ALBERT EINSTEIN AT SCHOOL BY PATRICK PRINGLE

EIGHT COUSINS OR ONE BROTHER? | D. BALA SUBRAMANIAN | ENGLISH |

The essay ' Eight Cousins or One Brother ? " written by D. Balasubrahmanyam, a specialist in biophysical chemistry . In this lesson writer explains how nature strangely plays a vital role in making species lose their self - interest. The writer wonders why this self - interest opposes Darwin's theory. Strangely, every living own survival lost in natural selection which is selfish as it works towards its…………………

HOW TO LIVE TO BE 200 BY STEPHEN LEACOCK

HOW TO LIVE TO BE 200 BY STEPHEN LEACOCK 

How To Be To Live 200 by Stephen Leacock is a satirically humorous essay and the writer has used the technique of exaggeration for that. The title itself is greatly an exaggeration of facts. Even the man who gets a long, long life to live today does not have a life of 200 years. Those a few persons who get an age above 100 are very rarely to be found in any country. So the writer has used exaggeration in the use of figure 200 in title………….

MOTHER'S DAY: ONE - ACT PLAY BY J.B.PRIESTLEY

MOTHER'S DAY: ONE - ACT PLAY BY J.B.PRIESTLEY 

The following play is a humorous portrayal of the status of the mother in a family. Let’s read on to see how Mrs. Pearson’s family reacts when she tries to stand up for her own rights. 

CHARACTERS : 

MRS ANNIE PEARSON 

GEORGE PEARSON 

DORIS PEARSON 

CYRIL PEARSON 

MRS FITZGERALD 

Scene: The living-room of the Pearson family. Afternoon. It is a comfortably furnished, much lived-in room in a small suburban semi-detached villa. If necessary only one door need be used, but it is better with two — one up left leading to the front door and the stairs and the other in the right wall leading to the kitchen and the back door. There can be a muslin covered window in the left wall and possibly one in the right wall, too. The fireplace is assumed to be in the fourth wall. There is a settee up right, an armchair down left and one down right. A small table with two chairs on either side of it stands at the centre. 

When the curtain rises it is an afternoon in early autumn and the stage can be well lit. Mrs. Pearson at right, and Mrs. Fitzgerald at left, are sitting opposite each other at the small table, on which are two tea-cups and saucers and the cards with which Mrs. Fitzgerald has been telling Mrs. Pearson’s fortune. Mrs. Pearson is a pleasant but worried-looking woman in her forties. Mrs. Fitzgerald is older, heavier and a strong and sinister personality. She is smoking. It is very important that these two should have sharply contrasting voices —Mrs. Pearson speaking in a light, flurried sort of tone, with a touch of suburban Cockney perhaps; and Mrs. Fitzgerald with a deep voice, rather Irish perhaps. 

MRS FITZGERALD: [collecting up the cards] And that’s all I can tell you, Mrs Pearson. Could be a good fortune. Could be a bad one. All depends on yourself now. Make up your mind—and there it is. 

MRS PEARSON: Yes, thank you, Mrs Fitzgerald. I’m much obliged, I’m sure. It’s wonderful having real fortune-teller living next door. Did you learn that out East, too? 

MRS FITZGERALD: I did. Twelve years I had of it, with my old man rising to be Lieutenant Quartermaster. He learnt a lot, and I learnt a lot more. But will you make up your mind now, Mrs. Pearson dear? Put your foot down, once an’ for all, an’ be the mistress of your own house an’ the boss of your own family. 

MRS PEARSON: [smiling apologetically] that’s easier said than done. Besides I’m so fond of them even if they are so thoughtless and selfish. They don’t mean to be... 

MRS FITZGERALD: [cutting in] maybe not. But it’ud be better for them if they learnt to treat you properly... 

MRS PEARSON: Yes, I suppose it would, in a way. 

MRS FITZGERALD: No doubt about it at all. Who’s the better for being spoil - grown man, lad or girl? Nobody. You think it does ’em good when you run after them all the time, take their orders as if you were the servant in the house, stay at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves? Never in all your life. It’s the ruin of them as well as you. Husbands, sons, daughters should be taking notice of wives an’ mothers, not giving ’em orders an’ treating ’em like dirt. An’ don’t tell me you don’t know what I mean, for I know more than you’ve told me. 

MRS PEARSON: [dubiously] I—keep dropping a hint... 

MRS FITZGERALD: Hint? It’s more than hints your family needs, Mrs Pearson. 

MRS PEARSON: [dubiously] I suppose it is. But I do hate any unpleasantness. And it’s so hard to know where to start. I keep making up my mind to have it out with them but somehow I don’t know how to begin. [She glances at her watch or at a clock ] Oh —good gracious! Look at the time. Nothing ready and they’ll be home any minute and probably all in a hurry to go out again. 

[As she is about to rise, Mrs Fitzgerald reaches out across the table and pulls her down.] 

