merged

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

poor background and being a mother of daughters only serve the chief reasons of her
plight in ‘Rabbonwalli Family’.

Hailing from a poor class, Chand Kaur has also suffered at the hands of zamindari
society, where she is forced to bear children till the inclination for a son is realized. In
her essay ‘Woman as Other’ in Second Sex Simon de Beauvoir aptly points out, “Woman
is womb… We are exhorted to be women, remain women, become women… she is
called ‘the sex’, by which is meant that she appears essentially to the male as a sexual
being. For him she is sex – absolute sex, no less. She is defined and differentiated with
reference to man and not he with reference to her; she is the incidental, the inessential
as opposed to the essential. He is the Subject, he is the Absolute – she is the Other.” In
the narrative, Chand Kaur is treated no less than a ‘sex’ and ‘other’. Her physical
exploitation on the pretext of bearing a male progeny is reiterative of the oppressive
patriarchal structure.

Preference for a son seems the only reason to perform a marriage in a patriarchal/racial
society. Should a woman fail to oblige or live up to the desired standard of the patriarchal
society, she is doomed to give grounds for her existence –her sexuality, her womanhood
and most of all her identity as constructed by the society. Any failure in regard to
society’s norms is highly unacceptable. When a third daughter was born to Chand Kaur,
almost everyone in the house rebuked her. Tiwana’s grandmother reprimanded her
daughter-in-law –“What good are you if you cannot give us a son’ (17) or ‘Oh God it’s
our bad luck that you have fallen to our lot. That bride of peepal tree house took no time
in giving birth to two sons in quick succession. A lucky family indeed! And you” (17).
Tiwana’s father also threatened to cut his wife (Chand Kaur) into pieces for giving him
this sad news of the birth of a third daughter.

On seeing the situation worsen Tiwana’s grandfather consulted a Purohit ji and asked
him to find out some way by suggesting some ritual so that his daughter-in-law could
bear a son. He was worried over the spate of girls born into the family. Grandfather also
wanted to know if the same wife will bear a son or will his son have to marry a second
time. In those days second marriage was not a new phenomenon, it was a common
practice. This is borne out by the elder aunt’s (younger bua ji’s step wife) remark when
she said, “Show me a Sardar who has less than four wives” (8). Connotatively, here the
narrative strongly hints at objectification of women where they are considered as
belongings, like things. Chand Kaur’s exploitation on the basis of caste, class, race and
gender also proves the fact that she is an object to be used and discarded.

Tiwana recapitulates those times when polygamy was rampant in India. She brings forth
men’s oppression while narrating her aunt (bua ji), Gulab Kaur’s story who had been
married for quite some time but did not have any child. Gulab Kaur is the second wife
of Tiwana’s uncle (fufar ji), General Sardar Tara Singh Sidhu, the Superintendent of
Police at Patiala. He has married again in the hope of getting an heir, but the second
marriage also proved fruitless. Gulab Kaur pleaded before her parents to send Dalip
Kaur Tiwana (Deep) with them so that her husband’s mind of marrying a third time
could be changed.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 50

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

On Gulab Kaur’s request Tiwana was sent away to live with her aunt. Tiwana were three
sisters, her elder aunt (Fuffar ji’s first wife) said to Tiwana’s grandfather, “Now that you
have two daughters, we shall keep Deep” (8). At this point, Chand Kaur reconciled to
her fate when no one asked her consent in sending away her daughter to someone else.
Tiwana describes her mother’s love galore in an overwhelming tale of their separation,
“She hugged me, stroked my head, my face, and my arms and kissed me on my cheeks.
Then suddenly burst into tears…Don’t forget me. Tell your grandfather that you don’t
want to go” (6). Going away of Tiwana was not an insignificant matter for the family.
Tiwana’s grandfather too with heavy heart has taken this decision, first to save his
daughter’s (Gulab Kaur) marriage and second for Tiwana’s better prospects. He said
with moist eyes, “Sons take her away, if you must. But look after her well. She is more
precious to us than seven sons. Put her in a school. I’ll pay for her education for a year,
to start with” (7). Tiwana shows how these human relations get entangled in this
universe and behave in regard to one-another’s interest.

Tiwana’s grandmother has always prayed under her breath for a grandson to be born
whose light she should be able to see in her lifetime. Tiwana’s father was a drunkard
and this was also a cause of concern for the family. They wanted a son so that the
property could be given to him. Once again the discrimination between a son and a
daughter in legal affairs is highlighted. Tiwana and her two sisters could not have a
rightful share in their father’s property. The birth of a son was therefore necessary.

It was after many years of prayers that a son after five daughters was born in their family.
Tiwana at last had a brother. He was born on a Thursday (Veervar in Punjabi) so, he
was named Verendra Singh. On this auspicious occasion, Bishan Purohit performed
many rituals. Grandmother lavishly distributed wheat and gur (jaggery) among the poor.
Many other gifts were also doled out like phulkaris, dopatta, thick cotton bed sheets,
hard cash and buffaloes among the people of the village. Bishan Purohit also predicted
that the child would be long-lived, wealthy and influential. Tiwana’s grandmother was
anxious to know whether he would lead a normal life or follow in his father’s footsteps,
to which Purohit ji replied to her contentment and said, “He has taken after her mother’s
family… He will prove a lucky boy.” (84)

At this juncture, Tiwana’s mother, Chand Kaur, who was doomed otherwise, was given
some respect once the son was born to her. The result of Chand Kaur’s penance has
stood her in good stead. In a feudalistic society, giving birth to a son means a lot for the
family but it does not mean woman’s liberation in any way. At the most, it implies that
Chand Kaur is now free of indictable blame of bearing a son.

Tiwana’s preoccupation with women’s sensibility, gender practices, and identities have
proceeded to articulate and demand contemplation on part of the society’s code of
conduct. Tiwana records in her autobiography another problem usually faced by the girls
in our society. Tiwana recalls the time when her marriage was settled. When a month
was left for the wedding, the parents of the boy broke off the engagement. In Tiwana’s
house the preparation for the marriage had started on a hectic note. In the book Children
and Literature by Shubha Tiwari, Alka Saxena in chapter Depiction of Childhood in the

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 51

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Autobiographies of Indian Women Writers says, “Amidst such joyous atmosphere when
the proposal was called off, the family was left astounded. The social stigma that a
daughter in the family had been rejected was upper most in the minds of all at
home.”(55)

In Journey on Bare Feet, Tiwana’s younger aunt, Gulab Kaur said, “People would
wonder why they had rejected a daughter of their (Rabbonwali) family.”(73) Or People
will talk. It will bring us bad name.” (74). When the proposal was called off, Tiwana’s
self-confidence was shattered; comments and taunts only added to her disappointment.
Sometimes, she would stand before the mirror and have doubts over her looks and
appearance. She wonders, isn’t she a good girl. Why have they accused her of no-
character girl? The rejection of Tiwana for marriage after it had been settled was a very
serious matter because it could affect the prospects of Tiwana’s sisters as well. When
Samrala aunt (Tiwana’s younger Bua ji, Baldev Kaur) came to know about the news she
came rushing to Patiala again with her proposal (which once Tiwana’s grandfather had
refused) and started insinuating the whole affair with an eye to fix up the proposal of
Tiwana’s marriage with her sister-in-law’s son. She spoke in such a sarcastic tone,
“What belongs to the garbage dump must ultimately find a place there. Girls can’t live
in their parent’s homes all their lives. They must go where they belong. Here’s a good
opportunity coming your way. Of course, you can try in other place. Nobody can stop
you from doing that. But they would all insinuate that she is a once –rejected girl, you
may find yourself at a dead end” (89). Her talks even indicated a reference to dowry
while covering all the points, “Whatever you want to give, you can put it in girls’ name”
(79).

In Tiwana’s autobiography the familiar issues of gender discrimination are acutely felt.
The psychological trauma that a girl undergoes after her marriage is called off and the
social reaction to such incidents is genuinely expressed. Tiwana recalls when the
proposal of marriage brought by her younger Bua ji, Baldev Kaur was accepted by all.
She (Baldev Kaur) took no time in finalizing the marriage date. At this point, Tiwana
reveals her mind in this way, “They asked me nothing, told me nothing. I felt lost and
forlorn in the melee, marked by the din and hubbub of a country fair. After school, I
went straight to my room and read. Lost in the world of fiction I would soon forget the
real world around me.” (98) Tiwana took four pheras (four rounds called Lavan in
Punjabi) around Guru Granth Sahib and then departed to her in-laws house, within few
days. Tiwana was just in eighth standard when she got married. Being a young girl of
twelve years; yet to come of age, she was sent back the following day to be retrieved
back after two years from her parental house. After getting married, Tiwana resumed
her studies as before, after a day’s absence.

In the narrative Tiwana talks about her identity crisis when Miss Sen, her school teacher
asked her, “Miss Tiwana would you like to continue studies. Tiwana had wanted to
remind her that she is no longer Miss Tiwana. Tiwana describes her dilemma in these
lines, “Then what was I. It struck me that I was nobody. Yes, I was nobody. When
someone addressed me as Miss Tiwana I felt like that I was leading a false life” (109).

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 52

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Tiwana in her autobiography raises an issue of early marriage and its repercussions on
the psyche of the child. She describes, the problem is not confined to girls the boys are
no exception to it. The story of Raghubir Bhai (Tiwana’s cousin) who, however, being
married had fallen for a beautiful girl and wanted to marry her; is evident of the fact that
he also became a victim to the effects of early marriage. He said, “At that time I was
still in school. My parents never asked me about my opinion… But why Should I be
made to suffer for it? (111)”

Tiwana has woven various other threads while narrating her own story. She along with
her tale narrates the woebegone tales of other women. Tiwana unfolds the strange story
of an orphan girl child named Dhanni. As the story goes, when Tiwana’s uncle was the
City Kotwal a woman lodged a complaint that her husband had picked up a girl from
somewhere and had brought her home. After interrogation the police revealed the facts
that Dhanni’s step mother had sold her off to some unknown person who in turn had
again passed her on to a stranger. Now, her step mother is not willing to take her back.
Tiwana’s uncle (Fuffar ji) General Sardar Tara Singh Sidhu pitied the girl and adopted
her as his own daughter. When she grew up Tiwana’s uncle married her off with the
brother-in-law of the Superintendent of Police of Dhaliwal. Unfortunately, her marriage
came to a halt when her husband started ill-treating her for extravagant demand of
money in order to pay off his family debts. Initially, she pacified him by taking money
from her foster father (Tiwana’s uncle), later he began harassing her all the more. Unable
to bear his cruelty for a long time, she refused to live with him. On foster mother’s
(Tiwana’ elder Aunt; Gulab Kaur’s Co-wife) askance, “But where will you live if you
leave your husband? In anguish, “I will live neither here nor there,” replied Dhanni. “I
will not live anywhere” (101). Her ominous words came true when she died of enteric
fever bringing her story to a sad end.

Another instance, Tiwana unveils is about Baldev Kaur’s sister-in -law. Everybody was
told that she died by falling from the roof top. But Tiwana’s grandfather’s remarks in
this context arises doubts in the mind, when he said to Baldev Kaur, his daughter (who
had come with a proposal of Tiwana’s marriage with her sister-in -law’s son), “Don’t
try to teach me. I just don’t want to marry the girl into their family. How do you know
the boy’s mother fell from the roof by accident and wasn’t pushed down...People know
only what they are told” (46). Tiwana here depicts various social injunctions working at
the grassroots in a socio-cultural familial setup where the demise or murder of a woman
is disguised as an accident by suppressing the voices to making the unreal seem real.

Dalip Kaur Tiwana presents the plight of both, rural and urban women where one
unfailingly attend to all the household chores and suffers all tortures, while the other
though educated struggles unavailingly against her fate before she resignedly accepts
her lot in life and decides to live barely and humbly as strange silent others. Tiwana
probes the mind, the sensibility, the agitated heart of the lonely or trapped woman. Being
herself a part of an aristocratic class, Tiwana does not lose sight of the plight of the
woman fazed by the mindset of the zamindary society, where veiled superficiality and
hypocrisy works at the grassroots. Women’s peripheral existence, their victimized

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 53

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

stance calls for a pressing point to raise voice against social evils and its power
structures.

To conclude, the dynamics of dominance and subservience central to the subaltern and
feminist discourse is comprehensively critiqued by Spivak in her influential essay Can
the Subaltern Speak? Spivak states that “the ideological construction of gender keeps
the male dominant. If, in the context of colonial production, the subaltern has no history
and cannot speak, the subaltern as female is even more deeply in shadow” (83).

