Question.2385 - World Literature Literary Analysis Paper (using primary and secondary sources) Length: 4 to 5 pages, MLA format and documentation (see OWL at Purdue for MLA tips. Email me with any questions related to your topic, thesis, research, the process, MLA, etc through Blackboard email. This essay is similar to your first one, as you will have your own “Voice,” share your own views, and include well-chosen quotes from the primary source (that you comment upon/analyze and elaborate upon in relation to your points). This assignment differs in that you will choose and integrate at least 3 secondary print sources (articles from Galileo or books from any library are the best plan!) to enhance, to expand upon, and/or to develop your perspective more fully. Topic Options (email me for approval): You will choose a topic that relates to the course and interests YOU! You can look through our Learning Units to help you decide. An open-ended question could help guide your reading, thinking, and research; this question I one that interest YOU! Your answer to this question is your Working Thesis, which you will probably refine or modify upon further re-reading, new reading, strategic research, and mindful reflection. You do not need to mention this Q in your essay. Many Topic Examples: do you want to go broad or narrow? Timeless? Socio-historical? Gender? Literary craftsmanship? Readership issues? Etc? I might begin by asking, “How does Joseph Campbell’s Heroic Journey concept relate to a particular character?” OR “What does the characterization of Enkidu tell us about the time period, culture, and/or humanity?” Or “Why did the televised version of the Ramayana become one of the most popular TV series EVER in India during the 1980’s and beyond? Why does this ancient epic still carry such strong cultural significance in India? What does its prominent place tell us about the society, its norms, roles, etc.?” OR “What is Euripides trying to achieve in the Medea?” OR “How can I learn more about Daoism by reading the poems of LiBo?” OR “What is the role of the storyteller in a particular society OR in Humanity? A narrow approach works too! Such as the sociological and/or historical import of the Invocation of the Muse! Narrow means more depth, of course! OR “Does the Iliad reveal a homoerotic and misogynistic aspect to ancient Greek society?” These are just examples; you can use one of these topics, but you may have another interest that has a literary, historical, sociological, mythical, theological, Jungian, and/or gender focus. ? Formatting requirements: MLA. See the website: OWL at Purdue MLA ? Length: 4 or MORE pages, not including the Works Cited page ? Due Date: 04/30 at end of day. ? Submission Directives: As before, Blackboard Turn-It-In Research Essay ? Resources: 3 or more print sources. Galileo is accessed digitally; however, sources from Galileo count as print sources because of their original genre. Of course, books from any library are also acceptable. ? Rubric: Be sure to read the designated rubric carefully so that you have a clear idea of what criteria I will be using as I grade your essay. About the paper’s content: Like your other paper, you are simply explaining to your reader a way of understanding or interpreting the chosen literary work(s). You need a specific focal point! For example, if you choose the play Medea, there are many options. One might look at how the play reflects gender roles and the Ancient Athenian view of “the Other,” and how Euripides confronts these cultural constructs OR one could look at the audience and consider how an audience of today would respond to the play’ ending and how that response would likely differ from an audience who watched the play when it was originally produced. OR the role of the Chorus in Greek plays OR timeless dynamics related to relationship dysfunction. In regard to secondary sources: Attempt to work in your quotations smoothly, rather than dropping them into the text without any introductory material. For instance, use transitional “Signal” phrases, such as “In Emily Dickinson, Harold Bloom argues that . . .” and “Unlike other critics, Bloom in Emily Dickinson suggests . . .” Remember to help your reader see where someone else’s ideas begin by using these transitional phrases and where someone else’s ideas end by including a page number at the end. Here’s a complete sentence quoted and cited: Literary critic Harold Bloom asserts, “The image here of a woman and her escort, Death, meditating on the prospect of eternity, is neither one of despair nor loss nor outrage, but of resignation” (37). Finally, do not make this assignment into more than it is. This assignment just asks you to express your opinion about what a work of literature means. You choose appropriate secondary sources to support your own view and interests. Your voice stays the primary focus! Do that, and you will be fine. As always, let me know if you have questions or concerns: Email me through Blackboard.
