Marriage is a Private Affair
- Chinua Achebe

Literal Comprehension:
Nnameka was a boy from village. He belonged to Ibo tribe. But he was in love with a girl from the different tribe who was the resident of Lagos. Though, they had decided to marry , Nnameka at first couldn’t accumulate his courage to convey this information to his father who was stuck to traditional culture and beliefs. But as he got the message from his father that he was going to get engaged with a country girl, he went to his house and gave his decision that he wouldn’t marry her. His father got extremely enraged with this and responded him that he wouldn’t accept Nene ,
Naemeka’s beloved, as his daughter-in-law because that would be against Ibo culture. And so he tried to persuade Nnameka not to marry Nene. But Nnameka as already determined didn’t follow his father and got back to city and married Nene.His father heard this and was highly shocked from this news. From that day, his conflicts with his father began. His father had to be humiliated from the villagers. They advised Okeke to consult the herbalist since he was said to have problems in his mind.Okeke getting angry with his son didn’t let him come home for eight years. He had almost forgotten his son and daughter in law. Once, afterwards, Nene sent a letter to her father-in-law requesting him to let his grandsons come to see him as they had extremely desired to do so. Ultimately, he felt regret for what he had done and was supposed to make resolution to allow them to visit him.

Interpretation:
The story basically presents the burning social problems found in the rural areas where the majority of the people are superstitious and uneducated. Okeke living in a village doesn’t like his son marrying with a city girl of different tribe. It presents thus the conflict between father and son, one representing the traditional values and the next modern and changing values. The next important point in the story is that it has shown the fact that marriage must be a private affair in everyone’s life. One must be free to choose his/her life partner according to his/her wish. It helps them to lead a very happy life and also it helps to avoid the social discrimination to a great extent.

Critical Thinking:
Though the story presenting a burning social problem deserves good response and appreciation from the reader’s side, yet, in deeper level, there are many points in which they may not be satisfied. Now people aren’t as they were in the past because of changing social values and education. People aren’t stuck to the old values, tradition and system. So far marriage is concerned, people are enjoying it as a private affair rather than the means to protect the culture. Inter-cast marriage has become the fashion among the youngsters of the time. So, the present story fails to capture the interest of the people.

Assimilation:
As I read this story, it reminded me of one of my brothers. As Nnaemeka, he got married with a girl of his choice from the city. She was from very well-to-do family, educated and civilized. Since she was from the different caste, the family didn’t accept their marriage. So, for almost ten years, they were socially boycotted and stayed in city. But now they are living with their family happily in village.




A 1996 Commencement Speech
Salman Rushdie

Literal Comprehension:
• Commencement Address at Bard College, May 25th, 1996 by Salman Rushdie
• Rushdie’s Research into Commencement and its traditions
• His graduation from Cambridge 1978-the great year of student protest
• Few nights before his graduation day- his room redecorated/made dirty with thick gravy and onion sauce
• Rushdie charged for this and announced his deprivation from joining graduation ceremony.
• Paid for the damage and got eligible to receive the degree but plucked out for his wearing brown shoes in place of black ones.
• He had to stay in the parade ,hold uneetiversity officer by his hand,kneel at Vicee-Chancellor’s feet,hold up his hands and beg for degree in Latin( dead language acc. To him)./Got the degree.
• He was not satisfied with his act : since he surrendered to get the degree/Ultimately he admits that he was wrong to compromise.
• So he inspires the students of Bard college not to make an accommodation with injustice as he did.
• He encouraged the students to stand up for their rights/kneel before no man , to gain much being happy
• He was offered honorary degree from Bard college giving place to intellectual solidarity and human concern./so got exceptional privilege of addressing the students of Bard College.
• He believes defiance an inevitable and essential aspect of freedom./Advises to defy any kind of gods.
• Focus on self rule-the rule of men and women by men and women.
• His advices: we must be guided by our natures; we shouldn’t bow our heads; we shouldn’t bow our heads.

