ASSIGNMENT

PAPER: 2

INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH - PRE-INDEPENDENCE:

TOPIC   :   “The Story of My Experiments with Truth.”

NAME     :   BHALIYA UMA H.

ROLL NO :  02

SEM -1: M.A. PART-1

BATCH:  2010-2011

                                                                                         

SUBMITTED TO:  Mr. Devarshi Mehta.

Department of English, Bhavnagar University.

v     The  Story Of My Experiments

With Truth.

Ans:          AUTOBIOGRAPHY

-M.K.GANDHI.

                       

                 Autobiography is also a form of literature. It is an art. The narrator knows what to put and what not to put. He takes care of reader’s interest. Merely fact is not important but its impression on his self and its motive to tell become chief object. The writer should keep in mind his openness… and boldness to reveal the self. Gloyfying one’s own personality shouldn’t be the purpose but shaping of the personality certainly would make a good work. In this light Gandhi’s autobiography should be seen.

Gandhi’s Life-Reflection:-

“The Story of My Experiments with Truth”. Is The Story of Gandhi’s Life-Reflection. It Describes His Birth , Parents , Childhood , His Growth , Education , Marriage , Settlement , Going Abroad , Coming back To India, And Inxolvement Into Various Political Movements, But The Book Does Not Stress On These Aspects Only. Gandhi Recollects Well. From His Father and Forefather. The Strong Begins. We Get Small Picture Of The Family Members Including Parents, Wife, Children, Relative And Some Of His Friends. We Are Told His Liking And Disliking Love, Faults And Struggles, Pains Etc. Which Put Him Into Certain Given Situation. It Is A Remarkable Thing That Like A Common Human Being His Life Begins And Plenty Of Experiences Show Him Feeling And Behaving Like Us.

Mohan To Mahatma    :-

The Work Is Nothing But Showing A Process Of Transformation Of A Common Man “MOHAN” To A Great Human Being “MAHATMA”. He – Mohandas Was Born To A Common Kathiawar Bania Family. He Passed His Childhood In Porabandar In Gujarat. He Was A Dull Student And Remained Shy Boy But Some Of The Values Were There, which Were Truth And Openness. The Home Made Some Influences Of Being Obedient, Religious.  As It Was Custom He Was Married Early And Passed S.S.C.-Known At That Time Mastriculation. To Study Law He Went To England. He Had Neither Zeal Nor Interest In It. The Net Result Of It Was That When He Passed The Degree HE Had No Knowledge. He Had No Courage Nor Ability To Adopt The  Profession For Livelihood. During The Settlement In Life, Often His Soul Remained In Physical Pleasures. Eating, Good Clothes  Attracted Too. Influence Of Western World Is Cleariy Seen. Like A Common Husband He Many Times Treated The Wife And Children. In Short A Man Named Mohan Was No Different Than Others, In Action And Reaction And In Feelings And Thinking.  

                        But the story begins then. This Mohan began to realize the world. He thought of his practice as a lawyer and responsibility to maintain home. This was the beginning. He began to read intensively and extensively. He begun to have experiences inspirations and guidelines and acquainting with known personalities. This slowly increased confidence. He realized his capacity. Knowledge increased as well. Efforts of self-realisation changed him. The truth of life began to dawn on him. He made the religion of service his own as he felt that god could be realized only through service. He understood the importance of “brahmacharya”. The carnal desire was going slowly. He showed faith in god. He found it not as a process of hard  penance, but a matter of consolation and joy. Service to humanity was another mean. Which he found out. Work is worship was now blended with love to, humanity. This is known as “satyagraha”. The whole African life shows the practice of it. “Unto this last” a book of English writer Ruskin became the foundation. In India, this practice was carried on till the last. Leadership was now established with his weapon of “ahimsa”.  Service, love, satyagraha, brahmacharya mingled into “ahimsa”, “through it he began to win unknown territories. Weather India or Africa his beliefs worked and brought success. Hindu, Muslim unity, spirituality, food and dieting practices, medical beliefs, economic opinions, village and poor reformation become his passions. Success in all this brought him glory. Through ups and downs, pain and pleasure. In private and public his continuous efforts changed not his self completely but the people, societies and countries. This, is change in Mohan that made him “mahatma”, a colossal work is difficult to measure through common manly tools. A man like us becomes an angel.

