My Grandmothers House by Kamla Das Essay

Kamala Das is one of the best poets in contemporary Indo-Anglian literature. Kamala Das, born in Kerala in 1934, is a bilingual writer. She writes in Malayalam, her mother tongue, under the pseudonym Madhavikkutty. Her poetry is an exploration of the geography of her own mind, and the lyric is an instance of such self-exploration. Through images of repulsion and horror, she brings out the emotional emptiness and sterility of her married life, and the intensity of her misery as a wife who had to submit to her husband whom she found repulsive, and with whom she had no emotional contact at all. She has won many prizes for her work . some of them being the P. E. N. Asian Poetry Prize, Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for fiction, Asian World Prize for literature, Kendra Sahitya Academy Award etc. She was short listed for the Nobel Prize along with Marguerite Yourcenar, Doris Lessing and Nadine Gordimer. On 31 May 2009, aged 75, she died at a hospital in Pune, but has earned considerable respect in recent years. Themes in the Poetry of Kamala Das: The poetry of Kamala Das is a search for the essential woman, and hence the woman persona of her poems plays the various roles of unhappy woman, unhappy wife, mistress to lusty men, reluctant nymphomaniac {A woman with abnormal sexual desires}, silent Devdasi and love-lord Radha. Kamala Das has also been called a poet in the confessional mode. The confessional poets deal with emotional experiences which are generally taboo. There is a ruthless self-analysis and a tone of utter sincerity. E. V.  Ramakrishnan rightly says, â€Å"In her poetry, Kamala has always dealt with private humiliations and sufferings which are the stock themes of confessional poetry. † Reminiscent of the Poet’s Ancestral Home: The poem is a reminiscence {a mental understanding of the poem by people} of the poetess’ grandmother and their ancestral home at Malabar in Kerala. Her memory of love she received from her grandmother is attached with the image of her ancestral home, where she had passed some of the happiest days of her life, and where her old grandmother had showered her love and affection. With the death of her grandmother the house withdrew into silence. When her grandmother died, even the house seemed to share her grief, which is expressed in a very touching manner in the phrase â€Å"the House withdrew†. The house soon was crushed by grief and snakes crawled among books. Her blood became cold like the moon because there was none to love her the way she wanted. She understands that she cannot reclaim the past but she wants to go back home, look once again through its windows and bring back a handful of darkness – sad and painful memories, which she would have made her constant companion, to keep as a reminder of her past happiness. The poet is unable to proceed with her thoughts for sometime as is indicated by the ellipses dots. The poet is now strangled with the intensity of grief. She craves for love like a beggar going from one door to another asking for love in small change. Her need for love and acceptance is not satisfied in marriage and she goes after strangers for love at least in small quantity. But she does not get it even in small change or coins. Her love-hunger remains unsatisfied, and there is a big void, a blank within her, she seeks to fill up with love but to no advantages . The image of the window is a link between the past and the present. It signifies the desire of the poet for a nostalgic peep into her past and resurrects her dreams and desires. The moon is being an emblem of love. The worms on the books seem like snakes at that moment, in comparison to the size of the little girl. The poet also implies that the deserted house is like a desert with reptiles crawling over. The poet now longs to ‘peer’ at a house that was once her own. She has to peek through the ‘blind eyes’ of the windows as the windows are permanently closed. The air is frozen now, as compared to when the grandmother was alive-the surroundings were filled with the warmth of empathy. Kamala Das pleads with us to â€Å"listen† to the â€Å"frozen† air. Neither is the air a visual medium, nor can air cause any displacement because it is â€Å"frozen†. In wild despair, she longs to bring in an â€Å"armful of darkness†. Firstly, that it is not a ‘Handful’ but an armful. Secondly, ‘darkness’ that generally has negative shades to it, has positive effect here of a protective shadow. It also reflects the ‘coziness’ inside the house. This armful of darkness is her essence of craving for her past. Kamala Das was very proud about her grandmother and the love she received. The Ellipsis after the word loved shows how much she grieves at the loss of the person who unconditionally loved her and satisfied her to the core. She was so convinced by the environment, in which she lived, that the loss of it was indigestible, and un-compromisable. She feels so proud of her grandmother and the house in such a way that she wants all the others know how promising and satisfying was the atmosphere at her grandmother’s home. The pronoun ‘I’ here is very emphatic and also melancholic. Sudden and strong in order to tell the world that no one would or could have come across such an admiring part of life the poet had lived and melancholic to let the readers know that she is a great loser and there can be no loser like her in the world. It also echoes her inner reverberations that when her grandmother was alive she was rich with love and after her demise she became bankrupt and started begging at stranger’s door. She dint expect the equal amount of love that she received from her grandmother from the society she was in but only little. Even that little love she was deprived of. This makes it clear that Kamala’s grandmother was a shape of unconditional love. Conclusion: The poem springs from her own disillusionment with her expectation of unconditional love from the one she loves. In the poem, the image of the ancestral home stands for the strong support and unconditional love she received from her grandmother. The imagery is personal and beautifully articulates her plight in a loveless marriage. Thus, the old house was for her a place of symbolic retreat to a world of innocence, purity and simplicity, a place of complete bliss and delight and peace world where love and happiness are still possible. †

