DSI R the
The Doon School
Information Review
Contents Movies Annie Hall Dr Strangelove Psycho A Streetcar Named Desire Sholay
Udbhav Agarwal Rahul Srivastava Dr Peter McLaughlin Vireshwar Singh Sidhu Yash Dhandhania
Obituary Roger Ebert Mrs Priya Chaturvedi
Music Queen The Beatles Simon & Garfunkel Led Zeppelin Pink Floyd Kishore Kumar Ravi Shankar
Agni Raj Singh Yash Jalan (ex 553-H '13) Udbhav Agarwal Zayaan Khodaiji Karan Singh (ex 551-J '13) Pulkit Agarwal Mr Partho Roy Chaudhury
Books Lolita Waiting For Godot 1984 Matilda
Kunal Kanodia Agni Raj Singh Pulkit Agarwal Anvay Grover
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Rahul Srivastava Editors Udbhav Agarwal Agni Raj Singh Graphic Editors Raghuraj Rathi Abhayraj Jain Senior Editors Kunal Kanodia Nakul Talwar Associate Editors Zayaan Khodaiji Ritvik Kar Pulkit Agarwal Vireshwar Singh Sidhu Correspondents Yash Dhandhania Anvay Grover Master-in-charge Ms. Anamika Ghose Special Thanks Mr. Arnab Mukherjee
Editorial Dear Readers, My tenure as Editor-in-Chief, just like my counterparts in other publications, is short lived. In a gap of eight months, we try to leave our romantic imprint of sorts on the publication we carry. For a slightly ambitious person like myself, I intended to introduce changes that would project a radically different DSIR th an the ones of yesteryear. So The Doon School Information Review this year has managed to incorporate changes that signal a definite shift from our previous editions. For starters, our design has completely changed, from the first page to the last. We also decided to scrap the Games section altogether, an idea that initially didn’t go down too well, but ended up producing articles of higher quality in music, movies and books. We also figured that the school community is well acquainted with the toppers of the Billboard Charts or the Box Office earners. And so this year, the DSIR decided to review books, music, and movies that may not top the charts today, but have occupied a special place in the hearts of people across borders and across generations. At first, I doubted the fact that I would be able to find reviewers for the range of articles that were expected. However, dismissing my pessimism, the Editorial Board was eager to contribute with reviews on an assortment of creative works that ranged from Kishore Kumar’s melodious tunes to the absurdist play Waiting for Godot. Of course, Masters have provided some quality articles that are often reminiscent of their teenage years. With their contributions, we have been able to add an interesting perspective to our range of articles. Lastly, I would like to pay my respects to whom many still call the 20th century’s greatest film critic, Roger Ebert. Honestly, I was never much of a fan (unlike some passionate ones in the school community), but in his writings I read the style and matter that many of hoping to express opinion need. In this issue, many of our writers have expressed their unique styles that are now recognizable after numerous reads and edits, all with the hope that you enjoy what you read. Happy reading,
Rahul Srivastava
Music Books Movies
Annie Hall Udbhav Agarwal romance.
"Proves to be a commentary of the whole 70s era." reviews Woody Allen's great comic
“There's an old joke - um... two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." ” If you have to make a deaf person, a blind man, and a dumb child: all sit in a room, and have to decide upon a movie which can make all three of them laugh, it can be none other than Woody Allen’s all time classic, and a personal favourite, Annie Hall. Being the last movie (since 1977) of the comedy genre to win the Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Annie Hall is nerving, entertaining, and miserably hilarious in equal measure. Alvy Singer, our completely neurotic and semi-psychotic protagonist, falls irrevocably in love with Ms’ Annie Hall, or so he feels. What follows is a not-so-solemn recounting of the relationship, from the first glance to the last goodbye, packed with enough raunchiness to put modern satires to shame. What Allen essentially achieves is an exquisite delta between brimming emotions and comedic prowess. Acting, writing and directing the project, Allen makes the most rudimentary of scenes the most memorable ones. Every montage, every still, seems as a fresh breath of air, bright and rejuvenating. His writing displays a wise maturity, which finds a fine balance between the serious and the humorous, finely intertwined like a grape vine on a fence. Breaking one too many stereotypes, Allen, reinvents the whole notion of having a relationship, and at the same time manages to say "I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member,” and a lot more. It is true, if Woody has ever been at his best, it is in Annie Hall. However, no movie is complete without the leading lady herself. And it is here where the extremely sophisticated Diane Keaton comes in, making their see-saw relationship extremely delightful. Both the actors share a divine chemistry between them. Her timing and his lines make the best couple to witness in a movie hall. With her sensuous laughs and her erratic behaviour, Keaton embodies the role of the annoying yet lovable girlfriend onto perfection. With flashes of her youth, she paints a deep yet starkly precise canvas of young New York women of the time. Carrying the burden of the title, Keaton delivers well. But Annie Hall, is not all just fun and games and break-ups and unions. At a Meta level, it also proves to be a commentary of the whole 70’s era. Just like his recent film Midnight in Paris, Allen involves a subtler word play of politics, sex, religion, history, literature and drugs amongst a myriad of other things which he manages to include. In one of the most intense scene of the entire movie, Allen’s character earnestly remarks, “I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light”. And it is due to lines like these, that distinguishes Allen as a prominent, deserving and a mature artist. Till date Mr Allen has made about forty movies. Each movie is dignified at its own place, but Annie Hall really sets its own class. If you haven’t seen it already, you know what needs to be done.
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Dr. Strangelove
"One of Stanley Kubrick's great directorial ventures."
Rahul Srivastava comments on Stanley Kubrick's great Cold War satire.
