Modern Plus Popular Mass – Media : Television, Cinema and New Media

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Modern Plus Popular Mass – Media :

Television, Cinema and New Media

Name :  Pipavat Gopi

Course No. 15 :  Mass Communication and Media Studies: An Introduction

Topic :  Modern Plus Popular Mass – Media :

Television, Cinema and New Media

M.A. English Semester – 4

Batch: 2015 - 2017

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction  :-

The mass media is a diversified collection of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets.

Broadcast media transmit information electronically, via such media as film, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises both Internet and mobile mass communication. Internet media comprise such services as email, social media sites, websites, and Internet-based radio and television. Many other mass media outlets have an additional presence on the web, by such means as linking to or running TV ads online, or distributing QR Codes in outdoor or print media to direct mobile users to a website. In this way, they can utilise the easy accessibility and outreach capabilities the Internet affords, as thereby easily broadcast information throughout many different regions of the world simultaneously and cost-efficiently. Outdoor media transmit information via such media as AR advertising; billboards; blimps; flying billboards (signs in tow of airplanes); placards or kiosks placed inside and outside of buses, commercial buildings, shops, sports stadiums, subway cars, or trains; signs; or skywriting^] Print media transmit information via physical objects, such as books, comics, magazines, newspapers, or pamphlets Event organizing and public speaking can also be considered forms of mass media.

The organizations that control these technologies, such as movie studios, publishing companies, and radio and television stations, are also known as the mass media.

Five characteristics of mass communication have been identified by sociologist John Thompson of Cambridge University

1. Comprises both technical and institutional methods of production and distribution" - This is evident throughout the history of mass media, from print to the Internet, each suitable for commercial utility
2. Involves the "commodification of symbolic forms" - as the production of materials relies on its ability to manufacture and sell large quantities of the work; jas radio stations rely on their time sold to advertisements, so too newspapers rely on their space for the same reasons
3. "[S]eparate contexts between the production and reception of information"
4. Its "reach to those 'far removed' in time and space, in comparison to the producers"
5. "[I]nformation distribution" - a "one to many" form of communication, whereby products are mass-produced and disseminated to a great quantity of audiences

Ø Types of Mass Media :

The mass media has evolved significantly over time. Have you ever wondered how the latest news and information was communicated in the past? Well, before there was the Internet, television, or the radio, there was the newspaper. The newspaper was the original platform for mass media. For a long period of time, the public relied on writers and journalists for the local newspapers to provide them with the latest news in current events.

Centuries later, in the 1890s, came the invention of the radio. The radio would soon supersede the newspaper as the most pertinent source for mass media. Families would gather around the radio and listen to their favorite radio station programs to hear the latest news regarding politics, social issues, and entertainment.

Later on down the line came the invention of the television. The television would soon replace the radio for the most effective platform to reach the general public. Today, the Internet is the most relevant form of mass media and has become a major tool for news outlets. Since the evolution of the Internet, the general public is now able to access those same news outlets in an instant with just a click of a mouse, instead of having to wait for scheduled programs.

1.          Broadcast

2.          Film

3.   Video games

4.   Audio recording and reproduction

5.   Internet

6.   Blogs (web logs)

7.   RSS feeds

8.   Podcast

9.   Mobile

10. Print media

11.  Magazine

12. Newspaper

13. Outdoor media

Modern communication technology has made people closer in the world and in this technologies Television, cinema and New Media take or stand first in importance as well as in influence. All these media can reach a number of people at a time. It means they are so powerful and fast than they seem. Television is the parent of changes in society, as people are diverted towards it rather than other sources of entertainment. It makes people visit the whole world in a day, what an influential controlling media it is!

When it came into existence in India, became a great concern to parents and teachers because children were diverged by the use of it. Television is given so much importance and time, that it has become a member of family.

Now, parents also accept that they also spend lots of time with it and that is why they cannot control their children to watch it. The present condition is set in a way that the simpler man may not have refrigerator, washing machine, vacuum cleaner or other high class facilities but a set of television in his house. Some of the families are having more than one or two TV sets at home.

So that they can watch their favorite programs any time they like to. Now there are also various programs recording system is provided so that one can watch programs whenever one likes. The idea of two or more TV sets at home and the changing pattern of society is alarming the decay of family relationship. Initially, the whole family used to watch television programs together but in recent time no one is ready to make those days alive, as the programs and messages re changing quickly.

