An Introduction: “Habit is a good deadener”- Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot (Act 2) As students of literature, the question that often presents itself is of an existential nature, prodding the boundaries of Literature and enquiring after the reason for its very existence. Literature as a field is bountiful in imitation and emotion. It is… Read More Theory Thursdays: Metaphor and Metonymy (Part 1)
To read a comprehensive article about the Nobel Prize, the decision to give it to Bob Dylan and information about Bob Dylan, click here. The Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to singer and songwriter Bob Dylan. This news was received with highly mixed reactions, outcry and jubilation. As an English teacher, I too read… Read More Wednesday Whiteboard: Should Bob Dylan Have Won a Nobel?
I believe that this is a good exercise to conduct in classrooms. A teacher may begin the session by asking the students to think about some of their favourite songs. Then, the teacher can bring to the notice of the students that, in the name of artistic expression, many song lyrics are often times grammatically… Read More Teacher Tuesdays:Ruining Famous Songs by Correcting the Grammar of the Lyrics
In the grand tradition of modern Western philosophy, the popular notion that abounds is that the author is dead. To create a text, it is paramount that the author must die first. Rather a macabre idea for those who treasure the author’s singular voice, but nonetheless, an idea that is popular among several western philosophers… Read More Monday’s Musings: Is The Author Dead?
Before reading this article, have a look at what magic realism is here. If you have not watched the film, read the synopsis here. The film is set in the year 1944, five years after the end of the Spanish Civil War. In Spain, Francisco Franco took over as the Fascist leader and created a… Read More sARTurday: Pan’s Labyrinth as a Magic Realism Film
As a teacher, one must be very careful not to sway one’s students with one’s own personal opinion. With the play Look Back in Anger written by John Osborne, all I can say is I really tried to be objective. I truly believe that John Osborne’s writing style is masterful but I intensely dislike the characters he has created.… Read More Friday Reviews: Look Back in Anger at ‘Look Back in Anger’ (Alternate Endings)
Magic realism combines transcendent beauty and harsh reality as a means to critique socio-political issues and highlight cultural differences in many postcolonial countries around the world. Magic realism is a genre that originated in Latin America during the 1920’s and 30’s as a cultural product of rebellion, surrealism and didacticism. As a genre, magic realism… Read More Theory Thursday: The Intricacies of Magic Realism
“Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.” -Oscar Wilde Any obscenity law that has ever existed is a product of a dominant power structure exerting control over a body of people. In many cases, it is both desire and sexual representation among the masses that are controlled. The final aim… Read More Wednesday’s Whiteboard: Sexuality and Power
The English Teacher 