Assignment -5 TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AND HUMAN LIFE.

 

"TECHNOLOGY" - this word is derived from the Greek word "technology",--techno--> an art, skill or craft and --loggia-->the study of something or branch of knowledge of a discipline.

Technology refers to the use of tools, machines, materials, techniques, and sources of power to make work easier and more productive and science is concerned with understanding how and why things happen, technology deals with making things happen. Development is closely related to technology. The stage of development the human being has arrived at could have been possible without the advancement in technology. The radical change and advancement in the economy, as we observe today, is the result of modern technology. Without technology, the world would not be what it is today.

Being a part of the 4.0 Industrial revolution if we look back, we realized that we have come so far with Technological advancement and revolutions; which have been making a great impact on human lives since the beginning. Starting from Axe and Fire to Gene-editing, from Spinning wheel or Watt steam engine to AI.

Human progress is usually a pretty gradual process, but at certain points in history, our development has fought, resulting in populations living more comfortable, and healthier, longer lives. By and large, these big leaps in progress are caused by new technology or innovation, like how the wheel got things rolling.  Take the Industrial Revolution For thousands of years, life stayed the same. Everyone lived on or near the land that provides their food and water. Their clothes and tools are made within their community, and the average life expectancy was 35. Basic machinery was usually fuelled by limited power sources like water wheels wind Mills force power or people power. But in the late 1 700 and Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain, the invention of the spinning Jenny and water frame ignited the mechanization of the textile industry. The steam engine quickly followed, making it possible to work, farm, and live without proximity to waterways, textiles, clothing, and furniture could be cheaply mass-produced bringing up Labour and resources, which could be used to develop new transportation methods like themed boats and railroads. As these little goods and technologies spread around the world, populations increased in average income saw unprecedented growth, marking the first time in history where a standard of living improvement was widespread. Another exemplary pushed forward in another time, place in the industry was the Green Revolution. With rising populations came challenges.

In the mid 900, India was experiencing a massive food cracker. The country had recently gained independence and was facing political chaos and famine. Indian officials went on a desperate search for new crops and agricultural technology. India imported and lab-tested lab-made grain varieties and combined with newly implemented cultivation technologies like fertilizer and irrigation, one newcomer took home. It started producing 10 times the yield of the traditional right. We dubbed it miracle Rights. These innovations would go on to make India a world leader in rice production and save hundreds of millions of lives from starvation.

The world we live in today is built upon the rapid progress from periods of manufacturing and agricultural advancements. Like these, they've given the world electricity blueberries in wintertime planes, along with some unintended consequences, pollution, chemical contamination, and overcrowding.

Today, we know innovation has the power to drive development. And in a modern world, there's more potential than ever for emerging technology to make its mark. Many experts believe we are currently in the midst of a digital revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, innovations in technology have the potential to improve lives in a region lacking the traditional information and communication infrastructure have found elsewhere. When mobile phones arrived in Sub-Saharan Africa and the early two-thousands, for example, hundreds of millions of people were able to connect for the first time. But it's not just about texting and checking Facebook. Mobile banking has reduced the need for centralized banking and giving people access to Bank accounts. For the first time in Mali, Telemedicine is helping to make up for a lack of trained healthcare professionals and rural areas in Rwanda, people in need can request blood that is then delivered by drone. And throughout the region, business owners and farmers are using their phones to buy solar energy or trade crops. Already, digital innovations are making many people wealthier, healthier, and better educated. At the same time, population increases will create new strains and pressures that technology will have difficulty addressing. 

The costs and rewards are likely to be felt unevenly and negative effects that no one planned for could arise alongside. And today, as we see the rise of emerging technology like robotics and artificial intelligence, it is critical to remember that such repercussions have been true throughout history and will continue to be so of all future technological revolutions to come.
 

Globalization in The white tiger

• Prepared by:  KAVITABA P. GOHIL
• Roll No: 19
• Paper – 13: The New Literature
• M.A (English)   :  Sem -4
• Enrollment No: 2069108420180018
• Batch: 2017-19
• Email: kavitabaprahaladsinhjigohil@gmail.com
• Submitted to: Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English, MKBU. 
• Topic: Globalization in The white tiger
• Total words: 1900.
• Plagiarism in percentage:____%

INTRODUCTION:

Aravind Adiga, the contemporary Indian novelist is undoubtedly one of the outstanding figures in the realm of postmodern literature. He achieved this position through his masterpiece The White Tiger which brought him the 2008 Man Booker Prize for fiction. His novels are preoccupied with such emerging issues like globalization, urbanization, rich and poor divide, social disparity, technoculture, corruption, erosion of human relations and moral values. By fusing postmodern techniques of metafiction, dark humour, parody, pastiche, binary and multiple narrative voices with the prevailing issues of consumerism, materialism, deterioration of moral values, Adiga sensitively captivates the readers’ nerve. It is because of this sensitivity towards the changing realities that Adiga writes in tune with the global changes. The White Tiger is a story about the existential and class struggle of the protagonist. A neo-liberal country like India widens the gap between the rich and poor with its pro-capitalist, free-market policies that privilege a few.

