Martin, T, II BA English - Assignment in Modern Fiction

The Power and the Glory – ‘A Discussion on Having sympathy upon the Priest.’

Submitted by Martin, T.

i. The Mexican State:

The Mexican State has almost shut all doorsteps of drinking and rioting. Here lives the priest who is almost against all laws and prohibitions. He is a person who drinks, and lives a careless life which plays the central theme of the story. The Mexican state calls and recalls all the things done by the priest. The Mexican State is strict in principle and desire to grow more in perfect ness of the Constitution. First it had persons who ruined it but now changes herself to catch all those victims and wipe them out so that the Mexican state might be entirely clean. So the police were about the priest finding and roaming here and there in suspicion but finally when nowhere to be found lost all hope. A military lieutenant who was retired got the permission from the Governor in finding the priest which would be his ultimate adventure.

ii. The Priest/ 7 years / 700 Pesos:

The Priest was about his profession seven years. He was actually a kind hearted man in nature. But at outside because of his behaviour which has been revealed opened way to punish him from all sorts. He has been wanted by the government because he was not doing his duty but rather against prohibition. But according to the priest at personal view, he is very strict at the call of duty. But it was neither rumour about the priest and neither he was unwilling to the call of duty. The coming paragraphs will further bring about views for to why the priest has been wanted by the government. For it is said for about ‘700 pesos’ would be awarded to the person finding the priest.

iii. Habit of Drinking:

The priest had the habit of drinking whisky or brandy. And he loved it. This was the secret part of his life. Though he heard many persons confession he never confessed it to the LORD. Any unconfessed sin lurking around any person even the Blood of Jesus cannot forgive such sins. This is the greatest tragedy of his life. This part of his life ruined his entire ‘priesthoodship’. So how serious one should be or we should be about unconfessed sins. Any sin which we don’t confess it to the LORD, the LORD cannot forgive it on him because only when one reveals his fault and cry out to Jesus at the Cross, having a bitterness towards sin and thereby developing hatred and wanting deliverance, then the precious blood of Jesus will cleanse that serious injury called sin and justifies the sinner.

iv. Illegal Relationship:

All men commit sin. And there is nobody else without sin except GOD. From the beggar to the President all are equally ranked by hell as victims of sin. So in that perspective, when we see the priest, though he is a priest he is wrong too. The flesh is weak and always lusteth against the Spirit. Temptations may arise to any level to every human being including children to commit sin. Without tempting, nobody could escape sin. Sin will declare whether it overcome it had been overcome. Except GOD there is nobody in the world to first put sin to shame. He was tempted and found blameless and guiltless. He overcame sin. In this perspective when we see the priest, we should have sympathy otherwise if we point out and judge him there we are doing it with self-righteousness which is again guilty in the sight of GOD. Again, even here, the priest had a woman called Maria with a six year old girl called Brigitta. Even here the priest hid this isn and repented not. Seeing this, it feels sympathy.

v. Three Faults:

Now when we consider the priest he has three major faults which a priest should not have. The three faults were drinking aspect of the priest, having an illegitimate woman and a child, and being a coward.
The first two were because of hiding the sin and covering it or polishing it. Because it is written in the Word of GOD, “He that covereth his sin shall not be saved, but he that confesseth and forsaketh it.” Also the Word of GOD admonishes if you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive your sins and clease you from all unrighteousness. So the cause of the first too were because of hiding it. The last aspect was being a coward. Sin makes one to fear since there is always fear and frightening and torment in sin. So one could have sympathy toward the priest for loosing his life by not knowing what to do even the main aspects.

vi. Traitor of the State:

Since he has been declared to be the traitor of the State, at least now he has to fear the LORD and ask Him to forgive and save. But being coward, he tried to flee from the situation but fell into the fire. That is jumping out of the fire pan yet jumping into the fire. By this he loses his own soul and no care about his own soul has been taken. So this all can bring sympathy for the priest by persons who are outside the story and new to the story. Because of being wanted by the lieutenant he flees and never confesses. Again he continues to drink whisky and brandy at the restaurant. When jailed, again he buys whisky and brandy. This all speaks that he is like a goat going after a whore to the slaughter house. Seeing all this one can feel sympathy because his soul is dying inside of no GOD.

Samuel Gnanaselvan, D, II BA English, Assignment in Modern Fiction

Assignment on Passage to India

Submitted by: Samuel Gnanaselvan, D

Though A Passage to India is in many ways a highly symbolic, or even mystical, text, it also aims to be a realistic documentation of the attitudes of British colonial officials in India.

The Difficulty of English-Indian Friendship

A Passage to India begins and ends by posing the question of whether it is possible for an Englishman and an Indian to ever be friends, at least within the context of British colonialism. Forster uses this question as a framework to explore the general issue of Britain's political control of India on a more personal level, through the friendship between Aziz and Fielding. At the beginning of the novel, Aziz is scornful of the English, wishing only to consider them comically or ignore them completely. Yet the intuitive connection Aziz feels with Mrs. Moore in the mosque opens him to the possibility of friendship with Fielding. Through the first half of the novel, Fielding and Aziz represent a positive model of liberal humanism: Forster suggests that British rule in India could be successful and respectful if only English and Indians treated each other as Fielding and Aziz treat each other—as worthy individuals who connect through frankness, intelligence, and good will.

