12.05.2008

Explain Olivia’s decision to have an abortion…

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I think Olivia decides to have an abortion because she doesn’t want to lose Douglas or the Nawab. She is not sure whose baby it is and if it is there she will not be able to lie because of the babie’s skin-colour. Maybe she will even lose the Nawab and Douglas. She doesn’t want to be alone and she doesn’t have any idea what she could do without a man who takes care for her as there was no possibility for a woman to earn money in the 1920’s. The situation of Olivia is a disaster for a woman in those days. In any case the baby will be the reason that she will lose at least one of her lovers and bring her into big trouble. No one of the circle of her friends will be interested in her any more. She want her current situation to go on for muh longer. Both of her lovers pay so much attention to her and the baby and she is able to hold them both what would not be possible with the baby.

28.04.2008

Heat and Dust Vocabulary

(pp. 81-100)

 

 

 Some useful words…

 

1.      p. 81, l. 02 à stifling – stickig

2.      p. 82, l. 21 à inarticulate – undeutlich

3.      p. 83, l. 17 à pillars – Pfeiler

4.      p. 84, l. 05 à to scurry – herumwuseln

5.      p. 85, l. 10 à solemnly – feierlich

6.      p. 86, l. 21 à conviction – die Überzeugung

7.      p. 87, l. 17 à to exude – etw. absondern

8.      p. 88, l. 19 à extortion – Erpressung

9.      p. 89, l. 23 à famine – Hungersnot

10.    p. 90, l. 10 à to hover – schweben

11.    p. 91, l. 29 à mockery – Gespött / Hohn

12.    p. 92, l. 28 à to usher – hineinführen

13.    p. 93, l. 10 à vaguely – unbestimmt

14.    p. 94, l. 03 à to squander – vergeuden

15.    p. 95, l. 26 à riotous – zügellos

16.    p. 96, l. 02 à moustache – Schurrbart

17.    p. 97, l. 22 à nuptial – hochzeitlich

18.    p. 98, l. 29 à sparkling – funkelnd

19.    p. 99, l. 14 à fondness – Zärtlichkeit

20.    p.100,l. 07 à ruefully – reuevoll

21.04.2008

Something about the British rule in india…

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In the film „A Passage to India“ we learn about the kind of government the British led in India. Dr. Aziz ( as you can already guess an Indian) is wrongly accused of assaulting Adela, one of the main characters. As it seems, he doesn’t have any chance to defend himself because he is an Indian. Even Adela, who knows the truth doesn’t try to protect him but accused him. Appearing in court, she denies the things she told the police and rattles the man from the court who asks her questions. Without her telling the truth there would have been no chance for Aziz as the advocate of the Indian side doesn’t have any right to proceed against the English government. I think this scene shows quite well how much power the British people had in India and in my opinion it is easier to imagine what the relationship between the Nawab and the English officers in the novel „Heat and Dust“ is like.

14.04.2008

Discribe the relationship between the colonial British and India  (p .49-61)…

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– British people don’t like the Indians

– British think they are better than the original Indian people

– They just take care of themselves (no schools or hosptals for Indians)

– British think the Indian culture is odd and barbaric

– want to control everything

– Indians often feel / are used

– Have to follow the rules of the British

– British treat the Indians the way they want as they want to benefit from them

– Even an Indian prince (here: Nawab) is not seen in another light, but is seen as a “normal” indian resident

– British don’t want to share their knowledge

more about the British rule in India

14.04.2008

Why does Olivia so eagerly wish to have a baby?…

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I think Olivia’s wish to have a baby is a result of feeling lonely. If she had a baby, she thinks Douglas would pay more attention to herand their relationship. As a mater of fact, she’d also have a reaso to stay with with him. She cannot tell what she feels. The Nawab seems so interested in her while she and Douglas hardly talk to each other as he works all day long. She can understand but this doesn’t change her feelings concerning feeling unloved and alone. In her opinion the child would bring a new sense to her life. Maybe she even hopes that Douglas doesn’t spend so much time at the office whe their child is born

14.04.2008

Write Harry’s letter home to his mother explaining why at present he cannot return to England…

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Dear mother,

thank you very much for inviting me home to you, but at the moment it is not possible for me to come. The Nawab I work for has recently become very ill and I still have to take care of everything here. He feels much better now, but he is still quite weak. Further, I have to organize many partys and commitees as this is tradition in the Indian community here. At the moment, i’m really busy you see. I’m so sorry… I’d so love to come but i can’t leave everything here as it would be totally messy  at the moment I return. I will come as soon as the Nawab is completely healthy again. Before  this, it’s really not possible. I hope you have much fun with the new TV we sent you last time. Why don’t you write back and tell me what you could need else. I’m sure the Nawab would be happy to send you everything you’d like to have. I will do everyting to come home as quickly as possible, so please don’t be sad!

