard to place any importance on, as the language required to retell it changes the experience itself. Wittgenstein had another argument, that of â€Å"private language†. Private religious experiences that happen to a single individual, like Sundar Singh’s vision of Jesus, are impossible to recount because they exist in a separate language, not because they are ineffable. A private language is not coherent because it only exists in one person, so we cannot use James’ (or Happold, Otto, or Panhke’s) classification of religious experience to describe it. The only language we can use is our own individual one, and that is not something we can ever share. Some religious experiences happen to multiple people, though. For example, other people were present during Paul’s mystical experience. His travelling companions â€Å"saw the light but did not hear the sound,† but even then, they would all remember the experience differently between those who were present. As well as individual interpretation of events, there is a clear cultural influence. When surgeon Pierre Barbet concluded that a more likely place for nails to be located during crucifixion was in the wrists, the location of alleged stigmatas changed. By simply changing the definition, subsequent religious experiences were altered. Nothing is ever clearly passive due to primary and secondary socialisation. The existence of things in our unconscious, according to Freudian psychology, can lead them to manifest in other ways, so passivity can be seen as nothing more than an illusion. The language that scholars has given us to describe religious experience made it possible for discourse to be had, but is problematic in its usage. As these definitions have become more culturally important they have transcended the purpose of language, which is to retell experience. Instead, we are left with an unclear image of what a religious experience actually is, because it will not fit into the guidelines that have been drawn up.