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There is more than one narrator in Wuthering Heights, who are they? what credibility do ? they have? What purpose does this kind of multiple narration serve in the novel Lockwood starts and ends the story, the initial narrative starts in 1801 and he closes in 1802 , within this frame Nelly’s narrative covers the span of the previous twenty years in the lives of the first generation, Catherine and Heathcliff, the second half of the novel gives the story of the second generation. It is like a ‘Chinese box’ according to the critic . Terry Eagleton, narratives within narratives *narration: There are two main narrators in the novels: Lockwood, the tenant at the Grange who introduces the novel and provides a frame for the whole, and Nelly the maid of the two families. Lockwood is a cultivated person from the south. We first see Wuthering heights and its inhabitants through his eyes and judgment. The people are strange and he doesn’t feel at home. He is a first person narrator, objective but doesn’t know the whole story. Lockwood’s inability to explain the weirdness of events and people takes us to Nelly’s stories because she knows the roots of the matters (the childhood traumas) while Lockwood meets the second generation of the two families and enters the story towards the end. Another first person knowledgeable narrator but subjective. Nelly is the stable character among the lot. She is the representative of Victorian ideals, home and domesticity but she is not a totally objective first person narrator because she is more inclined to take the side of the Lintons in any dispute as they represent the homely family (who wouldn’t love the Lintons?!). Some critics saw her as the voice of convention and narrow minded prejudice. We cant depend on any of the narrators: the first doesn’t know everything and the second knows but is prejudiced. There could be a third narrator also: the voice of Catherine through her diaries (the shadow). Catherine is trying to get back into the house and the course of the story through Lockwood’s reading of her diary and in Nelly’s reported dialogue. This is important because it gives us the back story needed to understand events in the present. The letters such as the one written by Isabella could also present a fourth narrative voice and this multiplicity of authors makes the readers even more bewildered in deciding who is the authority in telling the story! (novels told in the form of letters are known as epistolary). Sometimes, as critics said, the burden of interpretation lies on the reader because of the lack of any authorial comment.

Q3 In The Sign of Four, it is apparent that the relationship between Britain and India is problematic. How does the plot deal with the Indian ‘Mutiny’?

The Victorian Age was very concerned with Britain’s relationship with the other. Doyle uses the ‘Mutiny’ as an important historical event that shapes his narrative. The ‘Mutiny’ was the first real threat to British control in India. Doyle uses characters such as Jonathan Small, Captain Morstan, and Major Sholto to portray the greed of the British colonists. At the same time, we are informed of the ‘Mutiny’ through Small’s account of the chaos. Small’s audience is most likely a British audience, and he assumes that they are aware of the ‘Mutiny’. Small’s description of the rebels is racist and there is an obvious fear of the other. Small is the only survivor. for British readers on the home front, the Mutiny turned from a historical fact into public mythology with the help of literature and the stories wrote about it. Literature shaped, reinterpreted and exaggerated the Mutiny in the British consciousness with nationalistic overtones. The Mutiny became a national issue and the British supported their government in the radical campaigns to end it. Still, a lot of the people who wrote about the Mutiny didn’t visit India or witness the actual event, including Doyle! The view of the Mutiny was text and image based rather than witnessed centered and this opened space for additions and omissions (literature and historical accuracy.) Small’s account of the Mutiny is aimed at the British readers at home. He compares his life in India before the Mutiny with the comfort of domestic life in the home counties of England (Surrey or Kent) before describing the conflict. 2. He describes the rebels in demonic terms “black fiends, dancing and howling” 3. His description of the atrocities he sees is very graphic, as if he is describing a picture. Mrs Dawson is described as being “cut into ribbons” and Mr. Dawson is “lying on his face, quite dead, with an empty revolver in his hand” 4. Small explicitly says that he expects the readers “to know all about it…a deal more than I do” and this proves what discussed earlier about the extensive knowledge of the British audience on the Mutiny.