Aravind Adiga has emerged as a writer who exposed the disastrous vices, malignant evils, political manipulations and social injustices prevalent in the contemporary India. He is a characteristic postmodern writer who portrays corruption, inequalities and the social evils that persist despite India’s slogan of progress and prosperity. He shot into international fame with the publication of his debut novel The White Tiger in 2008. The book won the coveted Man Booker’s Prize for fiction during the same year of its publication. Born in Chennai on 23 October, 1974 to Madhava Adiga and Usha, Aravind Adiga belonged to an educated family hailing from Mangalore, Karnataka. Adiga started his career as a financial journalist interning with Financial Times, Money, and Wall Street covering stock market, investment protocols and interviewing luminaries. He also wrote literary reviews, a famous one being on the Booker Prize winner Peter Carey’s Oscar and Lucinda. He then moved to Time magazine where he served as South Asia correspondent for three years. Later he quit the job and opted to work as a freelancer. It was during his freelance period that he wrote the Man Booker Prize winning novel The White Tiger, thus becoming the fourth Indian to receive the Prize. His second book, Between the Assassinations a collection of twelve interlinked short stories was released in November 2008. Last Man in Tower (2011), being Adiga’s second novel, tells the story of a retired school teacher’s struggle to keep up the traditional values, his resistance to money and power. (Sharma)

All throughout the White Tiger some form of America seems to pop up in a key moment. It’s subtle, and the reader can easily pass over it without giving any second thought to the matter, but each time has its significance. Take for example when Balram is describing Ashok’s corruption on page 173, “you’ve got plenty of places to drink beer, dance, pick up girls, that sort of thing. A small bit of America in India.” This goes back to the motif of Identity, someone trying to be something they’re not. Balram sees Ashok being transformed by the influence of American culture, the creeping globalization that is taking over Delhi. The next situation was an ironic one, foreshadowing the last I’ll blog about, when the  fat minister’s assistant spoke about drinking and elections, “Elections, my friend, can be managed in India. It’s not like in America. . . Everyone has whiskey in their car in Delhi, Ashok, didn’t you know this?” (pg. 181). The idea of being “better than” Americans and their politics is juxtaposed with drinking American whisky, in the hypocritical nature of their characters. And finally, on page 245, Balram described his murder weapon, “It’s a good, strong bottle, Johnnie Walker Black–well worth its resale value.” The reader can see just how embedded American culture is in the Indian society, while every person is trying to become their own “Individual.” Personally, I found it wildly hilarious because of its subtleness and depth that just sinks in so well into the entire satire.

Globalization in The white tiger

Impact of Globalization on Indian Culture

Globalization has changed our current social conditions and contributed to the deteriorating of nationality and the creation of globality. It has a wide role to play the world over. It has left its footprints in every field of life. The exchange of world views and ideas has led to a major transformation of the standard of living globally. Indian culture is no exception to this transformation process. Globalization quickened this process and resulted in the fusing of cultural practices and increased advertising of culture through influx of MacDonald’s and Pizza Huts, etc., in all metropolitan cities and through the celebration of special days like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. With the emergence of globalization, our age old traditions and customs have slackened off their hold.

India has a rich cultural milieu which is well-known to the whole world. Globalization has not only led to in the westernization of India, but on the contrary, the Indian culture has also spread its impact globally. Culture and traditions of any geographical region hold a special significance with respect to their distinctiveness and that is the differentiating feature for a population within a geographical boundary. This distinctiveness and individuality has been disturbed in varying degrees in lieu of globalization. Such an impact is very much pronounced when they hit a developing country like India.

The White Tiger

Born in India and raised in Austria, Aravind Adiga is the fifth Indian author to win the Man Booker Prize in 2008, for his debut novel, The White Tiger. This Booker Prize winner novel study the distinction between India’s ascend as a modern global economic giant and the protagonist, Balram, who comes from rustic poverty background. The major theme of the novel is to present the impact of globalization on Indian democracy. All through the novel Adiga remarks about the first world influence on the third world countries. The West is the adjudicator and the jury of every facets of third world behaviour.

The story begins with a letter from a self-made Indian entrepreneur, Balram Halwai, who narrates the story of his own success to the Chinese Premiere. Born in a poor family in a backward village, he grows up in extreme poverty and deprivation; he is not allowed to complete his education and is employed as a child labour in a local tea stall. Running away from his village, Balram seeks a job in the city and finds one at his erstwhile village landlord’s house, who has now moved to the city. A major part of the novel depicts Balram’s life as a servant cum driver at the household of his former landlord, and the kind of exploitation and class difference that exists between the rich masters and their poor servants. Consequently, in an urge to escape his situation and enjoy the luxuries of life available to the rich, Balram kills his employer, robs his money and finally finds a new successful life of entrepreneurship in the hub of India’s globalization- the city of Bangalore. (Sreelatha)

Balram justifies his actions as the only resort for resistance left in his state of oppression. It was either to submit to servitude that society had destined for him, or to break out of the coop and embrace the global network, even if that includes murder. The rhetoric he uses is thus essentially one of binaries- old India vs. new India, the feudal oppression vs. the neoliberal liberation, the failed state vs. the successful market. The novel depicts that Globalization replaces the native culture by consumerist culture. Take for example, when Balram says, “I should explain to you, Mr Jiabao, that in this country we have two kinds of men: Indian liquor men and English liquor men. Indian liquor was for village boys like me - toddy, arrack, country hooch. English liquor, naturally is for rich. Rum, whisky, beer, gin - anything the English left behind.”

