What happens in Parvez’s taxi?
Parvez and Bettina meet Ali on his way home => Ali gets into the car
- Bettina tries to talk to Ali but he refuses to answer
- When Bettina touches Parvez`s shoulder, Ali embarrasses Bettina
Parvez
- Drives as fast as he can after Ali has got into the car => he feels uncomfortable
and wants to get out of the situation (p.206, line 16) - He’s angry with Ali because he has insulted Bettina who is his only real friend
Bettina
- Her appearance refers to temptation (short skirt, ice-blue eye shadows, perfume)
(p.206, line 13-15) - She’s embarrassed and angry because of Ali’s statement
Ali
- He doesn’t respect Bettina because she’s a prostitute
- He tries to escape from temptation (he opens the window in order not to smell Bettina’s perfume (p.206, line 15) and wants to get out of the car (p.206,line 32/33) )
© Jan Balica & Jan Henke
My Son the Fanatic
(p. 200- 204)
– Parvez is taken by surprise of Ali’s reproaches.
– Ali seems not to be interested in Parvez’s point of view.
– Ali is not capable to deal with Parvez’s arguments.
– Everything Ali says about his father’s wrong behaviour is true concerning the Koran and
its rules
– family positions are inverted;
it is Ali telling his father Parvez what is right and what is wrong.
– ‚many young people fall into cults and superstitious groups‘
– sooner or later he will find back to his habitual behaviour
– recommends not to throw him out, but to stick to him
@Esvad and Alexander
My Son the Fanatic
– Parvez suspects his son Ali of taking drugs.
– Bettina gives Parvez the advice to check Ali’s room.
– Parvez does so, he checks the room and observes Ali’s behaviour as Bettina advised him:
-if there are changes in his mood
-if he is frequently tired
-if he sweats a lot
- After a few days Parvez gives up because Ali seems to be healthy and even more alert than usual.
- In the end Parvez feels ashamed because he thinks he is the one who is wrong.
© Steffanie G.,Tim
My Son the Fanatic Hanif Kureishi
- Born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan.
- Educated in a religious school according to the Koran.
- Subject to strict teachers applying dishonourable methods.
so he had a strict religious education
he now refuses to lead a religious life
- Avoids all religions
- Makes fun of (Islamic) mullahs that are sexually interested in their pupils
- Breaks the rules of the Koran (pork pie, alcohol)
he has a critical view on Islam
- Becomes friends with a prostitute
he is tolerant and open-minded
(copyright Marc and Oleksander)
HINDUISM: The world’s third largest religion
Hinduism differs from Christianity and other Western religions in that it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious organization. It consists of „thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE.“ 1
[ via: HINDUISM: The world’s third largest religion ]<!– –>
Südafrika: Die Oase der Buren – Politik – SPIEGEL ONLINE – Nachrichten
Von Thilo Thielke
In einem kleinen Ort mitten in Südafrika haben einige hundert weiße Rassisten wieder die Apartheid eingeführt.
Morgens um sieben hüllt der Nebel den Fluss Oranje wie ein zarter Schleier ein. Ockert Hendrik steht mit entblößtem Oberkörper zwischen Zuckermelonen und Pekannussbäumen, die Spitzhacke geschultert. In der endlosen Weite der Karoo-Halbwüste sieht er aus wie eine Figur aus der Werkstatt Arno Brekers.
Die Oase der Buren
[ via: Südafrika: Die Oase der Buren – Politik – SPIEGEL ONLINE – Nachrichten ]<!– –>
Congo Free State – Wikipedia
[ via: Congo Free State – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ]<!– –>
The Joseph Conrad Society of America
Interpretation of an extract from An Outpost of Progress (by Joseph Conrad)
Analyse the text and describe the situation and the relationship between Kayerts and Carlier.
Like the relationship of the two „colonisers“, life at the outpost seems
to have come to an end.
Kayert’s mind turns away to his Melie whose portrait he can look at for
hours.
The conversation between the two protagonists has deteriorated, friendliness has gone, has been replaced by a harsh tone: „Kayerts mooned about silently“ (l)/ „He (Carlier) had become hoarse, sarcastic, and inclined to say
unpleasant things“(5).
