- Understand the playwright's use of imagery in the play.
- Analyze the transition from monologue to dialogic form.
- Examine the celebrity's posture in front of the camera versus off-screen.
- Discuss the implications of bilingualism in contemporary literature.
- Evaluate the personal and academic values presented in the play.
Broken Images
Learning Objectives
TopRevision Notes & Summary
TopNotes on 'Broken Images' by Girish Karnad
Overview
- Author: Girish Karnad (Born 1938)
- Awards: Padma Shri (1974), Padma Bhushan (1992), Jnanpith Award (1998)
- Themes: Bilingualism, personal and academic values, the politics of language in Indian literature.
Key Characters
- Manjula Nayak: A Kannada writer who gains fame by writing a novel in English.
- Malini: Manjula's physically challenged sister, central to the emotional narrative.
Major Themes
- Bilingualism: The tension between writing in one's mother tongue versus a global language like English.
- Identity and Betrayal: The conflict of being perceived as a traitor to one's mother tongue by writing in English.
- Family Dynamics: The relationship between Manjula and her sister Malini, highlighting themes of love, sacrifice, and guilt.
Structure of the Play
- Setting: A television studio with a plasma screen and various television sets.
- Format: A monologue that turns dialogic, involving an image of Manjula that interacts with her.
Important Quotes
- “A heap of broken images, where the sun beats, and the dead tree gives no shelter.” - T. S. Eliot
- “If there was betrayal, it was not a matter of conscious choice.”
Discussion Questions
- Why does the playwright use the technique of the image in the play?
- How does the play address the issue of bilingualism in contemporary Indian literature?
- What is the significance of Manjula's relationship with her sister Malini?
Suggested Reading
- Two Monologues: Flowers, Broken Images by Girish Karnad
- The Dreams of Tipu Sultan by Girish Karnad
Conclusion
- The play explores complex themes of identity, language, and familial bonds, making it a significant work in contemporary Indian literature.
Practice Test – MCQs, True/False
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Multiple Choice Questions
A.
Malini was fluent in Kannada and used it frequently.
B.
Malini rarely used Kannada and mostly spoke English.
C.
Malini was not interested in learning any language.
D.
Malini only communicated in sign language.
Correct Answer: B
Solution:
Manjula mentioned that Malini rarely used Kannada and her friends spoke only English.
A.
She agreed and decided to stop writing in English.
B.
She argued that her novel naturally came out in English.
C.
She believed that writing in English was a mistake.
D.
She felt guilty and decided to write only in Kannada.
Correct Answer: B
Solution:
Manjula explained that her novel naturally came out in English and it was not a conscious choice to betray her mother tongue.
A.
She wanted to reach a wider audience.
B.
She believed English was more lucrative.
True or False
Correct Answer: False
Solution:
The novel 'The River Has No Memories' was written in English, not Kannada.
Correct Answer: True
Solution:
Manjula's novel became a bestseller all over the world.
Correct Answer: False
Solution:
Manjula expressed skepticism about the film adaptation, suggesting it would not work well as a telefilm.
Correct Answer: False
Solution:
Manjula wrote her novel in English, which surprised even her, as it was not a conscious choice.
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