References:

ਟਿਵਾਣਾ, ਦਲੀਪ ਕੌਰ. ਨੰ ਗੇ ਪਰੈ ਾਂਾ ਦਾ ਸਫ਼ਰ, ਪਾਟਿਆਲਾ, ਸਗੰ ਮ ਪਬਟਲਕੇਸ਼ਨ, 2011

Tiwana, Dalip Kaur. A Journey on Bare Feet (Nange Pairan da Safar1990). Trans.
from Punjabi

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 54

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

by Jai Rattan. New Delhi: Orient Longmans Limited, 1993.Print.

Dimri, Jaiwanti. “Images and Representation of the Rural Woman.” A Study of the
Selected

Novels of Indian Women Writers. Delhi: Indian Institute of Advanced
Studies, 2012.

Print.

Beauvoir, Simone De. The Second Sex. London : Pan Books Ltd,1998. Print.

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “Can the Subaltern Speak?” Marxism and the
Interpretation of

Culture.Ed. Cary Nelson and Lawrence Grossberg. London: Macmillan,
1998. Print
Tiwari, Shubha. Children and Literature. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2006. Print.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 55

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Badal Sircar’s There’s No End: Rhetoric of Despair and Chaos

Himani Sharma

Abstract

Modern Indian theatre was on one side influenced by the Western ideas and on the
other side, it was deep rooted in Indian tradition. New techniques with traditional
forms were experimented to develop a new face of drama. Badal Sircar a modern
playwright has projected modern life with social problems and contemporary
situations. He is not only a name but also a whole chapter in the history of Indian
English Drama. Sircar has felt the miseries of man very closely. He was deeply
affected by the conditions of modern man, which were characterised with
frustration, agony, chaos and anguish. His view was empathetic towards them. This
agony of human heart has been clearly visualised in his language. The present paper
will emphasis on the despair and chaos in the language of Badal Sircar based on
the play There’s No End.

Research paper:

Initially Indian Drama got its shape in the frame of Natyashastra a treasurable piece
of Bharata Muni. The entire elements essential for drama are integrated in this
treatise which have been followed by the Sanskrit dramatists in their dramas. The
voyage of Indian Drama that had been started with Sanskrit Drama crossed many
positions as theatre emerged in various parts of the country as in Bengal, Gujarat,
Assam, Haryana, U.P., Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

Hindu Rang-Manch of Calcutta, established in 1831 by Prasanna Kumar Thakur
gave a new meaning to Indian Theatre. At the time of pre-independence theatre was
used as the weapon against British colonialism. Pre-independence drama was
characterized by poetic excellence, symbolism, and its commitment to moral
values. But up to Post-Independence, drama could not flow among the people as a
major current. After independence as sovereignty of speech and public
communication has become the fundamental rights, Indian Drama has bloomed
with a new enthusiasm. After independence there was a drastic change in Indian
society. Social values were losing their meaning. The main dilemma occurred for
the middle class who found itself tormented between traditional ways and the
modernity. Modern Indian English Drama does not only touch the problems of
middle class but also concentrates on the use of modern trends and techniques. It is
not limited to the translations as it was in the previous era. With innovations and
experiments it has achieved a new moon in the space of Indian English literature.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 56

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Modern Indian Theatre was on one side influenced by the Western ideas and on the
other side it was deep rooted in Indian tradition. New techniques with traditional
forms were tried to develop a new face of drama. Anita Sharma has the opinion,
Modern Indian English Drama has the immense scope for traditional techniques. It
has the courage to give new dimensions to traditional theatrical perceptions. It not
only uses old conventions but gives them new meanings also. So it is never a blind
imitation of classical drama but evolves its new theory and takes drama to the
common man. (194)

Writers of the modern era are not the blind imitators of their predecessors. They
have correlated the contemporary issues with history, myths and legends. With the
use of innovations and experiments modern writers have given recognition on the
world level. Now, drama is not only for the aristocrats and educated but it has
touched the emotions of the common man.

Badal Sircar a modern playwright has projected modern life with social problems
and contemporary situations. He is not only a name but a whole chapter in the
history of Indian English Drama. K. Venkata Reddy relates for the playwright
Badal Sircar, ―Badal Sircar entered the Indian theatre at an appropriate time when
Indian Drama was at the threshold of a new era of innovation and experimentation.‖
(105) A way of thinking has emerged with his plays. Sircar remains unique in
writing, as his plays have unique structure, language and theme.

Sircar was deeply affected by the condition of modern man which are characterized
with frustration, agony, chaos and anguish. Sircar has conveyed the idea of tragedy
of human life with the words, Everything goes round and round like a wheel. Still
it’s not a proper wheel, it’s a spiral. And that precisely is the tragedy—the tragedy
of knowing. I catch something. And just when I understand it, it suddenly ends and
I throw it away. Then again, I grab at something else. Still the hope for a sudden,
unexpected, wonderful happening doesn’t die. One continuous to feel, that this isn’t
all. (48)

Sircar has presented absurdity in the dialogues of his characters who are presenting
the common mass. Sircar’s protagonists in his plays are full of despair and
disillusionment. Human beings live in society, so they have to fulfil the measures
of society. Fear of fate, fear of loneliness and absurdity and fear of sin destroy their
true existence and creates the feeling of alienation among them. Modern man is
alienated from the world, from the humanity, from the universe even from God.
The hollowness of his environment is penetrating to his self. His pain, sufferings
and agony have been depicted in the words of Badal Sircar. His theatre presents
hidden issues of contemporary life. In the play ―There‘s No End the confusion,
frustration, detachment of the protagonist has been displayed. His pathetic speeches
in the court have a deep meaning that is the showcase of modern man.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 57

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

In the play Evam Indrajit, Sircar opines that life is just like an endless road. Human
being has to walk on it continuously like Sisyphus,

There‘s no end.
There‘s no hope….
Forget the questions
Forget the grief,
And have faith
In the road
The endless,road.
No shrine for us
No God for us
But the road,
The endless road. (60)

There is No End has also the same notion. In the opening scene audience are
introduced to the protagonist Sumanta and the life force of the play like Manasi and
Sumati. Sumanta has achieved great name and fame as a poet. Sumanta , poet of
the lonely, tortured soul! (1), as people called him seems disturbed as he is finding
gaps in his life. In spite of a lot of glory he is not satisfied. For him life is an endless
road. A human being, if he is conscious about his presence in this world, finds
emptiness in his life. Achievements are not enough to calm his thirst to know about
the meaning of his presence in this great universe where everything is quite
meaningless.

The beginning years of Sumanta were dominated by Mrinalini. She has spoiled the
life of Manika for the false care of her son. Sumanta being a conscious soul realized
all this with a different angle, ―Yes. You. Love. A mother‘s love. In the name of
protection you built a wall, shut the whole world out and made your son a stunted
weakling. That mother‘s love for you! (4) From birth till death man has to fulfil
numberless duties. The chains of society have collapsed his freedom. A human
being becomes habitual to this mechanical life and becomes unconscious about his
inner self. Gradually, he loses his true happiness. This artificiality of life continues
till the realization of the self by man. When it happens, man wants to be free from
the web of these false relations. Sumanta‘s poem makes this clear,

Umbilical cord cut away at birth.
And yet till death its stranglehold.
Why forget the womb‘s debt
Was paid in childhood? There’s no settling accounts now.
Your love
The crippling bond
Motherly love. (4)

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 58

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

A human being feels alienated in his own life. All the relations, bonds and
responsibilities strangulate him and his existence. The absurdity of this world raises
a wall between him and his existence. Detached from his own existence he becomes
an alien for himself. Sumanta expresses his pain in these words, ―My parents, the
family, the relatives, the people around me- they are intolerable. They were
crushing me, killing me. I felt I couldn’t breathe. The same dreary routine day after
day - the same pointless suffocating round of home, college, college, home - oh,
the constricting dullness of it all. (6)

Manika accuses the protagonist of cheating her. According to her, low education,
culture and class create a boundary around her and Sumanta was not ready to cross
that. She says, ― He was so many cuts above me in all respects. He is moreover a
Brahmin. (5) Manika’s grievances and accusation is for Sumanta’s deceitful
behaviour. She bewilderedly says, ―I understood and yet could not accept. I knew
and yet did not want to know. Oh God, why didn’t he turn me out? Why didin’t he
ask me plain to get out and not hope for the impossible? (5) The main cleavage
between Manika and Sumanta was the difference of conscious and unconscious
being. Sumanta was gradually turning over the path of recognising his own self. On
the other hand, Manika was stretching him into the world of strangers. As she
herself admits, ―You were growing all the time. Day by day you found the gulf
separating us grow bigger and bigger. I couldn’t share your thoughts - the very
thought that you would have to build a home with me and stay there for the rest of
your life…. (6) Sumanta being sick of all this says, ―what you wanted was a home
- you wanted to take me out of one cage and put me into another. And I wanted you
to join me in the job of breaking those cages. (6)

Prasanta was the person who helps Sumanta to break the clutches of this society.
He appreciates Prasanta,… Prasanta, yes Prasanta saved me. He opened my eyes to
the truth that the problem was not mine alone, it was not my immediate
surroundings that were at fault. The fault lay elsewhere; it lay in the social structure,
in society itself. And that society could be changed, it had to be changed. That was
the only way, that would be the only reason for living.(6) Sumanta was the only
friend of Prasanta but now he also accuses Sumanta for murdering his only friend
Sumanta Sanyal. Prasanta, a political activist has joined a political party to change
the society. He has the same notion for the world as Sumanta has. In his views, ―
Love, faith, religion, family, personal relations - everything meaningless, pointless;
but then that is the way of the world. There’s nothing one can do about it. Do not
hope for anything. Do not strive for anything. Do not have any regard for anything.
Principles and scruples are so much nonsense. (7)

Sumanta finds the way of Prasanta as his own way and joined the party himself.
But soon he skips politics, after not getting it self- satisfactory. He was not satisfied
with the policy and decisions of the party. In this way he snatched a close friend
and the only support of Prasanta. Both the friends want to change the world but
their ways are different. Like Prasanta, Sumanta was not ready to be bound in the

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 59

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

hands of any force of the world. He explores himself before Prasanta in this way,
―There was no other way, Prasanta. If you gave up politics you would have died;
If I didn’t I would have died. (8)

A human being has no existence of his own. Everywhere he has been portrayed
with eyes full of expectations. Among all these greedy eyes he lost his self. If he
wants to break this cage he becomes an accused, like Sumanta. Sumanta makes this
clear, ― But that’s what I want to know. Didn’t any of you have any selfish motives
at all? In each instance it is made out that I did what I did from selfish motives. But
didn’t all of you want to restrain me out of selfish motives of your own? (8)

Sircar‘s protagonists reveal the psychology of Sircar in his plays. Like Indrajit,
Sumanta also withstands affront of society, as it needed change. Ella Dutta also
points out in this reference, ― from the crisis of the individual, the somber
existentialism that thus far coloured his plays; he began exploring scathingly
ironical exposes of the social, economic and historical forces creating crises in
society. (3) Sumanta has a real thirst for knowledge, originality, an indifference to
worldly comforts, (8) which make him perfect for deep thinking. Amiya has the
opinion that he could have been successful in research. But he wronged science.
Everyone should be grateful on this earth for his birth and try to do the best service
to it.

AMIYA. Certainly not. One has to pay the price for living. All my life I have tried
to pay the price, even now I am doing so. How dare you dismiss it as ego?
SUMANTA. I have done the same. I’m doing it now. But that very cause which
makes you hold on to one track, throws me off from one to another. (9) Sumanta
further adds that it is the ego of humans to keep another in one’s own track. (9)
Expectations, responsibilities and duties many other things are there to fulfil in the
form of tribute for this priceless living. But, Sumanta was not ready to pay the price
of life. His aim is to search what life is. What is the true existence and what is the
real essence of life and happiness. Amiya asks,

AMIYA. Did you really think that the road that you took was the one where you’d
be able to tender life’s true price?
SUMANTA. No. it was a question of searching in my case.
AMIYA. Instead of drifting in that fashion….
SUMANTA. It would have been better if I had stuck to research, is that it? I don’t
agree. Better for others, maybe, but not for me. (9)

Through the character of Amiya Mukherjee, Sircar presents the hollowness. Being
a learned person Amiya could not recognise the real essence of life. For him
research is the better way for Sumanta, while Amiya was himself totally incapable
to search himself. For him, human beings are lenders to have birth on this surface
and they have to pay for it. Sumanta finds something wrong everywhere whether it
is studies, job, love affairs or motherly love. Human affairs are full of selfish

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 60

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

motives. Due to these selfish motives man tries to corrupt the character of the other.
In high profile jobs morality has been pressed under the burden of luxurious life.
When Srivastava failed to understand the notion of Sumanta, Sumanta blames him,

SUMANTA. No, Mr Srivastava, you wouldn’t, you corrupt your employees to their
bones with money - that is your method, your way of working.
SRIVASTAVA. Nonsense.
(Sumanta comes down from the dock and faces Srivastava.)
SUMANTA. You say I wasn’t drunk that day. You are wrong. I was. I had taken
enough whisky to wrench myself off for ever from that way of life - a way in which
your money had nearly dissolved the backbone. I might not have otherwise.(10)

Sumanta was not ready to exploit his self. The want of goodness, happiness and
peace was cutting him inside. At last he leaves the job and become a poet. During
the job Sumanta can only find that he is an executive who can compete with
Americans and enjoy the luxury which is provided by the company to him.
Satisfaction was not there for him. In giving up the studies, Sumanta’s main motive
is to search himself but in job he was on the same place as before. Sumati justifies
her name. She is the inner consciousness of Sumanta who makes him realise at
every step what Sumanta should do. Earlier she was with Prasanta but later on when
both the friends change their way she comes with Sumanta.

