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‘Heir Conditioning’ by M.SHANmughalingam
Poem
M.SHANmughalingam• GraduatedfromUniversitiMalaya–MastersdegreefromHarvardUniversity–DoctoratefromOxfordUniversity.
• Poemsandshortstoriesfeaturedandanthologiespublishedworldwide.
Overview
• Dialoguebetweenthegrandparentsandtheirgrandchild.• Twodifferentviewsfromtwogenerationsonrespectivewayoflife.• Thetwogenerationsfaceddifferentenvironmentalandspiritualproblems.• TheoldergenerationrespectednatureandfearedGod.• Theyoungergenerationfacesenvironmentalproblems,hasbecomemorematerialisticandhasnorespectfornature.
• Time–20thcenturywithreferencetomoderngadgets• Currentenvironmentalproblemsofpollution,destructionofnature• Mentalandspiritualproblems–money-mindedandstress-related• Place–livingroomingrandson’shouse,andvillagehomeofgrandparents
Setting
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• Thetoneismatter-of-fact,serious,frankandhonest• Thegrandfatherandthegrandchildshowconcernforeachother’swayoflifeinamatter-of-factway
• Themoodisreflectiveasthegrandfathermakesanunhappycommentwiththepresentgeneration’smaterialisticapproachtolifeandnature.
Tone & Mood
• Threepersonasinthepoem–grandfather,grandmotherandthegrandchild
• Usespronouns‘we’and‘I’
Persona
• Structure–thepoemiswritteninfreeversewithnofixedrhymeandhastwostanzas
• Style–simpleanddirect.Itiswrittenasifadialogueisgoingonbetweenthegrandparentsandthegrandchild
• Language–simple,directandeasytounderstandasthepersonasaretalkingabouttheirdailylives
Structure, Style & Language
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• …was it hard staying alive without modern inventions?
• Could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities?
Rhetorical Question
• Thereisaclearimageofanolderpersoncomfortablyfanningherselfwithapaperfan.
• Thereisalsotheimageofforestsandhillsbeingclearedoftheirgreencoveringandstreamsdyingfrompollution.
Imagery
• Acomparisonismadeoftwodifferentwaysoflifeandtheirconsequences
• Thespiritualandphysicalattitudeofthetwogenerationstonatureisalsocompared.
Comparison
• Anexampleofalliterationasusedinstanza1:‘…flustered as you fluttered with paper fans?’
Alliteration
• ‘Paperfan’isasymbolorindicationofthesimplelifeinthepast.
• ‘Airconditioner’representstechnologyorthepresent
Symbolism
• Useofcommoneverydaywordslike‘breathe’.‘communicate’and‘pollution’etcshowsthatthepoemhasasimpleanddirectapproach.
Diction
PoeticDevices
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Metaphor
• Theword‘ignorance’meanstobelessknowledgeabletechnologically
• Thephrase‘moneyisyournewGod’indicatesthatmoneyissoimportanttotheyoungergeneration.
Figurative Language
• ‘Naturefearsyou’–natureasinthephysicalfeaturesofhills,forestsandstreamshasbeengiventhehumanqualityofbeingafraidofman.
• ‘moneyisyournewGod’–moneyhasbeengiventhehumanqualityofbeingrespectedanddesired
Personification Pun
• Thetitle‘HeirConditioning’isapunusedinplaceofairconditioning
• Itreferstotheyoungergenerationwhoinheritstheworldandhowtheyhavereacted.
• Theoldergenerationwantsthemtoactmoreresponsibly.
Moral Values
• Wemustbegratefulwithwhatwehave
• Presentdayvaluesaredifferentfromyesteryears
• Greedcanleadtodestruction• Theyoungergenerationhasdifferentvaluesfromtheoldergenerations
• Preservetheenvironment• Wemustpayahighpricefordevelopment.
Theme
• Progressordevelopmentbringsproblemsthatcanaffectourqualityoflife.
• Challengesinlife• NatureisagiftofGodtoman
• Manandnature• Greedandmaterialismhaveconsequences
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‘I Wonder’ by Jeannie Kirby
Poem
Overview
• Time:thepresent,dayandnight• Place:parkorplayground,fieldoropenareaandcountryside
Setting
• Thepersonamightbeaninquisitiveandnaïvechildwhoobservesthingsaroundhim.
• Thepersonaisayoungpersonwhoiscuriousaboutthehappeningsinnaturethatheseesandfeels.
Persona
• Firstpersonpointofview
Point of View
• Thepersonatalksandasksaboutthingsandhappeningsinnature.• Hedoesnotunderstandwhyandhowthingshappeninnature.• Theymayseemnaturalandsimpleyettheyarehardtounderstand.• Hewondersabouthissurroundings,thingsheseesaroundhimduringthedayandnight.
