Library Committee, Department of English, MKBU.

 Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar. Prepared this blog to understand work area, process and other things about Library Committee of Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

Mass Media Committee, Department Of English, MKBU.

Hello, i am Himanshi Parmar, prepared this blog to give information about mass media Committee in our department, Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University. Here, i (Himanshi Parmar) and my classmate Divya Parmar made ppt, that i have shared here, which might be helpful.

Derrida and Deconstruction :- Thinking Task (Deconstruction of Advertisements)

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about my understanding on deconstruction and method of deconstruction with the chosen examples.

What is deconstruction :-

According to Oxford Dictionary, "Deconstruction means a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression." 

The term deconstruction refers to approaches to understanding the relationship between text and meaning. Deconstruction doesn't mean to break something, but it is about to analysing something in a smaller parts and in more deeper way. Deconstruction by deviding the text into parts, try to break assumption that text does have one particular meaning. Here, it is very important to understand that deconstruction is not similar to destruction. Deconstruction is not a negative term, not a positive either. But we can say it is more positive because deconstruction doesn't try to breakdown something but it helps to change views of someone about something.

To understand the term Deconstruction, it is very important to understand it's etymology.

Origin and development of "Deconstruction"  :-

The term Deconstruction was originated by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in 1960s.  The seeds of Deconstruction sprouted from Martin Heideggar (1889-1976). Derrida take reference from Heideggar's project that he wanted to translates into french from German. Derrida tries to explain his concept of Deconstruction to his Japanese friend in a letter named professor Izutsu on 10 July 1983. Deconstruction is a form  of Literary and Philosophical analysis.Then later on in 1970s the term applied by Derrida along with Paul de Man, J. Hillis Miller, and Barbara Johnson with other scholars. The term started being use in various fields from 1980s like areas of the humanities, social science,philosophy,literature,law, psychoanalysis, architecture, anthropology, theology, feminism, gay and lesbian studies, political theory, historiography, and film theory. And in late 20s it was being used by nihilism and frivolous skepticism.

In literature Deconstruction mostly used in the field of structuralism and criticism.Beginning in France in the 1950s, the structuralist movement in anthropology analyzed various cultural phenomena as general systems of “signs” and attempted to develop “metalanguages” of terms and concepts in which the different sign systems could be described. While explaining the sign Derrida introduced new word "DifferAnce".

Derrida argues are based on distinctions or binary oppositions. And this conditions are responsible for undoing the texts. And the term that he uses for this is "DifferAnce".Derrida considered language as an ever-changing movement. Therefore, he substituted the diachronic term “unmotivation” for arbitrariness. He also made up a word: différance to replace différence, because the word différence cannot fully explain the correspondence between word and meaning from a diachronic perspective.

 Derrida combines both words difference + Deference and creats a new word differance.A concept introduced by Derrida, differance is a pun on “difference” and “deferment”, and is that attribute of language, by which meaning is generated because of a word's difference from other words in a signifying system, and at the same time, meaning is inevitably and infinitely deferred.DifferAnce is not an idea or concept but a force which makes differentiation possible , which makes postponing possible.DifferAnce is a force which make postponing possible.

Structure, sign and play in the discourse of the human science is the a paper read on structuralism at Johns Hopkins in 1966 by philosopher Jacques Derrida.The lecture is widely cited as the starting point for post-structuralism in the United States. Derrida said that structuralism when first began it begans like criticism and attack on metaphysics and science. On one hand structuralism is criticizing the metaphysics and science but on the other hand it is using a same assumptions.criticism is movie around the tradition for example Heideggar said that Friedrich Nietzche was last metaphysics but Derrida said Heideggar is the last metaphysician.this how criticism never go out of tradition.

Criticism is happened because of language. Because language coded assumptions into it. So in final meaning of language never be achieved but it can only be promised and differed.so difference make ultimate interpretation. when critics make criticism on something they use same language and same language leads to same ideas and assumptions.when one can start attacking or criticising something they start coping that in a sense. And according to Derrida that is happened because of language, because they are using same language. This how language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique.

Derrida said, "language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique".