A human being can refuse everything which annoys him except this chaos, chaos
which originates from the irrationality and anarchy of this universe. The problem
arises when man wants to resolve the mystery of this irrationality. His reason is
bounded at some point. And to solve this mystery for him is beyond limits. If man
behaves like an object in this world, and not as a human being, his life would be
reasonable. Trees, animals and all other natural things do not have intellect, the
power of reason to conflict with the universe. So they do not feel this chaos but the
human being can not refuse this chaos of his being in the universe.

Camus says, ―The body, affection, creation, action, human nobility will then
resume their places in this mad world. At last man will again find the wine of the
absurd and the bread of the indifference on which he feeds his greatness (The myth
of Sisyphus (52). Sumanta is continuously trying to search himself but becomes
always hopeless. Finally, he finds that fire inside himself. On a dark bare night he
stares into himself and says, ―I had a glimpse of that fire inside me- something is
coming out of the fire, sharp – shiny - I don”t know what it is…. (14) Then Sumanta
returns to his place and falls asleep. When he wakes up in the morning he sees
something written on the paper by him. It was a poem. He hands
over that paper to Sumati. She was not able to read it. Then Sumanta reads it
himself, his thirst has also been shown in his poetry,

I go, like the hunting dog,
For the smell in the air.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 61

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Like the waiting fangs of the snake
My spear quivers
And looks for me
In the road I have just traversed
On the other side.(15)

Sumanta’s search for the ‘I’ is complete in his poetry. Sumati‘s support was with
him at every step. She is encouraging Sumanta to search. She explains, ―Sumanta
is trying to find himself - searching, probing. He has at last found himself in his
poetry, in his writings. Sumanta has no doubts any more, no hesitations. All his
omissions - his mistakes and crimes, have been washed away. (15) Sumanta is
satisfied, but still he is feeling there is some gap. The world is full of problems and
sorrow. The five witnesses at last emerge and present the whole world. Sufferings
have raised a wall between the human beings and his existence. They are internally
dead but physically alive. All are strangers for Sumanta but they have presented
themselves for the subject of his poetry,

FIRST. I sleep on the pavement near the crossing of your lane and the main road.
To get that berth on the payment, I have to fight for it or pay the gang -leader ten
paise per night. Haven’t you seen me?
SUMANTA. Yes, I have. But I don’t know you.
FIRST. I work in a factory. If I am absent - no wages. If there is less work
retrenchment, lock-out. I live in a baste - five in one small room. Don’t you know
me?
SUMANTA. No. I don’t. You are a stranger - how shall I write about you?
FIRST. But I exist.
SUMANTA. You may. What can I do about it?
FIRST. You can write.

Futility of human life has been shown by the dialogues of these witnesses. Human
life has no value and certainty. Man becomes enemy of man. He is responsible for
the destruction of the world. Second witness was the victim of communal riots. His
family has been killed, land has been snatched, fields destroyed and they all were
tortured beyond limits. This is not the story of a single village or country. A lot of
people belong to various countries all over the world and have to confront all this.
He says, ― Man has done all this - human beings - you are a human being - I am a
human being. (17) Barren reality of human life compels a man to think about his
existence. Meaning of life disappears and the whole world fills with darkness.
Modern technology by the invention of atomic range has destroyed the basis of life.
The third witness says, ― A bomb of tremendous explosive power has been made
– to kill me, to kill all human beings, to destroy all living things, to destroy the
world.(17) In spite of the destructive power of all these inventions the world ― will
go on living. But it lives in fear - fear of annihilation in a moment. (17) This fear
has spoiled the happiness, peace of mind and satisfaction of man. ― Fear destroys

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 62

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

values, fear destroys hope, fear takes away the meaning of life, fear makes man an
imbecile. (17)

Sircar has discussed the loveless attitude of human beings in Bhoma. The same
point he discusses here. All the beauty of this planet has lost its charm. Now it has
become barren. Once man loved, but now they don’t love. They have become blind
as they are totally unable to see the harsh reality of life. Fifth witness says,

FIFTH. I have become blind. I have lost my direction. I cannot see my way. The
known things have been blotted out. In darkness there is no light, no direction, no
way.
SUMANTA. God?
FIFTH. Dead. The old God is dead. The new God is submerged in darkness. I
can”t see him. (17)

God is not in heaven. Hardy’s words that all is wrong with the world resonate with
Sircar’s. In modern life there is no place for God, morality and values. The world
is full of irrationality. The person who is honest, polite and innocent has to suffer a
lot, has to live a life of struggle and poverty. On the other hand, man who is corrupt
in the mind and character has enjoyed the pleasures of life. These contradictions of
human life have ended the trust of man for God and morality. The true pleasure of
the soul has been presented in the form of Ananda. This character is personified by
Sircar. Human beings cannot enjoy the pleasure any longer. It is dead for them.

As Sumanta says,
SUMANTA. Searching for you I have ruined myself. You died, yet I looked for
you. You are dead, yet I go on looking for you. You did not stay - now you have
brought them here.
ANANDA. They have been here all along - they are here now.
SUMANTA. But you were alive. Why did you have to die?
ANANDA. Resurrect me.
SUMANTA. How? In heaven’s name how?
ANANDA. By poetry, by man, by them, by you. (18)

Numberless people are there who are dying every day but they have to live. They
are not conscious about their existence. Sumanta, a conscious soul can only get
pleasure after facing affront with the harsh reality of this world. Sumanta asks
Ananda again and again why he came with those five witnesses. Ananda replies
every time, ― forget or ― accept. Forget here means to neglect the pain, agony
and fear of others and try to live a normal life. Accept means to accept the bitter
reality of life. Sumanta accepts the reality. Since birth, every stage of man’s life is
conditioned with the set code of conducts. In each relationship, we have to follow
certain rules and responsibilities. Everywhere, the boundary of laws has covered
the existence of human beings. Sumanta’s pain could be seen in his words,

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 63

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

My growing up, my self - consciousness, my own private life - there also it was a
reign of laws, a set of codes. The conflict was only between one set and another.
Even this conflict is resolved through the operation of a different set of laws, on the
strength of a code. My work, my life, my circumscribed existence… (suddenly in
a changed tone, excitedly) But milord, in each set was concealed the dangerous
seed of illegality. (18)

These boundaries prepare a suffocated environment for man. People like Sumanta
cannot tolerate this lifeless ness of life. They stand against this suffocated
atmosphere. Sumanta has been accused for not following the code of society for
mother, beloved, teacher, friend and boss. But he says that these codes have lost
their values, they are now pointless. So he is not ready to accept that he is guilty.
At the end of the play he asserts, ― There is no accused. You are the accused. You,
you, you- all of you are the accused - we are all the accused! (19) So the trial will
never end.

Many of Sircar‘s plays present the chaos of human life. In Evam Indrajit the
protagonist Indrajit suffers with the dilemma of living. Sumanta, Sharad, Khoka,
and Bhoma are the others in the same line. Sircar has seen the miseries of man very
closely. His view was empathetic towards them. This agony of human heart has
been clearly visualised in his language. The incidents that he pictured in his plays
express the real suffocation of human beings. His plays show the inner crisis of
modern man. Sircar’s plays are the mouthpiece of the struggle of common mass in
this absurd world. Evam Indrajit, There’s No End and That Other History have
presented the middle class young men who are frustrated, alienated and tolerating
life as a burden. The protagonists of the plays are the conscious beings struggling
with this absurdity. Indrajit wants an escape from this absurdity but when he looks
for the road of his choices he only finds the dead routine of daily life as Sisyphus’
rolling of a stone. There is no escape from this dead routine. Sumanta is the other
conscious character who comes to affront the society. This play reveals the
irrationality of the relations on this planet. Finally, Sumanta finds
himself in his poetry and becomes the poet of tortured souls.

WORKS CITED:

Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. Tr by Justin O‘ Brien.
New york: Vintage International. 1991. Print.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 64

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Dutta, Ella. Introduction to the Three Plays: Procession, Bhoma, Stale News.
Calcutta: Seagull Books, 1983. Print.
Katyal, Anjum. Badal Sircar: Towards a Theatre of Conscience. Kolkata. Sage
Publication. 2015.
Reddy, Ventaka K. ―India‘s Barefoot playwright: Badal Sircar.‖ Critical Studies
in Commonwealth Literature. Calcutta Prestige Books. 1994. Print.
Sharma, Anita. ―Modern Indian English Drama: Exploring New Vistas”.
Research Journal of English Language and Literature. Vol. 1. Issue 2. ISSN
2321-3108. 2013. www.rjelal.com.
Sharma, Ram. ―A History of Indian English Drama.‖ Sunaosis Writers Network.
24 Jan.
2010. <http:// www.sunaosis.ning.com.>
Sircar, Badal. Evam Indrajit. Tr. Girish karnad. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
2011. Print.
Sircar, Badal. There’s No End. Tr. By K. Raha. Enact 59 (Nov 1971): 9—27.
Sircar, Badal. Three Plays: Procession, Bhoma, Stale News. Tr. By Samik
Bandyopadhyay. Calcutta: Seagull Books, 1983. Print

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 65

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Alter Ego and Style of Writing in the Selected Novels of J.M.
Coetzee

Babita Negi
Research Scholar English Department

Kanya Gurukul Campus, Dehradun

Abstract

Human mind is always thoughtful and everyone wants to share his/hers thoughts
with others, for this purpose, we need words and a series of particular words forms
a language. The spinning of the thoughts in the covering made by words is called
communication. Communication in written form is called literature and expression
of the thoughts in a striking manner is an art. For decades the profound thinkers
have been coining new words and developing different writing style to share their
views in a more enchanting way. Literature has become the medium of sharing
views. Intellectuals, write sometimes to entertain the readers, sometimes to reform
society such as Addison and Steele who created ‘Sir Roger’ a character in which
they filled all the qualities of a good human being to reform society, and sometimes
to preserve the culture and heritage of the particular society to create an awareness
in the upcoming generations about their roots. Sometimes the people who are
philanthropists by nature use their pens to reveal the pains and sufferings of the
subjugated in the society. In this way, they express their grief and accept the guilt
in the alter ego technique for the injustice done by one human being to another.
Literature is called the mirror of the age because through it the writer portrays the
conditions and circumstances prevailing during a particular age. Born on 9
February 1940, J.M Coetzee, a noble laureate, South African writer and close
spectator of apartheid regime, champion of sharing his thoughts in different ways,
felt the pains and sufferings of the people in South Africa. He uses a different style
of writing to give a vivid picture of the pains and suffering of the people going
through the apartheid regime. In one of the Booker prize winning novel Disgrace
he beautifully wrote about the need of language. In a very simple manner he
described that the use and significance of a language is to understand the feelings
and thoughts of other human being so that people could bring peace and happiness
in the lives of others.

“Human society has created language in order that we may communicate
our thoughts and feelings and intentions to each other”(34) Disgrace

J.M.Coetzee is a hermit - like person. He did not even go to collect his Booker prize
in person. He is a pure vegetarian and filled with humane qualities, and this is
revealed in all his writings which have some clue towards humanitarianism.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 66

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Coetzee uses alter ego to represent his grief and guilt towards not only the blacks
but to represent humanity connected with every living creature. In his novel
Waiting for the Barbarians, Coetzee gives the reader so many incidents that suggest
the real definition of the barbarians. The term barbarian is generally used for the
uncivilized people and in the same way it is a title given by the whites to the blacks
as they were the simple people and lived their life in a simple way without any
pomp and show. In this novel, there is a war between the barbarians (the natives)
and so called civilized whites (the invaders). This novel is written in the first person
and Coetzee framed a white character, the magistrate as protagonist of the novel
who was in charge of maintaining law and order during apartheid in the frontiers of
South Africa. He was the witness of the oppression of the innocent black people by
the white colonizers. Coetzee has used alter ego technique in many of his novels
to make whites feel the guilt of injustice done by them to the blacks. The alter ego
technique is evident from the fact that Coetzee has used white characters to show
humanity and as well as cruelty. The magistrate was in charge of the frontiers but
never noticed any barbarian, instead he told the inquiry officer that there were not
any barbarians but they were the nomads who were living their life in their own
way. Throughout the novel the magistrate defended the blacks and on the other
hand Colonel Joll is represented as the epitome of savagery and they both were
whites.

