Share your historical context, vocabulary and questions about Nectar in a Sieve by clicking on the chapters you want to share. Each person must share new information in PROPER FORMAL ENGLISH.
Vocabulary Listlessly: having or showing little or no interest in anything; languid; spiritless; indifferent Departed: deceased; dead, gone; past. Tannery: is a roofed opened gallery or porch Disperse: to drive or send off in various directions Exasperation: the state of being exasperated; irritation; extreme annoyance
Historical Context I think this book is set in the time in which Great Britain has taken over India. When imperialists did things to the Indians such as grease their weapons with animal fats. And most of those animal fats that the Imperialists greased was against the Indians religion.
I think it was set in this time period because in the beginning of chapter 11 Rukami went to go see the "white man, a foreigner" (62) This shows that the "white man" is an imperialist. Because only "white men" where imperialist from Great Britain.
Chapter 11 Vocabulary Precaution-a measure taken in advance to avert possible evil or to secure good results Dispersed-to spread widely Glimmer-a faint or unsteady light Afflicted-to distress with mental or bodily pain Sensible-having, using, or showing good sense Insolently-boldly rude or disrespectful Brood-a number of young produced or hatched at one time; a family of offspring or young Inexplicable-incapable of being accounted for or explained Dreary-causing sadness or gloom Chapter 12 Vocabulary Irrigate-to supply (land) with water by artificial means, as by diverting streams, flooding, or spraying Agile-quick and well-coordinated in movement Lunacy-insanity; mental disorder Loincloth- a piece of cloth worn around the loins or hips, especially in tropical regions as the only item of clothing Trepidation-tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation Perplexed- bewildered; puzzled
First of all I disagree with Michelle's definition of brood and with Natalie's defintion of moped. Brood: Think deeply about something that makes you feel unhappy. It was used in the following sentence "Sometimes I saw her looking at me with brooding, resentful eyes, and despite myself I could not help wondering if hatred lay behind her glance."(65). Rukamni believes that her daughter hates her because she is pregnant while Ira cannot bear a child and that her eyes are filled with deep sadness. Moped:To brood or sulk. This can be considered as a synonym of the word brood and was used in the following sentence "I was getting more and more worried about her: she moped about"(62). Ira was really unhappy because she was uncapable of becoming pregnant and as result of that her husband abandoned her.
Chll SUMMARY Ruku takes advantage of Nathan not being there to take Ira to see Kenny.She worries that her husband would not like the idea of Kunthi being treated by Kenny. Ruku found Kenny near the tannery where he has been treating patients. He didnt notice her at first and tells her to go away. When he does recognize her, he reaproves Ruku for her lack of nerve in coming to see him. He also smiles when he saw Ruku pregnant.
On her way home, she saw Kunthi all dressed up and wearing makeup.Kunthi hinted that Ruku has been seeing Kenny in a romantic way. Ruku responds by angrily striking at her and by accident, she knocks Kunthi’s down and notices that Kunthi has painted herself like a whore.
Ruku later goes to Ira’s husband and asks him to take her back but he couldnt since he already got married again. Ruku worries that Ira resents her for the baby she carries.
When Ruku gave birth to her baby, she named him kuti, which meant tiny. Ira takes a great interest in the boy and becomes like a second mother to him. * Ruku still worries about her daughter’s future.
Wynter W. Pr#2 Continuation to Summary: Rukmani is concerned about Ira's future because she doesn't want her to end up like Old Granny, but she mentions that being alone isn't always a bad thing, and one will get used to the feeling, but life goes on (66). Rukmani still continues to worry about Ira, despite Old Granny's words. "I found myself rebellious,protesting,rejecting, and no longer calm(66)."