• Hedoesnotunderstandthenaturalphenomena.• Healsowonderswhyhisfather,ifheknows,willnotexplainthesethingstohim.
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Structure, Style & Language• Structure–sixstanzasorcoupletswitharegularscheme:aa,bb,cc,dd
• Stylesimpleanddirecttothepointasthepersonavoiceshisthoughtsaboutnature
• Makeshisqueriesthewayachildwouldaskabouthissurroundings• Language–simplewith‘wh’wordsandquestions
Tone, Mood and Atmosphere• Thepersonausessimplewordstoexpresshisthoughts.• Thepersonaiscuriousaboutthingsheseesinhissurroundings.• Heisquestioning,quietandcontemplativeatthesametime.• Hemarvelsatthethingsheseesalthoughhemaynotunderstandthem.• Reflectiveaboutthewondersofnature• Fullofcuriosityaboutthingshedoesnotunderstand
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Personification• Thetreesarepersonifiedashavingtotakearestlikeus
• Thestarsarepersonifiedashavingtheabilitytoblowoutlightlikeanyoneofus
PoeticDevices
Repetition• Thewords,‘who’ and‘why’arerepeatedforeffectasthepersonawondersaboutthewhysandhows
Imagery• Imageryreferstotheuseofwordsorphrasesthatappealtothereader’ssensesofsight,sound,tasteandhearing.
• Thewindcanbefeltbutnotseen.• Thegrass,stars,lightningandrainbowportrayscoloursinnature.
• Themoonandfluffycloudsportraytheshapesweseeinnature.
Alliteration• grass…green• birds…build• andtoldthetreetotakearest
Rhetoric Question• Coupletsareintheformofquestions
• Thisisusedforeffectasifthepersonaexpectsananswerfromreaders
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Themes
• Achild’scuriosity–childrenlovetoaskquestionsaboutthingstheydonotunderstand.
• Lifehasmanythingsthatpuzzleus.• Beobservantaboutoursurroundings.• Observewhatnaturehastoofferus.• Lookaroundandappreciatethewonders,coloursandlightthatnaturehasgivenus.
• Lifeisacycleandtherearemanythingshappeningwhichwedonotunderstand.
• Weshouldnotprofesstounderstandeverythingaboutlife.
Moral Values
• Weshouldbeobservantandsensitivetooursurroundings.• Weshouldalwayscultivateasenseofwonderinourheart.• Weshouldappreciateandtakecareofnature.• ThereisahigherbeingorCreatorofnatureandourworld.• Wemustcarefortheenvironment.• Wemusthaveastrongdesiretolearnwheneverandwhereverthereistheopportunitytogainknowledge.
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‘One is One and All Alone’ by Nicholas Fisk
Short Story
Nicholas Fisk• NicholasFisk’srealnameisDavidHigginbottom• HewasborninLondonon14October1923• Heisawriterofsciencefictionbooks• HewroteapopularseriesofnovelscalledtheStarstormers• Hehaswrittenmorethanfortybooks
• Thisstoryisaboutayounggirl,Trish,theonlychildonboardaspaceshipheadingtowardsplanetTrion.
• TrishwillbemeetinghermotherinplanetTrion.• Shefeelsquitelonelyasherfatherisbusywithhiscrewandhardlyspendsanytimewithher.
• Lefttoherowndevices,Trish,beingboredandlonely,clonesherselfsothatshewillhaveacompanionjustlikeherself.
• However,thingsdonotgoasplannedforTrishasshebeginstoresenttheabsolutesimilaritybetweenherselfandherclone.
• Shedecidestogetridoftheclone.• TheendresultisunexpectedasitistheclonewhogetsridsofTrishandassumesTrish’sidentity.
Thestorytakesplacein2045onaspaceshipinouterspace.
Setting
Overview
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Moral Values• Wemustlearntobepatient.• Wemustnotmisusepublicfacilities.• Wemustnotexpectlifetobejoyfulallthetime.• Wemustnotmakeuseoftechnologyforourownbenefit.• Wemustnotexperimentwiththingswhichwearenotfamiliarwith.
Themes• Timeshouldbegainfullyoccupied.• Wemustbesatisfiedwithwhatwehave.• Itisimportanttohavefriendsandcompanions.• Itisimportanttoappreciateone’sownidentity.• Wemustbeabletoadapttodifferentsituations.• Thereisanaturalorderofthingsformanandtheworld.• Wemustnottrytochangeourcircumstancesunnecessarily.• Technologyshouldnotbeabusedforone’sownpersonalgain.
Plot
ExpositionThestorybeginsonaspaceship.Trishisonthespaceshipwithherfatherandhiscrew.TheyaretravellingfromEarthtoplanetTrion.TrishwillseehermotherwhentheyarriveatTrion.Trishrecordsherthoughtsandfeelingsinherdiary.ShecommunicateswithherVoicePrinterandlearnsaboutcloning.Shethendecidestocloneherself.