Q. 3 “When these two traders came aboard I was pleased with the looks of them at once, or, rather, with the looks of both, and the speech of one... Now to see these two when they came aboard was a pleasure. One was a negro, to be sure; but they were both rigged out smart in striped pyjamas and straw hats, and Case would have passed muster in a city. He was yellow and smallish, had a hawk's nose to his face, pale eyes, and his beard trimmed with scissors. No man knew his country, beyond he was of English speech; and it was clear he came of a good family and was splendidly educated. He was accomplished too; played the accordion first-rate; and give him a piece of string or a cork or a pack of cards, and he could show you tricks equal to any professional. He could speak, when he chose, fit for a drawing-room; and when he chose he could blaspheme worse than a Yankee boatswain, and talk smart to sicken a Kanaka. The way he thought would pay best at the moment, that was Case's way, and it always seemed to come natural, and like as if he was born to it. He had the courage of a lion and the cunning of a rat; and if he's not in hell to-day, there's no such place. I know but one good point to the man: that he was fond of his wife, and kind to her. She was a Samoa woman, and dyed her hair red, Samoa style; and when he came to die (as I have to tell of) they ”found one strange thing - that he had made a will, like a Christian, and the widow got the lot

What does this excerpt from “The Beach of Falesa” tell about the changes Englishmen ?encounter abroad Wiltshire’s first impression of Case is that of racial and national solidarity (a fellow Englishman) after being deprived for four years from such contact but after that he is not so sure about Case and doesn’t know where to place him. His looks and skin color have changed. The excitement of the first meeting has been replaced by growing uncertainty about his national, social and moral standing. The English speech is what is left of his identity “no man knew his country, beyond he was of English speech”. He is accomplished yet not well mannered! In other words, Case is not what British readers would recognize as a ‘typical’ gentleman, he doesn’t represent the values of home. The case of Case brings to the forth the argument about the Europeans abroad. British traders were expected to behave as ambassadors of British virtues and to remain faithful to their values no matter how far they are from home but what happened in reality is that the distance from home made them less committed to these values. In the case of Case, he has spent a long time in the Pacific to the extent that one can’t discover his nationality or origin beyond the fact that he can speak English. Even Wiltshire was trying to fit in by marrying a Samoan wife.

Discuss the theme of paralysis in “Eveline” in James Joyce’s Dubliners Another example of paralysis comes from the story “Eveline”. This story might have the most direct view of the paralytic mind in the book. This story was about Eveline who was living at home supporting her father and she had a lover named frank that she could have a potential new life with if she decided to go away with him. Throughout the story she is grappling with the decision as to whether or not she should leave with Frank. She knows that her life now of cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her sometimes mean father is not necessarily bad but it is hard. She believes it is the right thing to do, to be a dutiful obedient daughter for her father who need her help. After much deliberation throughout the story, Eveline eventually decides to go away with Frank. This brings a great amount of joy to her because she realizes how much happiness will come from her new life. Her mind is set and she is going to go away with Frank; that is until she actually has to act on her decision. When the moment came for her to actually board the ship with Frank she completely froze up and stood still as if the whole decision making meant nothing. The last two sentences of “Eveline”, describes the paralytic mind of Eveline perfectly, “She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition” (Joyce 32). The last sentence describes paralysis perfectly and this could be attributed to almost any of the characters in Dubliners. She was so paralyzed that she could not show any emotion. This was the biggest decision of her life and she could not act on it. She remained stuck in her old ways, perhaps scared of what could happen, scared of change. This is the idea that Joyce is trying to show that . people in Dublin are stuck with no means of escape

Read the excerpt below and discuss what role does memory play in Brain Friel’s work, ?Dancing at Lughnasa “And so, when I cast my mind back to that summer of 1936, different kinds of memories offer themselves to me. But there is one memory of that Lughnasa time that visits me most often; and what fascinates me about that memory is that it owes nothing to fact. In that memory atmosphere is more real than incident and everything is simultaneously actual and illusory. In that memory, too, the air is nostalgic with the music of the thirties.” A central theme of Friel's play is memory. The action of the play, which takes place in the later summer of 1936, is framed as a depiction of Michael's memories of his childhood. Memory ties the beginning to the end p.70 “the characters are now in positions similar to their positions at the beginning of the play”. The memories are marked with nostalgia p.71 “but there is one memory…” The play is about recalling Michael’s memories, as a boy, in the Mundy sisters’ house. Michael, the boy, is not presented onstage; his presence is marked by the other character who pretend that he is there and talk to or about him. It is the narrator Michael, the adult Michael, who is recalling the events of his childhood but he can’t clearly remember Michael, the boy. Michael makes an explicit theme of memory. He gives two kinds of memories and singles out two of them. The characters recall their past lives at Ballybeg to make sense of their 1936 present lives. For example, the sisters think of going to the dance because they used to do that in the past see p.12. Another example is a recollection of a previous friendship p.20. Another type of memories unlike the memories of the family located in Ballybeg are those of Father Jack at Uganda which reflect an exotic world in Jack’s mind. At times, he seems to be entrapped in that world and alienated from the Ballybeg life and this is shown in his uncertainties with the English language.

