sleepwalking scene of macbeth

THE RATTRAP

"The Rat Trap" written by Selma Lagerlof is a short story about an old disheartened beggar and thief who is taken in and shown generosity by a young woman, her kindness changes his bitter attitude about life. The peddler is a man who has fallen upon misfortune and now resorts to selling rattraps, begging, and thievery. He is very pessimistic about the world around him and sees the world as merely a "rat trap". He believes that society tempts us with riches and fine things, and when we accept, we are caught in the trap and are left with nothing.
The warmth of compassion extends its rays around the world, engraving mankind with its characteristic. Selma Legerlof supports the theory of compassion in her modern day short story "The Rat Trap" which depicts the powerful and positive impacts of such care. In the story, cynicism grips the protagonist rat trap peddler until the old man and the blacksmith's daughter infect the protagonist with their altruism. Thus, the peddler's inner soul experiences a rapid transformation form an ugly duckling to a dazzling swan.
Legerlof's first scene of compassion is from the old man's hospitality. Despite the fact that he did not know the peddler, the old man still opened his arms and acted charitable by providing food and shelter. This action is not typical in the today's world; a majority of us would turn a blind eye. However, although the old man showed a sign of compassion, it was not appreciated-the protagonist stole from the old man. As the peddler ponders on the road of guilt, he soon receives a second action of care from a little girl.
Compassion is illustrated when the blacksmith's daughter takes pity on the protagonist. Although she knew the fact that he was not Captain von Stahle, whom he claimed to be, the girl said, “I think he ought to stay with us today. I don't want him to go." The girl's compassionate words cracked the foundation of the protagonist's cynical world. Throughout the story, the protagonist only believed in the dismal side of human nature, survival of the fittest, and viewed the world as a battlefield. His whole belief system was shattered when he received the girl's pity and an opportunity to enjoy his first "true" Christmas.
Lagerlof's "The Rat Trap" strongly validates the concept that compassion revolves around humankind. She provides evidence when the old man and the blacksmith's daughter show compassion towards the protagonist. As a result, the girl acted as the North Star, guiding the protagonist out of the trap of cynicism.
Another lesson the mendicant learns throughout the course of the story is to be considerate of others. At the end of the novel, he makes amends with the old man by returning his money and writing Edla a thank you note. He understands what he did to the man was wrong and that was not returning the kindness and trust given to him. He apologized for lying to the girl and her father and leaves her a present, a rat trap and the stolen money (thirty croner bills) of the old man to be returned.

