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The Postmaster

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710 views10 pages

The Postmaster

postmaster

Uploaded by

ubuntu lappy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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2. The Postmaster : Rabindranath Tagore [A] Warm-up exercise Discuss with your class students the difference between Ordinary post, Speed post and Registered post. Have e-mail greetings made postal greetings obsolete? Do you s1 have the habit of sending greeting cards to your friends? [B] About the writer Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) came from a family that produced pioneering composers, painters, poets. He was the first Indian member of the indian Civil Service. he was probably one of the first Modernists of the Victorian age. In 1913 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for the Gitanjali, a collection of translations of his poems into English. While Tagore played his part on the international stage as a “world poet’ he also continued to be engaged, in Bengali, in what was his most profound undertaking: the delving into the subconscious of the middle-class, secular Bengali, Psyche. [C] About the story The story by Tagore has a servant-girl Ratan and a postmaster as its central characters. Though written in 1891, the story is surprisingly modern. This is due to the theme, which speaks of exile and alienation, longing for human companionship and separations. It is a straightforward simple story, filled with descriptive passages, visual imagery, and sounds of nature. (D] Reading As soon as he took up employment, the postmaster found himself stationed at Ulapur. It was a village of no consequence. There was an indigo planter’s home nearby, and the sahib had made every effort to get 4 post office established in the environs. Our postmaster was a young man from Calcutta. Arriving in this village left him feeling not very unlike a freshwater fish that has been li verbank. His office was a dark thatched shed: far away there was a weed-infested pond with a jungle on its borders. The agents and workers at the plantation had litte time on their hands and were anyway unfit to mix with genteel people, Moreover, the young man from Calcutta was particularly lacking in social skills. Unfamiliar places found him become aloof ot awkward, Which was why he didn’t mix too easily with the local people. On the other hand, he didn’t have enough work to occupy him. From time to time he attempted to write a poem or two. The sentiments he expressed in them were largely that life passed in great happiness in the day-long proximity of the tremor of trees and leaves and of the cloudy sky—but the lord of his innermost self knew that if some giant out of an Arabian novel were to come there and uproot, in one night, the trees with their green branches and leave a macadam road in their place, if several tall buildings were to obliterate the clouds in the sky that were now clearly visible, this halfdead progeny yreaig wuem ayp J! se pauses 11 aysyquns Oy} UL s9eu] pur sseid tom sy) WHOA} Uasls ey souzsiey Jo UW0s eB :uooWaYR ssojpnojo ® WO SuMoIG sem az901q WLR , st0isis s9pjo, ‘.soypour, sv Xjituey siy ut ajdoad ay 0} 19424 0} ueaq “uonesiaauos up Jo asinoo ayp ut “IF ayy NSO v SW ‘ayetidauddeut Aen Aue ui Suryuiip now NB quedytudisui ‘oyesOH! stUp YIM noqe Le) PInom ay WYN 249m vONEIUE!d oy Ie quae 943 0} 20uejsuunoato ue ut Jo yeads 1.UPInoD yng paxoquiawios sKewje ay ywIp SBuly ‘20%/d uBros0y w ut Jjasuury Xq res 9y Se payor uvay sty wo\N 40} a1doad soup iaisis Japja ‘iayow “sayjo1g YeBUNOK siy —Ajputey uo sty Jo r99Lqns ayy