RESEARCH PAPER : Philosophy or Pseudoscience

Research Paper 

Philosophy or Pseudoscience:  A study the criticism around the most popular, new-age self-help book “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne

Rationale

        Among the hordes of books which have influenced my life, The Secret by Rhonda
Byrne hold a unique place. The book had a very deep and profound influence on my life. I
stumbled across the book during one of the worst phrases of my life, and it was instrumental
in helping me overcome that phrase. It changed my outlook towards life and made me more
optimistic. However, no matter how much I relished the positivity and optimistic ideals
expounded by the book, there was always a tiny bit of resistance from the rational side of my
being. I would never bring myself to fully approve of the book as a whole. The underlying
principle of the book was definitely inspiring and life-changing, but the methods adopted to
explain and illustrate it were unsettling. Being acquainted with science from a long time and
also possessing a levelheaded temperament, I was compelled to reject certain parts of the
book, even though I hold the book as a whole very special to me. The book is, no doubt, a ray
of hope for people struggling in life; but at the same time, it also defies all kinds of science
and rationality. This study is a consequence of the perturbing and dualistic notions of mine
about the book.


Page 2

Abstract

        “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne met with phenomenal success all around the world, all thanks
to its high-spirited positive teachings. While the book achieved worldwide popularity and
applause, there was also a considerable amount of criticism targeted towards the book. The
book was blamed of turning people inept and unreasonable by giving them a false sense of
enthusiasm and assurance towards life. Besides this, the book was categorized as
pseudo-scientific for using scientific terms and concepts to explain or justify some of its
philosophical principles. Science buffs mocked the book for attempting to bring quantum
physics into a book dealing with metaphysics and slammed down the scientific researches
and explanations quoted in the book as half-baked knowledge. A careful in-depth exploration
and analysis of the book shows that the arguments brought forth by the critics are indeed
reasonable and make sense, but the critics are heavily outnumbered by the supporters of the
book, who defend the book claiming that it has been a philosophical guide and a pillar of
moral support for them. In their opinion, the very essence of the book is philosophical, so
expecting it to be realistic or scientific is uncalled for. Moreover, the book has indeed done a
whole lot of good to the society at large by exuding hope, enthusiasm and positivity all
around. This point of view is also valid and acceptable. So, determining the accuracy or
worthiness of the book is all up to the reader’s perspective, and they have to draw the line and
be able to differentiate between an optimist and an idle dreamer.


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Introduction

        Self help books are the new big thing in the market, and this doesn’t come as a
surprise because their teachings are certainly needed in today’s hyper accelerated and over
stressed up world. Such books have been around all the time, but “the” one book which
became a revolutionary success in today’s time is The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. The book is a
successful attempt at remodeling age-old philosophy for the modern readers, and even giving
out hands on tips and techniques to apply the teachings in real life. The book managed to
become an instant hit with the masses and continues to attract new readers on a daily basis.
But, in spite of being an undisputable winner among books, The Secret has managed to
gathered around its own share of critics. Criticism about the book usually center around it
being unrealistic, impractical, unscientific and deceitful. The book seems to have failed at
convincing the people with a logical and scientific bend of mind, as the bulk of the book’s
critics is made up of intellectuals and rationalists. The book has been highly ridiculed for its
ambiguity and its failure to provide authentic justification for all its assertions and for trying
to makes use of science at certain places to support its ideology. The science used by the
book is said to be half baked knowledge by experts and moreover, using scientific theories to
rationalize philosophy is quite paradoxical. The book is being branded as “Pseudoscientific”
for this very reason. On the other hand, the book and its supporters hold their ground and
claim that the book is life changing and the scientific explanations given in the book are all
valid and verifiable, as evident from the personal experiences of the contributors of the book.
The criticism aimed towards the book is all reasonable, but so are the counter-arguments
made by the supporters of the book. The book is thus a point of heated debate amongst book
lovers, and the very foundational basis and functionality of the book’s subject matter are at
the eye of the storm.


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Content

        Globally acclaimed and applauded, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is a 2006
publication, which continues to enthrall the masses and enrich people’s lives with its practical
and down-to-earth approach towards deep philosophies, lack of ornamental or ostensible
content, simplicity of language, hands-on tips and guidance and most of all, its core gist
which exudes hope and positivity. Today’s hyper-accelerated and overstressed world
definitely needs some sort of positivity to keep going, and make optimal use of the book. It's
no wonder then, that the book touched heights of success in a short span of time. Amidst all
the roaring success of the book, there are a few grumbling voices to be heard, which question
the foundation of the principles discussed in the book and also their functionality in the real
world. These voices are typically of two kinds: skeptics and science buffs.

        Sceptics accuse the book of being too idyllic and easily impressing naïve minds and
leading them astray with false hopes and exaggerated positivity. They claim that the book
makes people go delirious with optimism and makes them too air-headed and impractical.
Those with a scientific bend of mind blame the book for propagating “Pseudoscience” i.e.,
making use of half-baked scientific experiments and explanations to prove or justify their
metaphysical ideas. They frown upon the attempts made by the book to provide scientific
explanation of its principles, and slam down all the explanations given in the book as
bunkum.

        All the criticism opposing the book are based on the content and quotes found with
the book, which make the comments valid and reasonable. So, the book is often attacked by
critics who make valid and reasonable arguments to defend their hostile stance.


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        Sceptics have a problem with very premises of the book. In their view, the very idea
that “merely wishing for something hard enough will make it happen” is totally illogical and
baseless. They are of the opinion that the book sweeps people off their feet with its alluring
teachings of effortlessly “attracting” anything by just wishing for it; but sooner or later,
reality is sure to crash them down to the ground.

        An example from the book would be that of Dr. Joe Vitale, a contributor of the book,
using shopping as an analogy to explain the process to manifest one’s desires in life (The
Secret, 48). He says that people have to just “order” their dreams from the catalogue i.e., the
Universe, and it will be delivered to them without any hinderance. This is frowned upon by a
number of rationalists, as it suggests that everything one desires will be delivered to them on
a silver platter, without an iota of hard work. This idea is doubtful to be of any use in
practical life, and critics are justified in saying that it only makes people whimsical and
lethargic. While keeping a positive attitude is definitely important in one’s life, it isn’t
everything as this book makes it to be. It's just one of the many essential components needed
to succeed in life. The book ignores the importance of hard work and a million other such
things which are necessary for success.

        Besides, the book also specifically advice to not be worried about “how” their wishes are
going to manifest and to just trust the Universe. They just have to declare what they wish for,
and the Universe will figure out the best way to deliver their wishes. This is bad advice, as
not having clarity is a sure recipe for disaster.