The ‘60s was an eventful decade for the American public. From Civil Rights, Hippies, Vietnam and the Apollo missions to The Cuban Missile Crisis, Student Protests, the decade culminated by having some reasons to please, but many more to annoy. In the backdrop to all this chaos, Stanley Kubrick directed and produced Dr. Strangelove, a satirical film on the threat of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Dr. Strangelove, one of Stanley Kubrick’s great directorial ventures, was released in 1964, when the anti-Soviet, anti-Communist propaganda in America was at a historical peak. In the film, while Brig. General Ripper gives arbitrary orders to dispatch nuclear weapons on the Soviet Union, The President and his War Cabinet learn that the Soviet Union’s Doomsday Device will automatically set off reactions that would annihilate the whole world in case nuclear weapons were dropped on it. What follows the potentially apocalyptic circumstances is a hilarious treat full of ironies, Peter Sellers’ triple role (as a frantic President, an ex-Nazi scientist, and a nervous British Group Captain cajoling an American General) coupled with the characteristically idiosyncratic acting of George C. Scott (as General Buck Turgidson) and Slim Pickens (as Major T.J Kong). Dr. Strangelove isn't among today’s expensive, tasteless Sci-Fi films, perhaps because it was released back in 1964. Instead, the movie was shot in three principle settings; The President’s War room, Brigadier General Jack Ripper’s office, and the inside of a B-52 bomber. The movie doesn’t have too many movements either; President Muffley and his Cabinet remain seated around a table, Major T.J. Kong and his flight crew is confined to the cockpit, and General Ripper and Group Captain Mandrake converse inside an office. Nevertheless, Dr. Strangelove never even allowed an impatient teenager like myself to get up from the couch and refill my popcorn. As a viewer I was able to appreciate the comedy because I could see all the events unfolding. Between the three parallel developments in the film, no one set of characters knew the developments in the other settings. General Ripper didn't know his ambitious plan to destroy the Soviet Union could destroy the whole world. Major Kong didn’t know that he was following the orders of a rogue general. And President Muffley had no way to figure out where Major Kong’s B-52 was headed. It is an essential trait of a comedy to leave its characters aloof of all the links in the plot, while allowing the viewer to enjoy the failure of the characters to do so. Dr. Strangelove does that, but as is the case for all satires, it points at important concerns that are necessary for any viewer to truly appreciate the quality of thought that went behind crafting the script. It addresses the most important political matter of the time, The Cold War and the Nuclear Scare. In the movie, the grim consequences of the troubled relations between the Soviets and the Americans are brought down to a less serious level. The irony in Peter Sellers’ words that remain synonymous with the movie today, Gentlemen! You can’t fight in here, this is the War Room! while trying to attempt to diffuse an apocalyptic crisis will surely bring a smile across your face. Dr. Strangelove is essential to watch because it places itself among the handful of movies in my library that derive their comedy from the situation in the plot. Nowhere will you laugh because someone has had his or her hair razed, or has spilled ketchup all over the President’s expensive clothing. As a viewer, you will enjoy the 90 minutes of your life spent nose deep into the Cold War era, and will be glad that Dr. Strangelove constitutes a part of your cinematic knowledge.
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Psycho Dr Peter McLaughlin blockbuster.
"Psycho holds an important place in your movie education." reviews this classic thriller
In the American psyche, the motel was once seen as a friendly place of respite and rest in a geographically and socio-economically mobile, dynamic, self-confident culture. Often called The Happy Days Inn or Traveller’s Comfort Motel or some such anodyne, if naively alluring, name, historically the motel offered a cheap and cheerful welcome to the weary traveler. Hitchcock’s genius as a filmmaker was to make the commonplace and comforting into something terrifying, ominous and dreadful. In The Birds, his take on what happens when nature turns the tables, our ‘feathered friends’ are transformed into huge clouds of coordinated, determined, psychotic killers, until the mood leaves them as suddenly and mysteriously as it overtook them, and they return to cheeping harmlessly, if slightly menacingly, in the trees and on overhead telephone lines. Just the way as you can never look at crows and gulls in quite the same manner again after seeing that film, you may never be able hear Hotel California again without a faint shudder of recognition of the Bates Motel after you survive watching Psycho. An attractive woman on the run from defrauding one of her client’s checks into the Bates Motel, and like a number of others before and after her, Marion never checks out. She is a sympathetic character, as are so many in the film, but in common with them and after we become emotionally involved with her and hopeful about her redemption, Hitchcock has her killed. A taut, high energy emotional, white knuckle ride filmed in austere black and white with shooting and lighting techniques refined from Hollywood thrillers of the 1930s and Nazi and Soviet propaganda movies, Psycho turns a central motif of American road trip culture into a morbid hell. Given Hitchcock’s ironic eye and sardonic humor, he knew exactly what he was doing and no doubt relished doing so. The infamous but iconic “shower scene” is one of the most recognized cultural images of the twentieth century and has been endlessly adapted, re-developed, built upon and even parodied since it was first seen on screen in 1960. It is so powerful and distressing that Janet Leigh, the beautiful actress who plays Marion, could never take a shower again for the rest of her days unless there was absolutely no alternative. You may feel the same for a while after watching the weird assailant shred the shower curtain in Psycho. Hitchcock’s boldness as a film maker was to make one of America’s well loved actresses die early in the film (in Hollywood the star is always supposed to survive), and, presaging Jack Nicholson’s appearance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Shining, he turned one of the best known and respected actors of his day, Anthony Perkins, into a bizarre, psychotic killer.
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Like the birds, the inoffensive but clearly weird Norman Bates’ psychological unraveling is only too possible and realistic. Although Pyscho is credited (or discredited depending on your perspective) for opening the way to “slasher” and “splatter” movies with some mild sexual titillation thrown in, and is graphically gory, it does not go beyond what is artistically necessary, unlike so many horror movies that followed in its path. I am not a fan of the horror genre because of the gratuitousness of so much of it now, but I see Psycho as more of a psychological, indeed psychoanalytic, thriller. Although Bates’ psychosis is extreme, crimes of the half-century, since Hitchcock made the film, have shown that it is indeed possible. Hitchcock’s artistry is to make us double lock the door of any hotel we stay in decades after seeing the film. Many movies depict the motel as a place of refuge where the criminal, the drifter, the fleeing, the dispossessed and the alienated wash up or rest up before moving onwards (think The Fugitive, Pulp Fiction or Thelma and Louise), but Hitchcock turns it into a bleak, black-and-white, psychological prison. The film is intelligent and fascinating because it can be accessed on so many different levels, from the sheer exultation of not being one of “the bodies in the room” at the end of the movie, which is the supposed attraction of the tragic horror genre, to the intriguing question of “whodunit?” to an eerie exploration of the controlling, smothering mother figure and the consequent social, emotional and psych-sexual dysfunction. (Again, think Jayant Mukhopadhyay playing ‘Albert’ in the inter-house one-act play competition 2010.) When it was first released, I was too young to be allowed into see what was then one of the greatest box office smashes of movie history, but I caught up with this important piece of cultural history as soon as it was lawful to do so. It has haunted me ever since. A television series is in the making, but I strongly doubt it will be infused with Hitchcock’s genius. We bandy the word ‘psycho’ around quite freely today, and it has even been given as a Doon School nickname from time to time, but in 1960 the film and its theme were daringly transgressed. Looking back on the film now, it can appear dated, quaint and perhaps stilted at times, but for anyone interested in cultural and cinema history, in making movies, or in the horror genre, Psycho holds an important place in your movie education.
When it was first released, I was too young to be allowed into see what was then one of the greatest box office smashes of movie history, but I caught up with this important piece of cultural history as soon as it was lawful to do so.
Music Books Movies
A Streetcar Named Desire
"Over the years, the movie has garnered much critical acclaim."
