Dial
000
Barry Rosenberg
Understanding
the Text: Main Ideas (page 93)
1.
Why did Doug Wood telephone the police?
Doug
Wood telephoned the police to inform that he is going to commit suicide.
2.
Why
did Doug develop suicidal tendencies?
His
wife left him and he lost his job. He was unable to get back and hence
developed suicidal tendencies.
3.
Why did Doug savage and glare at his mobile?
It
was the only thing he could do. He couldn’t see the person on the other side
and hence he showed his anger by cursing and looking seriously at the mobile.
4.
Did
the suicide section really need the name and address of Doug? Substantiate your
answer.
When
a person commits suicide, the suicide section traces the name and address of
that person. It doesn’t actually ask for it when someone phones. This is done
to divert his attention.
5.
Why
did Doug hastily step back when he stamped his foot and a rock sailed down?
As
per the human psychology, we tend to avoid mishaps. Doug has subconsciously
taken the hint given by his mind, though he’s ready to commit suicide.
6.
What do you understand by the expression
‘black mood turning red’?
Being
in a state of depression is black mood. His depressed mood is now turned to a furious
anger which is denoted as red. ‘Black mood turning red’ is switching to anger
from a depressed mood.
7.
What
made Doug’s black mood turn red?
Doug
has so patiently given the address but the person on the phone was cracking
jokes irrespective of the situation and he said that he was unable to find the
address on net. It made Doug furious.
8.
Why was Doug so critical of India and the
Indians?
He
has low opinion on Indian cricketers. He is filled with regional feeling and
hence thinks critical of India and its people.
9.
What do you understand by ‘straight shooting’
and ‘straight bribing’?
Straight
shooting means to play skillfully and honestly. Straight bribing is to bribe
someone without hesitation to achieve what one wishes to.
10.
How did Sergeant Govinda succeed in persuading
Doug against committing suicide?
Govinda
started to irk Doug right from the beginning. When he understood that Doug has
low opinion on India and Indian cricketers, he hooked him at the point.
11.
Which
psychotherapy did Govinda use on Doug?
He
made use of confrontational psychotherapy. Under this therapy, the patient is
indulged in a confrontational talk and is finally pulled out of his depressed
and frustrated mood.
12.
Who can be credited for the success of
confrontational therapy- the psychologist who suggested the use of therapy or
the Sergeant who used it in a practical way? Give a logical answer.
Both
the psychologist and the Sergeant could be credited. Psychologist, for
encouraging to use the therapy and the Sergeant, for having successfully
implementing it.
Looking
at Language: Writing Style (page 96)
Dial
000……………the story?
The
story wouldn’t have been very interesting if it was revealed in the beginning.
There wouldn’t be any excitement and anticipation if known earlier. It would be
like knowing the climax of a horror movie before watching the film.
The
readers get a bit puzzled on the conversation and the turns it makes; and get a
sudden relief at the end. They would miss all these, if the fact about
confrontational therapy had been revealed in the beginning of the story.
Looking
at Language: Vocabulary by Theme (page 97)
The
words and expressions in the story which reflect Doug’s gloomy mental state
are—
Mumbled,
snarled, sighed, glared, ‘I live in hell’, ‘Does my name matter?’
Literary
Concept: Theme (page 99)
1.
Hello………..arguments.
Doug
really wanted to die. But, he wanted that the society should know about his
death. He seeks some attention from the public. He doesn’t want his body to be
detected a few days/months later.
2.
Which part………..sound logic.
When
Sergeant was unable to locate the place and when it immediately turned to
regionalism and racial differences. They lost their temper and fired arrows
against each other.
3.
Sergeant……………it work?
He
pretended like that as a part of confrontational therapy, to continue the
conversation. It worked well, very effectively as the conversation went
meandering on topics like accent, nativity, cricketers and patriotism.
4.
Sir…………….Govinda.
Govinda
was unable to hear the other person looking down at Indian Cricketers and he
did it intentionally to confront Doug.
5.
The moment………thinking.
