The White Knight - Eric Nicol

The White Knight – Eric Nicol

Genre: Allegory

Point of view: The story is narrated in Third Person.

Setting: The story is based on the concept of the medieval role of the knights and takes place in the forest of life.

Character Analysis

Protagonist: White knight: The white knight in the story represents good, a Champion of virtue, honor, and justice. In addition, symbolizes ignorance. 

Antagonist: Black knight (Who isn’t present physically): Black knight represents evil.

Knight of Gleaming Whiteness: Same as the white knight

Conflict

Internal:

i.                    Man Vs Self: White knight Vs Himself

External:

i.                    Man vs. Man: White knight vs. knight of gleaming whiteness

ii.                  Man vs. Nature: White knight Vs. Nature: In pursuit of the black knight he spends all   his gold and is compelled to steal and keep himself healthy

iii.                Man vs. Society: White Knight vs. Society: The society’s stereotypical notions of good and evil conflict with white knights' appearance.

Theme

The story teaches and makes us ponder on ‘self-awareness’, whether actions are more important than appearance. The white knight by appearance represents the champion of virtue, honor, and justice in society and he goes in search of the black knight to slay it since that is what the white knight is expected to do. However, in the process, the white knight without realizing commits the deeds of a black knight turning himself into the black knight.

The story teaches us that appearance does not matter. It is self-awareness and good actions that make one a true White Knight. One doesn’t have to travel and be in the high post to do good deeds, good actions start when we understand and change ourselves and start making small positive differences in our own small ways.

It is one's action that matters not one appearance.

 Plot

Exposition

The knight looks into the mirror and sees himself as a white knight representing good, a champion of virtue honor, and justice. He then decides to ride into the forest and slay the black knights, who are evil.

Rising Action

He mounts his snow-white horse and rides into the forest to find the black knights. He rides further and deeper day after day but without sighting any black knights. As time passes, he spends all his gold in pursuit of evil. He is hungry and weak. His horse becomes lame. He commits bad deeds, which is unexpected for the white knight. He steals and replaces his horse. He even sleeps with the innkeeper’s daughter and leaves her later. He doesn’t realize any of it at this point and continues his journey.

Climax

One day, a knight in gleaming whiteness confronts him suddenly in the forest. He ends up killing him. However, before his last breath white knight heard him whisper in anguish: "Is evil then triumphant?"

Falling Action

Holding the dead knight in his arms, he saw that beside the bright armor of the youth his own, besmirched by the long quest, looked black in the darkness of the forest.

Denouement

He strips off his own soiled mail, turns his grimy horse free to the forest, and stands naked and alone in the quiet dusk. He then returns to his castle and starts living a simple life.

Summary

Ø  There lived a knight in a castle on the edge of the Forest of Life. The knight looked in the mirror and saw that he was a White Knight.

Ø  Since he was the White Knight, he decided to ride into the forest and slay all the Black Knights, as it was what the White Knights must do.

Ø  He mounted his snow-white horse and started his journey. Many miles he rode, day after day, deeper and further into the forest but without sighting any of the Black Knights.

Ø  He found many signs of the Black Knight's presence but as always, he just missed catching the doer of those deeds.

Ø  At last, he spent all his gold in pursuit of evil. He becomes hungry and weak. His horse becomes lame. To keep himself alive he steals and replaces his horse. He even sleeps with the innkeeper’s daughter, leaves her later, and continues his journey when he becomes strong and healthy.

Ø  He pressed on his search, yet all the knights he met in the forest were like him. They were knights of varying shades of whiteness, depending on how long they, too, had been hunting the Black Knight.

Ø   One day, a knight in gleaming whiteness confronts him suddenly in the forest. He ends up killing him. However, before his last breath white knight heard him whisper in anguish: "Is evil then triumphant?"

Ø  Holding the dead knight in his arms, he saw that beside the bright armor of the youth his own, besmirched by the long quest, looked black in the darkness of the forest.

Ø  He strips off his own soiled mail, turns his grimy horse free to the forest, and stands naked and alone in the quiet dusk. He then returns to his castle and starts living a simple life. Everyone then starts calling him a good white knight.

Literary Devices

1.      Symbolism

-White Knight: Good, ignorance
- Black Knight: Evil
- Forest of Life: Civilization / human society
- Innkeeper’s Daughter: Societal norms and expectations
- Mirror: Reflects deeds, not just appearance
- Shining Armor: Bravery, gallantry
- Nakedness: Self-realization, rebirth
- Knight of Gleaming Whiteness: Youth, recklessness
- The boy who was buried: Acknowledgment of mistakes and moral fallacy

2.      Irony

The White Knight, symbol of virtue, commits evil in pursuit of destroying evil, only to realize true goodness comes from self-awareness and small, ethical actions.

 Practice Questions

1. What does the Forest of Life represent in the story?
2. Describe the White Knight’s journey and the challenges he faces.
3. Who is the Knight of Gleaming Whiteness, and what role does he play?

4. Explain how the White Knight’s actions contradict his appearance.
5. Discuss the internal and external conflicts in the story.
6. How does the story show that actions matter more than appearances?
7. Identify symbols in the story and explain their significance.

8. Can a person be considered good if they have noble intentions but commit wrongful actions? Explain using the White Knight’s journey.
9. How does the story challenge societal ideas of good and evil?

 

Sample Invitation Letter

                                                                Sample Invitation Letter

Chumey Central School
Chumey; Bumthang.

30^th March 2018

The Chairman
Chumey Gewog Center
Chumey; Bumthang

Sub: Requesting to grace Annual Sports Day as Chief Guest

Respected Sir, Madam, Dasho, ……..

I, the school Games and Sports Captain, of Chumey Central School am pleased and privileged to inform Sir, Madam, Dasho, etc. on behalf of the school administration that on the 31^st of May, the school will be organizing Annual Sports Day.

For this very purpose, I would like to invite Dasho to grace the event as the Chief Guest. The school would be honored if Sir or….would accept and make your honorable presence for the event. The event is organized to encourage students and help them realize the importance of sports in life. Further, the motive is to give awareness to students as well as to the people living in the community, on how sports can help maintain our health. 

We thank you in anticipation that you will make your presence and help us in imparting the message we want to convey through this event. The event will be conducted on the 31^st of May at the School Football Ground. We kindly would like to request sir/dasho to make your presence at 9:00 a.m.

 

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

 

Sign
Name
Title in bracket

 

 

Sample Business Letter

                                                                Sample Business Letter

Chumey Central School
Chumey; Bumthang.

30^th March 2018

The Manager 

U.T Enterprise
Chamkhar; Bumthang.

Sub: Placing an order of the items required for School Sports Day

Dear Sir/Madam,

I, the school Games and Sports Captain, of Chumey Central School am pleased to inform you that this year the school has decided to procure items needed for the conduct of School Sports Day from your store.  Please note the items required.

 

Sl. No	Items/Particulars	Quantity	Remarks
1	Speaker	2 nos.	Musical Amplifier with speaker
2	Microphone	2 nos.

We anticipate you will deliver the items a week before the event which is on 31^st of May. We expect you to deliver swiftly and you can expect the same regarding the payment from us. Once the delivery is made, the payment will be made in cash, after the committee’s approval on the day of delivery. Please contact on school number if you have any queries and for the delivery of the item.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,

 

Sign
Name
Title in bracket

 

Note: Points to Remember

1. Body 1: Introduce yourself and write in brief the reason for writing the letter
2. Body 2: Place your order in table format

3. Body 3: Acknowledge the recipient of the letter, mention the time and venue for delivering goods                        and the mode of payment. 

He-y, Come On Ou-t! Shinichi Hoshi

 

He-y, Come On Ou-t! – Shinichi Hoshi

Background Information

Shinichi Hoshi was born on September 6, 1926, in Tokyo, Japan. The story was published in the year 1989. The story has social criticism with an ecological message. 

 Genre: Contemporary Fantasy and Satire

Point of View: The story is narrated in the Third Person Omniscient point of view

Setting: The story takes place in a Japanese Village in the 20^th Century.