At the time close to his retirement, an officer from the third bureau (special
investigation) came there and tortured the nomads in the name of investigation and
enquired from them if they were the companions of barbarians. The agony of
innocent black people by Colonel Joll filled the heart of the magistrate with grief.
This grief portrayed in the white character shows the alter ego of J.M. Coetzee.

“The people we call barbarians are nomads, they migrate between the
lowlands and the uplands every year, that is their way of life. They will
never permit themselves to be bottled up in the mountains.” (54) Waiting
for the Barbarians.

The above statement was made when the magistrate saw extreme cruelty of whites
towards the innocent blacks who were trying to survive in the tough time of racial
segregation that snatched their right to live an honourable life. The blacks entered
the area that was reserved only for the whites to sell their goods. The whites instead
of giving money in exchange of their goods gave them liquor and made them
drunkards. Also, in the camps where their females were resting, they were
humiliated by the white soldiers. In this way, the whites had crossed all the limits
of immorality, any person who has a little humanity in his heart can easily
understand who were the real barbarians, those who were living their life
peacefully without harming others or those who were involved in killing and
murdering of others to invade their lands. This is the stunning style of Coetzee’s
writing that he leaves the reader to ponder over the conditions with a different
perspective. The following lines are the statements being made by the magistrate

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 67

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

after being doleful because of the savagery of the whites towards the nomads (the
blacks):

“Shall I tell you what sometimes I wish? I wish that these barbarians
would rise up and teach us a lesson, so that we would learn to respect
them”(55) Waiting for the Barbarians

During the apartheid regime the life of blacks had became so miserable that even
hell would appear pleasant and beautiful in front of it. At every step they faced
humiliation. Their fault was just that, they were blacks. The whites invaded South
Africa and made its natives their slaves and snatched away their right to live life
their own way. The identity of blacks was completely eradicated by the apartheid
law. The blacks were treated like animals and the whites started calling them
‘niggers’, ‘pigs’ and ‘dogs’ in their own land. The injustice done by the whites and
Coetzee’s sympathy for the blacks is described almost in his every novel.

In Age of Iron written in 1990 ,J.M.Coetzee presented the heart rending situations
that were the consequence of the injustice done by the whites by using the weapons
in the form of apartheid laws and regulations. The black people were jilted by the
white colonizers. The subjugated were getting punishment for being born as black
and at every point of their life they were discriminated and were not given the right
to live a dignified and honourable life. In this period, there was an environment of
anarchy prevailing in South Africa. Coetzee pointed out through the situation of
South Africa that whenever there is exploitation of men by other men who consider
themselves superior there was disruption of peace and social order in the society
and this often results in anarchy, violence, murders, and crime. In this way,
repercussions have to be faced by both the groups. On the one hand, the whites
were incessantly making efforts to tame blacks and rule over them and on the other
hand, the blacks were determined to defy the authority of whites and were fighting
for their rights and freedom. As this novel is written in an epistolary style, the
protagonist Mrs Curren had lived alone in South Africa, because her only daughter
left due to the mayhem in South Africa . In her last days she wanted to share all
her experiences with her daughter through letters. She wrote all her experiences to
her daughter. These letters explained the hard times faced by black people as well
the whites. This view is also mentioned by John Sarev in his article :

Age of Iron, indicates a significant change in the approach Coetzee takes to
South Africa and the racial problems facing both white and black, its
epistolary style being an unusual means for conveying violence, bloodshed,
and apocalypse. (133)

Evidently, the novel depicts the journey of Mrs. Curren, the protagonist who plays
the role of a philanthropist in reviving the lives of apartheid victims. She had always
heard of the atrocities that prevailed upon the blacks but never had been the active
spectator. Now, during the last days of her life, suffering with cancer, she came
across the horrors of the brutal behaviour of the people. Despite being a white, a
colonizer, she has always disapproved of administrative designs to promote

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 68

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

apartheid and non – violence. The fiendishness of the administration on Bheki, son
of her maid-servant, Florence, left her aghast and with a feeling of utter disgust of
being a white. Her grief is seen in the following line that she was extremely upset
after seeing the cruelty of both the groups. “No mercy, I thought: a war without
mercy, without limits. A good war to miss.” (Pg.49), Age of Iron

An incident occurred in the novel where Florence, the maid servant of Mrs. Curren
was describing a bestial act of black children and also justified their act by saying
that they were made stone –hearted by whites only. Here by using a black character
to reveal the truth, that only whites were responsible, for the brutal behaviour of the
blacks, is an example of the alter ego of J.M. Coetzee .Through this incident
Coetzee also demonstrated that the life is an echo of whatever you give the same
you get, if you give love you will receive love, if you give hatred you will get hatred
in return this is the law of nature.

“But do you remember what you told me last year, Florence, when those
unspeakable things were happening in the townships? You said to me , ‘I
saw a woman on fire, burning , and when she screamed for help, the children
laughed and threw more petrol on her.’ You said, ‘I did not think I would
live to see such a thing.’”

“Yes , I did say that, and it is true . But who made them so cruel? It is the
whites who made them so cruel! Yes!” She breathes deeply, passionately.
(Pg. 49), Age of Iron

In this novel J.M. Coetzee has depicted that the good human relations are necessary
for the existence of the living being as well as for the earth’s existence . On the one
hand a white character is picturized , who fights for the blacks, and some whites
who were engaged in the activities to torture the blacks and on the other hand a
black character who is being trusted by a white woman , Mrs Curren, that he would
give the letters of Mrs Curren to her daughter . Mrs Curren not only trusted Mr.
Vercueil she even fantasized him like her lover. In her last days, she was helped by
Mr. Vercueil. By the mutual bonding between Mrs. and Mr. Vercueil, Coetzee
wanted to suggest that though the fire of racial discrimination had filled the heart
of blacks but still there were some people existing in the world who were above the
feeling of hatred and animosity. Their hearts plummeted with love and there was
no space for hatred.

This is the writing style of Coetzee that he resists from giving direct teachings,
instead he uses objective co-relative in the form of different characters. By
portraying different characters and their circumstances, Coetzee had tried to convey
his thoughts to his readers and society. The relationship of Mrs. Curren and Mr.
Vercueil is an ideal instance to teach a lesson of humanity, though it is represented
here in the novel during the unfortunate period of apartheid but it is a great example
which tells about the significance of good human relations in the life of every one.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 69

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

In Disgrace the protagonist was expelled from his job. Later on he took refuge in
his daughter’s house trying to live a dignified life but falls in the hands of
circumstances which further ruined his life and even spoiled his relationship with
his daughter.

In Disgrace it is presented by Coetzee that the circumstances were not the only
culprits; the conservativeness of human thoughts was also equally responsible for
ruining the life of David Lurie and his daughter. If we delve deep into the novel and
analyze it we find that though it seems that the protagonist and his daughter suffered
due to racial discrimination but the question arises, as to what is the origin of this
racial discrimination? Certainly, the answer would be from the conservativeness of
human mind because one thinks that its race is better and superior than others. This
narrow mindedness completely affects the human life and puts a question mark on
the value of human life.

Saurabh Kumar Singh described J.M. Coetzee ‘Disgrace’ as a tale of trouble as this
novel is also full of incidents which tell the sufferings of human beings due to the
narrow mindedness of the people.

A middle –aged, divorced scholar of Romantic poetry, formerly a professor
of modern language in Cape Town , David Lurie would have undoubtedly
been a pathetic figure under the old regime – one imagines an ineffectual
white liberal teaching Wordsworth to bored Afrikaners while largely
ignoring the atrocities perpetrated in his name. But in the Mandela era,
David has become a victim of “the great rationalization.” (167 )

Life &Times of Michael K another Booker prize winning novel is written in the
third person by using past tense . In this novel, the protagonist Michael K was a
disabled man who belonged to the black community. Michael K is a very strong
character created by Coetzee. Coetzee gives a very significant message through the
characteristics of Michael K such as, in spite of being a disabled, K was not a
coward instead he was a person of firm grit and determination who fought against
the inhuman behaviour of the society and the powerful authoritarians which left no
stone unturned to snatch away his dignity and freedom and subjecting him to follow
the rules of apartheid.

The situations described in this novel give the pictures of the anarchism and
brutality of white people in power. This novel point outs to the apartheid laws that
made the life of the blacks miserable. According to the apartheid laws, black people
were not allowed to travel without permit.

Michael K’s mother was not able to walk due to the illness and wanted to breathe
her last in her birthplace. K being a dutiful son wanted to fulfil his mother’s last
fervent desire but in achieving his aim to take his mother to her native village he
had to face extreme difficulties as he was a black and needed a permit to go to
another place. The people having authority to issue the permit did not provide him
with it instead they insulted him.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 70

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

‘The police woman slapped the counter to still him. ‘Don’t waste my time .I am
telling you for the last time, if the permit is granted, the permit is granted, the permit
will come! Don’t you see all these people waiting? Don’t you understand? Are you
idiot? Next!’ She braced herself against the counter and glared pointed pointedly
over K’s shoulder: ‘Yes, you, next!’ (20) Life & times of Michael K

Due to the civil war there was a situation of curfew and tumult. Moreover, his
mother’s disease that made her unable to walk made it more difficult for K to fulfil
his mother’s will. K was determined and he made a cart for his mother and drove it
himself. Another example of his braveness is palpable through the incident when
he refused to be a slave when the grandson of Visagie, a white, played a trick on
him to turn him into his servant. K cleverly escaped from that place and from the
vicious clutches of that person. In Jakkalsdrif a welfare camp where blacks were
imprisoned in the name of bread and butter the place happened to be a center of
exploitation of blacks. It would not be an exaggeration if we call that camp an open
prison. In the camp K became ill one day and refused to do work. He had courage
to argue with the white soldier instead of succumbing to their bullying. The
problems faced by K depict his positive attitude and power to take decisions.
Generally, our society treats disabled as incapable of taking decisions. But K was
an excellent example of courage as he beautifully escaped himself from almost
every problem created by the power politics of the powerful people.

K left the money (rand) that the grandson of Visagie gave him to purchase things
for him, but K smelled his dubious intention to enslave him and cleverly escaped
from the place. Although K was going through the financial crunch, he could have
had the money (rand) with him but he did not this shows that K was a person with
high moral standard.

So K left the farm carrying the list of things the grandson needed and forty
rand in notes. He picked up an old tin by the roadside, and at the gate of the
farm buried the money in the tin under a stone. (65) Life & times of Michael
K

Every protagonist to some extent is a shadow of the writer and in this way the writer
also along with the protagonist becomes immortal. In true sense, K is the real hero
and epitome of humanity. The magistrate, Mrs Curren, Mr. Vercueil, and Michael
K are some of the characters framed by Coetzee and all will remain immortal. On
the whole, the character of Michael is a depiction of a common disabled person’s
uncommon efforts. This is also noticed by Ayo Kehinde in his article:

Coetzee shows a positive attitude in the portrayal of the disabled in most of his
texts. In spite of his physical disability, K is given a space, an identity, in Coetzee’s
text. He is the eponymous hero of the story, a noticeable deviation from some
precursor Africans texts which privilege the high and the mighty as their
eponymous heroes/heroines.(50),He breaks free and unchains himself with a view
to letting people know that people with disabilities are among the many groups of
individuals who make up their communities.(52),

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 71

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

In the Heart of the Country along with racial discrimination and power politics
Coetzee has thrown light on the significance of effective communication and the
effects of miscommunication on the relationship that leads to many serious
incidents that can ruin one’s life completely. Language is developed to comprehend
the feelings of others and always considered important aspect of life to run a social
system. The protagonist, Magdha, a spinster who kills her father and his concubine
since she could not tolerate their relationship, is sharing her feelings through the
medium of a dairy. Her mother had died when she was a mere infant, her father
who might be longing for a son did not give importance to his daughter. She feels
totally lonely and isolated.