So the physical deterioration goes along with a psychological deterioration. They are in a bad mood and the steamer doesn’t come, they have hardly enough food, just coffee and rice (both ironically colonial goods), and they don’t get any food from the natives anymore after having destroyed the relationship with these friendly, admiring people that had fed their colonisers, giving them the status of Gods.
The reduction of colonial presence is symbolized by the grass „that sprouts over the courtyard“ (26), indicating that nature is overcoming this manmade failure. Also the bell that now never rings anymore is a symbol for the decay that has substituted the liveliness of the place.
Being reduced to mere existence, the differences between the two men can
be seen. Whereas Kayerts thinks of his beloved Melie for whom he has gone to
Africa and he keeps up some sort of responsibility by storing Cocnac and sugar
for the case of illness, Carlier breaks down the last bond that keeps the two
men together: He calls Kayerts a „slave-dealer“, which is nothing but the truth,
but it also means that even the illusion of being respectable and civilised,
which is a characteristic of the culture they represent, has gone now. So what
is left is nothing but the native that Kayerts has never understood and
never tried to understand. So having lost his last partner, Kayerts is
terrorized by the uncontrollable savagery that surrounds him and he finally
becomes the savage himself committing the ultimate crimes of murder, suicide
and even blasphemy. Hanging from the cross, his tongue sticking out, he seems
to be an ironical representation of the evil spirits that Makola uses to
worship: the evil spirits of colonialism.
So Kayerts and Carlier, originally devoted friends, have become deadly
enemies the more the colonial justification has vanished. The moment the real
character of their mission becomes clear, the more they fear or hate each other
and are, finally, stripped even from their illusionary superiority (i.e. the
ideology given to them by their social context), they become deadly enemies.
(460 ws)
Interpretation of an extract from An Outpost of Progress (by Joseph Conrad)
Kayerts mooned about silently; spent hours looking at the portrait of his Melie. It
represented a little girl with long bleached tresses and a rather sour face.
His legs were much swollen, and he could hardly walk. Carlier, undermined by
fever, could not swagger any more, but kept tottering about. Still with a
devil-may-care air, as became a man who remembered his crack regiment. He had
become hoarse, sarcastic, and inclined to say unpleasant things. He called it
‚being frank with you‘. They had long ago reckoned their percentages on trade,
including in them that last deal of ‚this infamous Makola‘. They had also
concluded not to say anything about it. Kayerts hesitated at first, was afraid
of the Director.
„He has seen worse things done on the quiet,“ maintained Carlier, with a hoarse laugh.
„Trust him! He won’t thank you if you blab. He is no better than you or me. Who
will talk if we hold our tongues? There is nobody here.“ That was the root of the trouble! There was nobody there; and being left there alone with their weakness, they became daily more like a pair of accomplices than like a couple of devoted friends. They had
heard nothing from home for eight months. Every evening they said, „Tomorrow we
shall see the steamer.“ But one of the Company’s steamers had been wrecked, and
the Director was busy with the other, relieving very distant and important
stations on the main river. He thought that the useless station and the useless
men, could wait. Meantime Kayerts and Carlier lived on rice boiled without salt, and cursed the Company, all Africa, and the day they were born. One must have lived on such diet to discover what ghastly trouble the necessity of swallowing one’s food may become. There was literally nothing else in the station but rice and coffee; they drank the
coffee without sugar. The last fifteen lumps Kayerts had solemnly locked away
in his box, together with a half-bottle of Cognac, „in case of sickness,“ he explained.
Carlier approved. „When one is sick,“ he said, „any extra like that is cheering.“ They
waited. Rank grass began to sprout over the courtyard. The bell never rang now.
Days passed, silent, exasperating, and slow. When the two men spoke, they snarled; and their silences were bitter, as if tinged by the bitterness of their thoughts.
One day after a lunch of boiled rice, Carlier put down his cup untested, and said:
„Hang it all! Let’s have a decent cup of coffee for once. Bring out that sugar, Kayerts!“ „For the sick,“ muttered Kayerts, without looking up.
