Notes B.A English universty of Gujrat Short stories and Plays

The Diary of Mad Man

The writer has created horror through a mentally upset character.
In this story Maupassant lets up peep into the mind of magistrate. The magistrate of the story works in court very carefully. We do not find a clue which may prove that he is mad.
After his death his diary shows that he has committed cold_ blooded murders. Our mind boggles to know his rash and cruel acts. We can say that he is not a mad man but psychologically deranged or abnormal.
The following incidents show that he is suffering from some complex.
Firstly we note that he kills a goldfinch. He squeezes it to death. He takes the scissors and cuts its throat. Thus he derives pleasure out of this brutish act.
Secondly he commits the murder of a small child. He throttles him to death and throws his dead body in a ditch. He does not feel any prick of conscience.
Thirdly he strikes the head of fisherman who is sleeping under a tree. After this cruel act he feels proud and relaxed. The above incidents create horror and terror in the reader's heart. The story  also shows how psychologically disturbed persons commit crimes and derive joy..
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B.a  Short stories UOG
  The Cask of  Amontillado
Q1:What was the reason of enmity between Montressor and Fortunato ? OR A story of horror and suspense ? OR Theme of the story?
The Cask of Amontillado by Allen Poe is a story of secret murder. It is a full of horror and suspense. This story revolves round the theme of revenge. Montressor , The narrator of the story is annoyed with Fortunato. The reason of annoyance has been kept in suspense. However,The narrator ,s remark drops a hint. He says that he has borne many injuries at the hands of Furtunato.
Perhaps Montressor is jealous of Fortunato,s successful business or his worldly fame.
In order to seek revenge Montresor chalks out a secret plan. He wants to murder his friend with impunity.
He escorts Fortunato to a faimly vault by asking him to test the quality of Spanish wine lying there.Fortunato was drunkard and expert in judging the quality of any wine.
Fortunato agrees to go with Montresor do a crypt where he was buried alineby Montessor.
The reader feels suspense as to where Amontillado is lying. We also feel suspense what type of injuries Montresor had borne.
The story shows how hatred and jealousy lead to horrible consequences the murder. It also points out how friends exploit friends weaknesses. Montesor exploited Fortunato's weakness for the Spanish wine Amontillado...
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Q1:Moral of story? Why does Foreman want to become a verger again? Character of Foreman.
Ans...
The story presents an illiterate verger named foreman. He is un_educated and he starts his career by working as a page boy. Then he starts serving as a butler in widows house.
After this he joins the job of a verger at St.petre Church. He works with devotion and dedication there. One day a new priest takes charge of church and he dismisses foreman.
The sole cause of his dismissal was that he was illiterate. Through the new priest was satisfied with his and he could not find fault with his work. He dismissed him as it was against church discipline to keep an illiterate verger.
Foreman felt so disappointed that he forgot the way of his home. He felt like smoking but he did not see any shop of cigarettes in the long street.
He at once decided to open a cigarette shop. Soon he become a business man of tobacco. One day a bank manager asked him to start a new business and they a bond of business prepared. The verger was to sign that very bond after reading it. Being an illiterate person ,he could not read it. In the end of the story we find him wishing to be a verger again.
It was so because he had an emotional attachment with church. Further he took it to his heart that his illiteracy was responsible his dismissal from the church.
The story preaches the moral that hard work,devotion and dedication lead one to success. It is common sense and faith in one's abilities which lead one to success. Education is not the only key to success. It polishes one's abilities but it is practical knowledge and common sense which lead one to success.
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ARABY
Short stories uog :
All question answer of Araby :
In this story James Joyce brings out the conflict between the ideal and real world. The story revolves round a boy of school going age and his romantic illusions. He falls in love with his friend's sister. He follow her ,when she goes to school. He is lost her througts day and night. One day the girl asks her if he has seen Araby,the splended bazar of the city. He at once performices to go to Araby and brings some gifts for her. He is living in his uncle house. He asks his uncle to give him some money to visit the bazar. His uncle to give him some money and he leaves for the bazar in desired train. When he reaches the bazar the shops has been closed. Only a few stalls were stills open. He cannot buy anything from there as he had not enough money. He returned from the bazar without buy anything for his beloved.
All his dreams are shettered and he feels that his desires have made fun with him. The story brings out that love is a natural passion which takes hold of adolescents. They begin live in the world of whichfull thinking. When they come face to face with the reality their dreams are shattered. The story also points out that sometimes our economic conditions stand in the way of our love affairs.
       :  The End ;
Uog B.a plays
      2:  The Matter of Husbands.
The Matter of Husbands is a light hearted comic play the story is about a husband who had illicit relationship with another woman , a film actress. His wife feels jealousy and insult. She goes to the house of the film actress and accuses her of trapping her husband. The film actress skillfully negates the charge and satisfies the young woman. There is a humor and satire on the people who are morally corrupt and ruin the married life of other women.
The first situation of humor arises when we see the Young Woman entering the house of film actress. She is in angry mood. She asks the actress, "give me back my husband".
 The second situation of humor arises when both women exchange hot words. The Young Woman accuses her of enticing her husband.
The third situation of humor arises when the film actress satisfies the young woman by telling her that her husband is a clever person. He plays on his fear and jealousy to regain her love.
The fourth situation arises when the Earnest young woman leaves the house of the film actress with full satisfaction. The film actress calls the husband of the young woman to come out of the closet. Here, the humour to reaches its climax and the reader bursts into laughters.
 
       " The End"
Play no : 4
The Man with a flower in his mouth.
The play is about the theme of life and death. It moves round the character of a person who is suffering from cancer of mouth. Everyone knows that cancer is a fatal disease. The protagonist, Man calls the mouth cancer as a flower in his mouth. He does so to lessen his fear of this horrible disease. He tries to overcome the dread of cancer by calling it a flower. Man meets a traveller in a cafe of a railway station. He tries to share his joys and sorrows with him.
Through the character of Man, The playwright explain his point of view about life and death. Man tries to lessen the gravity of the disease by mixing with people. He tries to let other peep into his personal life and experiences. Man tells the traveller that life can be enjoyed if it is taken to be temporary. This joys of life are temporary. By sharing our joys and sorrows, we can prolong our life. Man asks the traveller to have a dinner with him and look into his life closely. Man tells the traveller that his wife loves him and She forbids him from travelling to people.
    The playwright brings out the theme that life is an illusion. We take these sorrows and pleasure as a permanent. We are mistaken in it. We can overcome the sorrows of life if we take this life to be temporary. We lighten our grief and sorrow if we extend feelings of sorrow for our fellow human beings.
                        "The End"