Failure Analysis/Change Strategy Essay

There should also be a strategy in mind when it comes to businesses in order to prevent failure. The company should have everything documented all the way from budgeting, goals, employees and other important factors that a business will need in order to succeed. There are two companies that are great examples of a business failure and success. The failure would be Blockbuster (movie rental company) and Starbucks (coffee shop). These two companies have been around for years. However, one of the companies failed recently, which is Blockbuster. The objective, vision and mission for Blockbuster was to provide a great service for families and friends to enjoy the presence of movies as if they were at the theatre. Blockbuster was a company that served the public for many years. Having the ability to rent movies from different years and all categories is what helped the business succeed. The vision was to give individuals the ability to see movies that were no longer at the movie theater or on television. The mission was to provide media entertainment. The objective, vision and mission for Starbucks is to provide quality coffee to customers and keep them satisfied. The individuals that work for the company must have an enthusiastic personality to fit the company and keep customers smiling. This has helped them to remain successful along with serving a great beverage. This company also has different franchises all over the world to meet the needs of customers. The indicators from the failure of Blockbuster has a lot to do with structure. There are many companies out there now that are more convenient when it comes to movie rentals. Individuals are able to order movies online and from the actual cable company. There are also movie stands in front of certain stores and individuals can rent those at ease. This business would not be able to keep up with all the advanced technology. The success from Starbucks would be the quality of leadership style that the company possess and structure. The structure of the business is set up in many places which  provides better access for consumers. Any place that a person may go, there is likely to be a Starbucks around to grab a hot cup of coffee. This keeps the company booming and convenience for the customers which keeps them satisfied. This business will to continue to grow with all the different franchises that are also produced.

Some Patterns of Paragraph Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Some Patterns of Paragraph Development - Essay Example pets feed on a special diet that the owners fully budget for and higher personal veterinary doctors, who monitor and keep a close check on the pets’ health. The unique treatments highlighted are the exact treatments parents give their children to show affection and love to them. Since the pets receive treatment in a similar manner as children, it is, therefore, justifiable to conclude that people treat pets like surrogate children. In the social media for instance, there exist several pages created using the pet’s names for profiles. The owners of the pets buy gifts for them and organize anniversary celebrations after they die. Driving should be subject to utmost keenness and concentration. Most reckless drivers have caused more incidences of road accidents in several instances. The drivers fail to abide by the set traffic rules that should guide driving in the specific state. The failure to observe such rules causes accidents leading to massive loss of lives. For instance, some of the drivers take alcohol on duty. Alcohol reduces a driver’s alertness and visibility while driving. The result is an increasing in the number of traffic related accidents. Such accidents are avoidable by the drivers following the traffic rules to the latter. Deliberate assumption and ignorance of the regulation leading to loss of life is foolishness. Such foolishness makes the drivers’ actions unbelievable. Tobacco use is the principal cause of preventable health hazards, disabilities, and premature death in most states. Smoking leads to the development stroke and coronary heart diseases. Passive smokers are the indirect users of tobacco who inhale the exhaled smoke that the active smokers smoke out. Smoking leads to lung cancer and lung-related diseases like emphysema and bronchitis. The diseases have no definite treatment or cure, hence making tobacco a serious health peril. The passive smokers are at a higher risk of contracting the smoking related diseases and health

