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ABSTRACT

TWO USES OF THEATRE AS A COMMUNICATION MODE FOR
THE STUDY OF SELECTED CULTURAL CONCEPTS OF INDIA

BY

Keith Edward Nielsen

This study explored the relationship of two theatre
teaching treatments to student knowledge gain and change in
affective behavior on selected cultural concepts of a
specific country, India, for high and low dogmatic students.
The two teaching treatments were defined as opgn_and closed.
The distinguishing characteristic between these teaching
treatments is that in the open teaching treatment the stu-
dents produced Indian plays in class, and in the closed
teaching treatment the students did not produce Indian plays
in class. The open teaching treatment provides more oppor-
tunity than the closed treatment for a wider range of sensory
stimulation, more information flow, more feedback and inter-
action, and more involvement.

Dogmatism was measured by the Short Form of the Rokeach
Dogmatism Scale, and a median split was used to divide sub-
jects into high and low dogmatic groups.

Preference for teaching treatment was measured by
students' responses about how well they liked the teaching
treatments in which they participated.

Knowledge gain was measured by summing differences in
students' responses to 32 items on a pretest-posttest ques-

tionnaire.

Keith Edward Nielsen

Change in affective behavior was measured by a social
distance scale and a seven point semantic differential
scale for three concepts. A shift in the predicted direc-
tion on the posttest questionnaire signified change in
affective behavior toward India.

Students in all the ninth grade English classes, in-
cluding one for control purposes, at East Lansing High
School and a ninth grade English class for control purposes
at Okemos High School comprised the population of interest
for this study. Intact groups were used where teachers
were willing to cooperate. Three experimental teachers and
one control teacher at East Lansing High School and one con-
trol teacher at Okemos High School cooperated in the study.

Having gathered data on the student's dogmatism, pre-
ference, knowledge gain, and change in affective behavior,
the data were examined to confirm the presence or absence of
three hypothesized relationships. The hypotheses stated
that students would prefer the open teaching treatment, and
show greater gains in knowledge and changes in affective
behavior in the open than in the closed treatment. Further,
it is expected that the impact of the open treatment will be
greater for low dogmatic students;and.conversely the impact
of the closed treatment will be greater for high dogmatic
students.

The first hypothesis was supported at the 0.05 level of
significance. The data revealed no statistically signifi-

cant relationship at the 0.05 level between the two teaching

Keith Edward Nielsen
treatments and knowledge gain.or change in affective be-
havior. However, all experimental treatments, including the
control group at East Lansing High School, showed a statis-
tically significant gain in knowledge.

This held for both dogmatism levels. However, the
social distance measures showed low dogmatics tending to
reduce social distance, and high dogmatics tending to in-
crease social distance (F value was at 0.066 level).

The significant knowledge gain by the control group in
the experimental school is indicative of the learning which
may result from student interaction outside the classroom.
This gain by the control group suggests replication of the
study using different schools for each treatment, equating
students in the different schools on the dimensions being
studied.

Measures of individual differences other than dogmatism
also should be investigated in relation to students' responses
to the two teaching styles.

Another fruitful study to undertake is to compare
changes in knowledge and affective behaviors of students
viewing a performance by professional actors with the changes
in their behaviors when they participate in their own pro-

duction of the same play.

TWO USES OF THEATRE AS A COMMUNICATION MODE FOR
THE STUDY OF SELECTED CULTURAL CONCEPTS OF INDIA

BY

Keith Edward Nielsen

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Theatre

1970

Q) Copyright by
Keith Edward Nielsen

1971

ii

To Betty, whose assistance and encouragement
kept me ”on course", to Mark, Lance, Brett,
Matthew, and Carla whose “shadows over my
shoulder" urged me on; and to Jim whose spirit
was ever reassuring.

iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Above all, I wish to thank my thesis advisor, Dr.
Lawrence Sarbaugh, who was my constant companion in this
endeavor. .His assistance, encouragement, and calm pati-
ence made the journey so worthwhile.

A Special thank you is in order to my co-thesis ad-
visor, Dr. Farley Richmond, for his assistance in defining
and formulating the thesis problem. His suggestions helped
me greatly in conceptualizing the scope and direction of
this thesis.

Thanks, also, go to each of the members who served on
the thesis committee: Dr. E. C. Reynolds, Dr. John Hu, Dr.
John Waite, Dr. Anthony Collins, and Mr. Frank Rutledge.
Their critical comments assisted me in clarifying many
aspects of the thesis.

-I, also, wish to thank Dr. William Ross and Dr. Herbert
Jackson of the Asian Studies Center for their encouragement
to undertake this thesis and for their efforts in securing
financial assistance for it from the Asian Studies Center.

A heartfelt thank you to the teachers who participated
in this venture: Mrs. Ann Green, Mrs. La Donna Smucker,
Mrs. Barbara Hinton, Mrs. Barbara Fenkel, Mr. William White,

and Mr. Al Koehn, and to the participating students at East

iv

Lansing High School and Okemos High School. All of you
helped immensely to make the thesis a reality.

Last but by no means least, a special thank you to
my wife, Betty, and our children, my parents, relatives,
especially Anne Fink, friends, and my co-workers at St.
Lawrence Hospital for their support in helping an "old

war horse" carry out that which he feels he must do.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . . . . .
Statement of Problem . . . .
Purpose of the Study . . . .

Rationale, Including Definitions and Review of .

Relevant Research . . . . . .

Teaching Treatments . . .

Number of Sensory Channels Employed and
the Degree to Which They Are Employed . .

Perception of Feedback and the Direction

of the Information Flow

Interaction and the Degree of Teacher
Control of the Classroom Learning Process

Involvement and Energy Expended

Manipulative Activities

Dogmatism and Learning . . .

Dogmatism and Resistance to Change

Knowledge Gain . . . . . .

Change in Affective Behavior

Student Preference for Teaching Tre

-Hypotheses . . . . . . . . .

CHAPTER II. VMETHODOLOGY . . . . .
Overview . . . . . . . . . .
An "Ideal' Research Design .

Design Control . . . . . . .

Justification of Using Plays of

Study . . . . . . . . . . . .

India

in Varied

atments .

to the

Centrality of the Plays of India to the Study .

Research Setting . . . . . .

Operational Definitions of the Concepts . . . .

vi

10

16
26
29
32
32
34
34

37
37
37
38

41
44
45
45

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

Teaching Treatments . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dogmatism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Knowledge Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Change in Affective Behavior . . . . . . .
Student Preference for Teaching Treatments

Manipulation Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Awareness of Sensory Channels . . . . . .
Perception of Feedback and Interaction . .

Sample Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How the Plays Were Produced in the Classroom

Data Collection Procedures . . . . . . . . .

Data Analysis Procedures . . . . . . . . . .

Statistical Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CHAPTER III. FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Resume of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Student Preference for Teaching Treatments
Knowledge Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Change in Affective Behavior . . . . . . .
Manipulation Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Awareness of Sensory Channels . . . . . .
Perception of Feedback and Interaction . .

summation O O O O O O O O I O O O 0 O O O O 0

CHAPTER IV. DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY . . . . . . .
Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What May We Conclude From This Study? . .

What Are the Implications From This Study?

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

vii

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Page

Questionnaire Forms AAAA, BBBB, CCCC.
and DDDD O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 O 85

Play Scripts, Including a Brief Synopsis
of Each Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Questionnaire - Play Line - Basham Cross-
references of Indian Cultural Concepts. 161

Instructional Materials Used in the
Study on India, With Annotations . . . 166

,Schedule of the Classroom Teaching

Procedures Followed in the Study on India
from January 26 to March 2, 1970 . . . 170

Comments by the Teachers and the Students
on the Two Teaching Treatments Used in
the Study on India . . . . . . . . . . 177

Acknowledgments for the Use of the Indian
Plays in the Study on India . . . . . . 182

viii

TABLE

1.

10.

11.

12.

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Preference for open and closed teaching
treatments by high and low dogmatic students. 57

‘Percentage of students by dogmatism level who

dislike the teaching treatment in which they
participated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Analysis of variance for difference in know-
ledge gain between teaching treatments by
dogmatism level and by teacher . . . . . . . 59

Number of students who changed in knowledge
level by teaching treatment and dogmatism
level 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 60

Direction of shift on social distance measure
by high and low dogmatic students . . . . . . 61

Number of students who changed in affective
behavior by teaching treatment and dogmatism
level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Analysis of variance for change on social
distance measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Analysis of variance for change in affective
behavior on semantic differential measure one:
bbliefs about India . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Analysis of variance for change in affective
behavior on semantic differential measure two:
beliefs about the Indian priests . . . . . . 64

Percentages and frequency of students reporting
use of each sensory channel by teaching
treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Percentages and frequency of the students'
degree of awareness of the number of sensory
channels employed in each teaching treatment. 66

Percentages and frequency of feedback and
interaction perceived by the students in
each teaching treatment . . . . . . . . . . . 67

ix

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
Statement of the Problem

One of the unique functions of the theatre is its
ability to teach and to entertain simultaneously. Perhaps
no other single vehicle of artistic expression offers such
a wide range of human learning experiences.

Aside from its ability to entertain, theatre, as a
teaching tool in the school classroom, may actively involve
the students in role-playing activities. The various activi-
ties of producing a play and acting in it offer the poten-
tial for stimulating all of a student's sensory channels,
including the kinesthetics of bodily movements. The acti-
vation of this sensory discrimination makes it possible to
employ a larger number of message channels (sense organs)
over which information of a varied discriminatory nature
can be communicated to a student than in a learning situa-
tion in which the primary message channels employed are
eight and sound. Finally, the dramatization of a play by
the students in the school classroom stimulates the students
to become immersed in the natural process of imitative be-
havior, concomitant with intellectual enlightenment. They
associate themselves with the total matrix of the play --

1

2

its social, political, economic, and cultural aspects.
Consequently, there is an increasing interest by some
scholars in the unique classroom teaching potential commonly
found in theatre activities.1

In the area of active participation and role-playing,
experiments in persuasion have generally supported the
proposition that the more actively an individual is in-
volved with the role he is playing and its supportive
arguments, the more likely he is to take on the behavioral
attitudes associated with the role he is playing.2

From the standpoint of learning theory, evidence has
shown that the more sense organs of the individual which
are activated in the learning pr0cess the greater the
sensitization of the individual to the sources of informa-
tion available to him within his immediate environment.3

Subsequent studies conducted by Hovland et a1.

during World War II support this learning concept in a
communication context. They found that the more sense

organs of the individual activated, i.e. the more message

 

1Jean D. Grambs and William J. Iverson, Modern Methodggin
§econdaryEducation (New York: The Dryden Press, 1952),
pp. 180-1870

2Ralph L. Rosnow and Edward J. Robinson (eds.), Experiments
in Persuasion (New York: Academic Press, 1967), pp. 347-
352.

30. Herbert Mowrer, Learning Theory and the Symbolic Pro-
cesses (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1963),
pp. 180-181.

