I looked up the reviews of this book - people seem to be cribbing.
Did you find it worthwhile? If so, then I’ll try to procure a copy. The topic is definitely interesting.
Yeah, I am quite sure I am overanalysing, too, as pradzie said. Happens
I’ll tell you a secret - I personally don’t believe in analysis, too. Analysis is a grossly limited activity, since it can only look at the picture partly.
So when I analysing, most of the times, 80-90% is mostly in jest, and the rest of the time it is 100% in jest. Ananth’s chocolate blog was obviously 100% in jest, though I think pradzie continues to believe that I was serious.
And of course, I can write shorter stuff, but writing shorter takes too much thinking (since it involves compressing a thought into a tiny capsule). Writing longish stuff doesnt take so much effort - one just puts down whatever comes to one’s head. So, I am a bit lazy
BTW, CN, could you kindly give me the reference of this book “prophesies” (publisher, year, etc)?
I know that most of the times the comments would be in jest, I was kidding about the brevity part too… I’m accused of being rambling and obscure by my friends
Anyways, apologies for confusing another book title with the book I wanted to refer to, probably because I’d tried reading a book called ‘Prophecies of Nostradamus’ by Erica Cheetam a few days back. The correct book is “Predictions : Thirty Great Minds on the Future” Edited by Sian Griffiths with Introduction by Jonathan Weiner, Oxford University Press, 1999
ISBN:0-19-286210-3 Predictions: Thirty Great Minds on the Future
Ah…i am sure you are right
But I am quite sure I am not the reason for Ananth’s disappearance. For all we know, he probably did decide to have the chocolate and is busy eating it.
Cheti,
Jokes apart - your child is speaking to you via this story - lets see if we can read what he is really saying.
First, the undebatable premise -
The cat is a metaphor used by the child to represent himself.
His temptation towards the ball is a reflection of his natural longing towards the attractive things that he sees in the shops. The natural resistance of the parents (to tell the child that he can’t have everything that he likes) is reflected in the story. The child is an understanding child - he does not ask for something that makes his parents feel awkward, or refuse him. He prefers to be silent rather than do something that may upset his parents.
Consider that he is a cat in the story - someone who cannot speak.
The shopkeeper represents the unknown power that controls the things that he desires. The child hopes that this power will give him those things which his parents say that he cannot have.
The absence of the father figure who could give the child what he wants, is significant.
But not really - for the father is the reader of the story.
It is touching and endearing - your child has come to you with his situation, and asks you to read it, saying - father, this is what I am facing.
What this story is about -
The child is currently facing the lure of material things. His reaction is endearingly simple and timeless - deny his wanting it, and hope that the force behind life (the kind shopkeeper, or God) will give it to him.
Conclusions -
Firstly, you need to take him on outings to non-mall places and show him beautiful things that cannot be bought or had, but may be simply enjoyed from a distance.
More importantly - The child needs to be shown specific ways in which he can handle the lure of the material world (without denying his attraction to it and just hoping that God will give it to him).
How you help him handle it, is your call as the father.
My suggestions -
It is critical the child understands that he or she cannot have everything that they want. At the same time, it is also critical that they know that they can put in some effort to get what they want, or the child may simply learn to live in denial of his desires.
However, if the child is taught at this point that he can form a strategy to get what he wants and work towards it, then you will put your child on the path to becoming a go-getter (this will obviously also involve educating the child in the fair rules/morals of being a go-getter).
And, it is also critical, that when the child encounters failure in his go-getting strategy now or sometime in his life, he still continues to be a go-getter and learns that sometimes, failure can happen and it must be accepted.
Ah…how children tell us the most serious of things, and how we sometimes just miss them…
It would be interesting to see how the child takes the story further - I understand that this is only the first part?
Will you leave the kid alone? Moreover he’s not a quiet cat as you’ve predicted. He’s one active naughty young man with lotsa energy to disprove all your theories and psycho analytical bull.