„For the sick,“ mocked Carlier. „Bosh! Well! I am sick.“ „You are no more sick than I am, and I go without,“ said Kayerts in a peaceful tone. „Come! Out with the sugar, you stingy old slave-dealer.“ Kayerts looked up quickly. Carlier was smiling with marked insolence. And suddenly it seemed to Kayerts that he had never seen that man before. Who was he? He knew nothing about him. What was he capable of? There was a surprising flash of
violent emotion within him, as if in the presence of something undreamt-of, dangerous, and final.
Analyse
the text and describe the situation and the relationship between Kayerts and Carlier. Then describe the development of the relationship throughout the story, giving reasons for this development.
(About 250 – 350 words)
Dead Men’s Path (by Chinua Achebe)
A contribution by Jan Balica based on the results of the work
of group number 4 (Annette Bechthold, Laura Löbelenz, Maurice Müller and Jan
Balica)
In the short story „Dead Men’s Path“ by Chinua Achebe a cultural clash between the rather traditional and almost supersticious inhabitants of a small African village and the new headmaster of the school Michael Obi and his wife, is shown.
Michael Obi and his wife Nancy are introduced to the reader as very progressive and modern people.
Michael is considered to be a „young and energetic man“ (p.109, l.4) by the
Mission authorities and that is the reason why they send him to Ndume Central School.
He absolutely rejects the „narrow views“ of the „older and often less educated
ones“ (p.111, l.1/2) and instead of all these „conservative“ and „unprogressive“ methods he prefers modern ones. As a result he wants all his teachers to put all their energy into their work (p.111, l.21). This shows Michael’s absolute willingness to push his ideas through. Thus he wants to realize his „wonderful ideas“ (p. 110, l.6) and his wife supports him in everything he does. She’s deeply influenced by Michael’s „passion for modern methods“ (p.111, l.8). It seems that she has adopted Michael’s opinion.
This progressive attitude of Michael and Nancy Obi is obviously connected to a quite
western lifestyle that can be seen in several situations in the story. For example Nancy is reading a woman?s magazine when she’s talking to Michael (p.111, l.33) and she wants to have „beautiful gardens“ (p.111, l.5/6) which appears to be closely linked to a very western lifestyle.
In contrast to this „modern“ and „progressive“ couple there’s the population of the village, which is really traditional. This is clearly shown when a teacher tells Michael how important the path which connects the village shrine with the place of burial is for the villagers and that it crosses the school compound (p.112, l.33).
The peak of this conflict is that Michael decides to close the path with „heavy sticks“ strengthened with „barbed wire“ (p.112, l.9 ? 11). As a result of that the village priest, Ani, goes to see Michael and asks Michael to remove the fence.
The priest symbolizes the traditional attitude of the villagers and he does now meet Michael who symbolizes progress and western values.
During their discussion Ani emphasizes the traditional importance of the footpath and he says that he is sure that „the whole life of the village“ depends on it (p.112, l.22). He is trying to explain the meaning of the path to Michael, but Michael doesn’t take him seriously. He treats the priest condescendingly by listening to his arguments with a „satisfied smile on his face“ (p.112, l.25) and instead of trying to respect the traditional attitude and the religious beliefs of Ani, Michael tells him that the „purpose of this school“ would be to „eradicate such beliefs“ (p.112, l.26/27) and he even goes further by considering it to be a duty of school to teach children to „laugh at such ideas“ (p.112, l.28/29). Michael tries to force his attitude on Ani.
He doesn’t try to understand him or to work out a compromise, but he laughs at
him. After the death of a baby Michael’s fence is considered to be the reason for it and so his arrogance and stubbornness finally lead Michael to his own destruction because the inspector writes a nasty report about the school and compares the situation that Michael’s uncompromising attitude has created to a tribal war (p.113, l.47/48).
The central element of this cultural clash is that Michael tries to force his opinion on everybody and that he tries to realize an idea of modernization that is not rooted in cultural tradition. He doesn’t accept other attitudes and that finally, like the hubris of Greek tragedy leads to his own destruction.