WHAT MEN LIVE BY

A kind and humble shoemaker called Simon goes out one day to purchase sheep-skins in order to sew a winter coat for his wife and himself to share. Usually the little money, which Simon earned would be spent to feed his wife and children. Simon decided that in order to afford the skins he must go on a collection to receive the five roubles and twenty kopeks owed to him by his customers. As he heads out to collect the money he also borrows a three-rouble note from his wife's money box. While going on his collection he only manages to receive twenty kopeks rather than the full amount. Feeling disheartened by this Simon rashly spends the twenty kopeks on vodka and starts to head back home.
On his way home he rants to himself about the little he can do with twenty kopeks besides spend it on alcohol and that the winter cold is bearable without a sheep-skin coat. While approaching a holy shrine, Simon stops and notices something pale looking leaning against it. He peers harder and distinguishes that it is a naked man who appears poor of health. At first he is suspicious and fears that the man has no good intentions if he is left in such a state. He proceeds to pass the man until he feels that for a second the man lifted his head and looked toward him. Simon debates what to do in his mind and feels shameful for his disregard and heads back to help the man.
Simon gives the articles of clothing he can and wraps around the stranger. He aids him as they both walk toward Simon's home. Though they walk together side by side, the stranger barely speaks and when Simon asks how he was left in that situation the only answers the man would give was: "I may not tell" and "God has punished me." Meanwhile Simon's wife Matrena debates whether or not to bake more bread for the night's meal so that there is enough for the following morning's breakfast. She decides that the loaf of bread that they have left would be ample enough to last till the following morning. As she sees Simon approaching the door she is angered to see him with a strange man who is wrapped in Simon's clothing.
Matrena immediately expresses her displeasure with Simon, accusing him and his strange companions to be drunkards and harassing Simon for not returning with the sheep-skin needed to make a new coat. Once the tension settles down she bids that the stranger sits down and has dinner with them. After seeing the stranger take bites at the bread she placed for him on his plate, she began to felt pity and showed so in her face. When the stranger noticed this his grim expression lit up immediately and he smiled for one brief moment. After hearing the story from the stranger how Simon had kindly robed the stranger after seeing him in his naked state Matrena grabbed more of their old clothing and gave it to Simon.
The following morning Simon addresses the stranger and asks his name. The stranger answers that his name is simply Michael. Simon explains to Michael that he can stay in his household as long as he can earn his keep by acting as an assistant for Simon in his shoemaking business. Michael agrees to these terms and for a long period of time remains a very faithful assistant. One day a customer who was a nobleman came in their shop. The nobleman outlined strict conditions for the construction of a pair of thick leather boots will not lose its shapes or become loose at the seams for a year or else he would have Simon arrested. When Simon gave the leather that the nobleman had given them to use to Michael, Michael appears to stare beyond the nobleman's shoulder and smiled for the second time since he had been there.
As Michael sews the leather to construct the boots he does so in a fashion that makes them soft leather slippers rather than thick leather boats. Simon is too late when he notices this and cries to Michael asking why he would do such a foolish thing. Before Michael can answer, a messenger arrives at their door and gives the news that the nobleman has died and if they could change the order to slippers for him to wear on his death bed. Simon is astounded by this and watches as Michael gives the messenger the pre-made leather slippers. Time continues to go by and Simon is very grateful for Michael's faithful assistance. One day another customer comes in who happens to be a woman with two girls, one of which was crippled. The woman requested if she could order a pair of leather shoes for each of the girls but to only three shoes since they both share the same shoe size with the exception of the crippled girl's lame foot. As they are preparing to fill the order Michael stares intently at the girls and Simon wonders why he is doing so. As Simon takes the girls' measurements he asks the woman if they are her own children and how was the girl with the lame foot crippled. The woman explains that she has no relation to them and that the mother on her deathbed accidentally crushed the leg of the crippled girl. She expresses that she could not find it in her heart to leave them in a safehome or orphanage and took them as her own. When Michael heard this he smiled for the third time since he had been there.
After the woman and two children finally left Michael approached Simon and bid him farewell explaining that God has finally forgiven him. As Michael did this he began to be surrounded by a heavenly glow and Simon acknowledged that he was not an ordinary man. Simon asked him why light emits from him and why did he smile only those three times. Michael explained that he is an angel who was given the task to take away a woman's life so she can pass on to the next life. He allowed the woman to live because she begged that she must take care of her children for no one other than their mother could care for them so. When he did this God punished him for his disobedience and commanded that he must find the answers to the following questions in order to be an angel again: What dwells in man?, What is not given to man?, andWhat do men live by? When Michael returned to earth to take the woman's soul, he realized that the woman's lifeless body rolled over and crushed the leg of the now crippled girl. Michael's wings had left him and he no longer was an angel but naked and mortal. When Simon rescued him he knew that he must begin finding the answers to those questions. He learned the answer to the first question when Matrena felt pity for him, thus smiling and realizing what dwells in man is "love". The answer to the second question came to him when he realized that the angel of death was looming over the nobleman, thus smiling and realizing what is not given to man is "to know his own needs." Lastly, he comprehended the answer to the final question when he saw the woman with the two girls from the mother he previously did not take the soul of, thus smiling and realizing that regardless of being strange or relation to each other what men live by is that "love exists in man." When Michael finished he sang praise to God as wings appeared on his back and he raised to return to heaven.

POTRAIT OF A LADY

The story is written in first person and is in biographical mode. It is a perception of Khushwant Singh of his grandmother through his own eyes.
Khushwant Singh recalls his grandmother as an eternally old person. She was an extremely religious person. It was difficult for him to believe that once she too was young and pretty like other women. The stories about her childhood games were like fairytales to him. She was short, fat and slightly stooped in stature. Her silvery white hair used to scatter on her wrinkled face. Khushwant Singh remembers her hobbling around the house in spotless white clothes with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayers. Possibly she was not beautiful in worldly sense but she looked extremely beautiful with the peacefulness, serenity and the contentment her countenance displayed.
Khushwant’s relationship with his grandmother went through several changes when he was a small boy. In the first stage Khushwant lived in a village with her as his parents were looking for the opportunity to settle down in the city. In village grandmother took care of all the needs of the child. She was quite active and agile. She woke him up in the morning, got him ready for the school, plastered his wooden slate, prepared his breakfast and escorted him to the school. They fed street dogs with stale chapattis on their way to school which was a great fun for them. She helped him in his lessons also .It was her domain and she was the queen of her kingdom. In this period she was the sole unchallenged guardian, mentor and creator of the child Khushwant.
The turning point came in their relationship when they came to city to stay with Khushwant’s parents. In city Khushwant joined an English School and started to go to school in a motor bus. Here the role of his grandmother in his bringing up was curtailed a little bit. Now she could not accompany him to the school. Despite taking lot of interest in his studies she could not help him in his lessons because he was learning English, law of gravity, Archimedes’ principle and many more such things which she could not understand and this made her unhappy. She found herself at loss. One more thing which disturbed her a lot was that the kids were not learning about God and scriptures in the school instead they were given music lessons which was not an honorable thing in her opinion. To her music was not meant for gentlefolk. It was meant for beggars and prostitutes only. She highly disapproved this and as she could not change it she was dismayed and withdrew herself to some extent. Perhaps she had realized that in the makeover of the child her role was finished and this very thought saddened her most.
After finishing school Khushwant went to university. He was given a separate room. The common link of their friendship was snapped. His grandmother confined herself to a self imposed seclusion. She spent most of her time in reciting prayers and by sitting beside her spinning wheel. She rarely talked to anyone. The only recreation for her was in the afternoon when she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. A kind hearted person, in village she used to feed street dogs, here in city she focused on birds and they too became very friendly with her. This was the phase when she found herself totally isolated and aloof but she braved this isolation with grace and dignity.
Khushwant’s grandmother was a strong person. Whatever she went through in her heart she always restrained herself from demonstrating her emotions. He recalls that when he went abroad for further studies his grandmother was there to see him off on railway station quite calm busy telling the beads of her rosary and reciting prayers as always. When he came back after five years he found her more and more religious and more and more self contained. She spent still more time in prayers and spinning the wheel. Feeding the birds was her only happy pastime. But just the day before her death for the first time she broke this routine and gave up her prayers. That day she sang the songs of the home coming of the warriors on a withered drum along with the ladies of neighborhood in order to celebrate her grandson’s return from abroad. Next morning she got ill. Although the doctor said it was a mild fever and would go away she could foresee that her end was near. She was upset that she omitted her prayers just before the final departure from the world. She did not want to waste any more time talking to anybody. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling the beads till her lips stopped moving and rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. To mourn her death thousands of sparrows flew in and sat scattered around her body in utter silence. They even ignored the breadcrumbs thrown for them by Khushwant’s mother. They only flew away after the corpse was carried away for last rites.
So this was the charismatic grandmother of Khushwant Singh.