Vireshwar Singh Sidhu reviews this 50s drama. A Streetcar Named Desire was originally a play written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, and the theatrical version of it came forth in 1951, directed by Elia Kazan. It is the story of a Southern Belle Blanche Dubois, played by Vivien Leigh, who comes to meet her sister in New Orleans. Her pregnant sister Stella (Kim Hunter) is married to a boorish young man Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando), who dominates his wife physically as well as emotionally. Not only is Stanley unhappy with Blanche’s presence, blaming her for creating differences between him and his wife, but he also claims her to be holding inheritance money that is rightfully Stella’s. Blanche tells her sister that she decided to make a visit as she was given leave by her supervisor from her teaching job, in truth however; she was fired for having an affair with a 17 year old boy, and was declared morally unfit of being part of the society. Despite her ageing beauty, Blanche is flirtatious, and soon she gets attracted to Stanley’s friend Mitch (Karl Malden). Blanche is desperate of riding herself off the horrors of her past memories, but her past soon catches up with her and the stage is set for a final confrontation by her brother-in-law, drawing an end to the movie. Blanche’s character is one of the most appealing in the movie. She always seems to be on the verge of a mental breakdown; a time bomb, which is slowly ticking. In spite of her dark past, the soft side of hers speaks to the audience in equivocal terms. Throughout her life she received kindness only from strangers, which is characterised by her dialogue “Whoever you are, I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” The supporting cast also adds substance to the movie, the most appealing of which is Marlon Brando. The brutish, physical and sensual nature of his character takes the movie a long way forward. Though Brando failed to win the Best Actor at the 24th Academy Awards, it was made up for by other awards which were won by Vivien Leigh for a Leading Role, by Malden for Supporting Actor and Kim Hunter for Female Supporting Actor. Over the years, the movie has garnered much critical acclaim and the awards that it has won, only add to it. The subtlety of the title A Streetcar Named Desire, the plot and the wonderful acting make this movie what it is: A classic.
Blanche’s character is one of the most appealing parts of the movie. She always seems one the verge of a mental breakdown; a time bomb, which is slowly ticking.
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Sholay
"Sholay completely changed the face of Bollywood."
Yash Dhandhania
reviews one of the longest running films ever to hit Indian theatres.
Sholay has been seen as a quintessential movie of Indian cinema. This 1975 super hit, directed by Ramesh Sippy, smashed all records at the box office as it was screened all over the country for 50 weeks consecutively. Numerous critics of the 70’s have ranked it as the best Bollywood movie of all time. However, more contemporary critics have termed it as a gravely flawed attempt. Nevertheless, Sholay never fails to please its viewers. Sholay has many reasons behind its success. Whether it be the inspired acting of the renowned cast or R.D Burman’s captivating blends of Western music and Indian music, Sholay's success is probably a culmination of all these factors. Evidence of its enduring qualities are seen even today when the undying lines Kithne aadmi thae and tera kya hoga kaliya resound on television screens and old cinemas. It is the story of two criminals, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, who are close friends. Thakur, played by Sanjeev Kumar, catches them and considers them as perfect candidates to catch the infamous dacoit of the region, Gabbar Singh. Laced with unperturbed violence and emotion, the storyline not only enhanced the standard of action in Bollywood, but also manages to camouflage it within melodrama. The movie is also dotted with several instances of humor and is uplifted by lively music. Sholay has also been credited for being a rather exclusive merger of Indian cinema and its Western counterpart. In the years to follow, it inspired many directors to make a host of ‘Curry Western’ movies, finding their roots in Sholay. Sholay also destroyed the social stigma which surrounded script–writing and turned the profession around from one that didn’t earn much money to one that gathered high respect as a profession. It was with the success of Sholay that Amitabh Bachchan’s status in Bollywood was exalted to a whole new level. It was with the help of Sholay that he was able to develop into the ‘angry, young man’ character that he has been so often equated with. The Hero-Villain duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Amjad Khan went on to become a favourite amongst the people in the years following Sholay; in movies such as Paravarish and Aakhri Goli. All in all, Sholay completely changed the face of Bollywood and opened up doors to various professions associated with film-making. In retrospect, it can be seen as a turning point in Indian cinema. In the words of the writer and critic Anupama Chopra, “Sholay is no longer just a film, it's an event.”
Sholay destroyed the social stigma which surrounded script-writing and turned the profession around from one that didn’t earn much money to one that gathered highrespect as a profession.
Obituary
Roger Ebert
"Friend, philosopher, and guide in the guise of a film critic."
Mrs. Priya Chaturvedi comments on the death of a legendary film critic.
“I`ll see you at the movies…” (line from Roger Ebert`s last blog, 2 days before his death) I belong to the legion of movie-goers who ‘consulted` Roger Ebert before seeing a film, or `checked` with him after seeing one to ensure that I had missed no nuance of cinematic technique or plot or character. For us all, his death in April this year is an irreplaceable loss, because Ebert was friend, philosopher and guide in the guise of film critic. The genus`critic` carries a fearsome image; he or she having the power to demolish reputations with the stroke of a pen. Ebert was the exception that proved the rule: his love of the medium shone through the most acerbic review, and he was devoid of preconceived notions about genres and directors. Not for him the cutting bon mot, or the dismissive judgement. He sat on no pedestal wherefrom such judgements are generally pronounced. Yet, he was as witty as he was wise, and his early career as a schoolboy writer, and later, journalist, was reflected in his way with words. It was a way that stamped his literary style as unique--- sometimes discursive, sometimes concise, but always penetrating. If he had not chosen to be a film critic, I feel he would have made his name as an essayist. Everything was grist to his mill, politics, society, the human condition; and all received his empathy and insight. Being a wordsmith defined his school years in Illinois: as a writer on sports and science-fiction, as Editor of his school`s paper and winner of the state speech championship. He remarked wryly, “I learned to be a movie critic by reading Mad magazine… I plundered it for clues to the universe”. He began his career as the critic for Chicago`s Sun-Times in 1967, and his reviews (some 200 a year) were syndicated in as many newspapers across the world. He gathered many accolades and awards along the way : the only film critic to have a Star on Hollywood`s Walk of Fame, an Honorary Life member of the Directors` Guild of America, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screenwriters` Guild and the first film critic to win the Pulitzer for Film Criticism. The universe to whose clues he had sought as a boy, became his oyster: Ebert was amazingly versatile and prolific, teaching at the University of Chicago, co-hosting a TV show, writing screenplays and involved with movie-making (Up!, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls). Though he gave his reviewed films the mandatory star ratings (four for the best, a half-star for the worst), he often said that the stars had little meaning if the context of the review was not taken into account. His reviews sometimes clashed with a film`s popularity, even though he claimed to review films for their prospective audience as well as their value. His top rated film for 2012 was, interestingly, Argo and his own all-time favourite , the Fellini classic, La Dolce Vita. My own favourite Ebert review is a recent one, of the film Amour. Writing of his first French art film Hiroshima, Mon Ami (1959), when he was “ young, eager, excited”, he comes full circle with this other French film , and writes “It has a lesson for us that only cinema can teach; the cinema, with its heedless ability to leap across time and transcend lives and dramatize what it means to be a member of humankind`s eternal audience.”