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        For example, the book suggests that anyone who wants to get out of debt must
not think or worry about the debt (The Secret, 102). Focusing on debt attracts more debt. So,
they must just ignore the debt and focus on prosperity. Also, they must visualize and act as if
all their bills as checks. This will shift their frequency and attract more wealth and prosperity
to them. This idea will definitely be a disaster in real life. Ignoring debt doesn’t make it
disappear. While constant worrying and fretting about it is not good, completely ignoring it is
taking positivity too far.

        The book’s constant victim shaming is another bone of contention for the sceptics. The book
unanimously declares that everything that happens in our lives is a direct result of our own
thoughts. If we met with an accident, we attracted it. If we are in debt, we attracted it. If we
have an incurable disease, we attracted it. If we have troublesome relationships, we attracted
it. We attracted any and everything in our lives with our thoughts. This is really unfair on
people. It makes them responsible for all their difficult circumstances of life, which they
might have nothing to do with and are nowhere responsible for.

        Above all of these, the book is bashed for promoting narcissism and an “ I’m the Center of
the Universe” kind of attitude. The Universe is described to be a Genie,, for whom our every
wish is a command. This is a very dangerous idea to live by. The Universe is not our Genie
and it is not compelled to fulfill our every wish. This sort of attitude does no good to anyone.

        So, the book and its “Law of Attraction” principle is hogwash, thus declare the sceptic
critics.


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        As to the scientific community, they have their own set of problems with the book.
Not only do they dismiss the “Law of Attraction” principles as nonsense, they also censure
the book for trying to give it the color of science. The book is littered with scientific jargon at
several points, as it tries to back-up its hypothetical claims with scientific explanations.
Trying to add credibility to a metaphysical concept with the help of science is undoubtedly
bizarre, and science folks have every right to speak up against the book for this reason.

        What’s even more outlandish is that the word “Quantum Physics” is thrown around
casually in the book, seemingly without much care much about the consequences of making
use of such a loaded term. There are multiple mentions of Quantum physics in the book, and
it is talked of like a connecting bridge between the world of science and “Law of Attraction”.
According to this book, Quantum physics reveals that the entire Universe emerges from
thought (Secret, 15). A quantum physicist is taken in as a contributor for the book (Dr. Fred
Alan Wolf), and he concurs with the view, saying that the Universe is shaped by the mind.
The past eighty years of tremendous progress in the field of Quantum physics is alleged to
have uncovered and proved the existence of “Law of Attraction”. Another quantum physicist
(Dr. John Hagelin) is seen asserting that our thoughts have a profound influence on the
structure and functionality of our body. The main author of the book, Rhonda Byrne, is seen
claiming that though she never studied science, she was able to easily understand Quantum
Physics and it helped her in ‘feeling the “Law of Attraction” at an energetic level’. Most of
the contributors of the book make the same claim, when none of them are related to science,
either academically or professionally. Parallels are drawn between the definition of energy
according to quantum physics and the definition of God according to religion, just because
Quantum physics says everything is energy.


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        Quantum Physics as a subject is highly intricate and complex. It quite hard to
comprehend, and needs a solid foundation in science in order to be able to grasp it. Quantum
Physics solely researches on energy and states that everything is energy, it nowhere equates
energy to God or an omnipotent force. Also, the theory of time being an illusion is applied
out of context in the book. Trying to relate a highly complex scientific disciple like Quantum
Physics to a philosophical belief like “Law of Attraction” is certainly absurd. Quantum
Physics and Metaphysics are two opposite poles. Trying to co-relate the two is bizarre. No
wonder that this led to outrage among the science community.


        Some of the lines from the book, which are the most picked ones by critics are:

1. In the introductory part of the book, one of the well-known contributors of the book, Bob Proctor, says that the way we make use of electricity even though we don’t understand how it works, similarly, we have to make use of the “Law of Attraction” even though we may not understand the working principle behind it (The Secret, 21). This quote is singled out and often used to showcase the unscientific temperament of the book, as electricity is a concept which is fairly understood by everyone in today’s world. Besides, equating a scientific phenomenon like electricity to a philosophical one like “Law of Attraction” is bound to attract ridicule.                 
2.  Another line from the book which is often picked up by critics is “Food is not responsible for weight gain.” This comes in the part where the main author, Rhonda Byrne, is explaining how to lose weight using The Secret. She is of the opinion that what we eat has nothing to do with our weight, its only our thoughts that matter. This statement is the one to have anyone scratching their heads, due to its sheer absurdity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Page 9                                                                                                                                                                                            
3. A highly twisted version of Einstein’s theory of relativity and its subsequent ‘time being a mere illusion’ is made use of in the book. Einstein’s theory of time being an illusion was a hypothesis which questioned the physicality and existence of time in the physical plane. It absolutely has no mention of the future already holding everything that a person desires in the present moment. Its clear that the book quoted the theory out of context and twisted it to suit its own needs.                                                                                                                                        
4. The “Observer Effect” of physics is misquoted and heavily distorted in order to fit into the framework of the book. The theory merely says that observation of a phenomena inevitably causes it to change. It nowhere states that our mind is the one source of everything around us.                  
5. Its true that our thoughts and feelings affect our physiology and our state of health. But this book overstretched the concept to make it appear that our thoughts are the cause of every illness and disease. The book also gives out half-baked explanation of the concept of cell regeneration, and shifts the blame of long-term or chronic illnesses onto the thoughts of the patients! There are also anecdotes of the book’s contributors who claim to have recovered from many deadly diseases and accidents miraculously, just with the power of their thought. One lady (Cathy Goodman) even claims to have cured her breast cancer by herself, without any medication or chemotherapy (The Secret, 128). Her husband, Morris Goodman is said to have returned to normal life from a vegetative state after an accident, merely through the power of his thought (The Secret, 136). Providing such extreme examples is sure to throw the public off track. It's dangerous as there are a number of impressionable minds out there, which can be easily influenced by these and try to implement them in real life. One can only imagine the outcome of trying to cure oneself of deadly diseases merely with “Positive thought”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Page 10                                                                                                                                                          
6. The “placebo effect” is a psychological experiment, which has scientific evidence to back it up. It is a complex and intriguing phenomenon, which is still under research. It is not an example of the amalgamate of science and the “Law of Attraction”.                                                                        
7. While it’s true that our brains generate magnetic waves, they have a very miniscule frequency and do not travel outside our skulls. The claims of the book that the magnetic waves of our brain interact with the magnetic waves of the Earth (The Secret, 9-10) is purely fictional.            
8.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Page 11          

        While these are the various points of criticism against the book, ardent supporters of
the book look at it from a different perspective. They see the book as a philosophical guide
and a source of spiritual light in their lives. They claim that the book has saved them from
harrowing situations by just managing to change their perspective towards life. The book
makes people have a paradigm shift of consciousness, and that by itself is a huge thing. In the
view of the supporters, asking a philosophical book to be scientifically accurate is
foolishness. The book should be read from a philosophical point of view. It is a self-help
book which is written with the intention of giving hope and a new lease of life to people.
That’s exactly what it does, and there ends the matter. Its too much to ask a self-help book to
be scientific. Also, the book makes use of scientific terms just to make its concepts clear, not
to justify or make a connection between the two. As to the sceptics, the book is not meant for
such people. The book is specifically for people who want to change and have an open mind.
So, all the criticism against the book is unfair and irrelevant in the view of the book’s
supporters.