Now further let me deconstruct some Advertisements as an example of deconstruction.

1) Advertisement of Fair and Handsome Beauty Cream.

This advertisement is of men fairness cream named Fair and Handsome Fairness cream. If we observe language of both this ad of same product, with the feminist point of view, it becomes problematic. In both the advertisement we have dialogues like, "mard hoke ladkiyo vali fairness cream!" Tone of this sentence seems very ocward and creat inferiority complex for women. This advertisement somehow seems as it is supporting male dominated environment. And if men do something or use something which belongs to women, it is becomes shameful for him which we find in this advertisement. This also reflect society where women and men are still not considered as a similar, where superiority of men still exist.

2] Fair and Lovely Cream advertisement :-

In this video we have Advertisements of Women fairness cream named Fair and Lovely. In this video they include all the advertisements of this product since 2005 to recent one. In all this advertisements we find that the women is portrait as a black and later on turns into fair by applying Fair and Lovely fairness cream. But in between this we find hidden sign that when she is black she feel inferior and lack of confidence, while she turnes into fair she also gain confidence and becomes attraction for other girls. Somewhere this idea we can connect with Colonial concept.

When Britishers started colonizing people, they think they are superior than others because they are fair. Their fairness is because of god made them from his/her own skin while all other black or whitish skinned people are made up of waste. Same thought they poured into the mind of black and whitish people and they also started believing themselves inferior and them to superior. But later on people understand that this is untruth. After decolonization this white people leave india but still if we see unconsciously that white superiority comes into our movies, advertisements and in our social life also. This Fair and Lovely product's advertisements proving it. In this advertisement we find how after becoming fair, women started getting attention and becomes confident. Also she started getting job, and becoming successful in love etc etc. This showing that if one can be fair then only all this things are possible, and opportunities and love is not for black skinned people. Also this advertisements are boosting racism. 

3] Surf Excel - Detergent powder's Advertisement :-

This both are the advertisements of detergent powder named Surf excel. In first advertisement there is a boy who is convincing his coach to not leave coaching. And in second video the boy trying to convince elder boys to let them play in ground. But in both the advertisements, boys got stain on his clothes. we find one common dialogue in all the advertisements of Surf excel detergent powder.that is, "Daag Achhe Hain".

This sentence is very much problematic. One can read Daag (stain) as a Cynicism and social perversion. Which according to society and law is not normal and acceptable at all. This advertisement supporting Nastiness in society. This one sentence can make advertisement negative and anti - national that supporting a crimes in society. This how we can deconstruct the advertisement.

I hope my blog will be helpful to you and easy to understand concept of deconstruction and examples as well. Thank you!

References :-

https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-Hillis-Miller

An Astrologer's Day - R.K. Narayan

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about "An Astrologer's day" by R. K. Narayan with the discussion on several important questions assigned by Yesha Bhatt ma'am. To see the questions click here. but before that, here is some important details about The story "An Astrologer's day",R. K. Narayan and short film titled as, An Astrologer's day. Which is Also based on the story of R. K. Narayan.

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan :-

An Astrologer's Day was written by author R. K. Narayan. It is a thriller and suspense short story. It was the titular story of Narayan's fourth collection of short stories titled Malgudi Days published in 1947 by Indian Thought Publications. An Astrologer's Day was the first chapter of Malgudi Days. Some important themes of the storie are,1)Irony of fate,2)Religion and blind faith,3)Crime and Punishment, 4)Human Greed,5)Karma (tit for tat) etc.

The third-person, omniscient narrator begins by describing a day in the life of an astrologer. The story is about a man working as a astrologer. Who meeting the man named Guru Nayak whom he once tried to kill, and how he make him believe that the person who tried to kill him in past is died.

"He died four months ago in

a far-off town. You will never see any more of him." 

 He is not astrologer at all. Even he don't have any knowledge about starts and sky, but he pretend that he has and fool people and earn money by fooling them.

"He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers".