Doug
definitely has a behavioral disorder which encouraged him to commit suicide.
Considering a general insult more than the personal insult is somewhat strange.
Culture
Point: Universal and local (page 100)
1.
In all cases…………conclusion.
Anger
needs some object to take the outlet and here, Govinda is the one who has to
take it. He is the only person on whom Doug could express his anger as he is in
a continued conversation with him. Govinda was ready to face Doug’s anger and
hence let him vent his anger out.
2.
The purpose………………consequences.
If
there had been a straight talk, Doug would have definitely committed suicide in
the heat of the moment. He would have immediately jumped down if Govinda had
asked him not to do so.
3.
Why did…………………..Australia.
The
ill feeling between the cricket fans of two countries plays the major role her.
Indian students not being properly welcomed in Australia is an impact of
India’s growing power over Australia. The Australians are not very ready to
accept the impact of India on their socio-economic set up.
4.
Suicide…………………..reasoned answer.
Suicide,
of course, is a heinous crime. Such occurrences could be minimized by spreading
awareness in public. People commit suicide in a state of depressed mind.
Government could set up a few authorized counseling centers in reach of public.
Assurance should be given that the information they share would be held
confidentially. Healthy familial relations play a major role in minimizing such
occurrences.
5.
Discuss ……………………. Australia.
Media
always try to highlight the events. When there is a natural enmity between
countries, media uses it to the extent. But it doesn’t mean that media
encourages the differences. It simply throws a light and exaggerates the
situations with a vested interest.
Literary
Concepts: Satire (page 103)
Barry
Rosenberg draws our attention to the significance of confrontational therapy in
drawing out a young man of disturbed mental state from his frustration and
depression. The story is a satire on the mechanical modern life, racial and
regional bias, call center culture, and ill feeling between the cricket lovers
of Australia and India.
The
personal vices like weak relation between husband and wife, insecurity at work
place are focused.
A
satirical story could focus on many things, and could make readers think over
the issue. But we can’t surely say that this attempt could bring a change in
the state of affairs. It depends on the reader’s receptivity.
Literary
Concepts: Irony (page 104)
Govinda
didn’t really mean what he said. It’s just a part of the confrontational
therapy. The sentence is an example of irony. Other ironical phrases in the
text are--
“I
live in the hell”
“How
about cloud nine, heaven?”
“I’m
going to jump now, right now, and on your head be it”
“We
could if we used Australian methods”
Literary
Concepts: Assonance (page 104)
‘Is
that Wood as in wood or would as in could?’—it is the repetition of close vowel
sounds and hence it is Assonance. [Alliteration is the repetition of initial
identical consonant sounds.]
A
few general example phrases for Assonance are—
‘Try
to light the fire’
‘It
beats….as it sweeps…as it cleans!’
A
few general example phrases for Alliteration are—
‘Alice’s
aunt ate apples and acorns around August’
‘Peter
piper picked s peck of pickled peppers’
Reading
Journal (page 105)
Doug
decided to commit suicide but he also sought the attention of the world. He
didn’t want to die without being noticed by any. So, to leave traces of his
death, he called the police to inform about his suicide.
‘An
Astrologer’s Day’ is a short funny story by R.K.Narayan. It is the story of a
man who used to quarrel and fight with everyone in his village. One day, he
beats a man very severely and throws him in a well thinking that he was dead.
Later, he moves to a nearby town to save from police and starts his life as an
astrologer. A few days later, a man comes to this astrologer and wants to know
whether he could find his enemy or not. The astrologer recognizes him to be the
same man, who he thought was dead. To protect himself from danger, he says to
the man that his enemy was crushed by a lorry. He also advises him not to
travel towards South, because that’s where he lives. He finds relief after he
goes home and sleeps happily.
The
common point in both these stories is that the main point is revealed at the
end. Both the stories are in conversational style and hold tactful answers,
dragging the conversation to their desired end. Especially, the readers feel
great joy and relief when the stories reach their end.