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 42

Summary - Essay Example It’s the next generation of leaders who can be nurtured to be the next several years are the baby boomers of the organization. Strength and development may be looked in various in a group as discussed as follow: Diversity inclusion is one of the ways in which an organization uses to identify strength in an organization. Diversities are the difference that people have, and it may be in terms of having different talents, and culture (Yaeger & Sorensen, 2009). Diversity is among the propelling factors of many things in the organization. It’s the fundamental driver of innovation and creativity, and it is one of the critical components of the organization being successful on an international scale. It enhances innovation by encouraging different views and ideas that foster innovation (Yaeger & Sorensen, 2009). A diverse and inclusive organization workforce is very critical for an organization that is interested in attracting and retaining the top talent the top talent in the organization. Competition has become very stiff currently due to the global economy; therefore, the companies need to have planned to recruit, retain, and develop a diverse workforce (Yaeger & Sorensen, 2009). Another way through which strength and development are realized is by upholding self-confidence through positive attitude and outlook. Confidence helps one in mastering critical skills and situations. Moreover, it helps one to understand himself better thus being able to explore on ones strengths and weaknesses. However, positive outlook entails the way a leader approaches situations realistically but the negative outlook of give in the room for stress and pressure while handling the situation. In my research, I looked at motivation as a way through which the leader can deliver the vision to people in a diverse way. It is important that the leader

Red badge of courige Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Red badge of courige - Essay Example As in "Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if we all just ran away?" Shortly before his first battle, he sees his first dead body, a gruesome corpse. They entirely appear as the ideal definition of intrepid men, something that makes Henry feel terrible about his trepidation. We are introduced to two men, Jim Conklin "the Tall Soldier" and Wilson "the Loud Soldier." Wilson who is afraid that death will befall him during battle, hands Henry an envelope of mail to deliver after the war. The men finally set out. Even though they are heading into combat, there are oodles of jokes. One guy even attempts to pilfer a horse from a farm and a young girl succeeds in having it back. As the war breaks out, Henry survives, but when the second round of cantankerous fighting begins he is horrified and goes for the hills. This to him was more of a survival instinct after intense thought. Henry comes across a group of wounded men leaving as he heads towards battlefront. He wishes he too had a red badge of courage when he saw their bloody injuries. A tattered and wounded soldier, taunts Henry by asking where his injury is injury is. This gets our â€Å"hero† very nervous and uncomfortable because the turn of events would make him be branded a deserter. Jim Conklin then dies a rather atrocious death before him. Henry takes off and is bonked on the head with a rifle butt by a pretty freaked out colleague in the army only for him to end up back to his 304th company. Due to the confusion which resulted in separation of everyone in the battle no one accuses Henry of desertion. His head injury further makes his colleagues assume a slug grazed him. Yet another war breaks out for which Henry is prepared. He puts up formidable resistance and battles wildly which earns him praise from the lieutenant. Suddenly someone yells, "Here they come!" And sure enough, the Confederates rush at Henry’s group of soldiers. Henry

