Essay- WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER - STEPHEN LEACOCK

WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER

-          STEPHEN LEACOCK

     Stephen Leacock’s With The Photographer is taken from “Behind the Beyond”. Leacock is famous for his humourous writings.  In, With The Photographer, Leacock shared his bitter experience with a photographer

     One day Leacock went to a studio to take his photograph. The photographer looked at him without enthusiasm. He made the author to wait for an hour. Then he took him into the inner room to take photo. He placed a machine in front of the author. The photographer was not happy of the author’s face. He said  that the author’s face was quite wrong. The author accepted it. The photographer added that it would look better if it was three quarters full. To prove his skill in photography, he asked the author to open his mouth and to close it. He felt that the author’s ears were bad so he asked him to drop them a little more. He asked Leacock to roll his eyes under the eyelids, to put the hands on knees, to turn the face little upward, to expand the lungs, to bend the neck. By all means he wanted the best feature and expression of the author.

    By the photographer’s comment about his face, he felt humiliated. He couldn’t bear the insult anymore, as his face was his own only. He had lived with it for forty years and he knew its faults. The author was angry and started to rise from the seat, the photographer took his photograph.

     On Saturday, the author went back to the studio to get his photograph. The photographer showed his photo. The author was not able to identify his own image in it, because the photographer made so many changes in his eyes, eyebrow, mouth etc. The photograph didn’t look like the author’s photo at all. So the author asked the question ‘Is it me?’

     The author wanted a photograph that would have looked like himself.  He wanted something that would depict his face as God gave it to him. He wanted something that his friends might have kept after his death to reconcile them to his loss. But what the author wanted was no longer done.

     Leacock didn’t accept the photo given by the photographer, because the photo was too beautiful to bear any resemblance to his appearance. Leacock preferred his featureless face as it is and would not accept an improved one which is unlike his face.

Essay- DISCIPLINE IS A GREAT TEACHER - JOHN HOLT

DISCIPLINE IS A GREAT TEACHER

JOHN HOLT

Introduction

    John Holt, an American writer cum teacher was a pioneer in youth rights theory. He has written many books regarding needed reform in the tradition school system. Discipline is a Great Teacher is an extract from his book Freedom and Beyond. In this lesson, he discusses about the limit of discipline and force in the upbringing of a child. According to John Holt, there are  three kinds of disciplines which can mould a child as it grows. The three kinds of disciplines are         i) Discipline of Nature b) Discipline of Society    and c) Discipline of Superior Force

Discipline of Nature

     John Holt says that at schools children should be permitted to do their activities of their own. When they fail in the given tasks more chances must be given to them, to measure properly, to fit, to fly, and to float so that they can correct their mistakes themselves. They can find solutions by their regular practice. It will teach them to learn everything with interest and without any disappointment.

  Discipline of Society

     Usually children sense around them. They learn to do what the elders around them do. Children want to do right unless they become convinced they cannot do right. So that children rarely misbehave in church. They sit quietly and absorb the behavior of the elders. Once they followed, it cannot be changed whether it is good or bad. Holt says society plays a vital role in framing the character of a child.

Discipline of Superior Force

      It is necessary to protect the life, health, safety or well being of children or other living creature. At the same time, we should not assume ourselves that a child cannot understand the real nature of the danger. Actually, a child can learn everything faster than we think. For example, in Mexico, children not older than five or four understood about cars, so they walk unattended on the street. In the name of discipline if we threaten the child often there is no way for him to grow up or to learn anything for his life and acts.  Sometimes the Superior Force  make them feel impotent and cowardly for not having enough strength  to resist.

Merits and Demerits of the Superior Force

    To learn the moves of classical ballet, one should have good training. In ballet dance training, the learner has to follow the trainer’s methods otherwise he cannot dance the ballet. If the teacher is not happy about the performance of the student he can kick the student out of the class. So the student should submit himself to the superior force.

Conclusion

     According to Holt, Force is like salt – too much of it is harmful and counterproductive. The child who is controlled too much becomes arrogant. Children are like double- edged knife, so they must be handled carefully.

welcome note

Hai friends this blog is to share essays in english