The Company Man Summary Ellen Goodman BBS 2nd year English

The Company Man by Ellen Goodman  

Summary

 In "The Company Man," Ellen Goodman describes a man who worked himself to death at fifty-one. She presents fact about the man's life and work. 

Phil was fifty-one years old and vice president. If the president died or retired he could be the president, he knew that. He was a hard-working man, a workaholic. He worked six days a week, five of them until eight or nine at night. Even on holidays, he went to work. He thought himself as an important person for his company. He had no outside extracurricular interests. He was overweight because of eating egg salad sandwiched everyday. 

He had a wife and three children. He had never spent time with them due to that he was like a stranger to his children. His wife Helen of forty-eight had left her job after mothering and had spent her whole life missing her husband. On the day he died, he was working, he worked himself to death, at  3: 00 A.M. Sunday morning. It was a holiday.

Before the funeral, Phil's elder son asked neighbours what his father was like. They were embarrassed. At the funeral, the sixty-year-old company president told Helen that her husband meant much to the company. It would be hard to replace him. Helen didn't want to listen to these things, she wants to listen to finances and the stock options. On the evening of the funeral, the company president had begun inquiries about Phil's replacement.

The author shows that some people only focus on work instead of focusing on more important things such as family. She used irony and sarcastic tone to show that Phil's beliefs were insignificant and wrong. She gives us a message that you are always replaceable, no matter how hard you work.

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Beauty summary Susan Sontag BBS 2nd year English

Beauty by Susan Sontag

Beauty is an essay written by Susan Sontag. She analyses changing concepts or meanings of beauty over different periods. She discusses inner and outer beauty. Inner beauty is associated with, talent and morality whereas outer beauty is with physical appearance.

In Greek time, beauty was a virtue a kind of excellence. To them, excellence included beauty, character, morality, and ability. They expected that inner beauty would be matched by the beauty of the other kind. Beauty means overall excellence. Therefore, it was quite contradictory that Socrates was so brave, so honorable, so intelligent yet so ugly. His outside appearance didn't reflect the knowledge and wisdom that were inside him. His disciples had observed the inside beauty in their teacher. 

The Christian era introduced some different ideas about beauty. A person could have an attractive appearance, but lack virtue(goodness). So, Christians made a distinction between inner goodness and outer beauty. Beauty was considered to have no real value.

In the modern time, the concept of beauty changed and is used to refer to a female appearance. When people hear the word 'beauty', they think of "female appearance" and not her intelligence or quality. We say a beautiful woman and a handsome man in English. (In French and Italian, the word 'beauty' is not reserved for women only. A man may also be called beautiful.)Even society teaches women to judge each part of their bodies separately and if any part is found slightly imperfect, they are called imperfect. It will certainly make them more inferior and dependent on males. But for males, such imperfections are trivial (not important) things. 

According to a famous artist, beauty is a form of power. According to Susan, it is only form of power to attract men that most women are encouraged to seek. It is not a power to do but a power to reject itself. As a result, women try to get it makes them inferior to what they actually are. That's why Susan objects to woman's striving to attain beauty as a source of power.

Even if a woman gets success through her intelligence, she will be doubted. If she takes care of her appearance and looks smart she will be criticized. If she doesn't look attractive, she will also be criticized and ignored. Whatever she does is considered wrong. Society has a prejudice against women. 

Women should not limit their attention to be beautiful outwardly but also emphasize inner beauty too- i.e. vision and wisdom, which is long-lasting and more fruitful. They should be competent, independent, and thoughtful in order to revive the ideal value of beauty and preserve their identity in society.

Please read the real textbook to get the exact information. The summary may misguide you.

Ideas are taken from (https://ctineng.blogspot.com/2017/07/beauty-notes.html)

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An Essay in Aesthetics summary Roger Fry BBS 2nd year English

 An Essay in Aesthetics by Roger Fry

Aesthetics - the philosophical study of beauty and taste.

Moralist - a person who teaches or promotes morality. (नैतिकतावादी)

Puritanical -  people who are very strict in moral or religious matters

 Here in this essay, the writer has expressed his feelings for art. According to him, art is an expression of human's imaginative life. Art is free from our daily necessities. It doesn’t fulfill our daily needs but provides pleasures. We feel sensations (संवेदना, अनुभूति) in art. An artist expresses his/her imagination in art. Art brings out the imagination of the artist that matches with spectators' (दर्शकहरुको) feelings, therefore, art evokes feelings and emotions in their minds.