Torts and Product Liability Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Torts and Product Liability - Research Paper Example Chris missed breakfast because they had to leave the house very early in the morning to the airport. After dropping Jim at the airport, the two (Stella and Chris) went to the McDonald’s drive-through for the breakfast. Stella ordered a McBreakfast and Chris her grandson, parked the car so that she could add sugar and cream to her coffee (Buchholtz and Carroll, 2008). She could not add the cream and sugar because there was no flat surface in the car where she could place the coffee cup and get the lid off. As an alternative, she placed the coffee cup between her knees and tried to get the coffee cup lid that way. As she tried to remove the lid, hot coffee spilled onto her lap (Buchholtz and Carroll, 2008). Chris got out of the car to help her; he pulled her sweat suit twisting it as the coffee (170 degrees) burned her inner thigh, buttocks, and groin. She was taken to the hospital and upon arrival at the emergency room; she was confirmed to have sustained third-degree burns. Stella spent a week in the hospital and three weeks at home nursing her injuries with the help of her daughter, Nancy Tiano (Buchholtz and Carroll, 2008). After a while, she was hospitalized again for skin grafts and during that period she lost around 20 pounds and at times she was practically immobilized. Though she was not willing to sue McDonald, her family was of the opinion that she had to be compensated for the out-of-pocket expenses and her daughter’s lost wages for the time she had stayed with her at home (Buchholtz and Carroll, 2008). On May 2005, Pearson took his pants to the Custom Cleaners for alterations. Roy Pearson was at that time the newly appointed Washington, DC administrative law judge. Pearson owned five expensive Hickey Freeman suits which he wore one for every day of the week. The pants had become uncomfortable and thus he took them to the local dry cleaning service (Custom Cleaners).

Tourism in Switzerland Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Tourism in Switzerland - Dissertation Example It is nearly incontestable that people across the world always seek to have new experiences and learn new things; tourism usually provides the best opportunity to enable people achieve this end. Its tourism infrastructure is highly developed, particularly in the cities and mountainous regions. Tourists are attracted to Switzerland’s landscapes and Alpine climate. Also, being one of the great and diverse commercial hubs in the world, tourists find Switzerland a preferable destination Euromonitor International (2011). Tourism plays a very crucial role in Switzerland’s economy accounting to more than 4% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) OECD (2011). Besides, it plays a very crucial role in creating employment opportunities especially in the rural areas. Just like in most countries across the world, tourism in Switzerland is impacted by external environmental factors namely political, economic, socio- cultural, and technological among others. Currency fluctuation is a maj or economic factor that greatly impacts on tourism in most countries across the world and Switzerland is no exception. According to O’Sullivan and Schifrin (2003), currency fluctuations refer to a tendency of national currencies to change relative to other national currencies at a given period of time. Currency fluctuations can be attributed to the following factors; political and social stability, country’s economic strength, increased of reduced demand for a certain currency, unemployment rates, and country’s interest rates among others. ... activities of individual or group of individuals travelling to destinations and staying in places that are away from their usual environment for a certain period of time for business, leisure and other purposes. From the definition, it is clear that currency fluctuation in Switzerland not only affects the international tourists but also the local tourists Creel (2007). When the Swiss Franc currency is weak, more tourists are encouraged to visit Switzerland as they will be able to get more Francs for their money. On the other hand, when the Swiss franc is strong, tourists are less likely to visit Switzerland as they will get less Swiss francs for their money Swiss Federal Statistical Office (2011). Tourism is very important in the Switzerland economy. This argument is proved by the efforts that the Switzerland National Bank put in 2010 and 2011 in order to prevent further strengthening of the franc especially against the euro which was impacting negatively on the country’s tour ism sector. Also, over the years, tourism sector has proved to be highly sensitive in regards to prices Luzzi and Yves (2003). Therefore, there is need for Switzerland tourist destinations especially the Swiss Alps to be in a better position to compete with other destinations such as those in France, Italy, Germany, and Austria Ewing (2010). The aforementioned countries offer plenty of hiking and skiing opportunities and mountains that also form important features of Switzerland tourists’ destinations. Ewing (2010) further argues that these countries belong to EU and use euro as their currency and most tourists who visit Switzerland come from these regions. Therefore, it is important to pay adequate attention to the fluctuation of Swiss currency in order to avoid losing Swiss- destined