All throughout the novel, some form of America seems to pop up in a key moment. It’s subtle, and the reader can easily pass over it without giving any second thought to the matter, but each time has its significance. Take for example when Balram is describing Ashok’s corruption, “you’ve got plenty of places to drink beer, dance, pick up girls, that sort of thing. A small bit of America in India”. This goes back to the motif of Identity, someone trying to be something they’re not. Balram sees Ashok being transformed by the influence of American culture, the creeping globalization that is taking over Delhi. The next situation was an ironic one, when the fat minister’s assistant spoke about drinking and elections, “Elections, my friend, can be managed in India. It’s not like in America. Everyone has whiskey in their car in Delhi, Ashok, didn’t you know this?” And finally, Balram described his murder weapon, “It’s a good, strong bottle, Johnnie Walker Black–well worth its resale value.” The reader can see just how embedded American culture is in the Indian society, while every person is trying to become their own “Individual” . Underlying Adiga's descriptions of the boom in outsourcing Bangalore’s gleaming call-centres are the idea that India is making itself the servant of European and American companies.

All the way through the novel English is represented as the language of master or superior in India. There are many examples in the novel which bring to light the superiority of English language. The opening of the novel itself suggests the dominance and supremacy of English. Balram writes to Jiabao, “Neither you nor I speak English but, there are some things that can only be said in English” .

Another instance is “Ashok,’ she said. ‘Now hear this. Balram, what is it we’re eating?’ I knew it was a trap, but what could I do? – I answered. The two of them burst into giggles. ‘Say it again, Balram. They laughed again. ‘It’s not p iJJA. It’s pizza. Say it properly.’ ‘Wait – you’re mispronouncing it too. There’s a T in the middle. Peet.Zah” (Sreelatha)

Conclusion:

Throughout the novel, Adiga represents the impact of Globalization on India. It has made radical changes in each and every sphere of Indian life. Globalization offers a social world whose precincts have become fluid. It has imposed global culture by debasing local individualistic culture. Globalization has affected the Indian political arena too. The first world countries are trying to inflict their rules and laws upon the third world countries in the guise of lending out a helping hand.

Works Cited

Sharma, Richa. "The impact of globalization on Indian culture and literature: Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development (January 2017): 4.

Sreelatha, Dr. M. "EXISTENTIAL STRUGGLE IN THE WHITE TIGER." 14 April 2017. ashvamegh.net. web. 5 april 2019.

Character analysis in A Grain of Wheat.

• Prepared by:  KAVITABA P. GOHIL
• Roll No: 19
• Paper – 14: The African literature.
• M.A (English)   :  Sem -4
• Enrollment No: 2069108420180018
• Batch: 2017-19
• Email: kavitabaprahaladsinhjigohil@gmail.com
• Submitted to: Smt. S. B.  Gardi,  Department of English,MKBU. 
• Topic: Character analysis in A Grain of Wheat.
• Total words: 2277.
• Plagiarism in percentage:____%

Intro:

A Grain of Wheat is portrayed to be Ngugi’s greatest accomplishment. According to another noble novelist, this book is “an encouragement to humans to assume a broad-minded viewpoint on man's wrongdoing”.  Based on Cook’s analysis on a grain of wheat, the book is endowed with two key themes; which are related to “private responsibility and public responsibility”.Furthermore, he acclaimed this work of art to be Ngugi’s most determined, impressive and fruitful narrative. Palmer, claims that Ngugi didn’t only reflect on the wrong doings of the white folks but also the wrong doings and wicked minds of the native people. According to Robson, betrayal is the core theme of the novel. Two major authors also share the same view concerning the outcome of this book, cook and okenimkpe asserts that Ngugi’s novel is a “heroic corporate effort towards a evenhanded society and betrayal; Individual’s betrayals are representative of the vast betrayal of the whole society by its power elite”.

Ngugi pictured in this work of act what happens when countries are about to get independence or be independent, he also tried to bring out the wickedness of the kikoyo people, in the sense that he scholarly explained that when people are trying to get independence, people are also there to attain personal benefits. This story follows the life of an orphan named Mugo, who was basically nurtured by his dreadful aunt, known as Waitherero. Mugo’s aunt was said to be a married woman, who is widowed and had six children, daughters to be precise. The unfortunate fact that existed between waitherero and her children is that they didn’t care about her because she is a drunk. Occasionally when she gets drunk, she pores all her frustration on mugo who lives with her.  Furthermore, she repeated to mugo “Female slime, she would say, exposing her toothless gums; she would fix Mugo with a fierce glance, as if he and God had conspired against her. “They don’t even come to see me – Do you laugh, you – what’s your penis worth? Oh god, see what an ungrateful wretch is left on my hands”(Ngugi, 6). One other disgusting and inhuman action portrayed by waitherero whenever she got drunk is, she pukes on the floor in large quantity, thus letting mugo to clear her spew off the floor. That is not enough, she further accuse mugo of being a thief and calls him varieties of unpleasant names. This ill treatment portrayed by waitherero, left mugo with a psychological defect. Furthermore, occasionally when mugo’s aunt is drunk, she sends him out of the house, therefore leaving mugo nowhere to sleep at night, then he thinks of the animals in the farm and he spends the night sleeping very close to the goats to get warmth. This experience left mugo with no other choice than to have the urge of strangling waitheroro but he had to control himself.