 

Graphic art (visual art), is an expression of imaginative life. It is not a copy of actual life, separated from actual life. He uses the example of children, who never copy what they see but use their own imagination to freely draw. In Actual life, there is responsive action. In art we have no such responsive action for example if we see a wild bull, we feel afraid and run away but in imagination, we can stare at it and observe for as long as we.

 

To the pure moralist, art must represent ethical values and right action, otherwise, it is useless. The Puritanical view is the life of the imagination is worse than the life of sensual pleasure. The essayist disagrees with them. He is close to Ruskin a moralist to whom imaginative life helps to promote morality and it is an absolute necessity.

 

Roger now speaks of religion. Religion is also a representation of imaginative life. A religiously intelligent person cannot say that religion can impart complete moral knowledge. In fact, religious experiences are said to be based on human nature and spiritual ability.

 

He thinks that pleasures derived from art are different and more fundamental than merely sensual pleasure. It is not temporary and material. The feelings of an imaginative life that an artist expresses in their art, are the same feelings, emotions, and attachments spectators or viewers find when they observe it. Graphic art represents, more or less, mankind’s feelings and emotions. He says that we can justify actual life by its relation to the imaginative and justify nature by its likeness(similarity) to art.

 

The imaginative life of people can be different at different times and does not match up with the overall moral standards of actual life. In the thirteenth century, even though there were instances of barbarity and cruelty, the level of imagination and artistic expression was higher than today. The author recognizes that, while today humans’ moral level and general humanity have improved, the level of imaginative life has declined.

 

At last, he says that imaginations that are in our control are desirable but imaginative life that we see in dreams and under the influence of drugs are undesirable. This desirability separates imaginative life from actual life. Art is the chief organ of the imaginative life. Art encourages and controls it. The imaginative life is distinguished by the great clearness of its perception, and the greater purity and freedom of its emotion.

Please read the original essay to get the correct information. A Summary cannot provide you full information or may misguide you.

Girl Summary

Beauty summary

Girl Summary Jamaica Kincaid BBS 2nd year English

 Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl"  is one long sentence with each piece of advice separated by semi-colons. It consists of a series of instructions given by a mother to her daughter. The mother goes on and on teaching the daughter how to be the perfect woman in society.

As the story goes on, the mother's directions get more demanding. She tells her daughter how to do such household chores as laundry, sewing, ironing, cooking, setting the table, sweeping, and washing. The mother also tells the girl how to do other things she’ll need to know about, including how to make herbal medicines and catch a fish.

These pieces of advice suggest that the women live in a poor, rural setting, where passing on such advice is essential for daily living. The mother also instructs her daughter on how to live a satisfying life. She teaches her how to choose a life partner and behave with her husband. Her tone is both instructing, demanding and humorous. Only twice the daughter has interrupted her mother.  Once when her mother advises her not to sing benna in school on Sundays. Here the daughter replies that she doesn’t sing benna. Next time, when her mother teaches her how to select fresh bread. The girl questions her if the baker won’t let her feel the bread? On which her mother scolds her and feels as if her daughter doesn’t understand what she is teaching her.

Here are the instructions:

*Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap.

*Wash the colour clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline to dry.

*Don’t walk bare head in the hot sun. Don’t eat fruits on the street, flies will follow you.      Don’t pick people’s flowers. Don’t squat (bend) down to play marbles. Don't throw stone at blackbirds.

*Cook pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet oil.

*She advises on: how to catch a fish, select fresh and stale bread, select clothes when buying, sew on a button, make buttonholes, iron, sweep a corner, and the whole house, how to make pepper pot.

*How to cook bread pudding, doukona ( Antiguan dish)

*How to smile to someone you don’t like at all or you like completely. 

*How to set table for breakfast and launch. How to make medicine for different diseases.

*How to and where to plant Okra(a plant known for its edible seed pods), even how to spit.

*Try to walk like a lady not like the slut. असभ्य महिला

*Must not sing benna on Sunday school, must not speak to wharf-rat boys. चोरी गर्ने मनसायले वरपर घुम्ने व्यक्ति।

*How a man bullies you and how to bully धम्की दिनु a man.

*She even advises not to mind giving up if the man you will be in love with doesn’t understand you.

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The Kiss summary Kate Chopin BBS 2nd year English

 The Kiss summary Kate Chopin

Characters

Brantain -  an unattractive, shy rich man, is in love with Nathalie.
Nathalie (Nattie) - main character, very handsome, lives with her brother.