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Results

        A thoughtful consideration towards the above stated excerpts and quotes from the
book The Secret indicate that the criticism aimed at of the book is not uncalled for. Books are
a means of mass communication, and given how easily accessible they are, the contributors
ought to have been more responsible in their assertions and explanations. The book is quite
vague and can be misleading. Playing the Devil’s Advocate, it can also be argued that the
readers too can be held responsible for getting carried away by the content of the book.
People need to be cautious enough to remain grounded and level headed while reading the
book. A subtle sense of understanding and a philosophical outlook towards life are necessary
to be able to extract the essence of the book. The readers are only going to make a fool of
themselves if they take the book too seriously on a surface level. The deep philosophies
expounded in the book demand a refined perspective and sensitivity of attitude. Only then
will the book make sense and be able to put forth its matter without any scope for
misinterpretation or wrong notions. The ground-breaking success of this book is no negligible
affair, nor is it a mistake. The book achieved the peaks of popularity owing to its ability to
captivate the readers with its clarity of concepts, simplicity of language, absence of any kind
of ornamental or ostensible content and most of all, its practical and down to earth approach
towards deep philosophical notions which touches the readers’ heart. So, the right frame of
approach and depth of mindset is essential in order to make effective and beneficial use of the
book.


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Recommendation

        The above stated observations and analysis makes it clear that the book The Secret is
indeed answerable for all its unscientific explanations, exaggerated philosophy and utopian
views and beliefs. While it did carry a noble vision to spread hope, joy and positivity around
the world, the book stretched it too far, and made itself look superficial and unreliable in the
process. That being said, the mountainous amount of positive influence the book has had on
people around the world cannot be ignored. There are a number of staunch supporters of the
book who hail the book as an eye opener and life changer. The book is said to have been a
strong moral pillar for lost people and the gateway for a fresh, positive life for the depressed
and downcast. Given the philosophical nature of the book, it looks unreasonable to put it
under the scanner for scientific proofs and evidence. So, the readers too need to take up some
self-responsibility and make sure that they are not gullible enough to take every word of the
book literally. The content of the book is to be extracted and realized within oneself, not just
read and understood at a surface level. So, readers need to apply their discretion and carefully
tread the thin line which separates a positive and optimistic person from a delusional
fantasist.


Page 14

References

Byrne, Rhonda. The Secret. London: Atria Book, 2006. PDF.


Chabris, Christopher and Simons, Daniel. “Fight The Power” : Sunday Book Review. The
New York Times, 26 September 2010, p BR27
//www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/books/review/Chabris-t.html


Sol, Mateo. “What really is the Law of Attraction?” Lonerwolf
//lonerwolf.com/law-of-attraction/


Radford, Benjamin. “The Pseudoscience of The Secret” LiveScience , 3 February 2009
//www.livescience.com/amp/5303-pseudoscience-secret.html


Shermer, Michael. “The (Other) Secret” Scientific America , 1 June 2007
//www.scientificamerica.com/article/the-other-secret/


Farber, Neil. “The Truth About the law of Attraction” Phycology Today, 18 September 2016
//www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-blame-game/201609/the-truth-about-the-law-
attraction?amp


Radford, Benjamin and Carmichael, Mary. “Secrets and Lies”: Special Report. Skeptical
Inquirer, 29 March 2007
//skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/secrets_and_lies/

RESEARCH PAPER : Neurolinguistics

LINGUISTICS - ASSIGNMENT 2

NEUROLINGUISTICS

     Neurolinguistics (or Neurological Linguistics) is an area of expertise which explores the
inter-relationship between the human brain and human language / communication. It is one of
the most important part of Linguistics, and falls under the category of Macro Linguistics. It is an
inter-disciplinary subject which is linked to a number of closely related subjects like neurology,
psycholinguistics, cognitive science, etc. Neurolinguistics is thus, quite a vast and diverse area of
academics. Brain mechanics, language production and comprehension, language processing, and
its related problems and ailments are some of the major concepts covered under neurolinguistics.

     In simple terms, Neurolinguistics can be defined as “the study of the neural mechanisms in the
human brain that control the comprehension, production, and acquisition of language”.
Neurolinguistics is primarily centred around the human brain and its processing of human
language. The mechanisms of the brain involved in language production, storage, processing and
comprehension are examined and analysed, alongside the various problems and aliments
associated with it such as dyslexia, aphasia, etc. It is a complex subject which investigates and
throws light upon several vital aspects of human brain and language, such as language
information processing in the brain, relation of brain structures to language acquisition and
learning, and contribution of neurophysiology towards curing of speech and language maladies.

     Neurolinguistics chiefly seeks to explain how language is dealt with in the brain: i.e., in which
part(s) of our brain is languages actually stored and processed; how our brain stores the
information of the various different languages that we speak, understand, read, and write; what
happens in the brain when we acquire the knowledge of a new language; what happens in the
brain as we use language in our everyday lives, etc.

     So, it can be said that the chief goal of Neurolinguistics is to understand and expound upon the
neurological bases of language and speech in the human brain. The human brain is composed of
around 10 billion neurons. The highest level of the brain is the cerebral cortex (which is found
only in higher mammals). Humans brains have the highest proportion of cortex. Language
representation and processing resides in the brain. The human brain has two cerebral
hemispheres: right and left. The left hemisphere is the one which is primarily responsible for
language skills, but the right hemisphere too plays a significant role. Neurolinguistics aid to
characterize the mechanisms and processes of brain, which are involved in the use of language.



Page 2

Some of the most important facets of Neurolinguistics research are as follows:

Localization and Lateralisation of Language in the Brain:

     Different human cognitive abilities and behaviours are believed to be localised in specific parts
of the brain. Most of the research work in Neurolinguistics is carried out in order to examine the
locations of language storage and processing in the brain. There are specific modules within the
brain in which language is said to be localised. Any cognitive function that is localised primarily
in one side of the brain is said to be lateralisation. Language is said to be lateralised to the left
hemisphere as, generally, most of the human beings are left lateralised.

     The early studies of scientists like Broca and Wernicke have already done a considerable
amount of research in this area and have come up with some creditable results. Presently, it is
theorised that language is localised to the cortex region of the brain, especially the Broca’s Area
and Wernicke’s Area.

