Duffyesque

Reminiscing on primary school brings back a lot of memories. Memories of classes, with just one teacher teaching us all the subjects instead of moving around (just like Mrs Tilcsher).We had blackboards instead of markers and nap times after lunch. Lunches consisted of our custom lunchboxes, they each had their own superhero on them. I remember the time we first used pens while learning how to write in cursive. and assuming it was such a defining moment. The moment when graduation came and everything changed, middle school seemed like a dream come true. From recalling all those memories, it can be understood that most primary school memories do have the same basis of progression but certain aspects are definitely shaped to the area you lived in.

- In Mr Ben's classroom

the jitters begin before you walked in
sprinting, gasping, hoping,
you wouldn't hear that awful sound
but alas CLACK, it was all for nothing
Pitiful eyes stared back at you, but they didn't matter
none of it mattered except that one pair
the chilling, ice-cold eyes of Mr Ben

Why oh why were you late he asked
fuming, fumbling and furious
I looked down in fear
swallowing all my replies
and once it was done, I stumbled to my seat,
and then it began
the hour of  dread

question after question
scribbled onto the pages
encrypting my mind
but all you could  hear was the distant ticking
as I waited for the alarm bell ringing

and when the hour was up
and all of it was over
it ended with him giving us the cold shoulder
we left the class, our esteem shattered to bits
wondering if it was time to finally call quits

another hour, another day
another week, another month
we never gave up
we dealt with all his fits

Sympathy or Callousness

Is Torvalds attitude really that critical considering the Victorian times they were living in?
My frightened little singing-bird. […] I have broad wings to shelter you under. […] I will protect you like a hunted dove that I have saved from a hawk's claws." (3.257)
His attitude towards Nora could be considered honourable since clearly, his attitude is protective. but as the play continues his attitude is quite fake. I personally have no sympathy towards Torvald considering his attitude towards Nora throughout the play but then again it may be because of my modern views towards how a man is supposed towards his wife, but even accounting for all of these change in times he certainly does have some character flaws. Every term of "endearment" he calls his wife always has something belittling as part of it.

• “My little skylark”
• “My little squirrel”
• “My little singing bird”
• His constant desire to "guide" Nora and control her and how he refers to her as a child shows 
• the inequality present in their marriage which Torvald probably enforced but then again all of 
• that was popular during Victorian times. Another one of his character flaws would be his 
• hypocrisy. His so-called love for Nora somehow disappears right when he finds the letter.
 According to modern times, the way he reacted would be deemed immature and foolish and 

he'd be criticized in society since the act of taking a loan isn't such a big deal. But how about during Victorian times? Well, I think any excuses that can be made for Torvald's character are "thrown out of the window" per se since he goes against the essentials of the Victorian manhood. A man was supposed to take responsibility for his family and so, in this case, him blaming his life's sorrow on Nora is him showing his true nature which completely goes against his previous proclamations of undying love.

The list of his flawed characters does continue involving him constantly being self-righteous and judging characters as the play proceeds. insulting his own wife's father who is now dead with no sympathy for his wife or respect for the dead and so forth. His continuous disrespect to his wife and many more reasons show how even though he lived in a Victorian period and because of that some of our rubrics on judging what kind of man he was might be outdated, at the end of the day he does not live up to a man's expectations in marriage both during current times and Victorian times and that alone leads me to believe that he deserves no sympathy !

A Glimpse Into My Life

Well, I've never typed up a blog before so here it goes! I'm Siddharth Moram, usually go by Sid :) I'm Indian by birth but a TCK(third culture kid)  by heart. I've lived in Abu Dhabi for 14 years so this city is my home more than India. I've had the distinct privilege of watching this city grow from a small city to the bustling metropolitan it is today. English is my second language but I've become fluent since I grew up with people from different backgrounds.

My interests vary from rocking on a chair reading a book to striding down a rugby field. It's a wide and weird spectrum but I would consider my central interest to be people. Particularly, figuring out what kind of people they are and what they're mindsets revolve around. I'm an extrovert and rather spend my time with other people rather than alone at home. I read a lot and most of the books I read revolve around different cultures and are set in exotic settings. The idea that you can learn about cultures millions of miles away without having to move an inch appeals to me. The chance for us to view the world through someone else's eyes and experiences is something we are blessed to have and I try to embrace it!

I've decided to take English Literature because it satisfies my interests. I can learn about the author's mindset by analyzing and reading their works. Also, most universities do require a certain level of ability in English and taking English Literature would help me reach the required standards. Fiction Novels do appeal to me more than poetry or any other type of literature. I prefer to set the factual side apart for my academics hence factual or motivational books don't appeal to me but hey maybe English literature will change my mind and help me find interest!