Category Great Personalities

What is Charles Dickens famous for?

Discover the spellbinding world of Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolvers award-winning novel that echoes Dickens’ timeless themes of poverty, survival, and the transformative power of storytelling.

 

About the author

parban Kingsolver o an American writer and political activist renowned for her powerful novels that delve into the resilience of individuals navigating challenging environments and finding beauty amidst hunh drcumstances in 2000, she founded the Bellwether Prize, a literary award aimed at proinoting works that drive social change. Having grown up in rural Kentucky US, and briefly livest in Africa during her early childhood, Kingsolver draws inspiration from diverse backgrounds

Becoming a writer

Her writing journey began in the mid-1980s when she worked as a science writer for a university, eventually transitioning into freelance feature writing It was a timing point when she won a local Phoenix newspapers short stong contest, leading her to pursue a full-time career in fiction writing.

Throughout her career. Kingsolver has produced influential works that have captivated readers worldwide. Some of her notable novels include The Bean Trees (1988) The Poisonwood Bible (1998). The Laqura (2009), and Demon Copperhead (2022) Vintage engraving of a scene from the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield llustration by Fred Bamard GETTY IMAGES

Making history

Kingsolver recentlig auded more feathers to her literary cap with Do prestigious awards celebrating her novel Demon Copperhead Notably she became the first author to win the Women’s Prize for Fiction bvice having previously receives the honour in 2010 for her autaimest work. The Lacuna. This modem reimagining of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield is set in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, where the protagonist. a lroy bom in a trailer park embarks on a journey filled with foster care, labour exploitation, addiction, love. and heartache. Speaking about the book, she shared that much Like Dickens, the crafted her novel to shed light on the hardships of poverty and its impact on children, issues that have plagued our society for centures The Women’s Prize for Fiction recognises outstanding. ambitious original fiction” written in English by female writers from around the world. Continuing her winning streak, Kingsolvers modem reimagining of English author Charles Dickens’s classic won the fiction category of the James Tait Black Prize this year. This illustrious literary award. established in 1919 and presented by the University of Edinburgh, holds the distinction of being one of the UK’s longest-running and most esteemed accolades. What sets this prize apart is its unique judging panel, consisting of literature scholars and students. ensuring a deep appreciation for the art of writing.

When inspiration strikes

During an interview Kingsolver shared the story behind the inception of her Latest novel She recounted a moment four years ago when she had just finished a book tour in the UK for her previous work Unsheltered and had a few days before her return flight home Seizing the opportunity, she and her husband decided to stay at Bleak House, a clifftop retreat perched above Viking Bay in Broadstairs, the very place where Charles Dickens had penned David Copperfield As fate would have it, they arrived during a hailstormy weekend in November, and the location was deserted. As she wandered through the rooms, curiosity led her to explore Dickens’s desk and gaze out over the saune magnificent coastline he once beheld in this atmospheric setting the spint of the great author seemed to reach out to her She recousted “Anil tvars when he said. Look to the child. Let the child tell the Inspired by this serendipitous encounter, the author entbarked on her literary journey, giving life to the novel Demon Copperhead Demon Copperhead Set in the mountains of southern Appaladin, Demon Copperhead follows the gripping story of a boy bom to a struggling teenage single mother facing the harsh realities of foster care, child labour, and heartbreak Written in the protagonists raw and unyielding voice. the novel addresses the invisibility of rural communities in a world fixated on urban glamour. Drawing inspiration from Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield Kingsolver weaves a tale of anger, compassion, and the transformative power of storytelling The journey of this titular character gives voice to a new generation of lost souls born into beautiful yet challenging places they can not fathom leaving behind.

David Copperfield

David Copperficial was first palaketa serial from 1840 to 1850 and later compiled its
it holds the distinction of bring English author Charles Dickens’s favourite anong his works
The novel u nimated in the first person by the protagonist, a Copperfield reflecting on his lifes journey Bons in Blunderstone Suffolk LIK, shortly after his fathers death Davul is raised by his mather and the caring housekeeper, Clara Peggotty. The story takes readers through David’s difficult upbringing under the cruel Mr Edward Mundstone (his stepfather) and his eventual adventures and self-discovery on the path to becoming a successful novelist. It is a poignant coming-of-age tale depicting a young man’s transformation from a challenging childhood to finding his purpose in life.

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When Abdul Kalam failed?

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam would rarely finish a speech without a quote about failure. “F.A.I.L. stands for the First Attempt In Learning,” he would recite to cheering crowds of students. He has talked about dealing with failure in multiple interviews, with personal anecdotes. He attributed his learning in this regard to his one-time boss and the Indian space legend, Satish Dhawan.

In an interview given in 2008, he narrates an experience from the 1970s. Dr. Kalam took over as the mission director for launching the Rohini series satellites in 1973. After working for six long years, the team – comprising hundreds of technical staff – prepared for the launch in 1979 at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

As the countdown rolled down, the system sent an alert about an impending component failure in the rocket system. “After consulting with my experts, I decided to bypass the system and proceed with a manual launch,” Dr. Kalam said in the 2008 interview. The launch failed.