Music Books Movies
Queen Agni Raj Singh band.
"Queen holds a special place in my music library and in my mind." remembers a musical legend and his
Music is a way of life and through music, there are always those who define an era and the way a generation sees the world. It is true that there are many who influence the way the world functions, but there are those who add something novel. When I think of a band like Queen, I think of innovation. Just like The Beatles in the 1960s, Queen began in synchronisation with the norms and ‘guidelines’ of progressive rock and hard rock in 1970 in London. Beginning with their eponymous debut album in 1973, Queen had gotten to a respectable start. They were being compared to Led Zeppelin and through songs like Keep Yourself Alive; the album had established itself in the British music community. Their second album and third albums hinted at the marked transition Queen made from progressive rock genre to the “classic Queen Sound”, as many call it, but what really threw Queen into the limelight was the release of their next album, A Night at the Opera. It was the most expensive album ever recorded then and the wave of enthusiasm that enveloped the world with this album was phenomenal. One of the greatest songs of all time, Bohemian Rhapsody, was on this album. For me, this song is the ultimate example of Freddie Mercury’s passion for his music and along with the four-octave range of his voice, he made nothing but magic. With constantly fluctuating melodic, rhythmic patterns and even genres and styles, the song was destined to become a classic and had redefined musical innovation. Although the prelude piano and the ballad style is the most appreciated part of the song, I believe that this song emanates greatness in almost every aspect. Brian May’s memorable guitar solo in the first half of the song also helped Queen assert their dominance over the world-wide musical scene. The recording of the song was such an elaborate and calculated process that it was never performed live in its entirety. Freddie Mercury’s fantastical masterpiece took the world by storm. Queen went on to become one of the most prolific bands, releasing album after album, hit after hit and ‘certified platinums’ falling in place one after the other. Musical exploration was Freddie Mercury and Brian May’s forte and they delved into genres ranging from progressive rock and pop rock to vaudeville and ragtime. Their much-loved grandeur of large choirs was usually multi-layered vocals of Mercury, May and Roger Taylor, the drummer. The band was extremely connected with the audience, owing to Freddie Mercury’s exuberant and energetic stage antics, but many songs were composed to literally involve the audience. We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions are prime examples of how Queen used slow but emphasised rhythmic patterns, choirs and recurring melodic motifs to directly engage the members of their audience. What is really admirable about Brian May, is that he actually carved his own space on stage while performing. For any entity to do that while sharing a stage with one of the greatest frontmen of all time is a feat in itself, and May did more than just getting noticed; he was the main defining factor of Queen’s high pitched sounds through his remarkable guitar riffs and melodies. Queen holds a special place in my music library and Freddie Mercury, in my mind. Their music continues to ring the ears of many and will do so for generations to come.
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The Beatles
"Love me do, we love them still."
Yash Jalan (ex-553-H '13) explains why the Beatles are one of music's most enduring
phenomenons.
On October 5 1962, The Beatles released their first single, Love me Do on the A-side and P.S. I Love You on the other. The release of Love me Do marked the beginning of a new era, an era of Beatlemania, and an era of rock n’ roll. 50 years it has been and I love them still. Although the fifties’ is often credited with the start of rock music, I firmly believe that the true spirit of rock n' roll was only ignited in the sixties with the advent of the Beatles. By writing, composing and singing their own songs, the Beatles pioneered the idea of modern rock music, composed of three guitarists and a drummer. It would interest you to know that most of the current rock bands such as the Oasis, The Verve, Radiohead and Coldplay are greatly inspired by the Beatles. The song structure of Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’ is very similar to that of ‘Hey Jude’. In fact Noel Gallagher, the guitarist for Oasis had stated, “It's beyond an obsession. It's an ideal for living. I don't even know how to justify it to myself. With every song that I write, I compare it to The Beatles.” The Beatles are also regarded as the band, which has been covered the most. The most famous of cover’s is Joe Cocker’s cover of With a Little Help from my Friends. Originally sung by Ringo Starr, the Beatles’ drummer, Cocker’s version of the song is radical and inspiring. What differentiated the Beatles from say Elvis Presley, the Crickets or any other rock band was its influence on the youth. The crowd went into a frenzy when the Beatles performed. Girls screaming and fainting was a common phenomena during a Beatles’ concert. The Beatles had such a huge girl fan base that critics started considering the ‘fab four’ to be a boy band. The Beatles were a fashion icon. Even now, the mop-top haircut of the Beatles is fashionable. One of the most notable events of the swinging sixties’ was Woodstock ’69. I know the festival was mostly attended by hippies, the primary purpose of the Woodstock festival, however, was not music or drugs but a celebration of freedom. Woodstock was a protest against the Vietnam War and basically all social injustices practiced in the world. It was “3 days of peace, love and rock n roll music”. In reference to Woodstock ’69, the Beatles too were active political commentators. It is said that the song Revolution commemorated a worldwide student uprising in 1968. John Lennon, the vocalist and founder of the Beatles, was particularly known for his political activism. Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono composed a myriad of politically toned songs. Lennon’s Imagine and Give Peace a Chance became the anthem for the Blacks in the Civil Rights Movement in America. The social changes wrought then are still with me. Whether it is feminism or the struggle for human rights, it is the spirit of the 1960s and 70s, with its message of love, peace and universal brotherhood that guide me which is why, I still love listening to rock music of the Sixties and Seventies, particularly the Beatles. What makes the Beatles unique according to me, a band that is superior to its contemporaries is its wide range of music. I’d recommend all the pseudo Beatles fans to widen their horizon and look beyond the few conventional Beatles songs. Hey Jude, Let it be, Here Comes the Sun and All You Need is Love are one of the
Music Books Movies very few compositions of the Beatles. Although relatively less known, some of my particular favourites include I am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Octopus’s Garden, Ticket to Ride, Run for your Life, Got to Get you into my Life, Helter Skelter, Baby, you’re a Rich Man. These are just a few to start with but if you do start liking the Beatles, I will be most obliged to recommend more songs by them. I feel that most rock bands now are just one-hit wonders, which is why I fail to appreciate most modern rock bands. The Beatles released twelve LP’s and two EP’s in a span of a mere 8 years of which neither album was less than extraordinary. Most of us rate music of a particular artist or a band according to the songs they compose. The Beatles music is so vast that rating by songs becomes difficult. Instead, most fans and critics rate their music according to the album. My favourite album is undoubtedly, The White Album. The unique characteristic of the album is that it features a tinge of classical Indian instrumental music. Most of the songs in the album were written during the Beatles’ visit to India. Thus, some of the songs in the album have an Indian classical touch to it. The album includes songs such as Dear Prudence, Blackbird and Julia. George Harrison, besides being a fantastic guitar player, could also play the sitar, which he learnt from the famous Indian sitarist, Ravi Shankar. I’d also recommend the songs, Within you, without you and Norwegian Wood to those who like to listen to the sitar or who are fans of Harrison. The music of The Beatles attracted not only the youth but also the oldies. Teenagers, on one hand, were in awe of the harmonies of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Oldies, on the other hand, were impressed with the songwriting of the duo. Lennon-McCartney song compositions were lyrically very strong. The Beatles are attributed with the first rock n roll band to compose and write their own songs. Songs such as Yesterday and In my Life are so strong lyrically. Sometimes didactic and maybe satirical in nature, the songwriting of the Beatles I think is as powerful as the songwriting of Simon & Garfunkel. Lennon and McCartney wrote songs mostly reminiscent of their childhood. Whenever I reminisce about my childhood days, I think about the song Yesterday. The Beatles’ success can be attributed to a combination of factors, including Lennon and McCartney’s songwriting genius, Harrison’s guitar playing skill, Starr’s artful simplicity as a drummer, and the solid group harmonies that were a hallmark of their recordings. Although popular music has changed considerably in the decades since The Beatles’ disbanded, their music continues to reach and inspire new generations of listeners. Half a century after their humble origins in Liverpool, The Beatles remain the most enduring phenomenon in the history of popular music.