Information System (IT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information System (IT) - Essay Example It serves computer industries dealing with hardware, software and consumer electronics worldwide. Michael Porters value chain framework helps to analyze activities through which creates value and gains competitive advantage. In this case, Delta Airlines applies different secondary and primary activities in realizing its value chain. For instance, the company uses technology (secondary activity) through its company website to enhance flight scheduling for its clients. Another secondary activity used by the company is the procurement of resources such as acquisition of aircraft and their parts. Primary activities of Delta Airlines include marketing of its services to their target audience through different marketing channels such as Internet marketing. Another primary activity is great customer service that is realized through a good company motivational plans. Organizational designs make sure that the rights to make decisions are properly allocated. In hierarchical, a manager is the mediator and oversees information collection from those answerable to him and reports as in is the case in several companies around the globe. Flat structures support information flow all through the firm like in the case of matrix which involves small groups that are interconnected. Some of the technologies that support this organizational structures and designs is the Intranet. Intranet functions just like the Internet, but it’s not available to the out Internet community as it’s solely for a given

Hamlet Act I Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Act I Essay The first time that we are introduced to Hamlet is in Act I Scene II. It is apparent that the predominant thought in the atmosphere is the death of King Hamlet, Hamlets father. Claudius says; Though yet of Hamlet our dear brothers death the memory be green. This first introduces the Hamlet as mourning for his fathers death, setting the scene for Hamlets mood. The first time that that hamlet speaks is just after Claudius has called him his cousin and son, where Hamlet replies; A little more than kin, and less than kind. Here he is making a pun on the words kin and kind, saying how feels now too closely related to Claudius. He also says; Not so my lord, I am too much Ithsun. Here he is saying that he feels too much like Claudiuss son. Both of these show that Hamlet is quite witty, and also that he is a good listener, and picks up on other things that maybe other people dont. Hamlet feels that the wedding of his mother and Claudius is too soon after the death of his father, and he planned to go back to school, however when his mother asks him not to he says; I shall in all my best obey you madam. This shows that although he does not want to stay he will to please his mother. His displeasure at the wedding is also shown in his soliloquy at the end of the scene, where he says; She married. Oh most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets. Here he is saying how he thought she remarried too quickly and that it is like incest to marry her dead husbands brother. Although the end of the scene, as Horatio is telling Hamlet that he saw the ghost of his father, Hamlets speech becomes quite fast and abrupt, unlike the dialogue before. This shows that he has strong feelings for anything to do with his father, and wishes to see him again, even though he must be a ghost. In scene III Ophelia is talking to her brother Laertes about the move that she thinks her and hamlet share. However, Laertes thinks that it is just a whim and that Hamlet does not really love her; Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting. He is saying that although it may seem to Ophelia to be real, it is not and Ophelia should not believe Hamlet when he says he loves her. Polonius also reflects this view, and tells his daughter to ignore Hamlet. The entire of Act IV seems to reflect Hamlet character and mood. He has come to see the ghost, and even though this is most unnatural he has come any way. This could be because he misses his father, but also because he feels that something is rotten in the state of Denmark. He is unhappy at his mothers speedy marriage, especially to his satyr uncle. Perhaps he feels that the ghost of his father can in some way help him with this. Also he threatens to kill his friends if they do not let him go when the ghost beckons him, even though there is risk; By heaven Ill make a ghost of him that lets me. He seems to want to speak to the ghost of his father, even more than the risks of following a ghost which may be evil. In Act V, when the ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered, yet not by whom yet, Hamlet says: I with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge. This shows that already he believes that this apparition is his father, and immediately at the thought that his was murder he says that he will exact revenge. This shows how upset he is at his fathers leaving, reflecting that he thought all along that something strange was going on. Hamlets reaction to what the ghost tells him seems to be full of emotion; Hold, hold, my heart, and you my sinews grow not instant old. This how bad he is feeling not only for the spirit of his father but also for the fact that he has just learned that his father was murdered, by his uncle, who is now king. He calls his uncle; O villain, villain, smiling damni d villain! This is because in old plays the villain was usually described as being evil but smiling pretending to be good as is Claudius. After he has spoken with the Ghost, Hamlet tells his friends not to speak of the ghost, and also to ignore him if he starts acting strangely; Nay but sweart. He makes them swear on his sword that they will not say anything. This could be because he wants to sort out the thoughts in his head first because this has been quite a big thing he has learned. Also, it may be a way in which he can plan to exact his revenge on Claudius for he cannot stand to be made to act a son to him. In conclusion, in Act I, Shakespeare sets up the introduction of the story, but also with hints as what is to come later on in the play he plays on Hamlet use of words to show his distaste for the marriage and his uncle, but also by using the ghost to tell hamlet of its fate and also hamlet pretending to be mad it implies that the rest of the play will be much centred on this, and also make us question as to whether hamlet is still pretending to be mad or whether he has actually crossed over the line to madness. Certainly there are things he does that other people consider madness, but he can also be normal. However, like where he sees Ophelia and is not properly dressed, if he loves her as he says he does it seems that he would not do these things event o her.