Coincidentally, mugo was present in the meeting and was sickened by the words coming out of kihika’s mouth; he felt that kihika who is full of love as a result of his inseparable background would not comprehend. “He could not clap for words that did not touch him. What right had such a boy, probably younger than Mugo, to talk like that? What arrogance? Kihika had spoken of blood as easily as if he was talking of drawing water in a river, Mugo reflected, a revulsion starting in his stomach at the sight and smell of blood. I hate him, he heard himself say and frightened”, and in other words mugo said to kiyika because you had everything when growing up that is why you could speak so callously. Mugo’s action wasn’t based on mistrustfulness but of the fact he felt threatened, he felt he had lost his security and incidentally he lost his security because kihika was going to kill inspector Robson while he was still in the hut (house), note that mugo had given kihika shelter before he committed the murder. After kihika had committed the murder, he told mugo and mugo became very scared that the government was going to kill him for sheltering a fugitive. Kihika confided in mugo, as a brother unknown to him that mugo will betray him. Mugo’s action had a harsh effect on kihika and the people of kikoyo, because of the turmoil of the country that is crying, furthermore, mother will give up son and brother will give up sister as long as independence is attained. Similar of the past life of mugo, the author portrayed another character known Gikonyo.

In this great work of art, approximately all the main characters were made to betray people directly and indirectly. As earlier mentioned in this very detailed analysis of Ngugi’s book “A grain of wheat” the author using the flashback methodology presented most of the betrayal actions. Betrayal is defined as the process of exposing one’s country, a person or group to danger by treacherously giving out information to the enemy; furthermore, betrayal can be attributed to the psychoanalytic literary approach. Which conditions the effect a circumstances will have on an individual’s way of reasoning. Evidently, Ngugi made use of the exploded chronology, whereby he allowed the readers feel sympathy for the characters that are involved or in the middle of the whole betrayal scene, thus not being hasty to justify them.

Character analysis:

 Mumbi

Before we start to elaborate this topic I have one question in my mind and with the help of that question we can elaborate this topic very well. And that question is, Women should not be looked down on as they can play important roles in the society. Example Mumbi, Wami and Wambui were talking about the duties they have as contribution to the building of the nation.

Mumbi is a beautiful, strong woman who grew up in Thabai. She is Kihika’s sister, and Gikonyo’s wife. She looked after her family during the State of Emergency, which shows she is caring and responsible. She is also compassionate and does not want to take revenge for her brother’s death. Mumbi is one of the central and main female character of this novel. In the novel Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example,

“Her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant”

Mumbi with her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel. Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view.

Mumbi, is the wife of Gikonyo and the sister of Kihika. Mumbi has baby with another man namely Karanja, while her husband was in a concentration camp. While Gikonyo was imprisoned she slept with Karanja, who had been appointed village chief by the Colonial power. Mumbi is one of the significant part of the novel. She is the sister of Kihika. Kihika is the considered the leader of the people and leads the movement with Kihika being like this Ngugi brings Mumbi into the novel with a jumpstart on the other characters.

In the novel "A Grain of Wheat" the character of Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example "her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant". With her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel. Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view. Mumbi is the only central character in the novel that is female. This fact is a message from Ngugi to the reader telling them that Mumbi is to be a significant part of the novel. She is also Kihika's sister.  In Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s opinion, the power of women in the community is very important. Mumbi and other women in the novel are often shown to be strong. In the novel A Grain of Wheat centres around the female character Mumbi who is the connecting thread with the other characters. It shows that how the female character was treated in the colonial society. In the entire novel this character played very vital role which is connecting with each other. Mumbi’s character explains the situation of the African society and the history of Kenya through the myth of Gikuyu and Mumbi. Mumbi is the connecting thread with other characters in the novel A Grain of wheat.

Karanja:

He is young man and a friend of Kihika. Kihika was also in love with Mumbi. When Mumbi marries to Gikonyo he feels that he became alone in the village and there everything has been ended without Mumbi. He mostly focuses on his sorrows and desire for Mumbi. There he takes an oath that with his friends for the movement but he was in favor of Britishers and he joins their governance and becomes one of the guards. Karanja rises as a chief of the area.

Meanwhile Karanja invites Mumbi to his office once and tells her that her husband is going to come soon. Because of weakness unfortunately Mumbi allows sex with Karanja but at a time she regrets and Karanja doesn’t get fulfillment of his love with Mumbi. Then Karanja leaves working at the library in Githima, where he is little more than toy. The White men don’t have respect for him and black people hate Karanja. He becomes a man without the world. Mugo saves Karanja from almost certain death by his confession.

Warui

A wise elder of the village who was active in freedom movement in prior decades and is now preparing for the Uhuru celebrations. He encourages Mugo to speak, and later serves on his trial after he confesses.

Mugo

Mugo (MEW-goh), a farmer, reared by his drunken aunt. He has always felt himself to be an outsider. Naturally self-protective because he is alone in the world, he fears those involved in the revolutionary movement (Mau Mau) that seeks to overthrow the British rulers. He is especially envious of one of his peers, Kihika, who speaks in favor of independence. He also yearns to sacrifice himself for a larger purpose. When he intervenes to stop a pregnant woman from being beaten by a British policeman, he is imprisoned. His silence makes him appear mysterious, and rumors abound regarding his heroic defiance in jail. The villagers claim him as a local hero and are stunned when he finally admits having betrayed Kihika. Wambui and General R. execute him.

Wambui

A woman in the village who looks older than she is. She carried secrets from villages during the Emergency and became famous for staving off a police search of her person. After Uhuru, though, she seems demoralized.

John Thompson

The DO at Githima, Thompson was once destined for an illustrious career, but the hunger strike and violence led by Mugo at Rira ruined his fortunes. He now oversees Githima and lives with his wife Margery, although their relationship is fraught. He is preparing to return to Britain because he does not want to remain when in Githima blacks are in power.