     Broca’s area is the frontal lobe i.e., the area in the left hemisphere where the frontal, parietal and
temporal lobes meet. It controls syntax. Wernicke’s area is the temporal lobe i.e., the parital or
temporal region in the left hemisphere. It controls semantics.

     However, recent researches have starting pointing out the right hemisphere plays a significant
complementary role in language processing; especially in recognising intonations, understanding
witty things, etc. Queries for forthcoming researchers include what path does language
information follow while travelling through the brain as it is processed, whether or not particular
areas specialize in processing particular type of information, how different brain regions interact
with one another in language processing, and how the activity of the brain differs when
producing or perceiving a new language other than first language.

Timing of language processes:

     Another important area of Neurolinguistics is the analysis of the timing of language processing.
Electrophysiological techniques are made use of to analyse the rapid processing of language with
respect to time. In the temporal lobe, there is a certain pattern or order in which specific patterns
of brain activity occur. These reflect the computational processes which the brain undergoes
during language processing. The different responses of the brain are theorised to be the products
of the different steps of language processing occurring in the brain.

Language Acquisition:

     Yet another topic examined under Neurolinguistics is the relationship between brain structures
and language acquisition. Extensive research in language acquisition has shown that infants
generally go through predictable, similar stages (such as babbling) in the process of acquiring
their first language. A good amount of Neurolinguistics research is aimed at finding correlations
between stages of language development and stages of brain development. There are also
investigations underway about the physical changes in the brain (in adults) when acquiring a
second language. These investigations have observed that language acquisition leads to an
increase in grey and white matter in the brain of the learner, irrespective of age.

     Also, extensive studies and experimentation have proven that language ability does not equal
general cognition. That means to say that the ability to understand and learn languages is not
related or dependent on other general cognitive skills or abilities. A patient with severe cognitive
defects can still be a multi-linguist, and a person with impaired language learning ability may
possess no other cognitive defect.

Language Pathology:

     Careful consideration, examination and analysis of language-based disorders such as aphasia and
dyslexia, makes up a sizable chunk of the bulk of knowledge in Neurolinguistics. The cause,
consequence and possible cure of such disorders are methodically explored under
Neurolinguistics. Special attention is given to examine the relation between the disorders and the
physical structure of the brain.

     One such disorder is Aphasia. It is any language disorder due to brain damage caused by any
disease or trauma. People affected by this are often selectively language impaired i.e., they may
either have trouble in pronouncing words and forming sentences or have comprehension
problems with lexical faults. But they do not necessarily have cognitive or intellectual
impairments. This disorder is often seen as an evidence for localisation of language.

     Besides these, Neurolinguistics as a science tries to delve deep and offer plausible explanations
to probing questions like:
*What is unique about human brains that it makes human language possible?
*Why is our communication system so elaborate and different from that of other animals?
*Does language use the same kind of neural processing as used by other systems, such as music or
mathematics?
*How does a bilingual person switch between languages without one interfering with the other?
*In what way is the brain of a dyslexic person different from the brain a normal person?


     Neurolinguistics is also multifaceted. It is linked to almost every other major areas of linguistics.
Each and every sub field of linguistics requires the support of Neurolinguistics research in one
way or other. For example, the subfield “Phonetics” is related to Neurolinguistics as it is
necessary to analyse how the human brain recognises and responds to speech sounds and how it
separates speech from unnecessary background sounds. Then, “phonology” requires the help of
Neurolinguistics to examine how a particular language is represented in the brain.
Neurolinguistics aid the subject of “Morphology” by shedding light on how the brain stores and
accesses known words. The themes of “syntax and semantics” are supported by Neurolinguistics
as it explains how the brain combines words into sentences; and how the structural and semantic
information of language is used in the brain to understand sentences.

     In Neurolinguistics, a vast amount of effort is put into testing and reviewing the various theories
put forth by theoretical linguists and psycholinguistics. Generally, theoretical linguists bring
forth various models to explain the structure and pattern of language and how language
information is classified or organized; while psycholinguists propose models and algorithms to
explain how language is processed in the mind. Neurologists analyse the functioning and activity
of the brain to deduce how the corporal configurations of the human brain carry out those
algorithms proposed by the psycholinguistics. Neuro-linguists can also make new predictions
and discoveries about the structure and organization of language in the brain, based organizing
knowledge about the functioning of the brain, by "generalizing the knowledge of neurological
structures to language structure".

     It can thus be summed up that Neurolinguistics is a broad sphere of study of the human brain and
language; which includes language and speech processing, lateralization of language-related
functions and speech and language impairments. All of these concepts together make
Neurolinguistics a thought-provoking and all-encompassing subject, and a suitable domain for
further research and information exchange with other inter-related disciplines.

LOC: "I collect shells"...

Mohit finished his jog and stood still for a few minutes, gasping for breath. 

He then looked around for his friend Saurabh. Spotting him at a distance, he walked over. Mohit was about to collapse onto the warm sand when he was startled by Saurabh’s sharp cry.

“Hi! Look out! Don't you dare destroy my treasure!" 

“Treasure?” 

Mohit looked down and saw some scattered seashells. 

Saurabh began to pick the shells up and put them into his bag. Mohit chuckled. 

“That's your treasure?” 

“Of course it is,” retorted Saurabh as Mohit sat down on the sand beside him. 

“They are pieces of Nature's Art. Look at this one.” Saurabh picked a shell from his collection and held it up. It was a beautiful shell with intricate grooves. "Just look at this beauty. Look at its shape and grooves. Do you know what these grooves represent? They stand for resilience!" 

Mohit, who until then had a mocking expression, suddenly turned serious. "Shells… symbols of resilience…” he stammered.

"Yes," replied Saurabh in a dreamy voice. "Just think about it. Each groove formed in the shell has its own story to tell." Turning the shell around, he continued, "These shells lie in the depths of the ocean for ages. They withstand extreme weather and pressure. Remember the tsunami? Heaven knows how many gigantic killer waves these shells have seen! And yet, they continue to survive! They retain their beauty! They…” 

Saurabh paused and glanced at his friend. To his shock, he noticed that Mohit had suddenly turned serious and seemed to be brooding about something. His bloodshot eyes betrayed the pain he was trying to suppress. 

Noticing the sudden change in demeanor, Saurabh patted his friend’s shoulder with concern. Mohit turned to Saurabh with a grave expression. "What is it? What happened to you all of a sudden?" asked a worried Saurabh. 

Mohit took a deep breath and gathered himself with great effort. Straightening up, he told Saurabh, "You know, when you were speaking about these shells, I was reminded of my childhood." 

"Why?" 

"Come. I also have a precious shell to show you." Mohit got up and started walking toward his car, with Saurabh following behind. He opened the trunk and reached inside, pulling out a large, black chunk of heavy metal and holding it up in front of Saurabh, who looked unnerved by its sight. 