 

3
channels used by the individual, the more information he
can receive from his surrounding environment.4 Extending
this concept, Berlo maintains that the number of message
channels (sense organs) used and how vividly they are acti-
vated is crucial to the amount of information an individual
perceives in the learning process.5

Thetxe of dramatizations in the classroom is a good
means to effect learning because the vividness of drama-
tized human experiences heightens the intensity of the mes-
sages by involving the students in the total context of
playmaking through participatory activities, i.e., role-
playing, building props, etc. Dale points out that drama
has a way of taking its participants into the very essence
of their total environment by merely capitalizing on their
natural impulse to imitate human behavior through play-
making.6 The potential for this effect,also,exists in play-
seeing.

The difference between playmaking and playseeing is
the difference between the actual and the vicarious experi-
ence. Dale maintains that an observer of a play may retain
a great deal of information from a vividly dramatized experi-

ence in which he is absorbed. He may vicariously involve

 

‘Carl I. Hovland, Arthur A. Lumsdaine, and Fred D. Sheffield,
Experiments on Mass Communication, Vol. III (Princeton:
Princeton'University Press, 1949), pp. 247-279.

5DavidnK. Berlo, The Process of Communication (New York:
Holt,.Rinehart,and Winston, Inc., 1960), pp. 63—69.

6Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching (2d ed. rev.;
New York: The Dryden Press, 1954), pp. 123-137.

4

himself with the subject matter of the play and in doing so,
he may learn from this process.7

Furthermore, Dale points out that even though vicarious
involvement in playseeing may be an effective means to stu-
dent learning, active student participation in playmaking
activities are even more effective in producing student
learning. The student becomes involved intimately with the
"insights" of character portrayal and the supportive aspects,
i.e. building sets, making costumes, etc. of creating the
environmental context in which the play's characters func-
tion. His reconstruction of the playmaking experience
teaches him as he reconstructs it. He may acquire informa-
tion by actually experiencing the dramatized subject matter.8

Also, Dr. James E. Miller, Jr., President of the National
Council of Teachers of English, reiterates Aristotle's claim
that the impulse to act out, to dramatize things, exists in
people, including children, from the beginning, and it is
frequently suppressed because it disturbs the classroom or
is:outside the curriculum. Teachers should capitalize on
this impulse because literature offers a rich heritage of
human social and cultural values which can aptly be studied
through the children's natural desire to learn by play-

making.9

 

.7Ibid.
8Ibid.

9Maxine Pinson (ed.), "A Conversation with Maxine Pinson and
Barbara Van Ness," English High Light 9-12 (Glenview: Scott,
Foresman,and Co., January-February, 1970), p. 2.

 

Purpose of the Study

The evidence seems to support the contention that
theatre may be viewed as a vehicle which reflects human
social conditions and cultural values, and that it also,
may be viewed as a teaching medium which imparts this social
and cultural information to the individual.10

This study will further explore the use of theatre as
an instructional medium in the school classroom. Specifical—
ly it will evaluate two ways of using theatre in the class-
room in terms of students' learning regarding one country,
India. ,It is expected that the teaching principles will
be transferable to the study of selected cultural patterns

of other countries and to other academic disciplines.

Rationale, Including Definitions and Review of Relevant

Research

TeachingiTreatments. At this point an overview of the two
teaching treatments is necessary so we can better under—
stand their conceptualizations. They will be identified

as 222g and closed. It must be pointed out that they are

not discrete categories but points (ends) on a continuum
identified by x. dimensions. Operationally, for our pur-
poses at this point, we can say that students in the open
teaching treatment will produce Indian plays in the classroom,

while students in the closed teaching treatment will not

produce Indian plays in the classroom.

1°Grambs and Iverson, loc. cit.

6

A way to clarify the distinctions of the teaching
treatments is to discuss their inherent dimensions concur-
rently with appropriate research findings. These dimen-
sions to be discussed are: (1) number of sensory channels
employed and the degree to which they are employed, (2)
perception of feedback and the direction of the information
flow, (3) interaction and the degree of teacher control of
the classroom learning process, and (4) involvement and the
energy eXpended in varied manipulative activities in the

learning process.

(1) Number of Sensory Channels Employed and the

 

Degree to Which They Are Employed. A key factor of the

 

open teaching treatment is that it offers a greater poten-
tial than the closed treatment for stimulating all sensory
channels. The nature of the various manipulative activities
needed for a play's overall dramatic effect, i.e. acting a
role, making costumes, applying make up, etc. will allow
more opportunities to stimulate to a higher degree all of
the students' sense organs (sight, sound, touch, taste,
smell, and sensory tonic).

A distinguishing feature of the closed teaching treat-
ment is that there are no manipulative activities of a
dramatic nature to stimulate all of the students' sense
organs. The primary sense organs to be stimulated are
sight and sound because the nature of this teaching treat-
ment is lecture and reading centered, including the viewing

of films. Consequently, there are fewer opportunities to

7
stimulate to a higher degree all of the students' sense
organs.

Research findings support this contention. Mowrer
points out that all human behavior is sensory search by the
individual for information from his immediate surroundings.11
The more of his message channels (sense organs) which are
employed and how vividly they are employed is a determin-
ant of the amount of information he receives in the learning
process.12 When more message channels are made available
to him, the more information of a varied discriminatory
nature he has available to him.13

Theatre activities in the classrom have an innate way
of taking its participants into vivid human experiences by
encouraging their natural desire to imitate human behavior,14
with a concomitant greater sensitization to their sensory
environment inherent in theatre activities because of their
intimate relationship with the total matrix of playmaking
and the events portrayed by playmaking.15

The open teaching treatment to be used in this study
has been structured to provide use of more sensory channels

than will be used in the closed treatment.

 

11Mowrer, loc. cit.
12Berlo, loc. cit.
13Hovland, loc. cit.
14Dale, loc. cit.

15Grambs and Iverson, loc. cit.

8

(2) Perception of Feedback and the Direction of the
Information Flow. A central feature of the open teaching
treatment appears to be a higher proportion of the twoaway
flow of information between and among the teacher and the
students. Both may be viewed as sources of information and
receivers of information. The messages flow from (1) the
teacher (source) to the students (receiversL (2) the students
(sources) to the teacher (receiver), and from (3) student
(source) to student (receiver). Basically, the teacher
seems to have the option to act as a coordinating agent
delegating or sharing the information exchange function with
the students.

In contrast to this, a central feature of the closed
teaching treatment appears to be a higher proportion of
the one—way flow of information from the teacher (source) to
the students (receivers). Messages may mostly originate
with the teacher, rather than with the students. Here the
teacher may not act as a coordinating agent delegating or
sharing the information exchange function with the students
because the teacher seems to have the option to exercise
the primary control over this information exchange function.

The way information flows (one-way; two-way) between
the source and the receiver is vital to the receiver's
understanding of the content of the source's messages. Feed-
back is essential here.

White showed there is a direct relationship between

immediate and delayed feedback of information and the amount

9
of learning acquired by the students in a conventional class-
room. He experimented with this variable (feedback) in a
time sequence approach. In Time One (immediate feedback)
the students received the answers to the test questions im-
mediately, in Time Two (short delay feedback) they received
the answers after the test was finished, and in Time Three
(long delay feedback) they received the test answers the
next day. In Time One and in Time Two situations the stu-
dents showed a positive understanding of the test questions,
but in Time Three they showed no positive understanding of
the test questions.16 White's findings were supported by
Angell,17 and by Briggs and Hamilton18 in subsequent experi-
ments.

These findings lend support to differences in feedback
between teaching treatments under discussion. In the open
teaching treatment, the two-way information flow is expected
to allow.for more spontaneous feedback of messages between
the teacher and the students because the teacher, as a co-
ordinating agent, is expected to encourage the delegating or

sharing of the information exchange function with the students.

 

16Kinnard White, "Delay of Test Information Feedback and
Learning in a Conventional Classroom," Psychology in the
Schools, Vol. 5; No. 1 (1968), pp. 78-81.

17G. W. Angell, "Effects of Immediate Knowledge of Quiz Re-
sults on Final Examinations Scores in Freshman Chemistry,"
Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 42 (1949), pp. 391-394.

18L. J. Briggs and Nancy R. Hamilton, "Meaningful Learning
and Retention: Practice and Feedback Variables," Review
of Educational Research, Vol. 34 (1964), pp. 545-558.

10

Subsequently, the one-way information flow of the
closed teaching treatment is expected to allow for less
spontaneous feedback of messages between the teacher and
the students because the teacher, as a control agent, will
not encourage the delegating or sharing of the information
exchange function with the students.

This claim may be more theoretical than actual. It is
quite possible that the closed teaching treatment may allow
just as many opportunities for Spontaneous feedback of mes-
sages if the teacher or the students establish this mode
of verbal interadtion in the classroom. The converse may be
possible in the open teaching treatment. .However, in setting
up the teaching treatments, an attempt was made to get the
teachers in the closed teaching treatment to limit the amount
of two-way flow of information. Questions were asked at the
end of the study to obtain the extent of students' reports

On the direction of the information flow.

(3) Interaction and the Degree of Teacher Control of
the ClassroomgLearning Process. In both of the teaching
treatments the role of teacher-control is important. How
the teacher functions in each one is unique to that specific
teaching treatment.

Specifically in the open teaching treatment, we attempted
to establish a mode of low teacher-centered control. Here
the teacher was encouraged to serve as a co-worker-coordinator
sharing or delegating the control-involvement with the stu-

dents, rather than restricting their activities. Both may

11
stimulate each other for ideas and information from varied
sources on Indian cultural concepts found in the selected
Indian plays. In a sense, the teacher and the students may
be viewed as co-explorers of many ways to involve them-
selves in manipulative and decision making activities to
find pertinent information and communicating it in an atmos-
phere of free exchange of ideas unencumbered by imposed
restrictions on spontaneous expression and interplay among
the participants.

Focusing more closely on the control function, it ap-
pears that it flows spontaneously out of the materials
(Indian plays) under investigation and the related selected
theatre activities needed to produce them, rather than what
the teacher says. Here the teacher does not control the
flow of new Indian cultural concepts, letting them evolve
out of the play materials, questions by the teacher and
the students, and the activities needed to understand and
interpret the meanings in the Indian plays being readied
for production. New concepts are introduced as the need for
information to interpret the plays arises.

Interaction between the teacher and the students is
crucial so everyone is able to understand more fully their
duties and responsibilities, the meanings in the Indian
plays, and how best to produce them for their maximum ef-
fect on the learning process for all the participants in-

volved.