Project
(page 107)
Classroom
activity:
1.
Various reasons for the youth to get depressed
•
Educational stress-heavy syllabus, less time,
more expectations
•
High expectations from parents
•
Unemployment
•
Inability to do what they want to
•
Poverty-inability to meet basic needs
•
Failure in love
•
Unexpected failure in studies
•
Pre-examination depression
•
Insecurity
•
Craving for a luxurious life
•
Familial and financial burdens
•
State of dilemma between known and unknown
•
Regional and communal feelings
•
Eve teasing and gossips
•
Being cheated
•
Improper settlement in life
•
Hyper sensitivity
•
Lack of confidence and opportunities
•
Harassment
•
Misunderstandings
•
Tough competition from urban students
•
Boring teaching methodology, no innovativeness
•
Inability to strike a balance between
education, love, family and friends
Consequences
of depression
•
Drug addiction
•
Getting isolated from the family and society
•
Being more and more furious or being too calm
•
Being hyper active or hypo active
•
Getting irritated all the time
•
Suicidal tendency
•
Irrational fear
•
Instability in walk, talk and attitude
•
Negative approach in every situation of life
•
Becoming emotional for silly reasons
2.
Measures
which parents, teachers and peers could take to avoid depression in youth.
A
depressed person needs a good company and a healthy environment. He should
neither be over looked nor over cared. Parents need to spend some value time
with their children. They shouldn’t discuss on various unworthy topics. They
should see that the youth doesn’t get disturbed. They should assure that they
are with them always, to extend emotional support. Parents should allow the
children to be open and speak out in a friendly manner. They should look at the
positive side and through the eyes of the youth.
As
the youth spend most of their time in educational institutions, teachers should
observe the depressed students, talk to them personally, know what their
problem is, and give moral support. Counseling from a teacher helps a lot. They
could guide the youth, give proper suggestions and try to put them on the right
track.
Peer
group could create a lively environment and hence could bring them out of the
depressed state. Discussions on a few topics like present society, the worst
conditions they face etc. will help them. Friends can successfully turn the
attention of these depressed students and divert them from negative mood.
‘Prevention
is better than cure’. To avoid depression in youth, parents should be friendly
with the youth and think positively. Teachers should not lay too many
restrictions. No student should be looked down or insulted. Peer group should
stay away from gossiping and commenting. No communal feeling should be brought
in friendship.
Taking
care of others has its own honor and it is valued above education, knowledge
and riches.
After
class activity:
Suicide
cases of youth as per newspaper reports
Andhra
Pradesh stands second in suicides as per the Government data. Among them are
the suicides committed by farmers, house wives and students. In South India,
out of every 3 cases of suicides reported every 15 minutes in India, 1 is
committed by a youth in the age of 15 to 29. There are many cases in which a
good student commits suicide. Here are 3 reports-
14
August 2012
Manasa
(21), a first year M.Tech student of IIT Madras, hung herself in her room on
campus. She hails from Ramagundam, AP. Sources say that she took the extreme
step because of family problems or because of the academic stress.
16
Aug 2012
Raksha
Sharma, a student of Mehar Chand Polytechnic College committed suicide after
reading an obscene message about her posted on face book by a former college
mate. The two accused boys are arrested.
27
Dec 2012
A
17 year old girl was found dead after swallowing poison. She was gang-raped and
the police pressured her to accept for a cash settlement or to drop the case
and marry one of her attackers. She was unable to bear the pressure and hence
committed suicide.
22
January 2013
Ravindra,
a student of I. B.Tech hung himself at his home. He was suffering from severe
ache in chest and took the last step when he was unable to bear it.
When
we go through all these incidents, it comes to our mind that one single
thoughtful moment would save their lives. We shouldn’t take any step or
decision in a disturbed mental state or in uncontrollable anger. There would be
no such problem that it takes its toll on lives. We could think over the
problem in various angles to find out the solution. We could take the opinion
of elders and experienced. It helps a lot. And there should be good relation
among family members which prevents suicidal tendency.