Q1. How does Bronte present religion in Whuthering Heights in general and through the ( words of Catherine in the following quotation? (18 marks “I was only going to say," she begins, "that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out, into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy.” The novel presents an unorthodox (uncanny) view of heaven and hell and life after death. Bronte creates a heaven on earth for her protagonists to dwell in after their death. Their heaven is at home on earth rather than in heaven. . Heathcliff is seen as the fallen angel (Satan). Catherine’s diaries are a commentary on the Bible. This presents the heroine's defiance to the most authoritative text. Catherine and Heathcliff used to damage the religious pamphlets given to them by Joseph. Joseph’s extensive reading of the Bible affects his voice and character and presents him as the voice of oppressive religious authority.

Q2. What is the degree of historical accuracy in presenting India in The Sign of Four? (16 marks)

Doyle isn’t an ex colonial. He has never set foot in India and his knowledge of the place and its history is derived from his readings of English sources. England’s relationship with India was viewed in nationalistic and mythical terms. England’s role was glorified as masters and saviors of the Indian barbarians. We can see the bias in relating the story of the mutiny which took side with the British showing the Indians as aggressor. India was the land of wealth and drugs. The Indians are also depicted in stereotypical images as savages who have a distinguished look and appearance (description of Muslim foot print).

Q3. What themes are introduced in this quotation from the story “The Encounter’ in James Joyce’s Dubliners? (16 marks) “IT WAS Joe Dillon who introduced the Wild West to us. He had a little library made up of old numbers of The Union Jack, Pluck and The Halfpenny Marvel. Every evening after school we met in his back garden and arranged Indian battles. He and his fat young brother Leo, the idler, held the loft of the stable while we tried to carry it by storm; or we fought a pitched battle on the grass. But, however well we fought, we never won siege or battle and all our bouts ended with Joe Dillon's war dance of victory. His parents went to eight-o'clock mass every morning in Gardiner Street and the peaceful odour of Mrs. Dillon was prevalent in the hall of the house. But he played too fiercely for us who were younger and more timid. He looked like some kind of an Indian when he capered round the garden, an old teacosy on his head, beating a tin with his fist and yelling: "Ya! yaka, yaka, yaka!" Everyone was incredulous when it was reported that he had a vocation for the priesthood. Nevertheless it was true. A spirit of unruliness diffused itself among us and, under its influence, differences of culture and constitution were waived. We banded ourselves together, some boldly, some in jest and some almost in fear: and of the number of these latter, the reluctant Indians who were afraid to seem studious or lacking in robustness, I was one. The adventures related in the literature of the Wild West were remote from my nature but, at least, they opened doors of escape. Though there was nothing wrong in these stories and though their intention was sometimes literary they were circulated secretly at school.” This story presents the childhood of Dublin or Dublin from the perspective of a schoolboy. It begins in a schoolboy world. Through reading and enacting the adventures of the wild west, children are looking for an escape from the world of adults presented in the classical learning of Latin at school and the attendance of mass. The ‘we’ in narration is more present than the ‘I’ because it talks about a group of boys and their adventure. In this adventure, we have connotations of the imperialist theme of cowboys V.s Indians. The games end when the boys are shouted at by the working men near the river. Even in their escape, they find the world of the adults dominating (the pervert man) emphasizing that routine and monotony are inescapable.

By the end of the story, we know how Dublin looks from the perspective of a boy and his reflections on school, friendship and curiosity.

Q.4 Memory is a central issue in Dancing at Laughnasa, how does the writer present it in the play? (16 marks) The play is about recalling Michael’s memories, as a boy, in the Mundy sisters’ house. Michael, the boy, is not presented onstage; his presence is marked by the other character who pretends that he is there and talk s to or about him. It is the narrator Michael, the adult Michael, who is recalling the events of his childhood but he can’t clearly remember Michael, the boy. Michael makes an explicit theme of memory. He gives two kinds of memories and singles out two of them. The characters recall their past lives at Ballybeg to make sense of their 1936 present lives. For example, the sisters think of going to the dance because they used to do that in the past. Another example is a recollection of a previous friendship. Other types of memories unlike the memories of the family located in Ballybeg are those of Father Jack at Uganda which reflect an exotic world in Jack’s mind. At times, he seems to be entrapped in that world and alienated from the Ballybeg life and this is shown in his uncertainties with the English language. When Jack remembers his mother and sister Chris as a child, the memory comes to him as picture, a photograph (family photographs are powerfully associated with memories.