Rising ActionTheclone,Clo,behavesinexactlythesamemannerasTrish;theywearthesameattires,repeatthesamewordsandhavethesamethoughts.Trishisinitiallythrilledtohaveacompanion,butsoonthenoveltyofaclonewearsoff.TrishbeginstofeelunhappyaboutClobecauseshefeelsthatCloisinvadingherprivatethoughts.ShebeginstoreconsiderClo’sexistence.
ResolutionCloissatisfiedwithwhatshehasdone.
ClimaxTrishcannottolerateCloanylongeranddecidestogetridofherbyusingoneofthefivehatchesoutsidehercabinatnight.However,beforeshecandothis,ClodisposesofTrishfirst.
FallingClotakesTrish’splace.Thefatherisunawareofwhathashappenedtohisdaughter.
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Trish• Feelslonelybecausesheistheonlychildonthespaceship• Isindependentandknowshowtooccupyherself• ActivelycommunicateswithherVoicePrinter• LearnshowtocloneherselfbasedontheinstructionsfromtheVoiceprinter
• CreatesacloneandnamesherClo• Isthrilledtohaveacompaniononboardthespaceship• However,oncethenoveltywearsoff,shebecomesannoyedwithCloandtriestogetridofher
• UnfortunatelyClogetswindofherplansanddisposesofTrishfirst
Clo• IsexactlylikeTrishinpersonality,mannerismsandtemperament• DisposesofClowhenshediscoversthatsheisindangerofbeingdestroyed
Voiceprinter• IsinformativeandcommunicateswithTrish• TeachesTrishhowtocloneherself• IsloyaltoTrishandisagoodcompaniontoheratalltimes
Minor Characters
Main Characters
Trish’s Father• IstheExecutiveOfficeronthespaceship• IsextremelybusyandhardlyhastimeforTrish• Doesnotrealisethatanimposterhastakenhisdaughter’splace
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StyleThestoryiswrittenasdiaryentries,intheformofdialogues.Thediaryentriesallowustounderstandthemaincharacterandgiveusaninsighttoherthoughtsandfeelings.
Repetition• “I’m sick of Me. I’m sick of being the only child on the ship. I’m
sick of computer images and sounds” • When Clo has nothing to do, it’s always pick, pick, pick, I mean
my mum is my mum, nothing to do with Clo. My mum, mine only.
Contrast“Now that might sound exciting, but it’s not.”
Alliteration“Finished and forgotten, Finally free!”
Simile“…bright as a button…”
Irony“I can’t stand the way Clo’s mind works. I can’t stand Clo’s corny jokes, and her dismal sulks. I can’t stand Clo’s laugh or eating habits or her finger picking”.TheironyofthesituationisthatTrishisactuallyirritatedwithherownhabits,asClo’sannoyinghabitsareactuallyareflectionofherownways.
Point of View Thestoryistoldinthefirstpersonpointofview.Thefirstpersonnarrationenablesthewritertovividlydescribetheactionsandemotionsofthecharactersintheshortstory.Thereadershaveaccesstothethoughtsandemotionsofthemaincharacter,Trish,andlater,Clo,aftershemurdersTrish.
Tone and MoodTheordinarytoneisfeltinthebeginning.ThisiswhenTrishsaysthatsheislonelyandneedsacompanion.However,thetonechangestosomethingoutoftheordinary.ThisiswhenTrishdecidestomakeaclone.Shemakes“anotherMe”intheBioLab.LaterTrishdecidestogetridofClobutTrishgetskilledinstead.Literary
Devices
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Setting
Thedramaissetinfourdifferentplaces–thecottage,thetower,thebaby’snurseryandthewoods.Thetimeperiodwasalongtimeagowhenmagicalcreaturessuchasfairies,elves,goblinsexistedinpeacewithhumans.
Overview
• ThisdramaisaboutagirlcalledLisawhobecomestrappedinatrickysituationduetoherparents’foolishboasting.
• BecauseoftheirdesiretoseeLisabemarriedtotheKing,theymakeafrivolousdeclarationthatLisacanspinstrawintogold.
• ThegreedyKingtakesLisatohiscastleandthreatenstobeheadherifshecannotliveuptoherparents’words.
• AstrangelittlemanarrivestohelpLisawiththetask.Inreturnheasksforherfirstbornchild.
• Whenthemancomestoclaimhisreward,Lisarefusestogiveupherchild.• Thelittlemanagreestoleavethefamilyaloneiftheycanguesshisname.