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay Example for Free

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay The address given by John Brown to the Virginia court was his final words before execution on charges of treason. The charges were given because of a raid that he directed with the intent to take federal weapons which is an act of treason. On October 16th-18th, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of white and black men, including two of his sons, on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown’s goal was to seize the federal arsenal, arm the local slaves, and fight a way into the North as described in this primary source in court. This raid was not surprising because of his abolitionist background and insanity as described by the Robert E. Lee who led the Union Army that suppressed the revolt. The group held up in a fire department and was attacked by Lee’s soldiers. The failed attempt resulted in Brown’s capture, trial, and execution on December 2nd. This episode of slave resistance was the last major rebellion contributing to the secession of the South and, eventually, the Civil War. Purpose: John Brown had a a few purpose for delivering this address. Obviously, it was given in response to charges accumulated from the raid, and the address also makes several points explaining his defense. Brown stated that he did not intend to fire a single gun but wanted simply to take slaves from plantations and lead them to northern states or Canada. Brown also stated that he did not induce the others involved in the raid to join him which lessened his crime in his mind. To the charges he addressed, â€Å"I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection. Though he denied the charges, one can infer that Brown really did want a slave uprising to occur in the South due to his strong abolitionist morals and beliefs. If the raid were to be successful, Brown would not stop with those slaves, but rather continue his forced manumission of the South. Brown’s impression of the trial was one of satisfaction, but he argued that â€Å"it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty [of death]. † He made this argument because his intent was not to start this uprising but, instead, to be an act of defiance that he knew would indirectly cause a mass insurrection in the South. Value: John Brown’s address is not a historical landmark and was a less significant historical document that had minimal aftermath; however, it provides a specific example of responses in court giving insight into how acts of slave resistance are dealt with legally. Brown gives this document a unique texture because of his eloquence in court compared with his savagery in the raid. Overall, he is given the status of a martyr with his words: â€Å"I submit [to death]: so let it be done! † Brown reveals a very different side of his personality in which he is a dignified martyr. He predicts that slavery will never end peacefully in the country whose â€Å"rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments†. Historians can use this document today to show people strong in their beliefs who act upon them, and although some failed in their efforts, their cause was strengthened. Limitations: The address made by John Brown contains several limitations that affect its credit as a historical source. A significant limiting factor is that there is only one opinion to explain the raid. Brown had a biased opinion mainly because of his childhood having been greatly influenced with abolitionist morals and beliefs. One would think that Brown’s address would be biased in spite of his numerous accusations, but he speaks as if he had nothing to lose. The aiding and abetting criminals in the raid would not have delivered a speech as dignified and passionate as Brown’s but would obviously be similar in their renditions of the event. To fully understand Brown’s raid, historians would need to consult Robert E. Lee’s notes. After viewing both sides of the story, a historian can either choose a side or make an inference that incorporates both.