Yet in the aftermath of the novel's climax—Adela's accusation that Aziz attempted to assault her and her subsequent disavowal of this accusation at the trial—Aziz and Fielding's friendship falls apart. The strains on their relationship are external in nature, as Aziz and Fielding both suffer from the tendencies of their cultures. Aziz tends to let his imagination run away with him and to let suspicion harden into a grudge. Fielding suffers from an English literalism and rationalism that blind him to Aziz's true feelings and make Fielding too stilted to reach out to Aziz through conversations or letters. Furthermore, their respective Indian and English communities pull them apart through their mutual stereotyping. As we see at the end of the novel, even the landscape of India seems to oppress their friendship. Forster's final vision of the possibility of English-Indian friendship is a pessimistic one, yet it is qualified by the possibility of friendship on English soil, or after the liberation of India. As the landscape itself seems to imply at the end of the novel, such a friendship may be possible eventually, but “not yet.”

The Negligence of British Colonial Government:

Though A Passage to India is in many ways a highly symbolic, or even mystical, text, it also aims to be a realistic documentation of the attitudes of British colonial officials in India.

Though A Passage to India is in many ways a highly symbolic, or even mystical, text, it also aims to be a realistic documentation of the attitudes of British colonial officials in India. Forster spends large sections of the novel characterizing different typical attitudes the English hold toward the Indians whom they control. Forster's satire is most harsh toward Englishwomen, whom the author depicts as overwhelmingly racist, self-righteous, and viciously condescending to the native population. Some of the Englishmen in the novel are as nasty as the women, but Forster more often identifies Englishmen as men who, though condescending and unable to relate to Indians on an individual level, are largely well-meaning and invested in their jobs. For all Forster's criticism of the British manner of governing India, however, he does not appear to question the right of the British Empire to rule India. He suggests that the British would be well served by becoming kinder and more sympathetic to the Indians with whom they live, but he does not suggest that the British should abandon India outright. Even this lesser critique is never overtly stated in the novel, but implied through biting satire.

The Unity of All Living Things

Though the main characters of A Passage to India are generally Christian or Muslim, Hinduism also plays a large thematic role in the novel. The aspect of Hinduism with which Forster is particularly concerned is the religion's ideal of all living things, from the lowliest to the highest, united in love as one. This vision of the universe appears to offer redemption to India through mysticism, as individual differences disappear into a peaceful collectivity that does not recognize hierarchies. Individual blame and intrigue is forgone in favor of attention to higher, spiritual matters. Professor Godbole, the most visible Hindu in the novel, is Forster's mouthpiece for this idea of the unity of all living things. Godbole alone remains aloof from the drama of the plot, refraining from taking sides by recognizing that all are implicated in the evil of Marabar. Mrs. Moore, also, shows openness to this aspect of Hinduism. Though she is a Christian, her experience of India has made her dissatisfied with what she perceives as the smallness of Christianity. Mrs. Moore appears to feel a great sense of connection with all living creatures, as evidenced by her respect for the wasp in her bedroom.

Yet, through Mrs. Moore, Forster also shows that the vision of the oneness of all living things can be terrifying. As we see in Mrs. Moore's experience with the echo that negates everything into “boum” in Marabar, such oneness provides unity but also makes all elements of the universe one and the same—a realization that, it is implied, ultimately kills Mrs. Moore. Godbole is not troubled by the idea that negation is an inevitable result when all things come together as one. Mrs. Moore, however, loses interest in the world of relationships after envisioning this lack of distinctions as a horror. Moreover, though Forster generally endorses the Hindu idea of the oneness of all living things, he also suggests that there may be inherent problems with it. Even Godbole, for example, seems to recognize that something—if only a stone—must be left out of the vision of oneness if the vision is to cohere. This problem of exclusion is, in a sense, merely another manifestation of the individual difference and hierarchy that Hinduism promises to overcome.

The “Muddle” of India

Forster takes great care to strike a distinction between the ideas of “muddle” and “mystery” in A Passage to India. “Muddle” has connotations of dangerous and disorienting disorder, whereas “mystery” suggests a mystical, orderly plan by a spiritual force that is greater than man. Fielding, who acts as Forster's primary mouthpiece in the novel, admits that India is a “muddle,” while figures such as Mrs. Moore and Godbole view India as a mystery. The muddle that is India in the novel appears to work from the ground up: the very landscape and architecture of the countryside is formless, and the natural life of plants and animals defies identification. This muddled quality to the environment is mirrored in the makeup of India's native population, which is mixed into a muddle of different religious, ethnic, linguistic, and regional groups.

Hebzibah Nancy, II BA English, Assignment in Modern Fiction

Compare and contrast of Priest and Lieutenant:

Submitted by: Hebzibah Nancy, II BA English

The protagonist of the story, the priest is waging a war on two fronts: haunted by his sinful past, he struggles internally with deep qualms about himself, and pursued by the authorities, he works to evade capture by the police for as long as he can. The priest is not a conventional hero: he is at times cowardly, self-interested, suspicious, and pleasure-oriented. That is to say he is human. The extraordinary hardships he has endured on the run from the government for eight years have transformed him into a much more resilient and mentally strong individual, although he still carries around with him strong feelings of guilt and worthlessness. He is self-critical almost to a fault.