When he meet Guru Nayak whom he once tried to kill,the person not able to recognize him. So astrologer take advantage of it and charge him more money and told about his past which he obviously aware because they were friends and time and again enemies at that time. So he told to the person about his body scare, how he left to die, how someone attempted to murder him but failed, about his village and threat him by saying that he must stay in his village only, if he travel more then it will be dangerous for him. And the person easily get agree with him and return to his village with the thought that the person once tired to kill him, died very cruelly. And astrologer feel light for that he didn't kill anyone and now he has no danger ever.

"You were left for dead. Am I right ? "

"Ah, tell me more."

"A knife has passed through you once ? " said the astrologer.

"Good fellow ! " He bared his chest to show the scar. "What else?"

"And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field. You were left

for dead."

 "I see once again great danger to your life if you go from home." 

 "Rub it on your forehead and

go home. Never travel southward again, and you will live to be a hundred."

About R.K.Narayan :- 

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami is generally known as R. K. Narayan. He was born 10 October 1906 and died at 13 May 2001. He is considering as a one of the leading figure of Indian English Literature along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. He was a short story writer, also known for his fictional works. He was received many Notable awards during his lifetime, like Padma Vibhushan, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, and Benson Medal. During his life time he wrote lots of Mythology, Non - Fiction and Short stories.  For example,

Novels -

Swami and Friends (1935, Hamish Hamilton)

The Bachelor of Arts (1937, Thomas Nelson)

The Dark Room (1938, Eyre)

The English Teacher (1945, Eyre)

Mr. Sampath (1948, Eyre)

The Financial Expert (1952, Methuen)

Waiting for the Mahatma (1955, Methuen)

The Guide (1958, Methuen)

Non - Fictions -

Next Sunday (1960, Indian Thought Publications)

My Dateless Diary (1960, Indian Thought Publications)

My Days (1973, Viking)

Reluctant Guru (1974, Orient Paperbacks)

The Emerald Route (1980, Indian Thought Publications)

A Writer's Nightmare (1988, Penguin Books)

Mythology -

Gods, Demons and Others (1964, Viking)

The Ramayana (1972, Chatto & Windus)

The Mahabharata (1978, Heinemann)

Short stories -

Malgudi Days (1942, Indian Thought Publications)

An Astrologer's Day and Other Stories (1947, Indian Thought Publications)

Lawley Road and Other Stories (1956, Indian Thought Publications)

A Horse and Two Goats (1970)

Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories (1985)

Film An Astrologer's Day :-

         Here is the film. 

The film is based on R. K. Narayan's short story An Astrologer's day. It is a 13:37 seconds short film. Made by Pocket film - Indian short films.here is the information of cast and crew of the film. Film direction and production done by Sushant Bhat. Saumit Deshpande contributed as musician and cinematographer. Characters of the film are,

1) Astrologer: Prithvi Sancheti

2) Astrologer's Wife: Sukanya Bhatt

3)Customer 1: Sidhant Pawar

4)Landlord: Ashish

 Here are descriptive answers of all the questions assigned as a task.

1} How faithful is the movie to the original short story?

Movie is quite faithful to original short story, it is very helpful to understand storyline.Themes and sounds are well maintained.but somehow movie is made for audience so it must be made as interesting as audience wanted it to be. And to make it interesting filmmaker made several changes which is not there in original story.

In original story writer described The market so well and crowded.also in story it is mentioned that so many shopes are there and a beautiful description of place where Astrologer sit everyday. For example three name of shopes are given in story, " Bombay Ice-Cream "Delhi Almond," " Raja's Delicacy," where in Movie we don't find name of any shop or even any shope nearby. We just have one person selling Groundnut. Groundnut is also mentioned in story. Description of lighting is also detailed in story where in movie lighting is not so significant. In story we find lighting description like,

 "The place was lit up by shop lights. "

"One or two had hissing gaslights,

some had naked flares stuck on poles, some were lit up by old cycle lamps, and

one or two, like the astrologer's, managed without lights of their own."

Where in movie we don't have this much lights but have some like street light, flare light, and light of vehicles.

2) second major change we find is in movie name of Astrologer's wife and daughter is given but in story it is not given. Not even gender of Astrologer's child are mentioned.In movie we have name of Astrologer's wife Usha and also gender of his child is prescribed as a girl named Chutki.