It was indeed a bombshell! "Take it," said Mohit as he offered the empty shell to Saurabh. Saurabh touched it hesitantly, hardly believing his eyes. A real bombshell from a war was right in front of him. 

"This is an ACTUAL bombshell." 

"Yes." 

"One used in wars?" 

"Yes. The Gadimerth War." 

"You seriously collected these?!?!" 

"Yes." 

"But why? For what joy?" 

"Just like that, you know. My home was close to the Line of Control, the War Zone. After the war, I would wander around the area with a few friends. That’s when I collected these bits and pieces of war. They make for quite interesting memorabilia." 

The calmness in Mohit's voice as he revealed all these details unnerved Saurabh. He could hardly believe that his jovial friend was speaking of war so casually and had a bombshell tucked away in his car trunk.

"Are you in your senses? War shells are memorabilia for you? Don’t they always remind you of the war and its terrible aftermath?" 

"Then why do you collect these seashells? Don’t they remind you of floods, tsunamis, and their disastrous consequences?" Saurabh gasped. 

"We lived so close to the LOC that we heard the sound of bullets and shelling as often as you hear thunder in the monsoon," said Mohit with a sad smile. "But that didn’t lessen our zeal for life. It scared us, but it made us stronger. If anything, it gave us courage. The end of the war brought us new hope. And this,"—pointing to the shell in Saurabh's hand—"is a reminder of that very strength and hope that helped us overcome those difficult times." 

Saurabh looked down at the shell in amazement. It was no longer a relic of terrible warfare but a symbol of the resilience of the human spirit. 

"Man," he exclaimed. "I had never thought of it in that way! Even in the deadliest and most dangerous places, life still exists!" 

"It doesn’t just exist, Saurabh. It thrives. Disasters and destruction don’t take life away from a place," smiled Mohit. 

Saurabh nodded and smiled back.

Picking up their respective "treasured shells," both friends got into Mohit’s car and made their way home, enjoying the cool breeze and the beautiful sunset by the sea.

Indian Writings in English : Perspectives and Prospectives

Indian Writings in English :Perspectives and Prospectives

"Indian Writings in English" is a term which is pretty self-explanatory. It's writings written by Indian in English, which is a  foreign language. This category of writings can be said to be quite a recent phenomenon, as it originated barely around a couple of centuries ago. It is, therefore, the youngest among all the writings/literature of all Indian languages. While it did have a late start, it gained momentum and has grown drastically over the decades. There were varied (and often conflicting) perspectives through the short but supercharged history of Indian Writings in English. Also, now that it has grown to be a recognised category of literature worldwide, it has new challenges to address and fresh avenues to explore.

Perspectives : 

The history of any language is traceable through its literature.


The history of Indian Writings in English is extremely abrupt and agitated.
It's abrupt as it was a language which came into with the colonisers and it was agitated as it was the centre of heated debates and contrasting viewpoints.


India is a land of several languages. It has around 22 officially recognised languages and countless vernacular tongues and regional dialects. Almost each of these languages has its own rich literature, which dates back to several centuries ago. Each language is hence, remarkable in its own way and has a distinct history, which is traceable through its literature.

Even with such a rich assortment of native languages, it is ironic that the link language of the nation is a foreign tongue i.e., English. While this is, of course, the result and residue of the 200 years colonial rule which our country was subjugated to, it is worthwhile noting the notions which actually compelled Indians to adopt a foreign tongue to such an extent and make it their own.


As English is a colonial language, people of India viewed it through many different perspectives, especially when it came to the question of creating literature in English. The various viewpoints can be broadly classified into two types:
1) Orientalists  2)Anglisists

Orientalists were the people who favoured Indian languages over English. According to them, English was a foreign language, and could never be good enough to fully express our 'Indian' emotions. Moreover, taking up and adopting something which belonged to our colonisers was looked down as 'slave mentality'. These people were of the firm opinion that using English would mean accepting the overlordship of the British. Therefore, they wanted to use only Indian languages and remain as different as possible from the British. Even among this group, there were innumerable splits as each had a varying degree of opposition against English. These people were harsh (and often unjust) critics of early Indian writers who were attempting to write in English. These people called such writers as hypocrites and accused them of not being devoted enough to their Motherland and mother tongue.

Anglisists were the people who encouraged the use of English in India. Many of these people belonged to the elite class and had hence been privileged enough to receive an education in English. According to their point of view, English was a gateway to modern science and knowledge. It was a way to introduce India to the outside world. Also, they argued that using something which exclusively belonged to the oppressors was an act of rebellion, not subjugation. The splits in this group were caused by the reason each one had for supporting English. Whatever be their reasons, it can be observed that these people were, therefore, the pioneers of the English language and in India. Many of these people were themselves writers who wrote in English and encouraged other writers to do the same.

To put it in a coherent manner, the various viewpoints about English held by Indians were as follows:

1. English has no place in Indian society as it is a foreign language. India has enough number of languages, each with its own beauty. It doesn't need a foreign language.

2. English is the language of the oppressor. Using and adopting it is a clear sign of a slave mentality. It's a symbolic way of bowing down and accepting the supremacy of England.

3. It becomes difficult to express thoughts and emotions in a clear and precise manner while using a foreign language. Emotions flow out naturally in the native language. So, it would be extremely hard and borderline impossible for Indians to be able to fully express themselves in English.

4. Writings in English would always remain inferior to the writings in native languages. This is because Indians are alien to the English language and cannot express themselves in a unique and creative manner using the language. What they do at best is to imitate the British writers, which is a ridiculous thing.

5.  English is a language of the aristocratic and elite class. It can never become the language of the Indian common masses.

6. English is a shallow and superficial language, best suited only for official use. It's no never comparable to any of the Indian languages


6. English makes it possible for Indians to have access to the new knowledge of the world I.e., scientific developments and such.

7. Using English would introduce Indians to the wide world outside. Indians will be free to present themselves and their own stories to the world, only when they have the knowledge of English.

8. Using the language of the oppressor in the fight against them is a sure shot sign of rebellion, not submission. Indians using English is an act of defiance and would surely engage the British.

9. Being introduced to English would uplift the masses, help break class barriers and aid social mobility.


At the onset, Indian writers who were writing in English did indeed try to mimic the Western writers. They often used pure English, unadulterated English by any Indian words. Some writers, especially poets, even went to the extent of using old English in their poems! This was a setback, as the rich and complex Indian experience cannot be captured perfectly with the use of "English",  both the style and language.

There was drastic improvement down the line. Writers gradually shunned the practice of aping the West and started to try and cultivate their own 'Indian' style. They brought words from their regional, vernacular languages and blended them seamlessly into the English language. They spoke about their own lives and surroundings, in their own personal style of write was their own. All of these developments led to Indian Writings in English growing rapidly in terms of both: quality and quantity.

