LiteraryPearls

Brief note on“Telephone conversation” by Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka's "Telephone Conversation" is a thought-provoking poem that explores themes of racism, identity, and social injustice through a simple yet powerful telephone conversation.   In this poem, the writer describes the conversation that ensued between a black man and a racist British landlady when he tried to rent her apartment. It is between a black man seeking a room for rent and a white landlady who had advertised such an offer.Over the conversation, the hypocritical nature of the landlady as a racist is brought to light. An African man is looking for a room to rent, and he finds an advertisement in a newspaper. The ad says that there is no problem with race – white or black. As the man had bitter experiences with such ads earlier, he makes a telephone call to the landlady from a public telephone booth. He tells the lady that he is a black man and asks if it is acceptable. The lady hesitates for a while; sh...

  The Boy Who Broke the Bank    Ruskin Bond is one of the most famous Indian writer. His story "The Boy Who Broke the Bank" is a humorous story published in 1988 in the compilation Night Train at Deoli and Other Stories . It describes Nathu’s suffering in the opening lines. He works as a sweeper boy in the Pipal nagar Bank. For a long time he has  been requesting for a hike of two rupees in his pay. Seth Govind Ram, the owner of the bank, has not agreed to raise his pay.   Nathu grumbles to himself about  not being paid his regular salary though it was already the twentieth of the month. At this point of time Sitaram, the washerman’s son happened to pass by the bank. He was on delivery rounds. He observed Nathu's sufferings. Nathu replies that he has not even received his regular pay yet. He also mentioned that he would leave the bank as soon as he got his pay. Sitaram wishes him good luck and also adds that he would keep a lookout for any job t...

  Anxiety Monster Anxiety, Anxiety- you creep, you lurk, you worry me Mangy monster under my bed on all my fears you must be fed and when I try to starve you out you stab me with a blade of doubt You sneaky, scurrilous, savage beast I don't hate you, but I like you least! You are not cute or cuddly why do I let you cling to me? You're ugly and you're worrisome you drain my joy and leave me glum Anxiety, Anxiety- I hear you've achieved notoriety evidently I'm not the only one you'll hassle them all before you're done! 'Though, I don't see how you find the time to carry out your heinous crime... For all day long, and nighttime, too a hovering pest, too big to “shoo” you hang around and taunt me fierce by dangling daggers with which to pierce I tremble in my delicate skin  but chin stuck out, I'm determined to win Anxiety, Anxiety- you will not get the best of me! You've wasted enough of my precious years you deserve no sympathy or tears like th...