Sagar's Diary: Sagar's Diary: Sharing Tradition

Sagar's Diary: Sagar's Diary: Sharing Tradition: Sagar's Diary: Sharing Tradition : Sharing Tradition It is an essay that presents the essayist worries about the culture being lost an...

The Selfish 'Gaint

The Selfish Giant" is a renowned short story written by Oscar Wilde. The narrative revolves around a selfish giant who owns a beautiful garden but refuses to let children play in it. Due to the giant's selfishness, the garden falls into perpetual winter, with snow covering the trees and flowers.One day, the giant returns from a long trip to find children playing outside his garden except for one secluded corner. He becomes angry and chases them away, erecting a high wall to prevent their entry. However, as a result, the garden is trapped in an eternal winter. Time passes, and spring refuses to come to the garden until one morning when the giant awakens to the sound of birds singing and sees a small boy on a tree branch. The boy is trying to climb over the wall to reach the trees laden with blossoms, but he is too small to make it. The giant's heart softens, and he helps the boy into the garden. From that moment on, the giant allows the children to play freely in his garden. As a result, the garden transforms into a lush paradise, and it is always springtime within its walls. However, the boy disappears mysteriously, and the giant is left longing for his return.

Years later, when the giant has grown old and feeble, the same boy reappears with visible wounds on his hands and feet. The giant recognizes the boy as the Christ child, and his wounds are reminiscent of the crucifixion. The giant realizes that through his kindness to the boy, he has been serving Christ himself. The giant is taken by the boy into the paradise of eternal spring, and when the villagers come to find him, they discover his lifeless body lying under a beautiful tree, covered in white blossoms. The Selfish Giant" is a poignant allegorical tale that highlights the transformative power of selflessness and the importance of compassion and kindness towards others. It explores themes of redemption, the beauty of nature, and the innocence and purity of children.

Theme

The theme of "The Selfish Giant" revolves around the transformative power of selflessness and the importance of compassion and kindness towards others. The story highlights the negative consequences of selfishness and the positive impact of generosity and empathy.

Initially, the giant's selfishness leads to a desolate and perpetual winter in his once beautiful garden. The absence of children and their playful innocence results in a lifeless and joyless environment. However, when the giant opens his heart and allows the children to enter his garden, the transformation is remarkable. The garden flourishes, and it becomes a place of beauty, joy, and eternal spring.

Through his encounters with the boy, who is ultimately revealed to be the Christ child, the giant learns the value of selflessness. His act of kindness towards the boy is representative of his willingness to help and care for others. This act leads to the giant's redemption and spiritual awakening.

The story also emphasizes the importance of cherishing and valuing the innocence and purity of children. The children in the story represent a source of genuine joy, bringing life and vitality to the giant's garden. Their presence highlights the contrast between selfishness and selflessness, and their exclusion or inclusion has a profound impact on the garden's state

 

Figure of Speech used in the Story

1.     Allegory: The story functions as an allegory, where the characters and events symbolize broader concepts and moral lessons. The giant represents selfishness and the need for transformation, while the children symbolize innocence, joy, and the purity of heart. The boy, revealed to be the Christ child, represents divine love, redemption, and the importance of selfless acts.

2.     Personification: The garden itself is personified, as it is described as having a personality and reacting to the giant's selfishness. The garden's transformation from a barren winter to a flourishing spring mirrors the giant's internal change and the restoration of harmony and beauty.

3.     Symbolism: Various symbols are employed throughout the story. The giant's walled garden represents isolation, exclusion, and selfishness. The perpetual winter symbolizes the absence of love, warmth, and joy. The arrival of spring and blossoming of the garden symbolize renewal, redemption, and the power of selflessness. The wounds on the Christ child's hands and feet symbolize the crucifixion and the sacrifice of Jesus.

4.     Foreshadowing: The story utilizes foreshadowing to hint at future events. The giant's anger towards the children and his act of chasing them away foreshadows the consequences of his selfishness and the subsequent desolation of the garden. The appearance of the boy and the description of his wounds foreshadow the revelation of his true identity as the Christ child.

5.     Religious Imagery: The story incorporates religious imagery and themes, particularly in the portrayal of the Christ child. His arrival, wounds, and role as a figure of redemption evoke Christian symbolism and emphasize the importance of compassion, selflessness, and the potential for spiritual transformation.

The Biblical Reference used in the Poem

1.     The Christ Child: The character of the boy in the story is revealed to be the Christ child. This revelation draws a direct parallel to Jesus Christ from Christian theology. The wounds on the boy's hands and feet reflect the crucifixion, symbolizing Jesus' sacrifice for humanity's sins.

