Post view task: The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter

Post view task: The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter

Hello readers,
This blog is a part of post viewing task of the play "the Birthday Party" written by Harold Pinter in 1957 and directed by William Friedkin, a 1968 film in which our Professor Dr. Dilip Barad sir gave us task to interpret the movie. Here is the blog link of the given task click here

Post-Viewing Tasks:

1)Why are two scenes of Lulu omitted from the movie?

Lulu’s two scenes can’t omitted from the movie may be Director shown only good thing, and in the movie Lulu's character portrait as differ from novel. And may be he didn’t want to focus on female characters in the movie otherwise he was less focus on female characters justification like Meg and Lulu because this character show only few minutes and Meg and Lulu haven’t individuals identity. In the film we can see Meg most of in the kitchen and Lulu show ready for sexual relationship

  2) Is movie successful in giving us the effect of menace? Where you able to feel it while reading the text?  

yes, the movie giving a successful effect of menace. While we are reading the play at some level it creates that kind of effect but not that much like film does because the audio and visual effects are more effective that reading text. In the movie, we find the effect of menace clearly in the interrogation scene where the number of the question asked and through the loud sound effect and Stanley was sweating in fear and frustration and when Stanley hears about the two strangers he runs in a fear.

3) Do you feel the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie? Where you able to feel the same while reading the text

Yes, I felt the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie. When Stanley constantly biting the drum and during light off after Lulu's screaming voice there scenes are effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie. Petey read newspaper and Meg asking questions there I felt the same to watching movie and reading text.

4)What do you read in 'newspaper' in the movie? Petey is reading newspaper to Meg, it torn into pieces by McCain, pieces are hidden by Petey in last scene.

There are various interpretations of the news paper. In the first scene we see that Petey read news paper and Meg doing household work so in this we can say that newspaper stand for intellectual personality and in other way we can say that Petey is more connected with current scenario of the outside world when Meg is limited to the house. Another interpretation is when we see the Mccain torn the news paper into pieces it shows the ill motive of him that he wants to destroy Stanley as newspaper.

5)Camera is positioned over the head of McCain when he is playing Blind Man's Buff and is positioned at the top with a view of room like a cage (trap) when Stanley is playing it. What interpretations can you give to these positioning of camera?

camera is positioned over the head of McCain when he is playing Blind Man's Buff it suggest that McCain who don’t able to show reality of Goldberg that why he blindly follow Goldberg. When Stanley was playing game at that time camera positioned at the top with a view of room like a cage, this is given sign of Standby position like he is in cage or trap by system.

6 )Pinter restored theater to its basic elements: an enclosed space and unpredictable dialogue, where people are at the mercy of one another and pretense crumbles." (Pinter, Art, Truth & Politics: Excerpts from the 2005 Nobel Lecture). Does this happen in the movie?)

yes, some extent it happens in the movie. Everyone has love and care for each other for instance Meg, lulu and Petey show care for Stanley but at the end when Stanley is in problem no one can helps or even care. So, we can connect this with America and and other countries for example, when many Muslim countries have care and love for other Muslim countries but when America opposes any country like Iran and Iraq then Saudi Arabia can not do anything like Petey, Meg can not do for Stanley because power make them underdog.

7)How does viewing movie help in better understanding of the play ‘The Birthday Party’ with its typical characteristics (like picturesque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger)?

Really Movie help for better understanding of the play 'The Birthday party'. In the movie I can well understand tone like silence, pause , menace. But in the movie I can’t seen Picturesque characteristics while reading a play at that time I was seeing Picturesque characteristics.

8)With which of the following observations you agree:o   “It probably wasn't possible to make a satisfactory film of "The Birthday Party."o    “It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin”[3]. (Ebert)

I agree with second observation because director could make more attractive for audience because this movie is such boring according to me. Waiting for Godot is also absurd play and less even it is attractive when in this movie more characters even like boring for me. So director could make more interesting.

9) If you were director or screenplay writer, what sort of difference would you make in the making of movie?

No I have not make any kind of change and go with the original text and also the same dialogue delivery and Same location I have to put in movie not a single thing I want to change this because it's a perfect no need to change that's why

10)Who would be your choice of actors to play the role of characters?

1) Amirkhan ,2) Amitabh Bachan,3)Aditya ready

Bring out the elements of transcendentalism and anti-transcendentalism from The Scarlet Letter.

• Bring out the elements of transcendentalism and anti-transcendentalism from The Scarlet Letter.