Q1.OBLI GATORY( 18mar ks) Whati st hei mpor t anceoft hi scl osi ngquot at i onf r om t hepl ayDanci ngat ?Lughnasa MI CHAEL.“ AsIsai d,Fat herJackwasdeadwi t hi nt wel ve mont hs.Andwi t hhi m andAgnesandRoseal lgone,t he hear tseemedt ogooutoft hehouse. Maggi et ookont het asksRoseandAgneshaddoneand pr et endedt obel i evet hatnot hi nghadchanged.Mymot her spentt her estofherl i f ei nt hekni t t i ngf act or y-andhat ed ever ydayofi t .Andaf t eraf ew year sdoi ngnot hi ngKat egot t hej oboft ut or i ngt heyoungf ami l yofAust i nMor ganoft he Ar cade.Butmuchoft hespi r i tandf unhadgoneoutoft hei r l i ves;andwhenmyt i mecamet ogoaway ,i nt hesel fishway ofyoungmenIwashappyt oescape. ”

Thi si st headul tnar r at orMi chaelspeaki ngt hefinal monol ogueal oneonst ager ecol l ect i nghi smemor yasa chi l d.Thequot at i onshowst henew devel opment son t hesi t uat i onoft hef ami l y;t hei rl i veshavechangedand t hebondt hathel dt hem t oget herdi mi ni shedassomeof

t hef ami l ymember sl ef thomeandi mmi gr at edduet ot he economi cchangesandopeni ngoff act or i eswhi chcost t wooft hesi st er st hei rj obsandwages.I tal sodepi ct s t her ear r angementoft hehousehol d,t her eadj ust ment andt her edi st r i but i onoft asks.Thesi st er sar eact i ngas i fnot hi nghasgonewr ong.I tshowst hechangeand devel opmenti nChr i s'char act er ,Mi chael ’ smot her ,who hasmat ur edi nt oagr ownupandl ef tt hehouset o becomet hebr eadwi nneroft hef ami l y.I tal sor eflect s t het hemeofi mmi gr at i ondomi nanti nI r i shl i t er at ur ei n Mi chaeldecl ar i nghi si nt ent i ont ol eave. Q2.Whatdoest hi squot at i onf r om t hest or y“ APai nf ulCas e”i nDubl i ner st el lusaboutt he c har ac t erofMr .Duffy ?( 16mar ks ) Hehadbeenf ormanyyear scashi erofapr i vat ebanki nBaggotSt r eet .Ever y mor ni nghecamei nf r om Chapel i z odbyt r am.Atmi ddayhewentt oDanBur ke’ s andt ookhi sl unch— abot t l eofl agerbeerandasmal lt r ayf ulofar r owr oot bi scui t s.Atf ouro’ cl ockhewassetf r ee.Hedi nedi naneat i nghousei nGeor ge’ s St r eetwher ehef el thi msel fsaf ef r om t hesoci et yofDubl i n’ sgi l dedyout hand wher et her ewasacer t ai npl ai nhonest yi nt hebi l loff ar e.Hi seveni ngswer espent ei t herbef or ehi sl andl ady’ spi anoorr oami ngaboutt heout ski r t soft heci t y.Hi s l i ki ngf orMozar t ’ smusi cbr oughthi m somet i mest oanoper aoraconcer t :t hese wer et heonl ydi ssi pat i onsofhi sl i f e.Hehadnei t hercompani onsnorf r i ends, chur chnorcr eed.Hel i vedhi sspi r i t uall i f ewi t houtanycommuni onwi t hot her s, vi si t i nghi sr el at i vesatChr i st masandescor t i ngt hem t ot hecemet er ywhent hey di ed.

This is part of the pathetic situation of characters in living in Dublin. This quotation shows the plight and alienation of people living in Dublin. Nothing helps sustain the people of the city; their lives are boring with no family or friends. Mr. Duffy is a compulsive character whose life lacks vitality. His daily routine has a regu...