3) Astrologer's outfit is also described different in movie and story.In story Astrologer wear saffron turban where in movie he Doesn't wear that.

4) In story they use "Anna" as a currency, but in movie they use Rupees as a currency.

Excepting this several changes movie is very faithful to story.

2} After watching the movie, have your perception about the short story, characters or situations changed?

Yes, movie help me to understand the story more clearly. And also give clearcut idea that what story actually wants to portray or say. For example while reading story we find that something will happened when guru Nayak and an Astrologer met and that's why Astrologer suddenly started neglecting to deal with Guru Nayak. But we don't know what was it. But in movie, that empty space was filled by putting beautiful scene in which Astrologer see face of Guru Nayak in a Light of cigarette.

Also in movie flashback is interestingly shown. It is a black and white sequence which is easy yo understand while in story it become little complex.

3} Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

No i don't feel aesthetic delight while watching the movie, because one can only feel aesthetic delight if he/she find something great or we can say something that mesmerize. But here there is nothing like that. But i must make a point that, while watching the movie, at the end when Astrologer reveal his past front of his wife, and regret for what he did in past, that scene gives auspicious feeling.

4} Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the short story?

Yes, screening of movie help me in better understanding of the short story, it helps to understand silence and pause, which not possible to understand by reading story. Also lighting, sound and camera language is very useful in better understanding of story.

5} Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the short story?

In movie when Guru Nayak and Astrologer met and Astrologer found the face of Guru nayak in light of cigarette, that was the perfect scene according to me. It was like suspense in the movie.

6} If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of the movie based on the short story “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K.Narayan?

I would like to change setting and sound in movie. It should be better than it is in the movie.

I hope my blog will be helpful to you and easy to understand. Thank you!

Derrida and Deconstruction : Flipped Learning

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about my understanding on Derrida and Deconstruction after watching several videos.

Video - 1

Derrida refuses to define the term deconstruction by asking several questions like, "Is it possible to define something?" And "what are the limits or to what extent can we define something?" This questions are indicating that there is no particular definition or meaning one can use for deconstruction. To understand deconstruction we need to understand multiple ideas and definitions first. When everyone wants clear cut ideas or definition at that time Derrida becomes very difficult to read and to understand. It's a major reason that Deconstruction is hard to understand.

Deconstruction is not a negative term according to Derrida because according to him it is not a destructive activity. Or it is not for breakdown something. According to Derrida, Deconstruction is not destructive activity, but an inquiry into the foundations that causes an intellectual systems. Derrida wants to change views of others so deconstruction is positive term in a sense.

 The seeds of Deconstruction sprouted from Martin Heideggar (1889-1976). Derrida take reference from Heideggar's project that he wanted to translate into french from German. Derrida tries to explain his concept of Deconstruction to his Japanese friend in a letter named professor Izutsu on 10 July 1983. The condition that Derrida argues is based on distinctions or binary oppositions. And this conditions are responsible for undoing the texts. And the term that he uses for this is "DifferAnce". So this is how deconstruction happens on its own.

Video - 2

Martin Heideggar along with Sigmund Freud and Friedrich Nietzsche are three most important thinkers. Derrida acknowledged them in his work, "structure, sign, and play in the discourse of the human sciences". Many of the ideas of this three thinkers carried ahead by Derrida. Heideggar deals with some important themes which Derrida also carried ahed in his philosophy. One of the most important theme is, "The term destruction is translated as a deconstruction in French. It has direct connection between Heideggar and Derrida. By Pershing the question of being of being, Heideggar tired to destroy the entire tradition of Western philosophy. Western philosophy rejected the original form of things thats what Heideggar negated in his famous book 'Being and Time'. He is not just wanted to change the philosophy but also the way western people think. Derrida is continuing this deconstruction and dismantling of western philosophy.

Another is theme of language. According to Heideggar it is language which speaks not men. And meaning is product of language.so initially men is decentered from language.this post structuralist idea we find in Heideggar as well as in Nietzsche.This idea is also Derrida continuing.Derrida wanted to reinvent the philosophy of language.