Answer Below:
The Iconic TV Show of India: The Ramayana (1987-88) Attention getter Global lockdown due to the pandemic in 2020 witnessed millions of people being glued to their television sets with the marathon serial “The Ramayana.” The older and the younger generations both savored the favorite show of the 1980s. The first four episodes of the rerun during the pandemic amidst the lockdown garnered 170 million viewers, followed by 34 million to 51 million people turning in for the next installment. On 16 th April, Ramayana was viewed by a staggering 77 million people, which made it the most-watched TV show globally, defeating The Big Bang theory finale episode and the last episode of Game of Thrones(Verma). Background, tie to thesis: The popularity of such huge numbers might seem phenomenal considering the current times. But it is not surprising to people of India as the same show has once been a show that was a social phenomenon capable of gripping almost the whole nation when it was first broadcasted in 1987-88. Ramayana, the story of the Hindu festival Diwali, was watched by 80 to 100 million people making the country turn into ghost cities and towns, while being aired(Verma). Thesis statement: Irving 2 The popularity of the TV show The Ramayana can be attributed to the religious, psychological, political, and socio-cultural factors of India, which further deepened the understanding of the country and its people. Main point of body para 1 The popularity of the show could be attributed to the fact that the show being aired mirrored temple conventions and the series was able to bring temple darshan i.e., visual communion, into the comfort of homes. Quotes/examples to illustrate argument For a full seventy-eight weeks between 1987 and 1988, India, once a week, for forty five minutes, submerged itself into a participatory act of devotion. It was like going to the temple and seeing God. People used to perform “pooja” (worship) before the show, put garlands on the television set, including tikka (red marks). Explanation of how quote demonstrates a facet of your thesis In a Hindu temple setting, darshan is about worshippers gazing at the idols of god. Ramayana was the story of Lord Ram and his wife, Goddess Sita. The show helped the viewers of then India to have darshan with their revered Lord, and commune with them (Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman) through their television. This process of igniting the religious feelings and making the citizens feel the presence of their God where they are talking and the whole fable of the ancient religion is being portrayed in front of their naked eyes, made the entire experience a religious journey for the countless citizens. India, being a religious country, values religion and society is still guided by the various spiritual teachings of the different lords that people pray for. Quotes, examples or inclusion of secondary source to demonstrate a facet of your thesis Irving 3 The country India values religion as a part and parcel of its social life. Religion is seen to mold the socio-cultural life of a particular sector of the society. The show’s protagonist was welcomed everywhere in a social set up (Verma). People possessed adulation and admiration for him as they witnessed their own god in his body and soul. Explanation of how quote/example/secondary source demonstrates a facet of your thesis The high ideals as presented in the show were revered as religious teachings. This also made the characters as played by the ordinary human beings elevated to the rank of gods by the ordinary people. Ramayana is most incredible oldest religious book of India. Despite being old people hold a substantial value and respect for the story and believe it to be a past incident when Gods reincarnated themselves to show the ideal life to the citizens of India. How does this para relate to your thesis? The religious foundation of the book made the whole story of the novel stand out in terms of acceptance and made people follow as religious foundation of the society. Main point of body para 2 The psychology of Indian citizen found a strong connection with the viewer’s base making the show more acceptable in contrary to the other shows that were being telecasted. Quotes or examples to illustrate argument Psychologists view the appeal in the viewer’s returning to treasured TV, films, video games, books and sports to be a connection between emotion and memory(Verma). Explanation of how quote/example demonstrate a facet of your thesis Emotions reactivate memories and memories reactivate emotions. Nostalgic reminiscence linked with creating emotional response through remembering past events or history is aneasy Irving 4 way to re-experience an emotion closely related to a particular memory. Retrieval cues like smell, sights, and sounds from the past act as a tool of aiding in past into the present. Quotes/ examples/ or inclusion of secondary source demonstrate a facet of your thesis The show had a great psychological impact of soothing the soul and unifying the nation which otherwise is highly diversified in terms of race, religion, culture, language, caste and creed. Explanation of how quotes/examples/secondary source demonstrate a facet of your thesis. This closely follows the fact that when people experience difficulties in life, it is imperative to immerse themselves in their emotional past, which would further lead to more and more sense of certainty, safety, and comfort. Even today, when humans need to achieve sense of security and safety along with ease, it is imperative to immerse ourselves in the emotional past by enjoying in the past. How does this para relate to your thesis? Psychologically, the times were tough as the economy was booming and people were developing after being colonized for many years. This gave the audience a hint of shelter and reassurance in an unpredictable and dangerous environment. The show, therefore, became the place to be cocooned, leading to relieving of all the stress that dampens the soul and minds of the citizens. Such entertainment