Thus, each of the writers who strived and contributed to Indian writings in this period is with remembering; as their priceless contributions at this crucial junction of time made Indian Writings in English evolved into a distinctive genre of literature in India.
Some of the most important writers among them were Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (wrote the first Indian novel in English, Rajmohan's Wife) Mulk Raj Anand,  RK Narayan, Raja Rao, etc. Notable poets include Henry Derojio, Rabindranath Tagore, Miachel Madhusudhan Dutt, Toru Dutt, Sarojini Naidu, etc. Along with this name which is popular, it to be remembered that there are a number of unrecognized writers who contributed immensely to the growth of Indian Writings in English.

While the contribution of these exalted writers did lay the foundation, the current breed of writers has in their hands the hard task of building upon it. The work of the current writers will, in turn, lay down the ground for future writers to create further down the line.

Prospectives :

Though it can boast of being the link language of India and also the universal language of all domains that matter (science, technology, trade, commerce, etc); English still lags far behind, compared to other Indian languages, in the field of literature in India. Indian Writings in English is quite a late occurrence, compared to the literature of other Indian be which have been existing since ages. Though remarkable progress has been made in this field, there is still a lot which can be done.

Indian Writings in English has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few decades.
The end part of the 20th Century and the beginning decade of the 21st century have seen Indian writers gaining worldwide fame and applause. There are quite a few who have even won the Booker Prize. Several other prestigious awards have also seen Indian writers as their recipients. Such progress is certainly a significant achievement, given the late arrival of English into India. Indian Writings in English is now a source of global attention and appreciation.

Salman Rushdie (Booker Prize for his book, Midnight's Children - 1981)
Nayantara Seghal, Anita Desai, Arundathi Roy, Kiran Desai, Ruskin Bond, Vikram Seth, Shashi Tharoor are some of the names which have gained adulation and honours for their contributions to Indian Writings in English.

While such gigantic progress was heartening to witness in the previous decade, it's observed in the current decade that Indian Writings in English have slowly started to derail and denigrate.

A good number of writers nowadays write to appeal to the public and gain popularity;  instead of striving to produce quality writings which can contribute to the body of Indian Writings in English and raise it further. The challenge of Indian English authors now - a - days is to produce writings which have quality and are worth mentioning amongst the literature of the period. Presently, most of the English writings in India are just popular fiction, and most of them are not worthy enough to be considered as literature.

Besides, a number of writers in India nowadays look to carve out a career by presenting the country's rich culture, heritage, mythology and history in a bizarre and twisted manner. This is a horrific and shameful practice. Presenting own one opinion and understanding about mythology can be done without disrespecting or making a mockery out of it. Presenting history and mythology in an unjustifiable manner is to deliberately mislead the people who have no idea as out of our culture. This is a pressing problem in the present Indian Writings in English scenario, which can lead to serious complications down the line.

All this criticism is not to imply the lack of good English writers in India. They exist, of course, but they need to be given their rightful recognition and appreciation. Most of the good writers are of n  termed as amateurs, as opposed to the professional writers who only write to sell.

Public preferences have a considerable impact on what comes out as literature of a particular time period. So, the public has to be held equally accountable for the denigration of Indian Writings in English as their taste in literature is what determines the literary quality of an era. Choosing to read what is good over what is simple makes a ton of difference.  Some Indians even go to the extent of ignoring all Indian writers in English, under the impression that all of the Indian Writings in English is fairly inferior compared to Western Literature in English. This sort of complex is uncalled for and undermines the competency and skill of writers in our country. If the preferences of the public continue to be the same, the future of Indian Writings in English looks bleak.

With the advance of technology, the Internet has now provided a platform for everyone to showcase their talents to the outside world. Sites such as WattPad are particularly popular among amateur writers. Even readers of such portals are people with a sensible taste, who wish to read quality writings. It is observed that Writings found on such sites are of great quality, compared to the popular fiction of our era. This shows that there is no dearth of creativity or talent in India, just that the deserving ones need to be given the spotlight. Enough encouragement for such talents would mean an incredible future for Indian Writings in English.

Besides, there also arises the question of who or what all can be included under this category of "Indian Writings in English". NRI group of writers and third/fourth generations of Indian writers are the ones who are usually put under the scanner. These writers often feel that taking on any labels is limiting, and prefer to say that they belong to the world. Some have even gone on to question the very tag " Indian Writings in English" as it has a very colonial feel to it. This is an ongoing debate, which had originated parallel to the origin of Indian Writings in English. Each decade seems to bring forth it's own ideologies and suggestions, and reaching any conclusion seems unlikely in the near future.


Summing up, Indian Writings in English can be said to be a remarkable realm amongst literature. Its history is brief but convoluted. It grew and shot to heights in a very short period of time, but now stands in a very precarious position. While the public choices play a determining role, on one hand, the advent of online sites and ebooks is a ray of hope and encouragement to the young aspiring writers.

LOC: Line of C...

Short Story Writing Competition
Monday, 30 September 2019
Topic : LOC


LOC: Line of C...


Bangs and screams on both sides.

Things being hurled towards and back.

Tension gripped the air.

The intensity increased minute by minute.


"Oh God! This is another India - Pakistan war".

My grandmother's words sent chills down my spine.


Another war!

A slideshow of gruesome pictures started running in my head :
Violence, Bloodshed, Murder, Police, Curfew…

Noooo!
God, not another war!

I prayed silently within, even as I sat a mute spectator of the ongoing clash, which seemed to be gaining momentum with each passing second.

It all started with trespassing.
Trespassing the defacto " Line of Control".


The "other side" had immediately sprung to action.
The trespasser was immediately taken hostage (after being beaten black and blue, that is).
His pictures and videos were being circulated around. Videos of him being beaten and pictures of him bruised and bleeding.

A kind of vicarious, sadistic pleasure seemed to fill the enemy by sharing these.
I couldn't stand the sight of those for a second.
God knows how his family would have borne it.

"Hope he is set free quickly" I murmured.

"Nothing to worry. He will indeed be released under political influence and pressure" assured my grandmother.

Thank Heavens that her words came true!

The MLA of our area intervened and made sure that the man was immediately released.

He threatened the people of both side with dire consequences for any such future nuisances and street fights.

He forced the other side to apologize and made people of both sides shake hands with each other as a friendly gesture.

It all finally ended with a feast sponsored by the MLA, and a night full of merriment.

Nevertheless, I knew that all of this festivity and friendliness would last only for a day or two.

Living in a house very close to the LOC, I had witnessed such fights every other day.  In fact, they had now become an amusement for me.

The LOC…

The dreaded LOC which I have never dared to cross since my childhood…

It is the street dividing the two major colonies in our tiny town.

The Line of Colonies

It's the most ominous border which I have seen.

Being a small-town girl, the war between the two colonies was the greatest war I had ever seen or heard of.

If India-Pakistan were being compared to our two colonies, then their enmity must be great!

