Thinking Activity : Movie Screening - Frankenstein

Hello Readers! 

On  20th November 2019, Hinama'am and movie Screening committee organised movie Screening "Frankenstein" directed by Kenneth Branagh. This movie was Adaptation of famous novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Based on this movie screening we have task on does movie screening help us to batter understanding of novel? This movie screening definitely increase our understanding level of novel and it helps a lot to connecting dots with movie and original novel. This movie screening also help us to batter understanding of novel. This task given by Hinama'am zala professor of English department. Click here to learn about this task. 

Mary Shelley 

                       Mary Shelley 
                      (1797 to 1851)

Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, in London, England. She married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1816. Two years later, she published her most famous novel, Frankenstein. Based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel, this novel tells the story of Dr. Victor von Frankenstein, a promising young doctor who,  devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life.


Pre-Viewing tasks : 

1. what is Gothic Scientific fiction? 

     Gothic science fiction is a macabre sub-genre that crosses Scientific Fiction and Gothic literature. Gothic Scientific Fiction tends to have the same atmospheric qualities of Gothic literature, but does not delve into the depths of horror. The sub-genre takes typical elements of Gothic literature and explains them scientifically. Some examples of common characteristics of Gothic fiction: mystery: the supernatural, haunted houses, castles,darkness, death and decay, romance madness, monsters. 

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was Gothic Scientific fiction. We see that  all the characteristics of Gothic Scientific novel in the Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. 

2. What is Frame narrative?

Frame story is a story set within a story,narrative, or movie, told by the main or the supporting character. A character starts telling a story to other characters, or he sits down to write a story, telling the details to the audience. This technique is also called a "frame narrative", and is a very popular of literary technique employed in storytelling and narration.

There are many examples of this technique used by Mary Shelley in her novel, Frankenstein. She has given multiple framed stories in this novel. For example Robert Walton describes a story- told by Frankenstein, - in his letters that he writes to his sister. Frankenstein's story contains the tale of a creature, and the creature's story briefly contains the story of the family with which he has been living.

3. What is the point of view of the author?

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with the assumption of the finding the story's to both disturb and entertain is a key to finding why she wrote it. The novel she inform about her remarkable idea of  a man-made creature appeals to the reader in two ways at the same time. For one novel makes a strong emotional appeal to deep wishes for immortality in man and for an understanding of human origin. On the other hand, most of the plot of her novel is the creator's reaction to his creation and is weakly connected to the idea of man-made life.

4. Do you have confusion about the title of the novel?

  Mary Shelley gave a very appropriate title of her novel "Frankenstein". Mostly in the literature title given of any literary work based on main character and central theme or central idea of work. Here we can see that the central character of victor  Frankenstein and novel narrated about the story of Frankenstein. I have not any confusion about the title of the novel.

5. Who do you think the real monster, the creator or the creature?

what is the real monster in the novel?
Monster himself
Knowledge
Victor Frankenstein
Society

some say that society is a real monster because of society doesn't accept him because of his ugly look. when he realised that victor was responsible of his creation, he decide to take revenge. He was many time neglected by society.
 
As per my knowledge, I think that creator or society both are real monster. First we see that how creator means victor is real monster. The monster is only the most literal of a number of monstrous entities in the novel. including the knowledge of victor used to create the monster. Victor himself is a kind of monster, as he ambition,secrecy, and selfishness alienate him from human society. Ordinary on the outside, he may be the true "monster"inside as he is eventually consumed by an obsessive hatred of his creation. He was not able to accept his creation because of  ugly look of his creation. As a creator of creature he had to take care of him but he didn't it. When his creature desire for partner then victor neglected to create because he thinks of negative aspects that both these monsters were dangerous for society.

6. What is the significance of the subtitle "The Modern Prometheus"?

The subtitle of the novel "The Modern Prometheus" Is signified a lot it's suggests about revolutionary changes in the modern world.

• While viewing the movie : 

1. How is the beginning and the end of the movie?

The beginning of the movie in stormy atmosphere like North Pole and than Walter  tell the story of victor Frankenstein and his creation of monster.

And the end of the novel in same context of North Pole victor Frankenstein's funeral by the  monster and the end of both.

2. Do you feel the effect of horror in the movie?

Yes, of course  I feel the effect of horror in the many of scenes  in the movie.

When Victor make Scientific experiment on dead human body this scenes also very horrible.

We feel horrible when Elizabeth burn herself in the fire.

3. What do you think about character of the Monster in the movie?

In the movie monster presented as evil character because of he done murder of people and people think that he was dangerous for society. But as my perception  actually society and Victor  play dangerous role of monster's life. Monsters looks is very ugly so he was rejected by his creator victor. When monster enters in society people very afraid of his ugly looking. Society also doesn't accepts monster they behave very rudely with him. Do you think what is condition of monster when he was rejected by his creator or society? Obviously he was became very angry on his creator  because of he made with very ugly look. When monster realise that victor was responsible for his condition he decides to take revenge with victor. He also good person we can see that when he was helps one family for food.

The creature goes on  to say "I required kindness and sympathy but,  did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it".
Monstor was alone he need to someones  company, so he ask victor for making female monster but victor didn't it. Because victor afraid that he was harmful for society. At the end of the movie he was died with his creator. I really feel sympathy for character of monster.

• Post Viewing task : 

1. Difference between Mary Shelley's novel and Kenneth  Branagh's movie ?

I can not read Original novel so its difficult for me to find out difference between Mary Shelley's novel and Kenneth Branagh's movie. 

2. Does the movie help you to understand narrative structure of the novel? 

Yes, this movie helps a lot to understanding the novel in better way. The process of creating monster by victor is very well presented by Kenneth Branagh in his film. We can easily understand  the whole plot in 2 hour of movie screening. The whole incidence are well presented. 

3.What do you think about the creation of lady monster in the novel and Elizabeth's look of a monster in the novel?  

In the movie we see that victor make a man monster. Monster looks very ugly so he rejected his creation. We can see that when monster ask victor for creation of lady monster he didn't it. But when monster killed Elizabeth victor made a lady monster of Elizabeth. Because victor loves Elizabeth so he does not want to lose Elizabeth that's why he create lady monster and he accept her.  The monster of Elizabeth was very ugly looking. When Elizabeth realised that victor make her monster so she doesn't accept it and she burn herself in fire.

Such a novel and movie of Frankenstein was really interesting.

Thank you...

Thinking Activity : Matthew Arnold

Hello Readers! 

We have a task on write about our understanding on Characteristic of good poetry and Criticism according to Matthew Arnold. Task given by Dilip Barad Sir head of English department Mkb university. 

Let's we look the short biography of Matthew Arnold before discuss the Arnold's views on good poetry and criticism. 

Matthew Arnold 

              (  Victorian poet and critic )

Victorian age has produced many outstanding critics, novelists, thinkers and philosophers. Among them Arnold occupied a respectable position as a poet and critic. We all are known that Arnold was greatest English Victorian writer. He was born on December 24,1822 ,England. As a poets,  the work that gives Arnold his high place in history of literature and the history of ideas was all accomplished in the time he could spare from his official duties. 

Among the major Victoria writers, Matthew Arnold is unique in that his reputation resets equally upon his poetry and his poetry criticism. Many readers have come to see Arnold as the most modern of the Victorians. Arnold himself defines "The Modern" in his first lecture as professor of poetry at Oxford in 1857, "On the modern element in literature". This lecture marked Arnold's  transition from poet to social and literary critic. 

•  Matthew Arnold As a critic :

Matthew Arnold was a good critic. A critic basically a teacher and he must keep in mind that literature is criticism of life. Arnold tries to elaborate the definition of criticism by saying that, 

" It is endeavour in all branches of knowledge like theology, philosophy, history, art and science to see the object as itself it is rarely".

Critic must be disinterested 

Arnold emphasizes upon the word 'Disinterested' , the critic must be impartial without any prejudices. Critic must be disinterested in evaluating and in giving judgment.

Matthew Arnold had essay called "Function Of Criticism". Matthew Arnold mention there that great epochs of creativity doesn't come often and he mentions for examples, renaissance was very high period then there has come subsequent law and in that context Arnold mentions that critic have a very important role to play and that role is that the critics should provide fresh ideas to the authors.

• Characteristic of Good poetry  : 

Arnold's poetry is considered, a different meaning must be applied to the term modern than that applied to the ideas of the critic, reformer and Prophet who dedicated most of his life to broadening the intellectual horizons of his countrymen of indeed, the whole English -speaking world.

Poetry is something more than Keats "Beauty is truth, truth Beauty ". of  which Arnold was later to say that is not "all ur need to know ", though it is much. It is source of moral therapy for the age and a surrogate for the weakening Christian faith. These views anticipate Arnold's lectures on Translating Homer(1861), in which "nobility" is seen as a major characteristic of Homer and "The study of poetry "(1880), which proclaims that the strongest part of our religion today is its unconscious poetry.