Chapter 12 Vocabulary: Sow: To scatter over land. Transplant:To remove a plant from one place, and plant it in another. Reap:To cut with a sickle. Paddy:A rice field. Irrigate:To supply land with water by artifical means. Terraces:A raised slope with masonry,and turf. Rupee:A cupronickel coin and monetary unit of India,Nepal. Loincloths:A piece of cloth worn around the loin or hips. Enquire:To inquire(to seek information by questioning.) Lathis:A heavy pole or stick especially used by police. Jauntily:Easy and lively in manner. Trepidation:Tremendous fear,alarm, or agitation. Ravenous:Extremely hungry. Beget:To procreate(especially of a male partner). Savagely:Fierce,ferocious,or cruel. Perplexed:Puzzled. Bemoan:To express distress or grief . Flint:A hard stone.
Historical Context for Chapter 12 Ceylon: During the time period of 1948-1972 what is formerly known as Sri Lanka was called Ceylon when it was under the British control. Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. This island is located in South Asia. The tea production in Ceylon was of high importance in Sri Lanka's economic system.
This is where Rukmani's sons want to work. Arjun and Thambi, her first and second son.
Chapter 12 Summary: Rukmani's two sons Arjun and Thambi work at the Tannery. One day when Nathan and Rukmani go and visit the boys at work , when they realize all work has stopped for the day at the Tannery, and both Parents become worried. When Arjun and Thambi return home they tell there mother and father that they asked for a raise, but instead it resulted losing their lunch break. Workers of the.Tannery go on strike, not knowing the consequences at stake . Managers of the Tannery call a meeting to all workers stating that if workers dont come back to work, they will be replaced. Arjun.and Thambi return.to work, where they are still treated unfailry, therefore they quit, worrying Rukmani.Arjun and Thambi find good jobs as servants in Ceylon. Rukmain doesnt feel too good about them being away from their roots, but allows them to go, even though they wont be able to afford the trip back to visit their family anytime soon.Kenny comes and tells Rukmani how her boys are doing in Ceylon.
Historical Context Throughout the book, Ruku seems to care a lot about her family since she is always worrying about her children and finding ways to meet ends. Caring about your family was very common for the Indian rural life. Families who choose to live the rural life often lived together. Since woman married at such a young age, they were expected to have children at young age as well. If woman couldn't have children they were considered a shame. For example, Ruku’s daughter Ira couldn't have children so her husband left her. Anyways in the Indian culture parents always wanted their first child to be a boy because they symbolize their father’s masculinity. A girl couldn't be born first because she was considered a burden to the due to her dowry. Once a girl was born into the family, the family is expected to render a dowry for their daughter. A dowry is also known as a dower, which means the money, goods, or estate the wife can bring to her husband at marriage. Also the family’s status and wealth and the daughter’s attributes determine the husband she would marry.
During the 20th century, woman of India had to wear traditional Indian clothing called the sari. The sari is a long piece of clothing wrapped and tied around the body. During Chapter 11, Ruku knocked down Kunthi’s sari when they were fighting.
After Ruku finds out her sons were moving out the town to find jobs, she became upset because she wondered how she was going to meet ends. That's when her husband Nathan comes along and tells her that they will have enough to pay the landlord and even have a little to visit her sons. As it turns out, tenant farmers did not own their own land. They rented their lands form landlords who often take a couple of their crops as payments.
While the British were colonizing India they brought a lot of advances to India. For example, the white man in the book built a tannery, which made Indians want to work on machines rather in farms. Ruku’s sons were working in the tannery and often worked far less on the fields with their father. Also while the British were colonizing India during the early 1900’s, most rural Indians were treated differently. They had a lack of education and often remained isolated with the outside life of the fields.
Glossary of Characters Ruku: is a caring mother because she is always worrying about her sons. She even went to go see her daughter's husband so her daughter could be taken back. She even went to go see Kenny because her daughter wasn't able to find kids and needed to be cured. Ira: is now a having trouble to have kids and her husband ended up leaving her. She was often depressed but became happy again once her mother gave birth Nathan: is a great supporter to his family. He always supports his son’s choices. When his sons told him that they were leaving the town to find jobs, he had no problem with it. He even tells his wife that everything is going to be okay and they should enjoy the simple things in life. Kenny: is the doctor of the village and a great friend to Ruku. He cures Ruku and even decides to help her daughter as well. He might seem a great person to count on but he is a man that his own family can't count on. He has a wife and children but he decided to dedicate more to his job than his family. Arjun and Thambi: are both men strong believers they should get things they deserve. They wanted a better wage so they went on strike. As it turns out, they lost their jobs and had to look for new ones. Surprisingly, they are very smart men because they can read and write very well than anyone in the village. Murugan: is a minor character in the novel. He is going to become a servant in the city. Kunthi: is a woman who likes to hold grudges against people. He doesn't seem to like Ruku so much due to the fact that she was going to spread rumors about Ruku and Kenny.