Interpretation:

• The writer has stated the conflict between young Rushdie and old Rushdie.
• Young Rushdie: submissive, surrendering , compromising to receive the degree
Old Rushdie: aggressive, attacking, admitting that he did mistake by receiving the degree by bowing his head.
• Focus on defying/Defiance is an inevitable and essential aspect of freedom.
• Has severely criticized the system of organizing traditional graduation ceremony where recipients have to bow their head/feel humiliated to receive the degree.
• The writer has come heavily upon the common truth that Cambridge University had the tradition of fairness and justice which was proved wrong from his own experience.

Critical Thinking:

The writer’s argument seems to be convincing but at times some questions come into our mind:

• Simply for the reason of ‘gravy and onion’ isuue ,how can one university deprive a student of getting a degree?
• Bowing to receive a degree has become an old fashion now.
• If the writer was so much conscious about his freedom, why did he tolerate the injustice done to him?
• He instigates us to defy gods which is almost against our right/freedom.
• How can defiance be essential aspect of freedom? Doesn’t it give rise to violence?
• The writer on his part surrenders/Then why does he give lessons to others?

Assimilation: From this text, I have come to understand that we should not surrender ourselves to injustice. We should fight for freedom where our progress is. All the old traditions and trends should be replaced by new and progressive ones.
Third Thoughts
E.V. Lucas

Literal Comprehension:

Once the writer's friend while visiting New York bought a painting thinking that it was by Turner. He got it at cheap price since the seller was also confused about its originality. With the painting he went to London and sold it at fifty pounds. He was so much happy that he decided to share the profit with seller of Newyork.At first, he decided to share fifty percent of his profit and wrote a letter but having no stamp, he went to his room. Again at about 3 AM, he thought it quite inappropriate to share the profit but still thought of sending ten pounds only. His thinking kept on changing and couldn't sleep well. Again. he thought of sending five pounds thinking that if he shared, the Goddess would be angry and he thought it was he who knew the value of the painting. If he had known it, he wouldn't have given him at such cheap rate, so it is wrong to send him the profit. Finally, he decided to send only a pound.Early in the morning, he went out side and spent all his money in gambling. Finally, he concluded that buying and selling are straight forward matter. Everyone in this matter tries to get benefit. The buyer once paying to the goods has no obligation to the dealer.

Interpretation:

The story presenting the constant changing nature of human mind seems to be full of humor and satire. Basically thinking with the nature of businessman's mind it proves that human mind can never be rigid and fixed. Especially in business their mind keeps on changing. At another level, it sheds light on human earning since the earning as that of writer's friend has no meaning at all in life. The most important thing in the story is that in business buying and selling are straight forward dealings. It has nothing to do with human consideration, sympathy and faith. Once goods are sold or bought they have nothing to do with them since then.

Critical Thinking:

The story offers a great deal of humor and satire. But in many respects, it doesn't seem appropriate and convincing. The first is: Does anyone want to share his profit? It is so much unbelievable. Similarly, the seller of any good knows its quality and the cost. Does any seller sell his good without knowing it?

Assimilation:
As I went through the story, it reminded me of my own events that I experienced earlier. Once I had been to my village after a long time from the city. I had taken a beautiful watch there. Everyone liked it, one of my friends promised to pay Rs 500 for it ,so I gave it to him. I got Rs 300 as profit, and so I got extremely happy.


How Sane Are We?
Anuradha Chaudhary

Literal Comprehension:

The Essay "How Sane Are We?" by Anuradha Chaudhary is based on environmental problem. Basically, she presents her ideas that human beings have been too much irresponsible and indifferent to the conservation of the environment and she predicts that it will make their life quite difficult. She believes that due to human indifference, rapid urbanization and industrialization, the environment is getting heavily polluted. Mainly she believes that the gases produced from the industry, mishandling the chemicals and the excessive use of CFCs have greatly contributed for the destruction of ozone layer which causes skin cancer, green house effect and other various epidemics. Similarly, people have been greatly suffering from other various natural calamities such as flood but still people don't seem concerned to the direction of its preservation. Finally, she believes that if it continues, it will be impossible to continue life on it.

Interpretation:

The text being a piece of a study of environment centers on the environmental problem. Here, the text asserts the importance of environment on human life and it must be preserved for the sake of continuity of human life. Presenting such ideas, the essayist is appealing to all to preserve the environment.