What is remarkable about Greene's depiction of this person is that he refuses to spare us the priest's less-than-noble side, and yet also convincingly shows him overcoming his weaknesses and performing acts of great heroism. The most important single act comes near the end of the novel, when he decides to accompany the mestizo back across the border, to the state in which he is being hunted, in order to hear the confession of a dying man. The priest does not recognize the real value of his actions, nor does he fully comprehend what kind of impact he has had on people's lives. He tends to hear only from those people who have been hurt or disappointed by him in some way: Maria, Brigida, the pious woman. He does not see the many people whose lives have been touched merely by coming into contact with him or hearing about his death; Mr. Tench and the boy are the two most notable examples. Because this positive influence remains hidden to him, the priest does not have a true conception of the value of his life, and therefore, remains an extremely humble man to the day of his death. He also feels that he can never be truly penitent for his sexual relationship with Maria, since it produced Brigida, his daughter, whom he loves very deeply.

The priest un-named for the entirety of the novel, the priest or “the whisky priest” as he sometimes refers to himself, is the protagonist and the character upon whom the novel’s most important moral questions center. He spends the majority of the novel on the run from the police, friendless and homeless and searching for some sense of purpose in his life. His decadent, indulgent life as a parish priest takes place before the novel begins, but it is present in his thoughts throughout the novel as a source of deep humiliation. He spends the novel pursued by the police who believe the Church exploits the poor, and tormented by his own sense of guilt. He meets his daughter, the product of a secret affair with one of his parishioners, and finds that his love for her makes it impossible for him to repent the sin of conceiving her. He often chastises himself for impulses and reactions that are very normal and very human.

At the beginning of the novel, the priest is waiting for a boat that will take him out of the capital city. He is on the run from the police because religion has been outlawed in his state and he is the last remaining clergyman. While talking to a man named Mr. Tench, he is summoned to a dying woman's house and misses his boat. He hides out in a barn on the estate of a plantation owner, befriending the owner's daughter. Forced to move on, he heads to a village in which he used to live and work as pastor. There he meets Maria, a woman with whom he has had a brief affair, and Brigida, his illegitimate daughter. He spends the night in the town and wakes before dawn to say mass for the villagers.

The lieutenant—a sworn enemy of all religion—arrives at the end of mass, leading a group of policemen in search of the priest, and the priest goes out to the town square to face his enemy. No one in the village turns him in, however, and the lieutenant does not realize that he has foun d the man he is looking for. Instead, the lieutenant takes a hostage, whom he says he will execute if he finds that the villagers have been lying to him about the whereabouts of the wanted man.

The priest heads to the town of Carmen, and on the way he meets a man known simply as the mestizo. Uninvited, the mestizo accompanies the priest on his journey, and it very soon becomes clear that he is an untrustworthy figure, and most likely interes ted in following the priest so that he can turn him in and collect the reward money. The priest finally admits that he is, indeed, a priest. But the mestizo, who has become feverish by the second day of their journey together, does not have the strength t o follow the priest when he veers off course. The priest knows that if he enters Carmen he will surely be captured, and he lets the mestizo ride on towards the town by himself. The priest, aware that he is walking into a trap, finally agrees to accompany the mestizo back across the border. There he meets the gringo, who refuses to repent for his sins and then dies. Then, as expected, the lieutenant arrives and ta kes the priest into custody. The two men have a long conversation about their beliefs and then, when the storm front clears, the lieutenant takes the priest back to the capital city for his trial.

The Lieutenant:

Driven by an obsessive hatred for the Catholic Church, the lieutenant will stop at nothing to apprehend and execute the priest, who, he believes, is the last remaining clergyman in the state. The lieutenant is a principled, disciplined man with a strong sense of justice. He is committed to political ideals that he thinks will help the poor and create equality and tolerance in the state. Unfortunately, he oftentimes allows his focus on his noble goal to obscure questions about the means he is employing to reach that goal. The most striking example of this is his decision to round up hostages and execute people if the villagers lie to him about the priest's whereabouts. As we see, the selection process is entirely arbitrary, hardly just, and extremely violent. It is easy to see why the people are as skeptical of the state as they are of the church. But even this person is capable of change. From time to time throughout the novel he shows that he is not an unkind person. After his conversation with the captured priest, he softens considerably, trying to find someone to hear the priest's confession and bringing him a bottle of brandy to quiet his fears. The political movement to which he belongs has taught him to look at people in generalized terms: that is, all priests are bad and all those working for the lieutenant's cause are good. The priest, who proves himself to be modest, intelligent and compassionate, disrupts the lieutenant's habitual way of looking at the Catholic clergy. By the end of the novel, he has accomplished his mission, but he feels a strange sense of emptiness and despondency. Without a target, his life has no meaning or sense of purpose and Greene suggests that lingering doubts fill the lieutenant's mind troubling him about whether he has done the right thing by killing the priest.

Riyukta, R, II BA English - Assignment in Modern Fiction

What is power and what is glory in the novel. Explain the significance of the title.

