ZEITGEIST - 14.139.185.6

1 ZEITGEISTREADING ON CONTEMPORARY CULTURESTUDY MATERIALSECOND SEMESTERCOMMONCOURSE :ENG2A04 ForBA/BSc/BCom(2017 ADMISSION ONWARDS)UNIVERSITY OF CALICUTSCHOOL OF DISTANCE EDUCATIONC alicut University , Malappuram, Kerala, India 673 635504 ASchool of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage2 UNIVERSITY OF CALICUTSCHOOL OF DISTANCE EDUCATIONSTUDY MATERIALSECOND SEMESTERBA/BSc/BCom(2017 ADMISSION ONWARDS)COMMONCOURSE :ENG2A04: ZEITGEIST -READING ON CONTEMPORARY Hanan Hassan,Assistant Professoron Contract,PTM Govt. College, Vimeesh M S,AssistantProfessor, PTM Govt. College, Saheena M,Assistant Professor,PTM Govt. College, by:Dr. Abida Farooqui,Asst. Professor,PTM Govt. College,PerinthalmannaLayout: H Section, SDE ReservedSchool of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage3 CONTENTPAGE Constitution and Secularism5 15 MODULEIIS ustainable Environment16 27 MODULEIIIG ender28 43 MODULEIVH uman Rights44-64 School of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage4 School of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage5 MODULEII ndian Constitution and SecularismSHOULD THE ASSASSIN OF GANDHI BE KILLED?

2 Pearl S. BuckIntroductionPearl Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter ofmissionaries she spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Her novelThe Good Earthwas thebest selling fiction in 1931 and 1932. In 1938 she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature forher truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces. On 30thJanuary 1948 India witnessed the tragic assassination of Mahatma Gandhi at the BirlaHouse in New Delhi. Naturam Vinayak Godse was his assassin. Gandhi s greatest weapon wasnon-violence. His life and teachings touched people outside India and inspired movements forcivil rights and freedom across the world. He has inspired people around the world and , the American writer and novelist was one among them.

3 In her words: Mahatma Gandhicame and stood at the door of India s destitute millions, clad as one of themselves. the following questions1. According to Pearl , _____ is the only commonsense of human Violence b. Fearlessness c. non violence d. SilenceAns: Non-violence2. Men wind confusion and entanglements because they are afraid of Violence b. NonViolence c. Simple Truth d. ConscienceAns: Simple truthII. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two:1. What is more powerful than bombs and weapons?The force of a great good Why did the people believe in Gandhi?He put his words into practice and people saw this was What does the world long for?Theworld longs for peace and peacemakers4. Who are the lot referred to as the lovers of violence?

4 The ignorant, stupid, the inventors of atom bombs, the generals, the captains, the sergeantsand the little What is the fate of those who rebel against the lovers of violence?The warmongers will end them in the pull of a trigger, in a flash or in a Answer the following questions in a paragraph:1. Why do the inventors of atom bombs love violence?Atom bombs bring epic destruction. Itis the stupid, ignorant man s response to all that hefears, all that he hates and to all those who rebel against him. They think the world is a betterplace when everything is replied with war . The inventors of atom bombs are those who use it oninnocent people and powerless nations. Mahatma Gandhi strongly rejected protests by means ofSchool of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage6violence and highly recommended non-violence to the world nations.

5 He confronted violence asthe gravest sin, for violence only brings more violence. Gandhi famously said. An eye for an eyemakes the whole world blind. 2. What proves Gandhi s righteousness?Gandhi was truth. He knew he was right and the world knew he was right, even his murdererknew he was right. Truth is simple to follow. The followers of violence distort truth and simpletruths are feared. The world no more needs violence, hatred or quarrels but peace andpeacemakers. Non-violence was the ultimate truth to which Gandhi was inclined. His principlesand teachings made sense to the common people. His wasthe voice of the many Indians. His lifeexemplified whatever he taught his followers.

6 In that contained his greatness. He was indeed asimple man with great What will happen if Gandhi s assassin is released?Pearl comes up with a non-violent punishment for the assassin of Gandhi. She sayshe should be released from the heavily guarded prison. He wouldn t be welcomed by cannot hide anywhere in this world. He could never escape what he has done! In fact there isno escape from one s own conscience. Women and children would despise to go near him andnone would want to shake hands with him for those hands are the hands that killed Gandhi. Hewould be an outcast everywhere, even among his friends. He would be haunted by Gandhi sownspirit. All these would be utter mental torture for him and lead to his destruction.

7 If he has aconscience it would be his regeneration because through salvation there is peace and Gandhiloved to Answer the following in about 300 Pearl S. Buck s portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in her the death of Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru mourned: the light has gone out of ourlives and there is darkness everywhere. He was a man of great visionary to bring India was only one. His voice was single, gentle and full of wisdom. It was the voice ofconscience in our troubled lives. Gandhi was truth. He knew he was right and the world knew hewas right, even his murderer knew he was right. Truth is simple to follow. The followers ofviolence distort truth and simple truths are feared.

8 The world no more needs violence, hatred orquarrels but peace and peacemakers. Non-violence through Ahimsa and Satyagraha were theultimate truth to which Gandhi was inclined. Hisprinciples and teachings made sense to thecommon people. His was the voice of the many Indians. His life exemplified whatever he taughthis followers. In that contained his lovers of violence often do not realize that great words and greatteachings are etchedinto society in positive ways. Gandhi has done his the indomitable figure is out ofour lives,it is the people of India who must take up his qualities and follow it in their lives andmove India forward. As Albert Einstein famously said: Generations to come, it may be willscarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.

9 That was hisdisposition. He did not wish punishment even for his enemies. Gandhi was often in prison and hemight not wish his murderer confined to a life was ideal, a perfect example foreveryone to look on. He was the great leader of moral and right .**School of Distance EducationZEITGEIST-Reading on Contemporary CulturePage7 PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIAI ntroductionThe Preamble ofIndia is totally different from the preamble of other countries as it iselaborate, and the main reason behind it is that it gives a brief view of who made the constitution,what is its source ,and what are the sanctions behind it. What is the nature of the polity which issought to be established by the Constitution and what are its goals and objective?

10 The Preamble does not grant any power but it gives direction and purpose to theConstitution .It outlines the objective of the whole Constitution. The Preamble contains thefundamental of constitution. As regard the nature of the Indian Polity, the Preamble to theConstitution declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular Democratic Republic. The termSovereign denotes that India is subject to no external authority and that the state has power tolegislate on any subject in conformity with constitutional limitations. The term Democraticsignifies that India has a responsible and parliamentary form of government which is accountableto an elected legislature. The Supreme Court has declared democracy as the basic feature of theConstitution.