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Read “Passport to India” (p. 65-68). After reading, answer: Why might English be the official language of India? Where, in this selection, do we see evidence of India’s reputation for having distinct, divided classes?
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Read “Passport to India” (p. 65-68) • After reading, answer: • Why might English be the official language of India? • Where, in this selection, do we see evidence of India’s reputation for having distinct, divided classes? • How might your everyday life (school, work, leisure, etc.) be different if you were currently living in India?
“Work without hope draws nectar in a sieve,And hope without an object cannot live” -Samuel Taylor Coleridge • He cannot work because he has nothing to hope for. He is an observer, not a participant, in the wealth.
The British Colonization of India • India: most valuable colony of the British Empire (1601-1947) • “the jewel in the British crown” • Began with peaceful intentions for trade, wound up conquering/governing with lots of tension • New industries disrupted India’s traditional economy and culture • Huge class division between high-ranking British and low-ranking Indians
India’s Independence • Indians were tired of being second-class citizens • Indian National Congress (1885) led movement • Original goal: gain more rights for Indians & more say in British administration • Britain used many Indian soldiers during WWI & WWII, promising political favors in return • Mohandas Gandhi (1920): non-violent protest
After reading, discuss: • What points of view are considered in this story? • How are we seeing similar situations in small towns across America? • How does the narrator feel about the Muslim women? How does Kali feel? • How do we define freedom? Can we put a price on it?
Assignment • Choose a controversial issue that you hold a strong opinion about. Write an argument supporting the opposite position.