Submitted by: Riyukta, R,

Graham Greene (1904 - 1991)

Greene worked as a journalist and a critic and was later employed by the foreign office. Greene was an English novelist who also produced short stories, plays, screenplays and travelwriting.

His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world. Greene combined serious literary acclaim with wide popularity.

Although Greene objected strongly to being described as a Catholic novelist rather than as a novelist who happened to be Catholic, Catholic religious themes are at the root of much of his writing especially in, Brighton Rock, The Heart of the Matter, The End of the Affair, and The Power and the Glory.

The Power and the Glory, first published fifty years ago and is generally agreed to be Graham Greene's masterpiece, the book of his held highest in popular as well as critical esteem. Based upon less than two months spent in Mexico in March and April of 1938, including five weeks of grueling, solitary travel in the southern provinces of Tabasco and Chiapas, the novel is Greene's least English, containing only a few minor English characters.

Perhaps it succeeds so resoundingly because there is something un-English about the Roman Catholicism which infuses, with its Manichaean darkness and tortured literalism, his most ambitious fiction.

These are the words written by John Updike, 1990. This novel, The Power and the Glory revolves around the 'whisky priest,' a worldly priest who is on the run for about seven years during the vicious persecution of the clergy in Mexico in 1938. The Red Shirts have taken control, God has been outlawed and the priests have been systematically hunted down and killed. Now the last priest (unnamed or whisky priest) strives to overcome physical and moral cowardice in order to find redemption.

The novel traces the priest's unsuccessful turbulent escape eventually leading to him being executed.

Like a number of Graham Greene novels, The Power and the Glory deals with the interaction of politics and religion. In this case, there is utter hostility between the two. Politics, as represented by the socialism of the lieutenant, concerns itself with improving social conditions, especially for the poor. Religion, as represented by the priest, concerns itself with the salvation of the souls.

The title of the Power and the Glory is symbolic as it attracts the reader to the main idea taht is to be expected throughout the novel. Greene is a master of writing, he sets up the reader with such a simple title as this. "The Power and the Glory."

The main question throughout the novel is, Who has the power? Who has the glory? Are these two entities tangible, can they be owned? Can two people equally hold these two entities?

The novel does not really go on to answer these questions, it is left to the readers to decide and come to conclusions.

On reading the novel we understand that the squalid lieutenant wants the power for himself as he views the power as tangible.

"Why, I could guarantee to fetch this man in, inside a month if...

If what?

If I had the power." (Chapter 2)/ Spoken by the lieutenant.

On the above said lines by the lieutenant to the Chief of Police, you see the lieutenant's eager desire to gain power. He believes he can hunt down the whisky priest in less than a month if he had the power.

Opposing to the lieutenant's want for power you see the unnamed priest who states that he does not have the power as it is reserved for God.

As we know, religion is outlawed and so the power rests in the hands of the Red Shirts and not with the Church, the priests or even God. The Red Shirts exploit this very power and use it as a tool to hunt down and kill the priests.

While power belongs to the Red Shirts, glory, in the novel is entitled to the priests. Glory has always belonged to God and similarly even in the novel glory is entitled only to God. We see that although the priests are killed religion still exists. The novel ends on such a note, where a new priest knocks at the door of a boy's house. The boy on learning that the man is a priest, welcomes him gladly signifying the immortality of religion.

Greene seems to distinguish and attribute power to the state and glory to religion. Greene tackles the cliched argument of state and religion and leaves no one in doubt about where his loyalties lay. Like most readers, I am left with no choice but to agree to Greene's view of the world. The novel suggests that both ways of approaching life (via politics and via religion) are flawed. The lieutenant cannot see that his zealous idealism may well create as much harm as it does good (a danger to which the history of political revolution in the 20th century gives ample testimony.) In trying to stamp out religion, the lieutenant's approach ignores the deep longing people have for transcendental reality. But on the other hand there are plenty of hints about the hypocrisy of the church, which is always ready to take people's money while ignoring the miserable social conditions in which they live.

The priest as a representative of the church is of course a badly flawed figure. But the fact that he constantly indulges in an orgy of self reproach about his own sins may raise questions for the reader about the value of a religion that leads its representatives into such an overwhelming, soul-destroying sense of guilt. After all, the priest does his best to help himself in extremely difficult circumstances.

In the novel we see that the priest is extremely human for heroism and too humble for martyrdom. The 'whiskey priest' is nevertheless impelled towards his squalid cavalry as much by his own compassion for humanity as by the efforts of his pursuers.

A baleful vulture doom hovers over this modern crufixion story, but above the vulture soars an eagle - the inevitability of the Church's triumph."

Reopening Date - Reg:

Dear Students,

Kindly do not believe in rumour sms that spreads panic among students on the reopening dates. Also, check the veracity of the sms and its authenticity before forwarding them to your friends as they cause untold hardships to students coming from afar.

Regards,

Rufus

Dayananth, J, from II BA English - Assignment in Modern Fiction

Critical Commentary on POWER AND THE GLORY and character sketch of the Protagonist
Submitted by: J.Dayananth, II BA English

The Power and the Glory is a novel by British author Graham Greene. The title is an allusion to the doxology often added to the end of the Lord’s prayer. “For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever, amen.