“So many people had worked hard for years and instead of putting the satellite in orbit, the rocket went into the Bay of Bengal.” Dr. Kalam panicked about breaking this news to his superiors and the media. “National and international media were waiting eagerly at the launch base to hear updates from us. They wanted to know if we had succeeded,” he recalled in the interview.

“And then the great man came to me- Prof. Satish Dhawan, who was then the chairman of ISRO. He took me with him to the press conference. I was tired… our intense work over the past several months had failed. I knew how to handle success but I did not know how to handle failure,” he admits in the interview. The events that happened subsequently would leave a mark on Dr. Kalam for the rest of his life.

“I was really afraid of being blamed for the failure of the mission. After all, I was the mission director. But at the press conference, Prof. Dhawan took the blame on himself. He told the media, “Dear friends, we have failed today. But we will soon return with success.” He assured the media that within a year, the mission would be completed.” The team kept his word. The subsequent launch on July 18, 1980 was successful. The nation was jubilant, celebrating ISRO’s achievement. “But this time, Prof. Dhawan refused to accompany me to the press conference. He told me to handle it,” said Dr. Kalam. “That was the mark of a true leader. When we failed, he came to our rescue and supported us. He took the blame for failure. But when we succeeded, he shared the credit with the team.” The experience helped Dr. Kalam to face failures in future.

 

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Who was Olga Owens Huckins?

A journalist and nature lover, Olga Owens Huckins wrote two letters – one of which was published in ‘The Boston Herald’ on January 29, 1958 – in quick succession expressing her dismay regarding the usage of DDT as a pesticide. One of these letters prompted American marine biologist, writer, and conservationist Rachel Carson to write Silent Spring, now considered a classic in the environmental sciences.

There is no doubting the fact that we, human beings, have been responsible for more’ environmental degradation than any other living species. As we continue our search for longer lifespans and more comfortable living, we seem to be indiscriminately damaging the world around us.b

Despite the knowledge we possess and the awareness of the damage we are causing, there seems to be little collective will to lead to resolute actions on a consistent basis. That said, there have been a number of individuals through the course of history who’ve made change possible with their doggedness. Olga Owens Huckins and Rachel Carson were two such American women.

Birds drop dead

A journalist and nature lover, Huckins and her husband had created a little bird sanctuary on their property. When the Massachusetts’ programme to control mosquitoes sprayed dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT, in their area, Huckins noticed birds and insects too dropping dead in her garden.

As there was little she could do herself about it, Huckins conveyed her anger through a letter that she sent to ‘The Boston Herald.’ This letter, titled ‘Evidence of Havoc by DDT’, was published in the newspaper on January 29, 1958.

Seeking to reach out to people in power at Washington who might be able to stop the aerial spraying, Huckins shot off another powerful letter to her old friend Carson. A marine biologist, writer, and conservationist, Carson had spent much of her life studying, observing, and writing about nature. Having already heard about DDT since it was developed in the 1940s as the first of the modern synthetic insecticides, Carson decided to delve deeper into the subject.

Not a miracle substance

DDT was perceived as a miracle substance that could work wonders. It was used with great effect to combat insect-borne diseases such as malaria in many populations. It was sought after by farmers as they saw it as a boon in their fight against pests to save crops.

The more she read about DDT and other insecticides, however, the more convinced she was that the ongoing indiscriminate spraying was untenable. Unable to gain the interest of any magazine to write on the subject with what were then seen as controversial views, Carson decided to go ahead with a book with the wealth of research she possessed. “Knowing what I do, there would be no future peace for me if I kept silent,” she said, and decided on the title for her book – Silent Spring.

In her book, which took her four years to complete and was first published in June 1962, Carson spoke about how DDT enters the food chain and gets accumulated in the fatty tissues of animals, including humans, causing cancer and even genetic damage. The success of the book meant that for the first time there was public concern surrounding the improper use of pesticides and the need for better controls around their usage.

Faces personal attack

Just as she had anticipated, there was a barrage of questions that followed, as she was targeted by the chemical industry and by some in the government, with many even attacking her personally. Her meticulous preparation and copious notes put her in good stead, and when she testified before Congress in 1963, she called for new governing policies that protected the health of both humans and the environment.

Even though Carson didn’t live to see it (she died in 1964), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the usage of DDT in 1972, based on its adverse environmental impact and potential risk to humans. Even though the dangers of its usage are by now well-established, DDT is still used in some countries, including India, to control mosquitoes that spread malaria. India, in fact, is one of the last countries that still manufactures DDT.

Carson once said that “The aim of science is to discover and illuminate truth.” Carson and Huckins definitely did that and also took it to the masses. If there is a lasting legacy of ‘Silent Spring’, it would be the fact that the vulnerability of nature to human intervention was laid bare. And yet, 60 years on, there are many out there who continue to disagree.

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Who is an influencer?

Influencers are those who regularly post their views on social media for their target audiences. Influencers are bloggers and users of social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) who regularly post their views and have a large number of followers with whom they have established a relationship of trust. So if they recommend a particular product, their followers may purchase it or at least explore it. As a result, many advertisers and marketing professionals take their help to increase the sales of a product. This kind of marketing, in which the advertisers focus on a few influencers for the promotion of a brand, rather than a large group of consumers as a whole, is called influencer marketing’.