Dead Men’s Path (by Chinua Achebe)
Michael Obi, a 26 year-old teacher is appointed headmaster of Ndume
Central School in a small village in Nigeria in 1949. His plan is to modernize the school in a progressive European way eradicating traditions and beliefs of his fellow citizens.
His young wife Nancy Obi is strongly influenced by his ideals and aims and she supports
him in his mission. Although she shares his progressive spirit she focuses more
on the private sector, thus her main goal is to beautify the school compound
and environment.
The school is built on an ancient path connecting the village shrine with the villagers‘ burial place. This path is a very important part of the people´s lives as it represents birth, death and a link between them and their dead relatives.
When Michael decides to close this path in order to prohibit people from walking through his school he starts a serious conflict within the village. In a first reaction Michael is called by the village priest who tries to explain the importance of the path for the villagers and their beliefs, but Michael remains untouched and holds on to his former decision.
A few days later a young girl dies in childbed and her death is blamed on the anger of
dead relatives that in the villagers? eyes have taken offense at Michael´s closing of the path.
In a second reaction to Michael’s boldness they tear up the school and destroy the
compound. His work so far is ruined and when a supervisor arrives to judge Michael´s progress he writes a corrosive report commenting on the „tribal-war“ situation arising from Michael´s overeager efforts.
Deeper level
What the author of this short story tries to show is that progress cannot be imposed on
the respective people from above but needs to develop slowly in their own minds. It can only be supported but never enforced. Michael fails because he doesn’t realize how deep the traditional believes anchor in the villagers‘ minds and when he tries to eradicate and replace them by his European Christian ways he has to face overpowering resistance. His lack of respect for their values stirs up a huge conflict which ultimately leads to the failure of his project. This story is an excellent example for the cultural clash of African and European mentality and the incapability of both sides to respect each others differing positions.
The author doesn’t judge progress and modernization itself or even evaluate European
modernism and African traditions, he merely states that progress can only be achieved in cooperation with the people concerned.
One Language Many Voices (Conrad) edit
One Language Many Voices: Teacher’s Manual (Conrad)edit
[ via: Cornelsen-Teachweb :: One Language Many Voices: Teacher’s Manual (Conrad)edit
Chinua Achebe
Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe
A contribution by Jan Balica based on the results of the work
of group number 4 (Annette Bechthold, Laura Löbelenz, Maurice Müller and Jan
Balica)
In the short story „Dead Men’s Path“ by Chinua Achebe a cultural clash between the rather traditional and almost supersticious inhabitants of a small African village and the new headmaster of the school Michael Obi and his wife, is shown.
Michael Obi and his wife Nancy are introduced to the reader as very progressive and modern people.
Michael is considered to be a „young and energetic man“ (p.109, l.4) by the
Mission authorities and that is the reason why they send him to Ndume
Central School.
He absolutely rejects the „narrow views“ of the „older and often less educated
ones“ (p.111, l.1/2) and instead of all these „conservative“ and „unprogressive“ methods he prefers modern ones. As a result he wants all his teachers to put all their energy into their work (p.111, l.21). This shows Michael’s absolute willingness to push his ideas through. Thus he wants to realize his „wonderful ideas“(p. 110, l.6) and his wife supports him in everything he does. She’s deeply influenced by Michael’s „passion for modern methods“ (p.111, l.8). It seems that she has adopted Michael?s opinion.
This progressive attitude of Michael and Nancy Obi is obviously connected to a quite
western lifestyle that can be seen in several situations in the story. For example Nancy is reading a woman’s magazine when she’s talking to Michael (p.111, l.33) and she wants to have „beautiful gardens“ (p.111, l.5/6) which appears to be closely linked to a very western lifestyle.
In contrast to this „modern“ and „progressive“ couple there’s the population of the village, which is really traditional. This is clearly shown when a teacher tells Michael how important the path which connects the village shrine with the place of burial is for the villagers and that it crosses the school compound (p.112, l.33).
The peak of this conflict is that Michael decides to close the path with „heavy sticks“ strengthened with „barbed wire“ (p.112, l.9 ? 11). As a result of that the village priest, Ani, goes to see Michael and asks Michael to remove the fence.
