Sunday, March 24, 2019

Group 4 Design Technology

Arham Khan

Group 4 project is a part of the Diploma Programme. It is a collaborative project which enlightens us on practicality of a real life situation. The crucial skills which will be required later in our lives of how to start a project, working together and then tackling with little little problems. This year’s project was to create an environmentally sustainable green house. The entire cohort was divided into different groups of sciences and humanities subjects. I was in Design Technology group. Where we had to create a prototype of the greenhouse. This year’s group 4 project was intended to be a proposal for our school to change and rebuild the current green house, to make it green and sustainable for a longer duration. The existing green house is in a bad shape; it is made of cloth which was not the best material to use. Since the school is located in an area where the chances of rain are high. 

On our first day of the project we started by having a presentation about what the group 4 project is and discussed this years group 4 topic which was to “create a low cost, energy efficient greenhouse.” To begin with we had the pleasure to have Mr. Manish Gupta with us as our guest speaker for the presentation. We started by talking about what a greenhouse is and its purpose and effectiveness, we even looked at some studies that have been performed, like the study performed by NASA and the government of India. Another important thing we talked about was vertical gardening which has become a new innovation which has really helped a lot. I feel that the presentation was helpful and informative as we got to know new facts which helped us by giving a direction to our research. 

To start off the process, we prototype had to be 5 by 4 by 3 feet. We looked at a plethora of options which would help construct the basic structure of the greenhouse. We weighed out a glass structure as an option, and while that’s an ideal aesthetically pleasing option; it often lacks energy efficiency and can be costly. Glass does not permit for the diffusion of light, and for that we would’ve have to choose another method. With the removal of this option from the list, we ended up with three major categories of materials to look at. 
Polycarbonate: A group of thermoplastic polymers that contain carbonate groups in their chemical structures. When used in engineering they have proven to be strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. Can be easily worked with, moulded, and thermoformed. As per the usage of them in a greenhouse, they are cheaper and more versatile than most glass greenhouses. These greenhouses most commonly come with a single-wall or twin-wall polycarbonate sheet. Aluminum is another material which we had looked into. It is a silvery-white, soft, nonmagnetic and ductile metal. It acts as a very low-maintenance material, it doesn’t rust or break down from exposure to the elements such as high temperature and water. However, it is not very strong and when used for a greenhouse frame, the supporting members must either be made from heavy gauge pieces or doubled up for strength. 
Galvanized steel is a type of steel that has been treated with an application of protective zinc coating to help prevent it from rusting. It provides for durability at a low cost. Due to the steel being strong, the greenhouse will require fewer framing members. Most steel frames are designed to be used with polyethylene film, rather than solid glass or polycarbonate panels. Also, a big negative for galvanized steel is that the galvanizing will eventually wear off, and the steel will begin to rust.PVC plastic is a plastic and the polymer of vinyl chloride monomer. Polycarbonate is a type of plastic. PVC plastic polycarbonate are low cost, portable, and very easy to assemble. polycarbonate provides a greenhouse with better insulation properties than a regular, glass greenhouse. Plastic has better heat retention properties than glass, and less heat is lost through polycarbonate material than glass.Acrylic isa transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is extremely light weight, as compared to a glass panel. The final materials were decided after the physics and chemistry groups had experimented with all the materials. 
I worked as a helping hand for my peers. My group leaders assigned me tasks such as cutting of PVC plastic, bolting in the screws, sharpening of aluminum, designing different shapes of greenhouses and so forth. 

Group 4 project has been an incredible experience for me. To start it off with, interaction between all different sciences was quite an enriching experience. I learnt how every science plays a major role. They are all independent to each other. I learnt many skills from my leaders and peers. Communication and collaboration were main skills that made it successful with of course logical thinking. Our group managed to deliver the prototype we had imagined successful. 

Thursday, March 21, 2019

A Doll's House: A Humanist or Feminist play?

Pranav Sethi

Many people have argued over which theme, "A Doll's House" relates with the most. The two most prevalent themes readers debate about are whether, "A Doll's House" is a humanist, or feminist play. However, before evaluating which theme the play identifies with the most, readers must understand what these two terms mean in order to determine which theme most suitably represents the play.

