FATHER, DEAR FATHER BY RAJ KINGER

SUMMARY – INTER FIRST YEAR

FATHER, DEAR FATHER

RAJ KINGER

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION: “Father, Dear Father” by Raj Kinger is a heart-wrenching letter addressed to a father by his son. An unsent letter written by a student named Rahul to his father was published in the Hindu Newspaper as an article. Rahul was the class topper in his school who slips to the Second rank for losing a quarter marks. This letter is his anguished plea to his father who scolds him for losing his first rank. Rahul was against the Indian educational system which was characterized by rote learning without any practical exposure to the real world. He condemns the emphasis placed on examinations, marks and ranks.

CONTENT AND MEANING: This is an imaginary written by a school boy in response to his father’s letter. Rahul’s first rank slipped to second. He became annoyed with him and expressed his annoyance in his letter. Father we’ve never really been close and I can’t rightly say you’ve been my friend, philosopher, guide, etc. Please enlighten me whether literacy makes one nervous, fearful, frustrated or blooming, bold and confident.

Rahul had few reflections which he was discussing in his letter. Which goes as follows; The first reflection: the difference between the attitude of his grandfather and father.
His grandfather had a carefree and beautiful childhood. Days were spent plucking the mangoes and guavas from their orchards, having picnics on the banks of the river where the men cooked mouth-watering food, playing marbles and gilli danda. Studies then was just an ancillary/secondary subject. Living and experiencing was the major subject.
His father on the other hand in highly educated and provides well for the family. But, is far from experiencing the many little things in life. Rahul questions what’s the point of learning things like the Pythagoras’ Theorem or Newton’s Law of Gravity when he doesn’t use it in his departmental store, his doctor friend and his Lawyer brother too doesn’t use it.

His second reflection: the difference between the attitude of his grandmother and mother.
His grandmother is semi-literate but she is at peace with her pots, pans, her flowers garden, and her Bhagvad Gita. Whereas his mother is highly qualified but is tense and nervous. He ponders on whether literacy makes one restless, afraid and frustrated.

His third reflection: the attitude of his teacher teaching at school.
Rahul had gone to his Biology teacher hoping to find a solution to get rid of the pests attacking his rose plant. His teacher asked him to go ask the gardener. He finds it strange to read about pesticides and still, not to know how to use it.

He finds it frustrating to read about things like why the apple doesn’t fall upwards, what Archimedes did, hypotenuse and relational square roots when that doesn’t help him much. All he wants to know are the stuff that helps him in his daily life activities (like how to keep the rose plant healthy, how to make a desk with his carpenter’s tools and what to do when fuse trip in the house.) Things which are required are not even written in the school texts and no teacher teaches it. He feels that if he meets Newton then he wouldn’t even recognize him as he is so busy learning about him.

His fourth reflection: the act of correcting the answer sheet by his teacher.
Rahul had lost a quarter mark on the grammar section even though the answer was right. It was a fill in the blanks part wherein he wrote I was invited to tea but his teacher preferred the answer, I was invited for tea. Rahul is a student who prefers to learn for life, not for a mere examination. He uses satire and writes that if his teacher says George Bush is the president of India, sun rises in the west or the Earth is flat then even though it is completely wrong, for the sake of getting the first rank, will write it.

CONCLUSION: This letter is his anguish plea to his father who scolds him for his rank. He says that book education is rarely applicable in real life.  Rahul is against the Indian education system which is characterized by rote learning without any practical exposure to the real world. He condemns the emphasis placed on examination, marks and ranks.

SHORT SUMMARY OF FATHER DEAR FATHER

INTRODUCTION

The lesson Father, Dear Father written by Raj kinger

Raj Kinger writes for the press. “Father, Dear Father” is an article published in the English daily, The Hindu.

CONTENT: Rahul was a schoolboy. He was the class topper. His first rank slips to the second. He write’s a letter to his father raising several questions about the education system.  He believes that education should give a feel of life
to the learners and enable them to live a complete life rather they are letting life pass by. He says that his grandfather had a carefree and beautiful childhood. He enjoyed in the mango and guava gardens and playing marbles on the river bank. Rahul’s grandmother is semi literate yet she was a happy compared to his educated mother. Rahul says that the essence of life is not taught to him for Rahul, practical education matters more than theoretical. Classroom knowledge should come in handy in our day-to-day life.

CONCLUSION: Thus, this letter is his anguished plea to his father who scolds Rahul for losing his first rank, Rahul expresses his emotions through a letter to father.