TEXT 25: Zareer Masani: ”English or Hinglish – which will India choose?” (2012)
Download glossary to text 25
Questions for analysis
- 1) Which role does English play in modern India, and why does the journalist refer to India’s languages as “Babel”?
- 2) To what extent is his own background an illustration of this?
- 3) Why do Chandra Band and his followers pray to the “Goddess of English” and celebrate the birthday of Thomas Babington Macaulay?
- 4) Explain the metaphor “Trojan horse of globalisation”, used as a criticism of the English language in India.
- 5) Why do many parents send their children to expensive English schools, and what kind of English are they often taught?
- 6) Explain the “linguistic schizophrenia” of the first generation of English learners, both at medium schools and language centres?
- 7) Why does the new Indian elite choose Hinglish over the Queen’s English, according to novelist Namita Devidayal?
- 8) What is the main problem of “dysfunctional Hinglish”, and how can it lead to confusion and communication breakdown? Give examples from the text.
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) Discuss why the English language continues to be so important in Indian society (see chapter 5.2).
- 2) Discuss the consequences of learning Hinglish instead of English in the long run. How might this affect Indians when communicating in a globalised world?
- 3) Relate the article to Thomas Babington Macaulay’s “Minute Upon Indian Education” (text 1) and his view on the use of English in Indian education.
Language and structure
- Characterise the nature of the conflict between English and Hinglish: What are the advantages of using Hinglish as opposed to standard forms of English, and vice versa?
Written exercise
- Write an essay, arguing your case for which language – English or Hinglish - India should choose.
Social science
- To what extent have language debates always been part of Indian history (see chapter 1.3 and chapter 1.4)?
- Discuss why language – rather than religion – was used to divide India into states (see chapter 1.3 and chapter 1.4).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 26: Salman Rushdie: ”Midnight’s Children” (1980)
Questions for analysis
- 1) Characterise the Brass Monkey, i.e. Saleem’s sister. Why does she set fire to shoes?
- 2) How is she punished by her mother, Amina? And does it help?
- 3) “Despite my mother’s protestations, it was true that the Brass Monkey was as much animal as human” (p. 238). Explain why.
- 4) Also, how does Saleem’s sister react when someone gives her what she wants, e.g. when Sonny Ibrahim shows her affection?
- 5) How is Saleem different from his sister, and which expectations do people have, including his own father and grandmother?
- 6) Explain the metaphor of the “shapeless animal” (p. 239) in Saleem’s stomach. Why does he feel this way?
- 7) What does Saleem imagine when hiding in his mother’s washing chest?
- 8) Why does he seek refuge in the washing chest? Who or what is he hiding from?
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) As mentioned in chapter 5.3, Salman Rushdie is known to combine magical realism with historical fiction in an Indian setting. Find examples of all three elements.
- 2) Discuss why “Midnight’s Children” has become perhaps the most significant work of modern Anglo-Indian literature (see chapter 5.3).
- 3) Compare the excerpt to Amitav Ghosh’s “The Calcutta Chromosome” (text 27) with regard to fantastic or magical elements.
Language and structure
- To what extent is the language in the excerpt an example of Indian English and/or Hinglish (see chapter 5.2)?
Written exercise
- Write a letter to the editor on the relevance of Independence Day in India today.
Social science
- Explain the title of the novel in the light of Indian Independence (see chapter 1.3 and chapter 1.4).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 27: Amitav Ghosh: ”The Calcutta Chromosome” (1995)
Questions for analysis
- 1) Comment on the beginning of the novel (p. 240). How does it start?
- 2) Establish time and place, using examples from the text.
- 3) Who or what is “Ava”? What is it/she designed to do (p. 241)?
- 4) Why is the gadget illegal and why does he return it?
- 5) Comment on the description of Antar’s apartment (p. 241). What does he dream of?
- 6) What does the ending suggest about Antar’s life and job?
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) Find at least five science fiction elements in the text.
- 2) Discuss the significance of the warped card, the paperweight and the bottle of correcting fluid. Why is the system not able to handle these items?
- 3) Compare this excerpt to Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children” (text 26) in terms of fantastic or magical elements (see chapter 5.3).
Language and structure
- Characterise Amitav Ghosh’s style and his choice of words when creating a future world. What impression do we get of the setting?
Written exercise
- Write an essay on the relationship between man and machine in modern society.
