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In the extract from ‘A Strange and Sublime Address’, Amit Chaudhuri chronicles a Calcuttan family’s afternoon nap in the context of a languishing city. The passage opens with a relaxed atmosphere, created through vivid figurative imagery and metaphors. Chaudhuri gradually expands the scope of the scene from individual characters to the surrounding room; his temporal descriptions create an atmosphere of nostalgia, which hints at the decaying nature of Calcutta. By switching the extract’s narrative perspective to third person omniscient, Chaudhuri inserts himself as a narrator to cultivate an atmosphere of resignation toward government inefficiencies.
Vivid, hyperbolic imagery introduced early on in the extract conveys the extent of the characters’ relaxation after lunch, such that they imagine themselves to occupy other environments and bodily forms entirely. Chaudhuri metaphorically describes Sandeep and Mamima’s conversation after lunch as “a transparent stream that occasionally trickled into desert patches of silence.” The verb “trickled” denotes a very slight stream of water, suggesting how scarce the conversation is. However, in describing the stream petering out as “occasional”, Chaudhuri suggests that silence falls very rarely, and that, for the most part, the characters are engaging in small talk.
Furthermore, the scarcity denoted by “trickle” lends the characters’ conversation a sense of rarity of spoken words. From this, it can be inferred that the characters value and enjoy good conversations and how those exchanges come to an end from time to time, resulting in a peaceful silence. Meanwhile, Chhotomama is falling asleep, his “face and arms drowning in the black and white ocean of the newspaper, surfacing intermittently.” By describing the process of falling asleep as “drowning”, a verb that connotes relinquishing control to the natural elements, Chaudhuri depicts falling asleep as freeing for Chhotomama, perhaps a release from worldly troubles, thus adding to the sense of relaxation.
Also, the recurring motif of dust serves as a powerful symbol of decay and neglect, reflecting broader themes of urban decline and societal stagnation. Chaudhuri's description of Kolkata as "a city of dust" paints a vivid picture of the city's physical decay, while also hinting at deeper layers of metaphorical meaning. The image of "mounds of dust like sand-dunes" conveys a sense of desolation and abandonment, suggesting that the city itself is crumbling under the weight of its own history and neglect. In the extract’s final paragraph, Chaudhuri switches to a third person omniscient voice to provide a political commentary on the neglected state of Calcutta, creating an atmosphere of frustration toward the lack of mechanisms to spur residents to productivity. Chaudhuri’s overarching characterization of Calcutta is arid, a stark juxtaposition with the water symbolism he used earlier in the extract. Thus, Calcutta is presented as the diametric opposite of its residents’ hopes and dreams, precisely the sort of city that people wish to escape from. Specifically, Chaudhuri uses hyperbole to convey how severely wanting the city is for maintenance. His simile of “mounds of dust like sand-dunes” equates everyday piles of waste to towering natural structures, emphasizing just how mammoth the dust mounds have become, presumably because they have gone unattended to by the government. Additionally, he deploys a resigned tone when noting that Calcutta’s roads are constantly refurbished for “some other obscure reason, such as replacing a pipe that doesn’t work with another pipe that doesn’t work.” The vagueness of “some other reason”, and Chaudhuri’s inability to pinpoint the exact reason for Calcutta’s decay, reflects his helplessness to halt the inevitable. Furthermore, Chaudhuri’s repetition of “doesn’t work” creates a sarcastic tone, suggesting that so uninterested is the government in renewing the area, one faulty works project is simply replaced with another.
Furthermore, Chaudhuri not only presents infrastructural projects in the city as dysfunctional, but altogether insensible. He writes, “Calcutta is like a work of modern art that neither makes sense nor has utility.” Readers may be aware that modern art is popularly decried as foolish. In the same vein, Chaudhuri suggests that many aspects of the city lack utility for its citizens; the government has let down the very people it represents. Chaudhuri proceeds to use anaphora in his observation that “the buildings are becoming dust, the roads are becoming dust.” This places emphasis on the process of “becoming”, depicting Calcutta as a place of continual deterioration in quality of infrastructure. Such is the manner in which Chaudhuri highlights his powerlessness to rejuvenate his city as one individual, creating a sorrowful atmosphere. However, readers are prevented from feeling complete disapproval towards Calcutta’s indolent residents when Chaudhuri offers an argument for their not bothering to work. He describes the common scene of “sweating labourers digging into the macadam”, suggesting that when people do put in effort to revitalize the city, it is for naught – for pointless projects that do not benefit the citizenry. Such is how Chaudhuri inserts himself into the narrative to lament that the city has lost its relevance and sense of purpose.
In conclusion, Chaudhuri uses similes, metaphors, and personification to cultivate an atmosphere that is seemingly benign – one of repose and imaginative tranquility. However, by expanding the extract’s setting from the family’s four walls to encompass wider Calcutta, and deploying sarcasm and despondent visual imagery, Chaudhuri cultivates an atmosphere of reproach toward the government. Sandeep’s family is characterized as a microcosm of wider Calcutta to convey how individuals are inseparable from the societies in which they operate. In this respect, readers are left to wonder whether institutions or their subjects ought to be held responsible for their city’s decaying conditions.
Criteria | Mark | Feedback |
A: Understanding &
Interpretation | 5 | The student exhibits a solid grasp of the text's key literary techniques and thematic elements. They effectively interpret the extract's meaning, particularly in relation to the portrayal of Kolkata's decline and the frustration toward government inefficiencies. Their interpretation is insightful and demonstrates a deep engagement with the text. |
B: Analysis & Evaluation | 5 | The student offers thorough analysis of the literary techniques employed by the author to create atmosphere and convey thematic depth. They evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques in conveying the intended message and mood of the text with clarity. Their evaluation showcases a keen eye for detail and demonstrates a thoughtful consideration of the author's craft. |
C: Coherence, Focus, & Organization | 4 | The essay maintains a clear and coherent structure, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the text. Transitions between different elements of analysis are smooth, contributing to the overall readability of the essay. While the essay effectively addresses various aspects of the text, reinforcing the central argument throughout the essay could further enhance coherence. |
D: Language | 5 | The student demonstrates strong language skills, utilizing a sophisticated vocabulary and varied sentence structures to effectively convey their ideas. Their writing is clear, concise, and articulate, facilitating understanding of complex literary concepts. Overall, their language usage enhances the quality of their analysis and evaluation. |
19 / 20 |