12

In the closed teaching treatment, however, the mode is
high teacher-centered control. The teacher is not expected to
act as a co-worker-coordinator sharing or delegating the con-
trol-involvement with the students. Here the control-involve-
ment activities reside specifically with the teacher. The
exchange of ideas and information may not spontaneously
evolve out of the play materials, activities, and interplay
between the teacher and the students. In this teaching
treatment the teacher has the option to determine what may
be taught, when it may be taught, and how it may be taught
regarding_the cultural concepts found in the Indian plays.
Even though we may not be so concerned in this teaching
treatment with group interplay and activity which involves
most of the students, messsage content generally is selected
by the teacher (source) so that it is pertinent to the
Indian cultural concepts under investigation as well as
being presented to the students in an interesting way, i.e.
the use of thought-provoking statements, raising points on
whether the Indian way of life is better suited to individ-
ual happiness than the American way of life, etc., so they
will be stimulated to want to learn about India.

Basically, in the closed treatment, we can say that the
control function is oriented more toward what the teacher
says bout the Indian cultural concepts found in the Indian
plays. The number of new concepts which are to be studied,
when they are to be studied, and the way they are to be

studied rests with the teacher, rather than the students.

13

Interaction is necessary here. However, the need for
it may not be as urgent as in the open teaching treatment
because the participants may not be as directly involved in
a context of new concepts evolving spontaneously out of the
play materials, questions by the teacher and the students,
and the activities needed to understand and interpret the
meanings in the Indian plays being readied for production.
Nevertheless, interaction is needed so the teacher knows
when new concepts are understood by the students, as a
check on the teacher's messages to see if they understand
the content of the messages, and as a means for the teacher
to know when to introduce more new cultural concepts on
Indian life.

The nature of the classroom climate can be important
in the learning process. How the teacher operates in the
control-involvement dimension with the students may have an
effect on their amount of learning of the subject matter
under investigation.

Walberg obtained positive data which showed a direct
relationship between a teacher's authoritative-democratic
control of the classroom climate and the degree of student
learning of the subject matter studied.

By the use of student judgments on teacher personality
traits ranging from domineering-authoritative to nondomineer-
ing-democratic and their preference for one type of teacher
over the other, Walberg randomly assigned students in a

learning situation with a domineering-authoritatively

14
oriented teacher. The converse was true for the nondomineer-
ing-democratically oriented learning situation.

In general, more students in the democratically con-
trolled classroom had a higher degree of learning of the
subject matter studied than those in the authoritative
control.19

Extending this hypothesis to the students, Walberg and
Anderson found that the authoritative-democratic personali-
ties of the students,also had a direct relationship on
their degree of learning of the subject matter studied.
Authoritative personality students showed a higher degree
of learning of the subject matter studied in the authori-
tatively controlled classroom, and the democratic personality
students showed a higher degree of learning of the subject
matter studied in the democratically controlled classroom.20

It should be noted that Walberg and Anderson did not
attempt to determine if the students' level of dogmatism
(open or closedmindedness) might also have been a factor on
their degree of learning of a specific subject area. This
variable (dogmatism) and its possible effect on the students'
learning of a specific subject area will be investigated in

this study.

 

19H. J. Walberg, "Teacher Personalit and Classroom Climate,"
Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 5 1968), pp. 163-169.

20H. J. Walberg and Gerald Anderson, "The Achievement-Crea-
tive, Dimension and Classroom Climate," Journal of Creative
Behavior," Vol. 10 (1968), pp. 21-30.

15

Flanders took a different approach to classroom climate.
He experimented with the interaction variable. .His basic
premise was that there is a direct relationship between the
degree of learning by the students of the subject matter
studied and the kind of communicative relationship (direct-
indirect) between the teacher and the students in the con-
ventional classroom. By the use of trained classroom ob-
servers using an interaction analysis technique (The Verbal
Interaction Category System), he was able to collect data
on various types of classroom learning situations ranging
from direct (teacher dominated) to indirect (not teacher
dominated) interaction. His findings on the direct rela-
tionship of the students' degree of learning of the subject
matter studied to the amount of verbal interaction between
the teacher and the students are inconclusive; however, he
did find positive evidence that a teacher who creates an
exchange of free verbal interaction between himself and the
students establishes a classroom climate which is conducive
to a higher degree of learning by the students of the subject
matter studied.21 This was supported by the findings of

Amidon and Hunter.22

 

21Edmond J. Amidon and Ned A. Flanders, The Role of the
Teacher in the Classroom: A Manual for Understandingiand
Improving Teachers' Classroom Behavior (Minneapolis: Paul
S. Amidon and Associates, 1963), pp. 25-45.

22Edmund Amidon and Elizabeth Hunter, The Analysis of Class-
room Verbal Interaction (New York: Holt, Rinehart.and
Winston, Inc., 1966), pp. 102-120.

16

Research evidence in the realm of classroom climate
generally supports the contention that the more frequently
the opportunities arise for interaction and feedback between
the teacher and the students in the learning process, the
more conducive the atmosphere is for learning about a speci-
fic subject area.

Extending this contention to the two teaching treat-
ments, we can see that the role of teacher-control is es-
sential to the operational mode of each one. Also, as used
in each teaching treatment, the degree of the students'
learning of the subject matter under investigation may be
directly affected by the classroom climate maintained by the

teacher-control element in each teaching treatment.

(4) Involvement and Energy Expended in Varied Manipu-
lative Activities. Bruner claims in his theory of instruc-
tion that teaching is "discovery" in materials and lessons
of what might occur, not what did occur in which the teacher
and the students are equally involved in the learning experi-
ence, sharing subject matter, evaluation, and decision forma-
tion.23 A key work in this statement is involvement between
the teacher and the students in the learning process. How
involvement is used in the two teaching treatments is of

interest to us.

__

23Jerome S. Bruner, On Knowing: Essays for the Left Hand
(Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press,
.:1964), pp. 81-96.

17
In the open teaching treatment emphasis is on high
student involvement through active group participation,
group discussions, and group and individual manipulative

activities as they relate to the acting out of Indian plays

 

as the central focus of the classroom learning process.
Vital to all the participants is the ability to work to-
gether as a team, to complete a project (the plays), and
the ability to delegate and accept group and individual
reSponsibilities in a matrix of varied points of view on
how to produce the plays and to portray maximum information
on Indian cultural concepts.

.Conversely, in the closed teaching treatment emphasis
is on low student involvement through passive participation
by each student separately, rather than active group partici-
pation. No Indian plays will be produced in the classroom.
No manipulative play production acitivites will be under-
taken by the students. Activities will be limited to class
discussions on the Indian plays. Lectures by the teacher
will be of prime importance, and student involvement in
doing individual assignments, i.e. reading the Indian plays,
preparing oral reports on them,etc., rather than acting out
human experiences through playmaking. It is possible that
students may become involved in imaginary role-taking as
they read the plays. This is an element over which teachers
will have no control.

All learning processes involve energy expenditure of

varying degrees by the teacher and the students involved.

18
A distinguishing feature of this dimension in the two teach-
ing treatments appears to be the varying degrees of energy
expenditure needed by the participants to function in each
Vof them.

In the Open teaching treatment the tone is expected to
be one of higher energy expenditure. The process of pro—
ducing plays in the classroom involves many manipulative
activities, i.e. portraying characters, building props, etc..
The very nature of these activities requires that a large
degree of energy be expended by the participants in order to
complete the tasks of readying the Indian plays for produc—
tion. This expenditure of energy and the various delegated
responsibilities in a more highly unstructured environment
puts pressure on each participant to establish his own mode
of operation in conjunction with the overall group responsi-
bilities. This uncertainty produces tension in the partici-
pant leading him to direct his efforts to reduce the tension.
This is expected to lead to higher energy expenditure in the
open than in the closed teaching treatment.

To reduce this uncertainty, the selecting, processing,
and integrating of the needed information to complete his
tasks should be dependent on his asking many pertinent ques-
tions. This will place emphasis on feedback and interaction
between the teacher, the groups, and each individual within
the groups. This interaction tends to keep the energy ex-
penditure high until all the activities to "ready" the

Indian plays for production are completed.

19

Looking at the closed teaching treatment, the tone
seems to be one of lower energy expenditure. The more
structured environment of listening to lectures by the
teacher on the Indian plays, reading them, and discussing
them in the classroom involves less activity from the stu-
dents than when they are in a more unstructured environ—
ment of producing plays in the classroom because of the
various manipulative activities needed to stage plays.

How actively or passively an individual participates
in an endeavor can have an effect on his susceptibility to
be influenced by the nature of the endeavor undertaken.
Plays as dramatized human experiences offer some interesting
possibilities for the sutdents and the teacher to become
actively involved in the learning process.

Dale lists several factors which are unique to plays
as dramatized experience and which emphasize the high level
of psychological involvement of those participating:

(1) All dramatization is essentially a process of
communication, in which both participant and
spectator are engaged. Whether you act or ob-
serve, the dramatization is a substitute for the
real experience.... it is a new and different
thing, a reconstruction. Time, events, speeches
are all shifted and foreshortened. The characters
are viewed under a special condition of a world
without time.24

(2) The subject matter of a dramatization is stirring
and attention-compelling; as such, it is not
easily forgotten. The observer is likely to re-
tain a great deal from a vividly dramatized experi-

ence in which he was absorbed. The participant, of
course, has had to get inside the meaning of the

 

24Dale, loc. cit., p. 123.

(3)

(4)

(6)

20

group experience. Dramatizations, therefore, can
be memorable communications.25

Each participant in a well-dramatized experience
learns to understand intimately the character he
portrays. If he is to project his role, he must
get inside the character; he must perform the char-
acter's meanings, or he fails utterly. In other
words, an able student performer can learn in an
intimate and penetrating manner. His reconstruc-
tion of the experience teaches him as he recon-
structs it. .Can you imagine a person acting a part
and not, at least to some degree,experiencing it?26

Dramatized experiences may have marked therapeutic
value. A self-conscious child learns to take a

role in which shyness is gradually reduced and
finally eliminated. A student plays the part of

a character whose behavior has been "incomprehen-
sible", and he begins to understand this person's
pOint of view. Such dramatizations may produce
comparable effects on the observer, depending, of
course, on the significance of the subject matter

to him and his emotional involvement in its ideas.27

 

Dramatizations teach students -- not merely the
performers but everyone also involved -- to work
cooperatively toward a common goal.28

A group undertaking an excellent play will get
enriching and unsuspected insights into the play-
wright's thought-provided, of course, that the
teacher guards against the parroting of passages
that are not really comprehended.29

By "excellent play" Dale means a well-conceived idea

which contains important social and cultural "insights" rele—

vant to the characters and the environment in which they

exist.

 

25Ibid., p. 125.

26Ibid.
27Ibid.

28Ibid.

29Ibid., p. 126.

21

Findings, in general, support Dale's claims. One
Study by Grambs and Iverson investigated the effect of
dramatized experience on the perceptual insights of stu-
dents in a class discussing the sending of technical as—
Sistance to an imaginary foreign country. .The students
wrote a play depicting the viewpoints of the countries in—
volved, performed the roles, and assigned tasks to produce
it. The data revealed that the teacher and the students
gained insight into (1) how meaningful the subject matter
was to the students, (2) what concepts they had developed
about forming points of view, and (3) how well the individual
student could relate perceived subject matter to the real
people involved.30

A study by Clark,also,supported dramatized experience
as an endpoint in an American history study-unit of the
Pilgrims. The students dramatized the signing of the May-
flower Compact. She found that they gained indepth insight
into the beliefs and viewpoints of the Pilgrims, which were
incorporated into the Mayflower Compact.31

This study by Clark did not attempt to determine if a
relatively closed teaching approach might also have been
just as effective as the dramatized experience for some stu-
dents on their learning of the subject matter studied. -This

variable will be investigated in this study.

