VK Taylor

  An Elementary school classroom in a slum About the poet     Stephen Spender (1909-1995) was a poet and English essayist. Spender had keen interest in politics and so, he declared himself as socialist and pacifist. His work concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle.   THEME OF THE POEM (Social injustice and class inequalities) The poem written by Stephen spender describes the social inequalities which are prevailing in the society. In the poem he describes the condition of the students of an elementary school which is situated in a slum area. The poet wants to draw attention of everyone towards these kids so that their life can be improved and they may get trained to become good citizens rather than criminals. Summary This poem by Stephen Spender gives a vivid description of a school classroom in a slum and the children in the class. The faces of the children are dull. Their appearance shows that they are unwanted. The children have gloomy faces. Their heads ha

             My Mother at Sixty Six About the Poet  ( KAMALA DAS  ‘Madhavikutty’. ) My Mother at Sixty Six -  Summary This is a touching poem written by Indian poet Kamla Das who wrote under the pen name of ‘Madhavikutty’. In this poem, she describes her feeling of love and attachment towards her ageing mother. Once the poet went to visit her mother. She was on her way back to the airport to return to Cochin. She looked at her mother who was seated beside her in the car. Her mother had dozed off to sleep and her aging face - was smoky in color like ash. Her mouth was open and she resembled a dead body. The poet realized that her mother was old. She felt pain and sympathy for her. Her mother needed love, affection and care. In order to come out of the gloom, the poet shifted her glance and looked out of the car’s window. There she saw young trees pass by. Little children were running out of their houses into the playgrounds. These things were contrary to the aging face of her

  Memories of childhood By Zitkala-Sa and Bama Story 1- The Cutting of My Long Hair by Zitkala – Sa About the Author Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, born in 1876, was an extraordinarily talented and educated Native American woman who struggled and triumphed in a time when severe prejudice prevailed towards Native American culture and women. As a writer, she adopted the pen name ‘Zitkala-Sa’ and in 1900 began publishing articles, criticizing the Carlisle Indian School. Her works criticised dogma, and her life as a Native American woman was dedicated against the evils of oppression. ‘ The cutting of My long hair’ is a story that showcases the discrimination faced by the Indians in the western world. The story describes how an Indian girl was forced to wear western dresses and cut her hair by her school authorities in order to make her look like an American student.   Summary - The cutting of my Long hair The story begins with Zitkala’s first day in a boarding school C