The priest symbolizes the traditional attitude of the villagers and he does now meet Michael who symbolizes progress and western values.
During their discussion Ani emphasizes the traditional importance of the footpath and
he says that he is sure that „the whole life of the village“ depends on it(p.112, l.22). He is trying to explain the meaning of the path to Michael, but Michael doesn’t take him serioulys. He treats the priest condescendingly by listening to his arguments with a „satisfied smile on his face“ (p.112, l.25) and instead of trying to respect the traditional attitude and the religious beliefs of Ani, Michael tells him that the „purpose of this school“ would be to „eradicate such beliefs“ (p.112, l.26/27) and he even goes further by considering it to be a duty of school to teach children to „laugh at such ideas“ (p.112, l.28/29). Michael tries to force his attitude on Ani.
He doesn’t try to understand him or to work out a compromise, but he laughs at
him. After the death of a baby Michael’s fence is considered to be the reason for
it and so his arrogance and stubbornness finally lead Michael to his own destruction because the inspector writes a nasty report about the school and compares the situation that Michael’s uncompromising attitude has created to a tribal war (p.113, l.47/48).
The central element of this cultural clash is that Michael tries to force his opinion on everybody and that he tries to realize an idea of modernization that is not rooted in cultural tradition. He doesn’t accept other attitudes and that finally, like the hubris of Greek tragedy leads to his own destruction.
Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe
Michael Obi, a 26 year-old teacher is appointed headmaster of Ndume Central School
in a small village in Nigeria in 1949. His plan is to modernize the school in a progressive European way eradicating traditions and beliefs of his fellow citizens.
His young wife Nancy Obi is strongly influenced by his ideals and aims and she supports
him in his mission. Although she shares his progressive spirit she focuses more
on the private sector, thus her main goal is to beautify the school compound
and environment.
The school is built on an ancient path connecting the village shrine with the villagers‘ burial place. This path is a very important part of the people´s lives as it
represents birth, death and a link between them and their dead relatives.
When Michael decides to close this path in order to prohibit people from walking through his school he starts a serious conflict within the village. In a first reaction
Michael is called by the village priest who tries to explain the importance of
the path for the villagers and their beliefs, but Michael remains untouched and
holds on to his former decision.
A few days later a young girl dies in childbed and her death is blamed on the anger of
dead relatives that in the villagers‘ eyes have taken offense at Michael´s
closing of the path.
In a second reaction to Michael’s boldness they tear up the school and destroy the
compound. His work so far is ruined and when a supervisor arrives to judge
Michael´s progress he writes a corrosive report commenting on the „tribal-war“ situation arising from Michael´s overeager efforts.
Deeper level
What the author of this short story tries to show is that progress cannot be imposed on
the respective people from above but needs to develop slowly in their own minds. It can only be supported but never enforced. Michael fails because he doesn’t realize how deep the traditional believes anchor in the villagers‘ minds and when he tries to eradicate and replace them by his European Christian ways he has to face overpowering resistance. His lack of respect for their values stirs up a huge conflict which ultimately leads to the failure of his project. This story is an excellent example for the cultural clash of African
and European mentality and the incapability of both sides to respect each others differing positions.
The author doesn’t judge progress and modernization itself or even evaluate European
modernism and African traditions, he merely states that progress can only be achieved in cooperation with the people concerned.
Qaisra Shahraz
Qaisra Shahraz
A Pair of Jeans<!– –>
A Pair of Jeans 3
If we put our focus on the other characters, that means apart from the main character Miriam, we must say that they are all types, flat characters without a development (this is at least true for the first ending.) Probably this is also true for Miriam, at least in the first ending.
