English Literature, the Elephant-Slavamir Mirzok

Elephant- Slavamir Mirzok
******************************* By P.Baburaj, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan Author of: Language and writing, DSB Publication Thimphu Communicative English, P. K. Books, Calicut A perception on Literary Criticism, P.K. Books, Calicut *******************************

Simple story but with underlying meaning. Story attacks the communist government that existed in Poland in 1958. Satirizes the communist government. Bring out the follies of the government. In external appearance elephant is beautiful /powerful noble and majestically stand, like the elephant the communist government is also beautiful when seen from outside, with its almost Utopian principles.  Communist claims, their intention is  to provide everyone equally.  good facilities and infrastructure.  and necessary utilities for development. But deeper within the politician they themselves are corrupted and lead to the destruction of state. Road / Bridges / Dams / Public infrastructure are being built faster but with substandard materials, which is similar to the balloon elephant breaks easily. The director like burrocrates considers their jobs merely as a stepping stones to their own success. These kinds of soul-less officials make life impossible for common men with their fake ideals and deception. Director of the zoo is careless about the educational importance of his zoo. Making a replica of an elephant. Fake elephant is “particularly sluggish Students visit the zoo understand thevalidity of their education and neglect their studies, they turned “hooligan”. Breaking windows / drinking liquor and never believed in “Elephants” Deception and repercussion emerges as the central theme of the story especially the conflict of the state V/s its people. SATIRE

devices that ridicules / criticizes human follies, institution, government , philosophies, social system- often by depicting it in a humorous sarcastic or scornful way. The purpose of satire is often to teach a lesson or encourage change. ALLEGORY a literary device. An allegory is a simple story, such as a fable or parable, whose major purpose is to teach a moral lesson. An allegory can always be read on two levels- one literal, the other symbolic, the underlying meaning can be parallel to but different from, the surface meaning. So we see that story in surface level humorous but in deeper level, it brings the readers the lesson how the corrupted officials try their level best to cheat the innocent people through their false promises and their fake manifesto.The rubber elephant is symbolic of manifesto of communist which is impractical and utopian. The story is an attack on the wrong doings of the corrupted politicians, government and political institution. Satirical political allegory. Humorous in tone. Narrator is author himself. Third person omniscient point of view. Used modern / contemporary language. Theme ; Deception and its repercussion Setting: A zoo in a small provincial town in Poland. Conflicts: Internal – the director V/s his selfish interest.

External – (1) the director V/s other employees in the zoo. (2) Most important one is the state V/s its people. Literal meaningsymbolic Giraffe no long neck, badger noburrow- all the communist policies,appear real but deceptive in reality. The school children - the common innocent people of the nation who are foolishly led by the authority. By P.Baburaj, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan

The elephant

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communist manifesto / policies

of the government or strategy of the communist govt. of Polandor in general. The flying elephant The soulless officials Artificial /false /fake and deceiving corrupted officials who do not

think intentionally and perform everything for their personal benefit. The carcass Manifesto which appears very

much encouraging but empty and worthless. The two keepers corrupted/in efficient and incapable Officials

who supports their superiors in every walks of their job. The keepers filling the elephant with gas- going for easy means and ways wanted to set everything without work and real effort. The punctured elephant of the communist governments. The students neglecting their studies andturned to be hooligan -common People indulgein violence andanarchy andtotally live in hopelessness. Literal level story talks about how a small Polish zoo attempts to cut costs by making a fake elephant and its consequences. So story is very simple. But in deeper level it is a powerful satirical allegory focuses the communist government not only in Poland but across the world. So it tries to shatter the institution of communism itself.Story again in simple level establishes the simple fact that education institutions shouldn’t be profit oriented one, and it should not be run on the basis of a business establishmentBy P.Baburaj, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan - failure of communist manifesto, collapse

Heads of the educational establishments should not forget the vision of teaching and learning purposes. It seems institutions are involved with corrupted people the optimum aim of such institutions will be defeated as the students are not believed in their teachers and lesson and turned to be hooligan and participate in anti- social elements. This story is a one sided attack on communism and it is packed with partial facts so it seems that SlawomirMrozek is an anti- communist, slavish boot licker of capitalism, like all forms of government communism also have it’s strength and weakness. This story provides wrong information to students about communism- who are really in infancy about most of the modern philosophies and concepts. By P.Baburaj, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan

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