Gikonyo

A member of the Mau Mau and husband of Mumbi, he spends years in a detention camp dreaming of returning to her. He is bitter and disillusioned when he comes back and finds she has a child by another man. He throws himself into work and becomes wealthy; he is a model for people in the village. He is injured in the Uhuru celebration, but this allows him to start working on his attitude toward Mumbi.

General R

A military man (he served in WWII) whose goals are to get Mugo to speak at Uhuru and to punish Kihika's betrayer. He is stern and quiet and does not boast or get involved in politics. When he was young he had a tyrannical father whom he wanted to kill, and was distressed when his mother stood up for his father even though he beat her. He arrests Mugo and takes him to trial after Mugo confesses.

Conclusion:

A Grain of Wheat is a great advance in Ngugi’s development as a novelist, and this appears in the interrelated betrayals and their consequent effect on Ngugi's five characters. The latter had been involved in the events that led to Uhuru, and were slaves to the memories of their own personal inadequacies. Mugo becomes an outsider fraught with guilt, confusion, and a great remorse. Giconyo, despite Mumbi’s betrayal, he is able to forgive her, and reconsider their relationship. Whereas, Karanja decides to go to live in Githima in order to escape his punishment for his betrayal on the Uhuru Day. By so doing, Karanja is another voice in the dark that may be as catalyst to the hail hay of Khabai people.

Reference

1.    A Journal by Blida Department of English Series Vol. 3, Derider Publication, United Kingdom, 2009

2.    A Grain of Wheat, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o,  Heinemann Education, 1978

Assignment no- 15 Mass Media -EFFECTS OF TELEVISION ON SOCIETY

• Prepared by:  KAVITABA P. GOHIL
• Roll No: 19
• Paper – 15: Mass Media
• M.A (English)   :  Sem -4
• Enrollment No: 2069108420180018
• Batch: 2017-19
• Email: kavitabaprahaladsinhjigohil@gmail.com
• Submitted to: Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English, MKBU. 
• Topic: EFFECTS OF TELEVISION ON SOCIETY
• Total words: 1340.
• Plagiarism in percentage:____%

Television broadcast has broad effects on society all around the world. The strong verbal and nonverbal combination and the facility to highlight different subject matters created one of the most important impressions in mass media. There are so many angles to see as to what extent TV has brought about changes in the daily life of people and the nations as well.

Here we will see some of the key changes affected by TV transmissions in general.

Changes in timings

Most people have turned their daily timings in accordance with their popular programs. Students tend to finish their homework before their favorite show. Homemakers would make their cooking schedule as not to miss the soap tonight. Men would get ready for relaxing by watching programs of their interest.

Much noticeable change is in bed-timings. Early to bed... dictum seems to have lost its meaning and watching TV till late night has become a norm at most households until children get a gaze from parents they tend to fight sleep only to watch a play or a show and discuss it next day with classmates.

Household entity and change in habits

The TV has become one essential household entity. You remove the TV from the house and everybody starts feeling as something is missing. It is this strong feeling of TV presence that is helping change habits pertaining to talking style, eating timings, and seeing relatives, etc.

 Politics and TV

Aware of the strength of TV, many politicians and political parties are more interested in buying time on television and find themselves in a far easier position to address masses in their TV lounges instead of taking pain all the time of going out, arranging public meetings and braving hardships. The TV seems to have dramatically changed the political environment and now people can talk to their leaders who frequently appear on different TV talk shows.

Cultural changes and influences

Perhaps most affected of all areas due to watching TV is the cultural changes that have come about over the years. TV dramas and discussion programs have largely influenced the thought process of many on normal living to acculturation by seeing the blaze of exotic lifestyle. That is one reason that intellectuals always campaign to show as much of local culture on TV broadcast as possible so that cultural identity of a particular region, tribe, nation or clan be kept in its traditional way.

There have been long debates on the influence of other cultures, especially the ones from the west, on the living style of other societies through TV programs. Smelling a deliberate attempt to seduce the youth of conservative societies to the sparkling and bold images of the west, there rages a strong debate under the title of cultural imperialism. Of late, these debates are paying off as there is an element of awareness to resist such manipulations and to keep one’s culture well defended against such invasions. Nonetheless, the conflict of influencing cultures through TV showings during the news, entertainment, and sports are going strong.

Case Study

The nation's established mass media—radio, films, and newspapers—reacted differently to
television's sudden presence in the American home. Radio felt the effects first, as audiences for radio programs, particularly in the evening, dropped sharply in the first half of the 1950s. Radio's relative portability allowed some recovery, especially with the development of the transistor. Then, too, in The 1950s, most Americans only owned one television. Those unhappy with what another family member insisted on watching could listen to a radio elsewhere in the house. 

Moreover, the radio could be a diversion for those doing the dishes or cleaning a room. At the same time, radio listening while driving became much more common as more automobiles were equipped with radios, and the percentage of Americans who owned cars increased. In addition, some radio stations broke with an older industry tradition by targeting a demographic subgroup of listeners, specifically, adolescents.

Stations hired disc jockeys who continuously played rock and roll music. Television stations and networks could only offer a few programs tailored to teens. Advertisers prized their parents more. Radio, in that regard, anticipated the direction of television's competitors after the 1960s. Radio stations continued to narrow their formats by age, race, and politics.

Television presented an enormous challenge to the film industry. Theater attendance dropped sharply in the late 1940s and early 1950s. However, box office receipts were declining even before television arrived in many communities. With marginal theaters closing, the studios responded by reducing the number of movies produced per year. To compete with TV, more films had elaborate special effects and were produced in color. (Not until 1972 did most homes have color televisions.) The collapse of film censorship in the mid-1960s gave Hollywood another edge: violence and sexual situations could be portrayed with unprecedented explicitness that TV producers could only envy.