What is Transcendentalism?

Transcendentalism began as a religious concept rooted in the ideas of American democracy. It is a Philosophical movement which developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the eastern religion of the united States as a protest to the general state of cultural and society. The Romantic Movement gave rise to the New England Transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading figure of this movement. In the Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel “Scarlet Letter”, we can also find transcendentalist elements. The movement is entirely opposed to puritan’s so called morality.

What is Anti-Transcendentalism

Anti-Transcendentalism was an opposition movement to the Transcendentalist. The Transcendentalist were writers who supported the beauty of Nature, the kindness of Humans and a distrust in government.



In the novel Immediacies is priest of church and most of people have beliefs priest means divine soul. Author describes nature in the difference way and man it means Dimmesdale show priest so society have perception like Dimmesdale is priest and as man he is good person. Idealists best example of society in the novel society described as ideal like puritan society and set different kind of rule like if anybody committed adultery then punished society. Hester committed adultery so society give punishment forceful wearing 'A' scarlet letter. Novel most of scene is in church Dimmesdale speech like he know everything and reading books as like he has intuition.

Through the novel author may be shown real image of society. And Roger Chillingworth character is example of indifferent human nature. Because Chillingworth motif to take revenge with wife and her lover for this reason he killed one innocent person so his character portrait as evil. While Dimmesdale show as priest and give moral speech to society but actually he is not follow his own speech because he has hidden relationship with Hester. When Hester became pregnant at that time Dimmesdale not ready for serving her responsibilities. So it is dark side of man which is shown by author. Spirituality of society based on puritan morality therefore people follow puritan rules and regulations it is like only blind beliefs.

Dr. Balaji Rang Nathan's lecture on post colonial studies.

Dr. Balaji Rang Nathan's lecture on post colonial studies.

Hello Everyone welcome to my blog!  

                                                    

Here I am sharing my view upon our 3 days (19th August to 21st August) journey of Prof. Balaji Rangnathan sir. Those days are memorable forever, we have learnt many good and new things about syllabus as well as outside world.

 Let's me ponder some glimpse of 3 days Amazing lectures.

On the 19th Aug, sir talked about the Concept of post colonialism and first unit Black skin White Mask. Firstly I was impressed by sir's tone or control, power on language. Sir has very good command and influency over the language. For a second I also wish to have a that kind of command on language. In very simple way, sir talked about Post colonialism and we understood . Then sir says about 8 chapter of the unit 1 ;

Chapters of the first unit

• The Negro and language
• The woman of colour and white man
• The man of colour and white woman
• The So-called dependency complex of the colonized
• The lived experience of the black man
• The Black man and psychology
• The Black man and Recognition

He explains important points like...

                         

Then on second day, Balaji sir dealt with another two chapters ;
• Orientalism by Edward said:

A Tempest by Aime cesaire :-

1) The Scope of Orientalism
2) Orientalist structure and Restructures
3) Orientalism Now

Next he talked about “ A Tempest” by Amie Cesaire and Explain Identity, bhuColonial resiontion ,Appropriation of Language, Term of Rebellion. In the last lecture sir talked on last unit Imaginary Homeland by Salman Rushidie. He explains this unit with interesting example and also talked about writer Salman Rushdie.

Here fanon is rising about binary. He says that it is good form to introduce a work in psychology with a statement of its methodological point of view. I leave methods to be botanists and the mathematicians. There is a point at which methods devour themselves .

Moroever, to understand A Tempest we have to first understand The Tempest by William Shakespeare, we have already gone through it in our class. Now, if we talk about Orientalism, it was a entire book on America and Arabic world. It says how to read postcolonialism. Orientalism asks how do we come to we come to understand people, strangers, who look different to us by virtue of the color of their skin? The central argument of Orientalism is that the way that we acquire this knowledge is not innocent or objective but the end result of a process that reflects certain interests.On the other side sir talked about reality of our life. What should do in further? Sir advised that never take shortcuts, always try to read original one. Try to crack such kind of exam and if u are not able to this then make new another way, don't need to stick with it or disappointed. Make your own way in which you are good and can achieve something. In our class mostly all students want to be professor, but sir said that it is not so that only Prof, is good job. There are many other jobs also. In reality we have to fight and face problems, society, all kind of circumstances . Accept the reality and be happy with whatever u have.They showed real face of world infront of us and we are going to peeped into it

                                             

.                                      Thanks all readers

Waiting for godot

• Thinking Activity: Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett

"Waiting For Godot" written by Samuel Beckett in which students task is to watch movie and write their understanding of the movie of the given points by the professor. Here is the link of professor's blog click here,

1)What connection do you see in the setting("A country road. A tree. Evening.) of the play and these paintings.

:- Through this painting Beckett was inspired for the' setting'of his play - 'Waiting for Godot'.Here Beckett's universe was quite different.His waiting is related to longing in a sense of nature but it was not Beckett's worldly vision.maybe longing or desire maybe fulfilled sometimes but here Beckett's used this Waiting has it's no end.It never going to be finish.. Beckett was inspired by these painting but he makes use of this 'longing' as 'never ending wait'.

2)The tree is the only important ‘thing’ in the setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ?

The tree is a symbol in the play. Many time tree symbolically presented in the play when Vladimir and Estragon try to be hebetate like tree. So, leaves stand for hope and despair. In first scene tree was destroyed so we can interpret and connect it with world war-2 because this play written just after war and in second act this tree have leaves so it stand for hope and also we can say it is changing nature.

3)  In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?

In both the act we find that when night comes its reflection of there life how are absurd they are waiting for something is not come so finally the night is reflection of there lost or something that they want to achieve but then not achieve or then not get success,
And when the moon rise it's reflect that there is one hope that The Dark night will be end with this beautiful moon and there life darkness is also and just like night will end and morning comes so the moon is reflection of hope in Dark night.

4)The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

Yes,I can read they the director feels the settings with some debris.The place where both act plays ,it was a hill ,first day barren tree and second day with some leaves.yet with this kind of debris which Beckett has used it says alot to us . He talk here about human being,its life ,etc

5)The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?

"Nothing to be done" reflects the Existentialism. This theory shows that the life is meaningless, whatever you do it has no ultimate meaning. this play starts with this idea of nothingness. Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot without knowing that he will come or not, is he exist or not, who is he? unclear theme shows the nothingness of the play.

6)Do you agree: "The play (Waiting for Godot), we agreed, was a positive play, not negative, not pessimistic. As I saw it, with my blood and skin and eyes, the philosophy is: 'No matter what- atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything- life goes on. You can kill yourself, but you can't kill life."(E.G. Marshal who played Vladimir in original Broadway production 1950s)?

- Ya, the play "Waiting for Godot" is positive play,not negative ,not pessimistic.But it depends on reader's mind.How reader want to look it. Everybody has its own point of view or perspective.I am agree with that everything goes on life on it's time idea of E.G.Marshal.

7) How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

Samuel Beckett used many symbols in this play in which Hat and Boot are interesting symbols. We can say that hat represented the intellectual, mental ability and thinking and boot represent lower and physical appearance.

8) Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and Nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?

                                                   

How can it's possible a slave is carrying luggage of master and also carry whip from which he maybe beaten still he is giving it to his master.Even when pozzo, the master was blind then why don't lucky leave him why still he is giving whip to pozzo.which kind of this slavishness is.

9)Who according to you is Godot? God? An object of desire? Death? Goal? Success? or...

Its depend on person just because on my point of you " Godot is peace " just because this play come after Second World War so here we find that the player writer or at that times majorly literary work facing absurdity nothingness or westward become hopeless that's why on my point of you Godot is peace.

10) "The subject of the play is not Godot but 'waiting' (Esslin, A search for the self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

Yes, I agree with the Esslin's point of view in 'A search for the self' that the subject and the main theme of the play is 'waiting' not the Godot. We can see that in the play nothing happen except the meaningless waiting. there is no one come and go, all the characters only waiting for someone but no one come. So, we can say the heart of the play is waiting not Godot.

11) Do you think plays like this can better be 'read' than 'viewed' as it requires a lot of thinking on the part of readers, while viewing, the torrent of dialogues does not give ample time and space to 'think'? Or is it that the audio- visuals help in better understanding of the play?

If I say yes it needs reading before play studied.because it was a Absurd play still Samuel Beckett had gone very deep and connected dot with some events or myths.so,before studying play we have to aware about it,our concept should be clear then dialogue or audio-visuals help in better understanding of play.