Book Review : The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

BOOK REVIEW

Introduction

1. Title : The Secret 

2. Author : Rhonda Byrne

3. Publisher : Atria Books, New York

4. Genre : Nonfiction, self help book

5. Reason of choice : It's a book which had the most profound influence on my life and changed my outlook and made me more optimistic.

I first heard about the book in an interview of my favourite actor, where he mentioned it as the book which gave him clarity in life. That sparked my curiosity and I set out to search high and low for the book. Along with that, the title of the book and the cover design were both intriguing enough to get me to pick it up from the bookstore shelf.

Review

Self - help books have turned out to be the new big thing in the book market. They have become quite a rage owing to the advice and assistant they offer;  which is much needed in today's hyper - accelerated, over - stressed up world. Tons of such books are to be found in the market, but few can claim to be a revolutionary success like "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. 

"The Secret"  is a New Thought book which focuses on the "Law of Attraction" and suggests simple tips and tricks to engage the Law in practical life. Even though it carries along a fair share of criticism, the 2006-released book is getting increasingly famous with each passing day and is one among the  hot favourites of the masses.

The author of the book, Rhonda Byrne is an Australian who was initially into television production and later turned into  a bestselling author and a spiritual entrepreneur. The book is said to be an outcome of the life lessons she had learnt during a traumatic phrase of her life. 

The book is contains inputs by 24 other people besides the author, who have all shared their opinions and experiences and about the Law of Attraction. Given how each carry their own strong sense of individuality, it is astounding that they all speak as one voice. There is no hint of any disparity or conflicting views in the book.

Simply put, the book elaborates on the fundamental principle that our thoughts have a profound impact on our lives as we tend to attract what we always focus on or  think about.

Within its 200 pages, the book gives a number of detailed  techniques and methods (along with real life examples and experiences) to implement the Law of Attraction in our daily lives in order to bring about positive changes and live the life of our dreams. 

What makes the  book appealing is it's clarity and simplicity. There is neither any ornamental language nor any ostensible content. Every word in the book seeps down directly into the heart of the reader and it is possible for the reader to develop a deep connection with the book and be able to relate with its contents.

Due credit has to be given to the designers of the book. The book cover, illustrations on the pages and the placement of content in the pages are all done in such a brilliant manner that they elevate the book to another level and add their own bit of philosophical touch to the book. 

"The Secret", which was first released as a standalone book, has now grown to be  "The Secret" series, with "The Power", "The Magic", "The Hero" and "How The Secret changed my Life" being the succeeding books in that order. The evolution of a single book into a series testifies the widespread influence and popularity of the book.  Furthermore, it has been translated into more than 30 languages and is read and celebrated all around the globe.

"The Secret" can act as a spiritual gateway to people who are willing to embark on a life discovering journey and help them in tapping into their own innate power. It can also probably make people dig deep into their own roots. This is because the book clearly states that it has been inspired and drawn from the teachings of many ancient religions and cultures.

Criticism

The book has been criticised by sceptics who doubt the truth and functionality of the Law of Attraction and call it out for being unrealistic and impractical.  It is also rejected or harshly judged by people with a scientific bent of mind, as they demand the logical / scientific proof of the Law of Attraction. While such criticism is valid, it is upto people to have a deeper and subtle understanding of the concepts and draw the line between being a fanciful dreamer and being an optimistic person.

Conclusion

To sum up, "The Secret" is surely a book which is highly recommended for everyone. It's for people of all ages and from all walks of life. A book which is bound to open a whole new world of light and hope to everyone who reads and absorbs it; there's no wonder that even with a strong backlash, the book continues to shine forth and illuminate the lives of people all around the world.

Movie Review : The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

MOVIE REVIEW 

Introduction

1. Title : The Secret

2. Creator : Rhonda Byrne

3. Production  :  Prime Time Productions

4. Genre : Documentary film

5. Reason of choice : It's based on the book "The Secret", which had a deep and profound impact on my life.


I accidentally came across the movie when I was browsing the Internet for some information about the book, "The Secret". I decided to give it a try as I was  highly influenced by the book. The movie gave me a more clear and vivid understanding of the book.


Review

Best-seller  books being turned into movies is a fairly common phenomenon. But, a movie becoming such a rage that it is turned into a  book (which goes on to be a best-seller and later evolves into a book series) ; is something unheard of and also seems borderline impossible.


But that is what makes "The Secret" movie stand out!


"The Secret" is a Australian - American documentary movie created by Rhonda Byrne (an Australian who was involved in television production and later went one become a bestselling author). It was first released in March 2006.


Featuring the interviews of about 24 eminent personalities, the movie is based on the "Law of Attraction".  It's all about the fundamental principles of the above stated law and it's application in routine life. The teachers share their own understanding and experiences regarding the Law of Attraction in the movie, while also suggesting some practical techniques to harness the law to create a dreamlike life.


All the 24 teachers involved in the movie are like pieces in a puzzle, they fit together perfectly to make the complete picture. All their thoughts and teachings are in sync with each other and with the overall premises of the movie. They speak as one voice, which makes the movie run smoothly without any kind of abruption.


The entire movie consists of basically three kinds of scenes:

Type 1. Interviews of the teachers

Type 2. Re - enacted scenes of the real life
experiences of the teachers

Type 3. Random pictures and short clips to  illustrate  the concepts being explained.

All the three types of scenes blend seamlessly together, which lends a coherent flow to the movie.


The interview scenes of the teachers leave an everlasting impression, owing to the charismatic personality of all the teachers. Their explanations are all simple, clear-cut and straightforward,  and their way of addressing is filled with such warmth and friendliness that it is quite  endearing.


The scenes where the real life experiences of the teachers are re-enacted are quite an highlight of the movie. It is done in such a realistic manner that it almost feels like the viewers are witnessing the scenes live. It is bound to affect the psyche of people, as it adds credibility to the theory explored in the movie.


The pictures and short clips, which are inserted in between the movie to illustrate the concepts, are the icing on cake. They are all well-chosen and perfectly placed. They add value to the movie as they make it more easy to understand and relate to.


A special note of applause to the hypnotizing opening of the movie. The voice-over of Rhonda Byrne, along with the dramatized scenes which depict the historical importance of the Law,  suffice to arrest anyone's attention at once.


The movie has high production values. Filming, audio recording, background music, editing, graphics, voice overs, etc are all done right, and put together, they produce the desired effect. The teachers are all competent public speakers, with fluent speech and engaging body language. They excel in the re-enacted scenes as well. A word of appreciation to the actors involved in Type 2 and Type 3 scenes. They are all well picked and  pass muster. The editing is neat and the movie has a suitable length.


The most striking thing about the movie is it's close resemblance with the book. Though it can be argued that this is due to the fact that the movie preceded the book; it is still worth noting that turning visual content into a textual form is, infact, more difficult than vice-versa.