Derrida argued that whole question of writing is neglected and repressed in western philosophy just like the idea in which Heideggar said that the whole concept of being of being is neglected. Its very important to focus on western philosophy as language as writing more than language as speaking according to Derrida. Derrida is not just blindly following Heideggar but also criticising him by saying that Heideggar is also focus more on language as speech rather then writing.And to this he called phonocentricism and logocentricism.

Video - 3

Ferdinand de Saussureian in his work 'Couse in general Linguistics' discussed about Concept of language, its meaning, relational and Constitutive etc.He said that what Connects a word with its meaning or as signal with it's meaning is the convention. And convention is always social. Derrida points out that meaning of any word is nothing but another word. Meaning of word is not meaning but word.

Derrida considered language as an ever-changing movement. Therefore, he substituted the diachronic term “unmotivation” for arbitrariness. He also made up a word: différance to replace différence, because the word différence cannot fully explain the correspondence between word and meaning from a diachronic perspective.

Concept of metaphysics is taken from Heideggar. It is connecting link between Heideggar and Derrida.according to Heideggar when we accept being of something, or connect it with physics, we also unconsciously accepts its presence.for example in language we use 'Is','Was','were'.which is the proof of its existence. In his book "Being and Time" Heideggar raise a question of existence. According to Heideggar western philosophy is built on the differences, and binary oppositions. We can say it is same like human languages.Ferdinand de Saussureian says that there is no positive elements in language but all are negative. To recognize any one particular term we have to understand other terms too.so it is contrasting.Metaphysics of Presence is discussed in terms of binary opposition inherent in language and thus in philosophy.

Video - 4

It is very difficult to understand the difference between DeferAnce and Difference. Because it is not a audible difference. The term différance means "difference and deferral of meaning."

DeferAnce meaning is it is difference as we differentiate a word from another to understand its meaning. We do not define, actually, we differentiate. According to Derrida, when we try to find meaning of any word from dictionary or from anywhere, what we find is not meaning but another word.meaning of one word is set of another word. So Derrida says that one word leads to another word and that word leads to yet another. And we again and again going back to dictionary. Meaning is always postponed, its change always. According to Derrida final meaning is nothing but a myth.one can never able to reach the final meaning. Derrida drawing attention towards difference between speech and writing. He question privilege of speech over writing.

In the words difference + Deference, Derrida combines both word and creats a new word.A concept introduced by Derrida, differance is a pun on “difference” and “deferment”, and is that attribute of language, by which meaning is generated because of a word's difference from other words in a signifying system, and at the same time, meaning is inevitably and infinitely deferred.DifferAnce is not an idea or concept but a force which makes differentiation possible , which makes postponing possible.DifferAnce is a force which make postponing possible.

Video - 5

Structure, sign and play in the discourse of the human science is the a paper read on structuralism at Johns Hopkins in 1966 by philosopher Jacques Derrida.The lecture is widely cited as the starting point for post-structuralism in the United States. Derrida said that structuralism when first began it begans like criticism and attack on metaphysics and science. On one hand structuralism is criticizing the metaphysics and science but on the other hand it is using a same assumptions.criticism is movie around the tradition for example Heideggar said that Friedrich Nietzche was last metaphysics but Derrida said Heideggar is the last metaphysician.this how criticism never go out of tradition.

Criticism is happened because of language because language coded assumptions into it. So in final meaning of language never be achieved but it can only be promised and differed.so difference make ultimate interpretation. when critics make criticism on something they use same language and same language leads to same ideas and assumptions.when one can start attacking or criticising something they start coping that in a sense. And according to Derrida that is happened because of language, because they are using same language. This how language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique.

Video - 6

Yale school has played very important role in propagation on Derrida's idea.when deconstruction go to Yale university it was became so new and unique. Four names are connected with Yale university Paul de Man, J Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom, Geoffrey Hartman. They are knowing as 'hermeneutic mafias' of Yale University.This four people made deconstruction popular as well unpopular in America.This four people are totally different by their occupation, but first time because of Yale deconstruction considered as a school in literary criticism.

Major characteristics of Yale School of Deconstruction are,

1) Looking at literature as figurative or rhetorical construct.