Love, Harry

14.04.2008

Douglas and his work… (p.33-43)

– works hard

– office

-comes home late

– no time for Olivia

– is a part of the English Community due to his job

– good image

– wants Olivia to go in the mountais

– leaves early

– important person

– problems with Indian people

– Olivia feels alone due to Douglas job

– important meetings with partners

– not like other Englishmen in India

– takes his work seriously

14.04.2008

Something about the Indian society…

-The Nawab:“When guests wil not grace the house of the host, then that house ceases to be a happy place.“

– invites guests to partys

– Nawab cannot stay in Olivia’s house before she didn’t stay in his house

-Nawab doesn’t havenmany friends

– One cannot take so much as they want to give you –> by Harry

– Nawab speaks „Urdu“

– Nawab is married to a girl named Zahira (Sandy)

– Servants are not allowed to enter the house with shoes

– Cabobpur-Family = parens of Zahira

– Nawab pays much attention to his mother (Begum)

07.04.2008

A diary entry from Olivia…

Dear diary,

today I was in the Nawab’s palace. I actually wanted to look for Harry, but he is still a bit sick because of the food (at least thats the information he gave to me). Then the Nawab entered the room and brought me to two pianos which were standing in the cellar of the palace. He told me they were originally for his wife, but she never had the chance to play thern. They were in a pretty bad condition, but he wants them to be tuned now. Then I shall play for him when they are brought upstairs. I don’t know why he wants that, but when I’m with him, I feel that I’m somebody and not just the wife which has to stay at home and sits around doing nothing. I don’t understand why Douglas and his collegues are talking so bad about him. They visited us this evening and when they talked about him like he was kind of a savage and doesn’t know how to behave and his views were totally old-fashioned. Everybody says that… Even Mrs. Sauders and Mrs. Minnies, but I don’t think so at all! He is always so kind to me, and always in proper style. I can’t imagine at all why he should be like this as the way I know him is completely different… I hope I can persuade them not to think like this any more but how am I supposed to do that? They are men and they wont trust my words as I already mentioned to Douglas that my view of the Nawab is a bit different…  

06.04.2008

The development of the relationship between Olivia and the Nawab…

Here are some notes of the picnic-scene in „Heat and Dust“ with Olivia and the Nawab. This may not be the frst meeting of Olivia and the prince, but it is really important for the relationship of the two characters. Read it if you like to…

– „He had come as before , with a wole retinue“ (p.43, l. 18)

– Nawab comes and simply invites her (p.43, ll. 23ff.)  

-Nawab is not refused (p.43, ll. 24+25)

-codes of honour (p.44, l. 1)

-„She wanted to go so teribbly“ (p.44, l. 2)

-„…she felt as if she was in his power…“ (p.44, ll. 18+19)

-„…,she might not be flung against the Nawab. She wa really much afraid of this,…“ (p.44, ll. 25+26)

-Other people follow hem in a distance (p.45, ll. 1+2)

-Nawab held aside some brambles (p.45, l. 4)

– Olivia walks ahead of the Nawab (p.45, l. 5)

-„Now the nawab became charming again.“ (p45, l. 13) –> Nawab is „normal“ (from Olivia’s point)

-Nawab wants Douglas to be there (p.45, ll. 30+31)

-Nawab cares for Olivia (p.46, ll. 17ff.)

-Nawab gives Olivia the feeling to be important (p.47, ll. 16+17)

– Nawab talks to Olivia in a way that she appreciates (p.48, ll. 15ff.)

– Olivia doesn’t feel like telling Douglas about the picnic with the Nawab (p.49, ll. 17ff.)