 Characters

Protagonist: No obvious protagonist

Antagonist: All the characters in the story who irresponsibly pollute the environment

 

Character Analysis

Concessionaire – Flat and static

Traits: Money minded, cunning

 Scientists: Static and Flat

Traits: Stubborn, proud, and egoistic

 Workman – flat and static

Traits: Ignorant and innocent

 Mayor – flat and static

Traits: Simple-minded and ignorant

 Reporters- flat and static

Traits: curious, careless, and nosy

 Youngman- flat and static

Traits: Curious, irresponsible, and carefree

 Old man- flat and static

Traits: superstitious but wise

 

Plot

Exposition

The typhoon ends and villagers find a mysterious hole right below where the shrine once was.

Rising Action

Different people start to investigate the hole. When nothing was known about the hole mayor and villagers gave the hole to the concessionaire.

 Climax

Village and city start developing. The construction worker while taking his break hears someone shout and later fails to notice a pebble skim past him.

 Falling Action and Denouement

The story ends abruptly leaving the reader to guess and figure out the ending.

 Summary

·         The landslide in a typhoon sweeps away a shrine creating a mysterious hole.

·         The villagers discuss over to repair and start rebuilding the shrine. While villagers exchanged their views, one of them noticed the hole.

·         A young man leans and shouts “He-y, come on Ou-t!” into the hole thinking it might be a foxhole.

·         When no one answers, he throws in a pebble, despite the warning of the old man.

·         The story of the bottomless hole spreads and attracts the attention of different stakeholders: scientists, media, concessionaires, etc.

·         These people try different methods to measure the depth of the hole and understand the phenomenon of the hole itself but fail.

·         Scientist cannot comprehend the hole and the depth and simply says to fill it up.

·         A man (concessionaire) then comes forward and puts forward a proposal. He would fill the hole for them and build a new shrine attached to a meeting hall closer to their village. Villagers agree and the mayor gives his permission.

·         The concessionaire gains control of the hole and asks his cohorts to conduct a campaign in the city about a hole-tilling company.

·         The campaign is successful and then the dumping of dangerous nuclear waste and all unwanted waste begins inclusive of old classified documents, corpses, weapons, etc.

·         The hole shows no sign of filling up. The area grows and develops. The city becomes clean with all waste disappearing into the hole.

·         People find an easy solution for unwanted waste and they keep expanding their city.

·         One day, a worker taking a break atop the high steel frame of a new building under construction hears a voice, “He-y, come on Ou-t!” followed by a pebble that he fails to notice.

The story ends there, leaving the reader to imagine the chaos and destruction that will follow as the other contents of the hole make their way back to the people. 

Literary Devices

Symbolism

- Hole: Represents the Earth and consequences of human pollution
- Typhoon: Early warning of environmental destruction
- Shrine: Declining faith in tradition and morality
- Pebble: Small actions triggering bigger problems
- Old Man: Superstitious yet wise
- Young People: Careless, curious, irresponsible
- Reporters: Opportunistic and careless
- Echo / Voice: Unseen danger or warning
- Concessionaire: Greed-driven opportunists
- Classified documents / waste: Bureaucracy, corruption, irresponsibility
- Worker atop building: Younger generations facing consequences of predecessors’ actions

Satire

The story satirizes the concept of human being destroying the environment without realizing the eventual consequences.

Situational Irony

The people think they have found an easy solution for the dangerous waste. They keep discarding the waste into the hole without realizing the eventual consequences.

 

Statement from text to support the Irony

i.                    The government stated: “There would be absolutely no above-ground contamination for several thousand years”

ii.                  “The hole gave peace of mind to the dwellers of the city.”

Dramatic Irony

City dwellers and villagers fail to notice the pebble skim past from the sky. They fail to notice what goes around comes around.

Foreshadowing

The young man shouts and throws a pebble into the hole, at which the old man says, that might bring a curse upon them. This foreshadows the impending danger that falls upon them at the end.

 Conflict

External: Man Vs Nature

- Characters in the story try to figure out the depth and the hole itself

- In the end, characters will have to deal with the garbage they threw into the hole.