Feminism is perhaps the easiest theme to identify because its definition is straightforward. It refers to advocating for women's rights, and ultimately, gender equality. However, humanism is more open to interpretation. However, what seems to be the main characteristics of humanism are ideas and actions that involves humans believing in themselves to lead ethical lives that are for the greater good. The theme of Humanism is argued to take place throughout the play, and through the interactions between all of the characters regardless of gender. On the other hand, Feminism is argued to take place between the relationship between Nora and Torvald, as well as Nora's relationship between other male characters. Regardless of what themes Ibsen was trying to show through the novel, he uses Naturalism, which is a theory in which all interactions between people, and things should be portrayed in a realistic manner.

Naturalism was also a major movement that occurred during the 19th century, which could explain why Ibsen made use of this theory. In many viewpoints, and mine, Ibsen uses Naturalism to portray the theme of Humanism instead of feminism. Although various gender roles were portrayed in the novel, Ibsen focuses on the problems with both men and women. For instance, the arguments posed by readers about how "A Doll's House" is a feminist play includes how Ibsen portrayed the lack of women's suffrage, their inability to finish their education because of societal pressure, and society frowning upon women having careers of their own. However, this is just one of the aspects of the book, and doesn't address the overarching story of the novel that Ibsen is trying to tell.

Along with gender roles being portrayed of women, there are also many stereotypes explored in, "A Doll's House" for men. For instance, men having the sole responsibility to provide for the household, and always needing to be strong, and have power over relationships. Furthermore, the main plot of the story which explores the relationship between Krogstad and Nora is a great example of why, "A Doll's House" leans more towards a humanist theme. Both of these characters had committed similar crimes, and they both reaped the consequences. Should the reader analyze the novel, and read between the lines enough, he or she should see that this is a reason as to why the novel is a humanist theme. It's because the humanist theme incorporates a feminist theme, but as applies it to all humans regardless of their genders.

Although in my opinion, the novel relates more towards a humanist theme, there are many arguments posed by readers which have valid points. This is the reason as to why a novel like, "A Doll's House" cannot be solidified as a humanist, or a feminist theme. There are many parts of the play that support both arguments, however, in my opinion, the writing and main plot of the novel shows why Ibsen considered, "A Doll's House" to be a humanist play.


Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Women and Men in the 19th Century - a discrepancy

Pranav Sethi

During the 19th century, the state of gender equality was extremely different than it is today. During the 1800s, women had fewer rights than men. For instance, they couldn't vote, finish college, nor could they go appear in court. Additionally, socially, they were considered to be inferior to men. Most women were housewives, taking care of their male partners, and therefore, it was considered to be egregious for women to work in higher class jobs. In contrast, men were considered to be the leaders, brave, and generally were considered to have a higher status in society than women. They had all of the rights they have today, but back then, they were considered both socially, and legally superior to women. This aspect of the state of society in the 19th century is perfectly portrayed throughout the book, "A Doll's House."

An example of this occurs in the very beginning of the novel, when Nora eats and hides a bag of macaroons when Helmer specifically banned them from coming in to the household. This is a clear example of how Helmer is considered to be the, "man of the house," and is shown to be superior to Nora. However, this example also shows how Nora reacts to his rules, and why she can be considered, "a rebel."

Additionally, the gender role of men being leaders, and women mostly being considered to be heavily dependent on men is portrayed in the novel. An example of this occurs during the most crucial moment of the plot, which is when Nora takes out a bank loan to pay for a vacation intended to improve Torvald's health. When Nora informs Ms. Linde about this secret, Nora goes on to say, "[it] [would] [be] painful and humiliating ... for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me [something]! It would upset our [...] relationship altogether." This example shows that even Nora knows the role of men in the 19th century because of her use of the words, "with his manly independence." She also knows that if Torvald realizes what she did, their relationship would drastically change because of the gender roles they play. This direct statement made by Nora during the play shows the reader how different society was back then, when compared to today.

Although gender roles can be created through statements made by the different characters created by Ibsen, their actions also contribute to this reoccurring theme of, "gender roles". For instance, throughout the play, Nora is seen to be spending most of her time with her children, entertaining, and taking care of them. However, neither Helmer nor Torvald are seen taking care of the kids. This can be interpreted by the reader as a symbol used by Ibsen to portray the gender role of work in the 19th century, and how taking care of the children was a, "woman's job", and working at an office was a, "man's job".