Although most large studios at first resisted cooperating with the television networks, by the mid-1950s virtually every movie company was involved in some TV production. With some exceptions, most of Hollywood's initial video work resembled the old "B" movie, the cheaper theatrical release of the 1930s and 1940s produced as the second feature for a twin billing or for the smaller theaters, most of which had ceased operations in the late 1950s. In the late 1960s, motion picture firms began producing TV movies, that is, two-hour films specifically for television. At first, they were fairly cheaply mounted and forgettable.

But a few had an enormous impact. ABC's Roots, telecast in 1977, chronicled the history of an African-American family and prompted a new appreciation for family history. Although the TV films remained popular through the 1980s, higher costs caused the networks to lose their enthusiasm for the genre, which all but disappeared from the small screen in the 1990s.

Seeing is believing

The authenticity of news and other informative material has never been more acceptable to people through other means of communication than the one available on TV. People already informed about an event still like to see the news along with footage on TV. For instance, the winning run scored by your favorite team in an exciting match is something people would like to see again although they know the outcome of the match. So is about visuals on accidents, and unusual events like the hanging of Iraqi leader Saddam Husain, etc.

Fashion

Working on the psyche of youth, especially young ladies, TV plays and shows have concentrated over the years in introducing new and trendy dresses, particularly in the advertisements which are an integral part of TV transmissions all across the world. The new hairstyles, dresses, makeup, and even body gestures very quickly gain currency and after any popular show or a drama serial, its fashion effects are easily seen on the people.  (www.zainbooks.com)

Works Cited

www.zainbooks.com. n.d. Website. 4 April 2019. <http://www.zainbooks.com/books/mass-communication/introduction-to-mass-communication_34_effects-of-television-on-society.html>.

Introduction to Education, Technology, and ELT

We can integrate technology in the classroom through various web tools like a powerpoint presentation, Blog task, Flipped learning and social media like Whatsapp and Facebook, in which Flipped learning is very interesting because it broke the traditional norms of teaching and learning in the classroom. Students can learn any time from anywhere through flipped learning. The teacher can engage the students without their presence.

1. Why is it necessary to use Technology in Education? 

 In education, the main focus is on the teaching-learning process. And because of this Teacher is at the center from the very earlier stage of the teaching-learning process. But now time is changing and with the flow of time teaching-learning process is also starts changing. So now Students are at the center rather than the teacher. There are so many methods and approaches for the teaching-learning process but no one can replace technology as the best method of teaching-learning process. That’s why technology is a very important thing in the teaching-learning process and it is necessary for the process of teaching-learning. Self-learning is a very important part of the teaching-learning process with the help of technology. Dec-entering the center from teacher to student.

2. What is the difference between 'using' and 'integrating' technology? & How can we integrate technology? 


'Using' and 'Integrate' both are very similar but they have a big difference. According to the dictionary 'using', ' the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose.' and 'Integrate' means ' to combine to form or create something.' Using Technology means teacher Use technology for teaching making a blog website presentation application form etc. Adjust for helping for teaching it to call to using were to integrate means both are used Technology. It's a two way of using Technology like online task online quiz making a Portfolio making a block using an inspiring it calls integrate. Teacher and learner both are using Technology in the same way.

We can integrate Technology through so social media like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, flip learning, a various tool of MS Office, online course, Google web tools like Google form, Google PowerPoint, Google blogs, Google Plus, Android application, etc through integrating Technology in education. Students can learn anywhere and anytime through engaging Technology.

3. How can we integrate technology? 

As I have said before when we become uploader from downloader, it means that we have integrated technology. We have talked about using technology in education. When teacher use technology to teach students and also make students use technology to learn something. This can be called integration. For example, writing this blog is also can be part of the integration of technology. Our teacher has taught us something and, then we have asked to reflect our views on blogs. This is the way of integrating technology.

4. Can technology replace teacher?

I don't think so, Teacher and technology both are significant in the process of teaching and learning. Technology is better for leaning in the new style, it gives you information but doesn't guide like the teacher. Technology does not teach you a life lesson and not be a role model for you but the teacher can teach these all aspects of life. The teacher teaches you to connect the dots but technology can't. In the age of technology, we have to integrate it into our education but the teacher also much needed to guide.

Furthermore, there are chances that the teachers those who are using technology can replace those who don't.

5. Write in brief on David Crystal's views on 'effect of new technologies on the English language', 'biggest challenge for English language teachers in the times of internet', and 'texting is good for the English language'.

- Effect of new technologies on the English language

-Technology and its development is an ongoing process. From the very ancient time we are using technology in one or another way. As the era of change begins from the discovery of Telephones. We use to communicate with peoples who are living far away. Broadcasting introduce new varieties of language, like the language of news reading, the weather report is different. We use various tools like internet, google, email, blogging, Facebook for communication. These all new technologies developing a new style of English language. They have a distinctive English style. Like each tool includes different numbers of characters, it differs from text messaging to twitters for various purposes.

- The Biggest Challenge for English Language Teachers in the times of Internet 

- To pace with language change is the biggest challenge for teachers because language is changing so fast with the help of internet. The teachers are not familiar with the new talent because their generation is over. The other problem is Globalization. As if the teacher only rely on one kind of English that is British English and taught accordingly to their students then, the students were not able to get other languages when they come in contact with the global market where people from different region speaking a different language with a different accent. There are vast majorities with varieties of accent and dialogues. There is a need to improve listening comprehension and reading from the beginning.