I was absent. I was not missed. My father pays no attention to my absence.
To my father I have been an absence to all my life. Therefore, instead of
being womanly warmth at the heart of this house I have been a zero, null, a
vacuum towards which all collapses in ward, a turbulence, muffled, grey
like a chill draft eddying through the corridors, neglected, vengeful. (2)

In the Heart of the Country

To fill the bleakness of her life she had a relationship with her servant who was a
black and consequently was dishonoured by him. By the depiction of the struggle
of an introvert spinster for the self and existence, as well the depiction of the effects
of the degenerating social conditions of human life, in a subtle manner Coetzee
suggests the importance of effective communication for the good relationship. This
is also considered by Hena Maes –Jelinek-

Magadha, the heroine, lives a completely isolated and boring existence with
her authoritarian father “in the heart of the country”, South Africa.
Imprisoned in this uneventful life, Imprisoned in this uneventful life, locked
into a love/ hate relationship with her father, she twice pictures herself
killing him out of jealously....(89)

Although Coetzee’s novels bear the theme of apartheid but besides this he has
interwoven so many themes incredibly and has a sagacious way of telling the things
which make Coetzee a paragon of perfection.

Bibliography Page 72
4th International Conference MAGIC 2016

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Coetzee, J.M. Disgrace. Great Britain: Vintage Publication. 1999

.......................Waiting for the Barbarians .Great Britain:Vintage Publication.1980

………………..Life &Times of Michael K. Great Britain: Vintage

Publication1983 ……………….Age of Iron. Great Britain:

Penguin Publication 1990

........................In the Heart of the Country Great Britain:Vintage Publication.1977

Sarev, John. “Two Books by Coetzee.”Rev.of White Writing: On the Culture of
Letters in South Africa.CRNLE Reviews journal21994

Kehinde, Ayo. “Ability in Disability: J.M.Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K
and the Empowerment of the Disabled.”The Atlantic Literary Review Vol.11
No.3 July- September 2010

Singh ,Saurabh Kumar . “J M Coetzee’s Disgrace: A Tale of Troubles.” The
Vedic Path. Vol. LXXXVII( No1&2) Jan-March/April.-Jun.2013

Maes- Jelinek ,Hena. “Ambivalent Clio:J.M.Coetzee’s In the Heart of the Country
and Wilson Harris’s Carnival. The Journal of Commonwealth Literature1981

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 73

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Female Subaltern Voices in Mahasweta Devi’s Draupadi

Dr. Jyoti Pandey

Ms. Ankita Sheel

Mahasweta Devi is a prolific writer and an active social worker who has many
volumes of poems, novels and short stories to her credit. She is one of the rare
writers who has explored challenging themes in her works especially in the area of
gender, class and politics. She speaks on the behalf of the subalterns and projects
females struggling for existence in society as in her most famous work Dopdi which
is the colloquial Bengali word for Draupadi.

Mahasweta Devi through her short story Draupadi has dared to speak on behalf of
the female subalterns who are struggling hard for their existence in society. The
story of Draupadi is set among tribes in Bengal and deals with the exploitation of
the marginalized by the money lenders and landlords and what is noteworthy is the
strength and survival of the fair sex that prevails in the story. Despite the
government employing all repressive measures to subjugate the tribal groups,
Draupadi as a tribal woman is not ready to submit to the oppression and stands
upright till the end of the story. After enduring torture, rape and abuse along with
starvation, she ends up with a splendid outburst appearing naked and bloody yet
strong in front of her oppressors.

This paper is a serious attempt to bring out the voice of the female subaltern
characters. Dopdi who are victims of exploitation and need to take a step forward
in becoming self-reliant individuals through their economic independence, as is the
prime goal of the ‘Skill India Campaign’. Also, it clearly intends to highlight the
resistance of a woman towards domination by class and patriarchy and the ultimate
realization of her potential and inner strength through her bitter experience.

The term subaltern was first used by Antonio Gramsci’s essay which reflects a
subordinate position with respect to class, culture and race. Further, it has been
popularised by Gayatri Spivak in her essay “Can the Subaltern Speak” which
describes the term subaltern as the people whose voices, rights, freedom have been
suppressed by the established. Spivak has clearly laid down the limitation for
subalterns who are “of inferior rank” (283) in fact in the context of colonial
production, the subaltern has no history and cannot speak, the subaltern as female
is even more deeply in shadow”(287). The handicap of a woman is that she does
not have any political medium or agency to represent her class. She is treated as a
marginal with negligible contribution towards society and “there is no space from
which the sexed subaltern can speak (307).

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 74

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

In Draupadi the protagonist Dopdi being a Dalit as well as a woman faces dual
suppression and therefore her voice is silenced. Being a woman and a marginalized,
within a marginalised community hence her voice holds no value and does not give
her any platform for self-justification. In Dopdi’s case both sexism and racism make
her voice completely inaudible. She is a Dalit woman in a postcolonial nation who
becomes a victim of colonial oppression and at the same time by the patriarchy of
her own community. She feels insecure and more dishonoured and helpless and this
makes her realise that poverty is a social evil which leaves her powerless and an
easy prey for the powerful male. When she is raped, she faces the Senanayak with
a rebellious attitude and the kind of audacity that vexes him. She says “You asked
them to make me up, don’t you want to see how they made me”(37)

Dopdi, a gendered subaltern becomes a symbol of strength when she refuses to put
on her clothes after her body has been used by the officers for the forceful fulfilment
of their desires. It injures her pride and she becomes defensive of her sexuality
putting forward an assertive outcry “What’s the use of clothes, you can strip me but
how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?”(37)

Dopdi is a representative of her community, tribal Santhal and gets captured during
her protest against the Government and is subjected to extreme torture even gang
raped on the command of the Senanayak. The climax of the story is a potent
weapon, to unravel the resistance of a subaltern, Dopdi to the brutality of upper-
class feudal lords. Draupadi as a woman is not ready to submit to the oppression
and stands upright till the end of the story. After enduring torture, rape and abuse
along with starvation, Dopdi ends up with a splendid outburst appearing naked and
bloody, yet strong. Once her respect is meddled with, it generates renewed hope
and power in her in order to fight the resistance and eventually, she realizes what
she has never realized that is her inner strength.

She looks around and chooses the front of Senanayak’s white bush
shirt to spit a bloody gob at and says, There isn’t a man here that I
should be ashamed. I will not let you put my cloth on me. What more
can you do? Come on, kounter me-come on, kounter me -?

Empowerment means basic needs, human rights, skill formation and overall
economic security. Dodi shifts away from the established ideals of society to get
hold of her identity. She challenges the existing notions regarding the victim and
the victimizer, the former being a helpless creature and the latter a powerful
oppressor. In normal circumstances victims of rape remain ashamed and fearful
while the criminal is guiltless, dominant over the weak and underprivileged. Even
when she is sexually assaulted Dopdi stands as an epitome of strength transferring
her disgrace onto the Senanayak and his officers :

Dopdi’s black body comes even closer. Dopdi shakes with an
indomitable laughter that Senanayak simply cannot understand.
Her ravished lips bleed as she begins laughing,.Dopdi wipes the

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 75

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

blood on her palm and says in a voice that is terrifying, skysplitting
and sharp as her ululation

Human rights are universal to which everyone is entitled, no matter who they are
or where they live. In the case of Dopdi, a tribal woman, belonging to marginalised
sect of society deserves the basic human right to live with dignity. It is only through
realizing her true self and her respect for her individuality that she can confront her
male counterpart for which she needs to assert her power and feel capable and
competent. The story of Dopdi is a tool to reflect casteism and male domination
present in society, generating awareness among women to take preventive
measures in order to avoid a crisis and combat such situations with courage. A
woman in India is still governed by patriarchy and her role in both public and
private domain remains an important issue of discussion. It is women’s
submissiveness that results in a patriarchal setup and prevents equality between
men and women. The need of the hour for women is to realize their basic rights of
love and respect and walk out of the dirt of male domination and violence, to rise
against any form of injustice rather than being a sacrificial goat.

Whenever the female voice tries to speak out to the receiver, the message which
she tries to convey gets distorted with indifference from the receiving end. Here in
Dopdi the officials who rape her are the representatives of the power structure who
destroy her basic desire to the ownership of her land, her livelihood by silencing
her voice and crushing her existence. Nobody else is in a situation to lend a voice
to Dopdi as she is the only one who can make a humanitarian effort to voice the
injustice done to her. Therefore, there is a need for women to make themselves
economically sound and follow education to improve their material condition and
sharpen their mental skills which may appear to be a utopian ideal but not
impossible.

Dopdi from being an ordinary tribal woman transforms into an extraordinary tribal
women who like a phoenix rises from the ashes and stands against oppressors and
challenges them. Her undeterred strength turns magnanimous as soon as she
witnesses a situational crisis and realizes that she has been harassed. The point that
needs to be highlighted is that most of the times the marginalized, the so called
subalterns, the down trodden do not even realize that their basic rights have been
snatched rather violated. She makes her male violators realize that her body can no
longer be a subject under their control because her soul has been liberated from the
shackles of domination and suddenly the burden of her insult becomes inverted.
Her soul cannot be bound in chains as the primary requirement for dominating a
person is to make the person realize that she was born to be chained. Her fate in
regard to her social status is decided even before she is born and therefore Dopdi is
submissive and she has no other way than to accept her fate without any second
thoughts. She refuses to remain silent and instead holds the weapon of
unconquerable spirit. Though she remains starved, sexually assaulted, bleeding
profusely yet she faces her oppressors with defiance and proves to be a perfect

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 76

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

rebel. She certainly does not require any spokesperson to speak on her behalf as she
is the mouthpiece of her own rights.

In the past, there have been no efforts from the side of national rulers to improve
the socioeconomic conditions of the marginalized, Dalit women in India. In the
current scenario tribal remain the most deprived class and due to their poverty and
lack of education they are prey to exploitation and neglect by society. Though they
were promised equality of rights, their desire for justice has not been fulfilled and
their only ray of hope is the mission of ‘Skill India’. Mahasweta Devi wants to
bring to attention the subaltern in a postcolonial nation and at the same time a
woman who is dominated by patriarchy not just today but from time immemorial.
The only hope of light in darkness for an Indian tribal woman is to struggle to the
end and Mahasweta Devi feels deeply concerned with the rights and needs of these
outcastes and marginalised groups. She clearly says “…life is not mathematics and
the human being is not made for the sake of politics. I want a change in the present
social system and do not believe in mere party politics” (Devi 8).

Works cited: Page 77
4th International Conference MAGIC 2016

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Devi, Mahashweta.“Draupadi” Breast Stories.Translated by Spivak, Gayatri,
(Kolkata: Seagull Press, 2014). Print

________,Agnigarbha.(Calcutta:Seagull Books Private Ltd,1997).Print.
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “Can the Subaltern Speak?” in Cary Nelson and
Lawrence Grossberg (eds) Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture London:
Macmillan, 1988. Print.

India Uday: The Dialectics of Globalization and Indian Literature

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 78

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Pinak Sankar Bhattacharya
Assistant Professor

Department of English
GLA University, Mathura

In the matrix that preceded the two great wars, the world bought the view of ‘I am
Sir Oracle, /And when I open my lips let no dog bark!’.1 Here Sir Oracle represents
that particular nation who supposedly enjoyed the most out of the fruits of
industrialization. In the post World War situation, there was a shift in the political
nexus where two dogs began to bark and Sir Oracle kept silent. In a war of political
interests, the public view can often go against the view of the state policies. At that
point of imminent emergency, the state secretly reforms its policies in such a
manner where the spot light of its political foe is shifted towards something else
making the original dumb temporarily. It was this policy that Uncle Sam embraced
by shifting its spot light from Sir Oracle to the Bolshevik Russia. Then started a
mammoth cold war that lasted for nearly four decades, till the great revelation of
open market economy through Perestroika and Glasnost. Before Russia could
clearly understand this pleasure of stealing the spot light, Uncle Sam shifted to the
third world countries to shower the manna of globalization. What happens in this
constant shifting of gaze is that the receiving ends do not get ample time to
comprehend the basic flaw of the ‘imported’ theory.

