English Literature Made Easy for Students

  The Myth of Rama-Sita and Ravna in Kanthapura   Ans. The novel Kanthapura really revolves around the myth of Rama-Sita and Ravana. The Ramayana was narrated by the great Sage Valmiki long ago. In the same way, there is a narrator, Achakka, in Kanthapura also, though not a great Sage, but the grandmother of the village Kanthapura. She compares Gandhiji with lord Rama and India with Sita. Achakka, the narrator says that as Sita was overpowered by the chief of Evil, Ravana, so was the mother India overpowered by the British. The people of India had been made slaves by the British. The miserable condition of the labourers working at the Skeffington Coffee Estate is the living example in miniature size. One can guess easily how the people of India were being treated under the foreign rule in India at that time. Lord Rama collected the ‘Vanara-sena’ (the army of the monkeys) and attacked Ravana, the king of Lanka (now SriLanka), defeated and killed him. Thus Sita was liberated b...

  6. Oxymoron In oxymoron, two apparently contradictory statements are yoked together to achieve the  dramatic effect and some flavour in speech.   Difference between Paradox and Oxymoron In Oxymoron two words giving two opposite meanings/ideas are placed together to achieve flavour in speech or to produce a  dramatic effect on it.   In Paradox mainly two statements contradictory to each other are placed together. Deep meaning is hidden somewhere in the paradox used by the poet or the writer.   There may be certain purposes in using paradoxical statements.   These may be used in day-to-day life to criticise an idea, to provoke  new thought , to add a witty idea for creating fun and humour.   Example : Freedom is slavery. (Paradox) Cruel kindness (Oxymoron) More examples of Oxymoron:   Great Depression                 ...