Social science
- What does the excerpt suggest about the relationship between the individual and society in modern India (see chapters 4.1, 4.3 and 4.4)?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 28: Aravind Adiga: ”White Tiger” (2008)
Questions for analysis
- 1) Why do the village boys admire the bus conductor Vijay, and how does this relate to the wish of Balram’s father?
- 2) How is school life in rural India described in the text?
- 3) “You can’t expect a man in a dung heap to smell sweet” (p. 244). Explain why no one blames - and some even admire - the schoolteacher for what he has done.
- 4) Account for the school inspection and the way Balram receives his nickname “The White Tiger”.
- 5) Explain the “Rooster Coop” metaphor in terms of Indian society (p. 246).
- 6) How does this metaphor explain the honesty of Indian people, according to Balram?
- 7) Comment on the reference to the police in the following quote: “Whether the police will give it to you or not is another story, sir!” (p. 246).
- 8) Which two questions does Balram ask about the Rooster Coop, and which answers does he provide (p. 247)?
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) Discuss the various meanings of the title “The White Tiger” and look up more information on the white tiger as a symbol in East Asian cultures.
- 2) Discuss Balram Halwai’s conclusion at the end of the novel: “I think the Rooster Coop needs people like me to break out of it” (“The White Tiger”, p. 320). Is this a feasible way of changing social conditions in India?
- 3) “Never before in human history have so few owed so much to so many” (p. 247) is actually a reference to a speech by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during WWII. Find out more about the background of the speech and explain why Aravind Adiga may have chosen to include it.
- 4) Relate the excerpt of “The White Tiger” to the extract of “The God of Small Things” (text 21) with respect to caste and social groups in India (see chapter 5.3).
Language and structure
- Comment on the use of humour in the extract, and characterise Aravind Adiga’s writing style.
Written exercise
- Write a letter of reply from the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Balram Halwai, using an appropriate tone of voice.
Social science
- How does the extract of the novel reflect social conditions and inequality in modern Indian society (see chapters 4.1, 4.3 and 4.4)?
- Which problems within the Indian School system are highlighted in the text (see chapter 4.5)?
- How does the extract draw attention to the problem of corruption in Indian society (see chapter 2.7)?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 29: Vikas Singh: ”Dhoni’s Devils are World Champions” (2011)
Questions for analysis
- 1) Comment on the choice of words in the first and second paragraph. Which atmosphere is created?
- 2) Why is this World Cup win so significant?
- 3) How is the current Indian team described as opposed to earlier national teams?
- 4) Give a brief summary of the match facts (p. 248-249).
- 5) Characterise the ending of the article. How is Mahendra Singh Dhoni described?
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) To what extent is this article similar to match reports on international football matches in Europe? Find examples and discuss.
- 2) Compare the text to other articles on famous Indian cricket wins, for example the World Cup win in 1983, the 2011 semifinal against Pakistan or the ICC Champions Trophy final against England in 2013 (see chapter 5.4).
- 3) Compare this article to the “Chennai Express review: A typical sambar-and-sandalwood creation” (text 30) in terms of structure and language.
Language and structure
- Give examples of words and metaphors used to describe India’s victory, and characterise the tone of the article.
Written exercise
- Imagine that India had lost the final and write an alternative match report, using different types of metaphors.
Social science
- Discuss the link between cricket and Indian nationalism with regard to Britain and Pakistan (see chapters 1.3, 1.4 and 6.3).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 30: IANS: ”Chennai Express review: A typical sambar-and-sandalwood creation” (2013)
Questions for analysis
- 1) Which impression of Shah Rukh Khan do we get from the first two paragraphs?
- 2) Give a summary of the director’s background and his earlier films.
- 3) Explain the contrast between South and North Indian features, and the way they are applied in the film (p. 251).
- 4) Account for the role of music and location in the film, according to the reviewer.
- 5) How are the main characters’ performance reviewed?
- 6) Sum up the reviewer’s verdict of the film (p. 252).
Post-reading and perspectives
- 1) According to the review, which typical Bollywood elements are included in the film (see chapter 5.5).
- 2) Compare this text to other reviews of the film found at: www.planetbollywood.com
- 3) Compare the review to the article “Dhoni’s Devils are World Champions” (text 29) in terms of structure and language.
Language and structure
- Define review as a genre – which elements are needed to write a good review?
Written exercise
- Write your own review of the film, after having watched it on YouTube.
Social science
- To what extent does Bollywood film production reflect gender roles in Indian society (see chapter 4.6)?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
