"Ludic" on a Roll...

"To Kill a Mocking Bird" in progress at the Gallery Classroom [S-220] today.

Ludic, the Film Appreciation Club of The English Association, [TEA-MCC], took off to a flying start today, with the screening of "To Kill A Mocking Bird". 

More than a hundred students turned up for the maiden screening of LUDIC, which took place in S-220, in the Science Block. 

Dr. Ganesh, initially presented the students with the aim and scope of LUDIC, and also announced a prize money for students who came up with the best critique of the film, after watching it. 

About the Book Version 

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best-loved and most memorable of stories in world literature. 

Regarded as the quintessential American novel, the book unveils human nature in all its complexity! A book that almost everyone reads at some point in their lives! 

The most interesting aspect of this novel is that the whole story, is narrated by a child – an eight-year old’s perspective! [something akin to Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy Man, a novel that speaks about the horrors of Partition, narrated in the first-person by Lenny, a Parsee child who is four years old, and turns ten by the time the novel ends]. 

The novel carries a poignant message that is so relevant even today – haunting, impacting and reverberating in our minds and hearts, even after the last line of the last chapter is done! 

Pic: This blogger.

LUDIC INVITES YOU

Dear Students of English Literature,

You are invited for the screening of "To Kill a Mockingbird," on Friday, 21 January 2011, based on the classic Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, a legendary movie, uniquely strong and sensitive about racism and the ways of the Old South during the Depression in the 1930s.

This film, is a sequel to a guest lecture on African American Literature, that was held on 04 December 2010 for our English literature students.

Regards,

Rufus

Guest Lecture (best lecture) Invite..:

Dear Students of English Literature,

You are invited for two thought-provoking and enlightening guest lectures, on Saturday, 22 January 2011.

I Session: 9:30 - 12:30 - Feminism

II Session: 1:30 - 4:00 - Myth and Literature, Literary Theory Today

Both the sessions will have question/answer sessions and coffee breaks.

All ye students with a love for literature, are invited to be a part of the celebrations.

Regards,

Dr.Ganesh, Rufus & Team

Our Deepest Condolences:

We deeply condole the demise of our beloved Professor G.K.Mathews [formerly Head, Dept.of English, and Warden, Selaiyur Hall, Madras Christian College] yesterday afternoon. (13 January). The mortal remains will be at his house in East Tambaram, till 15 January 9 am, after which the funeral will be held at Emmanuel Marthoma Syrian Church, East Tambaram, (near Tambaram Railway Station) at 10 am on 15 January.

A noble heart with a great sense of humour, he was a trendsetter in theatre, and he was celebrated for his mastery of Shakespeare. Always cheerful, he never gave room for any misunderstanding, and the perfect gentleman that he was, he was adored both for his stylized sense of dressing, and for his scholasticism as well. We, as a Department, condole his death. May this noble heart's soul, which lit up noble minds, rest in peace.

Tips for the Assignment on the Book Fair - 2011

"...A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life." John Milton, in Areopagitica

Dear Students,

For your assignment on the Book Fair - 2011 at St.George's Anglo-Indian Hr Sec School grounds, the following tips, i hope, would help you out a lot in making your assignment easily the best.

You are expected to work together in groups of TWO each.

Pay a visit to all the stalls, and single out a few stalls that interest you, and finally narrow down on one particular Stall that you like the most, for reasons close to your heart/mind. 

Now, after selecting your most favourite stall, have a peek into the various books available in your stall (genre wise / category wise), and then grab one lovli book that interests you a lottt... 

Purchase that good book (it can be on any subject under the sun!), and write a review of the book that you have purchased. In addition, make sure that you take a snap standing in front of the book stall,  and dont forget to get a receipt for the book purchased.

Also, make sure that you cover the programs that take place simultaneously in the exhibition grounds, for half-an-hour duration, and give a report on them.

To sum up, 

You are expected to write:

1. your observations on the book exhibition,

2. a description of your favourite book stall,  

3. a review of your favourite book that you purchased in that book stall,

4. your commentary on the parallel sessions that take place at the venue for half an hour's duration.


For a bird's eye view on how to go about doing it, you can get some ideas from the following links:
Ideas on a Book Fair
Ideas on yet another Book Fair

All the very best..!

Regards, 

Rufus

Course Teacher

"Films are also "texts" and hence one can do a linguistic or structural analysis of films, which will be a rewarding experience"

Ludic Inaugural | A Report

Ludic, a forum for film appreciation from the portals of The English Association, MCC, [TEA-MCC] was inaugurated at the Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre today, at 12.30 pm. 