3°Grambs and Iverson, loc. cit.

31Hazel I. Clark, "Teaching History by Dramatization: Grade
11," Teacher's:Lesson Unit Series, No. 95. (New York:
Bureau of Publications, Teachers College; Columbia Univer-
sity Press, 1963), pp. 31-35.

22

Another relevant research area is passive versus
active participation. Role-playing has been used quite ex-
tensively here, and the findings generally maintain that
the more active a person is in the role-playing situation
the more likely he is to become like the role he is play-
ing.32 In general, this change is attributed to a certain
degree to the amount of "effort" expended by active partici-
pation in the role-playing situation because becoming like
the role he is playing heightens his feelings of inconsis-
tency between his real self and the imaginary self he is
playing. In order to reduce this inconsistency, he expends
energy in justifying to himself why the role he is playing
is believable.

.Cognitive dissonance theory may be a way of looking
at this change. This theory maintains that a person will
achieve consonance by his altering his private beliefs
about the activity he is engaged in. If, in his own mind,
he increased the attractiveness of the activity, then he
would have justified his having expended so much energy.

Zimbardo in support of the cognitive dissonance con-
cept of "effort" expended manipulated the degree of effort
ina self-persuasion experiment utilizing the technique of
delayed auditory feedback. Subjects read aloud a persuasive
communication while, at the same time, hearing themselves
one-fourth of a second later on a taped recording, a high

effort condition. The low effort condition subjects

‘

32Rosnow and Robinson, loc. cit.

uv

‘-

A“

It

’5,

(II

 

23

received a taped feedback of themselves 1/100 of a second
delayed. Cognitive dissonance theory would predict greater
dissonance for the high effort group than for the low and,
consequently, greater change in attitude for the high. The
data supported this interpretation. Change in attitude in-
creased as the amount of effort required to deliver the
persuasive (counternorm) communication was increased.33

Janis and King tried a different approach to cogni-
tive dissonance theory in self-persuasion. They substituted
the factor of "improvisation" to explain the differential
effectiveness between active versus passive participation.
Improvisation forces the individual to consider new support-
ing arguments, and in this way he persuades himself to
change his attitude. In having to improvise arguments to
persuade others to do something: such as, an Army recruiting
officer, the recruiting officer might persuade himself to
reenlist.34

Learning theory is also used to interpret the relation-
ship of role-playing to change in attitude. According to
this approach, active participation is more effective than

passive participation because of the increased likelihood

Of the subject's attention to and comprehension of the

stimuli. A passive participant may not fully attend to the

‘

33Paul G. Zimbardo, "The Effect of Effort and Improvisation
on Self-persuasion Produced by Role—playing," Journal of
Experimental Social Psychology. Vol. 1 (1965), pp. 103-120.

34IrvingL. Janis and Bertrum L. King, "The Influence of
.Role-playing on Opinion Change," Journal of Abnormal Social
Egychology. Vol. 49 (1954), pp. 211-218.

24

arguments presented. His mind might wander, and he might
miss the premise of the arguments, etc. An active partici-
pant, especially one who was forced to improvise his own
arguments, would at least listen to himself. And by im-
provising his own arguments, he should have a better under-
standing of them.

One of the classic studies in this area was done by
Kurt Lewin during World War II. The U.S. government wanted
to influence the buying habits of American housewives.
There was a need for them to buy less popular meats; such
as, beef hearts, sweetbreads, and kidneys, which were plenti-
ful. In the passive procedure, housewives heard a lecturer
talk about the dietary value and eccnomy of the less popular
meats and how to prepare them appetizingly. The active pro-
cedure consisted of imparting the same information, but in
a group discussion in which the housewives participated. At
the end of the experiment all of the participants were asked
to make a commitment to try the less popular meats. The
findings revealed that only 3 percent of the housewives in
the lecture procedure changed to the use of the less popular
meats while 1/3 of the housewives who participated in the
discussion complied.35

Pelz attempted to Show that active participation in

group discussion is a more effective means to induce group

‘

35Kurt Lewin, "Group Decision and Social Change," Readings
in Social Psychology, ed. Eleanor E. Maccoby, Theodore M.
Newcomb, and Eugene L. Hartly (2d ed. rev.; New York:
JHOlt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1958), pp. 111-115.

25

action than passive participation in the lecture method.
She found no significance between either method in inducing
group action, but she did find a significant relationship
between active participation in the group decision making
process to induce an action and the degree (high-low) of
group consensus to assure that the action be taken. The
higher the degree of group consensus to take an action the
greater the assurance it will be carried out.36

Janis and Mann investigated the effectiveness of emo-
tional role-playing in modifying smoking habits and attitude
change toward cigarette smoking. Fourteen women played the
role of lung cancer victims who received bad news from the
doctor. .The other subjects received identical information
by listening to a tape recording of a role-playing session.
The role-playing group showed markedly greater changes in
attitude than the nonrole-playing group. The high level of
fear and vigilance created by the realistic nature of the
role-playing situation could be a factor responsible for the
increased anti-smoking behavior, and the changes reported in
smoking habits two weeks later.37

These findings suggest that the play acting involvement

would lead to increased behavior change.

 

36Edith Bennett Pelz, "Some Factors in Group Decision," Read-
ings in Social Psychology, ed. Eleanor E. Maccoby, Theodore
M. Newcomb, and Eugene L. Hartley (2d ed. rev.; New York:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1958), pp. 212-219.

37Irving L..Janis and Leon Mann, "Effectiveness of Emotional
Role-playing in Modifying Smoking Habits and Attitudes,"
,gpurnal of Experimental Research, Vol. 1 (1965), pp. 84-90.

26

Although the discussion thus far suggests that the
open teaching treatment is superior, there may be some stu-
dents for whom the closed teaching treatment will induce
more change in behavior and be preferred by them.

One kind of individual difference which may be related
to response to different teaching styles is the level of
dogmatism of the learner.

A dogmatic person or a "dogmatic thinking" person,
according to ROkeach33, has a relatively closed congnitive
organization of beliefs-disbeliefs about reality. He has
a "resistance to change" his systems of beliefs. He experi-
ences more difficulty in accepting change or a new system
of beliefs. When a high dogmatic person is confronted with
the requirement that he must learn a new system of beliefs,
he has far greater difficulty than the low dogmatic person
in accomplishing the task. Basically, this new system of
beliefs may not go contrary to his own belief-disbelief sys-
tem; rather, he simply experiences more difficulty than a
low dogmatic person in adding a new dimension to his belief-
disbelief system. He tends to rely on his present system of
beliefs, whatever it is, rather than calling the validity of

his belief-disbelief system into question.
Dogmatism andpLearning

Research results are not consistent concerning the

relationship between dogmatism and learning. Ehrlich's

‘

‘38Milton Rokeach, The Open and Closed Mind (New York: Basic
Books, Inc., 1960), p. 183.

27

data confirmed the hypothesis of an inverse relationship
between dogmatism and learning.39 But Christensen's data
failed to confirm Ehrlich's findings.4°

There is much speculation among researchers as to what
the variables might be that could account for the diSparity
between the findings of Ehrlich and those of Christensen.
These speculations include:

(1) The "course content" hypothesis: ...the different
results obtained in the two studies can be attri-
buted to the learning tasks, sociology versus
psychology. If it is assumed that psychology is a
bit more rigorous and objectively oriented than
sociology, one would expect dogmatism to be more
important in the learning of sociology than
psychology.“1

(2) The "more-than-one—kind-of-dogmatism“ hypothesis:

(a) There is more than one kind of dogmatism;
therefore, a variety of instruments is re-
quired to measure this variable.

(b) Dogmatism is differentially related to class-
room learning, depending on the particular
nature of the learner's dogmatism, and its
relevance to the kind of learning tasks he
pursues.42

(3) The "examination format" hypothesis: Since dog-
matic ‘SS' tend to give a disproportionate number
of “true" responses on true-false tests, differ-
ences in examination formats used in the 2 studies
could account for the disparity in results...43

\

3 9Howard J. Ehrlich, "Dogmatism and Learning", Journal of
Abnormal and Social Psychology. Vol° 62; No. 1, (1961),
pp. 148-149.

4°C..M..Christensen, "A Note on Dogmatism and Learning,"
Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, Vol. 66; No. 1
(1963), pp. 75-76.

“ 11bid., p. 76

42Frank Costin, "Dogmatism and Learning: A FOllow-Up of
Contradictory Findings," The Journal of Educational Research,
Vol. 59: No. 4 (December, 1965), p. 188.

‘gziJack B. White and Richard D. Alter, "Dogmatism and Examina-
tion Performance," Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol°
58; No. 5. (1967), p. 285.

 

28

White and Alter continued their research on the third
speculation. Their findings showed that a cOmparison of
correlations between dogmatism and the number of correct
answers on true-false item (r. = -0.14) with the correlation
for multiple-choice items (r = -0.16)44 showed no support
for the idea that differences in examination format could be
responsible for the disparity between the findings of
Ehrlich and Christensen. '

From their research, White and Alter conclude:

DeSpite the fact that correlations between D scores
and examination scores were rather consistently negative
in the present study, the weighted average correlation
was small.and the variability in the magnitude of the
correlations was rather large. Thus, it seems fair to
say that the predictive power of the D Scale with regard
to grades is not impressive.45

In 1968, Byrnes conducted in Communication 100 classes
at Michigan State University a study which attempted to
show a relationship between channel preference and dogmatism
level,and between learning and dogmatism level. Channel
preference was defined as a student's preference for an open
or a closed classroom communication situation. Two class-
room communication situations were involved: open channel
(a face-to-face section of a course) and closed channel (a
television section). A distinguishing feature of these

channels was the opportunity for immediate verbal feedback

in the open channel, but not in the closed channel.

 

44Ibid.

45Ibid.

29

The students were tested to determine their level of
dogmatism, and channel preference was measured by their
preference for a television class section,or a face-to-face
section involving relatively high interaction among students
and between instructor and students. The data showed sta-
tistically significant differences between the two situations,
but statistically insignificant in two other situations:

(1) Significantly more high dogmatic students pre-
ferred the television section of the course; .
significantly more low dogmatic students preferred
the face-to—face section.46

(2) Significantly more high dogmatic students proposed
setting up a committee; significantly more low
dogmatic students suggested several other communi-
cation variables in addition to setting up a com-
mittee in solving a communication problem.47

(3) The data revealed no relationship between channel
preference and learning.48

Dggmatism and Resistance to Change

The research evidence is inconclusive on the relation-
ship between dogmatism and learning. .However, it does gener-
ally reveal a relationship between the students' open and
closedmindedness, and their ability to differentiate between.
source and message content. Also, high dogmatic students

seem to have a tendency to prefer a learning environment of

46Kerry J. Byrnes, "The Relationship of Dogmatism to Channel

Preference and Learning in Classroom Communication," (ab-
stract from unpublished Master's thesis, Dept. of Communi-
cation, Michigan State University, 1968).

47
.Ibid.

481bid.

30
less personal involvement and interaction than low dogmatic
students. One explanation is that these students have a
higher resistance to changing their belief—disbelief systems
than low dogmatic students do.

Pioneering work in this area by Rokeach led him to con-
clude that:

(1) Dogmatism and "dogmatic thinking" are one and the
same concept. "Dogmatic thinking" refers to the
resistance to change of systems of beliefs.49

(2) The dogmatic person has a relatively closed cog-
nitive organization of beliefs and disbeliefs about
reality.50

(3) The more closed a person's belief system, as
measured by the Dogmatism Scale, the more resist-
ant he will be to forming new belief systems.51

These findings are stated primarily in terms of the
high dogmatic individual, but it can be said that the con-
verse is true for the low dogmatic individual.

Powell in 1961 undertook a study to test the validity
of the fundamental distinction between open and closed be-
lief-disbelief systems posited by Rokeach in his discussion
of dogmatism. In a communication context, Powell postulated

that the more open an individual's belief system the greater

should be his ability to differentiate between the substantive
content of a message and information about the message source,

and to evaluate each upon its merits.

 

49ROkeach,.loc. cit.

50Milton Rokeach, "The Nature and Meaning of Dogmatism,"
Psychological Review, Vol. 61 (1954), pp. 194-204.

51Rokeach, loc. cit., p. 181.

31

His hypothesis was supported. Open and closed indi-
viduals differed in their comparative ability to differ-
entiate between sources and messages and to evaluate them
independently upon their intrinsic merits. Open minded
subjects had more ability to do this than closed minded
subjects regardless of the reference point used in evaluat-
ing the source and messages irrespective of the substantive
content of the messages.52

Even though the research evidence on the relational
effect of dogmatism on student learning is inconclusive,
findings by Brynes and by Powell seem to support our con-
tention that some students (high dogmatics) may prefer the
closed teaching treatment.

Thus far we have discussed the distinguishing features
of the two teaching treatments (open-closed) and the suppor-
tive findings for these features. Also, we have attempted
to show that some students (high-low dogmatics) may prefer
one teaching treatment over the other. Furthermore, we have
tried to show that dogmatism may be related to students'
"resistance" to changing their belief—disbelief systems.

Now we must consider another facet of this study; that
is, information inputs and activities may be manipulated in
specific teaching treatments (Open-closed) which may have an

effect upon the students' knowledge gain, and change in

 

52Frederic A. Powell, "Open and Closedmindedness and the
Ability to Differentiate Between Source and Message," (un-
published Master's thesis, Dept. of Communication, Michigan
State University, 1961), pp. 46-47.

32
behavior regarding India. How these variables are conceptu-
alized and how they apply to the two teaching treatments

will be the purpose of the following discussion.

.Knowledge Gain. .When a student encounters at the be-
ginning and throughout a Specified period of time in a
course of study a way of thinking and a system of beliefs
that is new to him (the teaching treatment and the subject
matter emphasis would constitute the new way of thinking
and the new system of beliefs), he has to react to this new
situation in some way. He must find some way to apply the
new way of thinking and the new system of beliefs to his
present belief-disbelief system.

It can be said that knowledge gain has occurred if at
the end of the course of study by the use of a pretest-post-
test questionnaire the student shows a positive increase in
correct answers consistent with the way of thinking and the
system of beliefs that comprise the subject matter of the

course .

«Change in Affective Behavior. Opinion, attitude, be-
lief do not have fixed meanings but, in general, they refer
to a person's preference for one or another side of an issue
in the public domain: a political party, a religious idea,
a moral position, an aesthetic taste, a cultural value, or a
certain practice or habit; such as, buying a particular kind
of ice cream. According to Berelson and Steiner, they are

a set of personal covert judgments. Opinions are said to be

33
short-run judgments; attitudes are more enduring judgments;
beliefs are basic values of life judgments.53

This is one way to view these aspects of human behavior.
Other scholars view them differently. Consequently, it is
very difficult to reach a point of common agreement among
scholars on just what constitutes human opinions, attitudes,
and beliefs.

‘Be this as it may, we do know that an individual does
respond in a certain way when he is confronted by some kind
of stimulus. He acts or reacts to it. In other words, he
has a change in his existing covert behavior because the
stimulus has affected him covertly in some way. We can call
this a change in affective behavior, which removes us from
the necessity of becoming involved with the definitive "hair
splitting" of deciding what constitutes the differential
nature of an opinion, attitude, or belief.

In any human learning process, a student will be con-
fronted by different kinds of stimuli which can be in the
form of a new way of thinking and a new system of beliefs
(the teaching treatment and the subject matter emphasis would
constitute these different kinds of stimuli). He has to
react internally to these stimuli in some way. He must find
some way to apply the new way of thinking and the new system
of beliefs into his existing habits of covert behavior. A
change in his behavior should be affected by the way he ad-

justs to these new stimuli.

 

53Bernard Berelson and Gary A. Steiner, Human Behavior: An
Inventory of Scientific Findings (New York: Harcourt,
Brace'and World, Inc., 1964), pp. 138—180.

34

It can be said thataachange in affective behavior has
occurred if at the end of a course of study by the use of
a pretest-posttest questionnaire the student shows a shift,
positively or negatively, in his previously existing habits
of covert behavior toward the way of thinking and the system
of beliefs that comprise the subject matter of the course in
such a way as to accept or reject appreciably the phenomena

studied in the course.

.Student Preference for Teaching Treatments. .We,also,
would like to know if high.dogmatic students prefer the open
or the closed teaching treatment,and which the low dogmatic
students prefer. If they prefer one over the other, is there
a relational effect on their amount of knowledge gain and
the degree of their change in affective behavior regarding

India because of this preference.
Hypotheses

As previously stated in this chapter, the purpose of
this study is to evaluate two teaching treatments (open-
closed) using theatre with two types of students (high and
low dogmatics) in terms of learning regarding one country,
India. »We would like to know the effect of each teaching
treatment on each type of student in terms of their know-
ledge gain, and their degree of change in affective behavior

on the phenomena to be studied, India.

35

Based on the arguments and the research findings pre-

sented thus far, the following hypotheses eXpress the ex-

pected relationships between teaching treatments, dogmatism,

knowledge gain, change in affective behavior, and preferred

learning environment.

(H1)

(H2)

Students will prefer the teaching style which
offers a wider range of sensory stimulation,
more feedback, and more involvement, i.e. the
open rather than the closed teaching treatment.
If there is a difference between high and low
dogmatic individuals in their preference:

(a) high dogmatic students will prefer with
greater frequency a closed teaching
treatment,

(b) and low dogmatic students will prefer with
greater frequency an Open teaching treatment.

Students will show a greater knowledge gain in

the teaching style which offers a wider range of
sensory stimulation, more feedback,and more in-
volyement, i.e. the open rather than the closed
teaching treatment. If there is a difference
between high and low dogmatic individuals in their
knowledge gain:

(a) high dogmatic students will show with
greater frequency an increase in knowledge
gain in the closed teaching treatment,

(b) and the low dogmatic students will show with
greater frequency an increase in knowledge
gain in the open teaching treatment.

Students will show a greater change in affective
behavior in the teaching style which offers a

wider range of sensory stimulation, more feedback,
and more involvement, i.e. the Open rather than

the closed teaching treatment. If there is a
difference between high and low dogmatic individuals
in their change in affective behavior:

(a) high dogmatic students will show with greater
frequency an increase in change in affective
behavior in the closed teaching treatment,

36

and the low dogmatic students will show
with greater frequency an increase in
change in affective behavior in the open
teaching treatment.

CHAPTER I I
METHODOLOGY
Overview

To test the hypotheses stated in Chapter I, a 2 by 2
by 3 analysis of variance design was used in this study.
Teaching treatment (open versus closed) and dogmatism level
of the students (high versus low) were the main independent
variables being studied in terms of their effect on change
in knowledge and affective behavior about a culture of a
country, India. The possible variation in outcome due to
the three different teachers was controlled by treating
teachers as a third independent variable. A third dependent

variable was students' liking of teaching styles.
An"Ideal" Research Design

Ideally, we might like: (1) larger samples of students
from a more diverse population, (2) larger sample of teachers
from a more diverse population, (3) more physical separation
of test groups, and (4) more freedom in assigning subjects
to treatments. However, available resources required work-
ing with intact groups found in the research setting. In

the school setting as contrasted to the laboratory experiment,

37

38
it is much more difficult to control the students' exposure
to messages other than those being studied. This results

in lack of control and precision.
Design-Control

One of the control aspects of this study is contamina-
tion of information flow from the open teaching treatment ,
to the closed teaching treatment and vice versa. Ideally,
the subjects should not mingle until after the study data
are collected. This was not possible here because the
study lasted for five (5) weeks using twelve (12) class
sections including a control section in East Lansing High
School, and one (1) control section in Okemos High School.
The subjects will mingle not only with their classmates but
with the community-at-large. This free intermingling of
the subjects is a common aspect fOund in any field study.
However, specific questions were utilized to check on how
much contamination might occur and the source or sources
from which it might originate (see Questions 1-3; Appendix
A; Questionnaire Forms CCCC and DDDD).

Also, three (3) different teachers were used in this
study. The way each one approaches each teaching treatment
and brings his or her personality and teaching techniques
to them may have an influence on all the variables to be
tested, another contaminating influence. To take this into
account, the three (3) teachers were handled as a EQEEQ

independent variable.

39

Focusing specifically on the two teaching treatments,

the following control techniques were employed:

(1)

(2)

(4)

(5)

The length of study for all the experimental class
sections was five (5) weeks; four (4) days per
week.

The amount of time per day for all the experimental
class sections.was seventy (70) minutes per class
section per day. 7

Each of the three (3) experimental teachers

taught both the open and the closed teaching
treatments.

All the experimental instructional materials used
in each teaching treatment were given relatively
equal time attention.

Each experimental teaching treatment was held at

a specific hour each day for that specific teach-

ing treatment:

 

 

 

 

closed teaching open teaching
rtreatment treatment

A hour each day. D hour each day.

B hour each day. E hour each day.

The closed teaching treatment was held in the
forenoon to reduce the sensory channel contamina-
tion (smell of food, incense, etc.) from the open
teaching treatment because only one classroom per
teacher was used for all the students.