Fatima:
She is probably a first-generation immigrant, who attempts to adjust to the new culture, but is still closely influenced by the old traditions:
„When she saw her daughter hovering behind the two guests, Fatima received a shock“ (176/25f)
And later on: She was not able to reveal what she had learnt. „She was still reeling from the shock herself“. (188/17f)On the other hand she obviously tries to adjust to western traditions and western culture:
„Normally she wouldn’t have batted an eyelid if her daughter had turned up at her door at 11 o’clock at night…“(176/28f) But the feeling of insecurity prevails:
Fatima couldn’t quite make herself understand why she felt ashamed of her daughter’s clothing and why she was suddenly angry with her, for being seen like this. (177/38ff)
The pressure that is put upon her is seen at the end of the first part:
Unable to control herself any longer, Fatima bitterly burst out with „She said that your engagement had to be broken off!“ (188/22f)
„Why, mother?“ (188/25) Miriam’s question does not simply refer to the reason, why Ayub and Begum break off the engagement. It goes deeper, questions the tradition itself. But here she is without an answer.
Let’s remember how easily Fatima got intimidated by the authoritarian cultural heritage inside and outside herself at the beginning of the story:
- she was ashamed of her daughter
- felt the urge to get her out of sight
- communicated to her daughter to change her into something respectable
- sent her away
In the second ending of the story, Fatima seems to become a bit rebellious, but she is still mainly influenced by the old traditions in her culture, e.g. that the parents should try to solve the problem or that the whole thing is mainly a question of honour. (192/14ff)
Begum: refer to step 2
Ayub : refer to step 2
He is a very dominant character, very authoritarian, very convinced of male supremacy.
At the same time he is unable to take the responsibility for his decisions, he is unable to communicate his decision to Farook whereas he proves to be a rhetorically skilled person.
He seems to be emotionally deprived and probably insecure.
Farook : He is actually not there. He comes home at the end of the conversation between Begum and Ayub, but he is invisible and unheard. Nobody asks him for his opinion.
He is mainly presented in the second ending. Here he seems to be very cooperative, but he still doesn?t know that his parents prevented the marriage.
At the same time he seems to be used to, probably adapted to the old traditions in which he lives and according to which he seems to be treated. E.g. his mother prepares his dinner when he gets home at the end of the ?secret?conversation between Ayub and
Begum.
In the conversation with Miriam in the second ending he is ready to meet Miriam, he also seems to be puzzled, of course because he is not informed, but probably he is surprised because he would never have expected an initiative like Miriam’s from a woman.
Task:
- Play the scene: Miriam and Farook meet with the parents.
What constitutes this scene?: – what happens right before Miriam enters the house?
– can we imagine how the parents expect her?
(a lot has happened before / the girl, the rebellious girl, tries to take the initiative: all traditional rules are overthrown. Miriam is wearing the ominious clothes!)
If we have come to a result in this conversation: How is it communicated to Miriam’s parents? How will they react?
We must also have a closer look at the motives and symbols in the short story:
Clothes.
If we take into consideration the imagery of clothing in many other works of literature, this one is ironically different: Whereas we know clothing as something that doesn’t fit because the clothes are too wide (or the wearer too small, e.g. Macbeth) which means you are dressed in borrowed robes symbolizing that you try to get into a position that is too high for you or that you aren’t allowed to get into from some other reason, here the clothes are too small.
What does it mean? Miriam doesn’t try to get into a position out of arrogance or hubris, she acts (at least at the beginning) in a naive way, rather from an attitude that shows how innocent she is.
She is clearly shown as a victim by the fact that she is punished without having been guilty, without having tried to overcome her background. She hasn’t done anything she can, with some justification, be accused of.
Ironically, these too small clothes become a mighty gesture in the second ending, even a uniform, in which she is going to attack the fundamentalist enemy. So this ‘girlish uniform’, designed to attract people, becomes a weapon in Miriam’s decisive battle of cultures in the second ending.
The armor of the crusader, being too short, is ironically offering a part of sensible flesh in the fight for human rights, especially in the fight for the rights of women against medieval intolerance and bigotry. (c.g. Siegfried’s unprotected spot)
Opening and closing doors
Miriam walks to the door of her house at the beginning.
She arrives at the gate of the semi-detached house.
She opens the gate and turns round.
Ayub pushes the gate open.
He is knocking on the front door.
Miriam’s mother opens the door.
Miriam shuts the door of her room behind her.
(When she is traditionally dressed, the door is not mentioned. (e.g. she entered the living room)).