Teenagers, on one hand, were in awe of the harmonies of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Oldies, on the other hand, were impressed with the songwriting of the duo.
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Simon and Garfunkel
"Their tracks, unlike any others of that time, were truthful in every way."
Udbhav Agarwal reviews the Folk-Rock duo of the 60s. On first hearing, you may not be able to appreciate Simon and Garfunkel’s music. On multiple hearings and avid explorations, one truly and genuinely marvels at the legend that was the 60’s folk-rock band, Simon and Garfunkel. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, friends since their childhoods, gratefully joined hands in the year 1963 to produce the first set of recordings, under the album cover of Wednesday Morning 3 a.m. Hundred and two songs later, they still maintain a private space in the hearts of anyone who has ever heard them. Growing up, my experiences with Simon and Garfunkel have been soulful and creative. Their first album was Wednesday Morning 3 a.m., which probably remains one of the most melancholic, indulgent and accentuated albums of Simon and Garfunkel.Their tracks, unlike any others of that time, were truthful in every which way, as a consequence of which some of them became all the more haunting. One of their best compositions till date, The Sound of Silence, was mesmerizing, mysterious and revolting in equal measure, presenting one of the most unusual set of lyrics in the most sensuous of manners. Followed by their 3 a.m. Mornings, was the album Sounds of Silence, featuring the all-time favourites Homeward Bound, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard and I am a Rock. The album saw a rare maturity in work of both the artists. Whether it be the sheer outlandishness of A Most Peculiar Man, or the charismatic imagery in Kathy’s Song, there was subtle nuancing and easy detailing given to every part of the album. While continuing with their recordings, Simon and Garfunkel were approached by the ace director Mike Nichols (director of Closer), to write the soundtrack for his upcoming movie The Graduate and wrote a song titled Mrs. Robinson, a maestro stroke from the word go! The song with its effortless chorus singing and a catchy guitar tune, topped the charts everywhere and endures itself as one of Simon and Garfunkel’s most popular songs. Their next album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, featured melodies such as Scarborough Fair/Canticle and The Dangling Conversation. Throughout their career, Simon and Garfunkel had travelled on unchartered waters, and now three albums later, they had defined (and would constantly redefine) a genre for themselves, folk rock. It was time for their fourth album Bookends, to take centre stage. Bookends, after Wednesday Morning 3 a.m., was probably the saddest and most morbid collection of songs, Simon and Garfunkel had produced. After the thumping whims of Mrs. Robinson and the pleasant menagerie of Scarborough Fair, the duo wrote songs such as America and Bookends, dealing with themes such as alienation and loss. With their final album, Simon and Garfunkel left no stones unturned. The result was an album consisting of eleven songs out of which six were listed in the ‘Top 500 songs of the Century’ list by Rolling Stone. They composed a medley of songs, ranging from the funny and playful Cecilia to the sentimental and painful The Only Living Boy in New York. Out of the hundred songs produced by the duo, a minority of 25 are still fresh while rest are forgotten. The band had made many blunders, but no matter how big those blunders were, they were clearly outweighed by the few gems they had dug in those forty years. In the end, if there is a time, when one ever needs to forget and enjoy the sound of silence, then relax with Simon and Garfunkel.
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Led Zeppelin
"Famous for their finesse and out of the box effects."
Zayaan Khodaiji recounts one of the legendary icons of English rock music. Led Zeppelin entered the rock scene in the 70’s and had an unprecedented impact on the music scene. More than its thunderous beats and blaring volume, Zeppelin was famous for its finesse, and out-of-the-box effects. The band was formed by Jimmy Page (lead guitarist) after his former band – The Yardbirds split. He teamed up with John Paul Jones (bassist, keyboardist), Robert Plant(lead vocals) and John ‘Bonzo’ Bonham(drummer) to form The New Yardbirds in 1968. However, they changed the name to Led Zeppelin when The Who’s drummer Keith Moon allegedly said that they would go down with the audience like a zeppelin full of lead. Their early records and albums showcased loud guitars and epochal riffs such as in Whole Lotta Love. Their unpredictability and sudden bursts of energy in their songs was something no other band could produce Their first 3 albums – Led Zeppelin I,II&III were huge commercial successes and the band became a sensation. However their fourth album Led Zeppelin IV defined their wide range of musical styles . This quintessential Zeppelin album was released in 1971 and went as loud as Black Dog, and as soft and intricate as Stairway to Heaven (also the most frequently played song on the radio). They had begun to suppress their heavy rock sound and combine it with English folk and blues. Their songs had become more meaningful and their lyrics more mystifying. A unique feature which heightened their mystique was Page’s and Plant’s love for occult and mythology specially for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. They also disliked releasing their songs as singles, and believed each album to be one complete unit, making each album unique and complete in its own way. By 1973, Zeppelin was at the peak of its success. They were breaking commercial records on their tours. They had been given the status of ‘Biggest band in the world’, and were travelling in their own private jetliner nicknamed the Starship. Physical Graffiti was released in 1975 which resonated the bands growing creativity and experimentation. The tracks were longer and more psychedelic with a more powerful sound such as in My Time of Dying and Kashmir. However, on August 4 ,1975, Plant was seriously injured in a car crash . After this, the band toured less frequently and there was a marked change in their approach while recording music. This change marked their downfall. There was immense experimentation in the albums that followed, but they lacked the quality and charisma of earlier Zeppelin albums. The tragic death of John Bonham on 24th September 1980 due to an alcohol overdose came as a shock to the other 3 band members and they eventually decided to disband. Their bond with Bonzo was intimate and they knew no other drummer could complete the band. After this tragic incident, Page and Plant pursued solo careers. Jones ,in 2009, joined the band Them Crooked Vultures alongside Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme. Despite having a long and successful career, Led Zeppelin was never in good light with the critics. Early reviews of their music were unkind and harsh. They were described as an unholy amalgam of hype, money, depravity and Satanism. This attitude only changed by 1975 when Zeppelin became the biggest rock band of the era. The talent in their members is better heard than said. Page’s eccentric riffs and solos, Jones’ intricate bass and keyboard pieces, Bonham’s ‘machine gun’ drumming and Plant’s mystifying howl are encapsulated to make the varying sounds heard on Led Zeppelin records. They were truly an irreplaceable band of their era and have influenced great bands such as Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Queen.