-Texting is good for the English language

-Here he talks about the benefits which texting is giving tothe English language. He also talk about the myth of texting that kids usean abbreviation in text and because of that they don’t know how to spell correct word. David here says that kids do abbreviation because for them it is cool to do it. Secondly ,he says that if they are shortening the word in fthe irst place they know the full word. Another myth about texting is that kids will use their abbreviation in other writings also and they will fail in the exams. Here David says that he has gone to school and ask to kids that will they use text abbreviation in exams and he says that kids are smarter these days, they say that it will make them look dumb. Then he talk about that how it is good for literacy. The person who can read and write is called literate and it will be perfect only by practice. Here David says that texting is making people literate because they are practicing reading and writing. By all these things he says that texting is good for Ethe nglish language.

6. Name the web tool which can help in the development of all four L.S.R.W skills. If possible explains how it works.

I mostly like these 3 tools...
1] Whatsapp
2] Facebook
3] youtube 

visuals effects more to human minds and I am kinetic so love to use these platforms to enhance my knowledge. This platform provides information in such a way that it becomes easy to decode and understand thus I prefer these platforms.

There are some drawbacks too but as we used to say that each coin has two sides, in the same manner, this digital media has also two sides. Some people may satirically joke on the invention of the internet and the mobile phone because it was invented to save the time of human beings but as we can see around the world these platforms waste the huge number of time and thus it can be considered as its drawback. According to me, it depends on the person, people should be smart with technology because day by day technology is becoming smart and people are becoming dumb. Another thing which I found interesting is, the huge number of information is available on this kind of platforms but it is up to a person that how he/she can find authentic information out of it. 

Language Lab Review

A language laboratory is a dedicated space for foreign language learning where students access audio or audio-visual materials. They allow a teacher to listen to and manage student audio, which is delivered to individual students through headsets or in isolated 'sound booths.' Language labs were common in schools and universities in the United States in the two decades following World War II. They have now largely been replaced by self access language learning centers, which may be called 'language labs.


What are the advantages of Language lab?

-Helps to enhance four basic skills
-It gives some kind of test so learners can evaluate them selves,
-phonetics is part of this language lab which helps learners how to pronounce particular word or sentence,
-It can be consider as perfect program for beginners,
-It has 3 different levels so all type of students can learn from this software,



what are the disadvantages of language leb.? 

-it takes too much time to operate
-Need to update every time which is costly,
-languaqge lab. has very limited tools and excersise so it is only useful for beginners,
-Can not move or take it anywhere, so it needs to fix at one place,
-Nowadays there are many mobile apps fulfill all goals of language lab. with in less or few charge...


Therefore, I found it almost less useful for the students of Masters.

Thinking Activity on "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes

This blog is part of my academic activity. To know more about the task click here.

1) How do you understand memory and history with reference to your reading of this novel?

After reading this novel the understanding related to history and memory both has changed. I used to think about memory that it will at some extent forgotten but never distorted. After reading this novel I really feel that we also have that distorted memory, which we want to store as something which has actually not taken place. By doing that we are cheating our selves and others also. So memory and history both are connected. History is written from memory. Now we have seen in this novel how distorted memory can be stored by the individual. If historians take their statements into consideration, we can not trust history either. In the novel, Tony says history is not lies of victors or self-delusion of defeated, history is the memory of survivors. It is told by them who has not gone for a fight from either side and they have survived. They don’t even have first-hand experiences of the things. So these people will remember history in a different way. We can not trust them without any evidence. So we should not trust anything without evidence, not the person and not even history.

2. How do you understand memory and history with reference to your reading of this novel


Ans.  After reading the novel, we can say that memory and history are interrelated. I agree with the given definitions of history in the novel  that:

 'History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation'.'History is the lies of the victors','History is the self-delusion of the defeated',  History isn't the lies of the victors, as I once glibly assured Old Joe Hunt; I know that now. It's more the memories of the survivors, most of whom are neither victorious nor defeated.

Hence, we can say that history is not that particular historian who is witness the historical event or it is not true that history written by victors, there are many histories of loser who defeated by victors. Memory is constructed by people in which they record what is a good memory for them. If we deconstruct or see-through multi-layers then we can't rely on any documented history because there can be an emotional attachment of the people in the documentary and also in this digital era written documentation can also be constructed or fake. so, accordingly to know the real documentation of the historical events we have to go in a deep process and cross check everything.

Thinking activity of The Da Vinchi Code by Dan Brown

1. Brown states on his website that his books are not anti-Christian, though he is on a 'constant spiritual journey' himself, and says that his book The Da Vinci Code is simply "an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate" and suggests that the book may be used "as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith."

 ‘Da Vinci Code’ is a worldwide bestseller book. The novel has generated spiritual debates, discussion, and religious controversy. Brown's novels that feature the lead character Robert Langdon also include historical themes and Christianity as motifs. The novel challenges the “Established knowledge” of Christians. It questions widely accepted beliefs of the Christian religion. But, this novel is a “Theology Fiction” and entirely based on Christianity. As the writer has said on his website that the aim of the novel is to generate spiritual discussion. In this way, it examines the faith of Christian people. If someone truly believes in his God and religion then he will not get affected by any fiction. But on the contrary, it strengths his faith in God and serves as a positive catalyst.