These doors and gates symbolize the idea of accessibility and inaccessibility, of openness and a hermetic view of life. It indicates how threatening it can be if somebody like Ayub knocks on a door.
- Here the hermetic newspaper-reading-scene of Ayub (he is hiding behind it, he is also protected by it) has its place, too.
The Peak District
What can be associated with walking on and over mountain “ tops“: Freedom!
Should we recall Martin Luther King’s famous statement, shortly before he was killed, when he said that he had lost the fear of dying (as the absolute epitome of freedom) after he had been on the mountain top and seen the promised land?
From the mountain top you could also bring back new laws according to which you can live.
Miriam has experienced freedom in the Peak District, but this freedom is not a new state of being, a new way of life, it is only an illusion. It soon has to give way to the feeling of embarrassment and guilt.
The freedom of the walking tour is associated with the clothing (jeans, vest) she wears on the tour.
Communication, contacting people
Communication in the story is very authoritarian, one-sided. This motive is very closely connected to the symbolism of doors. In the conversation between Ayub and Begum there seems to be no way out of the traditional view. They sit opposite each other and there seems to be a wall between them. She doesn’t actually take part in the conversation.
Communication comes to an end already at the beginning of the story, when Begum greets Miriam, but Ayub just looks over her head and passes by.
People don’t say the truth. Reasons for leaving the house or breaking up the engagement are lies.
Even the conversation between Fatima and Miriam consists of secret gestures rather than of open words.
Silence is a constituent.
This includes telephone-calls. Miriam’s defeat is most obvious when Begum doesn’t want to talk to her on the phone but wanted to talk to Fatima.
Task: Compare the two endings. Are there advantages or disadvantages in each; and which is,
in your opinion, the better ending?
Task: Develop a dramatic concept for the short story: transform it into a scene with
or without text and with an appropriate setting.
A Pair of Jeans 2
In her room, Miriam reflects on her split personality (page 178):The person they have happily chosen as a bride for their son in their household and, on the other hand, the western person, „The other person“. When Miriam is in her „refuge“, her room, she gives a report on the idea „they“ have of her, a view she is familiar with:
- they met her in a traditional shalwar kameze suit.
- she is docile
- obedient
- she is a sweet daughter in law
- now the western fashion is connected with western morals
- she is seen as a threat / a rebellious hoyden
- as a consequence she will not show any respect for husband and „in laws“
When Miriam has changed her clothes, she feels at home in her traditional dress which also symbolizes her traditional side:
there is a new personality and she reflects on her role she is playing in it:
- her body is modestly covered
- it is descreetly draped (178/32f)
Now she is a confident woman in full control of herself : She is acting out a role (179/2ff)
- she is swapping one identity for another (179/49)
- she was part and parcel of another identity (179/50)
Anyway, the „in-laws“ flee with a “lousy excuse”(180/29)
Task: acting a scene:
„A wanderer between two worlds:“
Imagine the following situation: The next day, Miriam talks with a British friend from college about what happened. We work in groups of four. We need one person to take the part of Miriam, another to take the part of her friend and two people to note down the most important arguments in the conversation
So we get closer to
- Miriam’s problems and
- possible solutions
The way back home of the „in-laws“ could be called the silence before the storm.
In the one-sided conversation that follows, Ayub talks, whereas Begum just thinks, anticipating the outcome of the conversation:
Ayub:
- refers to her dress (183/41)
- returns home late (183/42)
- He suspects Miriam of being rebellious, she can’t be controlled.(183/44ff)
- she might have a boyfriend and take drugs.(183/44ff)
„Can you guarantee that she will make our son happy?“(183/47f)
Ayub strategically plans his argumentation appealing to Begum’s feelings concerning her son.
His body-language shows his position in the family:
authorative swing of his hand (183/63).
His aggressive, unemotional attitude is indicated by the thin line of his mouth. (183/63f)
Begum (plays a role she has to play inevitably in his drama 186/24)
- Begum (now it was her time to play) (182/2)
- Secretly in her own heart she agreed with her husband (183/58)
- She defends Miriam, excuses her for herself and him.
