|
||||||||||
Newsletter: November, 2000. |
||||||||||
Two more months to go and we will be in the New Millennium, that is what I have heard, about the new millennium actually starting only from January 01, 2001. Frankly speaking for me, new millennium or old millennium it really does not matter much and I believe a lot of others will agree to this. I am just happy being alive and taking things as they come. Have always been rather lazy and laid back as far as English composition has been concerned. Now that I am having to prepare this newsletter every month, its fun in some ways but it sure is one hell of a job trying to figure out what to write. Writing this newsletter has been fun in a way that I am forgiven my bland essays and articles, most probably because no seems to read it, however, having no criticism or feedback is a pain too, as it feels as if I am writing just to satisfy my own ego. I have been lucky to have got some support from some people in the form of encouragement and contributions for the newsletter but however much I would like to receive them, there always seems to be a dearth of them. This time around I did not receive any articles, so, have put in some of my own. ContentsArticlesMr. Tambourine Man : Pradhan, VikashLosing control but I am in the right path. : Pradhan, Vikash OthersNewsletter ArchivesRecommended Sites Mr. Tambourine ManWhenever I listen to Dylan's 'Mr. Tambourine Man', I sit right in front of the speakers and try to make my ears listen independently of each other. There is this acoustic lead that runs right through the song which makes me listen to it as a separate entity within the folds of the song. It is complementary, yet, it has a life and identity of its own. Independently, it may not hold out as much of a piece but without it the song too would lose some of its charm. Relationships are an integral part of life. It starts off from the child-parent one and generally ends up with the parent-child one with lots of others in between like the friend-friend, the teacher-student, etc. They form one of the best and important facets of life and have a lot to do with shaping the personality of a person. Shrinks very often trace back personality traits to some occurrence in the ast involving a parent, a friend or somebody else. Since relationships are so important in shaping the personality of a person, what constitutes an ideal relationship? For me and ideal relationship would be one where the constituents complement each other, contribute and share in each others life and yet, retain their identity, independence and uniqueness. Everyone is not born equal, we are unequally endowed, physically or mentally. However, that does not mean that one cannot contribute to a relationship in one's own special way. Each of us has our own uniqueness and flavour and this variety is what spices up a relationship. There are relationships all around me and most often than not they are between unequals. The need to dominate and to be in control is the reason for it. It is my own insecurity that makes me want to dominate and control a relationship but in doing so, very often I end up swamping the other persons contribution towards the relationship and thus the other persons role tends to be conformity rather than complementary. I can understand a parent's need to be in control but then what good is it, if it leads to the child's inborn creativity, curiosity and uniqueness being crushed under the label of right upbringing. Next in importance to parent's role, in a person's formative years, is that of the teacher. A teacher's role is to impart essential knowledge and learning to the child, however, sadly in most cases it becomes a one way exchange. There is no end to learning and every student is a new personality, a new mystery, a new book but then again the need to come out tops aborts any reverse exchange. Friends are one of life's biggest joys. Friends are generally just friends and the interaction with them usually does not essentially need a purpose. My friends have walked me through tears and laughter, victory and defeat, joy and sorrow and most of all they've been there when I have felt all alone and have had nothing to do. Friendship it seems is one of the most selfless of relationships but then there have been times when I have gone, 'he does this, I'll do that' or 'if I do this, she may do this'. Its again my need to be in control coming to the surface. Well, this could go on and on but essentially what is my idea of an ideal relationship. I guess I would best describe it as 'Mr. Tambourine Man'. - Wave, September, 2000 Losing control but I am in the right path.A black cover with an illustration of a body hanging by a whole lot of strings and the title in red across it, 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding. That sent me on trip to nostalgia, 1989 to be precise. I was in class XI then and we had this book in our English syllabus. Was a kid as such but thought myself on the fringe of maturity, being in the finishing stages of school. English had always been in our curriculum right since my kindergarten days but had never figured among my favourite subjects. It was there to be studied and that was it. It was in class XI that I had a chance to study English under one, Mrs. Pradhan, who was to change my whole outlook of and towards English as a subject. I believe it was due to her that I could realise English as a medium rather than just a compulsory part of the school curriculum. Lord of the flies is a novel with a moral that 'power corrupts'. It draws its framework from R.M. Ballantyne's, 'Coral Island' but with a marked difference in the depiction of life in the island. It is a rather morose story but realistic in its portrayal of the thirst for power and how it corrupts even the morals of children. Every incident in the story has an interpretation and significance. However, for someone of fifteen with a whole lot of other subjects to study, too, it was quite a task to keep track of them and to be able to comprehend them fully on a broader perspective. 'There were creatures that lived in this last fling of the sea, tiny transparencies that came questing in with the water over the hot, dry sand ………………… This was fascinating to Henry. He poked about with a bit of stick ……………, and tried to control the motions of the scavengers. ………………. He became absorbed beyond mere happiness as he felt himself exercising control over living things ………..'. This was one incident that Mrs. Pradhan made us underline, saying that it was the concept around which the full plot revolved. Now reading those very same lines, after more than ten years, made me relate to something that we did when I was in class IV. Back then we used to have those small plastic bottles with some chlorine based, 'Ink Removers'. It was the time when we used to go about collecting tadpoles in Horlicks bottles. Someone, somehow happened to put a few drops of ink remover into a glass bottle full of tadpoles and it was the start of something new for us. Thinking about it now, I think it was quite cruel and gross but to see those tadpoles lose their rhythm and sink to the bottom in a sort of a daze was a sight indeed. What I felt then was exactly what Henry must have felt on the beach, 'exercising control over living things'. I am now over tadpoles and ink removers but I am yet to come over the need to be in control. A major part of my definition of success in fact, has to do with the power to decide for others. Being in control is one addiction that is never acknowledged and yet is rampant among us and is the reason for most of our ills. Losing control is an alien concept and a rather difficult one to apply. I am as yet far from letting go of my need to be in control but by acknowledging my addiction to it, I have initiated the process of losing control and I believe I am in the right path. - Wave, October, 2000 | ||||||||||
Recommended Sites:
|