 2. You have studied ‘Genesis’ (The Bible), ‘The Paradise Lost’ (John Milton) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative/s seem/s to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?

‘Genesis’, ‘The Paradise lost’ and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ all three books center on Christianity and God.  Paradise Lost completely based on ‘First disobedience of man’ and the calamity resulted from breaking the rules. According to my opinion, ‘The Da Vinci Code’ seems more truthful though it is rejected as truth by established church and religious leaders. Because it portrays Jesus as a human being rather than God.  As a normal human being, he had a relationship with Mary Magdalene. This narrative is quite convincing to the contemporary young mind. As a youngster, we don’t want to become ‘Divine being’. Because once someone recognized as divine then the high expectation of ‘Idealism’ gets automatically connected. Person no longer remains free to do anything as per his/her wish. But in the Novel, Jesus represented as human being. Thus, his strength, as well as weakness, can be accepted. 

3. When we do a traditional reading of the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University emerges as the protagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as an antagonist. Who will claim the position of protagonist if we do an atheist reading of the novel?

When we do a traditional reading of the novel at that time Robert Langdon emerges as the hero of the novel who wants to keep secret of Holy Grail and the life of Jesus Christ. But when we deconstruct the idea of faith and religion at that time Leigh Teabing emerges as the protagonist of the novel. Leigh Teabing desires to expose the secret of the marriage of Jesus. 

4. What harm has been done to humanity by the biblical narration or that of Milton’s in The Paradise Lose? What sort of damage does narrative like ‘The Vinci Code’ do to humanity?

Ans. AS we know that any religions can be the reason for damage of society because people killed each other on the name of religion or god. Same things we find in Milton's paradise lost in which we find that how Christianity controls people and specially ruled on women. Churches and pope and Bishop only had power even artist and women had no freedom to do something. Same way in Da Vinci code we find that many women can be killed on the name of god, Silas who follow religion blindly and that's why he did four murders for the Grill and gave hard punishment for himself also. So it shows how religion can control the human mind, Silas can't think beyond God even he had not humanity also. So this way the narrative of The Da Vinci code damage humanity.  At some point, movie or novel deconstructs the idea of god but the end is religious. 

5) What difference do you see in the portrayal of 'Ophelia' (Kate Winslet) in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, 'Elizabeth' (Helena Bonham Carter) in Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or 'Hester Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffé's The Scarlet Letter' or David Yates's 'Hermione Granger' (Emma Watson) in last four Harry Potter films - and 'Sophie Neuve' (Audrey Tautou) in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code? How would justify your answer?

If you see in Hamlet and Frankenstein and Scarlet Letter director has move camera all over the women's body part which is not important but still camera has rolled over to the women's body part that is not good sign if we see the original work there is not a single dimensional what we see in the movie that is the difference between the original work and which we see in the movie and one more thing was that it's not a camera which moves on the woman's body but it's a representation of Mens eyes which move on the women's body that is the very bad thing which trains in movie but if you see the Da Vinci Code movie in then you can find that is not a single kissing scene of some of the new DP is not receive present just because in this full movie we can find that how the intellectuality of women is represented not the woman's body is important as we can see it or we can feel it or it's our interpretation , Sophie was very intellectual  more than doctor London

So we can say that whole movie based on the intellectual it not based on the woman's figure or woman body so in this whole movie we find that the women represent as an intellectual but not as a  thing.

6) Does novel/film lead us into critical (deconstructive) thinking about your religion? Can we think of such conspiracy theory about Hindu religious symbols/myths?

Yes, it is by watching movie or reading novel we can come to know that how religion has destroyed so many things lots of poor people and women by religion. Yes we can find it just because of lots of darker side in Hinduism we can find it and which was hidden by our religion gurus or many other people hiding the truth what exactly Godse they make that type of statement that which help them not help to other people if we see in Hindu religion we find that if you belong to the upper status then your life is too good you get a chance everywhere any religious ritual you want to do in your home people are love you it's become a celebration when you doing so in that way we can say that in Hindu religions so many evilness are there which was hidden still not reveal maybe nowadays in modern time it is there but we have changed the design we have to modernize religion that's why we cannot identify but still they are there and still they are attacking to the humanity.

7. Explain Ann Gray’s three propositions on ‘knowability’ with illustrations from the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’.
a.       1) Identifying what is knowable b

.   2) identifying and acknowledging the relationship of the knower and the knownc.      3) What is the procedure for ‘knowing’?

Ans. There are four knowability are there. Here in the novel "  I don't know what i don't know". All characters are well knowledgeable but they can't know the truth. First Sophie, her self if not know that she is a part of this Holly Grail, bloodline etc. second Robert as a good professor not understand this matter and that's why he ask forthe help of Teabing. Then Le - Teabing can't see the Sophie present on her eyes and he doubting on them. And the character of Silas without knowing the truth killed so many people. So knowing the truth is very difficult. Sometimes things are on our eyes or in front of us but before the time or without rational mind we can't see it or reaches to the right path. So sometimes our inner call or intuitive knowledge  is important .

8) When we do a traditional reading of the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University emerges as the protagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as an antagonist. Who will claim the position of protagonist if we do an atheist reading of the novel?

On my point of view Sir Leigh Teabing, was the protagonist of this movie just because he want to  reveal The Secret that's why he was doing for humanity not for on his self just because he wants to save humanity and he wants to  expose the Church has the destroyed humanity and the poor people and woman that's why he was protagonist.

On my point of view, Robert Langdon was not the protagonist of this movie.