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Pink Floyd
"They balanced out the ‘wild’ side of rock with their urbane quality of music."
Karan Singh (ex 551-J '13) introduces us to a band who's sounds continue to captivate the minds of many.
Every era in music is defined by a certain genre; there’s no doubt about that. The 60’s and 70’s are still considered to be that moment in music, where rock was at its very peak. While bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath became the pioneers of rock music, Pink Floyd made its entry into the business as the group that balanced out the wild side of rock with their urbane quality of music. Talent is a different thing altogether; it’s the thought put behind every one of Pink Floyd's compositions, which puts them in the spotlight for having a tender effect on one’s soul. A lot of people consider Pink Floyd’s music to be esoteric; I still believe that they defined unique in an entirely different way. While most artists during that period were breaking boundaries and creating a sound of their own, Floyd chose a completely different route to fame. Its tough to categorize them in a specific genre due to the various layers in their music that were eventually revealed, as each album left a mark of its own. Initially, most people begin listening to their music with a few selective albums; most notably Dark Side of the Moon, which interestingly celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. ‘The Pink Floyd Sound’ as we know it, is preserved in history as something that has never been heard of since the group parted ways. After listening to some of their earlier albums, which mainly revolved around the works of founding member Syd Barrett, it’s tough to tell whether it’s actually Pink Floyd or not; yet one can easily spot traces of what would later develope into that recognizable sound. Whereas their earlier years focused primarily on the psychedelic sound of the 60’s, Syd’s departure from the group eventually gave way to a more sophisticated sound for the band to implement. Syd, just like Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, possessed the founding genes that led to the mainstream success of his own group, but eventually faded away due to a drug-induced breakdown. David Gilmour, who was his replacement on the guitar, approached the group with a completely different technique in mind, introducing a method of guitar that could be linked to the Blues. As Floyd's music slowly evolved, Richard Wright’s distinctive synthesizer became a significant part of their sound, supported proportionately by Nick Mason’s simple, yet rhythmic beats, which gave their tunes a calm pace. Vocals had never been a major part of the group; it was more about the individual effort put in by each band member that would synchronize so well with the other sounds that it would result in a dreamlike creation. In the years to come, Floyd would amaze the music industry with every album, giving each of them an uncanny concept. The theory of giving their records a theme became one of their distinguishing qualities, which is why albums such as Wish you were here are noted for their atmospheric effect. Roger Waters and Gilmour had created a songwriting partnership that was said to be equivalent to that of Lennon-McCartney, with Richard Wright playing a recurring role as the ‘silent one’, just as George Harrison did for the Beatles. Moreover, they kept a secure grip on their unity, despite their ups and downs, with each album that was released. With the release of ‘The Wall’ in 1979,which is credited mostly to Waters, the world was exposed to an entirely unusual side of Pink Floyd. Alongside their live performances, which had its own theatrical outcome, the group had managed to maintain its original force, but in a slightly more dark and mysterious way. Looking back at the decades of dominance over the music industry, there’s no question in saying that Floyd sustains the top rank as live performers. A Pink Floyd concert is said to be like none other, which clearly shows how well their music was carried out to support its respective theme. People often have a different set of opinions on a group that chose not to conform to the monotony of what everyone wanted to hear. Nevertheless, I believe that through the various stages of development, an essential spot for Pink Floyd still remains in rock history, as one of the few groups that stood for themselves, independently. After all, ‘The Pink Floyd Sound’ would still be unknown to us, had those five minds not been put together.
Music Books Movies
Kishore Kumar
"The heart of Bollywood music in the country."
Pulkit Agarwal remembers the voice of Bollywood in the 20th century. There are a handful of singers who engrave their names so deeply in your mind, that to let them go becomes excruciatingly hard. To write about them is a privilege; but at the same time is taxing. When one looks back at the history of Bollywood music in the 1900’s, the one name that comes to mind is Kishore Kumar. The immortalized voice of this master has found its way through the hearts of everyone who lived to witness what his brilliance had to offer. His music had cast a spell on all but a few households with radios. For me, there is one work of his that stands apart: Aradhana. This 1969 classic is one of those films which had Kishore’s voice to light up the screen. Over the years, it has exemplified Kishore’s vivacious singing. The movie opens with Rajesh Khanna singing Mere Sapno ki Rani from an open jeep, while Sharmila Tagore looks on from a train. This song, over the years, has become the quintessential song from the master. From playing in the living rooms of Indian music lovers of the 70’s, to the room of a teenager in the 21st century (like yours’ truly), the mellifluous harmonization of Mere Sapno ki Rani by Kishore has found its way into the hums of many. The second song by Kishore in this film is Roop Tera Mastana. At the time, Roop Tera Mastana's one shot video was a groundbreaking feat. Even though he is not on the screen at this point, Kishore’s love for singing and ever-joyous madness is revealed through his captivating voice. This song epitomizes his versatility as a singer; he may be singing like a man who is overthrown by his love, but in this one, his subtle playfulness comes to the fore. The last song by him in Aradhana is Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Man Mera, but this romantic piece of music fails to receive its due because his other songs quite evidently overshadow it. Needless to say, Kishoreji received numerous accolades as well as appreciation for his contribution to this movie. Aradhana is not only special because it has some of the most remarkable songs ever to be fashioned through Kishore’s voice, but also because it paved way for a momentous career in the industry for him in the years to come. Throughout the 70’s, Kishore Kumar became an obsession, a fascination, and a trendsetter. From his spirited singing, to his effervescent dancing, his antics added to the flavour of Indian Cinema. He had to face disappointments over the course of his career. He didn’t aspire to become a playback singer; he burst onto the scene as an ambitious actor and didn’t achieve as much in this field as he would have liked. Nevertheless, he had a man to guide him at all times: SD Burman. He tapped Kishore’s talents as a playback singer and gave Bollywood its greatest entertainer. However, not many would know that beneath that bubbling exterior laid a heart that had its own share of breaks. Kishore had been married four times, and the first three marriages ended in divorce. He had also been involved in frequent clashes with various producers who owed him money. However, despite his “no pay, no work” dictum, when it came to a Rajesh Khanna movie, he was always enthusiastic, no matter what the pay. Kishore Kumar will forever be remembered as the soulful voice of Bollywood music in the country. He was someone who was always willing to take up infrequent methods. His “yodelling” in tracks such as New Delhi and Pyar ka Mausam earned him a lot of public appreciation. His renditions of Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas and Zindagi Ek Safar will never lose their charm, but when it comes to one work of his that must be picked to listen to, it has to be Aradhana.