Positive The effects of Colonialism are positive because the sons of Ruku were getting jobs. Her sons Arjun and Thambi were working in the tannery where they were getting paid well. They were making their parents proud by being independent. Another good effect of Colonialism was that the people were coming to the India were very skilled and could help the people in India. Kenny is a foreigner who came from New England. He became very helpful to the people of India. He helped Ruku finally give birth to her sons and even decided to help her daughter Ira. Ira couldn't get pregnant and became very depressed after that. Kenny also helped one of Ruku’s sons Murugan. Murugan was going to become a servant in the city. The boys were going to learn how not to always depend on their family for money or food.
Negative The Effects of Colonialism weren’t so negative. The only bad effect of Colonialism is that they split up families. Due to the lose of their jobs, Arjun and Thambi were moving out of the town to find the jobs where they were going to get paid better. Ruku and Nathan knew this was going to be the last time they were going to with their boys. Also since they boys are going to a new place, a lot of horrible of things can happen to them. They can have a worse life over their rather then living with their parents.
Vocabulary
ReplyDeleteListlessly: having or showing little or no interest in anything; languid; spiritless; indifferent
Departed: deceased; dead, gone; past.
Tannery: is a roofed opened gallery or porch
Disperse: to drive or send off in various directions
Exasperation: the state of being exasperated; irritation; extreme annoyance
Historical Context
I think this book is set in the time in which Great Britain has taken over India. When imperialists did things to the Indians such as grease their weapons with animal fats. And most of those animal fats that the Imperialists greased was against the Indians religion.
I think it was set in this time period because in the beginning of chapter 11 Rukami went to go see the "white man, a foreigner" (62) This shows that the "white man" is an imperialist. Because only "white men" where imperialist from Great Britain.
ReplyDeleteChapter 11 Vocabulary
ReplyDeletePrecaution-a measure taken in advance to avert possible evil or to secure good results
Dispersed-to spread widely
Glimmer-a faint or unsteady light
Afflicted-to distress with mental or bodily pain
Sensible-having, using, or showing good sense
Insolently-boldly rude or disrespectful
Brood-a number of young produced or hatched at one time; a family of offspring or young
Inexplicable-incapable of being accounted for or explained
Dreary-causing sadness or gloom
Chapter 12 Vocabulary
Irrigate-to supply (land) with water by artificial means, as by diverting streams, flooding, or spraying
Agile-quick and well-coordinated in movement
Lunacy-insanity; mental disorder
Loincloth- a piece of cloth worn around the loins or hips, especially in tropical regions as the only item of clothing
Trepidation-tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation
Perplexed- bewildered; puzzled
Natalie
ReplyDeleteVocabulary:
precaution-a measure taken in advance to avert possible evil or to secure good results.
moped-a motorized bicycle that has pedals in addition to a low-powered gasoline engine designed for low-speed operation.
tannery- tanning area
dispersed-to spread widely
wits-speech
dreary-dull
First of all I disagree with Michelle's definition of brood and with Natalie's defintion of moped.
ReplyDeleteBrood: Think deeply about something that makes you feel unhappy.
It was used in the following sentence "Sometimes I saw her looking at me with brooding, resentful eyes, and despite myself I could not help wondering if hatred lay behind her glance."(65).
Rukamni believes that her daughter hates her because she is pregnant while Ira cannot bear a child and that her eyes are filled with deep sadness.
Moped:To brood or sulk.