The main character in the story is a nameless "whiskey priest", who combines a great power for self-destruction with pitiful cravenness, an almost painful penitence and a desperate quest for dignity. The other main character is a lieutenant of the police who is given the task of hunting down this priest. This Lieutenant—also nameless but thought to be based upon Tomás Garrido Canabal— is a committed socialist who despises everything that the church stands for.

The concept of the sinful priest is elaborated on by minor transgressions which occur rather casually. When he is asked his name during the village raid he replies with the name of one of the hostages who was killed for harbouring the priest, Montez (cf. Greene 75). In itself, this already opposes God's commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (The Holy Bible, 2Mo. 20.16), but it might also hint on an allusion within a larger context. The priest refrains from abandoning his alias on two further occasions, namely when being arrested (Greene 120) and when being questioned in jail (Greene 139). These three incidents of disowning himself can be interpreted as a reference to the biblical story of Jesus' last supper and the prediction he makes regarding his disciple Peter who is to deny his lord three times before the cock crow twice (cf. The Holy Bible, Mk. 14.30). The fact that the nameless priest does not reveal his real identity and rather negate his true name, while it is his own name he negates in contrast to Peter who negates his association with Christ (cf. The Holy Bible, Mk. 14.72), establishes a dualistic structure in the character of the priest. He is both at the very heart of his own faith as well as a traitor in respect of his religious sturdiness.

Other parallels between the priest and Christ can be detected in the motif of being chased, captured and finally executed by the regimes against whose ideological predominance the perseverance of either men stands. When the priest has finally decided that he's “had enough of escaping” (Greene 190), he leaves behind his former modes of action, which involved lies and disguises. He openly returns to the wounded American to aid him, knowing that this means “walk[ing] into [the] trap” (Greene 186) set up for him by the authorities and the mestizo. In conjunction with being betrayed by the half-caste it is striking that the priest “bore no grudge because he expected nothing else of anything human” (Greene 198). As Jesus does not condemn Judas, the nameless priest forgives his betrayer, although Jesus' motivation must be identified as love towards mankind (cf. The Holy Bible, Lu. 23.34) whereas the priest is simply disillusioned regarding human nature. As a result, certain aspects of the priest's personality first allude to Christ's ideals but are then unmasked as side effects of a misanthropic world view. His pessimistic approach is, nonetheless, shaken by the honest “love” (Greene 82) to his daughter and the sincere care he expresses for her mother. Their relationship remains distanced (cf. Greene 78-82) , though, and a close emotional connection to the two reminders of his failing as a Catholic priest cannot be established. A pattern that dominates the nameless priest's behaviour is a distinct tendency to fall into religious routines. He constantly urges himself to fill acquired religious concepts with feelings, which makes him confess his sins to himself relentlessly, yet mechanically (cf. Greene 207-210). Generally, his faith is often perverted by a shift to stiffened religious customs. Triggered by the respectful and uncloaked interest that the parishioners on the other side of the mountains bestow him, he suddenly is seized by an unintended vanity when “he could feel the old life hardening round him like a habit, a stony cast which held his head high and dictated the way he walked, and even formed his words” (Greene 187f). Combined with the manner in which the parishioners haggle for the prices of baptisms (cf. Greene 167, 170), this self-awareness possibly forced him to rethink his position and to finally return beyond the mountains when the half-caste again enters the scenery. However, it certainly puts his religious self-conception into perspective and makes him get closer to an inner stabilisation and to emotional settlement.

Character sketch of the Protagonist:

The protagonist of the story, the priest is waging a war on two fronts: haunted by his sinful past, he struggles internally with deep qualms about himself, and pursued by the authorities, he works to evade capture by the police for as long as he can. The priest is not a conventional hero: he is at times cowardly, self-interested, suspicious, and pleasure-oriented. That is to say he is human. The extraordinary hardships he has endured on the run from the government for eight years have transformed him into a much more resilient and mentally strong individual, although he still carries around with him strong feelings of guilt and worthlessness. He is self-critical almost to a fault.

As the main protagonist of Greene's The Power and the Glory, the priest occupies a unique position within the plot's framework. Not only does his destiny set the readers' focus of attention, but he is also the character which unveils the most detailed insight into his personal sphere of emotions and, thus, becomes most approachable. This idea finds support in the assumption that he is far from being an ideal Roman Catholic priest who is by definition obliged to honour his vows given to his church and, thus, to completely submit to his god's commandments. On the contrary, the portrayal of the nameless priest as a simple human being, who is not immune to vice and sin rather than an example of moral values, crosses the gap between audience and lead character.

The most prevailing aspect of the Priest’s psyche is his personal conflict between responsibility and carelessness. Which becomes observable in numerous situations. Not only is he an alcohol addict and thus often referred to a s a whisky priest and a self-proclaimed ‘coward’ but he also has a tendency to depressive notions and self-pity. Sudden onsets of spontaneous heroism and his general awareness of the negative implications of his actions nonetheless, shine through the image of the failing priest and re-balance his portrayal. He is neither a typical literary role model, nor is he an average anti hero. The nameless Priest falls from one extreme into the other, which can be accredited to the extraordinary circumstances of his life. As a result, the main protagonist of the novel never ceases to surprise the reader and to highlight unexpected facets of the human character.