Adlin of II MA, gave the opening prayer, and Dr.Felix Moses welcomed the chief guest and the audience. 

Georgina of II MA,  Secretary of the Association, compered the program. Dr.Ganesh, the President of the English Association, introduced Ludic to the staff and students of the Department of English, and announced the screening of "To Kill a Mockingbird," based on the classic Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, a legendary movie, uniquely strong and sensitive about racism and the ways of the Old South during the Depression in the 1930s. 

Dr.Ganesh, introducing Ludic

This film, he added, is a sequel to a Guest Lecture by Dr. Geetha, Fatima's College, Madurai, on African American Literature, that was held on 04 December 2010 for our English literature students. You may want to read that past post HERE on our blog.

Dr. Dwight sharing his thoughts on Ludic

The chief guest of the day, Dr. Dwight Atkinson, elucidated on his insightful thoughts for 

Ludic.

"Films are also "texts" and hence one can do a linguistic or structural analysis of films, which will be a rewarding experience, he said. 

Commenting on an extensive survey on the movie watching styles of American and Greek women, he said that American women analysed movies technically - they were more interested in the science of film making, while the Greek women looked upon a movie as a story of human experience, and watched it in the hope of obtaining a better human understanding. 

Exhorting the students to engage the experts in conversation, he said that, it is not necessary that you abide by the film expert's opinions alone. It is equally important to engage the expert in a dialogue, for arriving at a comprehensive understanding of the same. 

Quoting the French philosopher and literary theorist Lyotard, who said that "invention is always born of dissension," he said that all original film making is born out of some disagreement with the existing scheme of things. 

Finally, he ended with an ardent thought that each and everyone of us will become an expert in the art of film appreciation, and an earnest desire that we watch films that are more contemporary and relevant to our everyday lives, even while watching the classics, which he said, he offered in the spirit of "ludicness". 

Ludic - Inauguration - Reg:

  

LUDIC Invites You...



Dr.Dwight

You are Invited

for the Inauguration of

Ludic,

a forum for film appreciation,

at 12.30 pm on Tuesday, 04 January 2010, 

in the Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre,

to be held under the aegis of the English Association, Dept of English, MCC.

Dr.Dwight Atkinson, Purdue University, USA, will inaugurate the forum.

 

Dear Students,

May the dawning of this New Year, fill your heart with new hopes,

open up new horizons and bring for you promises of brighter tomorrows.

May you have a great New Year 2011.

Regards and all best wishes, Rufus 

Day- II of the Poetry-Film Festival @ MCC

Poetry Recital in Progress @ Sel Hall Guest Room

Day II of the Poetry Film fest at MCC, saw two renowned poets reciting from their anthology of poems. The program started at 11.45 am and saw some forty enthusiastic students who cheered, encouraged and also quizzed the poets.

Menka Shivdasani, founder member of the Poetry Circle, which began in Mumbai in 1986, read out some of her best-loved poems sonorously. Her first book of poems, 'Nirvana at Ten Rupees, was published by XAL-Praxis in 1990, and was described by Bruce King as "one of the best first books of poetry to appear during the 1990s". One of the best poems in her recital, was the one titled, "Schoolgirl No More" which goes like this:

Excerpts from the Lecture of Prof.K.Latha @ MCC..:

Prof.K.Latha gave an enlightening lecture on Indian literature in English – from end 19 century onwards, detailing on a whole generation of important and globally known writers who preceded Independence - Tagore, Aurobindo, Sarojini Naidu, Toru Dutt, Michael Madhusudana Dutt, etc.

She touched upon Bruce King, who maps uncharted territory, provides ideas toward a poetics of Indian poetry in English, in his pioneering book "Modern Indian Poetry in English", where he asserts that Indian poetry in English has been heading towards a canon. ["a canon of Indian English poetry has been forming.."]

Students in rapt attention @ a NET Preparatory Lecture by Prof.Latha @ Martin Hall, today

Poetry Film Fest @ MCC..:

Excerpts from the Poetry Film Festival @ Martin Hall, today

Director Priya, alumnus, Dept of English, interacting with students @ Sel Hall

Guest Lecture V - Invite..:

Dear Students of English Literature,

You are invited for a Guest Lecture, as part of your preparations for the UGC-NET exams, on "A Panoramic View of Indian Literature in English," by Prof.Ms.K.Latha, Asst Professor of English, Stella Maris College, at 3 pm on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 at Martin Hall Auditorium. All ye students with a love for literature are cordially invited.

Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

THE ZEBRA POETRY FILM FESTIVAL @ MCC

The English Association, Madras Christian College,

&

Prakriti Foundation, Chennai, in collaboration with the Goethe Institue Max Mueller Bhavan

proudly present

THE ZEBRA POETRY FILM FESTIVAL at Madras Christian College

which will be held in

Martin Hall Auditorium

on 15 December 2010 at 11:45 am

All Film and Poetry Enthusiasts are Welcome..!

"Roman Fever" - Critical Appreciation

“Roman Fever” – Edith Wharton – A Critical Appreciation

Edith Wharton was born near Washington Square to wealthy and distinguished parents rooted in colonial times. She was educated privately at home and abroad acquiring an early command of foreign languages and an easy familiarity with English and continental society. Her first writings were poems published anonymously in 1880. At 23, she married Edward Wharton of Boston. They lived, at first, in New York city, then successively in New Port, Rhode Island and Lennox, Massachusetts, with frequent visits to Europe. In 1907 she settled permanently in France.

Her ethical sense, her poetic sensibility and compression were evident in her first collection of stories – The Greater Inclination (1899). Her other works include – The Valley of Decision (1902), The Descent of man (1904), The House of Mirth (1905), Ethan Frome (1911), The Fruit of the Free (1915) and The Tales of Men and Ghosts (1910). The Tales of Men and Ghosts contains some of her best stories of the supernatural. During the war years she gave much of her energy to the organisation of relief activities. Fighting France (1915) and The Main (1918) are war novels. After the war Edith Wharton returned to New York. The Age of Innocence (1920), her greatest novel, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and has remained a landmark.

Edith Wharton’s stories were centered upon the changing society of New York city during her own lifetime. She viewed this genteel, formalised society with a woman’s eye; and being primarily a satirist, she was interested in the dynamics of the society itself.

The setting of the short story “Roman Fever” is important, simply because it symbolises the emotional state of the two principal characters – Mrs. Alida Slade and Mrs. Grace Ansley. The setting revives memories for “two American ladies of ripe but well-cared for middle age.” They have come back to Rome for a holiday in the company of their younger daughters.

“What different things Rome stands for to each generation of Travellers,” says Mrs.Slade. “To our grandmothers, Roman fever, to our mothers, sentimental dangers – to our daughters, no more dangers than the middle of Main Street.” The setting, Rome, with its bewitching skies that turn gold in the afternoon and purple at sunset once again affect the two matrons, latterly widowed. Sitting on the lofty terrace of their Roman Restaurant they are visibly stirred by the “Spring effulgence of the Roman skies”. They contemplate the view in silence with a “diffused serenity,” each lost in her thoughts.

Dr.Geetha, giving illustrations, in her lecture on African American Literature

Guest Lecture in Progress @ Selaiyur Hall..:

Dr.Geetha, delivering her talk on African American Literature

Dr.Geetha, gave a bird's eye-view of African American Literature, she starting with the Black-White symbolism, where white stood for everything that is good, beautiful and pure, wheareas black came to stand for all that is bad, evil, night, ugliness and hell. She elaborated on Noah's curse, and the European yardstick which states that any nation that has a written tradition of literature is considered to be civilised, and since African literature was primarily oral, they were considered uncivilised. Indeed, they were also called as the 'missing link' between man and the apes, and as 'noble savage' who needed to be civilised.

Tracing the oppression of the Africans from the time of the Slave markets, where a white landlord  was assessed for his riches based on the number of slaves that he owned, she delved into the two stereotypes created by Darwin's evolutionary theory.... to be contd...

Guest Lecture - Reg..:

Dear Students of English Literature,

You are invited to participate in the Guest Lecture by an eminent scholar Dr.Geetha, on African American Literature, on Saturday, 04 December 2010 from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre.

All ye students with a love of literature please do attend and be benefitted.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

The Intra-Department Quiz Competitions @ DoE

Video Round in Progress...!

The Intra-Department Quiz Competitions

The Video Round in Progress

The Intra-Department Quiz Competition took off to a flying start this morning at around 11:50 am. The programme started with the reading of the College Prayer by Dr. Ann Thomas, followed by the customary welcome address.

Meet the fabulous Teams and their spectacular Stars -

I BA English: Kaveri Murthy, Arya Kamal and Sruthi

II BA English: Venkateswaran, Janakaseeni, Surabhi Jain

III BA English: Joanna Daniel, Anand, Meenu Mary Jain

I MA English: Shloka, Udhayaraj, Bersiya Grace

II MA English: Vinita Teresa, Mahendran, Parvathy Nair

MPhil: Steffy Rachel, Ann Mary Mathew (Subhashini for cheering them up!)