The fatigue factor should be allowed to oper-

ate equally between the two teaching treatments,

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

40
but this was not possible if sensory contamination
were to be minimized. Thus,a random ordering of
the teaching treatments was not possible.
Each experimental teaching treatment was held in
the same school and the same classroom by the same
teacher each day.
All three (3) teachers in the experimental teach-
ing treatments were given identical instructions
by the experimentor on the proper mode of opera-
tion of the open and the closed teaching treat-
ments and the proper application of the teaching
materials to each teaching treatment.
The three classrooms used for the experimental
teaching treatments were identical in physical
environmental conditions.
All three teachers had no prior specialized
training or experience in theatre teaching tech-
niques. They were experienced classroom teachers
with relatively equal teaching abilities and
length of overall teaching time in the classroom.
Each experimental teaching treatment used the
same plays of India as the basis for the cultural
concepts under investigation.
Each experimental teaching treatment used A. L.
Basham's book, The Wonder That Was India, as the
standard reference for interpretation of the
cultural concepts of India found in the plays of

India.

41
While other variables connected with the
teaching treatments may have been present, it is
assumed that these effects were randomly distrib-

uted across the two teaching treatments.
.Iustification of Using Plays of India to the Study

While we might use a variety of content to test the
Inain proposition set forth in this study, four (4) factors
led to the selection of Indian plays:

(1) Content is relevant to significant international

relations.

(2) Content is that to which U.S. students have been

minimumly exposed.

(3) Content is of sufficient complexity to permit

jtesting the behavior change expected.

(4) Content is of interest to the person conducting

the study.

In reference to the first factor, the U.S. has com-
Initted itself to increasing involvement with foreign countries
around the world through financial assistance and educational
.Programs. The fact that India is the world's largest democ-
‘racy with the second largest population in the world makes
Our commitment there greater and more significant in inter-
mitional relations. According to Arnold, this has been a
Errime motivational factor in U.S. assistance to India:

The threat by a less developed country that it would
turn to the communists or even 'go communist' was enough

42

to bring the U.S. hurrying with promises of aid (or
greatly increased aid) and other inducements.54

India by the very nature of its neutralism and its
strategic proximity to Red China's borders has held a posi-
tion of favoritism with Russia.also. Arnold further states:

India, on the other hand, has always occupied a posi-
tion of first-class importance in Soviet aid olicy
since it is the biggest and (most would agree the lead-
ing exponent of the policy of neutralism, and therefore
needs to be courted. It has occupied a similar posi-
tion in Western aid plans.55

Some of this U.S. foreign aid money helps to finance
the educational costs of the foreign students who are
studying in our cdlleges and universities. In this regard,
India ranks second to Canada in number of students studying
in the U.S.A.56 .These foreign students bring to the U.S.
varied cultural values of their respective countries, and
many U.S. adolescents come in contact with them. If they
are to better understand the cultural values of these people
from other cultures, they need to begin to study them in
the U.S. public and private elementary and secondary schools.

.As for the second factor for the selection of Indian

plays, it seems plausible to assume that U.S. school child-

ren have a minimal exposure to foreign cultural patterns of

 

54H. J. P. Arnold, Aid for Development: A Political and
Economic Study (London: The Bodley Head, Ltd., 1966), p. 10.

55Ibid., p. 153.

56Open Doors 1968 Report on International Exchange (New York:
Institute of International Education, 1968), p. 3.

43
life because in the past we have not been duly aware of our
world neighbors' cultural habits, or even begun to study
them to any significant degree in the U.S. classroom.

Where do we start to develop better understanding of our
foreign neighbors? It seems plausible to begin with out own
school children. They will be our future citizens, and what
they learn about foreign peoples' cultural beliefs will shape
their understanding of them and help them hopefully to build

a better world on the basis of facts, not fantasies.

Plays of India with their wealth of Indian cultural
conceptsy7should lend themselves quite readily to the study
of cultural concepts in the U.S. classroom as we investi-

gate a teaching process which involves play production.
-Basham points out that the content of Indian plays

Offers '5. number of concepts of significant complexity re-
lated to the values, attitudes, and behaviors of the people
of India.58 The plays selected for this study contain
enough of these cultural concepts so as to permit testing
the behavior change expected in the U.S. students who study
them. By the technique of pretest-posttest questionnaires
containing the same specific questions in each one on the
same cultural concepts, it should be possible to ascertain
the relative amount of students' behavioral change between

the two teaching treatments, and for each of the treatments.

¥

57A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India (New York: Grove
Press, Inc., 1959), pp. 433-442.

5.311318.

44

Finally, the use of these Indian plays is of interest
to the researcher. He would like to know if this approach
to the study of India is noteworthy. If it is, it should
be of interest to educators, especially those in Asian
studies, sociologists, anthropologists, social scientists,
and theatre people not only as an area of possible future

research but as a practical classroom teaching tool.
Centrality of the Plays of India to the Study

Specifically, teaching content of this study is cen-

tered on three plays of India. These plays are: (1) 222
Priest and the Prostitute (Sanskrit drama), Bawa No Vesh
(folk or village drama), and Summer Shower (contemporary
drama). They were chosen because they present an overall
sampling of some of the important social and cultural as-
pects of Indian life from the ancient Aryan civilization
to present day life in modern India, in the city, and in

the village. Their content offers for ninth grade high

school students an understandable point of reference from

which they can assimilate relevant social and cultural
values of Indian life in a context of change contrasting
the traditional way of life against the effects of moderni-
zation on present day India.

.Ideally, one learns the culture of a country by living
it. This is impossible for most persons from another country.
The alternative which seems to offer the most feasible sub-
stitute is to experience the culture through dramatized as-

pects of the culture. This study is an attempt to measure

45
the relative impact of two types of student involvement

with Indian theatre.
Research Setting

An opportunity to test our hypotheses arose during
January and February of 1970 at East Lansing High School,
East Lansing, Michigan. All ninth grade English classes,
including one for control purposes, were utilized. Four
teachers took part in the study at East Lansing High School;
Mrs. Green, Mrs. Smucker, and Mr. White taught the experi-
mental sections, and Mrs. Hinton had the control section.

As an additional check on contaminating influences, a con-
trol class at Okemos High School, Okemos, Michigan was also

used. Mrs. Fenkel was the control teacher there.
Operational Definitions of the Concepts

The data for this study were gathered by the means of
a set of questions on knowledge and affective behavior ad-
ministered immediately before and after the students studied
the unit on India. (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Forms
AAAA, BBBB, CCCC, and DDDD). Measurement of the phenomena
conceptualized in Chapter I was done by means of the follow-

ing operationalizations.

Teaching Treatments. A daily schedule of the clasSroom
procedures was followed by each teacher in each experimental
class section of each teaching treatment. The differential

nature of the activities undertaken by the students in their

46

respective teaching treatments (open-closed) was our opera-
tional definition of the two teaching treatments. Opera-
tionally, we can say that students in the ppgp_teaching
treatment produced Indian plays in the classroom; while
students in the closed teaching treatment gIgnppp_produce
Indian plays in the classroom. For more details on the dif-
ferences between the two teaching treatments, refer to

Appendix E.

pogmatism. Dogmatism was measured by means of the Short
Form (Trodahl and Powell, 1965) of the Dogmatism Scale (see
Appendix A; Questionnaire Form AAAA). A student who scbres
above the median of the total of adding respondents' scores
for all students, including controls, is referred to as rela-
tively more dogmatic or a high dogmatic. Conversely, a sub-
ject who scores below the median is referred to as relatively
less dogmatic or a low dogmatic. Scores are derived by add-
ing a constant of 4 to each of the subjects' responses to
the twenty (20) items of the scale. After a constant 4 is
added to each item, one sums across all twenty (20) items to
obtain the dogmatism score for each person. .

A Chi-square test revealed no significant difference
overall in dogmatism levels between the experimental and

control groups.

Knowledge Gain. .Knowledge measures were obtained from
questions 1-32 (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Ebrm BBBB).

Scoring was done by summing across all the students' number

47
of right answers on their before-after questionnaires.
vChange between the before—after right answer scores in the
direction of more correct answers, we can say a knowledge

gain had occurred.

-Change in Affective Behavior. Affective behavior
measures were obtained from questions 33-40 (see Appendix A;
Questionnaire Form BBBB). Scoring on questiOns 33—38 was
done by summing across all the students' number of "yes"
responses on their before-after questionnaires. Change
between these before-after "yes" responses provided one
measure of change in affective behavior. The social dis-
tance values ranged from 0 (lowest) to 6 (highest).

On questions 39-40, Osgood's seven-pOint semantic dif4
ferential Scale was used (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Form
BBBB). Scores on the semantic differential items were ob-
tained by adding the individual scale scores for each con-
cept. A shift or change in scores in the direction of the

highest value (7) on the semantic differential scale, we

can say a predicted change in affective behavior had occurred.

Studuent Preference for Teaching Treatments. A student
preference measure for the open or the closed teaching
treatment was obtained from question 7 (see Appendix A;
Questionnaire Form CCCC). Scoring was done by summing across
all the students' responses to the four (4) items which
ranged from "I liked it very much" to"I did not like it" on

their after-only questionnaire. The response item which

48
received the highest percentage of positive overall student
responses for a particular teaching treatment (open-closed),
we can say a preference for that particular teaching treat-

ment had occurred.
-Manipulation Checks

Two manipulation checks were employed so we can know
,if the information inputs and the activities manipulated in
each of the teaching treatments (open-closed) had a differ-

ential effect on the students involved.

Awareness of Sensory Channels. A sensory channel
measure was obtained from question 13 (see Appendix A;
Questionnaire Form CCCC). .Scoring was done by summing
across all the students' responses to the number of their
sensory channels activated. By comparing frequency counts
of the responses in each teaching treatment (open-closed),
we can ascertain which teaching treatment had a greater

awareness of sensory channels for the students involved.

Perception of Feedback and Interaction. Perception of
feedback and interaction measures were obtained from ques-
tions 14-17 (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Form CCCC). .A
four (4) point preference scale was used. It ranged from
1 (very often) to 4 (never). Scoring was done by summing
across all the students' responses as to the degree of their
perception of feedback and interaction. By a frequency

count of their responses in each teaching treatment (open-

49
closed), we can ascertain which teaching treatment had a
greater perception of feedback and interaction for the

students involVed.
Sample Design

The data to test our hypotheses were gathered from
intact groups, where teachers were willintho cooperate,
of all students enrolled in the ninth grade English classes
at East Lansing High School, East Lansing, Michigan.

Also, no attempt to select the teachers on the basis
of special skills in theatre teaching techniques was con-
sidered, only their overall abilities as classroom teachers.
However, the dogmatism test was administered to the teachers

as a means to determine the dogmatism level among them. All
three teachers were below the median of the student scores.
.Furthermore, this investigation did not attempt to use

the selected Indian plays as a literary study of their styl-

istic or aesthetic merits. They were used solely for the
purpose of focusing on the specific Indian cultural concepts
relevant to the students' better understanding of some con-
cepts of life in India.

'Subsequently, the production of plays in the classroom
did not strive to reach artistic perfection. The function
of the theatre technique was to serve as a means by which
the students' can hopefully learn about life in India by

being involved in dramatized human eXperiences.