- Begum anticipates the outcome of the discussion (184/2)
- Regrets it because she has chosen her (184/20f)
- She herself had fallen in love with Miriam (184/37f)
- She also had a real liking to Miriam’s parents(185/41ff)
- Begum tries to hold on to Miriam
- She has fallen in love with her own idea of Miriam
- for her Miriam is the „epitome of tradition“ (184/15)
In the end she is overpowered by her husband’s resolution (186)
Ayub: „I thought I have already made myself obvious“ (186/31)
„He was enraged and let her know it“ (186/32)
When Farook comes home her husband leaves everything to her and hides behind his newspaper.
The focus is then on Miriam again (187)
She comes home from university indicating her integration in her western lifestyle.
The telephone call between Begum and Miriam then signals the sudden distance between the individuals: Begum doesn’t want to talk to Miriam but asks for Fatima.
Begum’s reaction to the phonecall:
- she hates the role she had been forced to play (188/4).
- she is able to feel the pain of Fatima.(188/5f)
In contrast to Ayub she is confronted with the emotional side of the decision and she is capable of an emphatic reaction.
Fatima’s reaction:
- Fatima is shocked. (188/18)
Miriam’s reaction:
Miriam runs into her room and throws the clothes to the ground and kicks them. (189/33ff)
Her anger turns towards the clothes that have caused the problems.(189)
Tasks:
- Discussion of the ending of the story
- Is the ending appropriate? Does it fit to motives given in the
short story?
- Is it inappropriate? Why has the writer written a second ending?
Jeans on
I pull on my jeans and I feel all right
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on (ch-ch)
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on (ch-ch)It’s the weekend, and I know that you’re free
So pull on your jeans and come on out with me
I need to have you near me, I need to feel you close to me (ch-ch)
I need to have you near me, I need to feel you close to meYou and me, we’ll go motorbike ridin‘ in the sun and the wind and the rain
I got money in my pocket, got a tiger in my tank
And I’m king of the road againI’ll meet ya in the usual place
I don’t need a thing, ‚cept your pretty face
And I need to have you near me, I need to feel you close to me (ch-ch)
I need to have you near me, I need to feel you close to me (ch-ch)
I need to have you near me, I need to feel you close to me (ch-ch)
You and me, we’ll go motorbike ridin‘ in the sun and the wind and the rain
I got money in my pocket, a tiger in my tank
And I’m king of the road again
When I wake up in the mornin‘ light
I pull on my jeans and I feel all right
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on (ch-ch)
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on (ch-ch)
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on (ch-ch)
The British Empire
A Pair of Jeans 1 Qaisra Shahraz
At the beginning of the short story Miriam gets home from a walking tour in the peak district.
- She is dressed in the western way, jeans, a short vest, showing a little part of her midriff. (174)
She doesn’t feel comfortable:
- she felt odd in her clothing (l 9)
- wears it for hill walking
- she is conscious of her appearance
- hopes she doesn?t meet anyone she knows
She has the feeling of being persecuted
They said they were coming today (175/21)
A car pulls up behind her causing terror:
She is trapped by her future parents in law, trapped in clothes that are not considered to be adequate for a woman.
Begum greets Miriam – Ayub ignores her.
He looks above her head, avoids her eyes.
They are introduced into the story in a very impersonal way:
- They
- Two persons
- mother in law (appearance contrasts strongly to Mriam?s)
- an elderly man, her husband is towering behind her (176)
- They see the western version of Miriam for the first time.
- Miriam’s cheeks burn in embarrassment
- She follows Ayub, the guest, to the door, which indicates Miriam’s loss of control.
Fatima’s beaming delight when she sees the guests changes dramatically when she gets aware of Miriam.
- She receives a shock.
- She sees Miriam through the eyes of the future in laws.
Fatima’s different recognition of Miriam
-not intrested in M’s clothing -ashamed of her daughter
-Miriam has some freedom -feels the urge to get her out of sight.
-communicates to her daughter to change into something respectable, sends her away
Miriam finally escapes into her bedroom.
Miriam’s feelings have changed completely:
- the hillwalking caused exhilaration – now discontent has taken its place (177/5)
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