eonponut PInom ‘pays aBue{ 1ey2 Jo s9Us09 auo Lut Youog ao14Jo oup uodn SurqHs ‘soyseunsod aij) “Buluana ay ut skp ureyi09 UG, eau s,1ystu ayy 403 op ayeus yI0q p.Aoyy dean sity ui—smaedeyo aay e ayeuu pue onois ayy 1481) Apyoinb pjnom uereY ue ‘2101p aq [fs pnow ss9A0y9] s,BuLLOU aL “eiowKue Yoo 02 way) Kzv} 001 122 plnom soyseunsod ayy pue “sauunowios qyBtu ayy oyur oye] dem siya ul ye) Pinom Aayy “squans querodut a1ow wep Anwanbay a10ut 494 04 yoeq sure KrowoUE Siy}—usly Buryoreo Jo aueF daaioq -oyeuu Bye pace|d *pou-Suysy w seis youRsg uaxoug e Burpuaraid “pu jood v Aq pois pey Aaup of s1eaK Kap uoosuow e uo—s041019 JoFinok & peYy ays 12991 plnom og -ayseunsod ayy apisaq 10014 249 01U0 4198224 Jamo] 494 ‘yoyooy o1p OU! Suymojq ‘so1u9 plnom uEeY 9B] [NH V gueyxooy Aur ou Sug ss NO pjnom—so1e] uom-UDYOHY 4nok op ue> nok yO :s9}SvUNsog a4) “vay auf uI—oroys xp 14B1] 01 Mou YS 08 0} any |: URIEY {Buop nok axe weyAy ssOISPUNSOg aU, au Suyjpes NOK are Ay “nqeq 4 st ey, ‘Aes 24S 3 paway asi ays UaYyM WOO a4 OU! ui09 Jou pjnom ing ‘{Je9 ay SuNrease Joop a1 Aq Sums 29 pinom ueyey “,ueyey, ‘1129 pinow sayseunsod atp “woos sty Jo s0Us09 ay ut soim zapuoys v Bunysy ttamp ‘tavoy s,re0d 8 uy tana uonenidyed jews & aq pinom 1942 ‘ypiod ysep ayy ur Suns “uoy—soo1on payordysiy ur Suos our payouney pur syequido pure suinap atoup yonns aoueysip ay squvoipuow (neg pares!xoiur pur ‘soysng 2p Ur preay aq 0} ueiaq sjayo1s9 ‘saBeyIIA ay UL spaysmos woy aso1 Burjioo pue Buraano ‘axours “Suuana ayy ut “wy polureur Sune say Jo Aujiqissod e018 ou q 03 pauiaas auayy ‘plo s#vak usauIyy 40 aAjomi usoq ACY pinci ayy “ley sem 1418 24,1 “Pooy ajnt] B 40 aBuEyoxe ut 20m Ployssnoy sty op pjnom aBejra ayy wo4y js18 ssopuored @ pute ‘yJasuity yoo 01 pey aH “aiqidifou seas Areyes s_soiseunsod au. 3 “24H JO ava] MU B A190 PINON Ata!o0s yo;EIpEYQ JO s21SDYY 1504 YL 80 of the exhausted earth wore falling against one’s skin; and somewhere a persistent bird repeated its complaint in one long-drawn note before the court of nature’s creation the afternoon long. The postmaster had no work on his hands— the movement of the rainwashed leaves on the trees, become smooth and satiny that day, and the vanquished rains’ ruins—the piles of many- levelled clouds made white by the sum— were truly something to look at; the postmaster was contemplating this sight and thinking, if-at this time there were someone near who was truly my own—at one with my heart, a human figure that was a tender object of love. Gradually it appeared to him that that bird too was saying this very thing repeatedly, and that what the branches were murmuring in the midst of that humanless seclusion of forest shade was of more or less the same nature. No one, would believe it nor come to know of it, but, in the midst of profound silence on a long off-day, thoughts like these arose in the mind of a negligibly-salaried sub-postmiaster in a’small village. The postmaster sighed deeply and called: ‘Ratan’. Ratan was then, legs outstretched, beneath a guava tree, eating a guava: hearing her master call she ran to him without delay—out of breath, she said, “Dadababu, did you want me?” The postmaster said, ‘I’m going to teach you to read a little every day’, So saying) he spent the entire afternoon teaching her to speak the alphabet. And in this way, in only a few days, they had gone past the stage of the compound letters. There was no end to the rain ‘in the month of Sravan. Canals, lakes, and drains led with water. For twenty-four hours the Panorama — English for Communication sound of frogs and of rainfall. The paths of the village were, in one sense, out of use— people had to go in canoes to the market square. One day