studies in the park Flashcards
Theme: Family and societal pressures
“ ‘suno, suno listen. Your milk— your studies — your exams, Suno!’ “
- as a male, it is important for Suno to do well in society for his family
- family puts severe and incessant pressure, reminding him he has to do well and focus on his exams to excel.
- family aware of need for Suno to do well in exams, made sacrifices like his uncle moving out so Suno can have his own room
- repetition is used to demonstrate the amount of stress he faces at home as his family constantly harass and pester him
Theme: Life versus death
the women was “Too pale, too white — i could see she was dying”. she was “lay(ing) in the lap of a very old man.”
This alters Suno’s perception of himself and his life. In the presence of a dying woman, he learns the value of life. He realises he has been isolating himself for the sake of the exam. it’s ironic that the woman is dying yet she makes him realise that there is still life and time and opportunity to embrace what it means to be alive. The scene is completely silent till she laughs. This silence adds to an atmosphere of importance and sacredness
Theme: Change (metamorphosis)
“but now i was changed, i had stopped being a student— i was a ‘professional’
- no longer finds sounds from the park annoying and irritating
- immerses himself in his surroundings
- finds himself engaging with others in the park
- readers see a change in internal state of mind because he is no longer angry or frustrated
- not as alienated from other around him, finds joy and harmony in the company of others
- the people on the bench made him realise how misguided he was in refusing to connect with others
- mood is lighter , happier
Literary device: first person narration
“how do you expect me to study— in this madhouse?”
-trying to define himself
-expresses his own irritation
- attempting to escape the stress and pressure his family forces on him
- search for meaning in life
Literary device: repetition
“suno” “Suno”
“study” “study”
emphasises the unending pressure he faces and frustrations with parents’ nagging to study, focus to excel to do well for the family
literary device: similes
“like parasites…. sucking us dry”
books are like parasites which leave him drained, lifeless because of the amount of energy and effort the books require from him
“like a railway engine, it went charging over me, grinding me down, left me dead and mangled on the tracks.”
disturbing violent imagery, emphasises suno’s utter despair and metaphorical death from studying/ pressure he faces
symbolism of park
- the park acts as a microcosm of society, it offers Suno both a refuge from stress of studies and home life and also a place of rest and focus.
- Here, he is the “prince in his palace garden” , a place where he can be free from societal expectations.
- he falls into its “routine, it’s rythmn” as if he owned it. it’s finally a place that gives him the epiphany moment, when he realised that there’s more to life than studying.
- he realised the purpose of life is meant to be searched for.