Ibsen creates many gender roles in his play, but one of the most notable ones is the influence of a woman on the household. The reader can see this portrayal when Nora requests Helmer for a new job. This shows how much influence a woman had on their husbands during the 19th century, and to some extent, even today.

Finally, one of the most evident gender roles Ibsen creates in, "A Doll's House", is the role of women being talkative, and at times, a gossiper. Ibsen shows the reader this during the time when Nora has a conversation with Mrs. Linde. In this conversation, Nora talks about certain events that should not have been communicated with Mrs. Linde, which creates this stereotype. However, this is one of the gender roles that can also, to a certain extent, be associated with women today.

Ibsen, through many parts of the novel, has conveyed the types of gender roles that both men and women played in the 19th century, which helps the reader to understand the differences in society back then, and today.






Sunday, March 17, 2019

Consider why Ibsen called A Doll's House a "humanist" rather than a "feminist" play

Vikramaditya Arora

A doll’s house is a novel published by Henrik Ibsen, which covers various themes and ideas. It takes place in the 19th century, where the story revolves around the sexual inequality and gender bias, which take place between a wife and her husband. Nevertheless, the category for which the play falls under has often been argued, while some claim the play is humanist, some claim it’s feminist. While both the ideas are recurring themes present throughout the play, with equal emphasis provided upon them. To understand in what category the play falls under, we would need to know the meaning and the role of the 2 terms.

Humanism refers to ideas, actions and values being equally respected, regardless of gender and differentiation in thoughts. Feminism refers to the advocation of women’s rights or views on economical, social and political matters. Ibsen compares both the ideas in the novel, where feminism is demonstrated through the unfair interaction, which takes place between Nora and Torvald, whilst humanism is propagated through the ways in Nora and other women in the play, imagine a world would be fair without the discrimination. Thus trying to create an illusion of reality, where the controversial aspects of their life seem relatable, and we can sympathise with the characters. The use of this technique is called Naturalism.

While the 19th century was a troubling time for all people, due to pressure faced by society, regarding the roles a male of female had at that time. The play is an example of a humanist play, as its focus is dedicated not towards the problems faced only by females, but also males. Where it tends to put attention on the specific problems faced by females at that time. While the inequality propagated through issues of not being able to vote, or having political views of their own, not being able to complete their education, not being able to have a professional working life of their own etc. Certain stereotypes are explored around men, where they face the pressure of being the breadwinner of the household, Ibsen specifically focuses on the dilemma faced by Females. Nevertheless he includes the way, society, as a whole needs to think in a given manner, Where men have to be the only source of income for the house and in the professional frontier, while women have to take care of the household and children. 

To conclude, the main theme put forward by Ibsen is humanism, rather than feminism. As the play puts emphasis on the drawbacks faced by both the genders in the 19th century, rather than females as whole, where the author has provided evidence by putting forward points of lack of freedom to think or make independent choices for both the genders, rather than only females. 

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Women and Men in 19th century Europe - a discrepancy


Vikramaditya Arora

The 19th century is a known time period for gender inequality. During this time, women only had a certain credibility in legal, social and political rights. Women were expected to be under males and were expected to follow certain guidelines and abide by them.  Women were also not allowed to work professionally in the corporate world, and were expected to run the household and take care of the children. Whilst middle or higher class women were still expected to run the household, lower class women were confined to working under labour or small time tasks in order to sustain their living.

Women were largely dependent on their husbands, due to the fact that they were not allowed to work, and the men of the house were the breadwinners. Thus giving them the realisation of being the inferior gender and under males. As men were considered the leaders of the house, they held the higher status, whereas women were characterised simply as sidekicks, as their role only revolved around taking care of the house, while the men are working.

These comparisons can be seen evident in the novel A Doll’s House, where the husband Torvald had the higher degree of authority over his wife Nora. For Eg when in the book, Torvald is ill and Nora takes a bank loan in order to afford the vacation, so Torvald can get well. However when Nora tells the secret to Mrs Lnde about it, she talks about how humiliating and devastating it would be for Torvald to know, that Nora owed him anything financially. This demonstrates how the husband must be the only source of income for the house.

The author also illustrates more example of the following discrimination between the genders in the book. Another example is where Mrs Linde tells Nora why she married her husband, where she was forced to marry in order to support her family. Another example includes the nicknames, which Torvald uses for calling his wife, such as- Squirrel. This demonstrates the minor status held by women.