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Ravi Shankar Mr Partho Roy Chaudhary link to the west.
"The greatest ambassador of Indian classical music." recalls India's musical
In India, music, more than any other art, is intimately interwoven with the life of the people. It would not be an overstatement to say that music in India has played a crucial role in everyday life from time immemorial. It has been an integral part of marriages, festivals and celebration of every hue and character. No religious ceremony has been complete without music. There are songs to celebrate the seasonal rhythms in nature, songs of the ploughman and boatman, of shepherd and camel-driver. There are even songs of the hamlets and of the forests. It is music which has always lent harmony to the pulse of human activity in India. If you want to experience the essence of this great music tradition, take out some time from your busy life, sit quietly and listen to any of Raviji’s compositions and I am sure it will help you to enrich your mind and at the same time you will be able to visualize the different shades of our country’s culture and heritage. From his first public performance in 1939 in a jugalbandi (duet) with Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar moved to Mumbai in 1944 upon completing his training. A seven-year association with All India Radio in Delhi, would finally end in 1956 when he found his final calling - touring the West and popularising Indian classical music. The 1960s saw Ravi Shankar's western connections in full bloom. The Byrds were the first to be influenced by his music. His association with George Harrison of The Beatles would last from the 60s till the latter's death in 2001. George Harrison would buy a sitar, record Norwegian Wood, a composition drawing heavily from the Indian ragas, and would come to India to learn sitar from Ravi Shankar. In the transcendental 60s and 70s, Ravi Shankar was suddenly the big name who had arrived from the land of renunciation and peace. Collaboration with violinist Yehudi Mehunin won Pandit Ravi Shankar a Grammy. Countless performances followed including one at the Woodstock Music Festival (which he did not like) and one at the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden’s in New York City (of which he was a co-organiser along with Harrison). Though Ravi Shankar started distancing himself from the Hippie movement from the beginning of the 1970s, his association with Harrison stood the test of time. Ravi Shankar, in the meantime, had collaborated with the great Indian-born conductor, Zubin Mehta, had scored music for the Richard Attenborough film Gandhi (which won him an Oscar nomination for best original musical score along with George Fenton) and had become a Member of Parliament. Was Ravi Shankar the greatest sitarist or classical musician India had ever produced? It is a difficult question to answer but there is no point denying that he was the one who took Indian music to faraway shores and created a foothold for the same in the west. As a musician I have been very fortunate to attend and listen to live concerts of the great stalwart of our country's music such as Pandit Ravi Shankar. I have been inspired and motivated through listening to him and many other great maestros. My interaction and dialogue with these artistes was very limited. As a student in my hometown Varanasi, I was privileged to meet and be blessed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and other contemporary greats. After listening and meeting these great musicians I learnt that the lifelong devotion to music was common amongst them all. Each breath of their life was and is meant to serve music. Their daily conversation, jokes, chats around a dining table: revolved around music. It is music which defines their life. I believe this the only `Mantra’ which can take us to new heights of understanding life and finding fufilment in it.
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Lolita
"A poignant work that is never too drawn out or too brief."
Kunal Kanodia reviews Vladimir Nabokov's
controversial novel.
Reviewing a work that is undoubtedly one of the most poignant and profound works of the last century is definitely challenging. Lolita is a novel which has been revered and revisited by different people in the last half-century for its mystique, its simplicity and its timelessness. It is a work that distances the reader in its relentless insinuations about lust and base instincts; but this very distancing endears readers to want more. I believe that Lolita’s true essence lies in this characteristic of Nabokov’s writing. Lolita is the story of a man called Humbert Humbert who is the narrator and protagonist. Narrated from a reminiscent point of view, we are taken through his life, in which we are told about Humbert’s lust for nymphets or females aged 9 to 14 years. Lolita is a young girl who Humbert comes across in small town America. In an attempt to get to her, he marries her widowed mother Charlotte. Charlotte, however, passes away in an accident; Lolita runs away thereafter. Classic works have a way of receiving too much praise from critics and readers alike; so it is only common to see them disappointing the reader, if only slightly. Lolita is one of those revered works that never ceases to amaze – it is relentless in its method of convincing the reader to leave behind any pre-conceived notions they might have of paedophilia. Lolita manages to endear the reader when it describes the consistent good intentions of Humbert and his overwhelming remorse. It manages to overwhelm the reader and removes the notions he/she had of paedophilia. The simple and “see through” character of Humbert is woven finely in the succinct prose. His flamboyance, his complexity, his fitting “college-professor-who-knows-it-all stereotype” all distinctively play a part in shaping the reader’s perception of paedophilia. Lolita has a very mixed air about it – it was at first condemned, then was appreciated and finally found its place on the bookshelves as a classic. It is because of these mixed reactions to the novel that any ideas about it are bound to be subjective; subjective in the purest sense of the word. The plot of the novel is one that is witty yet mystifying, beautiful yet terrifying. Nabokov’s style of writing in Lolita is in this sense, quite simple and yet so complex and this is precisely why the novel has found its place in history. Lolita is a poignant work that is never too drawn out or too brief; it aptly describes the pains of being a paedophile in America of the 50s. By precisely using the mentioned strategies to engage the reader, Nabokov is an author who has embodied perfection in Lolita.
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Waiting for Godot Agni Raj Singh
drama.
"An amazing perspective on the philosophical viewpoints of existentialists."