Assignments - Reg:

Dear Students,

Starting this calendar year, all your assignments with me, will be uploaded on this, our academic blog, under the label "Student Assignment(s)" for greater transparency, and for the larger benefit of the student community as well. Make your impact!

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

English Lecturer

CLICK HERE to access the PDF Copy of your Assignments.

Rendezvous with Mr. 'Kalam' Nagappan @ MCC...:

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo(Reg),

Mr.'Kalam' Nagappan, a student who has founded Young Helping Minds,

run by the youth, to see a developed India by 2020, and

involved in educational upliftment of poor students,

will give us a thought-provoking lecture on 29 January 2009.

This motivating lecture, we hope, would provided a spark and impetus to your academic life here at MCC and have a great impact on your future for the better.

(You can know more about their organisation and their activities by visiting their website HERE)

Try your best to be there!
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

For more details about the programme, please contact me.

Contest for Aspiring Filmmakers..:

If you have a handy camera and an idea to make a film,

enter the film making competition for free.

You can send your DVDs or upload your film directly HERE.

For more details, visit their site info HERE.
All Participants will get to interact with the jury. Free Entry!

Send your entry latest by 31st March 09. All the best.!

Also read Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam's Letter to every Indian HERE

Meet 'Kalam' Nagappan!

It's quite rare to find students making use of their spare time in constructive, meaningful ways. On this Republic Day, we salute the spirit of a young student from Chennai 'Kalam' Nagappan, whose noble vision is worth emulating!

Even as a student, 'Kalam' Nagappan from Chennai had the habit of helping poor students to meet their educational expenses. As a college student, he along with a few of his friends, had helped a physically challenged student in his studies. The radiant smile that beamed across the face of the physically challenged student changed their minds only for the better!!

Nagappan hails from a poor family. But within Nagappan's mind was a deep desire to help people, and be of service to others. "Instead of talking nonsense and whiling away the time, we can use the time in discussing something constructive for the nation's advancement" was his request to his classmates.

With like-minded friends, he started an organisation - "Young Helping Minds" which now functions with 200 members. He has borne the educational expenses of 41 poor and needy students.

When Dr.Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, came to know about 'Nagappan', he met up with them, and said, "A thousand organisations like the present one would easily help India become a successful, mighty and developed Country," and he also encouraged and congratulated his team on their efforts.

Greatly inspired by his social service, his College professors regularly donate a fraction of their salaries to the noble services of their proud 'student.'

When asked about his future activities, Nagappan said, "Students, when they speak with their friends, should always speak only about what is beneficial and good for the betterment of our country. We should realize that even the small help that we offer to others, has the ability to make a great impact in changing their lives."

Attracted by Dr.Kalam's scholarship and his simplicity, Nagappan has rechristened his name as 'Kalam' Nagappan.

Let's all wish 'Kalam' Nagappan all the best, in his sincere desire and ardent efforts to lend a helping hand to the needy students.! He indeed is a Young and Proud Pillar of the Indian Republic!

(this article has been translated into English by the author, from today's chennai Edition of Dina Malar)

'Nature, Chennai, Us'

The third edition of Prakriti Foundation's Tree of Life festival begins on January 27 and goes on until February 7 across different venues in Chennai.

There are various interesting story telling sessions and tree walks. Latika Rana's film on the tiger will be screened and a presentation cum talk for the public and college students will follow the screening.
For details, call 98406 66761.

I BSc Pbt/Zoo - I CIA Marks - Reg:

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo,

Your internal marks for your first CIA are ready.

I BSc Pbt students, kindly click HERE

I BSc Zoo students, kindly click HERE to access your marks.

This I CIA test which was given to you on 19 January, was an open-book test, with both the text book and the day's newspaper to assist you in your answers.

While this spoon-feed of a test could have fetched you very high marks, if only you'd put in a bit more of thought, time an effort, some, i feel, have not made proper use of the advantage given to you on a platter. Some students, i felt, haven't understood some of the questions properly, and hence lost a few marks due to highly irrelevant answers. While some of you have done very well, some could have done even better!

For any clarifications/corrections, you can meet me directly between 10.20 am and 10.45 am on all working days, or over mail at rufusonline@gmail.com

Give your best as always! All the very best

Regards,

Rufus

Award for rookie/unpublished Writers...!

The Breakthrough Novel Award brings together talented writers, reviewers and publishing experts to find and develop new voices in fiction.

If you're an author with an unpublished novel waiting to be discovered, visit CreateSpace in the website to learn more about the next Breakthrough Novel Award and sign up for regular updates on the contest.

Completed Manuscripts must be novels between 50,000 and 150,000 words. Each Manuscript must be authored by a single, individual author. Any Manuscript submitted as an Entry written by two or more authors will not be eligible. Poems and short stories or collections of same submitted as Entries will also not be eligible.

Submission period : February 2, 2009 - February 8, 2009

For more on this Award, link HERE

Writing Contest...!