This can be considered as a synonym of the word brood and was used in the following sentence "I was getting more and more worried about her: she moped about"(62).
Ira was really unhappy because she was uncapable of becoming pregnant and as result of that her husband abandoned her.
Chll SUMMARY
ReplyDeleteRuku takes advantage of Nathan not being there to take Ira to see Kenny.She worries that her husband would not like the idea of Kunthi being treated by Kenny. Ruku found Kenny near the tannery where he has been treating patients. He didnt notice her at first and tells her to go away. When he does recognize her, he reaproves Ruku for her lack of nerve in coming to see him. He also smiles when he saw Ruku pregnant.
On her way home, she saw Kunthi all dressed up and wearing makeup.Kunthi hinted that Ruku has been seeing Kenny in a romantic way. Ruku responds by angrily striking at her and by accident, she knocks Kunthi’s down and notices that Kunthi has painted herself like a whore.
Ruku later goes to Ira’s husband and asks him to take her back but he couldnt since he already got married again. Ruku worries that Ira resents her for the baby she carries.
When Ruku gave birth to her baby, she named him kuti, which meant tiny. Ira takes a great interest in the boy and becomes like a second mother to him.
* Ruku still worries about her daughter’s future.
Continuation of Vocabulary:
ReplyDeleteThese are other words that should be defined in chapter 11.
Derision: Contemptuous ridicule or mockery.
Assuagement: Relief
Strumpets: A female prostitue or a sensuous promiscuous woman.
Coiling: Move or twist into such an arrangement or shape
comely: Plesant to look at,attractive.
Wynter W. Pr#2
ReplyDeleteContinuation to Summary:
Rukmani is concerned about Ira's future because she doesn't want her to end up like Old Granny, but she mentions that being alone isn't always a bad thing, and one will get used to the feeling, but life goes on (66). Rukmani still continues to worry about Ira, despite Old Granny's words. "I found myself rebellious,protesting,rejecting, and no longer calm(66)."
Chapter 12 Vocabulary:
ReplyDeleteSow: To scatter over land.
Transplant:To remove a plant from one place, and plant it in another.
Reap:To cut with a sickle.
Paddy:A rice field.
Irrigate:To supply land with water by artifical means.
Terraces:A raised slope with masonry,and turf.
Rupee:A cupronickel coin and monetary unit of India,Nepal.
Loincloths:A piece of cloth worn around the loin or hips.
Enquire:To inquire(to seek information by questioning.)
Lathis:A heavy pole or stick especially used by police.
Jauntily:Easy and lively in manner.
Trepidation:Tremendous fear,alarm, or agitation.
Ravenous:Extremely hungry.
Beget:To procreate(especially of a male partner).
Savagely:Fierce,ferocious,or cruel.
Perplexed:Puzzled.
Bemoan:To express distress or grief .
Flint:A hard stone.
Historical Context for Chapter 12
ReplyDeleteCeylon: During the time period of 1948-1972 what is formerly known as Sri Lanka was called Ceylon when it was under the British control. Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. This island is located in South Asia. The tea production in Ceylon was of high importance in Sri Lanka's economic system.
This is where Rukmani's sons want to work. Arjun and Thambi, her first and second son.
Chapter 12 Summary:
ReplyDeleteRukmani's two sons Arjun and Thambi work at the Tannery. One day when Nathan and Rukmani go and visit the boys at work , when they realize all work has stopped for the day at the Tannery, and both Parents become worried. When Arjun and Thambi return home they tell there mother and father that they asked for a raise, but instead it resulted losing their lunch break. Workers of the.Tannery go on strike, not knowing the consequences at stake . Managers of the Tannery call a meeting to all workers stating that if workers dont come back to work, they will be replaced. Arjun.and Thambi return.to work, where they are still treated unfailry, therefore they quit, worrying Rukmani.Arjun and Thambi find good jobs as servants in Ceylon. Rukmain doesnt feel too good about them being away from their roots, but allows them to go, even though they wont be able to afford the trip back to visit their family anytime soon.Kenny comes and tells Rukmani how her boys are doing in Ceylon.