2)They questioned both the aesthetic as well as formalist approach to literature and also questioned the historicist and sociologist approach to literature.

3) They were highly pre-occupied with Romanticism.

Video :- 7

Yale university was preoccupied with rhetorical and figurative analysis of literary text.Feminism, cultural materialism, historicism, Marxism, postcolonial theorists used deconstruction.postcolonial theory is fascinated by its ability to show that the texts or the discource of the colonizer can be deconstructed from within the narratives. feminist theories deals with how to subvert the binaries between male and female. By its ability to subvert patriarchal discourse. Historicism fascinated by its ability to see historicity of text and textuality of history. History is textual and text is historical.Cultural Materialists fascinated by its ability to emphasize materiality of language - Language is material construct and it has got ability to unmask hidden ideological agendas. This how schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists used Deconstruction.

I hope my blog will be helpful to you. Thank you!

Wide Saragasso Sea

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about "Wide Saragasso Sea" by Jean Rhys, Jean Rhys as a author of Wide Saragasso Sea and theme of 'Mad Women in the Attic' with the example of Annette and Antoinette.

About the Novel :-

Wide Saragasso Sea is the well known novel written by Jean Rhys in 1966. Main themes of this novel is post - colonialism and feminism. The novel is mainly known as a prequel of Charlotte Bronte's novel titled Jane Eyer. Jane Eyre is a marriage story of a man named Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre, But Wide Saragasso Sea is the story of Mr. Rochester and his wife Antoinette Cosway.

The novel was originally published in October 1966.Genre of the novel is Postmodern novel.The novel Set in Jamaica, Dominica and Thornfield Hall, 1830s–40s.Major characters of the novel are

1)Daniel Cosway,

2)Edward Rochester,

3)Christophine,

4)Antoinette Cosway,

5)Annette Cosway.

The novel is contains 176 pages. Wide Sargasso Sea explores the power of relationships between men and women and discusses the themes of race, Caribbean history, and assimilation.The novel written is in three parts. Part One takes place in Coulibri, a sugar plantation in Jamaica, and is narrated by Antoinette as a child. In which she told a story of her father's death, her mother's remarriage,and unhappy relationship, then how her mother get abused, madness of her mother, and death of her mother.

Part two  alternates between the points of view of Antoinette and her husband during their honeymoon excursion to her mother's summer estate Granbois, Dominica. This part is about marriage life of Antoinette. Her healthy relationship in beginning, then distrust of Mr. Rochester, she was abused by her husband, betrayal from husband, hurting her by calling Bertha, implied madness on her and finally they leave Granbois. Part Three is the shortest part of the novel. it is from the perspective of Antoinette, renamed by her husband as Bertha. The story traces her relationship with Grace Poole, the servant who is tasked with guarding her, as well as her disintegrating life with Mr. Rochester, as he hides her from the world. The story traces her relationship with Grace Poole, the servant who is tasked with guarding her, as well as her disintegrating life with Mr. Rochester, as he hides her from the world. The novel ends when Antoinette dreams of flames engulfing the house and her freedom from the life she has there, and believes it is her destiny to fulfill the vision. Waking from her dream she escapes her room, and sets out candle in hand.

About Jean Rhys :-

Jean Rhys was Born on 24 August 1890, Roseau, and Died on 14 May 1979, Exeter, United Kingdom. She was a British novelist who was born and grew up in the Caribbean island of Dominica. From the age of 16, she was mainly resident in England, where she was sent for her education.In 1919, Rhys married Willem Johan Marie (Jean) Lenglet, a French-Dutch journalist, spy, and songwriter. She was married thrice and Willem is first of them.second she married to Leslie Tilden-Smith, an English editor. In 1947, Rhys married Max Hamer, he was the last one whom she married.

Her Notable works are, 1)Good Morning,2) Midnight,3) Wide Sargasso Sea etc. Her first book is a collection of short stories, The Left Bank (1927), was followed by such novels as Postures (1928). Read more about her (here).

The Madwomen in the Attic : Annette - Antoinette.