Prof. Abitha opened the first round with a sensational quiz on World Classics, and Prof. David gave the students a challenge with his rounds on British Literature. Dr. Ganesh led the interesting round on Indian Writing in English, followed by Prof. DC who quizzed the students on American Literature and Quotations.

Next in line was the Video Round on famous English Classics, conducted by Dr. Ganesh, wherein ten great classics were screened, (in the newly bought projector screen!) and students answered them with elan.

The last round - Rapid Fire, was conducted by Prof. Rufus, wherein five questions were asked in quick succession to each of the six teams, and in this round the II MA team pulled up a surprise, winning hands down the I Prize, thus pocketing Rs. 200 each, [although there was a neck-and-neck-tie between II BA English and II MAs till the previous round].

The II BA team won the second prize, bagging Rs. 150 each,

and the III BA team won the third prize, bagging Rs. 100 each.

Programme in Progress...!

Intra-Department Literary Quiz - A Report

The Intra-Department Quiz Competition took off to a flying start this morning at around 11:50 am. The programme started with the invocation by Dr.Ann Thomas, followed by the customary welcome address. 

Prof.Abitha opened the first round with a sensational quiz on World Classics, and Prof.David gave the students a challenge with his rounds on British Literature. Dr.Ganesh led the interesting round on Indian Writing in English, followed by Prof.DC who quizzed the students on American Literature and Quotations.

The Video round in session...

Next in line was the Video Round on famous English Classics, conducted by Dr.Ganesh, wherein ten great classics were screened, (in the newly bought projector screen!) and students answered them with elan. 

The last round - Rapid Fire, was conducted by Prof.Rufus, wherein five questions were asked in quick succession to each of the six teams, and in this round the II MA team pulled up a surprise, winning hands down the I Prize, thus pocketing Rs.200 each, [although there was a neck-and-neck-tie between II BA English and II MAs till the previous round].

The II BA team won the second prize, bagging Rs.150 each,

and the III BA team won the third prize, bagging Rs.100 each.

Meet the fabulous Teams and their spectacular Stars - 

I BA English: Kaveri Murthy, Arya Kamal and Sruthi
II BA English:Venkateswaran, Janakaseeni, Surabhi Jain
III BA English: Joanna Daniel, Anand, Meenu Mary Jain
I MA English: Shloka, Udhayaraj, Bersiya Grace
II MA English: Vinita Teresa, Mahendran, Parvathy Nair
MPhil: Steffy Rachel, Ann Mary Mathew (Subhashini for cheering them up!)

A special note of thanks goes to Prof.Chitra, for her immense help in the video round, Prof.Dinesh, for Audio arrangement, Ms.Georgina, the Chairperson of the Eng Assn, and Ms.Punnya Rajendran, Secretary of the Eng.Assn, for their effective organisating skills, Anuj Dev Leslie, for effective photography coverage, Ajin Abraham, Cerin Simon and Anand, K, for taking care of the lights&sound, our dear Dr.Stephen for giving us all the freedom to use the Indoor theatre, Dr.Felix Moses, our beloved Head of the Department who graced the occasion, our ever beloved Dr.Ganesh, who has been leading the Association through example, aplomb and grace. 

All our lovable colleagues in the Department deserve a warm note of thanks for their support and guidance. 

All our dear students deserve a special note of thanks for their impeccable behaviour throughout the programme, encouraging and cheering their respective teams with gusto. Kudos guys!

Wanted: Creative Writing..:

Dear Students of English Literature,
You are invited to contribute your creative vibes for the Department Magazine. Original, unpublished articles - Poems, essays, short stories etc can be given. Contact Prof.DC for details.
Bring your gifts to the world.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

BEC Course - Orientation

Students who have registered themselves for the BEC Course are asked to come for the Orientation on Tuesday, 16 December 2010 at 2:00 pm. The Principal will inaugurate the program at 2:15 pm at the Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre.

All are welcome.
Regards,
Rufus &
Dr.Ann Thomas
(Course Coordinators)

Guest Lecture - IV - Invite..:

Dear Students of English Literature,

All ye students with a love for literature, you are most welcome to partake in the next guest lecture which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 04 December 2010.

Try to keep your day free on this lovli day, to have a rendezvous and a tete-a-tete with an illustrious professor of repute, who has kindly consented to share her expertise with us.

Details follow.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus