#TalkingAboutTheStory

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Ch 06 - The Story (Essays): Complete Guide

Explore our comprehensive guide to Ch 06 – The Story by E. M. Forster from the Class XI Elective English textbook Woven Words. This post includes a detailed summary, key points, Q&A, discussion prompts, appreciation insights, and language exercises. We also provide easy-to-understand explanations in Hindi and Urdu to make learning more accessible. Perfect for mastering My Story for exams! - Summary of The Story by E. M. Forster - Key Points in The Story by E. M. Forster - UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT (Q&A of The Story by E. M. Forster) - TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT - APPRECIATION - LANGUAGE WORK - Explanation of My Story by EM Foster in Hindi - Explanation of My Story by EM Foster in Urdu Summary of The Story by E. M. Forster

E. M. Forster’s essay, The Story, explores the fundamental element of a novel—its storytelling. Forster presents three perspectives on what a novel does. The first, casual and indifferent, views a novel as simply telling a story. The second, adamant and straightforward, values storytelling above all else. The third, reflective and regretful, acknowledges the necessity of a story while wishing novels could offer something more profound. Forster argues that storytelling is as ancient as humanity itself, likening it to a "backbone" or even a "tape-worm" that supports the finer elements of a novel, such as characterisation, description, and morality. He traces this instinct back to primitive times when suspense was vital for survival, drawing parallels to Scheherazade from The Arabian Nights. Scheherazade’s ability to keep her audience—her tyrannical husband—curious saved her life, highlighting the universal human desire to know “what happens next.” The essay defines a story as a sequence of events arranged in time, with its only virtue being the ability to sustain interest. Forster contrasts this "life in time" with "life by values," suggesting that while life may transcend time, a novel cannot; it must remain rooted in chronology to be intelligible. He acknowledges, however, that skilled authors like Emily Brontë, Sterne, and Proust have found innovative ways to manipulate time in their narratives. Forster concludes that while the story is the simplest and least noble aspect of a novel, it remains indispensable. Its role is not just to narrate events but to provide the structure upon which a novel’s deeper values and artistry can flourish. Download PDF of The Story by EM Foster Key Points in The Story by E. M. Forster - Three Perspectives on Storytelling - Casual view: A novel tells a story, no further thought given. - Straightforward view: Storytelling is the sole purpose of a novel, prioritising suspense and entertainment. - Reflective view: A story is essential but considered a basic, even regrettable, aspect of a novel. - The Role of the Story in Novels - Acts as the "backbone" or structure, supporting finer elements like character development and description. - Defined as a sequence of events arranged in time (e.g., breakfast before dinner). - The sole merit: Keeps the audience curious about what happens next. - Main flaw: Fails if it loses the audience’s interest. - Historical Context of Storytelling - Rooted in ancient human behaviour, serving as a source of suspense and engagement for primitive societies. - Referenced Scheherazade from The Arabian Nights: Used storytelling to survive by sustaining suspense. - Time and Its Importance - Time serves as the organising principle in stories. - Forster contrasts "life in time" (sequential events) with "life by values" (measured by intensity and meaning). - Daily life blends both allegiances, while a novel must adhere to time to remain coherent. - Innovative Use of Time in Novels - Authors like Emily Brontë, Sterne, and Proust experimented with time, introducing complexity without losing the story's essence. - Conclusion - The story is a simple and essential aspect of a novel. - It provides a framework for deeper exploration of themes, values, and artistry. UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT (Q&A of The Story by E. M. Forster) 1. What do you understand of the three voices in response to the question ‘What does a novel do’? (Short Answer) The three voices represent different perspectives. The first is casual and indifferent, the second prioritises the story over other elements, and the third acknowledges the story’s necessity while wishing for a more profound focus in novels. 2. What would you say are ‘the finer growths’ that the story supports in a novel? (Short Answer) The finer growths include character development, vivid descriptions, morality, themes, and emotional depth. These aspects enhance the novel’s artistic value and make it richer, going beyond the mere sequence of events. 3. How does Forster trace the human interest in the story to primitive times? (Long Answer) Forster explains that storytelling has existed since ancient times when humans gathered around fires after their daily struggles. Suspense was the key to keeping audiences engaged, as demonstrated in the tale of Scheherazade, who survived by sparking curiosity about what would happen next. Storytelling is linked to primal curiosity and survival instincts, which have evolved into our modern love for stories. This historical connection highlights the timeless appeal of narrative structures. 4. Discuss the importance of time in the narration of a story. (Long Answer) Time is crucial in stories as it organises events in a logical sequence. Forster explains that daily life has two dimensions: the life in time (chronology) and the life by values (intensity and meaning). A good story must adhere to time to be coherent, even if authors creatively manipulate it. Time ensures clarity and engagement, forming the backbone of a story. Without it, narratives risk becoming unintelligible, as shown in Forster’s examples of authors experimenting with time creatively while maintaining structure. TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT 1. What does a novel do? (Short Answer) A novel tells a story. Beyond that, it also explores human values, emotions, and deeper truths. It combines storytelling with artistry, blending life’s chronological and meaningful aspects to engage readers. 2. ‘Our daily life reflects a double allegiance to ‘the life in time’ and ‘the life by values’.’ (Short Answer) Daily life follows chronological order (life in time) but is also marked by emotional intensity and significance (life by values). While time is essential in stories, real-life experiences are more flexible, blending both aspects. 3. The description of novels as organisms. (Short Answer) Forster likens novels to living organisms, with the story as their backbone. Just as organisms grow and adapt, novels evolve by adding themes, characters, and emotions, supported by the structure of a well-told story. APPRECIATION 1. How does Forster use the analogy of Scheherazade to establish his point? (Long Answer) Forster uses Scheherazade’s tale to illustrate the universal appeal of suspense in storytelling. She survived by stopping her stories at cliffhangers, keeping her husband curious. Forster connects this to the fundamental role of storytelling: sustaining the audience’s interest. Suspense becomes the "backbone" of any narrative, proving how primal curiosity shapes the story’s structure and purpose. This analogy also emphasises the timeless nature of storytelling, showing how it has been central to human engagement and survival. 2. Taking off from Forster’s references to Emily Brontë, Sterne, and Proust, discuss the treatment of time in some of the novels you have read. (Long Answer) Forster mentions authors who creatively handle time. For instance, Emily Brontë hides time in Wuthering Heights, blending past and present. Sterne’s Tristram Shandy experiments with time by deliberately slowing the narrative. Proust’s In Search of Lost Time blurs time, merging memory and present experiences. These techniques demonstrate that while time is vital, its manipulation can create unique artistic effects. Novels I've read, like To Kill a Mockingbird, also showcase time subtly, with flashbacks enriching the present story. LANGUAGE WORK 1. ‘Qua story’: what does the word mean? Find other expressions using the word qua. (Very Short Answer) ‘Qua’ means ‘in the capacity of’. For example, "qua artist" means "as an artist". Other phrases include ‘qua teacher’ or ‘qua critic’. 