MRS FITZGERALD: Let ’em wait or look after themselves for once.This is where your foot goes down. Start now. 

[She lights a cigarette from the one she has just finished.] 

MRS PEARSON: [embarrassed] Mrs Fitzgerald —I know you mean well —in fact, I agree with you—but I just can’t—and it’s no use you trying to make me. If I promise you I’d really have it out with them, I know I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise. 

MRS FITZGERALD: Then let me do it. 

MRS PEARSON: [ flustered] Oh no- thank you very much, Mrs Fitzgerald - but that wouldn’t do at all. It couldn’t possibly be somebody else - they’d resent it at once and wouldn’t listen - and really I couldn’t blame them. I know I ought to do it— but you see how it is? [She looks apologetically across the table, smiling rather miserably.] 

MRS FITZGERALD: [coolly] You haven’t got the idea. 

MRS PEARSON: [bewildered] Oh —I’m sorry—I thought you asked me to let you do it. 

MRS FITZGERALD: I did. But not as me - as you. 

MRS PEARSON: But—I don’t understand. You couldn’t be me. 

MRS FITZGERALD: [coolly] We change places. Or really - bodies. You look like me. I look like you. 

MRS PEARSON: But that’s impossible. 

MRS FITZGERALD: How do you know? Ever tried it? 

MRS PEARSON: No, of course not... 

MRS FITZGERALD: [coolly] I have. Not for some time but it still ought to work. Won’t last long, but long enough for what we want to do. Learnt it out East, of course, where they’re up to all these tricks. [She holds her hand out across the table, keeping the cigarette in her mouth] Gimme your hands, dear. 

MRS PEARSON: [dubiously] Well - I don’t know - is it right? 

MRS FITZGERALD: It’s your only chance. Give me your hands an’ keep quiet a minute. Just don’t think about anything. [Taking her hands] Now look at me. [They stare at each other. Muttering] Arshtatta dum- arshtatta lam- arshtatta lamdumbona... 

[This little scene should be acted very carefully. We are to assume that the personalities change bodies. After the spell has been spoken, both women, still grasping hands, go lax, as if the life were out of them. Then both come to life, but with the personality of the other. Each must try to adopt the voice and mannerisms of the other. So now Mrs Pearson is bold and dominating and Mrs Fitzgerald is nervous and fluttering.] 

MRS PEARSON: [now with Mrs Fitzgerald’s personality] See what I mean, dear? [She notices the cigarette] Here- you don’t want that. [She snatches it and puts it in her own mouth, puffing contentedly.] 

[Mrs Fitzgerald, now with Mrs Pearson’s personality, looks down at herself and sees that her body has changed and gives a scream of fright.] 

MRS FITZGERALD: [with Mrs Pearson’s personality] Oh - it’s happened. 

MRS PEARSON: [complacently] Of course it’s happened. Very neat. Didn’t know I had it in me. 

MRS FITZGERALD: [alarmed] But whatever shall I do, Mrs Fitzgerald? George and the children can’t see me like this. 

MRS PEARSON: [grimly] They aren’t going to — that’s the point. They’ll have me to deal with – only they won’t know it. 

MRS FITZGERALD: [still alarmed] But what if we can’t change back? It’ud be terrible. 

MRS PEARSON: Here- steady, Mrs. Pearson - if you had to live my life it wouldn’t be so bad. You’d have more fun as me than you’ve had as you. 

MRS FITZGERALD: Yes-but I don’t want to be anybody else... 

MRS PEARSON: Now -stop worrying. It’s easier changing back - I can do it any time we want... 

MRS FITZGERALD: Well - do it now..............................................................................

(Mrs. Fitzgerald exits left and the family cluster round Mother as - the curtain falls.) 

RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACTING BY AZIM PREMJI

****

RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACTING BY AZIM PREMJI 

Respond instead of reacting is a thought of provoking essay by Azem Premji chaimpan of Wipro technology. This is an extract form his speech given as part of the shaping young program. 

*I am very happy to be here with you. It is always wonderful to be with young people. The funny thing about life is that you realize the value of something only when it begins to leave you. As my hair turned from black, to salt and pepper and finally salt without the pepper, I have begun to realize the importance of youth. At the same time, I have begun to truly appreciate some of the lessons I have learnt along the way. I hope you will find them useful when you plan your own career and life......... 

*The writer emphasizes to build their strength rather than worry about their weakness. Once the innate abilities are identified and natured one can work on one's weakness and overcome them.The writer shares that hard-work and self-work alone can give one’s more satisfaction than gifted. Premji stress the importance of humility and gratitude. He tells that we should be grateful for all the blessings we have received in life. Premji teaches us that we must strive for excellence. Excellence cannot be imposed from outside. The need for it should be from within. Every one achieve success in whatever way you define it and what gives you the maximum happiness in life. Remember, those who win are those who believe they can. 

Finally the writer describes the importance of self-confidence............