Ananth has gone into hiding after you came out with the chocolate- sex craving analysis while he blogged about a dairy milk choc. Now dont’ do this to chets kid.
Reminds me of a song by biryani adams if you continue over-analysisng “Everywhere i go, the kids wanna run”….
“I believe amir’s problem is that he overthinks. Apparently, he spends 2-3 hours just getting into the skin of a character, when he gets ready. Overthinking (like underthinking) can cause huge confusion, and I think Amir has fallen prey to that malady.”
-Atrakasya
Pradz, that’s Atra’s response to Ano’s blog about Amir and Arundhati Roy’s hypo[demo]crisy, now you say Atra is overanalysing…
Atra, your critique and analysis was quite interesting, but it’d have been better if you could’ve compressed it to a length shorter than the story itself, how’s that for a challenge
Reminds me of a book I read called ‘Prophesies’ containing brilliant academicians from various fields writing about the future of mankind, authors included Umberto Eco. The funny thing about the book was - the intoduction to each author was much much longer than the actual article written by the author. If I remember right, Eco’s bio was about 5-6 pages while his prophecy was about 3 pages…
well the second part is actually out ! the story is evolving well … will collate them all some time and send it to a publisher and sign him on a multimillion dollar deal .. right now .. a team is analysing if his writings show any trace of any intentional or unintentional internalisation of other authors
its his first story, agreed. But the basic premise on which the complicated triangle of lady-cat-shopkeeper story revolves is on-going. Wheres the full stop? Where is the writer taking us with the story? To the mall…? to buy what? cat food?…
With that i conclude the first critique on your sons’ first story. Please pat your son for me!
Comments
or...
yeah, cheti,
DSS either rocks - or rambles on really really aimlessly
how’d we know the difference anyway?
CN
I looked up the reviews of this book - people seem to be cribbing.
Did you find it worthwhile? If so, then I’ll try to procure a copy. The topic is definitely interesting.
CN
Yeah, I am quite sure I am overanalysing, too, as pradzie said. Happens
I’ll tell you a secret - I personally don’t believe in analysis, too. Analysis is a grossly limited activity, since it can only look at the picture partly.
So when I analysing, most of the times, 80-90% is mostly in jest, and the rest of the time it is 100% in jest. Ananth’s chocolate blog was obviously 100% in jest, though I think pradzie continues to believe that I was serious.
And of course, I can write shorter stuff, but writing shorter takes too much thinking (since it involves compressing a thought into a tiny capsule). Writing longish stuff doesnt take so much effort - one just puts down whatever comes to one’s head. So, I am a bit lazy
BTW, CN, could you kindly give me the reference of this book “prophesies” (publisher, year, etc)?
atra
I know that most of the times the comments would be in jest, I was kidding about the brevity part too… I’m accused of being rambling and obscure by my friends
Anyways, apologies for confusing another book title with the book I wanted to refer to, probably because I’d tried reading a book called ‘Prophecies of Nostradamus’ by Erica Cheetam a few days back. The correct book is “Predictions : Thirty Great Minds on the Future” Edited by Sian Griffiths with Introduction by Jonathan Weiner, Oxford University Press, 1999
ISBN:0-19-286210-3
Predictions: Thirty Great Minds on the Future
who
would have thunk my son’s story would trigger a discussion on future of MAnkind !! DSS rocks !
pradz
Ah…i am sure you are right
But I am quite sure I am not the reason for Ananth’s disappearance. For all we know, he probably did decide to have the chocolate and is busy eating it.
Cheti - My usual two bits
Cheti,
Jokes apart - your child is speaking to you via this story - lets see if we can read what he is really saying.
First, the undebatable premise -
The cat is a metaphor used by the child to represent himself.
