The Lowland (Mariem)

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

Tradition and Duty

VWO level

Traditions 

• Scan one the four extracts from online news articles. 
  
• Decide whether these beliefs or traditions are also applicable in the world of the novel.
  
• Explain how you encountered these beliefs or traditions in the novel you have read and give examples based on your reading. 
  
• The extracts can be found here.

Are those beliefs applicable to the world of the novel? Explain below

Duty 

- Loyalty and obedience to family in India. 

- Both loyalty to country and to family have been explored in the novel. 

- Which of the statements below do you agree with? Explain your opinion briefly in the next slide. 

1- "Udayan was loyal to his family more than to his country. He gave himself up to protect them knowing he will lose his life" 

2- "Udayan chose country over family by joining the political movement and endangered their lives"

1- "Udayan was loyal to his family more than to his country. He gave himself up to protect them knowing he will lose his life"
2- "Udayan chose country over family by joining the political movement and endangered their lives"

What is the theme?

Use only if time allows

Master's

Duty or Desire? 

• In this part you will read excerpts from the book. 
  
• The first one is when Subhash asks Gauri to marry him and move to the United States with him. 
  
• The second excerpt is from when he first met Gauri and after being married to her. 
  
• Based on what you read, you will argue whether Subhash's offer to marry Gauri was out of a sense of duty for his brother or out of desire. 
  
• The excerpts can be found here. 

Was Subhash's decision to marry Gauri driven by duty or desire?

Duty

Desire

What if?

In this activity you will choose one of the scenarios below and write a short paragraph from your character's perspective. 

1-  You are Gauri. You considered leaving Bela and Subhash but your sense of duty made you stay with your daughter. Write a short paragraph explaining how your life turned out. 

2- You are Gauri. You met Subhash instead of Bela when you went to return the divorce papers. Describe the encounter from your point of view. 

3- You are Subhash. You were surprised that Gauri showed up to return the divorce papers. Describe the encounter and decide whether you should inform Bela or not of this encounter. 

*this should be recorded but is carried out in written form for the purpose of this lesson.

1- Gauri describing how her life turns out when she stays with Bela and Subhash.
2- Gauri describing her encounter with Subhash.
3- Subhash describing his encounter with Gauri.

A different note...

It is I who laugh, it is I who make love

And then, feel shame, it is I who lie dying

With a rattle in my throat. I am sinner,

I am saint. I am the beloved and the

Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no

Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I.

Use only if time allows for it. 

Who could it be? 

In your opinion, which character from the novel could best be described through this part of the poem or could have written this poem? 

Share your answers through the poll. 

Note: some of you will be asked to expand on their answer. 

In your opinion, which character from the novel could best be described through this part of the poem or could have written this poem?

Subhash

Gauri

Bela

Udayan