Review of Honeydew, Part II
Book Review Part 1
Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory: The chapter 'Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory was written by Satyajit Ray. In main character of this lesson was Bepin
Choudhury, a very hardworking man. He didn't have many friends and also didn't like to spend time in chit-chats. He never
took holidays from his office and was famous for his good memory. Once while buying book, he realised that a man was looking at him and he was smiling as if
he knew him. The man told him that they had met in Ranchi. But Bepin Babu never went to Ranchi and was sure that it was not he but the man who was making the
mistake. The man also told that it was the year 1958 during the Puja holidays that he went to Ranchi; and there he told him that his wife had died 10 years ago; he had no
children; and his brother died insane. He also told that Bepin Babu had a cut mark on his right leg. Bepin Babu didn't take the man's lecture seriously. He bought his books
and went straight to his car. When he was on his was he folded up his trousers just to check if there was really a cut or the man was lying. This time Bepin Babu was wrong.
There was a cut mark on his right leg. After reaching home he decided to call Dinesh Mukerji but then he thought that Dinesh how he would make a fun of him. So, he cancelled
his plan of calling Dinesh Mukerji. After a little while he forgets all about this. The next day after reaching his office he finds that he cannot concentrate in his
work and the things which the man yesterday said was pricking his mind. So, he couldn't resist himself from dialling Dinesh's landline number. Dinesh picked up and Bepin
Babu asked if he remembered any incident that had taken place in the year 1958. Dinesh Mukerji checked his diary and in the mean time Bepin Bapu's heartbeat was getting
faster and faster. He said that he first went to Krishnanagar to a nephew's wedding on February and second he went to Ranchi with him during the Puja holidays.
Book Review Part 2
It made Bepin Babu's head spin. Was he getting mad? But how could this be? He had a reputation for his good memory and if it was true then what will become of him?. When he reached home he went straight to his bed. After a little while his servant announced "Chuni Babu , sir. Says it’s very important." Chunilal was his childhood friend but Bepin Babu was not in a mood to meet anyone. Chunilal always came to him because he was in a need for a job. Bepin Babu rushed down to meet him because he was sure that Chuni would know if he had ever been to Ranchi or not. When he asked Chuni about it he was greatly surprised as he bought the railway tickets to Ranchi and one of the fans in his compartment was not working and it was fixed by him. After hearing this Bepin Babu was sure that he had to consult a doctor. He went to Dr. Chandra. Dr. Chandra told him that he had never handled such a case in which one could remember everything except for a short trip to Ranchi. Dr. Chandra asked Bepin Babu to again go to Ranchi and this would surely help him to overcome this 'horrible illness' (as declared by Bepin Babu). When he reached Ranchi, it was all new to him. He thought that maybe going a little further would surely help him to remember a little bit more. He took a taxi and went to Hudroo Falls. When he reached there his mind began to spin and he fell on the ground. The next scene he saw was that he was on his bed with no hope left to be cured of this 'horrible illness'. His servant came into his room with a letter in his hand which was addressed to Bepin Babu. Bepin Babu opened the letter and on it was written that he didn't think that prosperity would change Bepin Babu so much; and he thought an old friend was the best friend but unfortunately he was wrong. He thought that friends help each other but in their case he would say that he didn't have prosperity or wealth but he did have something that Bepin Babu didn't have and that's imagination.
Book Review Part 3
He had written a story and an editor had approved it. If he found it interesting, then he would have his own story. Bepin Babu felt very ashamed of himself for such an unfriendly behaviour towards his childhood friend who was in need of help.
Bepin Babu was good at everything but he could not be a good friend. So, you see "A friend in need is a friend indeed!" (Which is totally not suitable for Bepin Babu!)
Book review part 4
The Last Bargain: It is a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore. In the poem 'The Last Bargain' there is a poor man wanting to be hired by somebody. This poem attracted my
attention because in this poem it is shown that nothing can make a person happy except freedom. In this poem the poor man cries for getting hired by somebody. Then
comes a king in his chariot with a sword in hand and says "I will hire you with my power". But his power was not enough for the poor man to get hired and the king went back
in his chariot. Then an old man came who was thinking about something and said "I will hire you with my wealth" and counted his coins but he was not giving it to the poor man
whole-heartedly. So, the poor man turned away. When it was evening, a beautiful girl came smiling and said "I will hire you with a smile". But her smile paled and she went back.
The sun was shining on the wet sand and there was a child playing in the sand. He saw the poor man and said "I hire you with nothing." From then onwards the poor man was happily hired because he was free.
In this poem it is shown that power, wealth and beauty don't stay with us for our whole life. But the only thing that stays is freedom and nobody can take it from us
if we don't want to; and that is the secret of true happiness.
Book Review Part 5
The School Boy: 'The School Boy' poem was written by William Blake. In this poem the poet wants all the parents to understand what their child feels when they are under too much academic pressure and not having even little bit fun especially during the summer when everything seems so much exciting and fun. But to get up in the morning and getting dressed up for school drives all the fun away. When he reaches school (as forced by the parents), he cannot concentrate in his studies because out of the window he can see the birds singing and it makes him eager to go outside and play. In this poem, the poet compares the school boy to a caged bird. The poet asks how can birds sing when they are caged; and how can the children take interest in studies when there is so much fun outside?
The poet wants to address the parents through the children that the parents should try to understand the child's need and give him/her atleast some freedom, so that, the child can develop into a balanced person.
Book Review Part 6
This is Jody's Fawn: The chapter 'This is Jody's Fawn' was written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In this chapter there is a child named Jody. His father gets bitten by a snake. So to cure him, they use a doe's heart and liver. Jody thinks about the fawn who would be alone and starving without its mother. Jody asks his father if he can bring that doe and raise it. His father allows him but asks him to first tell his mother about it. He goes to his mother and he tells his mother that his father has allowed him to bring the fawn whose mother was killed for saving his father. Doc Wilson also agrees to it and says "Nothing in this world comes quite free" and Mill-wheel also supports the boy and says that he can ride to the forest with him. His mother at last agrees and he rides back to the forest with Mill-wheel to find the fawn. When they reach the spot, Jody says to Mill-wheel that he will be able to find the fawn by himself. Actually, he didn't want Mill-wheel to see him sad if the fawn was dead or if he couldn't find it and if he found it he didn't want anybody to know about his secret meeting. After a little while he sees some buzzards who were eating the flesh of the doe they had earlier killed. Jody can't find the fawn. He searches and searches but fails to find it. After a little while he finds the fawn standing in front of him.
Book Review Part 7
He carries the fawn very carefully home. In his way home, he stops and sits for catching his breathe again and again. He soon reaches home. He thinks that the fawn would follow him to his father's room upstairs but it doesn't. So, he again carries the fawn to his father's room. His father becomes very happy that he found the fawn. After showing it to his father he goes straight to the kitchen. He finds the milk ready there in the kitchen. He pours the milk into a gourd for the fawn to drink. The fawn smells the milk but doesn't drink it. So, Jody dips his finger into the milk and thrusts the milk into the fawn's mouth. It sucks the milk. He continues to do it and soon enough the milk gets vanished from the gourd.
I like this story because in real life most of the people forget about their duties after taking help from others but here in this story Jody remembers his duty. Here, a small child knows what his duty is towards the fawn after taking it’s mother's heart and liver for curing his father. So friends, always be alert towards your duty.