Television (T.V.) :

First, television came with only one channel which was Doordarshan but now there is a range of channels and some of them are specialized for particular programs. For example; Star plus is for Saas-Bahu programs, Sony Max, Star Gold, Zee Cinema etc. are for movies, 9XM, [V] Channel, MTV, etc. are for songs, Star Cricket, ESPN, Ten sport, are for sports, India TV, Aaj Tak, Times Now etc. are for news programs.

So, TV channels offer self-service, whatever viewer wants to eat, can have in his dish. At the same time television also provides positive aspects like union ship of family.

For example on Sub TV, there are lots of funny programs like Tarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashma, Lapata Ganj Shard Joshi ki Kahanion ka Pata, R.S. Laxmanki Duniya, in short, all programs on sub TV Channel are comfortable with the whole family to watch. They can watch them together as they are free of violence and obscenity but comedy. Each coin has two sides, similarly TV shows are also having violence and obscenity like Big Boss, a reality show which makes the members of family uncomfortable while they watch such shows together.

There is one more example of a TV serial named CID (Crime Investigation Department), that was came into Gujarat Samachar news Paper saying that one boy kidnapped another one and demanded for the money to his father, and they got the idea from this CID, so, children also learn some unwanted things from television serials which causes moral anarchy in society.

Once on Discovery channel there was one survey which was carried out by some health experts that television shows make children lazy and they become victim of obesity.

The children are now not that much healthy and active, thus, one can say that television also affects their health. Advertisements are also a major part of it from which children learn violence, vulgar and cheap jokes and sometimes Tappori language too. It is also recommended that some of the ads should not be telecast on television, but it cannot be taken into consideration, as it has become a public source for public, of public and by public.

This is how television plays its role in society. It also makchildren or youth far from indoor and outdoor games. They prefer watching television shows than playing healthy games.

Ø Cinema

Cinema has become bread and butter (basic need) of people, as they can survive without food for a long time but cannot without cinema or television at least for a while. It has vastly influenced the generation of children, youth, and adults even aged people. Their lives are changing faster than the color of chameleon and this is all because of cinema.

The moral values and social or cultural manners are changing their patterns. It is claimed by the people that media or cinema changes the moral values of society at the same time cinema counter argues that it is only the reality which cinema shows.

What is right and wrong is as difficult to say as to say about the egg and hen, which came first egg or hen? Similarly, no one can give final answer of what is right or wrong. Cinema is having both aspects negative and positive, as the negatives are innumerable.

For example, people prefer watching movies than reading texts. Generally people go for the movies like 3 idiots, than for the novel five point someone by Chetan Bhagat. Similarly there are many movies which have been watched like Hello, Omkara, Namesake, Pride and Prejudice, Provoked, Maqbool, but the texts of these particular movies have rarely been read like one night @ the call center by Chetan Bhagat, Othello by William Shakespeare, Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Provoked by Kiranjit Ahluwaliya, Macbeth by William Shakespeare respectively.

So, it is negative part of cinema that people go for movie but at the same time it is good to know that some of the viewers are interested in reading texts by watching the films and this is how they preserve some of the cultural traditions. At the same time all these aspects help marketers increase their selling ratio high and in this matter other Medias also play significant role like newspapers, magazines, advertisements etc.

Ø Impact on Children:

When children watch any particular contemporary movie, it is not without obscenity and violence, they do not know about the fictional elements of film but consider it as reality.

From their very young age they become mature enough before their age. The films like Dabbang, Bodygaurd, Wanted, Gajini, Agnipath and Style, One Two Three, Kya kool hein Hum, Murder, Dirty Picture are full of violence and obscenity. These films can affect the children as well as youth in a dangerous way.

There are also many films like Chiller Party, Slumdog Millionaire in which the Tappori language is pervaded throughout the films. They do not know what is right to see or what is not, so, they should watch films under their parents’ guidance. But, on a contrary part, parents are also changing their thinking because when their children imitate hero or heroines of speak Tappori language, they seem very funny to them and that is how the generation becomes corrupted from the very childhood.

Movies are created to provide refreshment and entertainment to people. They make people aware of happenings, present issues, politics and all. Movies at the same time becoming more commercial, they do not care about society.

The rights of film are sold in a huge number of money, then director do not care about how the film will affect the society or what circumstances it will create after its release. Producers and financiers consider it as a tempting and lucrative business. For actors and actresses, it is a means to earn money and popularity among people.