Theme

We should never try to get rid of our problems in the easiest way because they come right back. We should face the problem and try to solve it instead of running away from it. The best proverb to describe the theme would be “What goes around comes around”

Practice Questions

1. Where does the story take place?
2. What happens to create the mysterious hole in the village?
3. Who gains control of the hole, and what do they do with it?
4. How does the story end, and why is it significant?

5. Discuss how symbolism is used to convey the ecological message.
6. Explain the situational and dramatic irony in the story.
7. What role does the old man play in the narrative?
8. How does Shinichi Hoshi use satire to critique society?

9. What does the story suggest about human behavior toward environmental problems?
10. How could the story have ended differently if the villagers had acted responsibly?

The Elephant - Slawomir Mrozek

 

The Elephant - Slawomir Mrozek

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction (Satirical allegory)

Point of view: The story is written in the third- person omniscient

Tone and Mood: 
Tone: Mocking, ironic, and critical
Mood: begins in a light, humorous way but gradually becomes disturbing and disillusioning

Characters: Director of the zoo, school children, teacher, two zoo keepers, a government official

Characterization:
1. Director of Zoo: An opportunist and self-serving administrator who prioritizes personal gain over responsibility. He is a static (flat) character, as he does not change throughout the story. 

2. School Children: They begin as innocent and curious learners but become disillusioned and rebellious after witnessing the truth. They are dynamic (round) characters. 

3. Two Zoo Keepers: Negligent, inefficient, and sly workers who lack dedication. They represent corrupted lower-level officials. 

4. Government official: Foolish and careless, representing blind authority that approves flawed ideas without scrutiny. 

Setting:
The story is set in a small zoological garden in a provincial town in Poland, during the post-Second World War period when the country was under communist rule.

Plot Structure
Exposition: introduction of the defective zoo and careless administration
Rising Action: Director's plan to replace a real elephant with a rubber one
Climax: The elephant flies away due to wind and bursts on a cactus
Turning Point: Children witness the truth behind the deception
Resolution: Children lose faith and become rebellious

Conflict:
1. Internal Conflict: Zoo Director Vs his selfish motive
2. External Conflict: State vs people /  People vs Society

Theme: 
The story reveals the harmful effects of deception and false promises on innocent people. It shows how corruption and propaganda can destroy trust and lead to social unrest. 

Author's Purpose
Slawomir Mrozek uses satire and absurdity to:
1. Criticize corrupt government systems
2. Expose the dangers of propaganda and false promises
3. Show how authority manipulates truth for personal gain

Symbolism used in the story

1. The Zoo - The country Poland
2. Zoo Director - Typical/corrupted Government Official
3. Rubber elephant - False promises/ government propaganda
4. Elephant filled with gas - Empty and hollow policies
5. The Zoo Keepers - Corrupted and irrational officials/ officials lacking dedication / inefficient               officials
6. School Children - Innocent citizens disillusioned by false promises.
7. Animals with shortcomings - Government policies have loopholes or weaknesses / flawed 
8. Misbehaving students - Angry citizens showing their dissatisfaction and frustration.

Irony
1. A huge elephant (symbol of strength) is blown away by wind
2. The largest land animal turns out to be fake

Satire
The story mocks political systems and corrupt officials.

Examples:
1. Three thousand rabbits were a poor substitute - criticism of weak policies
2. replacing a real elephant with rubber one - mockery of false government promises

Message/Moral
1. False promises destroy trust
2. Corruption leads to societal breakdown
3. Once people lose faith in authority, it is difficult to restore