A DEVOTED SON

Introduction to the Story and the Author This story opens up the age old debate of generation gap. As we read It me story we will be in a position to express our understanding of devotion. This sure am Awes us to dwell a little into geriatric (pertaining to old age) psychology that is fast plaint significance in recent times.
'A Devoted Son’ is a short story about how peoples attitudes vary in differed circumstances A proud father of a doctor son with sterling personals undergoes a sea change in his attitude towards the end of his life. The story elicits ideas like who is a devoted son? How devoted can a doctor son be? and the like.
Mrs. Anita Desai is popular writer in English. Some of her famous novels include fire on the Mountain; Cry the Peacock, Voices in the City, Bye Bye Blackbird and several short story collections. 'A Devoted Son' is taken from Games at Prilith and other stories
Synopsis
Rakesh was the son of Varma, a worker in the kerosene dealer's depot. He worked very hard and passed every examination in first division. The family celebrated his success with great revelry and joy. His M.D. thesis was much appreciated though only in medical circles. He went to the U.S.A. to acquire professional skill and expertise in his field. In all these years, what amused everyone is not his achievement alone but his respect and humility to his parents.
Many wondered that he still, paid obeisance to his parents at every occasion. And now contrary to popular expectations he returned to India and married the girl of his mother’s choice. Soon he settled down with a clinic, a car and began his practice as a surgeon became the best and the richest doctor in the town. This can certainly be called the achievement of a lifetime. Added to this is the fact that he touches his parent’s feet as a devoted son.
As years passed by, his mother died. He took great care of his father. He brought his morning tea; read newspaper for him; took him to the garden in the evenings for a breath of fresh air. During summer he helped his father sleep in the open lawn. He made the servants carry the old man's bed to the lawn and he personally helped him down the steps on to the bed. After his return from the clinic, every evening he sat with his father and spent some tune with him.
Then came a time when he had to restrict his father’s diet. As he was ageing, rich and fatty foods like oil, ghee, butter, cheese etc. had to be cut down. Sweets were completely forbidden. The old man could not control his tongue. So, he bribed his young grandchildren to get him jilebis from the market. However this arrangement did not last long. Rakesh caught his son red handed and he got furious with his father. He scolded his father, for not only spoiling his health but also teaching children to lie. Since then there was heavy restriction on the old man's food besides heavy supervision of the same.
Mr. Varma felt insulted by all these activities. He felt it was unbecoming of his son to behave in such a manner. Though from Rakesh’s point of view, he was only doing his duty to his father. And that he does all this for his fathers benefit and not out of discourtesy. But his father was dissatisfied with everything. He shared his grief with his neighbor Bhatia who was also old and adamant. As if adding insult to injury, his daughter-in-law who carried out the instructions of Rakesh regarding the old man's diet, seemed to relish the act of denying something that he liked most. As is bound to happen he fell ill. On one occasions during his second grandchild’s birth day he lied down like a corpse, stretching on ends and became the main focus of attention. The celebrations had to be abandoned. Soon he got up and spat a mouthful of betel juice, dispelling all the anxiety. Since then his stretching like a corpse became a regular feature but not the attention he demanded.
The number of pills and medicines increased. Though Rakesh did them all with affection and care for his old father, Varma was not ready to believe it. His loneliness intensified. A stage came when he had to react sharply to his son's advice. He began to woo death. He made it clear to his son that he had no intention to live. He refused his tonic and said that he did not want to survive on medicines. Despite the fact that Rakesh was indeed a devoted son, Varma refused to recognize it. And he died refusing to recognize it.