"poetry as a criticism of life" Arnold explains criticism of life as the application of nobel and profound ideas to life, and laws of poetic truth and 'beauty as truth, and seriousness of matter' and 'felicity and perfection of diction and manner'. Arnold believes that poetry does not represent life as it, rather poet adds something to it from his own noble nature and and this contributes to his criticism of life.

• Arnold's Touchstone Method :

Arnold's touchstone method of criticism was really a comparative method of criticism. He respected the ancient Greek, Roman and French author as the model to be followed. The old English authors like Shakespeare, Spencer, Milton were also taken as model. Arnold took selected passage from the modern author and compared them with ancient author and decided there merits. This method is called Arnold's "Touchstone method".


Thank you..... 

• References : 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Matthew-Arnold

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/matthew-arnold

Workshop on Quality and Authenticity of web Resources.

Hello Readers! 

On 19th November 2019,we have attended a workshop on Quality and Authenticity of Web Resources.  A session in workshop mode on evaluating quality of web resources. This workshop organized at English Department through Dr. Dilip Barad  head of English department, Mkb university. In this workshop Sir teach us to how evaluating quality of any web resources.  As a  student we have face difficulty in writing assignment or research papers for seminars is to evaluate the quality and authenticity of internet resources provided by search engines. Sir very well explained that how to evaluate the websites.

• Turnitin : 

Turnitin is the global leader in evaluating and improving student writing. The company's cloud based service for originality checking, online grading and peer review saves instructors time and provides rich feedback to students. One of the most widely distributed educational applications in the world. Turinitin is used by more than 10,000 institutions in 126 countries to manage the submission, tracking and evaluation of students papers online. 

What constitutes "Research " for students today has come to mean "Googling ". As a way to address this gap in students skills, Turnitin has developed a source evaluation rubric for educators to share with their students.  The rubric, created by secondary and higher education instructions,  is designed to help students evaluate sources that they use in their writing. 

At the end of this workshop, we have task to evaluate Quality of  any three web Resources. So let's we try to evaluate three web Resources.

• Appendix : SEER ( Source Educational Evaluation Rubric) Worksheet :

1.  3.0. - 4.0. : Highly Credible, quality                            Sources. 
2.  2.0. - 3.0. :  Credible Sources 
3.  1.0. - 2.0. :  Questionable Sources 
4.  0.0 -  1.0. :  Unacceptable or                                           inappropriate Sources. 

• The Rubric is built on five criteria 

In the workshop dilip Sir explained this five criteria. This criteria are evaluated along a numerical scale anchored by an explicit call out to  "Credibility " , a move to make to make the Scroes more informative for students. 

The Rubric is built on five criteria

Authoritative  In Authoritative we checked about the site that is referenced and linked to by authors. Information is well referenced or cited and written by authors with expertise in the content area.

Educational Value  In educational value we have check that Does the site content help advance educational goals? Or instructional goals?

Intent  In intent we have check that is the site a well respected source of content intended to inform users?

Originality  Is the site a source of original content and viewpoint?

Quality  Is the site highly vetted with good coverage of the topical area?

1. Sparknotes : 

• Authoritative : 4
• Educational value : 3
• Intent : 3
• Originality : 3
• Quality : 3 

I have many times refers this website. Spark notes is highly informative and is well referenced to original content. This website also cited and expertise in the content area. This website provide us many instructions and it's source of original content and viewpoint. 

2 . Encyclopedia Britannica  : 

• Authoritative :  4 
• Educational Value  : 4
• Intent  : 3
• Originality : 3 
• Quality  : 2

For educational value in this site we find the biography of any Auothers. And it's also help us to advance educational goals in competitive exam like net or gset etc..

3. Poetry Foundation : 

• Authoritative  : 4 
• Educational Value : 4 
• Intent  3 
• Originality  4 
• Quality  3 

It is a non-subscriptions site that offers authored content. For the educational value in this site we find many poems of many scholars poets in by just one click and it helps to achieve advance educational goals. This site is highly vetted with good coverage of the topical area and this site provides original content. 

So,  the workshop on  Quality and Authenticity of Web Resources is very fruitful for us. We all are thankful to Dilip Barad Sir who organized this workshop and he explained that how evaluating quality of any web resources. 

Thank you.... 

Flipped learning : T. S. Eliot Tradition and Individual Talent

Hello Readers! 

We have academic task on Flipped  learning in which we have watching the videos and then write about the concept of videos ,what is our understanding and asking questions. Listing is very important skill for develop our  understanding.  This task given by Dilip Barad Sir head of English  department. Flipped learning task is very helpful for us to understanding concept of any works.  Click here to know about this task. 

