Madam Rides the Bus Introduction Valli, an eight-year-old girl, is the protagonist of ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ She had maturity, intelligence, practicality, and self-respect beyond her years. Her favourite hobby consisted of standing at the front doorway and observing the street below. She was a skilled organiser. She scrimped and saved every penny she could … Read more
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Summary The setting for this story was New England. In this story, villagers gathered in the square on a warm day in late June to participate in a lottery run by Mr Summers, who officiated at all the major civic events. The kids were the first to arrive and began … Read more
Summary of The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allen Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart is a well-known American short story written in ten paragraphs. This is a tragic story. It has long been admired as an excellent example of how a short story can have an impact on the reader. Poe (1809-1849) was a … Read more
We are the Music Makers by O’Shaughnessy About the Poem “We are the Music Makers” by Arthur O’Shaughnessy is among the most upbeat and optimistic poems ever written on art. O’Shaughnessy dedicates his work to the artists, authors, painters, and those who have lived in fantasy and created realms beyond their own. The phrase “We … Read more
An Apology for Poetry Summary An Apology for Poetry by Elizabethan poet Philip Sidney was written in approximately 1580 and first published posthumously in 1595 by two printers in two separate but nearly identical editions. The one published by William Ponosby was titled The Defence of Poesie. The title of Henry Olney’s work is An … Read more
Summary Song of Myself The poem “Song of Myself” was originally published in 1855 as part of “Leaves of Grass” and was later republished in 1891-1892 with fifty-two sections. “Song of Myself” is comparable to a journey that takes readers from the human body to the soul and then to the highest regard for the … Read more
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde Book Summary The Selfish Giant is a story about a giant who learned a valuable lesson about love and generosity. A selfish giant owned a lovely garden. Long after his departure, children began to play in his garden. When he returned, he instructed the children to leave. The giant … Read more
The Axe by R. K Narayan The Axe is a compelling story about a person seeking his life’s purpose and place. It explores themes of pride, commitment, control, and acceptance. Velan’s father was a poor man, so nobody could have imagined that Velan would one day reside in a three-story building. However, the astrologer’s prediction … Read more
The Accidental Tourist By Bill Bryson INTRODUCTION This is a story written by Bill Bryson about his adventures on planes. During these flights, he has had a number of negative incidents. He recounts all of these events, and we learn how he fails to enjoy his air flights and, despite being a frequent traveller, is … Read more
Naga-Mandala by Girish Karnad About the Play Girish Karnad, a prominent Indian-English dramatist, is the author of the play Naga-Mandala. Karnad learned about Kannada mythology from his tutor, Professor A. K. Ramanujan, who inspired the play. “Nagamandala” is a ceremonial (cobra worship) practised in the southern Karnataka coastal areas. In 1988, the play was published. … Read more
Introduction Background to the Essay “The Poet” Emerson’s essay “The Poet” originally published in the 1844 edition of Essays, discusses what makes a poet and what that person’s position in society should be. He contends that the poet is a seer who uncovers the mysteries of the universe and articulates the universal truths that unite … Read more
Where I Lived and What I Lived for by Henry David Thoreau Thoreau, the naturalist, poet, philosopher, and essayist, is an invaluable asset to the American literary world. He is a transcendentalist as well, but he pursues a completely different path than Emerson. For him, it is a way of life that can shape an … Read more