it was very-cloudy at dawn. The postmaster’s student had been sitting expectantly for a long time at the door, but, not hearing the call, which on other days was punctual as could be, slowly entered the room with her small bundle of books. She saw the postmaster was lying in the string-bed. Supposing him to be resting, she began again to leave the room while taking care not to make a sound. Suddenly she heard—Ratan!”, Quickly returning she said, “Dadababu, were you asleep?” The postmaster, said in a woeful voice, I don’t feel very well —would you touch my forehead and see?” Here, in this quite companionless foreign place, in the heavy downpour, the afflicted body longed for a little looking after: What came to mind was the touch of a mother or an elder sister by one’s side; and this migrant’s desire didn’t remain unfulfilled, The little girl Ratan didn’t stay a little gir At that instant she was transformed into a mother, She got the local vaidya to pay a visit, gave the postmaster the medicinal pills at the right times, remained awake all night by the bedside, cooked the sick man’s food by herself and would ask repeatedly, “Tel me, dadababu, are you beginning to feel a ttle better?” Many days later the postmaster, much thinner, abandoned the sickbed; he’d decided; No.more, I haye to get a transfer out of here somehow, Citing a local illness, he immediately sent a formal request to the authorities in Calcutta for a transfer. Her service at the sickbed having come to an poystuoyse sem ay ‘em stip ul aAeyaq ueyeY Uaes. soAdU pey seiseUNsod at - ou9y Avs 01 uem 3,Uop | “‘Spogdue 0} SunypXue Aes 0} dey 4,UOp NOK ‘ou ON, “pals 9YS ‘aWI0919AQ *spsoad sfqUas asay) aunpua 2.UP[NOD yng ‘oyseuI Joy Woy syseLUOS dueys Aueut payei2[0y Jo} pey uerEY WEY ouIUILEY v Woe ©} yMoYsIP s.4 Ing “AgOp OU sBM a. ueey oyeuoissedwioo pue Jepudl ysou! v wou auieo swuaWiNUaS asoyy yey.) ~,SULAE—a] ui,] esne99q KsJom 01 aavy 1,u0p nok Spip | se asnf nod Jo azeo ayer |],94 ‘ooejd Aut ut 9WI09 0} BuIOF s,oym UBL oY 11>) | UereY, ‘Pres Jaiseul Jo} “2ou} s_saiseut Joy uodn IEM 4} 199]]09 0} JOALI OY3 0} 1YBLU Ie OLB] UO, P.OYS Ino 39s p.oy owl YM Ie UMY yse 0} JJaszoy BuL1q 0} 918 Useq 2,upeY [113 oy “uoseas owos 40, “red ¥ UI pardayj09 u90q ey JeUp J9yeM UE 94Ieq 0} pasn oy ‘eRNo|e>) Jo swiojsno "ays ipa Butdooy ut ‘Xpeo4 sem req Sty 40j J9}M ay} Jey) as 01 dn ayom. Jaiseunsod ayy Suusow oy ul II5 0} veg dure] uayprea ays jo a3] ay, “op. Buoy v 40} ayods suo oN “awoy duuina pure uorreustsox siy ut Sumnd sem ay os pue tpaluep usaq pey uoneordde oy; yey) pur ‘aaysuen v 10) paydde pey oy yey) p1cs9e UMO Sty Jo Z94 poutiojut Jorseunsod 94.) “suonsonb: Joyo ue uny yse a,upip uerRey 3}98q 2ui0d 2,UOM | :saySPUNSOg ay), GureBe youq owo9 NOK jim OYA “ERE Y ‘QWIOF] siOISeUNSOY 4.) Engegepep ‘Bu103 noX are ssoyy :ueEY + #01010) Suravo} wi, [ ‘uereY, ‘pres soyseUNsog ay) (210 Buryjeo nox a1om ‘ngequpra, ‘pres pur asnoy ay posmua ueeY -yuewioHIOXa Yas Surat yeay 49} “Buluors ouo Joy] J0} |] B sem asamp “passed pey xeon B inoge Joye ‘pus omp uy “uonepidex, owios JO esneo at sem sip :ss9na] punodwos ay Inge pasnsuos Ajaja}duioo 4fasz0y uno} ‘cep rey uo ‘pur wreie payjeo “| uorsusysidwoz [J] uorssasduat ase uorsnjap passauisip Infaom Koeaud uorsnjoas puunos ayew 03 yon.ns sazejd ssviq 40 azuorq sppquida 3003019 ayaantjgo siwepusosap ‘Butsdsyo AuaBoud pasapisuoo queda 10u posu ey AIUEND |feUS : ayqi8y3eu Ajisea 40 Ays9}9 sBuyjaay 10 seapt ssaidxa 0}2}qu Jou (ajdoad jo): ayyjngnacuy aqpped & yy yea 249 ul Huoje aAOUL Nod Yory oq MOAIEU YAH B pound £8 421809 180d 2H 84 5 Panorama — English for Communication [G] Vocabulary I. Write the plural form of the words given and use them in sentences of your own. 1, analysis forum Il. Expand the following abbreviations. 