Video 1 : 

In the first video of introduction about T. S. Eliot's contemporary critics. And division of Eliot's persona and world in three segments. Explained by Dr. Ketan vyas Sir Associate professor.

Eliot is one of the seminal 20th century critics and many other critics of this area. The new criticism began with I. A. Richards and T. S. Eliot. Afterwards Sir talks about the New School of Criticism. And the three important critics and their works in which they gave their opinion.

1 . Allan Tate :    Tension in poetry 
2.  J. C. Ransom : The new literature 
3.  Cleanth Brooks  : Language of paradox. 

Eliot essay and Theory divided into three parts. Eliot wrote the  "The Preface to Lancelot " in which he says that he is a classist in literature.

Video  2. 

The second video explained by Dr. Sanjay Mukhrji.He told  about the T. S Eliot's concept of Tradition. And how individual talent is associated with tradition.

T. S Eliot uses this term with positive connotation or negative. Secondly we come to know how the individual talent associated with it. It connotes that at particular time, place over a period of people living and believe in certain principles and beliefs and carry out way of life. Eliot speaking from modern critics point of view and there is always this tension between somebody being traditional and somebody is modern. 

 Eliot actually means the seconds positive sense although we have to be really reading between the lines of this essay and when we do so, we will realize that Eliot is actually criticizing romantics with their great deal of emphasis on the individual. 

Eliot wants to assert that he is seeing this term in the very positive sense. Individual does not cut itself away from the tradition. Tradition for Eliot as he mentioned in the essay is already an existing monument. Eliot criticizing the romantics, but the he seems to be carrying a thread froward from Matthew Arnold with when Matthew Arnold talks the historical sense. 

Video 3 :  

The third video is about explanation of "some can obsorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it." Explained by Dr Sanjay Mukharji.

Eliot demands from his poet as well as from his readers a wide reading. Shakespeare seems to be unexceptional because if he says that everyone has to very well read every creative artist and then cumming down to the modern readers. We find that is no mention that Shakespeare went to any university. Dr. Jonson says  to the extended in his preface to Shakespeare that he knew no other languages than English. In this sense Shakespeare was not highly educated in conventional sense but still that he has a wide array of entire cross section of characters,of themes of ideas in his works.

Speaker mention the Arnold essay called  Function of Criticism in present time. Arnold mention that critics have a most important role to play and his role is that the critics should provide fresh ideas to the author.

Video  4 : 

T. S Eliot making some reference to chemical reactions. In the forth video speaker told about the  what is the relevance of this scientific chemical reaction with arts and humanities. Early in the twentieth century, it then tries to bring in the elements of science and the vigor of science into humanities and arts. T. S Eliot refers to is the in the laboratory the formation of sulfuric acid,  which is our H2so4.

Speaker told about the creative process. Since long if we look at Plato , Plato thought that poets create through a grip of frenzy. Aristotle differed from Plato's views and he said that poet make something, they create something. Dryden gives his views of creative process in three different stages.

Video : 5 

In this video T. S. Eliot's essay divided into three parts.

Tradition and it's importance

            Tradition is not followed the rituals, costume and regulations and rules. Tradition is the concept of both past and present.

Poetic process

Not an expression but an escape from personality. Eliot says that tradition is affected. He criticizes the imitation of poet.

Shift attention from Author to Tex

The death of the author is not physical but Biographical elements. He suggests that to the author is dead and impersonalized.

• Question : 

Video 1 : 

1.what is practical criticism. 

2. What is a New School of criticism. What is main purpose of New School of criticism. 

Video 2 : 

1.  Eliot uses such words as surrendering to the tradition sacrificing one from self.. What is Eliot try to say in this words?

2.  Why modern are good or tradition are not so good?
Video 3 : 

1. Arnold mention that the critics role is that the critics should provide fresh ideas to the authors. How?

Video  4 : 

1. Plato thoughts that  Poets create through a grip of frenzy. What is the grip of frenzy?

After watching videos we all asked  many questions and in the class Sir gave answer of all those  questions. As we asked above. Generally in the class only few students ask questions but in the flipped learning we have compulsory ask questions in Google classroom by this thing all students asked questions. So flipped learning is very helpful for us to better understanding and develop our thinking skill.


              Thank you ...........

Introductory Thinking Activity : Nature

Hello readers!  

Here I would like to written blog on nature. What is nature for me , what is my feelings in natural beauty and how natural things teach us life lessons. Task given by Vaidehi ma'am professor of  Department of English .

