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ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE OF COMMERCE (AUTONOMOUS)
END SEMESTER EXAMINATION – OCTOBER 2013
B.COM (T.T.) – I SEMESTER
ADDITIONAL ENGLISH
Time: 3 Hrs Max Marks: 100
Note: 1.Exceeding the paragraph limit will result in loss of marks.
2. Each paragraph should contain about six sentences.
SECTION – A
I) Answer ANY TWO of the following questions in about three paragraphs.
(2×10 = 20)
1. What is the argument that Mario Vargas Llossa presents in defense of reading
literature in the essay “The Premature Obituary of the Book. Why Literature?” Comment
on his opinion about literature.
2. “The life of Man, viewed outwardly, is but a small thing in comparison with forces of
Nature” writes Bertrand Russell in his essay Free Man’s Worship. Comment on this
statement and also give your thoughts on Free Will and Worship.
3. How have the readings and discussions that you did as part of the course helped you
in widening the horizons of your mind? Narrate the experience. You can use the
classroom discussions and other readings that you have done in your answer.
II)Read the following passage and answer the questions below in about four paragraphs.
(2×15 = 30)
The below passage is an excerpt from the book The Art of Character by David Corbett.
The key to any relationship is to understand clearly what the other person wants. This is
true whether that person is a spouse, an employee, a boss, or a friend. It is a task that is
made more difficult by the fact that many people don’t truly understand what it is they
want, or have many wants that contradict or compete with each other. But that difficulty
does not lessen the importance of understanding those wants, both within yourself and
within those people that are most important to you. It was the key insight of the founder of
the “method” acting, the great acting teacher Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938), that in this
same spirit, understanding a fictional character’s wants was the key to great acting and great
dramatic writing:
One of Constantin Stanislavski’s key innovations was recognizing the central role of desire
in our depiction of the human condition. The fundamental truth to characterization, he
asserted, is that characters want something, and the deeper the want, the more compelling
the drama.
Desire is the crucible that forges character because it intrinsically creates conflict. If we want
nothing, then nothing stands in our way. This may lead to a life of monastic enlightenment –
– or habitual evasion — but it’s thin gruel for drama. By giving the character a deep-seated
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need or want, you automatically put her at odds with something or someone, for the world
is not designed to gratify our desires.
And a profound, unquenchable longing almost always forces us to do things we normally
would never imagine ourselves doing — even things seemingly contradictory to our natures.
When confronted with overwhelming obstacles of a kind we’ve never faced before in pursuit
of something we cannot live without, we are forced to change, to adapt, to dig deeper into
ourselves for some insight, passion, or strength that will give us the power we need to keep
going.
In a sense, Stanislavski’s desire took the place of Aristotle’s telos (meaning an end or
purpose).Where once man lived to fulfill his basic purpose, he now, in Stanislavski’s
interpretation, lived to fulfill his most basic ambition, craving, or need.
Peter Brooks put it somewhat differently in his book Reading for Plot, remarking that, in the
absence of desires, stories remain stillborn. This reflects a simple truth: Desire puts a
character in motion.
There may be no more important question to ask of a character than: What does she want in
this scene, in this chapter, in this story? Thinking more globally, one should ask what she
wants from her life — has she achieved it? If not, why not? If so, what now?”
4. Give an account of what you understood when you read the above passage in your
own words. (Do not copy sentences or paragraphs from the passage)
5. What do the words “want” and “desire” mean to Stanislavski and Peter Brooks?
Comment on what they have to say about desire, character and human condition.
SECTION – B
III) Answer ANY TWO of the following questions in less than three paragraphs.
( 2×10 = 20)
6. What aspect of Harriet Jacob’s account of her past as a slave disturb you very much?
If you have come across a similar experience, either in fiction or non-fiction, describe
it briefly and give your thoughts on it.
7. Narrate briefly Siddalingaiah’s childhood experiences and write about an experience
of yours which is in some way similar to Siddalingaiah’s.
8. What do you think would happen if people did not write about themselves? Do you
think writing about one’s self serves any purpose? Give reasons to defend what you
say.
SECTION – C
IV)Answer the following TWO questions in about four paragraphs each. (2×15 = 30)
9. There is a certain kind of stigma attached to contemporary politics in India. How
does Ramachandra Guha’s prologue to Makers of Modern India deal with politics,
thinkers and Indian Independence Movement? After reading the essay do you think
that people who are engaged in politics and political thinking deserve the stigma that
is attached to them? Give your thoughts.
10.
Look at the
the phrase
think of an
Comment b
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on 28th Aug
included in
demanded
not be ma
Ambedkar.
artistic exp
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of its existe
in the text b
Cartoon B d
e cartoon ca
“freedom o
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briefly on it
A
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n the NCE
the cartoon
atured enou
. A few ot
pression. Bo
and Ambed
ence and di
book create
depicts Jaw
arefully an
of artistic ex
ase where
t.
n by an artis
This particu
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n to be with
ugh to un
ther groups
oth Jawahar
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dn’t create
d a huge fu
waharlal Neh
*****
d try to gu
xpression”
freedom of
st called Sha
ular cartoon
ook for sc
hdrawn fro
derstand it
s defended
rlal Nehru
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much fuss
uror which h
hru inviting
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uess the cart
and what y
f artistic ex
ankar and i
n created a h
chool stude
m the book
t and that
d the cartoo
(who hold
snail nam
about it. Bu
has still not
g criticism fr
******
toon’s mean
you underst
xpression w
B
t appeared
huge contro
ents, recent
k stating tha
the cartoo
on in the na
ds a whip i
med ‘Constit
ut the inclu
died.
rom Shanka
ning. Comm
tand by it. C
was not res
in Shankar’
oversy whe
tly. A few
at the stude
on is an in
ame of free
in the hand
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ar, the carto
3
ment on
Can you
spected?
s Weekly
en it was
groups
ents will
nsult to
edom of
d and is
re aware
cartoon
oonist.
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