In the knuckle based comprehension of history, the crevice-like space between two
knuckles generally passes unstated. Psychoanalysts term these as ‘repressed
memory’ and ‘suppressed memory’.2 In medieval India, there were infinite amount
of translated discourses exported out into the globe. This factual revelation was
relocated by Harish Trivedi who opines that:

The earliest recorded transaction between Indian literature and
Western literature was perhaps the translation of the Panchatantra, a
collection of fables compiled around the 5th century A.D.,
successively from Sanskrit through Middle Persian, Arabic, Greek,
Hebrew and Latin into a number of modern European languages,
including into Czech, for example, in 1528, and through Italian into
English in 1570 by Sir Thomas North as The Moral Philosophy of
Doni; the text proved to be “the source of much European folklore”.
Apparently, this remained a solitary pre-colonial example of the
translation and influence of a Sanskrit text in Europe until the second
half of the eighteenth century, when Voltaire acclaimed the “Ezour-
Vedam” (i.e., the Yajur-veda), a Sanskrit scriptural text “definitely
anterior to Alexander’s expedition” into India in 327 B.C., of which
he had seen a manuscript translation into French in 1760, and
Maridas Poulle and Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron
prepared in the 1780s French translations, respectively, of the

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 79

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Bagavadam (i.e., the Bhagavatam) and a selection of the Oupnek’hat
(i.e., the Upanishads), the latter following the version which the
Mughal prince Dara Shikoh had had translated from Sanskrit into
Persian in 1656. (122-23)

In this regard, what Trivedi tries to serve in context to this paper is that the play of
power politics and gaze shifting acts in the form of imparting knowledge to the
world was way earlier than the others could even think of. It was hamartia perhaps
which later reduced India to an exotic object of representation. At that point of time
India used to serve as the intellectual source of enlightenment, a fact always
supported by Al Biruni3 and his likes. The unique aspect of this phase was India
was not suffering a dearth of knowledge discourse in any field as there was hardly
any inflow of global academic current. It was the world that was searching for an
Uday.

Much later, when the tide started to flow in the alternative direction, it was seen
that India had dreamt a nightmare in the form of colonization. This vacuum was
created due to several socio-economic and political conditions. Chronologically
speaking, the death of Sanskrit in academic practices due to a flourishing Mughal
Period came first and it was followed by the disinterestedness in the propensity of
Persian language with a dying Mughal Empire and the advent of English through
colonialism along with the printing press. It was not that there was a lack in the
number of good Persian and Urdu writers; rather it was the snobbery of the newly
English educated readers who began to create a huge demand of the Western
literature that the booksellers tried to fulfill with instant readiness. Due to the
impact of European literature, there was a subsequent response in the Indian
literature where multiple genres were created. Starting from R. C. Majumdar, R. P.
Dutt and down to even the modern Marxist historian Irfan Habib, all have accorded
with the virtues of colonialism though their thesis agreement was to focus on its
vices. The relation between the literature and society, culture and economy being
interdependent on each other, Indian society and culture gained a lot through the
modernity and advancement seen in the European literature, when it came to
addressing and, at times, erasing social issues and malpractices. A closer look at
such abolitions and absolutions offers us the realization that behind every literary
idea, there will always be a wave in the base (social movements) that has caused a
ripple on the superstructure (in this case literature). So, relatively speaking, the
darkness that persisted in Indian society was illuminated by the Enlightenment of
the West now through an import of knowledge. Various European literary and
social movements have inspired the Indian writers of different linguistic
backgrounds. They used and pruned that enlightenment according to their own
suited interests and socio-economic and political ambience. Thence, followed a
serious trend of novel genres in the Indian vernaculars. Bankim Chandra
Chatterjee’s Bengali novels, Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s application of
Amitrakhhar Chanda (Blank Verse) in his Bengali writings, Rabindranath Tagore’s
Bengali short story and lyrics, Munshi Premchand’s and Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 80

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Realistic writings, Existentialism in Satinath Bhaduri’s writings, Hungrealist
movement in Bengali poetry reminiscent of the Beats sentiment are some examples
where the ego of the authors was conscious of portraying the base seriously in the
superstructure. There was no case of dysfunctional super ego trying to abduct the
seriousness of their ego back in those times. This phase continued upto the 1980s.

After the departure of the English in 1947, the newly found intellectual market of
Indian literature attracted the gluttony of the American global empire. This stimulus
was responded and carried out quickly as Soviet Russia had already tolled its death
knell post Perestroika and Glasnost. Unfortunately, India both in its pre-colonial
and post-colonial time has experienced the status of being an exotic object. The
only difference is the spot light was provided by globalization instead of
colonialism. Along with the departure of the Nehruvian economic policy, there was
a surge of a new generation of sensibility in a technocrats and managers oriented
world infested by MNCs in the open market economic period. This new generation
developed a simulation of the Western lifestyle (quite unlike the Baboo culture)
dwelling in the virtual reality known as ‘India’ (signifier): its signified represented
by ‘Bharat’. No sooner than this change, arrived the simulation of the American
Dream in the form of ‘Indian Dream’. With such superficial impact, it was
imminent that Indian literature was to undergo changes in its sensibilities.

In Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, Joseph A. Schumpeter defines neo
bourgeois as the key figure of late capitalism, specifically entrepreneurs who staked
their fortune for the sake of industrial upgradation and the economy by the way of
creative destruction.4 The difference between the old and the new bourgeois
mindset lies in their outlook regarding production. The former was concerned with
the money making ambition along with his obligation and responsibility to the
society. While the latter is solely concerned with the profiteering motif. As has been
said earlier about the base reflecting the superstructure, the absence of the
seriousness towards social obligations in the minds of the neo bourgeois was bound
to get the same response in the works of literature. This new literary output has
generally dealt with the microcosmic representations of the delusions and
achievements of techno and management professionals. An ambitious life
entangled with snobbery and pompousness is the hallmark of such work. With an
ascendance of literary output in English medium, one thing is evidently clear that
Indian authors found a greater career in the global language as neo bourgeois
sensibilities assure spotlight in the power politics of the literary rivalry. Catering to
that inspiration of the neo bourgeois, the literary artists started practicing the usage
of signifiers absent of signifieds which are far removed from the reality of the
concept of ‘Bharat’. Bharat, with its raw and crude flavour began to be disregarded
and neglected and reduced to a negligible existence by the new age, non-serious
writers who sold metro sensibilities of the virtual reality or simulation. With the
migration of many literary artists in the English arena, the number of such naturally
lessened in the Bhasha literature though their seriousness is still intact. In
comparison to the large but decadent literary productions for the sake of the

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 81

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

concurrent globalization, there is an active interest addressing issues like Dalits,
LGBT, Adivasi, folk and have-nots in the Bhasha output.

According to the Federation of Indian Publishers, 90,000 books are published every
year, in which 50% are published in English and Hindi. Twenty four officially
recognized regional languages play a musical chair to fit in the remaining space
left. In the case of e-books, 55% of publishers reap profits exclusively out of
English language, while the rest are somehow striving to balance the demands of
readership in English as well as other regional languages.5 From this data, it is easily
understandable how large a number of writers in the Bhasha field are suffering an
existential angst. The cost of colonization is better understood in the globalized era
when it comes to availing academic resources abroad. Minimal or no amount of
books in regional languages is exported in the present decade, as NRIs have become
more akin and comfortable with accessing English language-based texts. The
reason behind this sensibility and taste is in the seed of consumerism. A book of
Jeffrey Archer can express one’s lifestyle and taste better than Sharat Chandra, if
placed in his/her book stack. India, as Braj B. Kachru mentions while mapping the
bounds of English in ‘three circles’6, being in the direct impact of the British tongue
for two centuries, has not only practiced but also embraced English as its second
language even after the presence of other indigenous languages like Bengali,
Marathi, Kannada, Tamil and others in a large number. Unfortunately, it is the
Indian educated class that proliferates this tendency among the mass who yearn to
live beyond that life led by their predecessors for generations. At the time of
addressing the scholars in the West who teach Indian literature, Bengali writer
Nabaneeta Dev Sen resonates with the same opinion by saying:

Those of you abroad, who teach Indian literature, will only teach
Indian literature in English because that is what is accessible, that
is what is available. And that makes me sad and angry. It makes
me angry because Indian literature is now confined outside India
only to Indian writing which is written in English, published in
English, and if possible published outside India in English. If I am
outside India, and if I am trying to look for Indian literature and I
go to a shop, and if I go to the section which has Indian literature, I
will only find Indian literature in English. I won’t find anything in
Hindi or Tamil or Marathi or Bengali or Kannada. (Narayanan No
Page)

The difference between the mindset of popular literature before globalization and
now is the degree of seriousness and contemplation mixed with imagination. For
example, previously the writings of Tagore, Premchand, Sarat Chandra, R. K.
Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand and Ruskin Bond were also the integral part of popular
Indian literature, but they used to lure readers on the basis of this seriousness. Now
the scene is quite different as content has become limited, use of language less
compact, and writing style has turned casual. A brief survey carried out by

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 82

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

thousandmilesite.in substantiates this claim charting down the top fifty Indian
English novels on the basis of popularity between 2009 and 2012. Some of these
are namely, Chetan Bhagat’s Revolution 2020, Ravinder Singh’s I Had a Love
Story, Sagarika Chakraborty’s A Calender Too Crowded, Novoneel Chakraborty’s
How About a Sin Tonight?.7 The title of the last book tickles the sexual innuendo
directly and it must be mentioned that such act of choosing titles is not uncommon
rather a habitual practice now-a-days. The increase of readership in popular art has
various reasons.

What earlier was a ready habit for readers has now reduced to occasional
indulgences in leisure, like during a train journey or spending time on the seashore.
Readers used to update their knowledge by carrying a book during a debate. But
that spontaneity has gone missing now. The past and the present readership is
heavily dependent on economic factors based on the prices fixed by the publishers.
Earlier the prices of books were high due to being sold mostly in hard cover
editions. In the globalization era, there is an advantage of availing books in
paperback editions which saves a lot of money for regular readers. In addition to
this would be the far lower prices fixed on e-books. Popular literature writers
employ an interesting tactic in order to reach a large number of readers by
compromising with his/her artistic caliber and seeking refuge in the average (or
minor) publication houses. This not only ensures low price for the reader, but also
offers the writer a better promise of royalty. Home delivery provided by shopping
sites such as, amazon.com, flipkart.com, snapdeal.com, shopclues.com and others
saves valuable time and money with benefits of cash-on-delivery. For non internet
users, popular literature is easily available at sites like railway stations, airports,
and multiplexes and so forth. So, one as a reader now-a-days need not worry any
more if at all reading is his/her habit, as popular literature overtakes the serious
literature in terms of availability.

The positive aspect of globalization is that it offers an impetus to the authors to be
more independent. When challenged with circumstances like a dearth of publishing
opportunity, s/he can publish her/his own writings through a kind of self publishing
sites like, notionpress.com, ebooksutra.com, Quills Ink, Zorba Books and Authors
Upfront. A global player, amazon.com also estimates the future opportunities in
self-publishing sector and in August, 2012 it launched its self-publishing segment.
Thus, the vacuum between the readers and the writers in the time of globalization
has been filled by adopting new methods and approaches in order to exist.
Notes:

1. “As who should say 'I am Sir Oracle, /And when I ope my lips let no dog
bark!'” – Lines 95 and 96, Act I, Scene I of Merchant of Venice (1600) by
William Shakespeare.
2. Canestri, Jorge and Leticia Glocer Fiorin, eds. The Experience of Time:
Psychoanalytic Perspectives. London: Karnac. 2009. Page. 5. Print.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 83

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

3. Al-Biruni is the famous scholar of the medieval Islamic era.

4. Schumpeter, Joseph A. Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. New York:
Routledge, 1976. Page 83-84. Print.
5. The German Book Office, New Delhi. Perspectives on Publishing in India.
New Delhi: The German Book Office, New Delhi. 2014. Print.

6. Kachru, Braj B., ed. The Other Tongue: English Across Cultures. Urbana and
Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1992. Print.

7. http://thousandmilessite.in/top-50-indian-english-novels09-12-tm-list/

Work Cited
Canestri, Jorge and Leticia Glocer Fiorin, eds. The Experience of Time:

Psychoanalytic Perspectives. London: Karnac. 2009. Page. 5. Print.

Kachru, Braj B., ed. The Other Tongue: English Across Cultures. Urbana and
Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1992. Print.

Narayanan, Pavithra. What are you Reading?: The World Market and Indian
Literary Production. New Delhi: Routledge, 2012, Web. 2 September,
2016. <https://books.google.co.in/books>

Ritzer, George and Paul Dean. Globalization: A Basic Text. U. K.: Wiley, 2015.
Print.

Schumpeter, Joseph A. Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. New York:
Routledge, 1976. Page 83-84. Print.

The German Book Office, New Delhi. Perspectives on Publishing in India. New
Delhi: The German Book Office, New Delhi. 2014. Print.

Trivedi, Harish. “Colonial Influence, Postcolonial Intertextuality: Western
Literature And Indian
Literature”, Forum for Modern Language Studies, 43.2 (2007).