12) Which of the following sequence you liked the most:

                                          

Vladimir-Estragon killing time in questions and conversations while waiting ,Pozzo-Lucky episode in both acts,Conversation of Vladimir with the boy
Ans. I liked the most the conversation of Vladimir with the boy because except this all are boring and meaningless in some extent, while the conversation with the feel the energy and curiosity in the play because that boy was the messenger of Godot and also that boy frightened Vladimir for telling about Godot. So, first conversation with the boy was the hope for Vladimir and second conversation somewhat despair and revealed Vladimir's selfishness.

13) Did you feel the effect of existential crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe during screening of the movie? Where and when exactly that feeling was felt, if ever it was?

In movie I saw and feel that they are waiting for a person for whom they don't know.Even they don't know who is Godot a human being,a supernatural power,a god or what else? They don't aware then still why they waiting.We have our Existence in life then we have think it and use it on proper way.As Vladimir and Estragon are talking to pass time they are raising rational questions then what about their identity or existence.

14) Vladimir and Estragon talks about ‘hanging’ themselves and commit suicide, but they do not do so. How do you read this idea of suicide in Existentialism?

Suicide in existentialism we find that it's a symbol Suicide in existentialism we find that it's a symbolically represent the death by philosophy suicide means philosophical suicide at that moment person stop to thinking that is the suicide which we call philosophical suicide.

15) Can we do any political reading of the play if we see European nations represented by the 'names' of the characters (Vladimir - Russia; Estragon - France; Pozzo - Italy and Lucky - England)? What interpretation can be inferred from the play written just after World War II? Which country stands for 'Godot'?

So far as Pozzo and Lucky [master and slave] are concerned, we have to remember that Beckett was a disciple of Joyce and that Joyce hated England. Beckett meant Pozzo to be England, and Lucky to be Ireland." (Bert Lahr who played Estragon in Broadway production). Does this reading make any sense? Why? How? What?

Ans. Yes, we can interpret the political reading in which Vladimir stand for Russia, Pozzo stand for Italy, Lucky stand for England and Estragon stand for France. So, we can connect this to the world war in which these all countries destroyed by Godot means Germany that is why Vladimir asked to the boy that is Godot beating? Then boy replied yes. So we connect Godot with Germany means Hitler, who destroyed many countries and killed thousands of people. And other interpretation of Pozzo and Lucky master and slave in which we connect Pozzo with England and Lucky with Ireland, so in this matter Ireland struggling a lot with England and recently we have seen Brexit pact.

16) The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy;s question, Vladimir says:

yes,there is a change in Act 1and Act 2. When in Act 1 boy comes to them and asked Vladimir that what I asked to Godot sir ? Then Vladimir replies that tell him that you saw us,and in Act 2 when boy asked the same question and Vladimir replies a quite different,this time he says you tell Godot that you saw me not us.So,here comes self-perspective ,he thought that if Godot comes then he will save me and Estragon was sleeping so he wasn't thought about him.According to Vladimir only he deserved God's attention or presence.so,here we can see self motive of Vladimir.It was a great change in both act and it questions on humanbeing,how a person was changed.

Fims Review: Midnight's children's and The Reluctant Fundamentalist and The black prince

• Film of Postcolonial studies: 1) Midnight's Children, 2)The black prince 3)The Reluctant Fundamental  
• 
  
• Hello! Everyone , welcome to my blog.
  
  Here I am going to share my review upon three movies ,which task was given by Dilipsir,so here it's link; https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2015/09/postcolonial-studies-film-screening.html?m=1
  

1) midnight's children

It is a related with postcolonial study and very best example to study of postcolonial.
Story begin with first world war and with India's democracy is very darkest decision like Emergency. Also speak about three generations story. Here author explain his experience and relate with Nation born. Nation and protagonist both are born on at same time. Two Main character are there Salim and Shiv and and Meri change the destiny of both the child and how the tragedy occurs between the children's life are portrayed here
The Midnight Children film is a controversial potboiler that has tragedy, romance and comedy. A journey of two individuals through the tragic disasters, trials and triumphs gives you an incomparable experience of watching India in the early years of Independence .Here, also the good use of background music which symbolize many thing, the nose of Ghani family also a symbol. The narrative techniques also used in very good way to understand the story. And also a camera focus was excellent, while the Tajmahal scene came that time camera focused more on the poor conditioned house rather than Tajmahal. So, here film tried to show the real India through camera technique.
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2)The Reluctant fundamental

The Reluctant Fundamentalist a novel written by Pakistani Writer Mohsin Hamid and then adopted in film directed by Mira Nair in 2014. The story is about the young man Changez Khan who attracted to American Business culture. He was an intellectual and respected person in American wall street business company. The Reluctant Fundamentalist a novel written by Pakistani Writer Mohsin Hamid and then adopted in film directed by Mira Nair in 2014. The story is about the young man Changez Khan who attracted to American Business culture. He was an intellectual and respected person in American wall street business company. This is what postcolonial study is reflecting. To look at things and to believe is not an easy task. One must have to see the gaps in literature, in history. There must be retailing of past so that some minor things which are not taken into consideration should get reflected. We have to look at minor narratives rather than meta narrative in understanding the things in better way.