2.     The Garden of Eden: The giant's garden can be seen as reminiscent of the biblical Garden of Eden. Initially, it is a paradise, but the giant's selfishness leads to its fall into a state of winter and desolation. The eventual transformation of the garden into an eternal spring parallels the concept of redemption and the restoration of paradise.

3.     Biblical Themes of Love and Redemption: The story explores themes of love, redemption, and selflessness, which are central to Christian teachings. Through the giant's transformation from a selfish character to a compassionate and self-sacrificing one, the story conveys the redemptive power of love and the potential for personal growth and salvation.

4.     Biblical Symbolism: The wounds on the Christ child's hands and feet symbolize the crucifixion and the suffering of Jesus. This symbol connects the boy to the ultimate sacrifice made for humanity's redemption

Sagar's Diary: Sharing Tradition

Sagar's Diary: Sharing Tradition: Sharing Tradition It is an essay that presents the essayist worries about the culture being lost and coming generation is not paying atten...

Sharing Tradition

Sharing Tradition

It is an essay that presents the essayist worries about the culture being lost and coming generation is not paying attention on it.

It begins thinking about the death of elderly members and its impact in socio-cultural life of the society.

He explains some important contribution of the elderly members. He viewsSharing traditions help preserve cultural heritage by passing down knowledge, customs, and values from one generation to another. Through the transmission of practices, stories, rituals, and art forms, communities ensure that their unique identities and histories are safeguarded.

He further opines that interpersonal connection is needed to preserve the culture. Sharing tradition can foster social cohesion and creates the bond among individuals with in a community. It provides opportunities to come together and engaged in shared activities, which can develop the sense of belongings and solidarity. 

He critically approaches education. He views education should be a way out to understand the culture. It should contribute in acquiring knowledge about the roots and history. It can be done in different way such as story telling, music, dance and other cultural expressions. Transmission of wisdom, skill and life lesson should be handover from elderly to youngsters.  

He gives emphasis on culture simply because culture has several contributions in humans’ life. He believes it helps to preserve the culture. LaPena, emphasize the importance of preserving and revitalizing traditional cultural practices, languages, and art forms. They recognize the value of tradition as a means of connecting with ancestral roots, maintaining cultural identity, and passing down knowledge to future generations. He looks it as a fact of spiritual connection. He highlights the reverence for the land and interconnectedness to all living beings.

He looks tradition as a source of personal and collective identity. Therefore he compares tradition with art. Art draws the cultural heritage and traditional symbolism to express unique perspective. It helps for self expression, asserting cultural pride and challengind stereotypical misconception. Tradition is not stagnant but can evolve and adapt over time while retaining its core values and essence. Artists and activists may explore how tradition can remain relevant in contemporary contexts, acknowledging the need to balance preservation with adaptation to address changing social, environmental, and cultural realities.

 

What is oral tradition

LaPena looks serious regarding teaching learning process and emphasize the importance of oral tradition; He views oral tradition is important for cultural transmission. Oral tradition is seen as a crucial means of transmitting cultural knowledge, values, and beliefs from one generation to another. It serves as a way of preserving the collective memory and wisdom of the community, ensuring that important teachings and histories are passed down.

He further believes that oral tradition allows for the dynamic and interactive nature of storytelling. It is not just about reciting words but also about engaging the audience and creating a shared experience. The storyteller often adapts the narrative to suit the context and the listeners, making each rendition unique.

Likewise he thinks oral tradition facilitates the exchange of knowledge between generations. Elders play a vital role as custodians of traditional stories, passing them on to younger individuals. This intergenerational exchange promotes respect, reverence, and the continuity of cultural heritage

It further fosters  a sense of community and strengthens social bonds. It provides opportunities for people to gather, listen, and participate in storytelling events. These communal gatherings promote a shared cultural identity and a sense of belonging.  It can be seen as a form of culture resilience in the face of historical adversity and goes in the line of cultural assimilation. It asserts cultural identity and maintain a connection to ancestral heritage.

 

What is literary tradition?

Today’s literary tradition is written tradition. It is a means of preserving and documenting culture and tradition. It helps coming generation to know about the culture and tradition. In absence of such documentation, the culture could be lost.

It can work with harmonious relation in between oral tradition. It can provide additional context that  can enhance preserving oral narratives. It can reach wider audience.

Despite having such potential aspects of written tradition the essayist has some doubt about written tradition. He suppose the chances of potential misinterpretation or misrepresentation of their cultures through written tradition. They may caution against cultural appropriation or the misuse of Native American traditions in mainstream literature

 

Sagar's Diary: A Red Red Rose

Sagar's Diary: A Red Red Rose: The speaker of the poem expresses his deep love towards his beloved. He compares his love with a red rose which gets bloomed in the month of...

