What does ‘Freedom’ mean to you?
II MA English | 14th Aug 2024
Today, the II MA Class had their Internal Test from 9.30 to 11.30 am. Soon after their ICA, we had a class on PoCo [Postcolonial Studies]. And today we had a discussion in class, in the context of Chinua Achebe’s ‘Refugee Mother and Child,’ on the concept of ‘Freedom’.
Since it was also the eve of our 77th Independence Day, we thought of having an interaction on the question, ‘What does freedom mean to you’?
The students gave some very perceptive answers, and all the answers were indeed highly insightful and awesome!
Here goes –
AKSHAYA G – To me, freedom for women is real freedom. What about the doctor in West Bengal who was raped and murdered? A woman doesn’t even have freedom to work.
ANNIE D – To me, freedom is the ability to express myself – to speak out spontaneously on how I feel, without any reservations.
BHOOJA R – To me, freedom is the liberation from the ego.
DOROTHY M – To me, freedom is the ability to make my own decisions and also have the power to execute it.
HELNA RAJAN – To me, freedom would mean – the ability to do what I wish to do!
IMCHAAIEN – to me freedom is to have oneself heard!
JEEVA MINU – To freedom is having the ability and the freedom to say ‘No’
JENISHA – To me, freedom is the ability to express my emotions. In short others should have an empathetic ear to our emotions.
LAKSHMI RAMASWAMI – To me, freedom is not just following someone. To me freedom is recognition of the other, understanding of the other, and cooperation with them.
MALSAWMDAWNGLIANI TARA – To me, freedom is something that helps me move at my own pace, without racing against time.
NEHEMY DEBORAH S W – To me, freedom is the space to express myself.
PAULIN BLESSY S – To me, freedom is the ability to express my emotions without any fear or inhibition.
R SHERIN – To me, freedom is the voice I have for myself.
RENUKA DEVI A – To me, freedom is to be able to think freely in the mind by not getting trapped into any kind of ideology.
S ANURADHA – To me, freedom is peace of mind.
SHERLIN MARY P – To me freedom implies financial freedom. My opinion and my suggestion should be heard and taken into account.
AARON LEO – To me, freedom is something spiritual. We get freedom only from a divine source. You can’t attain it all by yourself.
ALAN M EBEN – To me, freedom is having an equality in the medium of expression – be it writing, or music or choreography – everything should be treated on the same pedestal with equal standing.
ALAN SAVIO JIJO – As long as you have the perseverance to endure, you are free.
CLEANSON BINOY – To me, freedom is to have a sense of happiness and at the same time, not to disturb the happiness of others.
HUDSON MATHEW J – To me, freedom is Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
SOUPARNO BHATTACHARYA – To me, the greatest form of expression is art. If I am able to unite my form of art with the universal flow of art, then only I get the feeling of true freedom or liberation.
Feels great to read all the insights of the young minds. To my part, I'll pen down my thoughts as well. It really makes me feel like being in your class again. Freedom always comes with a price. Moreoften, the price we pay is the ability to recognise the condition of being unfree.
ReplyDeleteThere is always an authority that sets down what can or cannot be done or spoken. So, true freedom is a condition where expression or action is not required, needed, obligated or even expected. To simply put, freedom is not - doing things how you want, but rather it's when you prefer not to.
Good to write to you, Kind Sir.
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