But, the society blindly imitates their favorite heroes and heroines. Film dialogues, actions, songs are based on the tastes of the audience. Item songs and Masala make movie attractive and people go for those movies.   

Media makers said that they are making the films according to the demand of public, and item songs like, Munni Badnaam, Chikni Chameli, Jalebi Bai, Anarkali Disco Chali, etc. are getting popularity in a wider range.

The dialogues are changing as time passes their forms are becoming or having double meaning, full of slangs, for example Delhi Belly, is the film in which slangs dominate the whole film. People cannot watch the movie with their family members now a day, because the scenes, the actions, the dialogues and the songs are so cheap in words that no one can bear those things when they watch together.

New media is used to describe content made available using different forms of electronic communication made possible through the use of computer technology. Generally, the phrase new media describes content available on-demand through the Internet.

This content can be viewed on any device and provides way for people to interact with the content in real-time with the inclusion of user comments and making it easy for people to share the content online and in social with friends and co-workers.

Internet and Facebook have become part of new media. Technology and science have made its use simple and comfortable and cheap. It is both boon as well as bane. It has helped people to see the other part of the world at just a click of a mouse.

People know their surroundings, but Internet gives information about every corner of the world precisely and concisely. It makes interaction faster through mails with a number of people at a time. It gives a chance to express new thoughts and ideas in terms of blogs and other web resources.

Similarly, Facebook is the part of internet but can be considered as new media in a particular term. Even in Facebook people can share their views, comment, put pictures and other similar things. But it affects children’s health and wastes their time, as it is social network to connect people, but the excessive use of Facebook leads people towards their frustration and disappointment.

Recently there was one incident on  India TV news channel that one father killed his daughter because she did not cook, she did not work properly but set on the Facebook for a long time, and the father got angry by her abusive words about him on Facebook and it resulted into tragedy. This is how the excessive use of it can destroy people’s mental condition.

Internet is boon for those who are sincere in their study and want to know more something about their topics but it becomes a tool for time pass even for those who just merely use for the sake of entertainment. Facebook also causes destruction, as there is one news in Gujarat Samachar 30 March 2012, that one lady committed suicide because of Facebook chatting. She wrote on her Facebook account that “I am dying... This Facebook will be poison.” Thus, this example shows how internet and social networking sites also become obstacles in society.

Examples of New Media :-

Ø Websites and blog

Ø Streaming audio and video

Ø Chat rOnline communities

Ø Social media and sharing platforms

Ø Mobile apps

Ø Web advertising

Ø DVD and CD-ROM media

Ø Virtual reality environments

Ø Integration of digital data with the telephone, such as Internet telephony

Ø Digital camera

Conclusion :-

To, Sum Up my point here I would like to say that now a days this media are becoming very important part of our lives.

In the modern times one cannot escape from Television, Cinema and New Media.

Character of Mumbi in A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

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Character of Mumbi in A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Name :  Pipavat Gopi

Course No. 14 :  The African Literature

Topic :-  Character of Mumbi in A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o 

M.A. English Semester – 4

Batch: 2015 - 2017

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Ngugi Wa Thiong’o

Ngugi Wa Thiong’o is a Kenyan writer. He was formerly working in English and now he is working un Gikuyu. Ngugi Wa Thiong’o has been acclaimed as East Africa’s foremost novelist. His work include novels, Plays, short-stories, and essays, ranging from literary and social criticism to children’s literature. He is the founder and editor of the Gikuyu language journal Mutiiri.

 Ngugi Wa Thiong’o has rejected Christianity which he regarded as a sign of colonialism, and changed his name from James Ngugi to Ngugi Wa Thiong’o to honour his African heritage. The transition from Colonialism to Post colonialism has been a central issue in a great deal of Ngugi’s  writings.

Helen Hayward has commented that his early novels like, The River Between, A Grain of Wheat, and Petel of Blood, act as 

“Important documents in the history of Post-Colonial  writing, distinguished by the urgency of their political engagement and the subtly of their historical grasp”

Abstract :

The background of the story is in Kenya when the county is on the edge of independence. Mugo is a poor orphaned man who has suffered a lot and is indifferent to what is going on around him and he expects the rest of the world to leave him alone. This happens until Kihika recruits him by force to join the rest of the freedom fighters. Resenting this, he etrays Kihika to the colonial government. Consequently, Kihika is hanged. No one suspects Mugo.