Many influencers today make a living sharing products on their social media handles. They are divided into four main types – mega, macro, micro and nano influencers (in descending order in terms of their followers.) Mega influencers are celebrities. Macro influencers may be everyday bloggers or vloggers (video loggers) whose content is very relatable to their target audiences.

Micro influencers are topic experts or topic fans such as fitness experts and gourmets. Nano influencers are ordinary digital citizens with less than 1000 followers. They have a strong influence on their followers, most of whom they know personally.

If a company wants more people to have a real connection with its brand as opposed to more people knowing about it, it will probably hire a nano influencer. After all, people are more likely to purchase a product on the recommendation of a discerning friend than some celebrity.

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Is a microbe named after Dr. Kalam?

You may be tempted to call this microbe an extra-terrestrial being as it has been found only on the International Space Station (ISS)!

Scientists at NASA have named this bacteria after Dr. Kalam.

Researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the foremost lab of NASA, found it in the ISS filters and named it Solibacillus kalamii in honour of Dr. Kalam.

The filter on which the new bug was found remained onboard the ISS for 40 months. This filter, called as HEPA filter, is highly efficient and removes particles which are very minute from the surroundings. HEPA is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance.  Arrestance measures the ability of the filter to remove dust.

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WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA OF ‘FREEDOM OR DEATH’ SPEECH?

Emmeline Pankhurst was an English political activist and a leading figure in the suffrage movement in Great Britain. Her tireless campaigning in the face of police brutality and failing personal health made her an icon of British politics. Let us look at one of her most influential public addresses titled, “Freedom or Death”

On November 13, 1913, British activist Emmeline Pankhurst gave one of the most influential speeches of the suffragette movement titled, Freedom or Death” at a meeting of the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association in Hartford, Connecticut. U.S.

On this day, the founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) took the stage to argue that women’s liberation could only be achieved by civil war.

Sign of the times

One of the greatest political changes of the 20th Century was obtaining the vote for women; but behind this accomplishment lay decades of refusals by successive governments.

The long-standing campaign for women’s suffrage began in 1865 but when years of peaceful protest and innumerable petitions failed to translate into political change, women took to the streets to rally for their right to vote. It was during this time that Emmeline Pankhurst. along with her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, came up with a public campaign of engagement and spectacle to gain media attention change public opinion, and influence the Parliament through (their motto) deeds and not words.

Freedom or Death

In her 1913 speech, Pankhurst addressed herself as a soldier on leave from the battle, since she was temporarily relieved from her prison sentence on account of what was popularly called the “cat and mouse act”

But her failing health could not derail her from utilising this occasion to speak on the need to fight against the injustices perpetrated on women by society. At the time working women she explained, were earning a meagre amount of two dollars a week: wives had no right on their husband’s property and no legal say in the upbringing of their children. Girls were seen as marriageable at the age of 12 and divorce was considered to be an act against God: violence and assault on women rarely received any significant penalty, and above all, there was no legal framework that represented their gender in the constitutional setup. In this political environment, the right to vote, she insisted, was the first step towards getting political equality and attaining full citizenship.

The path to militancy Justifying the rise of the self-proclaimed militant suffragettes, she proclaimed “you cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs” The double standard of the society that reveres men as the harbinger of change and women as creatures to be domesticated has forced us down this road. The history of politics is a testament to the fact that one has to be more noisy” and disruptive to gain the media’s attention and see their grievances addressed.

Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913

This 1913 law, also known as the cat and mouse act, was especially passed to suppress the women’s movement and allowed for the early release of prisoners who were so weakened by partaking in hunger strikes that they were on the verge of dying. Addressing this legislative move by the Government, she said “There are women lying at death’s door… who have not given in and won’t give in… they are being carried from their sick beds on stretchers into meetings. They are too weak to speak, but they go amongst their fellow workers just to show that their spirits are unquenched and that their spirit is alive, and they mean to go on as long as life lasts…either women are to be killed or women are to have the vote.” (excerpt from Freedom or Death)

World War-l

Less than a year after this speech World War I broke out. The government released all imprisoned suffragists to join the workforce and support the war effort. It was only after the Representation of the People Act was passed in 1918 that property-owning British women over 30 were granted the right to vote.

Key takeaways from the speech

  1. One must never hesitate to fight for social good.
  2.  Women’s rights are human rights.
  3.  Equality is the soul of liberty.
  4. It takes courage to challenge the familiar and resilience to succeed.
  5.  Actions hold more meaning than words.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The colour scheme for the Suffragette movement was purple, white and green which stood for dignity purity and fertility.
  • Pank-a-Squith was a pro women’s suffrage board game created by WSPU in the early 1900s. The game’s goal was to avoid all the pitfalls of suffragette life and get the right to vote.
  • The Museum of London holds the diary entries, letters and sketchbooks written on toilet paper, passed between imprisoned suffragettes and eventually smuggled out of the prison building.

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