Historical Context
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Ruku seems to care a lot about her family since she is always worrying about her children and finding ways to meet ends. Caring about your family was very common for the Indian rural life. Families who choose to live the rural life often lived together. Since woman married at such a young age, they were expected to have children at young age as well. If woman couldn't have children they were considered a shame. For example, Ruku’s daughter Ira couldn't have children so her husband left her. Anyways in the Indian culture parents always wanted their first child to be a boy because they symbolize their father’s masculinity. A girl couldn't be born first because she was considered a burden to the due to her dowry. Once a girl was born into the family, the family is expected to render a dowry for their daughter. A dowry is also known as a dower, which means the money, goods, or estate the wife can bring to her husband at marriage. Also the family’s status and wealth and the daughter’s attributes determine the husband she would marry.
During the 20th century, woman of India had to wear traditional Indian clothing called the sari. The sari is a long piece of clothing wrapped and tied around the body. During Chapter 11, Ruku knocked down Kunthi’s sari when they were fighting.
After Ruku finds out her sons were moving out the town to find jobs, she became upset because she wondered how she was going to meet ends. That's when her husband Nathan comes along and tells her that they will have enough to pay the landlord and even have a little to visit her sons. As it turns out, tenant farmers did not own their own land. They rented their lands form landlords who often take a couple of their crops as payments.
While the British were colonizing India they brought a lot of advances to India. For example, the white man in the book built a tannery, which made Indians want to work on machines rather in farms. Ruku’s sons were working in the tannery and often worked far less on the fields with their father. Also while the British were colonizing India during the early 1900’s, most rural Indians were treated differently. They had a lack of education and often remained isolated with the outside life of the fields.
Glossary of Characters
ReplyDeleteRuku: is a caring mother because she is always worrying about her sons. She even went to go see her daughter's husband so her daughter could be taken back. She even went to go see Kenny because her daughter wasn't able to find kids and needed to be cured.
Ira: is now a having trouble to have kids and her husband ended up leaving her. She was often depressed but became happy again once her mother gave birth
Nathan: is a great supporter to his family. He always supports his son’s choices. When his sons told him that they were leaving the town to find jobs, he had no problem with it. He even tells his wife that everything is going to be okay and they should enjoy the simple things in life.
Kenny: is the doctor of the village and a great friend to Ruku. He cures Ruku and even decides to help her daughter as well. He might seem a great person to count on but he is a man that his own family can't count on. He has a wife and children but he decided to dedicate more to his job than his family.
Arjun and Thambi: are both men strong believers they should get things they deserve. They wanted a better wage so they went on strike. As it turns out, they lost their jobs and had to look for new ones. Surprisingly, they are very smart men because they can read and write very well than anyone in the village.
Murugan: is a minor character in the novel. He is going to become a servant in the city.
Kunthi: is a woman who likes to hold grudges against people. He doesn't seem to like Ruku so much due to the fact that she was going to spread rumors about Ruku and Kenny.
The Effects of Colonialism
ReplyDeletePositive
The effects of Colonialism are positive because the sons of Ruku were getting jobs. Her sons Arjun and Thambi were working in the tannery where they were getting paid well. They were making their parents proud by being independent. Another good effect of Colonialism was that the people were coming to the India were very skilled and could help the people in India. Kenny is a foreigner who came from New England. He became very helpful to the people of India. He helped Ruku finally give birth to her sons and even decided to help her daughter Ira. Ira couldn't get pregnant and became very depressed after that. Kenny also helped one of Ruku’s sons Murugan. Murugan was going to become a servant in the city. The boys were going to learn how not to always depend on their family for money or food.
Negative
The Effects of Colonialism weren’t so negative. The only bad effect of Colonialism is that they split up families. Due to the lose of their jobs, Arjun and Thambi were moving out of the town to find the jobs where they were going to get paid better. Ruku and Nathan knew this was going to be the last time they were going to with their boys. Also since they boys are going to a new place, a lot of horrible of things can happen to them. They can have a worse life over their rather then living with their parents.