In fact, people worship him and see him as a hero. Unfortunately, it is Karanja, a man who collaborates with the colonialists and a home guard who becomes the main suspect and a number of people want to carry out their revenge on him especially Kihika’s fellow freedom fighters Lt. Koinandu and General R. Karanja and Gikonyo were enemies due to their competition for Mumbi. Mumbi chooses Gikonyo, a carpenter, over Karanja. When Gikonyo is sent to prison by the colonial government like most men in the country, Karanja sets out to seduce Mumbi who gives in and is impregnated. On the other hand, the Europeans in the country have their own devils to deal with. John Thompson a one time District Officer and his wife Margery are considering living the country soon before the colonialists hand over power to the Africans. Unknown to Thompson, Margery was having an affair with Dr. Van Dyke, a meteorologist. Everyone knew except Thompson. The affair ended when Dr. Van Dyke was crushed by a train. Dr.Lynd, a librarian, worked with Thompson and hated the Africans as she had once been attacked and raped by them. She and her boyfriend Roger Mason were planning to leave to Uganda as soon as Kenya got its independence to avoid the blood killings they predicted would be meted out on all Europeans by the Africans. When Gikonyo is released from prison he eagerly goes home looking forward to seeing Mumbi only to find her with Karanja’s child. Angry more so, because he couldn’t get back at Karanja as he was the new chief with immense powers he ignores Mumbi and mistreats her and she decides to leave for her parent’s home. Meanwhile, as the Independence Day celebrations draw near, Mugo is appointed by the villagers to give a speech in honor of Kihika’s memory. Mwaura is sent to Githima to tempt Karanja to attend the celebrations as the freedom fighters intend to wring out the confession out of him before the crowd. Things take a turn when General R asks for Kihika’s betrayer to confess and instead of Karanja, Mugo confesses. Everyone at the rally is shocked at the revelation. Karanja and Gikoknyo’s enmity is brought to an end through a race that none of the wins as they both tripped and fell with Gikonyo breaking his left arm. He is resigned to Mumbi and Karanja leaves the village.

A full summary of the novel :

Ngungi wa Thiong’o has used flashbacks in his work to tease his readers. I am among readers who enjoyed the book and here under I would like to share with you what I enjoyed. The whole story in the novel centres on Mugo as the central character.

This novel A Grain of Wheat is divided into three eras that are;

1.  Pre – Colonial Era

2.  Colonial Era

3.  Post – Colonial Era

The story of this novel is center around the character Mugo. The plot revolves around his home village’s preparation for Kenya’s Independence day celebration, “Uhuru day”. On that day, former resistance fighters General R. and Koinandu plan on publicly executing the traitor who betrayed Kihika. The entire novel tells about the history of Kenya and the Mau Mau revolt.

A Grain of Wheat was a turning point in the formal and ideological of his works. This text is multi-narrative liens and multi-viewpoints unfolding at different times and spaces replace the linear temporal unfolding of the plot form a single viewpoint. The collective replaces the individual as the center of history.

In the novel A Grain of Wheat there are many characters in the novels, but Mugo, Gikonyo, Mumbi, Karanja and Kihika plays very vital role in the novel. The character of Mugo is a central character of the novel. These characters also plays vital role in freedom fighting of Kenya and the Mau Mau revolt.

Ngugi Wa Thiong’o begins the novel with the character of Mugo, who is asked to speak at the Uhuru, which is another Swahili word for the Kenyan Independence. Mugo agrees and denies knowledge about another character’s death. Gikonyo, another character, who married to Mumbi. Gikonyo’s rival is Karanja, whom Mumbi sleeps with when Gikonyo is away at a detention center, when came back after six years, Mumbi is pregnant and the presence of the baby causes their relationship to be strained.

Throughout the rest of ‘A Grain of Wheat’ Mugo struggles with the guilt of betraying Karanja and later confesses; he is punished by the Freedom fighters. Writer ends the novel with Gikonyo and Mumbi working their marriage.

Ngugi Wa Thiong’o early novels like A Grain of Wheat and another also like “Weep not Child” and “The River Between” explore the detrimental effects of Colonialism and Imperialism.

Character of Mumbi in A Grain of Wheat

Before we start to elaborate this topic I have one question in my mind and with the help of that question we can elaborate this topic very well. And that question is,

Women should not be looked down on as they can play important roles in the society. Example Mumbi, Wami and Wambui were talking about the duties they have as contribution to the building of the nation.