50

Art films were not used in this study. There are two
reasons for this decision. The rental cost was prohibitive,
and our purpose here is not to determine if student involve-
ment in imaginative art films is a more powerful means to
effective learning than student involvement in student pro-
duced classroom plays.

However, documentary films were used. Costwise, they
were not prohibitive, and their contents seemed to be ap-
propriate as a supplemental reference to the cultural con-
cepts studied in the Indian plays.

This study was not an exercise in creative dramatics.
All the play scripts were written by professional play—
wrights. .The students merely used the play scripts as a
means to study the selected cultural concepts of India by
staging the plays themselves in the classroom, or to learn

about India by reading and discussing the plays in class.
-How the Plays were Produced in the Classroom

All three Indian plays were student directed and pro-
duced in the classroom in the open teaching treatment. The
teacher served as a coordinator of the various playmaking
activities, and the production activities were organized
into committees. These committees were: (1) acting com-
mittee, (2) staging and props committee, (3) costume com-
mittee, (4) make up committee, (5) music and sound effects

committee, and (6) ritual committee.

51

The students chose the committees they wanted to serve
on; however, they could not be on just one committee for
all the plays. They could act in all three plays, but they,
also,had to serve on a committee other than acting. The
converse operated for those who wanted to be on a nonacting
committee. They had to act in one play.

A student director was chosen by a consensus vote of
the committees for each play. The assistant director was
chosen by the same method. Heads of each committee were
chosen by the same method within each committee.

The students worked out a production-rehearsal schedule
for each play. ,It was the duty of each committee head to
see that his production schedule was met on time. The
‘assistant student director was a liaison between the student
director and the committee heads. The student director
supervised the entire production, including the rehearsing
of the cast.

Dress rehearsals were held prior to the production of
the plays. Students not presenting their plays were the
audience for the play being staged. Students from the closed
teaching treatment were not to see the plays; however, this
control technique may have been violated.

The plays were staged in the confines of each experi-
mental teacher's classroom. These classrooms had identical
physical environments. No elevated stage was used. The
floor at one end of the classroom was the stage area, and

the audience sat on the floor in a circle around the stage.

52
This helped to give a more authentic Indian quality to the
plays because this is a frequently used method of staging
plays in India in order to create a more "intimate" rela-
tionship between the actors and the audience.

The ritual effect of having the audience eat Indian
food before the play started was observed. Also, the burn-
ing of incense and the playing of Indian music (religious
ragas) was a part of this ritual. I

No specific stage lighting was used, only the indirect
lighting of the classroom fixtures. .Hopefully this helped
to approximate the effect of sunlight, because plays in
India are frequently staged out-of-doors in the daytime.
This would have been impossible to do here because of the
winter weather. Also, we wanted to maintain the classroom
'environment as an essential part of the learning process.

Stage props were stylized. They merely suggested a
tree, a flower, etc. This was in keeping with the Indian
tradition of staging plays.

The costumes and make up were appropriate to the caste
of the particular character. .For example, the prostitute
in the play The Priest and the Prostitute was dressed in

pink, a color symbolic of her rank and occupation.
Data Collection Procedures

Data for this study were collected during the last week
of January and the four (4) weeks of February, 1970 at East
Lansing High School, East Lansing, Michigan and Okemos High

School, Okemos, Michigan. Also, a pretest of the data

53

collecting questionnaire was administered at Okemos High
School, Okemos, Michigan as a check on response problems,
i.e. to determine if some questions on the questionnaire
were too sophisticated in content to be comprehended by
ninth grade level students, to determine if the wording of
the questions was too sophisticated to be comprehended by
the students, etc. This was done about six (6) months
prior to the beginning of the actual study. It was admin-
istered to a ninth grade music class so the questionnaire
content could be checked in a classroom setting using an
intact group of students which would closely approximate
the actual classroom setting used in the study. Mr. Koehn
administered the pretest questionnaire check.

On the first day of the study, all students (experi-
mental and control) in East Lansing High School, East Lan-
sing, Michigan were administered a dogmatism questionnaire
and a pretest questionnaire to ascertain the level of dog-
matism of each student and each students' knowledge level
on India and his affective behavior toward Inida at the be-
ginning of the study, (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Forms
AAAA and BBBB). The three (3) experimental teachers were
administered the dogmatism questionnaire ppIy as a check on
the dogmatism level among them.

At the end of the study (five (5) weeks later) a post-
test questionnaire was administered to all the experimental
and control students to determine if each student's level of

dogmatism had a relational effect on his amount of knowledge

54

gain on India and his degree of change in affective behavior
toward India dependent on his teaching treatment (open—
closed). (See Appendix A; Questionnaire Form BBBB).

Also, at the same time (five (5) weeks later) an after-
Only questionnaire was administered to all the experimental
class sections to determine if the manipulation checks on
awareness of sensory channels and perception of feedback
and interaction were more distinguishable in the open or
the closed teaching treatments, (see Appendix A; Question-
naire Form CCCC). Furthermore, this questionnaire was used‘
as a check on contaminating effects among the experimental
class sections.

»The after-only questionnaire for the control class
isection at East Lansing High School was administered at the
same time (five (5) weeks later) as a check on any contam-
inating effects which might occur from outside sources as
well as the experimental class sections, (see Appendix A;
Questionnaire Form DDDD).

The same procedure and for the previously stated reasons
was followed for the control group at Okemos High School,
Okemos, Michigan, except that the after-onIy control ques-

tionnaire was administred instead of the after-only experi-

 

mental questionnaire (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Forms
CCCC and DDDD). This was done as a check on any contamin-
ating effects which might occur from the experimental class

sections in the East Lansing High School.

55

Data Analysis Procedures

The data, once collected, were coded for computer pro-
cessing. Student dogmatism scores were computed by summing
the scores on the twenty (20) items for each student. Stu-
dents were divided into high and low dogmatism groups by
selecting those above the median for all students as high
dogmatics, and those below the median as low dogmatics.

.Frequency counts were run of the students' scores (ex-
perimental and control) on all the questions of the question-
naires (see Appendix A; Questionnaire Forms AAAA, BBBB, CCCC,
DDDD). Means and standard deviations were computed for each
cell of the study design.

Once this was done, the data were cross-tabulated to
provide the necessary combinations of data to examine the
relationships hypothesized between and within our various
predictor and criteria variables. These data provided the

basis for hypothesis-testing.
§£atistical Tests

Analysis of variance was used to test hypotheses two
(2) and three (3); and Chi—square was used to test hypothesis
one (1). Sign tests also were used to test for the statis-
tical significance of the number of persons changing in the
predicted direction for each of the teaching treatments and

the dogmatism levels.

CHAPTER III

FINDINGS

Resume of Findings

,After a brief resume of the findings, the data used

to test the three hypotheses will be presented. Briefly,

the findings reveal:

(1)

(3)

That, overall, the students preferred the open
teaching treatment to the closed teaching treat-
ment.

No statistically significant differences in know-
ledge gain or change in affective behavior were
found between students in the open teaching
treatment and those in the closed teaching treat-
ment. .However, students in both teaching treat-
ments showed significant gains in knowledge.

They did not show significant changes in affec-
tive behavior; about as many became less favorable
in their beiiefs about India as became more favor-
able, and about the same number did not shift.
Based on knowledge gain in control classes in
East Lansing High School and in Okemos High

School, it appears that just student interaction

56

57
in East Lansing High School was an effective means
to knowledge gain. The East Lansing control class
section showed a knowledge gain which was signifi-
cant at the 0.05 level, compared to significance
at the 0.01 level for knowledge gain for the East
Lansing experimental class sections.
.However, the Okemos control class section

showed essentially random shifts in knowledge gain.

-Results

gpudent Preference for Teaching Treatments. The Chi-
square test of data reported in Table 1 below shows a sta-
tistically significant preference for the pppp_teaching
treatment, regardless of the students' level of dogmatism.

Table 1. Preference for open and closed teaching treatments
by high and low dogmatic students.

 

 

Degree of Liking or Disliking

 

1 2 3 4
Teaching liked it liked it liked it did not
Treatment very much somewhat very like it TOTAL
Dogmatism ' ,' ,‘ little
Level No. % No. % No. % No. % No. ~%

 

Open High Dog. 9 25.7 17 48.6 4 11.4 5 14.3 35 100
Open Low Dog. 11 25.6 17 39.5 7 16.3 8 18.6 43 100
ClosedHigh Dog. 5 8.6 28 48.3 17 29.3 8 13.8 58 100
Closed Low Dog. 3 5.6 21 38.9 16 29.6 14 25.9 54 100

 

N = 196
x2 = 19.313, X2 of 16.92 significant at 0.05 level, df = 9.

58
A further analysis of the Chi-square test of data re-
veals a statistically significant disliking by the low dog-
matic students for the closed teaching treatment. Table 2
reports these data.

Table 2. .Percentage of students by dogmatism level who dis-
like the teaching treatment in which they partici-

 

 

 

 

pated.

Teaching.Treatments
~Dogmatism Level Open Closed
High Dog. 14.3 13.8
Low Dog. 18.6 25.9

 

x2 = 4.2498. x2 of 3.84 significant at 0.05 level, df = l
The data in the cells show the percent who said they did not

Alike the teaching treatment to which they were exposed.

From the student levels of dogmatism, we can make the
following observation: both the high and the low dogmatic
students preferred the ppgp teaching treatment, 25.7% of the
high dogmatics and 25.6% of the low dogmatics said "they
liked it very much:" while only 5.6% of the low dogmatics
and 8.6% of the high dogmatics in the closed teaching
treatment said, "they liked it very much." It is noted that
a significant proportion, 25.9% as shown in Table 2, of the

low dogmatic students disliked the closed teaching treatment.

.Knowledge Gain. Overall, the analysis of variance

 

showed no statistically significant difference in knowledge
gain between the teaching treatments, or between student

levels of dogmatism. Table 3 contains these data.

59

 

 

 

 

Table 3. Analysis of variance for difference in knowledge
gain between teaching treatments by dogmatism
level and by teacher.

ss df ms F Sign.

Btn. A 2.882 1 2.882 0.0829 0.774

Btn. B 21.867 2 10.934 0.3145 0.713

Btn. C 56.812 1 56.812 1.6341 0.203

A B 45.191 2 22.595 0.6499 0.523
A C 44.796 1 44.796 1.2885 0.258
B C 7.845 2 3.923 0.1128 0.893

A B C 45.225 2 22.613 0.650 0.523

Error 6397.211 184 34.767

Total 6674.347 195
A = open versus closed teaching treatments.
B = teacher 1, 2, and 3.
C = high versus low dogmatism.

,In Table 4 following, Sign tests for all the experimental
groups and the East Lansing control group showed statistically
significant knowledge gains, regardless of teaching treat-

ment, or levels of student dogmatism.