critiques Samuel Beckett's absurdist
The human mind is conditioned to find solace in what it understands. Fortunately or unfortunately for us, ‘understand’ is quite a relative term. Often playwrights and other creators of art have managed to manipulate and convolute our perception by doing away with simplicity in language and thought process and introducing absolute absurdity in everything they do, so much so, that absurdity has spawned as a genre in itself for art. As a junior in school, I once saw an ostensibly wonderful production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot. Ostensible, because I could neither make heads or tails of it then. Now, I picked up the book and read with the intent of finishing what I started then; understanding this existentialist and absurdist play. There are a total of five characters in the play and out of these are the two main protagonists, Vladimir and Estragon. What makes the play truly intriguing is that the characters are pivotal in making everything redundant for themselves by their own actions. The main plot is based on Vladimir and Estragon waiting for an entity named Godot. It is during this endless wait that Vladimir and Estragon try and devise ways to “pass the time”. They consider everything from eating turnips to hanging themselves and think of crossing many logical boundaries while waiting for Godot. The plot is divided into two acts and both acts take place over a day each, spent in the fruitless wait for the arrival of Godot. In between, Vladimir and Estragon encounter the other three characters of the play and what transpires is absolute chaos; a chaotic progression of the physical as well as the metaphysical. The greatest part about this whole spectacle is that the reader never actually realises what is going to happen next and hence, keeps on reading, practically into nothingness. The concept of existentialism is mainly based on the belief that the world carries no meaning other than what we give it and in true spirit of this faith Beckett has crafted this mismatched tragicomedy. Owing to this, the play has incited the creation of many interpretations and many versions of what Samuel Beckett actually meant. I personally see the script riddled with metaphorical parallels and innuendos. While much of what happened on the stage seems redundant or just to add to the plain physical absurdity of the play, its concealed importance lies in repetition. Beckett seems to have used constant repetition to implicitly point towards what he actually wants to highlight as the main issue, almost pointing the reader to look for the growth of the significant themes of the play between these repetitions. Through the absurd and the abstract, unmistakable connections jump out at the reader, leaving an uncanny and uncomfortable odour in the air. The whole experience of Waiting For Godot is somewhat refreshing but definitely enriching. I not only felt a monumental rise in the usual level of literature in my hands, but also felt extremely satisfied. When I picked up the book, many told me to quietly keep it down. With fine diction, often using words like ‘quaquaquaqua’ and with an equally fine turn of phrase, it was an eye-opener for someone like me, but it is a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a solid quality read. Beckett not only provides an amazing persepctive on the philosophical viewpoints of existentialists but also gifts us with a seminal work of art.
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1984
"Orwell has used this book as a warning against the evils of authoritarianism."
Pulkit Agarwal reviews George Orwell's political
commentary.
George Orwell takes a totalitarian setting and turns it into one of the most intense novels of the 20th century. His work 1984, introduces the reader to a level of state-surveillance, which is unheard of. Set in the superstate of Oceania, in the post World War II period, where “Big Brother is watching you.” 1984 introduces an uncanny and eerie aura to anyone who reads it. By familiarizing the world with words such as ‘Newspeak,’ ‘doublethink’ and the ‘Thought Police’ this novel gives a whole new dimension to polity and government rule. The plot focuses on Winston Smith, a man who works at the Ministry of Truth. In a rather absurd way, he is both every man, and a distinctive man in the city of Airstrip One. While on one hand, he, just like every other person in the superstate, has to deal with the authoritarian nature of the omniscient leader, Big Brother, on the other hand, he dares to keep a journal of his anti-government beliefs with himself, something not any man in the city would want to risk. Smith’s job itself is one that depicts the harshness of the society. Although he works at the ‘Ministry of Truth,’ his job is to alter history and showcase Big Brother and the government in a better light. In other words, antithetical to its name, this particular ministry has to erase the truth rather than deal with it. However, being a contemplative intellectual, he hates the enforced oppression prevailing in the world around him. Smith then develops a love affair with Julia, a co-worker. The deeper they fall in love, the more Smith starts to hate the law. They are both aware of the fact that their lives are being closely monitored at all times, no matter how much they try to hide. However, for some reason, Smith is willing to risk it; and one day, he finds himself summoned by O’Brien, a man who claims to be a part of the Brotherhood- an anti-party group- however, he turns out to be a Party spy. It is not only the social model presented by Orwell that catches the reader’s eye, it is also the manner in which it is presented. Even the most excruciating details of the book are so well thought out, that it makes you wonder that such a world might not be as fictional as it seems. The ideas and theories presented in the story can seem ludicrous at first; however, they are, in fact, nothing but a heightened version of the truth that befell Russia for so many years. For instance, the word “doublethink” coined by Orwell is actually not a concept discovered by him, instead, it is something he, as a writer was clever enough to notice in the society around him. On exploring its implications, one could actually find an analogy between this concept and the double standards that the Europeans used to dominate the world for centuries. Orwell has used this book as a warning against the evils of authoritarianism. His depiction of undemocratic and rigid governance is disconcerting to say the least. The manner in which even the slightest of rebellion is dealt with and eventually buried is dramatic and irritably unsettling. Personally, the part of the book that appealed to me the most was the answer O’Brien gives to a question that has plagued Smith for eternity; “why does the government stay in power?" The answer he provides sums up the novel for me, “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake.” And yes, by now, Winston has learned to love Big Brother. And so have we.
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Matilda
"Matilda makes for an amusing and light-headed read."
Anvay Grover reviews one of Roald Dahl's most famous
books.
Written by Roald Dahl and published in 1988, Matilda, like many of his other books, finds its audience in children. However, due to Matilda’s unique plot, excellent characterization and uncanny humour, the book manages to grip whoever manages to get a hold of it. The reason behind Matilda’s success is definitely the genius of Roald Dahl. Dahl’s stories carry plots which do not allow them to age. The comic spirit of the book is coupled with Quentin Blake’s illustrious drawings, which increase its appeal to youthful readership, but decrease its admissability to any potential readers who may have come of age. Most of his stories have impoverished characters, mostly children, competing against overgrown bullies: a facet, explained on diving into Dahl’s past. Another strong point of the book is its powerful and focused characterization; with each character coming across as well-rounded due to the vivid descriptions and attention to detail. In the book, Matilda is portrayed as an exceptional young girl having knowledge well beyond her years. She often uses her telekinetic abilities to harass her family for their dislike towards her. Matilda is an outsider in her own home and only finds solace when she meets Miss Honey, a schoolteacher who herself has been brought up abusively. Thus we see a strong bond between the two, owing to their impertinent upbringings. The reader is kept entertained by the antics of Matilda on her 'dimwitted' parents and later on, on Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress of her school. The way Trunchbull bullies her students is altogether very comical for any lighthearted person. From making an overweight boy eat an enormous chocolate cake to hurling a girl fifty-sixty meters into the air, Trunchbull is portrayed as an outright bully. The story begins with the focus on Matilda and her family; but soon shifts to how she is treated and how she begins to develop her extraordinary gifts through reading. She surpasses the intellectual levels of all her family members. She then encounters Miss Honey , with whom she develops a strong relation. Though the humor in this book is frivolous, the book opens up a few important questions. Did Matilda use her powers the right way? Was it justified for her to harass her parents? However, Matilda makes for an amusing and light-headed read. If one wishes to take a break from a monotonous schedule, Matilda is the way to go. Moreover, it is a must for the younger Doscos, as they are certain to enjoy its giddiness and learn a few ways to pull an extraordinary prank, if nothing else. All in all, Matilda is a humorous read by a master of comical writing.
The comic spirit of the book is coupled with Quentin Blake’s illustrious drawings, which increase the appeal to its youthful readership.
We can't hang on to the past for too long, so let's move it over to the future:
Š Copyright The Doon School, Dehradun. 2013