Mumbi is a beautiful, strong woman who grew up in Thabai. She is Kihika’s sister, and Gikonyo’s wife. She looked after her family during the State of Emergency, which shows she is caring and responsible. She is also compassionate and does not want to take revenge for her brother’s death.

Mumbi is one of the central and main female character of this novel. In the novel Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example,

“Her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant”

Mumbi with her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel. Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view.

Mumbi, is the wife of Gikonyo and the sister of Kihika. Mumbi has baby with another man namely Karanja, while her husband was in a concentration camp. While Gikonyo was imprisoned she slept with Karanja, who had been appointed village chief by the Colonial power.

Mumbi is one of the significant part of the novel. She is the sister of Kihika. Kihika is the considered the leader of the people and leads the movement with Kihika being like this Ngugi brings Mumbi into the novel with a jumpstart on the other characters.

In the novel "A Grain of Wheat" the character of Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example "her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant". With her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel.

Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view.

Mumbi is the only central character in the novel that is female. This fact is a message from Ngugi to the reader telling them that Mumbi is to be a significant part of the novel. She is also Kihika's sister. Kihika is the most idolized character in the novel. He is considered the leader of the people and leads the movement. With Kihika being like this Ngugi brings Mumbi into the novel with a jumpstart on the other characters. She is of the same bloodlines of Kihika so the reader can expect to see important things coming from her.

Objectification of Women's Body is also shown here trough character of Mumbi. That her body is seduce by Karanja to prove his masculine power over her. Mumbi is an object of great interest and affection. She is courted by both Karanja and Gikonyo. Ngugi uses the affection of Karanja and Gikonyo to foreshadow the underlying animosity between the Whiteman and the Kenyan People.

Karanja represents the Whiteman while Gikonyo represents the Kenyan people. Gikonyo represents the Kenyan people because it was him that went to the detention camps for 6 years to protect the oath of the Mau Mau. In contrast to this Karanja confessed the oath immediately and then became the creature of the Whiteman. He turned on his own people and destroyed hope in some of their eyes. Mumbi chose Gikonyo as her husband; this however did not deter Karanja. He still loved Mumbi and wanted to possess her.

In Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s opinion, the power of women in the community is very important. Mumbi and other women in the novel are often shown to be strong.

Example : Mumbi tells her mother that she will not For return to Gikonyo :

“I may be a woman, but even a cowardly bitch fights back when cornered against a wall.”

The community’s women ask her to go to Mugo. She tells him that the “women of Thabai and Rung’ei area sent me to you. They want you at the meeting tomorrow.”

         

We see that women succeed where the men have failed, as Mugo responds to Mumbi – although, ironically, he does not give the speech she expected to hear at the celebrations. At the end of the novel we see how Mumbi persuades Gikonyo to face up to his life, just as his mother told him to,

“Read your own heart, and know yourself.”

There is a “valley of silence” between Gikonyo and Mumbi. It is only at the end of the novel that this is bridged and Gikonyo hears Mumbi’s side of the story. The trouble between Mumbi and Gikonyo, which began with Gikonyo refusing to talk about the child, reaches a crisis. Mumbi leaves him and their marriage seems broken.

In many of the novels Ngugi has presented the problems of the women in African society. In A Grain of Wheat, there is an effect of patriarchy in the marriage of Mumbi with Gikonyo. Although she has some problems in her marriage, she cannot tell her family, and also though she wants to go her parents’ home, she cannot do this because of the patriarchal ideology, because in such a society, her parents take sides with her husband. Her mother’s statements upon Mumbi’s decision to go home demonstrate the power of patriarchal ideology. Wanjiku, Mumbi’s mother, says Mumbi,

“The women of today surprise me. They cannot take a slap, soft as a feather, or the slightest breath, from a man. In our time, a woman could take a blow and blow from her husband without a thought of running back to her parents.”

In the novel A Grain of Wheat centres around the female character Mumbi who is the connecting thread with the other characters. It shows that how the female character was treated in the colonial society.

In the entire novel this character played very vital role which is connecting with each other. Mumbi’s character explains the situation of the African society and the history of Kenya through the myth of Gikuyu and Mumbi. Mumbi is the connecting thread with other characters in the novel A Grain of wheat.

Conclusion :-

So, with the help of this all the statements we can conclude this point in a favour of character of Mumbi. As we disused earlier that her character is very strong character in this novel. And she is the only female character who is a thread between all the characters.

Here Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o tried to give very powerful voice to her female character like, Mumbi. Without her presence this novel seems very dull or lack of interest.

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