If you are passionate about writing and participating in the virtual community, this is an opportunity to make money using your passion! Write interesting threads in Digital Bhoomi forums to win the total prize of Rs. 2000 ($50)! Three best threads or replies will be selected between January 1, 2009 and January 31, 2009. First prize is Rs. 1000 ($25), second prize is Rs. 600 ($15) and third prize is Rs.400 ($10). Summary of the rules: -Contest is open to all users irrespective of their country of residence. -Your articles/threads/replies must be original. You can not copy the work of other people. -You can post multiple threads or replies.
For more info, click HERE
The contest will run from January 1 to January 31, 2009

Winners will be announced on: February 3, 2009 at 5pm IST

All the best..!

Participate in the Shell Recruitment Day...:

Are you a graduate or in the final year of your degree studies?
If so, apply for the 'Shell Recruitment Day' for an exciting career with Shell, which provides Shell with the opportunity to find out more about you, watch how you work with other people, and see if you've got the qualities and expertise they're looking for. For more information, click on their website HERE

Govt Educational Scholarship for College Students..:

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, Government of India has introduced a new Scholarship scheme titled “Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students”, for students who have secured 80% and above in the Higher Secondary Examination, March 2008 conducted by this department and pursuing higher studies.

The scholarship will be given @ Rs.1000/- per month at Graduation level for first three years of College and University courses and Rs.2000/- per month at Post graduation level. Students pursuing professional courses would get Rs.2000/- per month in the 4th and 5th year. The scholarship would be paid for 10 months in an academic year.

The award of scholarship shall be subject to the following conditions:
1. The scholarship shall be awarded to the Indian nationals only.
2. The Undergraduate/Post graduate/Professional course are pursued in a recognized
college/institution in India.
3. The student should have scored a minimum 80% of marks in the Higher Secondary
Examinations, March 2008 conducted by the State Board of School Examinations, TamilNadu, Chennai – 6
Last Date for application is 28 January 2009.
For more info, visit their website http://dge.tn.gov.in

Topics for Rhetoric:

Dear Students of II BA English,

Given below is a broad list of the topics avaiable to you to unleash your rhetorical capabilites to your best! While you can take any side of the argument, make sure that you are passionate about your topic and let that enthusiasm come out. First impressions are powerful. Believe it. All the very best..!

Topics for Rhetoric:

"Is being happy connected with having a lot of money?"
"Has Science made man's life quite comfortable?"
Is it possible to keep politics out of sports?
Do you think we should maintain our traditions or give way for change?
There should be strict censorship of films and news bulletins on television and movies to prevent children from copying violent incidents. Do you agree?
Do you think that the young have anything to learn from the elderly and vice versa?
How about boarding schools? Don’t you think they teach children how to live together?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of getting married? Don’t you think it’s better to stay single?
What do you think are the causes for the increasing violence in our society?
Why do people commit crimes?
*********************************
Fashion – A complete waste of time, money and resources.
English should be the world language.
Written Exams alone serve no useful purpose.
Extended/large families are more successful than nuclear families.
Teenage drivers are unsafe.
Books will soon be old-fashioned.
Politicians should be paid higher salaries.
Internet is a useful resource for children.
Reservation for women
Science has made man’s life quite comfortable.
Privatisation is desirable.
Indian independence is a success story.
TV is harmful to society.
Family planning should be made compulsory.
There should be a ban on migration of educated Indians.
The need to implement a ban on the Public Sectors.

PS: An initiation into the art of public speaking will be given in our next class on Rhetoric. Try to be there!!!

I BSc Pbt/Zoo - I CIA Test - Reg:

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo(Reg),

You are expected to bring your text book and the day's copy of THE HINDU, along with you for your I CIA Test. The two essays by C.E.M.Joad, and Dr.Radhakrishnan respectively, will form a part of the test. All the best!

Regards,

Rufus

Note: Students of II Year Phil/Tam are expected to bring the day's copy of The Times of India along with their text books. All the best!

Short-term Course on POSTMODERNISM..:

A Short-term Course on Understanding and Interrogating Postmodernism from May 15 - 18, 2009,

organized by the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences,

IIT Kharagpur.

This is a highly specialized course meant for faculty/students from Recognized/Deemed Universities, UGC approved colleges, MA students, and Graduates from the same.

The focus, firstly, will be on providing a comprehensive understanding of postmodernism by re-reading and re-analyzing those philosophic discourses and insights that have contributed to the creation of postmodernism, and those, which have maintained and carried forward the exploration of issues concomitant with and ensuing out this concept.

Last date for receiving applications: 1 May 2009

Intimation to participants: 7 May 2009

Course Dates: 15-18 May 2009

For more info, visit their website HERE

INTERNATIONAL ESSAY COMPETITION 2009

Climate change has been identified as one of the biggest global threats of our time. Scientists agree that global warming and extreme climate phenomena can be increasingly attributed to human activity - in particular, heavy emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, resulting from industrial processes.
Solutions to those pressing problems could lie in the rapidly growing ‘green economy’: environmentally sustainable enterprises, technological innovations (new sources of clean, renewable energy), energy efficiency measures, economic incentives for low-carbon choices, etc. How can youth contribute?

The World Bank and its Partners invite you to participate in -
The Essay Competition 2009 - inviting youth to share ideas on:
How does climate change affect you?How can you tackle climate change through youth-led solutions?
Eligibility: The International Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 25, from all countries of the world.
If you are older than 18 and younger than 25 on June 15, 2009, you are eligible to participate.
Submissions are accepted until February 22, 2009.