To conclude the discrepancy between both the genders, was high during the 19th century. Where opposite roles were appointed to the genders, in terms of their social responsibility, political views and freedom to express themselves. Nevertheless the same injustice and prejudice against women is not palpable in today’s society. Where the main focus of sexual discrimination has changed in the 20th century compared to what it was earlier. In my opinion, things have changed for the better, as the value and power of women can be freely expressed. Showcasing that they are not only suited to work under household conditions ,but also engage in the professional and corporate opportunities around them. Several important leaders and innovators are examples of women, such as- Oprah Winfrey and Barkha Dutt. These women are examples of influential people, who have not only shown heaps of success, but also encouraged thousands of women to understand their worth, and bring out the best in themselves, by discovering their passion, and not being afraid to follow their dreams. The development of equality amongst the genders is a huge step in the growth of the society, where I strongly feel that both the genders would be happy through equality, As both the genders would want freedom of their roles in a marriage, and would want to pursue careers and choices of their own. Where men would have felt the pressure of being the only breadwinner of the house, and manage the finances completely by himself, whilst the woman would always have to be under the authority of women, and only focus on the household and children. The abolishment of these stereotypes is important, and it is good to see, that these stereotypes have been erased. Whilst Gender discrimination is still prevalent in some parts of the world, it is encouraging to see that they’re getting removed as well. After all no one would want to recall the prejudice of women in the 19th century.

Monday, March 11, 2019

A Doll's House: Feminist or Humanist in Nature?


By Sonakshi Bhatnagar 

The category under which Ibsen’s ’A Doll’s House’, classes itself has been argued. Some say that the bases of the play is humanist, some say feminist. Both the themes are evidently prevalent in the play, both with equal amounts of emphasis. But to understand why Ibsen, himself, has titled ‘A Doll’s House’ to be a humanist play in nature, we need to understand the qualities and differences between the two concepts.

Humanism, refers to a train of thought in which human interests, values, and dignities predominate. Feminism, on the other hand, only caters to the advocacy of women’s rights on social, political, and economic matters, in relation to men. Naturalism, was a movement, which was prevalent during the time, and of which, Ibsen has made use. What it employed was the idea of creating an illusion of reality, by tackling everyday issues in a relatable form of entertainment. Ibsen, often brought in controversial subjects to this set. 

Due to the societal values of the time, and the obvious differences between the two sexes, it may be blatant in nature that the play directs its attention to Nora, a woman. However, the depth of the issue which is addressed, has it roots planted in much deeper than what meets the eye. These strict morals, and stereotypical bounds weren’t only placed upon women. Each individual, every member of the society was oppressed by expectations which they were expected to meet. There was very little to no freedom which allowed the people to just be, and discover their identities. Their lives were dictated by predestined roles. 

One needs to meet the play with a keen eye, to better understand the structuring and working of life during that time. With Nora as a lead character, we may omit certain details because we feel they may not hold any relevancy. What we fail to see the ample number of instances in which this humanist theme reoccurs, and is visible in the path of many characters; male or female. Krogstad, would be a fair example. Nora and him, had both been responsible for a crime of the same nature. It dictated how it is the circumstances which demanded these actions, and not their individual minds. Their actions were the cause and the effect, both at the same time— The causation to the climax, and the effect of their surrounding circumstances. 

Speaking of giving into their emotions, we often found these characters to conform to the society. They were merely another brick in the wall, but the play acted as a ground for them to all grow and progress as characters. This happened in the form of revelations, climaxes, and plot twists. Nora walking out, wasn’t just a symbolic movement for feminism; it was one for all humans. Her leaving should be taken in a metaphoric and symbolic manner, rather than a literal one. The world she thought she existed in, simply was an illusion of freedom. She did leave behind her family, but she did it to exercise her right to merely be her own person. Whereas, when we looked at Torvald, he was simply bound by the life she left behind. This also acted to further emphasise how contrasting the two were. Two sides of the same coin. 

Obviously, the intent of the playwright, and the way a viewer perceives it, can be and is completely varying in nature. One cannot pin down a piece of literature onto a single wooden board, when it spreads itself over several. Different people will perceive this differently, will interpret it differently, and will learn from it differently. Regardless of how they do so, all paths lead to the point that the purpose of the text was fulfilled, i.e. to address critical social issues. These social issues still embody themselves in hidden corners, of today’s society, as his work remains relevant and true, upto this point in time.

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