UNIT – 2: POEM – PUNISHMENT IN KINDERGARTEN

BY KAMALA DAS

SUMMARY

“Punishment in Kindergarten” is an autobiographical poem by the famous Indo-Anglican poet

Kamala Das. She recalls one of her childhood experiences. When she was in kindergarten, one
day the children were taken for a picnic. All the children were playing and making merry,
except her. She was sitting alone. On seeing this, the blue-frocked teacher scolded her. She
called the poet a peculiar child for wanting to be alone when all the other children were playing.

All the other children who were sipping sugarcane turned and laughed when they heard this.
They laughed in merriment at the poet’s tears. Unable to bear the sorrow and the shame, she hid
her face in a hedge and wept. This was indeed a painful experience to a little child in the nursery
school/kindergarten.

Now, after many years she has grown into an adult. She has only a faint memory of the blue-
frocked woman and the laughing faces of the children. Now she has learnt to have an ‘adult
peace’ and happiness in her present state as a grown-up person. Now there is no need for her to
be perturbed about that bitter kindergarten experience.

With her long experience in life, she has learned that life is a mixture of joy and sorrow. She
remembers how she has experienced both, the joys and sorrows of life.

The long passage of time has taught her many things. She is no more a lonely individual as she
used to feel when she was a child. The poet comes to a conclusion that there is no need for her
to remember that picnic day, when she hid her face in the hedge, watching the steel-white sun
that was standing lonely in the sky.

Time has healed the pain. The angry words and laughing faces are vague and unclear. The years
have gone by very fast. Certain incidents close to the heart are remembered, others are forgotten.
Life moves on. The poet is now adult and looks back upon that painful incident peacefully and
does not mind it anymore. There is no more need to remember that childhood incident with pain.

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 UNIT – 2: PROSE – TOASTED ENGLISH

BY R. K. NARAYAN

SUMMARY

According to the author R. K. Narayan,’toasted English’ refers to English muffins which, though
being made in America; now retain ‘English’ as a sort of concession to their origin. The result of
toasting of English in America has led to the abandonment of formalism surrounding the use of
English language.

The author interestingly points out that like Indians, Americans also drove the British out of their
country but allowed English to stay back. The Americans made the usage of English easier by
giving up passive voice.

The author approves simplified instructions that American use, especially for signboards in
public places and for motorists like the word ‘go’ as they can be easily followed without peering
out and studying the notice. He, however, disapproves the way the American English disrespects
the rule of law and the dignity of grammar when someone says something like ‘Wer U goin,
man?’

Americans have created certain basic key words which may be used anywhere, anyhow-words
which have universal multipurpose use. The Americans prefer using shorter sentences which are
to the point, leaving no room for ambiguity. Some of this is instead of using passive voice on
signboards; direct instructions are given like ‘Don’t enter’, ‘Newly Painted’, ‘Don’t Walk’, ‘Go’
etc. Okay, yeah, are commonly used expressions.

‘The American National Expression” refers to the word “check’’, which is used with multiple
meaning. It can be used in different situations. Exaggerating the point, the author says that even
if someone is ever hard up for a noun or a verb he may safely utter the word ‘check’ and feel
confident that it will fit in.

The author concludes by adopting English to suit our purposes developing a ‘Bharat brand of
English’. He clearly mentions that he is not advocating ‘mongrelisation’ i.e., hybridization of
English. The author asserts that Indian English should have its own identity, its ‘swadeshi
stamp’. The author wishes that Indians should develop their own English which would be more
unique and distinct than the present English.

According to the author, the mongrelisation of English can be prevented by respecting the rule of
law and maintaining the dignity of grammar.

The author visualizes that the Bharat brand would have to come and have a swadeshi stamp
about it unmistakably, like the Madras handloom check shirt or the Tirupati Doll.

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