Mr. Harvy- is in love with Nathalie, a close friend of Nathalie's brother, doesn't have the money and social position that Brantain has.

Theme: money over love.

It is a short story about a beautiful woman called  Nathalie who has affair with Harvy but wants to marry the shy, unattractive rich Brantain for his wealth. Thus, she makes plans to marry him.

Nathalie and Brantain are in Nathalie's room. There is dim light in the room. Brantain is sitting under the shadow. They are talking slowly. Nathalie knows that he loves her. She is waiting for his purpose. That time without ringing the doorbell Harvy enters into the room. He doesn't notice Brantain's presence there. He kisses Nathalie. Brantain feels uneasy, therefore, goes out of the room. She becomes angry with Harvy. He apologizes and tells her that he came there with her brother. Her brother went upstairs and he came into her room to find her. He didn't notice Brantain. Nathalie doesn't forgive her.

Next time she meets Brantain at a party. She lies that there is nothing between her and Harvy. Harvy is like her cousin. She tries to ensure Brantain does not misunderstand them. Brantain believes her. And the day comes when they are getting married. Harvy is also invited to their wedding. Brantain sends him to kiss Nathalie. She feels happy as if she wins the game. Her eyes are bright with a smile looking at Harvy. Her lips are eager to get a kiss. She feels disappointed when Harvy rejects to kiss her. He tells that he has stopped kissing women because that is dangerous.

 Natalie can learn that people cannot have everything in this world. Nathalie can have the wealth of her husband but she cannot have another love from the man she loves, Harvy.  

please read original text to get correct and full information.  The summary may misguide you or cannot provide full information. 

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Decayed Teeth summary Khalil Gibran B. Ed. first year English.

 Decayed Teeth summary Khalil Gibran

This is an essay based on factual writing written by Khalil Gibran. The writer has described his painful experiences due to his decayed tooth. Later he compared decayed teeth with the corrupted, crooked supplier of justice and rich hypocrites of society or the Syrian nation.

The writer has a decayed tooth in his mouth. He suffers much on both day and night. One day he goes to the dentist and tells him to remove his decayed tooth but the doctor refuses to remove instead he fills the tooth with pure gold. Then the writer pays the money and returns back. After a few days again the tooth starts paining so he visits another dentist and this time his tooth is removed. He feels much better.

Now he compares the problems of Syria with decayed teeth. There are many diseased teeth in society. They are corrupted, crooked, dishonest leaders and rich arrogant hypocrite people who always suck the blood of ignorant, cowardly, and fearful poor people.

Reformers deliver public speeches, organize societies, hold conferences, and just waste time. They always reply that they are looking for better ways to correct the problems of society. Reformers are dentists who instead of removing all evils(corruption, injustice, hypocrisy(पाखंड), ill-treatments) of society try to avoid them through their meaningless speeches.

Please read the original text for correct information summary may not provide you correct and full information.

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Grief summary Anton Chekov B. Ed. 1st year

 Grief by Anton Chekov 

Grief summary Anton Chekov B. Ed. 1st year

Grief is a story written by Anton Chekov. It is about human suffering that he wants to share to be relief or burdenless, but no one desires to listen because one person has no interest in another person's agony or suffering. Anton Chekov shows man's inhumanity to man.

Iona Potapov is the main character who is old and a cab driver. He and his horse both are quite white and motionless. It is evening time, snow is falling. He is waiting for passengers. He has recently lost his only son Brain due to flu. Therefore, he wants to share his grief with someone to feel comfortable. Although he is surrounded by people still remains alone in his grief. 

He finds first passenger, who is an army officer. He scolds Iona because he is not driving the cap in balance. Iona shares his grief on which officer doesn't show any sympathy.

The second group of passenger on the cap is a group of three young men. One of them is a hunchback. They use bad language and make fun of Iona. When he finds complete silence he shares his grief with them but they take it lightly and say, "We must all die."

Now it is already nine. He arrives at the station. He tells about his son's death to a young cab driver who is sleeping in one of the corners asking for drink in his sleep state. He doesn't have any effect of Iona'a words.

At last, he decides to share his pain with his horse. His son suffered from fever too much. Then he was brought to a hospital for treatment. After three days, his son died. His daughter lives in a village.

Please read the original text for correct information summary may not provide you correct and full information.