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GIST OF THE LESSON   • Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from the prison. Now he was in the prison for the fourth time and all of a sudden developed to appear in O‐level German Examination which also was an effort to break the prison. • The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not be fooled. Every care was taken to make Evans prepare for the exam. • He was tutored by a German tutor for 6 months. The day before the exam the tutor wishes good luck but makes it clear that he had hardly any ‘chance of getting through.’ But Evans gives an ironical twist to the tutor’s observation by saying “I may surprise everybody.” • On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evan’s cell and took away everything that may help him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but he refused saying that it was lucky charm. • Evan’s cell was bugged so that the Governor could...

Twentieth century poet, critic, scholar and feminist, Adrienne Rich wrote ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ as a part of her first book of poetry ‘A Change of World’ (1951). Feminism was making its presence felt in the 1950s fighting for equal voting, legal and social rights for women. This poem is Adrienne’s voice against the emotional and physical brutalities women face as part of their marriages especially, in a patriarchal society. On the surface, this is a simple poem with an uncomplicated rhyme scheme about a woman busy with needlepoint. However, the true meaning emerges when the layers are peeled. Relevant Background Adrienne Rich is an American poet who was born in 1929. She was brought up in a well-off family. Adrienne was the elder of two daughters. Her father was a doctor and her mother was a music composer. She grew up in with a Jewish father and a Protestant mother. As a result of this mixed marriage she was used to tensions between her parents. While Rich was growi...

GIST OF THE LESSON PART –I The first part deals with the account of Simmons, An American Indian, who fought against the prejudices of the society against American Indians. She describes her experiences on her first day at the Carlisle Indian School. The customs and rules of the place were strange and new to her. She was forced to wear clothes that were considered undignified in her culture At breakfast, she was embarrassed as she did not know the routine of the place. When she comes to know that they were planning to cut her hair, she protests by hiding under the bed, even though she knew it was futile. In her culture, it was the cowards whose hair was shingled. She felt like an animal driven by a herder. PART – II The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography ‘Karukku’ by Bama – a Tamil Dalit. She was in her third grade when she becomes aware of the indignities that the lower caste people face. She happens to see an elderly person from her community aba...