1. MBBS Sine 4. YWCA = New 2. PTA GUNG evi). 3. VAT. 6. VPP IIL. From the following pairs of sentences identify the correct sentence. 1 She even may help you She may even help you you ask you ask There never had been an Orchestra like this, There had never been an Orchestra like this. He plays violin well, but he is not very well at singing. He plays violin well but he is not very good at singing. 4. Ikindly request you to do this for me, I request you kindly to do this for me. 5. I shall be much grateful to you if you could do this for me. I shall be much greatfill to you if you could do this for me. [H] Functional Grammar Articles ‘There are three articles in English—the indefinite articles are a and an and the definite article is the. A is used before nouns beginning with a consonant (a team) and with vowels having the sound of consonants (a university). used before words begi h is silent (an hour) g With vowels (an elephant) and with words where The is used before a thing of known reference, names of buildings, ordinals (second), Taped wesng ‘K|a420U15 Ja0189 NOK Ysnonp J] AeA sNoK attiod sinouOY 21001 PUR 210W KEY YIOM. poo8 snoX anurjuoo [jim noK auns wre | “ure IOUO suoNE|NyeIBUOS Aurea “uo|seo20 sity Uo nox Sunpeyor}ay ut aus WiOf syudsed Kj NOK 404 Addey os [295 | ‘poziufiooas us9g aAeY JUAURIULUOD pue UO!woIpap Spom prey anoX Sef 1y sea Joye svaX aBeIJO9 aup1 UI JayseE} oLINOARS 24} PaIOA 219M NOK MOY JAQUIAULO! | “siuApMS AMOK JJ arBY NOK ado} atp, 298 0} Ajunuioddo ayp pey aaey pur uorssajoud ayn 07 uorTeoIpap AnoK MOU | Jo1[129 Yonu NOX 0} awwod aaey Pinoys uoRTUBda si4y Jey, 99) | PUR sNOUOY PaAsoSOP-|J9M B SI SILLL. “ARIA 94 JO JOYRAL IS9K, ay 40} paeme [BUOHTRU 9Uf] LOM aABY NOX JEU ALOUD O} PaIYsWap AJOUIOAIX SEA | ‘eypunay 1e9q 9007 AON 61 P20 009 FeuUay> wieyyequiesuny, MOA 2421 ‘ZION “pieme ue FupuUIM WO suONEIMFEIBUOD Jo 19449] © SuyMoNs adues y Japuas aij} Jo aunyeusis puw oueu ayy szeaq sty :ouH] oumpeUsIS yy + “spiom maj ® UL UoIssardxa LLoYs B SI SIKU], :9S0]9 AzejuoUNdwoD ayy + “payuapul aq eID 1X2} aIp St SIY,| sdoNe| a1 Jo Kpog + jeuioy aq Kew Bunoosd oy sBunsa1Q Aew sydesBesed ay ‘ofessou ayy Su AEP, POM oy) YA ‘ed ap Jo sousoo do puey 14811 ay2 ye uants axe o1ep pue ssouppe S,1oUiM at] :aTep pur ssouppy + “Bapmorjos amp Jo sysysuo9 J] ‘seomyayenboe puke spuary ‘saaqeos 0} UILIA I80y) 248 S19}99] [eMOSIOg SI9}9] [eUOSIag 10 [eULIO;UT ysfsug jeuopouny []) Asso ST oq 1souoy 0} a10u gednu-paspuny suo. aned oH *p ‘Spno]9 auf} purtjaq wio4y ynoyeaaq 04 pouizas uns ———_“¢ os 40 anoy 40} 3031889 uado ydoy axe sBujyorey ——_-z PHOM ayp Jo Jayutyl 1Sayea1B® ———— o au aued90q orsuig “| “SOPHIE aIqEIMS qm SUKI OMB OY TTL ASEL satsvyy 180g YL Panorama— English for Communication Exercise a, Writea letter to your fi nd congratulat n on his passing the IAS examination. b. Write a letter to your grandmother saying that you are pla holidays with her ing to spend your (gauaquas ysa1j) “siuauund0p Jo seidoo roexa 10 ajiunisowy Suymtuisuesy Jo suRaut sayoinb at Jo auo si xey “9 AaytOR SIN OAkY S[eNpIAIpU! pue sad1yjo aBALid ‘se [Jom sv “syuAtUUIEAOH AuBLL MON °S saul] auoydojar yRnosyp parsauuios axe saulyouul oy“ ‘uqnd ayy 01 2192 19} Ny “9014JO YdwsTajay wOWIDAOA UL “¢ qurid ojoyd e sv pus soyyo oy ye yoeas aflessou snog ssop own OU UY ues 2g O1 Juowingop ay pur ouryseUt Sutalooa1 ayy Jo saquunu xvj ayy ani o1 sey UOsied Y “| ayy ariadosdde un 9018 pun ydpaSvand yuasayoo 1 of 04 sapio sadoud up uroys aBunaay “soouawuas payquml fo 198 Ds} mojag Wasi) Sup qdesBereg 5 UMA TD saIsDY 180g YL,

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