A Red Red Rose

The speaker of the poem expresses his deep love towards his beloved. He compares his love with a red rose which gets bloomed in the month of June. It is fresh and beautiful. He further compares his love with melody. He explains the beauty of his beloved and expresses his unwavering commitment and devotion. He declares that he loves his beloved for eternity.  He promises to return back though he has to travel millions of distance. He acknowledges that the physical distance may separate him, but his love remains unchanged. The word rose used in the poem stands for symbolism. It denotes the symbols used in the poem. It stands for love, beauty, intensity and eternal nature. It indicates the speaker’s fresh love. It is characterized by its lyrical and romantic tone. The repeated use of red denotes passion and intensity. It has use of strong vivid imageries to create strong emotional impact on the readers. The contrast between the transient nature of human existence and the enduring nature of love is also explored, as the speaker expresses a timeless devotion to his beloved.

Theme of the Poem

Theme of the poem primarily connects with love. and enduring nature of love. it explores the depth and intensity of the speaker's love for his beloved, emphasizing its timelessness and unwavering commitment. It highlights the passionate love. The speaker compares his love with red rose. He further has a commitment that he keeps on loving her till sea goes dry and the sun melts the rock. It stresses on enduring love and his love remains unchanged. The thematic aspect of the poem acknowledges the challenges of time and distance. Despite having physical separation, love can endure and remain constant. The romantic devotion is also one of the thematic evident in the poem. The speaker's declaration of love and his willingness to cherish and honor his beloved evoke a sense of unwavering commitment and loyalty.

Different imageries used in the Poem.

The poem has used various imageries to evoke clear mental pictures and sensory experience

Red Rose:

It is the central imageries used in the poem. It symbolizes the beauty and love. The repetition of the word red signifies intensity and passion. Rose symbolizes the classic concept of love.

Melody: anther striking imageries used in the poem is melody. It conveys the idea of the speaker’s love being pleasant, harmonious and captivating. It also presents the idea of permanent effect of love.

Summer’s day

It is another imagery used in expressing love. It presents warmth, brightness and vitality associated with everlasting nature of speaker’s affection. \

Sea and rock the imageries used in the poem presents the commitment to his beloved. They depict the vastness and permanence of the speaker’s love. They envision the most monumental and enduring elements of nature succumbing to time before his love fades.

Love expressed in the Poem

The poem presents important aspect of human life connected with love. The poem highlights the power of love. The love has been expressed comparing with these items or ideas. The speaker compares his love with red rose. It is fresh and beautiful as bloomed in the month of June. It indicates his love is vibrant and passionate. He further expresses his love as pure commitment and devotion. The use of hyperbole in the poem clarifies his devotion towards his beloved. In the same line, the speaker presents his love as enduring and unaffected by the passage of the time. Moving ahead, the speaker presents the immortality of love. He promises his beloved that he loves her till he dies and beyond.

 

Life philosophy connected with Poem.

The poem has following underlying philosophy of life. It presents the beauty of life. it portraits love as vibrant and captivating force. It emphasizes the importance of embracing love. It further highlights a belief in the endurance of love and the value of lasting connection in our lives. It explores the life philosophy of embracing the present moment. The word summer’s day goes in the line of declaring love in no time. It accentuates to live in present than uncertainties of future. Finally, it presents transcendence of life with love. Love has been expressed by the speaker is beyond death, suggests a belief of transcendent nature of love.

 

Musicality in the Poem:

The poem is rich in musicality. The components used in the poem to create musicality are: rhyme, rhythm, meter alliteration and repetition.  The poem follows a consistent rhyme scheme with ABABCCDD pattern. It creates musical quality in the poem. It has smooth and flowing rhythm with the use of meter and syllabic pattern. The use of alliteration, the repetition of constant sounds, is employed in the certain line of the poem to enhance the musical quality. The repetition of some words or phrases adds the musicality in the poem.

Figure of speech used in the Poem:

The poem has the uses of different figures of speech. The major figures of speech used in the poem are: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole. The poem opens up with simile. Oh…..like a red red rose. It emphasizes the beauty, passion of speaker’s affection. Jt also traces metaphor sands of life, enchantment of life, and love. The personification of sea attributes human characteristic of action and the face of monumental changes in the natural world. Finally, the poem also has the use of hyperbole. It exaggerates the enduring nature of speakers love.

Class 11 New course