3) The black prince

The Black Prince is a 2017 international historical drama film directed by Kavi Raz and featuring the acting debut of Satinder Sartaaj. It tells the story of Duleep Singh, the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire and the Punjab area, and his relationship with Queen Victoria.The story revolves around the young prince as he attempts both to regain his throne and reconcile himself with the two cultures of his Indian birth and British education.Here in movie we find issues like ; Skin colour, Difference or classism among Black people and white people,post colonialism, political power,About queen Victoria and his power. Duleep Singh is eventually able to reestablish contact with his mother and as a result begins to reconnect with the culture of his birth. Duleep attempts to return to India to reclaim his kingdom, but is continually thwarted by British colonial politics.Edward never became king - he died before his father, Edward III - he is remembered as a great medieval military hero, with notable victories against the French in the Hundred Years War.In the movie prince Duleepsingh play roll as a protagonist. Movie reflected good side of British government though providing so many things for prince but Prince always prefers conman life. Mother of the princes also hate British government and people.

                                                Thanks

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Movie Review The great dictator

• Movie review : The great dictator 

 literature We saw movie of " The Great Dictator" by Charlie Chaplin at department of English. We get lot of enjoyed and learn something new from the movie.

 As a part of the modern The Great Dictator is an outstanding classic film by Charlie Chaplin. This controversial masterpiece offers both a cutting caricature of Hitler and sly tweaking of his own comic persona.

Chaplin’s film made huge cultural waves around the world except in Germany. This movie was set in a fictitious country called Tomainia and it was obviously Germany. In this movie two major roles: Adenoid Hynkel(dictator) and Jewish barber were played by Charlie Chaplin.

Love and Woman voice:- In the movie Barber falls in love with a neighbor and beautiful girl 'Hannah' and both are try to resist against military forces. Why both are fights with them? because they all are faced some trouble of the system. In the movie both are love each-other. Hannah was a planed to marry with him but both saw to flesh back then they remembering some thing like rules of love. They can't love each other freely. So many times increased question that Why government take interest in public's personal life ? here I found Woman mostly working for man and She work in shop of barber and she also goes to selling potato. In the last scene one man tonsured woman but She can't do anything.

"Ghetto" is area and marked of Jewish people in Europe which hews were permitted to live there. in many times ghettos were places of terrible poverty and during periods of population growth. here in the movie i could find they had narrow streets and small, crowded house rather than another. same as in nowadays poor, low caste people even

villages don't have comfortable houses. Ghetto is for rich people area.

The modern times, it also ends with the hope of better coming. The last setting of the movie was also far from urban life.

                                          Thanks

                                   

Movie review : Charlie Chaplin's ' modern times'

• Movie review: Chaplin's ' modern  time'
  
    

       25th  June we are watching a Charlie Chaplin's movie 'modern times' . It is also political satire. He used very symbolic tools in movie.

          He was a multi talented man because he was good actor, director, writer, producer and also music compose in the movie. One Person managed all thing.  

           Charlie Chaplin's movie are mostly minimum use of language. during his time know age' silent era movie' so he present many critical view without language in  movie. He use very comic tone in the movie.

            The trap working on the giant machine in the film's most famous scene.

   

Movie started with interesting view. He compare man crowd with sheep crowd. It is nice organization by director How technology helpful? And how it's harmful? To there are good example in the movie.

           Charlie Chaplin as a factory worker. He mistake in work so that he removed many time from factory. As a result he became jobless. Especially  he has not fulfill desire of food and cloth. So in the movie we can find that he saw dream of food. When he sleeps more over he went to jail in many  times through policeman.

 The other main character is GAMIN. She belongs to a poor family. she father was unemployed.  It is a big problem  she become a thief normally for food.  She faced orphan condition after his father death.

   The last both are hopeful. they say last is not die but with hope. It is symbol of journey.

Thank you Dilip bard sir  for organizing this movie screening.