MOHANDAS: THE HERO? OR THE TRUTH?   :-

Mohandas Gandhi is the hero of the book “the story of my experiments with truth”. The book narrates his self. As we have noticed “Mohan” becomes “mahatma”. This isn’t a small task. The process is lifelong and hard. Achieved through labour, patience, truth and knowledge and so many other qualities. We come to know him as a simple man. But at the end there’s no Mohan. If there is Mohan, he is that Mohan-who is lord Krishna himself. The autobiography shows his many attitudes and practice out of which he emerges as the hero. But it is not important. If any thing is there, it is truth. So rather than considering him as the hero we should consider truth as the the hero.

                                        Gandhi gave priority to truth. In the preface he wrote. “But for me, truth is the sovereign principle, which includes numerous other principle. This truth is not only truthfulness in word, but truthfulness in thought also,…. The  absolute truth, the eternal principle, that is god”. He also wrote:

“let hundreds like me perish but let truth prevail, let us not reduce the standard of truth  even by a hair’s breadth for judging erring mortals like myself”.

                                 Thus it is clear he is not the hero but truth is. The story is related to truth. Are experiments with truth. In pain too he sticks to this principles, Socrates said “knows thyself”. Gandhi did the same.

                      various experiments    :-

                           Gandhi continued to find out truth. He tried all the means possible. Experiments with water, earth and food and dietics are notable. Treating his son, in the fear of losing him, he insisted on water treatment. Finally it serves the purpose. Faith in god was put to test but it was restored. His earth treatments too are remarkable – while living in England, for food, his experiments are many and does everything. He also explains others to follow. He goes that extent of donating a handsome account to open vegetarian restaurant. Regarding milk he was doubtful. First of all the doesn’t favour it but his experiment later on changes. He confesses his mistakes and favours it. He feels one time for havings  taken goat’s milk during the vow.                              

                                To understand the life much more he begins to decrease dieting. Then it comes to the matter of furniture. Household things and other needs are reduced. Living in a small village and getting only that amount of living show his firm belief in his deeds.

                                        Regarding carnal desire, he tries to control himself. He believes that for one’s desire the wife shouldn’t be counted a toy. The desire must perish from within. After much trials he is able to win it.

                                Experiments in non-violence, brahmacharya, meager living, yoga and spirituality, are various and they become natural to him. He is so much absorbed that he even forgets himself. His forwarding clearly says “my purpose being to give an account of various practical application’s of these. Principals …… I propose to write the title of “the story of my experiment with truth”.

MULTIPLE PERSONALITY    :-

                                  Gandhi was known as “Nakel fakir”- fakir is the word which suggests his humble personality. His physique was not attractive or handsome but his mental, spiritual strength. And deeds made him a “mahatma. He was a friend of downtrodden and remained bold, simple, frank, sincere and a follower of non-violence and truth. Morality was his base-stone, which he acquired during his childhood years. The great Indian epics and other books changed him. This gave him     “Ahimsa” and “truth”. Honesty, simplicity remained guiding principals.

                                Various facets of his personality could be seen in different fields of education, economics, philosophy and in reforming the public life. As a writer too, his contribution is notable. All combined together make him a man of high morals and integrated character. In all this his humility, politeness, love, he is found a noble, humble man.

                       STRUGGLE & SUCCESS     :-

                                  The autobiography shows us Gandhi’s internal and external struggle. With the life and in finding truth. Since his childhood he was tasted now and then. Often we saw him plunged in despair but it wouldn’t last long. His caste opposed him while he decided to go to abroad. His wife resisted learning. The family is unable to adopt his ways. Lust pervaded him. European influence changed him. His experiment of water, earth and dietics really tested him. Much when he starts  living meager life, problems are in the family. These are family problems but in public life too he suffered. The most painful is about train journey in Africa, which gave him power to resist the rule.

Africans, natives, English people caused him plenty of troubles. In India. Too, including Indians many pained him. Yet this was strong, iron man bore everything, defied the results, resisted with dignity and came out victoriously. A common might have forsaken everything and might have led peaceful happy life but this man never. Thought of them except peace and happiness of others.

                        Thus, the strong is about experiment. They are related truth. Personal and public life is involved in it. He is changed and he is the cause of change. The work is a true reflection of the same.