Criticism


Despite all its positives and popularity, the movie is mired in controversies and criticism. Sceptics and rationalists have judged, criticized, refuted and even mocked the movie, for its seemingly "pseudo scientific theories" an fanciful ideas. The movie has not been too successful in convincing the minds of intellects, thought it has successfully strung the heart strings of the masses. A large number of people find hope and optimism from the movie, while a few others find it to be ridiculous and mere whistling in the wind.



Conclusion


Highly recommendable for people who are in search of hope, meaning and optimism in life; the movie needs to be taken with a grain of salt as it's easy to get too carried away with all the viewpoints and possibilities spoken of in the movie. A word of caution to such people : please remain grounded and develop a subtle and deeper understanding of the subject. But it's only meant for audience with an emotional, philosophical and spiritual outlook. Cynics, pessimists, analysts and the rest of the kind are advised to give it pass.

Comparative Study: "Harp of India" and "Coramandal Fishers"

Question:

A comparative study of Henry Derojio's poem "Harp of India" and Sarojini Naidu's poem "Coramandal Fishers", tracing imagery, the theme of patriotism, Indian-ness and development of Indian poetry in English.

Answer: 

Indian English Literature can be said to be the youngest among all the literature of different Indian languages. This is because English came in to India as a foreign language i.e., the language of the oppressor during the colonial rule. So, it can be said that English Literature of India has a very unique and interesting history. Here, we try to know more about this history by doing a comparative study of two of the most important early English writers of India.

Henry Derojio is said to be the first English poet of India. Though a foreigner by birth, his spirit of patriotism towards India was unmatched. He considered India to be his Motherland and wrote of its glorious past. On the other hand, Sarojini Naidu was a native Indian with a deep sense of patriotism and nationalism. She wrote about every simple thing which was "Indian". One similarity between both was that both came from Bengal.

Henry Derojio's poem "Harp of India" is about the glorious past and rich heritage of India, which is now lost, forgotten and lies enslaved by the British. The poet expresses a hope that his country returns to the glorious past one day.

Sarojini Naidu's poem "Coromandal Fishers" is about fishermen; it is a wake up call by one of the fishermen to his brothers to rise and set to work. Though the poem has an endearing charm of simplicity on the surface, it can be interpreted in a political perspective as a wake up call by the poet to her countrymen to rise and fight for their country.

The language used by the poets vary vastly. While Henry Derojio's makes use of some Old English words in his poem; Sarojini Naidu's language is entirely simple and clear, and is new English. The difference in language points to the various phrases of development of Indian poetry in English.

As concerning imagery, Sarojini Naidu's poem comes across as more vivid as it includes imagery appealing to all the senses. The poem is full of sounds, tastes and sensations, which makes the poem come alive for the reader. It can also be said that the poem is one big metaphor in itself, when seen from a political perspective. As regards Henry Derojio's poem, the use of imagery is limited; but the ones included are made use of effectively. The most powerful imagery used in the poem are that of the harp (indicative of Indian culture) and of chains (to indicate slavery).

The poems have varying degrees of 'Indian-ness" about them. Henry Derojio was an Indian poet of foreign origin while Sarojini Naidu was a native Indian. This difference between the two poets can be seen subtlety reflected in their poems. Derojio seems to love his country for its glorious past i.e,, he is more focused on the past of his country and hopes to see it return to its past glory.

On the other hand, Sarojini Naidu, as a native, is more attuned to the present condition of the country. She is attuned to her surroundings and picks up the simplest of things as the object of poetry. The most commonplace things of an Indian's life became her point of focus, thus lending her poems a unique touch of "Indian-ness".

Patriotism is an underlying theme in the poems of both the poets. While it is expressed overtly in Henry Derojio's poem, hidden underneath the surface in Sarojini Naidu's poem. Love and respect for the Motherland can be felt overwhelmingly in the poem of Derojio. In Sarojini Naidu's poem, it is more subtle and is hidden away from view. It can only be seen when the poem is read from a political perspective.

In conclusion, it can be said that both the poems i.e., "Harp of India" by Henry Derojio and "Coramandal Fishers" by Sarojini Naidu are unique in their own ways. They are both masterpieces in their own right, as they both are expressions of love and respect towards the Motherland, albeit in different ways.

    

I'm Just Me...

IDENTITY

I'M JUST ME

Not the one

To fit into 

society's constraints

Not the one

To shrink myself 

for other's selfish gains

By society's 

standards 

To be defined

I am 

way 

Too refined

In just any one 

divisional boxes, 

I don't get in

In any 

stereotypical category, 

I don't fit in


To anyone else's 

expectations, 

I no longer heed

Everything that I am, 

will be shown 

only through deed

Let them 

see me as a 

worthless weed

The Hall of Fame 

one day, 

I'm sure to lead

No longer do I 

put up any given 

society's label

As to create 

and show my own, 

I'm now able


As a rose 

smells sweet 

with any other name

So to bloom forth 

by myself, 

that's my only aim

Unapologetically, 

I am only, 

just only ME

And that's what 

I am always 

going to be



6 September 2019
Pen A Poem Competition
REVA University

Short Story: "It's not me"

I slept that night and woke up late in the morning. I looked into the mirror and screamed, cried, yelled "It's not me" .

"It's just not me."

I collected myself together with great difficult, and dragged my feet to the washroom. As my hands got busy carrying out the routine tasks;  I was able to focus on my mind and the million thoughts running therein.

The news I had received the previous evening had made my mind go numb. All my dreams were shattered, my life had come to a standstill. I had no hope left and probably, nobody had any hope from me.

It's not me. It's just not me. It can't be me.

Wasn't I the topper for 10 continuous years in school? Wasn't I the role model and inspiration for all my younger cousins? Wasn't I the Star of the Family?

Then how could I fail?

I, who didn't know the meaning of "failure" till yesterday, had failed. Miserably failed. Not just one, but I had failed in "all" the subjects of the semester.

It was just too much for my mind to process.
It was too overwhelming and humiliating to accept.

I came out from the washroom and collapsed on the sofa. In an desperate attempt to distract myself, I picked up my cellphone and started to thoughtlessly browse through various social networking apps.

It's then that I happened to open Tumblr. I started to read the inspirational quotes there, hoping that it would ignite a spark within me.

And I came across "THE" quote…

"If the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall, you will only reach the dead end faster."

I felt a spark within me as I read that!

Wrong Wall…

Dead End…

Had I chosen the wrong course?
Was it something I really was passionate about?
Had I chosen it on my own interest or was it forced on me?
Had I given in peer and societal pressure and suppressed my own dreams and aspirations?

Energised by the new spark, I got up and went out to the garden. 

Meditating for a while in the calm and peaceful atmosphere made the spark develop into a flame of guidance and clarity.