His temptation towards the ball is a reflection of his natural longing towards the attractive things that he sees in the shops. The natural resistance of the parents (to tell the child that he can’t have everything that he likes) is reflected in the story. The child is an understanding child - he does not ask for something that makes his parents feel awkward, or refuse him. He prefers to be silent rather than do something that may upset his parents.
Consider that he is a cat in the story - someone who cannot speak.
The shopkeeper represents the unknown power that controls the things that he desires. The child hopes that this power will give him those things which his parents say that he cannot have.
The absence of the father figure who could give the child what he wants, is significant.
But not really - for the father is the reader of the story.
It is touching and endearing - your child has come to you with his situation, and asks you to read it, saying - father, this is what I am facing.
What this story is about -
The child is currently facing the lure of material things. His reaction is endearingly simple and timeless - deny his wanting it, and hope that the force behind life (the kind shopkeeper, or God) will give it to him.
Conclusions -
Firstly, you need to take him on outings to non-mall places and show him beautiful things that cannot be bought or had, but may be simply enjoyed from a distance.
More importantly - The child needs to be shown specific ways in which he can handle the lure of the material world (without denying his attraction to it and just hoping that God will give it to him).
How you help him handle it, is your call as the father.
My suggestions -
It is critical the child understands that he or she cannot have everything that they want. At the same time, it is also critical that they know that they can put in some effort to get what they want, or the child may simply learn to live in denial of his desires.
However, if the child is taught at this point that he can form a strategy to get what he wants and work towards it, then you will put your child on the path to becoming a go-getter (this will obviously also involve educating the child in the fair rules/morals of being a go-getter).
And, it is also critical, that when the child encounters failure in his go-getting strategy now or sometime in his life, he still continues to be a go-getter and learns that sometimes, failure can happen and it must be accepted.
Ah…how children tell us the most serious of things, and how we sometimes just miss them…
It would be interesting to see how the child takes the story further - I understand that this is only the first part?
atra ... was a nice read ... but
“He prefers to be silent rather than do something that may upset his parents.”
Will you leave the kid
Will you leave the kid alone? Moreover he’s not a quiet cat as you’ve predicted. He’s one active naughty young man with lotsa energy to disprove all your theories and psycho analytical bull.
Ananth has gone into hiding after you came out with the chocolate- sex craving analysis while he blogged about a dairy milk choc. Now dont’ do this to chets kid.
Reminds me of a song by biryani adams if you continue over-analysisng “Everywhere i go, the kids wanna run”….
omg
at biryani adams and every where i go kids wanna run.
how do u come up with stuff like that pradzie. that was hilarious
LOL atra, pradz...
“I believe amir’s problem is that he overthinks. Apparently, he spends 2-3 hours just getting into the skin of a character, when he gets ready. Overthinking (like underthinking) can cause huge confusion, and I think Amir has fallen prey to that malady.”
-Atrakasya
Pradz, that’s Atra’s response to Ano’s blog about Amir and Arundhati Roy’s hypo[demo]crisy, now you say Atra is overanalysing…
Atra, your critique and analysis was quite interesting, but it’d have been better if you could’ve compressed it to a length shorter than the story itself, how’s that for a challenge
Reminds me of a book I read called ‘Prophesies’ containing brilliant academicians from various fields writing about the future of mankind, authors included Umberto Eco. The funny thing about the book was - the intoduction to each author was much much longer than the actual article written by the author. If I remember right, Eco’s bio was about 5-6 pages while his prophecy was about 3 pages…
thanks
for the critique and pat !!!
well the second part is actually out ! the story is evolving well … will collate them all some time and send it to a publisher and sign him on a multimillion dollar deal .. right now .. a team is analysing if his writings show any trace of any intentional or unintentional internalisation of other authors
its his first story,
its his first story, agreed. But the basic premise on which the complicated triangle of lady-cat-shopkeeper story revolves is on-going. Wheres the full stop? Where is the writer taking us with the story? To the mall…? to buy what? cat food?…
With that i conclude the first critique on your sons’ first story. Please pat your son for me!