Critical Thinking:

So far the essay presents the ideas on environmental problems and issues, it is very appreciative in a sense that it warns the people and makes them conscious for the conservation of the environment. But the essayist only concerns on the destruction and only destruction. She completely ignores the positive signs and steps carried out in this concern. As a result she appears to be so partial and full of biasness.

Assimilation:

As I read this story, it has made me draw my attention towards the degraded environment of Kathmandu. Seeing its condition, it is true that we have really been too much indifferent and irresponsible. People here in Katmandu are suffering from various environmental problems, such as air pollution, water pollution, lack of open space and so on. As a result, life's getting too much difficult. Similarly, due to the river pollution, the aquatic life is also much affected. If it continues, there will be too difficult to sustain life in the days to come. So it has compelled me to take some action for its improvement.


To Know a Fly
Vincent Dethier

Literal Comprehension:

'To Know A Fly' is an essay based on scientific experiment. It has presented the view that every scientific experiment is to be carried out consciously and carefully because any experiment carried randomly may not give appropriate and acceptable result. The experiment always begins with act of faith over reality, cause and effect relationship, discovery by reason, our senses. It continues with an observation and a question. The scientist in fact alters the condition, observes a result and draws a conclusion. Therefore a man willing to conduct an experiment needs to be careful and conscious enough in this concern, since the most commonly committed scientific sin is the lack of proper experimental control.
The text presents one example of carefully carried out experiment and the next the randomly conducted experiment. Once a gentleman by cutting off flea's hind legs draws a conclusion that it hears from the hind legs since it couldn't jump despite his order and he had already tried by amputating other parts of it. Similarly the next man concluded from his experiment that the intoxicating quality lies in glass not in water and even not in other alcoholic substances like bourbon, rum, scotch, rye, and gin and so on since all these substances were mixed with water. This kind of confusing correlation with cause and effect gives rise to fallacy and scientific sin.
Finally, the text presents the extraordinary capacity of fly to test and identify the sweetness in substance. This is the most fruitful experiment conducted through shrewd observation. It extends out its proboscis and tastes the food item to ensure either it is sweet or not. It is too much sensitive. It tastes the food through the proboscis.

Interpretation:

As a piece of scientific writing, the text is trying to present the importance of experiment and alerts that one must be careful and conscious to carry out the experiment. Otherwise, it harms more than it helps. Similarly, presenting an experiment on fly informs the reader that nature has given every creature with own distinct qualities. In this, it is useless to regard human as superior creature in the world.

Critical Thinking:

The text presents the ideas on scientific experiment and its importance. Naturally, one must be conscious and careful but in every experiment such excessive consciousness doesn't work. Since many scientific discoveries are taking suddenly and in random experiments. No scientist works being fixed on his invention.Whatever the discoveries take place, it is sudden and strange.

Assimilation:
As I went through the story, it really impressed me. I used to think that experiment is just to get the conclusion and they are easy. Everything is there and to experiment is to mix the things and observe them carefully. But now I know that to perform experiment needs a lot of care and knowledge. More than that, after reading it, I came to know and accept the fact that nature has equally empowered its creatures with distinct qualities.


King John and the Abbot of Canterbury
Anonymous

Literal Comprehension:

Once the king of England was quite jealous and suspicious of the prosperity of the Abbot of Canterbury. So he thought that the abbot might make a conspiracy against his throne. The king decided to get rid of him. So he called the abbot and asked three nonsense questions on the condition that he would behead him if he failed to answer the questions within fifteen days. The questions were: What is the exact price/value of the king with his crown of gold on his head among the noblemen? How quickly he may ride the whole world about? What does the king think at the moment? It made him too sad. He tried his best to find the answer by consulting the professors visiting the university but couldn't. Finally, his own shepherd promised him to help him. So one day, in order to answer the questions raised by the king, the shepherd changed himself as the abbot and went to the palace. One by one he answered that the value of the king was twenty nine pence less than the savior, for the second he responded that it takes a whole day if he rose and ran in the speed of sun that rotates round the earth and for the last, he responded that the king might be thinking that he was the abbot of Canterbury but he was wrong because he was a simple shepherd to abbot.. Finally, the disguised shepherd i.e. the abbot exposed all the truths. The king pardoned them and withdrew all his charges.