During the 19th century, women condition was poor. Mainly in European and American women in the nineteenth century lived in an age characterized by gender inequality.Women were expected to remain subservient to their fathers and husbands. Their occupational choices were also extremely limited. Middle- and upper-class women generally remained home, caring for their children and running the household. Lower-class women often did work outside the home, but usually as poorly-paid domestic servants or laborers in factories and mills. Influence of this women condition we find in literature also, 19th century was a period when Large number of women writers started writing  and in the nineteenth century that gender-consciousness and feminist attitudes first came to the forefront of the literary imagination, changing forever how the works of female authors would be written and regarded.

In the novel Wide Saragasso Sea, we find same situation of women And their suffering. Women in Attic means women in cage. Women forced to being caged by narrow minded, patriarchal society. Male think themselves superior than women and believed that women should be domestic, should know households and should tack care of their childrens and home. If we see nineteenth century literature, we find dominated male behavior towards females. In wide Saragasso sea, Annette and Antoinette both are a kind of house wife. Not only they both but all the women in the novel excepting Christopher is seems like domestic wives or we can say womans.

Women in Wide Saragasso sea are not free. But we find most of them as a dependent on male characters. The act of marriage is also taken as a symbol of security. For example here in the novel females married because of financial support. This we see in Annette, after the death of her husband she has poor financial condition so she get agree to marry Mr. Mason for financial stability. Marriage was conducted at that time for several purposes like financial stability, social status, inheritance, money, luxurious life etc. This all are the characteristics of Victorian mentality. In Wide Saragasso sea we find Antoinette married Mr. Rochester because she has big amount of inheritance and according to society women cannot capable to handle this much fortune, man is needed. Antoinette also we find dependent on her husband, for it many times Christopher warned her too.

Ultimately this behavior and dependence of women lead them towards madness and they get proved as MadWomen in the Attic. This we can understand by two examples from novel, first is Annette, mother of our female protagonist Antoinette. She has traumatic past, as her husband died in young age, make her alone also she suffered by financial problems. And to solve that, she get married to other man. But unfortunately, she get no love but ignorance from him. Which resulted as a madness in her. She also face deaths of her closeones like her first husband, then her son. Which also ruined her mental health. Her madness lead her to abused by servants, who are in the service of her. Antoinette became witnessed of that. She died in very pitiful condition. Just like madwomen in Attic.

Antoinette is also example of Madwomen in Attic. She was a free minded, childish girl in the beginning. Living with full joy. But after the marriage her behavior get started changing.she wasn't mad but madness was implied on her by her husband. Ignorance, and betrayal from husband resulted as her ill mental health. Mr. Rochester explore physical relationship with black girl, which broke Antoinette from deep. On basis of doubt Rochester started ignoring her, abusing her, make her feel inferior, and at last harassed her. Which play vital role in her bad mental condition. He started calling Antoinette as a Bertha.and implied another identity on her by force.

We find that Antoinette is not able to leave Rochester because all her fortune after marriage belongs to Mr. Rochester. All this traumatic situations caused madness of Antoinette. Her loneliness lead her to hallucinations and madness which caused her deaths.

This examples are proving the points of madwomen in the Attic. I hope my blog will be helpful to you. Thank you! Watch this video about Madwoman in the Attic in Wide Saragasso Sea.

Cultural Studies

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written in a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about Some important question from Paper number 205A - Cultural Studies. But before that it is very important to understand that what is culture and cultural studies. To understand the basic concept of that do watch these videos below.

Origin and definition of Cultural Studies :-

   According to oxford dictionary, "The critical analysis of the texts and practices of everyday life in contemporary society. an interdisciplinary enterprise involving both the humanities and the social sciences." Cultural studies were originated and developed by british marxist academics in late 1950s,1960s,1970s.and later on developed by many scholars all around the world. The core idea of cultural studies is to look into social organization and to study as well as construction of there everyday lives. Cultural studies is related to many other fields like, Marxism, Feminist theory, Ethnography, Structuralism, Post colonialism, Social theory, Political theory, History, Philosophy, Literary theory, Media theory, Communication studies etc.