Textual Meaning of the Story
The story takes place in the zoo in a small provincial town in Poland. The Director, an upstart, did not care about the educational value of animals and the zoo which was frequently visited by school children. It was evident from the defective giraffe, the badger without burrows, and the whistlers, which whistled rarely and with some reluctance.
All he cared about was his promotion. On the Liberation Day of Poland, the zoo was notified about receiving an elephant, to which the devoted officials rejoiced, however, they were surprised to learn that Director had sent a letter to Warsaw renouncing the offer and placing a rubber elephant to reduce the cost and divert that money in buying jet plane or conservation of church monuments.
The proposal was approved instantly. On Ministry's approval, the Director gave the instruction to his two zoo keepers to blow the air in the rubber elephant and ready it by morning. The work was to be carried out in secret.
The zoo keepers had a very difficult time doing the job assigned to them. Nevertheless, they came up with a sly idea of filling the rubber elephant with gas. And to their contentment, in seconds there was a huge, magnificent giant ready to be placed in the park.
The next morning, the elephant was placed in the central part of the zoo near the monkey cage in front of a large rock with a clear notice displayed, "Particularly sluggish. Hardly moves."
The first visitor of the day was a group of schoolchildren escorted by the teacher. The teacher had planned to give them an object lesson about the elephant. The teacher started the lesson and students took notes with enraptured admiration. The very second teacher dictates about its weight be around 9 to 13 thousand pounds, the largest living animal on land due to a slight breeze takes flight astonishing children and monkeys.
The descendant of the non-extinct mammoth had landed on a cactus and had punctured its rubber hide in the neighboring botanical garden. The children who witnessed the scene started neglecting their studies and turned into hooligans. And the sad part, they no longer believed in elephants.

Symbolic Meaning
The story criticizes the wrongdoings and follies of the corrupt communist government and its officials in Poland. It reveals the Polish mob's dissatisfaction and anger with the officials and the policies of the communist regime.
The zoo symbolizes Poland and the rubber elephant fabricated by Director symbolizes the manifestos or the policy of the Polish communist government. Like the elephant, the manifestos, and the policy of the communist government, it looks beautiful when seen from the outside but when closely examined the politicians are corrupted and don't care about the welfare of the country.
The corrupted officials think they can easily fool the public but in reality, they are making fools of themselves. The fabrication of a rubber elephant and filling it with air show their stupidity, and they try to deceive the public without thinking about the future consequences.
The zoo has animals with deficiencies like; giraffes with short neck, badgers who have lost their burrows, and whistlers, that seldom whistled, symbolizing government policies having lots of defects and weaknesses.
The communist policies and manifestos look beautiful from the outside but inside the officials make false and empty promises that they do not care about later. The rubber elephant inflated with air, and diverting the money for buying jet planes and conserving church monuments are just empty promises that the politicians make.
The ones to suffer because of the false and empty promises are the innocent people (School children). Because of the corruption and oppression, the people at the end of the story become violent and turn against the government.

 Practice Question

i.       “…Kindly note that both the idea and its execution are my modest contribution to the common task and struggle.” What is his hidden motive behind writing the letter to Warsaw?

A.    To renounce the allocation and forward his plan of obtaining an elephant by more economic means

B.    He wanted to be recognized and was expecting a bonus/promotion for his efforts

C.    As a concerned citizen he wanted to contribute and help the country save money

D.    He wanted higher officials to recognize his patriotic trait

ii.   The zoological garden management should not have allowed/accepted the fabricated elephant to be placed in the zoo because it was

A.    Visited by school children for educational purposes

B.    Located in the main town

C.    A home to many animals

D.    A recreational place

iii. The animals with a shortcoming in the zoo symbolize

A.    Defective government policies

B.    Selfish nature of Polish people

C.    Foolishness of the officials

D.    Status of the country

1. The Director's proposal was promptly approved. What does it symbolize?

2. "The Director of the Zoological Garden is not at all worthy of the post." Explain the statement with the supportive argument from the story.

3. Explain the symbolic significance of 'Rubber elephant filled with gas'.

4. With what intention did the Director write a letter to Warsaw?

5. Deception and its repercussions emerge as the central theme of the story. Elucidate. 

6. If you were one of the devoted staff of the zoo, what steps would you have taken to go against your director’s proposal to obtain a real elephant?

7.  As the school teacher in the context, who witnessed an elephant flying with the school children, what support would you provide to help your students who started neglecting their studies and turned into hooligans.

8. A big notice proclaimed: "Particularly sluggish. Hardly moves." What does the notice symbolize?

9. The Director's idea of installing a fake elephant failed in the end. Instead of receiving a bonus, what possible consequences do you think he might have faced in the end?  

10. The two keepers were contended and satisfied with the idea of filling rubber elephants with gas, however, it failed miserably in the end. If you were the zoo keeper tasked with the work, how would you have done it differently and why?