A Study to Discuss the Myths Related to Time in Online Learning
Process

Manu Priya Chhabra,

Faculty,

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 84

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun

ABSTRACT

Blackboard, chalk and duster are now things of past. Indian education system today
is either digitized or on the path of being digitized. The online education system
was developed so as to provide education for all and also to make the life of students
easier and the teaching-learning process a fun learning activity. But, before it is
assumed that online system is flawless some points need to be considered that are
myth associated with this system. There are a lot of myths which need to be taken
into consideration. First and foremost concern is TIME. From teachers to students,
all are positive that this digital education system is going to make their life and the
whole education system easier. It is also believed that online education is time
saving but the truth is, it rather is a time taking process, as reported in some
preliminary studies. This belief is questionable that online courses are easy going
and don't have time constraints. Both, online and offline courses have time
constraints, both have their due dates. In online, you donot have to sit in the
classroom for a constrained time and be answerable but appropriate time has to be
allotted to keep up with the content. So, this paper will try and identify the myths
related to TIME which is associated with the on-line learning.

INTRODUCTION

The teacher comes to the classroom, teaches a topic, gives assignments and grade
students accordingly. The whole process has fixed timing and face to face
interaction that requires the physical presence of students as well as a teacher. So,
to improvise things, a new concept of online education has been introduced. In the
online course, as the name suggests, students study online and achieve the same
qualification as someone studying in the classroom at a college, TAFE or
university. But unlike courses that are delivered in a conventional way, online
courses allow you to study from anywhere and choose when you want to fit study
into your week. Time of online and offline or conventional courses is generally the
same. (1)

So, now many universities are seeking to provide its students either a combination
of online courses and conventional courses or a semester completely comprised of
online courses. This might seem a new concept for Indian Education System but it
all actually started in 1950's with the foundation of educational television.
Universities have now created networks to reach both on-campus and off-campus
populations. The rapid development of computers and other telecommunications
technologies, along with the introduction of the internet, helped in expanding and

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 85

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

enhancing the distance education and revolutionizing the university educational
system. (2)

However, it should be kept in mind that online education is not flawless or is not
without the pitfalls. Online learning is a lot different than a traditional teaching-
learning experience. Since most communication takes place via written modes,
writing skills and the ability to pen down one's thoughts plays a vital role. Also, the
time provided by the instructor to go through the study material and take up the
assignments is limited. But, there is a myth associated to that, as an article on online
education states, "one of the myth is that it's easier to go online because you can do
it at your own pace, you do have more flexibility, but it's not any easier … It's
harder because you're on your own; you're left to your own devices."(3) So, time
management is a common problem for many online students. It can be hard to push
themselves to study and get homework done when there are no other students
around them doing the same. Many online students have jobs and families
competing for their time as well, which just adds to the difficulty of getting down
to business on the online homework (4). Flexibility is an important factor which is
fueling the growth in online education. As the reports say, "online enrollment hit
an all-time high in 2010 with more than 6.1 million students. But, here a lack of
direct oversight can make it easy for them to fall behind" (3).

Hence, it has become vital to understand the role of time management and the myths
associated with online education. Same will be discussed in this paper.

LITERATURE REVIEW

As the name suggests, online courses are such courses in an education system where
a student can learn, study and give exams without being physically present
anywhere near an institution. The whole learning process is online. The whole
process gives student freedom of choosing when to study, how long to study and
where to study. The study material is available online and can be accessed by users
anywhere with an internet connectivity.

This form of learning appeals mostly to those who do not have time from their other
daily commitments or someone who does not have means to travel far from home
to study in an institution full time.

When an innovation approaches, it comes with its own issues and challenges. Dr.
Susan Haugen, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, constructed in her research
paper titled, "Online Course delivery: Issues and Challenges" that, "The issues and
challenges associated with online courses include development and revision of the
course prior to being online, teaching the course, quality control, efficient time
management and interaction among students and faculty."

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 86

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

The main appeal of the online courses is time flexibility. As the course proceed, it
is found that time management becomes a major task. As stated by Cindy, a 47-
year-old working mother with two adult children, ages 21 and 22, and getting her
PhD online, found out. "I used to think that an online college degree would take
less time, but I have found that it takes more time because so much of it is self-
directed."

There are many articles available online on "Time Management for Online
courses". Apparently, it's a whole another course to study before starting an online
course.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Two parties i.e. teacher and student, are always involved in a teaching-learning
process whether it is a conventional course or an online course. So, if it is said that
online education provides the student with the flexibility of time then it can also be
said that the same flexibility is enjoyed by the instructor. He/she is not bound by
the strict timetable of the classroom. But, this could instead be a time taking
process. The teacher or the instructor has the limitation of not having a face to face
interaction with the students so instead of preparing for a lecture he/she will have
to prepare the online study material which could take much longer duration than
the time taken for preparing a lecture.

In addition to that, the instructor is supposed to be well equipped with the content
as well as the technology for uploading the material. Building the content then
making it understandable just by writing it down is a tough task. Also, the teacher
is supposed to keep in mind all the possible questions which can pop up in the mind
of the students. So, the instructor here has to answer all the unasked questions as
well.

As, with the advancement of technology there are a lot of options and features
available online, which makes the task of teacher and the course designer altogether
tricky as now they need to determine which functions should be used for what
aspects of the course (5). Also, not all faculty members who are asked to teach
online courses have the skills and experience to effectively do so. Thus, the whole
process takes all the more time to do the work. Though once the material is
uploaded, a teacher is relaxed as the material is made available to the students and
now they have to try and develop the understanding of the material provided.

Another wrong perception is that, since the students enjoy flexibility in time, it
becomes a handful of a task for the teacher. Hypothetically, if the student is facing
any difficulty he/she may post a question on the forum provided for taking up the
enquiries of the students; it can be done via e-mail, or on the learning management
itself or as and how the course designers decided it to be. So, in order to address to
students' questions, the teacher should be prompt, tech savvy and highly attentive

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 87

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

throughout the course. Again, that will consume more time than saved. So, the
teacher has to act as a facilitator so it becomes much more difficult and time taking
for him/her. Another point of concern is that since most communications take place
via written messages, writing skills and the ability to put thoughts into words are
paramount.

Similarly, students need to be well equipped with the technology in addition to the
basic reading and writing skills. In the initial stages, students might use more time
than necessary to develop the understanding of online education system. Once they
are familiar with the system they may take less time. In addition to that, they should
have the knowledge of how extensively they can reap the benefits of online
teaching. Like following a thread in a forum, structuring the right question which
they really want to ask, etc. With the absence of interpersonal communication, it
sometimes takes longer for the student to explain his doubts and the same thing
happens with faculty in clearing one.

In addition to that, it is also found that "making time" has become a task. For
example, if a student decides a day in a week to study all the week-long material
and meet the assignment's deadlines but something or the other comes up which
forces them to postpone their study time. This makes the whole course structure go
haywire. This situation also arises because of the virtual nature of the medium.
Traditionally speaking, the conventional classrooms imposed a sense of discipline
in the students by making them work and stick to a time-table. But, that sense of
discipline seems absent from the students in the case of online courses. As in simple
words, students have this liberty of studying/submitting assignments taking up the
course as and when they want but as it is in the conventional courses, online courses
have deadlines which are to be met. But, sometimes due to ignorance students might
miss these deadlines.

Also, students' personal characteristics may hinder the teaching process. For
example, if a student is shy and hesitant to ask the question, the instructor would
have no clue about it since they are not involved in interpersonal interactions. Thus
elongating the whole learning process. (7).

Another distraction that increases the time taken to study in an online course is
social networking sites. Students might get bored while studying and might start
browsing such sites which can easily divert their attention. Thus, delaying the
whole process.

In a traditional teaching-learning environment, a teacher had a greater role to play
in making the students understand the concept or text. But in online courses, the
focus and responsibilities shifts from the teacher to the student (6). It is the
responsibility of the student to understand the concept. They are given the material,
they raise questions, follow a thread, complete assignments in time, search the
internet and think out-the-box without the strictness of interpersonal relationship of
a teacher and student.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 88

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

SUGGESTIONS

FOR INSTRUCTORS:-

 Needless, to say that the instructor should be technically well-equipped.
Also, he/she should know each and every feature available on Learning
Management System for grading or for uploading the study material etc.
Thus, making his/her life simpler, easier and less time taking.

 It is necessary that the problems of the students are addressed regularly.
Hence, a logging on a regular basis should be made. The instructor should
try to strategically participate, three times [a day] in a given discussion
week.

 The teacher can reduce the student queries by anticipating questions and
answer them beforehand. For example, if the instructor receives two or more
e-mails about the same issue from the students then posting an
announcement addressing the issue would be beneficial instead of giving
the same reply to each individual (student).

 Grading the students is another time-taking process as a feedback is
necessary along with the grades as it serves as the sole form of personal
feedback or comments from the teacher. But, it takes up a lot of time of the
instructor. In order to save the time, all the tools and techniques available
on the LMS for grading should be known. Also, an audio clip of the verbal
feedback could act as a time saver.

 While building the content, an important factor should be kept in mind i.e.
the lessons in online-teaching are kept short and captivating so that the
students do not lose their interest. Thus, increasing the number of lessons
and keeping the duration shorter will help in engaging students in the long
run.

FOR STUDENTS:-

 "Good online learning is not a passive activity, so the more active students
are in processing and working with the course content, the better they will
understand it and be able to demonstrate this understanding"(8). So, in order
to simplify things for themselves in an online course, students should
develop a habit of logging in on regular intervals in order to meet their
deadlines.

 Students should develop a study plan and stick to it no matter what. Since
they can work according to their wish and will, developing a study plan will
help them in order to not miss out on anything important.

 Also, students should never hesitate in asking questions or for taking up
their queries with the instructor. This will help them in a better

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 89

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

understanding of the topic and in addition to that, it will also remove the
time blockage caused by the absence of knowledge.

CONCLUSION

It is true that online courses have revolutionized the whole teaching-learning
process. However, there are a lot of issues that needs to be considered like planning,
development and revision of online courses. In addition to that, overall course
design and efficient time and technology utilization need attention.

As discussed in brief about how the online courses can use a lot of time of the
instructors and students. The solution lies in proper planning and structuring the
assignment, discussions and exams so that the instructors can have greater control
over the time which is spent in interacting with students along with managing all
the activities related to the online course. Thus, proper planning and structuring on
the part of both student and instructor, can help in improving the quality of course
as a whole and achieve the purpose it was made for.

With the help of proper planning and structuring, developing effective teaching-
learning methods will be possible which in turn will be applied in the process so,
that the whole educational environment is revolutionized.

REFERENCES
1. Seek Learning. 2016. “What are online courses?”

[https://www.seeklearning.com.au/study-and-career-advice/about-study/what-
areonline-courses] Accessed on October 25, 2016.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 90

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

2. Haugen, S., LaBarre, J. and Melrose, J. 2001. “Online Course Delivery: Issues
and Challenges”. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
3. Sheehy, Kelsey. 2012. “4 Time Management Tips for Online Students”

[http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2012/01/13/4-
timemanagement-tips-for-online-students] Accessed on October 25, 2016.
4. Bass, Sarah. 2009. “Important Time Management Tips for Online Students”.

[http://bestonlineuniversities.com/7-important-time-management-tips-for-
onlinestudents/] Accessed on October 25, 2016.
5. Kearsley, G. 2001. “A Guide to online education”.
6. Thomas C. 2001. “Red flags to watch for when choosing distance education”
7. Yager, Jan. “Time Management for Online Learners”

[http://www.elearners.com/education-resources/online-learning/time-
managementfor-online-learners/] Accessed on October 25, 2016.
8. Stenger, Marianne. 2013. “Why We Need To Teach Students Time
Management”

[http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/news/time-management-effects-
onachievement/] Accessed on October 25, 2016.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 91

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Role of Language and Communication - An Input to Teaching and Learning

Dr. K. Ujjwala
Associate Professor of English
Guru Nanak Institutions Technical Campus

ABSTRACT:
A language is a tool of thought but we usually think of it as a tool of communication among
people. Language is said to communicate when others understand the meaning of our sentences,
and we, in turn, understand theirs. In communication, every communicator must know the
significance of language which is essential for effective communication. Language learning is
not only an amalgamation of skills but also a source of information through which we gain
knowledge. It is used to convey one's meaning to other or to understand the meaning someone
else wants to convey. Hence, we can say that language is informative, directive and self-
expressive. Based on these three functions of language we perform four communication skills –
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

In the process of communication, language is essential. Without language, there is
no communication. Hence, communication practice is a new look in language
study, designed to study the needs of students facing linguistic problems during
teaching learning process. The communication channel in the classroom should
ideally involve initiation, reception and response which serve as a feedback. The
interaction between the teacher and the student in the classroom should be that of a
facilitator and a learner fully task oriented that should boost up students' confidence
paving way for effective communication.

Key Words:
Language, Communication, Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Teaching,
Learning.