‘Rumpelstiltskin’ Retold by Angela Lanyon
Drama
Angela Lanyon• BorninLeamingtonSpa,Englandin1930• SheisamemberoftheWorchesterWriters’Circle,UK• ShehasbeeninvolvedinChildren’sTheatreaswriter,assistantmanagerandadministrator
• ShehaslivedinScotland,WalesaswellasinEngland
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ResolutionLisaguessesthelittleman’snamecorrectly.Themanissoangrythathevanishesinapuffofsmoke.ThebabyissafeandLisa’sparentspromisenevertoboastagain.
Falling ActionThemanagreestoletLisakeepherchildifshecanguesshisnamewithinthreedays.Lisafailstoguessthenameonthefirsttwodays.Finallyindesperation,Lisa’sparentsfollowthemanintothewoods.Theyhearhimsinganddanceandsayouthisname,Rumpelstiltskin.
ClimaxTheKingeventuallymarriesLisaandwhentheirfirstchildisborn,thestrangemanreturnstoclaimhisreward.Lisabegshimtoacceptthegoldinsteadbutherefuses.
ExpositionOneday,theKingvisitsthepoormiller’scottageandtastesthepiemadebythemiller’sdaughter,Lisa.ThemillerboastssayingthatLisacandoanythingandhegoesontoexaggeratethatLisacanevenspinstrawintogold.ThegreedykingtheninsiststhatLisaprovewhatherfatherhassaid.Heforceshertofollowhimbacktothecastle.Hethreatenstobeheadherifshecannotspinstrawintogold.
Rising ActionLisaislockedinaroomfullofstrawandorderedtospinthemintogold.Lisabeginstoweepbecausesheisunabletoperformthetask.Then,astrangelittlemanclimbsintothetowerandofferstohelpLisainexchangeforhernecklace.Onseeingthegold,thekingbecomesgreedieranddemandsmoregold.ThelittlemanhelpsLisaagain,thistimeinexchangeforherring.WhenLisaisorderedtospintherestofthestrawintogold,thestrangemanasksforherfirstbornchildinreturnforhishelpandLisareluctantlyagrees.
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MAIN CHARACTERS
MINOR CHARACTERS
Rumpelstiltskin• Asmallmanwhopossessesmagicalpowers.• HeuseshismagicalpowerstohelpLisaspinstrawintogold,asdemandedbytheking.
• HeismanipulativeandtakesadvantageofLisa’sweaknessforhispersonalgain.
• HedemandsLisa’sfirstbornascompensationforhelpingLisa.• Heagreestoleaveherbeifshecanguesshisname.
Lisa• Apretty,younggirlwholivesasimplelifewithherparentsinacottage.
• Shebakeswellandherparentsconstantlyboastabouthercleverness.
• Onedayshegetstrappedinatrickysituationwhenherparents
convincethekingthatshecanspinstrawintogold.
• Lisaisthenforcedtomovetothecastletocarryouttheking’swishes.
The King• HeisagreedyrulerwhoseizesthechancetoincreasehiswealthbyaskingtheimpossibleofLisa,tospinstrawintogold.
• HeisinhumaneandlocksLisaupinatower.• HeiscruelandthreatenstobeheadLisaifsheisunabletocarryoutthetask.
Lisa’s Parents• Foolishandboastful.• TheytrickthekingintobelievingthatLisacanspin
strawintogold.• Howevertheyredeemthemselveswhentheyfollow
Rumpelstiltskinintothewoodstofindouthisname,
thussavingtheirgrandchild.
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Themes • Greedforwealth• Takingresponsibilityforone’swordsandactions
• Peopleabusingtheirpower• Beingtruthfulaboutone’sabilities• Man’snaturetoaskforrewardsinreturnforgooddeeds
• Boastingandmakingrashpromises
Moral Values • Weshouldhelpwithoutexpectinganythinginreturn.
• Wemustnotmakepromiseswecannotkeep.
• Wemustbehumbleandtruthfulaboutourfamilymembers’abilities.
• Weshouldnottakeadvantageofothers’weakness.
• Wemustnotbegreedy.• Wemustneverlietogetwhatwewant.
Literary Devices
Sincethisisadrama,theauthorusesthethirdpersonpointofview.Heisomniscient–thismeansthatheknowseverythinginthestory.However,thecharactersdothinkaloudwhentheyarethinking.Thus,thereadersareabletounderstandwhatthecharactersaredoing.
Point of View
Thetoneandmoodislightheartedandpositive
Tone and Mood
Sitandcuddleyourdarlingson,Fortomorrowyou’llhavenone.Riddleandtricksaremygame,Youwon’teverguessmyname.
WifeandfamilyIhavenone,ButtomorrowI’llhavetheKing’sownson.Tricksandriddlesaremygame.Rumpelstiltskinismyname.
Use of Rhyme and Music
Thestyleofwritingisverysimple,uncomplicatedandstraightforward.Thelanguageissimple,reflectingthelifestyleofthevillagepeople.
Language and Style