‘Techniques of teaching poetry/prose/short story/composition in the secondary level’

Knowledge has two forms. It is either intuitive-obtained from imagination or through the intellect or logical-obtained from within the individual or which is universal. And, wherein arises the concept of art, it can be said that it lies entirely on the power of the formation of images. Our imagination precedes our thought. The artistic and imagery making work comes earlier to the logical or concept making work of man. Images rule art and they are the only wealth of it. Art does not define or classify or qualify objects, it just feels them and presents them.

Long before one starts reasoning, one starts imagining and soon he becomes an artist. Michelangelo once said, “One paints not with the hands, but with the brain.” A great artist understands that the credential of such aesthetic activity, i.e. his art lies in his consistent effort of conceiving the perfect and adequate image that will express the subject in his mind pellucidly. And the expression comes out of mastering the inner world, which is within. Once a clear figure is carved out, or a figurative statue is made, imagery built, all done. Now it’s time for reading or singing it aloud. That’s how; we externalize it as an aftermath. Expression made. And, like an artist.

We generally tend to think that the technical disparity between ourselves and a great writer/author, say for example, Charles Dickens is the way of externally interpreting a specified thought or beauty. That is, we feel that our thoughts are too profound for our words. And, we have thoughts, but that cannot be precisely jotted in ink. Here comes the strengthening of our inner mind, the internalization of the suspended thoughts we have in our mind. This thing is also a prerequisite in contemplating a certain creation or a work of art that we see as a spectator. It is expected of us to build a certain image inside when we read a poem or a novel or perhaps an abstract painting in canvass. The power of intuition to mould an expressive image out of a creation is the primary material we need at that point.

It always gives us pleasure in watching or enjoying the images that we feel repugnant about in a real world. Creation of poetry or short story or any piece of literature leads us to an ostentatious world, i.e. a virtual one. We usually relish watching something in a virtual platform, which we may probably abhor in the reality. And the ability to create a podium likewise demands absolute deference for the art itself.

The poet or perhaps any creator of art/literature represents beauty. He is always like the sovereign standing amidst everyone. He is a cynosure. The world is not ornate or painted but was always beautiful from its genesis. So, the creator always is the sole emperor in his own right. The creator is the one who announces what no one has ever foretold. He is to apprise the unknown, to propagate and promulgate ideas. Because he is the one who stands privy to the circumstance he describes. He is the one who is present there.

The way to deal with it depends upon the narrator/teacher. He/she should possess the flair for incorporating in the pupil the perfect imagery of a written work, let it be poetry/prose/short story, whatever. As said earlier, the teacher should be sufficiently revering the work of creation he/she is going to instill in the pupil. An urgent call for deeper insight- that comes out of devotion and instinct- comes to the fore. The imagery that should be built is always dependent upon the narration as well as the ability to develop a sense of subjectivity in the mind of the pupil.

While working with a certain poet or a prose writer, the narrator should always work on the empiricism of the subject. That is, he/she should always point to the writer/poet’s autobiographical aspect, his/her nature of subjectivity and the circumstance compelling such literature to come forward. He/she should always expound a detailed study of the geographical, societal, political and economical grounds behind the literature. A background study akin to the work is always asked for, in this case. In general terms, the narrator should be capable of bringing in the images like in a motion picture. He should along with his pupils be capable of standing at the location and condition as exactly described by the writer/poet in his piece.

I believe that the comprehension of literature as the autonomy of an aesthetic function and not merely as a subject of formalistic analysis, will give us the sense of “literariness”. One should know, why is a certain piece considered a piece of literature and the other not. Now, what shall we consider a literary work of art? It is very difficult to distinguish, albeit. As Derek Attridge, one of the literary scientist says that the domain of literature and of literary theory cannot provide its own self-sufficient and lasting answers to the question of the distinctiveness of literary language. The judgments that control its status and function as “art” must be related to the wider context in which they are formed, sustained and modified.

For a wider analysis of poetry, prose or short story, one should be well versed in the ancient and evolving literary theories, starting with the teacher and ending plainly with the student. For example, let us consider “feminism” as an evolving Neo-Freudian concept. To understand it, we must have at least a brief understanding of Freud and his works. Here, the inner subjectivity of the women is granted a “poetic” or a “semiotic” discourse by Julia Kristeva which distinguishes itself from the established male Canon. Some also say that, it is a way to politicize literature. What’s that? What is sexual politics? Why is there need for a woman’s voice to be unearthed specially? These are assorted interpretations we tend to bear in mind while studying a certain piece of prose, poetry or short story. Theories evolving out of theories like feminism are gay, lesbian and queer theories. To understand modern literature, we must have a first hand knowledge of these to grasp the matter for introspection, deconstruction and interpretation. Dealing with literature opens our horizon of varied labyrinths. These are labyrinths of subjects and perspectives. We have always had interpreted and reinterpreted texts, which may be circumscribed under the term “hermeneutics”. The works, texts and literary pieces are always dug open for a new interpretation. We try to find in those a new sense of idea, new way of dealing with that and making it relevant and pertinent to our own time and period. That demands the knowledge of theories and other related texts. While drawing analogy of texts, we bring to fore the idea of “intertextuality”. This refers to the relation of a single text with other texts of the same stature or the idea that has been pursued from a previous text. The idea tends to follow. This is one of the few methods of learning prose, poetry or short stories in what is called a literary way.

Other related theories may be the theories of “minimalism”, “automatism” and “simulacra” which have gained momentum in the postmodernist context of dealing with literature.

While dealing with these artifacts of literature, we must always ready our minds for an ambiguity or equivocality of the thinking process, which helps a better structuring of the brain for interpretation. The concept of being “critical” throughout helps in retrieving or exploring the work of art to its fullest. Maintaining the causational activity of a work of art while understanding it gives a better hold of that.

The teachers should inculcate theories and aforementioned ideas in the fashion or process of edutainment for the students, so as not to make the interesting process banal or stale in their minds. The knowledge should be imparted with analogies drawn from texts and then trying to expound the underlying background, theory or idea. This will probably be a good interpretation for interpreting literature in the form of poetry, prose or short story.

(The author’s publication in the annual magazine of Bajali College, Assam)