Interrelation of Language and Communication in Teaching
Language is a means of communication between individuals as well as groups. The
English word ‘Communication' is a derivative of the Latin term ‘Communicare' or
‘Communico' which means ‘to share'. The system of communication is based on
shared ideas owned, recognised and accepted in a community. That is why we have
different languages in different communities and countries of the world. The
language on the other hand is living, growing and dynamic. It is not static.
Language is a vehicle or tool for communication of meaning. Communication is
the Science and Art of making sense with words. As a Science it consists of a set
of principles for discovering truth. As an Art, it offers abundant opportunities for
self-expression and realization. Language is a set of skills and these skills can
broadly be divided into:

 Skills of understanding or comprehension
 Skills of expression

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 92

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

 Along another axis language skills are divided according to the medium of
communication:
a) Spoken medium
b) Written medium

Communication is used in different senses by different people. It involves ideas,
people and words. It can be formal or informal, interpersonal or mass and verbal
or non-verbal. It is a two-way traffic. Human communication process involves
two persons – sender and receiver who are equally responsible for the effectiveness
of communication. The basic elements of two-way communication process
include: source, message, channel, receiver and feedback. The effective
communication primarily depends on efficient encoding and decoding of the
message.

We use language to communicate words and words can convey attitudes. Attitudes
are conveyed by intonation, gesture, facial expression and many other non-verbal
means. According to Abercrombie, "we need our entire body for effective
communication". Meaning is conveyed not only through language but also through
bodily contact, physical proximity, orientation, bodily gesture, postures,
appearance and non-linguistic aspects of speech; tone, volume, pitch, the rate of
speech and clarity. Verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication should
intertwine teaching and learning process.

Communication is symbolic using of certain arbitrary symbols that give meaning
to the words. Meaning to a message is transferred by way of symbolic transfer.
Words are the most familiar tools or type of symbols employed by communication.
Many common words have several meanings. The teacher's primary concern is to
enable the pupils in the use of the language. Teaching language means making
pupils master the four basic skills viz. understanding English when spoken,
speaking, reading comprehension and writing. The pupils should be made to use
the language without a conscious effort on his part. He should be made to develop
to listen and understand, read and understand, speak and communicate and express
naturally and automatically without language resources for translation.
Communication practice includes:

 The ability to think constructively.
 The ability to adapt ideas to target people.
 The ability to clarify thought by the use of accurate, precise and

meaningful diction.
 Proficiency in four specific verbal activities – Listening. Speaking,

Reading and Writing.

Communication is a process whereby the communicator and the receiver arrive at
common understanding through mutual contribution and sharing. This
communication may range from a monologue to a multi-media event using some

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 93

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

speech, symbols in the form of audio-visual aids and discussion and feedback from
the learner.

Factors Influencing and Affecting Communication
Communication is always made with some purpose. This purpose is encoded in
the message and transmitted to its destination where it is received nor decoded
and responded. In this process:

 The source or encoder must have correct information and it must be
transmitted accurately at optimum speed.

 The information or message may be designed for a single person or a
group of people.

 It may be conveyed by expressions, gestures, spoken or written symbols or
by hand-drawn photographic pictures.

 Every medium exerts its influence on the message.
 The receiver must understand the message and interprets it.
 He then reacts or produces a desired response which must be received by

entire process which must be done in a pleasant setting free from
distractions and clubbed with the favourable attitude of the receiver.

Thus communication is a two way process and it indicates that it is an interaction,
a sharing and cyclic process through the route called communication channel. The
message conveyed by a teacher or the educational media may be verbal or visual
and the receiver or the student listen or see and react in other ways.

Factors Influencing Communication:
1. Motives and Drive
Learning the first language and the motive to use it is inborn but it is not so
in the case of second language. The child feels easy and interested to
communicate in the first language but communicating in the second
language is scholastic than social and so the child feels it difficult. So the
pupils should be properly motivated to use the language and the urge they
have makes the communication effective.
2. Intelligence
The capacity to communicate in the second language is highly related to
intelligence. Speaking requires more intelligence than imitation. The range
of experience and the use of language are mutually dependent.
3. Readiness to Speak/Listen
Readiness to use the language or favourable attitude for receiving the
message is an important factor that must be fully utilized by the teacher.
Influence of experts in speaking that language provides readiness to
communicate among the pupils.
4. Competency of the Teacher
The depth of knowledge, communication skills, and dynamic personality of
the teacher influences the process of communication and develops interest
among the pupils.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 94

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

5. Emotional Blockings
Emotional blockings in communication is due to unconscious barriers like
phobias, manias, hatred, anger etc.. Conducive classroom climate and an
emotionally healthy home climate will help the individuals in surmounting
such emotional blockings and build up effective communication.

6. Need
The individual tries to improve his communicative skills when he or she
realizes the need and utility of the language. Hope of gaining recognition
or status of the target language mastery is achieved undoubtedly that
influences communication.

Factors Affecting Communication:
The barriers to communication may be classified into 1) External barriers 2)
Organizational barriers and 3) Personal barriers

1. External Barriers: These are usually in the following forms:
a. Semantic Barriers: These barriers arise at the stage of encoding or

decoding in the process of communication. Eg: Badly expressed message.
b. Faculty Translations: Unless one has a good linguistic proficiency he

cannot do this job well.
c. Specialist Language: Technical personnel and other experts usually fall

into the habit of using their own technical terms which others outside their
group fail to understand. This hinders the communication to a large extent.
2. Emotional or Psychological Barriers: The emotional or psychological
state of a person also influences the communication which include:
a. Premature Evaluation: People often jump to conclusions even before

the message is completely communicated. This discourages the sender
and may even give him a feeling of futility.
b. Existence of pre conceived notions.
c. Inattention due to lack of interest.
d. Distrust in Communication: If the receiver does not trust the sender
for any reason he neither pays required attention to the message nor
believes in the message.
e. Fears: Fear of misinterpretation of message by the receiver.

 Fear of Distortion: Sometimes the message of the sender is
filtered when it reaches the receiver. This is also known as loss
by transmission.

 Fear of exposing oneself to criticism.
 Fear of reprisal: Information is held back deliberately by the

sender with the feeling that some action will be taken against
him if he expresses his opinion frankly.
f. Poor retention by the receiver because of his inability to comprehend
the message.
g. Defensive Behaviour: Employees have a tendency to become
defensive when they feel they are being threatened. In such
circumstances, they tend to stop listening to the sender’s message.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 95

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

3. Organizational Barriers:
Organizational policies, rules and regulations, status relationships also
affect the effectiveness of communication. Eg- a frank feedback cannot be
expected from subordinates because of the existing superior-subordinate
relationship.

4. Personal Barriers: Personal barriers are further classified into two types:
1. Barriers in superiors, and 2. Barriers in subordinates.

1. Barriers in Superiors
a. Attitude of superiors
b. Lack of confidence in subordinates
c. Lack of awareness of importance of communication
d. Insistence on proper channel

2. Barriers in subordinates
a. Unwillingness to provide information through proper channel.
b. Lack of proper incentive: If a novel suggestion is made by the
subordinate away from conveying anything in the future.

Language Used As a Skill and Beyond Skill to Develop Communication Skills
Language is essentially a skill. But it is a complex skill. The English language is
predominantly a skill subject. Hence learning of it should not be through
informative approach but skills approach. The teacher’s primary role is to enable
the pupils in the use of language. The pupil should be made to use the language
without a conscious effort on his part. That is he should be made to develop to
listen and understand, read and understand, speak and communicate and express
naturally and spontaneously. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are the
basic skills of language.

Speaking and Writing are productive skills because while using these skills a
learner is not only active but also produces sounds in speaking and symbols in
writing. On the other hand, Listening and Reading are receptive skills because a
learner is passive and receives information either through listening or reading. The
person is at the receiving end of the communication channel. Listening and
Speaking demand the exercise of auditory and speech organs. Therefore, we call
these skills aural-oral skills. Reading and Writing involve the visual (printed text)
and the psychomotor (mind) organs. Hence, they are called graphic-motor skills.
Teaching and Learning of English as a second language should be bound to certain
strategies/tasks/techniques such as:

1. Pair and Group work
2. Dialogues and Role Plays
3. Language Games
4. Information Gap Exercises
5. Rhymes and Songs

1. Pair and Group Work Activities develop communicative competence
among people. They form an important part of any communicative activity.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 96

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

The conversation or dialogues students practise in the classroom is known
as pair work. When the activity is going on, a teacher facilitates the students
as to how to continue their activities in a proper way. These activities
overcome the shyness and fear among the students. They also help the
students to boost up their confidence to speak the language.
Examples:
Topics for Speaking in Pairs:
a. You are meeting each other for the first time at a party. Introduce yourself
to each other and have a small talk conversation about several topics.
b. You are talking to your friend on phone. Your friend invites you to do
something but you are busy. Find a suitable time to do something
together.
c. Ask your partner what he does on a typical Saturday. Talk with your
partner about what you usually do on a typical Sunday.
2. Dialogues and Role Plays: A dialogue is a series of utterances by two or
more people. Dialogue can be:
a. Contrived dialogue
b. Directed dialogue
c. Model dialogue
d. Open dialogue

A contrived dialogue is one which has an abnormally high number of words or
structures related to a particular topic. A directed dialogue is a technique in learning
the dialogue by heart, where the teacher suggests exactly what the students should
say in both questions and answers. A model dialogue is used at the repetition stage
of a lesson. An open dialogue is used for oral practice where the learner must
complete half of the dialogue by listening carefully to teach stimulus.

Role Play: It is a popular technique used in class to teach and practice language
items to develop speaking skill. Role plays are of three types:

1. Totally guided by the teacher
2. Clues/hints will be given
3. Free
Role plays make the students experience a realistic situation. The purpose is to
1. Sharpen their listening skills
2. Bring them in contact with the new language and discover areas where they

need additional practice.
Examples:
Activity 1: End the Story
Skill Set: Reading + Writing + Scripting + Speaking from the script + Enacting
Material required: Selection from King Arthur’s Nights Tales or Nigerian folk
Tales
Activity Brief: The original story is given to the class but the script stops abruptly.
Students would be asked to complete the story on the lines suggested.
Each team would then play out their assigned drama.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 97

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

3. Language Games: A game is an activity carried out by cooperating or
competing decision makers, seeking to achieve within a set of rules and
their objectives. Through games, learner practice and internalize
vocabulary, grammar and structures. Language acquisition becomes natural
generating fun and excitement. Language games are interesting classroom
activities in which much language use occurs automatically. Language
games are enjoyable and learner centred activities which are highly efficient
means of language learning. Moreover, a learner tries to develop his
multiple bits of intelligence like linguistic intelligence, interpersonal
intelligence, naturalistic intelligence, spatial intelligence, logical
intelligence and becomes creative and innovative enough to apply in dealing
with real life situations.

Examples:
Activity 1: Mind mapping

 A teacher should write a single key word on the centre of the board
and ask students to form all the words they can think of connected
with every item that is written on the board with a line connecting
it to the original word so that the end result is a sun ray effect. For
example, the word tree might produce a mind mapping of a sketch
shown below:
bird

forest

green leaf

climb

branch -------------------------------------------------
TREE
---------- family

high

shade

trunk

flowers forest

This kind of mind mapping activity is useful when introducing a poem or other
literature. A key fact can be placed in the center and brainstorming is used as a
warm-up to the theme as well a framework for the introduction of some of the new
vocabulary.

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 98

ISBN: 978-81-928068-8-4

Stages & Timings
Stage1: Students are divided into smaller groups. Sensitive and controversial
issues need to be explored with collective discussion.
Timing: 10 minutes
Stage2: Students have to come to a final conclusion by gathering their ideas
quickly and make note making.
Timing: 10 minutes
Stage 3: Every group tries to exhibit their ideas during the presentation round.
Timing: 10minutes
Stage4: A teacher has to give the feedback of each group pointing individually
the group members and encouraging the students who were hesitant and passive.
Timing: 10 minutes
Activity2: Scattergories

 Give learners various categories of inventory by dividing them
into groups. For example
1. Things that are sweet
2. Things you can buy in the market
3. Things that are round
4. Things that are heavy
5. Things that you eat for breakfast
6. Things that are expensive
7. Things you have in the house
8. Things that are black
9. Professionals that work in office
10. Things that are not grown in your region

 Ask the learners to report their answers to their group.
 Direct them to strike off the duplicate answers (for example, if

three learners have written apples for the things that are sweet
they all cross off their word).
 The winner is the learner who has the most words left after
duplicates are crossed off.

This activity makes learners more competent and learn new words they are naïve
about by enhancing their four basic skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Stage1: Students are divided into groups in writing the list of categories dictated
by their teacher.
Timing: 10 minutes
Stage 2: Learners should write all the words related to each category individually.
Timing: 15 minutes
Stage 3: Each student starts discussing with other members of their group about the
words they have written by comparing their own words and strikes off the duplicate
words.
Timing: 10 minutes

4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 99