Interpretation:
From the moral point of view, the poem is much impressive. Through the poem, the poet proves that the bookish and formal education is not so much effective and useful to solve the practical problems. On the one hand, it has a great lesson that people and their knowledge shouldn't be judged on the ground of their profession and appearance. Thus the text has taught a great lesson that makes it clear that much is learnt through their daily life activities than from the universities. So the so called ignorant ones in terms of getting formal education aren't to be ignored and devaluated.

Critical Thinking:

The poem seems to be much humorous and satirical. So far it imparts the idea of human knowledge and wisdom, it is appropriate but in whatever way the King Abbot and the Shepherd are presented, they don't seem believable and convincing. Since the king fails to recognize the shepherd changed as abbot. Similarly, the shepherd is presented in such a way that doesn't fit him to be more than that it mocks the formal education. It is too difficult to accept it.

Assimilation:

Reading this poem, I am too much impressed with the fact that only the formal education doesn't make people capable, rather they may learn many things from the practical experiences too. Having seen in my village, I come to know that many old people are capable of doing various things which other educated men don't know. So people can learn many things from their practical knowledge and experience.


Stopping by woods on a snowy evening
Robert Frost


Literal Comprehension:

The speaker in the poem is riding his horse through the woods. It is getting evening and the environment is cold. It is snowing. The wood is extremely beautiful to look at but the speaker can't stay there to enjoy its beauty since he has to go on a long journey before he sleeps.

Interpretation:
The poem is about human life and duty. Human life is full of obstacles and hardships. But one must be patient and courageous to overcome this to fulfill the promise of his/her life. If one fails to understand such aspect of life, he/she can never get success in his/her life. The poem can be interpreted symbolically by addressing such aspect which always tried to divert the human from their way of life. But man being conscious of it should continue his pace of life forgetting everything.

Critical Thinking:
So far the poem talks about the human life and duty, it is very impressive. But in many respects, the speaker fails to give very convincing incidence such as how does the writer feel stopping at the lonely woods? Here the horse is shown as if it were giving information about the harshness of the climate. Is it possible for the horse to notice and inform about it? How does one travel along the path alone which is full of falling snow ?

Assimilation:
As I read the poem, it impressed me much. I am a man of common interest and hobby. Even the small and insignificant event traps me. Because of this, I forget other many important things. As a result I never get success in my mission. After reading this, I came to know the fact that one should continue his/her mission whatever the difficulties he/she faces.


Where The Mind Is Without Fear
Rabindranath Tagore

Literal Comprehension:
The poem "Where the Mind Is without Fear" is a pleading poem in which the speaker is requesting the god almighty to guide his people and his country to the world of eternity where everything is free to everyone. The speaker wishes every freedom to his people and to the whole humanity. He wants to take his people to such land where people don't need to have any fear, where education to every people is free, where people live happily together without being divided in to groups, where the people always head to the perfection. To get such Promised Land, the speaker pleads the god.

Interpretation:
The poem is a patriotic poem considering the freedom and eternal happiness of life of the people as the most important factor. If people are deprived of such basic requirements, then there remains no place to feel the life. As a result, the society is full of social unjust and discrimination. Thus the poem asserts the fact that society must be free from all such social evils. For this, the speaker requests the god to create a very ideal and heavenly society.

Critical Thinking:
The poem with a nationalistic feeling is successful to impress the reader. So far his point in the poem is concerned; we may not easily accept him. The country naturally consists of people of various castes and creeds, and in such situation, there arises various thoughts and ideas. So it is useless to talk about one nation. Similarly the poet seems too much spiritual and to be believing on the mercy of god. It, in no way, is acceptable in case of ruling the country as well as imposing the rule over the people. On the other hand, he pleads the divine power but up to now no man is blessed by him.

Assimilation:
As I read the poem, it has brought me back to the condition of Nepalese people under the rule of Ranas. During this period, Nepalese people couldn't get chance to read and write. Education had been too precious and expensive to them. People were too much suppressed by the rule that they were under the great fear of the Rana rule. They could do nothing except pleading the god for their freedom from such rule.