gave the life a sense of personal history, meaning, and belongingness, and people started appreciating their connections with their Hindu communities, other minor communities and to themselves (Verma). The show, therefore, led the viewer’s get transported to another world and another time other than the reality of the present. Main point of body para 3 Irving 5 Ramayana as a television show acted as a catalytic force in sparking a Hindu awakening call across the length and breadth of India. Quotes or examples to illustrate argument Hindu nationalism was bought to the forefront of the public and political spheres, which led to a secular consensus. Explanation of how quote/ example demonstrate a facet of your thesis Before The Ramayana was telecasted in the television as a show, religious television programs and shows were limited. India is a secular country that pays equal respect to all religions irrespective of the majority- minority status. The broadcast of The Ramayana marked the rupture of secular consensus and it categorically catered to the pious and ritualistic section of the society. This made the show stand out in terms of acceptance and gained a political interest despite the response of the country being purely devotional. Quotes/examples/ or inclusion of secondary source demonstrate a facet of your thesis The broadcasting of the show, violated an age old taboo or practice on religious partisanship. Hindu nationalist spotted the opportunity and used it to its maximum for their own motives. It turned out to be the largest campaigns in post-independence era of the country capable of transforming the landscape of Indian politics for eternities to come. How does this para relate to your thesis? The telecast of a religious epic of such great ideals as reflected by every character of the show created the sense of a nation uniting together to confirm to the idea of Hindu awakening. This further led to construction of Hindu consciousness leading to unifying the various diverse sub sects of Hindu groups and formed the golden era of Hinduism called Ram Rajya. The show was capable of lending a standard set of Hindu symbols at the disposition of Irving 6 all citizens which further induced the creation of conditions for a Hindu redefinition of public and political life. Main point of body para 4 The cultural impact of the show is reflected by the various aspects of human values and the significance of abiding by the Dharma as reflected by the life of the main protagonist and his family. Quote or example to illustrate argument The show put forth Ramayana tradition which along with being varied was capable of binding together the huge population of India despite the variation in style, language and perspective but with same story(Pothukuchi). Explanation of how quote/ example demonstrate a facet of your thesis This further led to formation of second language of the country. The characters and incidents were used by Indians to cite as examples in their daily life while sharing their relationships, daily experiences and tribulations Quotes /example to inclusion of secondary source demonstrate a facet of your thesis This further with the show progressing converted into being the second language of the Indians and set new benchmarks capable of defining and illustrating perfect relationships. Such perfection could be easily seen in relations between father-son, mother-son, husband- wife, brother- brother, king- subjects etc. Furthermore the show became an integral part of Indian family, culture and social set ups(Pothukuchi). Explanation of how quote/ example/ secondary source demonstrate a facet of your thesis Irving 7 The tradition as set up by the Ramayana eliminated the different interpretations of the same narrative according to different communities, regional cultures, literary styles, different communities, varied religious beliefs and different political inclinations and social norms. The show The Ramayana thus got converted from a literary treasure to a source perfectly capable of rendering influence on men as parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, teacher and students, ruler and the countrymen. This made permanent homes into the consciousness of the common people which was practically impossible to be extracted forcefully leading to immense popularity. How does this para relate to your thesis? The show bought together people from all walks of life thereby instilling in everyone a common ground. The popularity of the show soared high and attracted undercurrents of Hindutva which could not be defied over time and experience(Pothukuchi). The show aired for more than a year leading to firm formation of the core foundation of the society thereby lending the society a homogeneous look despite the heterogeneity of the mix. Conclusion Amidst the huge popularity and acceptance by the country men, the show experienced strong undercurrents of Hindutva which blamed the show for alienating other communities of the country(Pothukuchi). With strong confidence from the producer, the show held a place in Limca Book of Records. The protests also showcased concerns that television as a medium was utilized to propagate a certain ideological message capable of forming an independent dialogue within the country. All of these concerns could not stop the popularity of the show which further silenced any concerns from anyone. Irving 8 Works Cited Pothukuchi, Madhavi. "Ramanand Sagar — The Man Who Defined Sunday Mornings For India". The Print, 2019, https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/ramanand-sagar-the-man-who- defined-sunday-mornings-for-india/334018/. Verma, Rahul. "The TV Show That Transformed Hinduism". Bbc.Com, 2019, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20191022-the-tv-show-that-transformed-hinduism. Verma, Rahul. "The Ramayan: Why Indians Are Turning To Nostalgic TV". Bbc.Com, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200504-the-ramayan-why-indians-are-turning-to- nostalgic-tv.More Articles From Literature
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