• Nature 

Nature is a most important part of our life. Many of writer and poet write many things about nature. Like William Wordsworth,  Samuel Taylor Coleridge and  John Keats etc...  They write many of poem based on nature. They explore the beauty of nature and Wrote  mysterious things of nature in their works. William Wordsworth was one of the famous romantic poet. Most of his poem is based on nature and we feel it when we read his poem. 

• What is our feelings in nature :

When we are  surrounded by nature we  feel peace without any burden and tension of life. I would like to spend my time with nature. Natural things and beauty provides us aesthetic delight. The air smells sweeter , the sun burns brighter,  the colors seems more vivid, and time almost seems to stand still. Whether we are hiking, kayaking, watching wildlife or just enjoying a quiet picnic, there's something about unspoiled nature that simply soothes our soul.

Nature is our origin and the place,  where all our subtle needs for beauty,  mystery and adventure are met. Nature holds many gifts for us but if we prove willing to explore it's magnificent diversity. We are very sensitive in nature's  beauty, finding miracles and interesting things everywhere.

There is magic and wonder for eyes we know that how to look nature with curiosity and love. We feel connected to nature, we can hardly explain why nature impressed us so much, or why do we seek to spend time in nature. The truth is that we are part of nature. We feel powerful feeling in nature. When we disconnected from nature , we forget who we are. To live a happy and healthy life, we need to feel at peace with our environment and to be able to enjoy the beauty around us. Nature provide us all the things we need to be happy and I'm also feel happy in nature.

          "Nature always wears the 
            Colors of the spirit ".
                          -Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Yess we can say that nature wears many colors. In various season of nature like Autumn, winter,  monsoon, spring etc.. We see that nature's different colors and we can feel that nature wears various colors. Nature speaks to us through different images, landscape, colors, patterns, and  forms of exquisite beauty.  As we admire nature's beauty, our emotions and feelings became part of it. In spring, nature comes back to life. Tree, flowers and birds announce us that the world will be covered again in color and and sun will finally have the power to warm us up.

Walking in nature has healing power for our minds and souls. Nature give us silence, peace, harmony and beauty. Walking in nature is free and efficient therapy for our stressed, Fast-paced lives. We can say that nature has its own language. By which it speaks to us when we are paying attention, by listening nature's song. Such as a tree, flowers or birds. We also like to singing with them. I feel wonderful when I'm alone in nature and sung a song below the tree. It's provide me delight. We are part of the nature.

• William Wordsworth :

We know that William Wordsworth was great Romantic poet. Wordsworth is a nature poet,  a fact known to every reader of Wordsworth. He is a Supreme worshiper of nature. He believed that between man and nature there is mutual consciousness .

  "My heart leaps up when I behold 

   A rainbow in the sky "

This is a best nature poem of Wordsworth. Wordsworth expresses a number of the several feature of romanticism : a love of nature, the relationship between the natural world and the individual self. The rainbow is best nature poem.

We also feel aesthetic delight when we see rainbow in the sky. We see that nature wears a various colors. It's very best moment for me when I first see the rainbow in the sky and when I read Wordsworth's poem "The rainbow " I also feel this poem.

• Nature is teacher 

According to Wordsworth " nature be your teacher ". It is right nature teach us many things. Nature is a  richness of colors, forms, elements that change with every day that passes. Every moment of the day and every moment of the year shows us a different face of nature. This thing teach us that nothing is permanent in the world. Everything is changing , our life is changing in various mode. The fall of leaves is teach us to many things. In the wilderness of mountains and ocens,  we find balance and strength again. Whenever we stop and pay attention to our hearts, we will hear the call wild. 

Nature teach us all the life transforming lessons of greatness, beauty, patience, hard-work, peace, renewal, generosity, kindness, acceptance, and many more. Nature is really great teacher. The best lesson we learn from nature is to be the giver rather than receiver. Sun, moon, trees, river and many natural things teach us to lots of things and give  life lessons .when we are in critical situation we not find any ways that how to face situation that time river teach us that how find a way in difficult situation. There are many natural things teach to how face difficult situation. 

Here I would like to put some natural images. I click many Image when I visit natural beauty. 

Malnath Hills Bhavnagar 

Malnath Hills Bhavnagar 

Dwarka 

Dwarka (Gujrat) 

Victoria Park Bhavnagar 

Victoria Park Bhavnagar 

             

We are surrounded by nature and because of if we often tend to overlook it's beauty and it mysteries. We feel the pleasure and delight in natural beauty. 

             Thank you....