   Cultural studies look into political changes with age and contemporary culture. There are four main goals of cultural studies.

Now, let me discuss some important questions related to cultural studies.

1] Your understanding of power in cultural studies.

   According to Oxford dictionary, "power is the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way", or "The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events." We all are a social beings and society is nothing but all about power position. Where one is ruling and others are obliging. There is always someone is in power, but not for forever. Power position is changing all the time from one to another. But for them who are not in power, sometimes power became evil and cruel.

   There are several forces which are holding power for example, 

1) physical Force, 

2) Wealth,

 3) State Action 

4) Social norms, 

5) Ideas,

 6) Numbers (quantity).

   Physical forces are mainly those who comes with physical ability to threat and to beat people. Another one is wealth, it is believed that those who has wealth can hold power. They have ability to buy power with wealth. Each State has several special powers, Powers of law and government which all should have to obey compulsory. Social norms can mold our views, thoughts and behavior in certain way that one can not dare to disobey it, but if any of them disobey that norms they get Defamation and insult as punishment. Another power is of power of ideas, those who are rich in Ideas can easily undertake those who haven't capable to think so much. The last power is of group. If huge number of people thinking in a one particular way then it will easy to do what they want. Watch this animated posters to understand concept of power in various fields.

Now let me discuss about Laws of power. There are three main Laws of power.

1) Power is never static.

2) power is like a water.

3) power Compounds.

   Michel Foucault, the French postmodernist, has been hugely influential in shaping understandings of power. Foucault uses the term ‘power/knowledge’ to signify that power is constituted through accepted forms of knowledge, scientific understanding and ‘truth’, ‘Truth is a thing of this world. it is produced only by virtue of multiple forms of constraint. And it induces regular effects of power.Foucault challenges the idea that power is wielded by people or groups by way of ‘episodic’ or ‘sovereign’ acts of domination or coercion, seeing it instead as dispersed and pervasive. ‘Power is everywhere’ and ‘comes from everywhere’ so in this sense is neither an agency nor a structure. To read more about his views (Click here)

2] Why Media study is so important in our digital culture?

   Media or social media world is nowadays reflection or we can say imitation of real world. Media report each and everything which is happening around the world.it helps to understand what is happening around, right and wrong. And that's why Media is holding a power. Media is able to effect on people's thoughts as well as their emotions. And shape their mentality good or bad, just the way they want. Towards any particular area or person. Media has a control over mass.

   And that's why it is their humble responsibility to provide fact and information which is tested twice. But if we see nowadays media also is in control of government or politicians. So media never dare to speak against them and provide information which is beneficial for them. For them it is not matter that either it is correct information or false. We can easily interpret that now a days media is not working for audience but it is working for the people who are in power. Media itself is a power and though working for power. And hide the news which are important to be seen. For example : sometimes to distract from one incident which is against the political power or powerful businessmen, media create another fake news.

   Same happened with advertisements. Nowadays media become a platform where rich businessman or politicians promote or adverse their products or news. For that see this video which is about opening of mall of baba ramdev, two journalists from different channels are taking interviews. Here you find how one is praising baba ramdev by going extraordinary way. And other one is asking harsh questions and trying to bring out truth.

3] Who can be considered as a truly educated person?

   To understand that what is truly educated means, it is very important to understand meaning of education. According to Oxford Dictionary, Education means a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools, colleges or universities, to improve knowledge and develop skills. In another words we can say that, Education means the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.

   After knowing this, to whom we call educated person or truly educated person? To them who secure ranks, and highest marks? Not actually. Educated person is one who has creativity, ability to think, learn, to imagine something new. And has curiosity of knowledge. Truly educated can know how to see, what to see and where, when and whom to see and understand. They have ability to raise their voice and to stay calm when it's time.similarly true education is what bring out creativity from students. Here, R. J. Goswami in his Instagram post of 9-July - 2022, Saturday, wrote about what is the rule of true education. Read the post here.

   Here are some quotes which is about what is true education. From this quotes we can define what is truly educated.

This is my blog about cultural study and some important questions which are given us as a task. I hope my blog will be helpful to you. Thank you for visit!

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