For more details you can visit their website HERE.

Centre for African Studies gives a Call for Papers:

Redefining South-South Cooperation: Africa on the Centre stage Africa is rapidly shedding its reputation as a conflict and poverty ridden ‘dark’ continent and emerging as a large market with vast untapped natural resources.

This new profile has reinforced interest in the continent globally and specifically among the Asian drivers, mainly India and China.

Within this broad remit, the Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai, expects papers that will explore key areas (non- exhaustive) in a host of key issues given HERE

Empirical and contemporary perspectives are particularly welcome.
Abstracts should be about 300- 350 words in length as a word document.

Submission of papers -- 25 January 2009.

For more details, visit their WEBSITE HERE

EWRI invites Papers from Eco-Enthusiasts:

3rd INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON

CURRENT & FUTURE STATE OF WATER RESOURCES & THE ENVIRONMENT

is to be held in Chennai between January 4 and 6, 2010.

The focus of this conference will be on water resources and the environment in developing countries, especially in Asia and Africa. The emphasis will be on global effect on regional issues and solutions. Participants, including paper presenters and attendees, will include engineers, scientists, planners, economists, and legal professionals from all over the globe.

The Conference is open to all.

Abstract Submissions On: March 26, 2009

Final Papers Due On: September 26, 2009

For details and more info, visit their website HERE

A True Story...! Just Read On...!

It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and red gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in different departments of science. I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. I had been offered scholarships from universities in US. I had not thought of taking up a job in India.

One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I saw an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from the famous automobile company Telco [now Tata Motors]. It stated that the company required young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academic background, etc.

At the bottom was a small line: "Lady candidates need not apply." I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up against gender discrimination.

Though I was not keen on taking up a job, I saw this as a challenge. I had done extremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers. Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful.

After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform the topmost person in Telco's management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco. I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the Tata Group; I had seen his pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was the company's chairman then).

I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing. To this day I remember clearly what I wrote. "The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India, such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives. They have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender."

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco's Pune facility at the company's expense.

I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mates told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost — and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! I collected Rs 30 each from everyone who wanted a sari. When I look back, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemed good enough to make the trip.

It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city. To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways.

As directed, I went to Telco's Pimpri office for the interview. There were six people on the panel and I realised then that this was serious business. "This is the girl who wrote to JRD," I heard somebody whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job. That realisation abolished all fears from my mind, so I was rather cool while the interview was being conducted.

Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them, rather impolitely, "I hope this is only a technical interview." They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about my attitude.

The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them. Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, "Do you know why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, but people like you should work in research laboratories."

I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place. I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so I answered, "But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories."

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So this was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would take up a job in Pune. That city changed my life in many ways. I met a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realised who JRD was: the uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I was transferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some reports to Mr Moolgaokar, our chairman, who we all knew as SM. I was in his office on the first floor of Bombay House [the Tata headquarters] when, suddenly, JRD walked in. That was the first time I saw 'appro JRD'. Appro means 'our' in Gujarati. That was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM introduced me nicely, "Jeh (that's what his close associates called him), this young woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate. She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor." JRD looked at me. I was praying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard that preceded it). Thankfully, he didn't. Instead he remarked. "It is nice that girls are getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?" "When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir," I replied. "Now I am Sudha Murty." He smiled that kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ran out of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I was merely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him.

One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realise JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.

"Young lady, why are you here?" he asked. "Office time is over." I said, "Sir, I'm waiting for my husband to come and pick me up." JRD said, "It is getting dark and there's no one in the corridor. I'll wait with you till your husband comes." I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely uncomfortable.

I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn't any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, "Look at this person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee."

Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, "Young lady, tell your husband never to make his wife wait again."

In 1982 I had to resign from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him so I stopped. He saw me and paused.

Gently, he said, "So what are you doing, Mrs Kulkarni? (That was the way he always addressed me.) "Sir, I am leaving Telco." "Where are you going?" he asked. "Pune, sir. My husband is starting a company called Infosys and I'm shifting to Pune." "Oh! And what you will do when you are successful?" "Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful." "Never start with diffidence," he advised me. "Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. I wish you all the best."

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive.

Many years later I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay office, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, "It was nice listening about Jeh from you. The sad part is that he's not alive to see you today."

I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have received thousands of letters every day. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn't do that. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed her life and mindset forever.

Close to 50 per cent of the students in today's engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tatas remains undiminished by the passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model - for his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and munificence.

*Sudha Murthy is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation. She is involved in a number of social development initiatives and is also a widely published writer. Infosys Chairman Narayana Murthy is her husband.

Membership at The American Library now @ just Rs.200/-

Students can avail for themselves a 50% discount in Library Membership at The 32nd Chennai Book Fair. The American Library in Chennai offers a wide range of resources, programs and services to provide accurate and up-to-date information on a host of issues including society, culture, values, literature etc. The membership fees now is priced at an amazing low of Rs.200/-. Grab the offer at the earliest!

The British Council Library has also given a special discount and freebies with its new Student Membership plan. For more details, please visit their website.