2. Study the Note to Aspects of the Novel given at the end. Discuss the features that mark the piece as a talk as distinguished from a critical essay. (Short Answer) The text is conversational, using words like ‘I’, ‘you’, and ‘we’, creating an informal tone. Unlike a formal essay, it feels like a lecture, with anecdotes and direct appeals to the audience, making it more accessible. 3. Try rewriting the lecture as a formal essay and examine Forster’s statement: ‘…since the novel is itself often colloquial, it may possibly withhold some of its secrets from the graver and grander streams of criticism’. (Long Answer) Rewriting Forster’s lecture as a formal essay would involve removing colloquial expressions and structuring it academically. This might make it more suitable for critical analysis but could also strip it of the charm that mirrors a novel’s conversational nature. Forster’s point suggests that novels, being informal and creative, may resist rigid, serious criticism, which often overlooks subtleties accessible through simpler, narrative-driven discussions. Explanation of My Story by EM Foster in Hindi सारांश: ई. एम. फॉर्स्टर के निबंध मेरा कहानी का केंद्र बिंदु उपन्यास की सबसे बुनियादी विशेषता, यानी कहानी कहने की कला, है। लेखक तीन दृष्टिकोणों के माध्यम से यह समझाते हैं कि लोग उपन्यास की भूमिका को कैसे देखते हैं: - पहला दृष्टिकोण: यह एक साधारण और निष्क्रिय दृष्टिकोण है, जहां व्यक्ति मानता है कि उपन्यास केवल कहानी सुनाने के लिए है। - दूसरा दृष्टिकोण: यह स्पष्ट और दृढ़ है, जहां व्यक्ति केवल कहानी में रुचि रखता है और इसे सबसे महत्वपूर्ण मानता है। - तीसरा दृष्टिकोण: यह खुद फॉर्स्टर का है। वे मानते हैं कि कहानी उपन्यास की बुनियाद है, लेकिन इसे एक साधारण और सीमित पहलू भी मानते हैं। कहानी की भूमिका: फॉर्स्टर कहते हैं कि कहानी उपन्यास का "रीढ़" है। यह समय के क्रम में घटनाओं को प्रस्तुत करती है। हालांकि कहानी का मुख्य उद्देश्य पाठक की उत्सुकता बनाए रखना है, लेकिन यह उपन्यास के उच्च पहलुओं, जैसे चरित्र चित्रण, नैतिकता, और गहराई, को भी सहारा देती है। मानव रुचि और कहानी का इतिहास: कहानी सुनाने की परंपरा आदिम काल से शुरू हुई, जब लोग ��ग के पास बैठकर अपनी दिनचर्या के संघर्षों के बाद मनोरंजन के लिए कहानियां सुनते थे। फॉर्स्टर अलिफ लैला की शहेरजाद की कहानी का उदाहरण देते हैं, जिसने राजा को हर रात अधूरी कहानी सुनाकर अपनी जान बचाई। समय का महत्व: कहानी समय के अनुसार चलती है। फॉर्स्टर इसे "समय में जीवन" और "मूल्य के अनुसार जीवन" के बीच अंतर से जोड़ते हैं। उपन्यास में समय के क्रम का पालन करना अनिवार्य है, जबकि वास्तविक जीवन में यह उतना सख्त नहीं है। निष्कर्ष: फॉर्स्टर का मानना है कि कहानी उपन्यास का सबसे सरल और बुनियादी हिस्सा है। यह पाठकों को बांधे रखती है और उपन्यास की गहराई को विकसित करने के लिए एक मजबूत ढांचा प्रदान करती है। कहानी के बिना उपन्यास अधूरा है। Explanation of My Story by EM Foster in Urdu خلاصہ: ای۔ ایم۔ فورسٹر کے مضمون میری کہانی کا موضوع ناول کی بنیادی خصوصیت، یعنی کہانی سنانے کی اہمیت، ہے۔ مصنف تین مختلف نظریات کے ذریعے یہ وضاحت کرتے ہیں کہ لوگ ناول کی تعریف کیسے کرتے ہیں: - پہلا نظریہ: یہ ایک عام اور سادہ رویہ ہے، جہاں لوگ سمجھتے ہیں کہ ناول صرف کہانی سنانے کے لیے ہوتا ہے۔ - دوسرا نظریہ: یہ مضبوط اور فیصلہ کن ہے، جہاں لوگ صرف کہانی کو اہم سمجھتے ہیں اور اسے سب سے زیادہ پسند کرتے ہیں۔ - تیسرا نظریہ: یہ خود فورسٹر کا ہے، جو مانتے ہیں کہ کہانی ناول کی بنیاد ہے، لیکن اسے ایک عام اور محدود پہلو تصور کرتے ہیں۔ کہانی کی اہمیت: فورسٹر کہتے ہیں کہ کہانی ناول کی "ریڑھ" ہے، جو وقت کے تسلسل میں واقعات کو پیش کرتی ہے۔ کہانی کا بنیادی مقصد قاری کی دلچسپی برقرار رکھنا ہے، لیکن یہ ناول کے دوسرے اہم عناصر، جیسے کردار نگاری، اخلاقیات، اور گہرائی، کو بھی سہارا دیتی ہے۔ کہانی اور انسانی دلچسپی کا تاریخی پس منظر: کہانی سنانے کی روایت قدیم زمانے سے موجود ہے، جب لوگ آگ کے گرد بیٹھ کر روزمرہ کے مسائل سے تھک جانے کے بعد کہانیوں سے لطف اندوز ہوتے تھے۔ فورسٹر الف لیلیٰ کی شہرزاد کی مثال دیتے ہیں، جو ہر رات ادھوری کہانی سنا کر بادشاہ کی تجسس کو برقرار رکھتی اور اپنی جان بچاتی تھی۔ وقت کی اہمیت: کہانی وقت کی ترتیب کے مطابق چلتی ہے۔ فورسٹر اسے "وقت میں زندگی" اور "قدر کی بنیاد پر زندگی" کے فرق سے جوڑتے ہیں۔ ناول میں وقت کا لحاظ ضروری ہے، جبکہ حقیقی زندگی میں یہ لازمی نہیں۔ نتیجہ: فورسٹر کے م��ابق کہانی ناول کا سب سے آسان اور بنیادی جزو ہے۔ یہ قاری کو اپنی طرف متوجہ رکھتی ہے اور ناول کی گہرائی کو اجاگر کرنے کے لیے ایک مضبوط ڈھانچہ فراہم کرتی ہے۔ کہانی کے بغیر ناول ادھورا رہتا ہے۔ Read the full article