Change in Affective Behavior. The first measure of
affective behavior was the social distance scale (Questions
33-38; Questionnaire Form BBBB; Appendix A). This scale
measured the students' reaction to social situations in
which they might be personally involved with people from
India.

Table 5 shows that by isolating those students who did

show a change in direction, we find that Rokeach's "resist-

ance to change" aspect of high and low dogmatism may be

60

Table 4. Number of students who changed in knowledge level
by teaching treatment and dogmatism level.

 

 

Direction of Change

 

 

Teaching Treatment In- De- No
Dogmatism Level creased creased change Total
Open High Dog. 33 3 0 36
Open Low Dog. 43 1 1 45
Closed High Dog. 56 4 1 61
Closed Low Dog. 50 4 0 54
E.L. Control High Dog. 4 1 1 6
E.L. Control Low Dog. 11 3 0 14
Oke. Control High Dog. 5 7 1' 13
Oke. Control Low Dog. 4 4 0 8
Total 206 27 4 237

 

Probability of shifts of this magnitude is beyond 0.001 level.

61
operating. A greater number of high dogmatic students
tended to shift toward a less favorable view of India, and
a greater number of low dogmatic students tended to shift
toward a more favorable view of India. Perhaps the high
dogmatic students were less willing to bring into question

their existing beliefs about India than the low dogmatic

students were. However, these differences did not reach

the 0.05 level of statistical significance.

Table 5. Direction of shift on social distance measure by
high and low dogmatic students.

 

 

Direction of Change

 

Dogmatism

 

__I§vel Increased Decreased No change Total

High Dog. 23 ——¢ 33 41 97

Low Dog. 31 <—— 26 42 99
Total :4 —59 .83 1—9—6

 

Table 6 shows shifts in social distance scores for each
of the dogmatism - teaching groups. Overall, about as many
became less favorable in their beliefs about India as be-
came more favorable, and a larger number did not shift.
Again no statistically significant differences in direction

of change were found.

62

Table 6. Number of students who changed in affective be-
havior by teaching treatment and dogmatism level.

 

Direction of Change

 

 

Teaching Treatment In- De- No
Dogmatism Level creased creased change Total
Open High Dog. 9 12 15 36
Open Low Dog. 13 12 20 45
Closed High Dog. 14 21 26 61
Closed Low Dog. 18 14 22 54
E.L. Control High Dog. 1 1 4 6
IE.L..Control Low Dog. 4 4 10 18
Oke. Control High Dog. 5 2 6 13
Oke. Control Low Dog. 0 1 7 8
Total 64 67 110 241

 

The analysis of variance reported in Table 7 following
showed no statistically significant difference in change in
affective behavior on the social distance measure between
the teaching treatments, or the student levels of dogmatism.
Although none of the F values reached the 0.05 level, the
value for difference in dogmatism levels approached the 0.05
level. It was 0.066.

On the semantic differential measure one: beliefs
. about India (Question 39; Questionnaire Form BBBB; Appendix
A), analysis of variance revealed no statistically signifi-
cant difference in change in affective behavior between
teaching treatments, or student levels of dogmatism. This

is reported in Table 8.

Table 7.

Analysis of variance for change on social dis-
tance measure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ss df ms F Sign.

Btn. A 1.871 1 1.871 0.6712 0.414

Btn. B 5.293 2 2.646 0.9494 0.389

Btn. C 9.529 1 9.529 3.4184 0.066

A B 8.139 2 4.069 1.4599 0.235
A C 0.009 1 0.009 0.0034 0.954
B C 10.431 2 20.046 0.3428 0.710
A B C 13.525 2 6.762 2.4260 0.091
Error 512.929 184 2.787

Total 567.530 195

A = open versus closed teaching treatments.

B = teacher 1, 2, and 3.

C = high versus low dogmatism.

Table 8. <Analysis of variance for change in affective be-
havior on semantic differential measure one:
beliefs about India.

ss df ms F Sign.

Btn. A 40.431 1 40.431 0.6914 0.407

Btn. B 28.126 2 14.063 0.2405 0.786

Btn. C 65.031 1 65.031 1.1121 0.293

A B 51.284 2 25.642 0.4385 0.646
A.C 61.523 1 61.523 1.0521 0.306
B C 40.093 2 20.046 0.3428 0.710
A B C 156.544 2 78.272 1.3386 0.265
Error 10759.436 184 58.475
Total 11298.994 195

 

Open versus closed teaching treatments.
teacher 1, 2, and 3.
high versus low dogmatism.

0w?
II II"

64

Considering the semantic differential measure two: be-
liefs about the Indian Priests (Question 40; Questionnaire
Form BBBB; Appendix A), the analysis of variance again
shows no statistically significant difference in change in
affective behavior attributable to teaching treatment, or
student levels of dogmatism found in Table 9.
Table 9. Analysis of variance for change in affective

behavior on semantic differential measure two:
beliefs about the Indian priests.

 

 

 

 

ss df ms F Sign.
Btn. A 3.109 2 10.933 0.0591 0.808
Btn. B 145.176 2 72.588 1.3794 0.254
Btn..C 4.339 1 4.339 0.0825 0.774
.A B 207.328 2 103.664 1.9700 0.142
A.C 32.376 1 32.376 0.6153 0.434
B C 46.431 2 23.215 0.4412 0.644
A B C 28.975 2 14.487 0.2753 0.760
Error 9682.550 184 52.622
Total 10190.749 195

 

open versus closed teaching treatments.
teacher 1, 2, and 3.

A
B
.C high versus low dogmatism.

Manipulation Checks

Awareness of Sensory Channels. .In order to determine

' if the students perceived the number of sensory channels
employed in each of the two teaching treatments, percentages
were computed of the students' responses to each item on
question 13 in each of the teaching treatments (see Appendix

A; Questionnaire Form CCCC). By comparing the percentages

65
of "yes" responses for each sensory channel employed in the
open and closed teaching treatments in Table 10, we can see
that the manipulation of the awareness of sensory channels

variable was successful.

Table 10. Percentagesand frequency of students reporting
use of each sensory channel by teaching treatment.

 

 

Teaching Treatment

 

 

 

 

Sensory Open Closed
Channels ' Yes % Yes %
Sight 68 72.3 90 67.6
Sound _ 63 66.3 85 64.3
Touch 45 47.8 9 13.8
Smell 56 59.5 30 21.1
Taste 54 57.4 16 12.0
Tonic 37 38.1 5 07.6
Total 323 341.5 235 186.4

 

In the yes column under the closed teaching treatment,
the relatively high percentages for the sensory channels of
smell and taste may be attributed to the closed teaching
treatment students mingling with the Open teaching treatment
students between class breaks to taste the Indian food and
to smell the incense. See Appendix A for the teachers' com-
ments on this point.

Table 11 shows the students' degree of awareness of the
number of sensory channels employed in each teaching treat-
ment. It can be seen from the percentages that the open
teaching treatment had a higher overall degree of awareness

for the students involved than those students in the closed

teaching treatment.

66

Table 11. Percentages and frequency of the students' degree
of awareness of the number of sensory channels
employed in each teaching treatment.

 

 

Teaching Treatment

 

 

Number of Open Closed
Sensory Channels No. of No. of
Employed channels channels
checked by % checked by %
students students
1 2 02.1 20 14.8
2 2 02.1 55 40.7
3 14 14.8 15 11.1
4 12 12.7 8 05.9
5 19 20.2 3 02.2
6 23 24.3 1 00.7
Total 72 76.3 102 75.4

 

In closed about 55% reported using 1 or 2 channels;
.while in Open 55% reported using 4, 5, or 6 channels.

Perception of Feedback andIInteraction. The effective—
ness of the perception of feedback and interaction manipula-
tion was assessed by computing the percentages of students'
responses within each experimental group who perceived the
experimental induction in questions 14-17 (see Appendix A;
Questionnaire Form CCCC). These percentages are reported in
Table 12. The figures in this table indicate that by com-
paring the percentages in each teaching treatment, we can
see the manipulation was not successful. About as many stu-
dents in the closed teaching treatment indicated a relatively
high degree of feedback and interaction as those in the open

teaching treatment.

67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 12. Percentages and frequency of feedback and inter-
action perceived by the students in each teaching
treatment.

Teaching Treatment

Questions Open Closed

14-17 No. No. %

Q 14.

Did the teacher let you

express your views?

1. very often 30 31.9 39 29.5

2. fairly often 20 21.5 54 40.9

3. not very often 20 21.5 8 06.2

4. never 5 05.1 4 03.0

no response 19 20.0 27 20.4
Total 94 100.00 132 100.0

Q 15.

Did your classmates let

you express your views?

1. very often ' 27 30.4 32 24.4

2. fairly often 27 30.4 58 44.2

3. not very often 11 12.3 14 10.9

4. never 5 05.6 1 00.7

no response 19 21.3 26 19.8
Total 89 100.0 131 100.0

Q 16.

Did you let the teacher

express his or her views?

1. very often 46 49.5 71 53.7

2. fairly often 21 22.5 25 18.9

3. not very often 6 06.5 8 06.3

4. never 1 01.0 2 01.5

no response 19 20.5 26 19.6
Total 93 100.0 131 100.0
Q 17.
.Did you let your classmates

express their views?

1. very often ' 46 49.4 52 39.3

2. fairly often 22 23.6 47 35.6

3. not very often 4 04.3 3 02.3

4. never 2 02.3 3 02.3

no reSponse 19 20.4 27 20.5
Total 93 100.0 132 100.0

 

68

Summation

To recapitulate, we can say that the statistical meas-
ures showed no relational effect between the Open and the
closed teaching treatments and levels of student dogmatism
on their knowledge gain and their change in affective be-
havior on India. Also, the statistical measures showed that
all the East Lansing experimental and control groups gained in
knowledge on India. Furthermore, the data showed no statis-
tically significant change in affective behavior toward
India.

Overall, the students and the teachers preferred the
Open teaching treatment. This is further reflected in their
comments (see Appendix F).

The manipulation checks showed that the open teaching
treatment was more effective in activating a larger number
of the students' sensory channels than the closed teaching
treatment was. However, feedback and interaction were rela-
tively the same for both teaching treatments.

Generally the teachers felt that the open teaching ap-
proach was more exciting and interesting for most of the
participants involved. Also, they believed that the students
would show over a period of time a greater change in affec-
tive behavior toward India in the open teaching treatment
(see Appendix F).

To them, the playmaking activities brought out self—
reliance in many previously shy students, as well as reveal-
ing aspects of unreliability in some supposedly confident

students.

69
However, the teachers felt that the students gained more
knowledge on India in the closed teaching treatment. Further-
more, they felt that more individual student attention was

possible in the closed approach.

CHAPTER IV
DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY
Discussion

This chapter will attempt to provide some answers to
two questions. These are:
1. What may we conclude from this study?

2. .What are the implications from this study?

What May We Conclude From This Study? As previously
stated in Chapter II; page 37, one of the most difficult
control aspects of this study was to try to avoid contamina-
tion of treatment groups due to information flow from the
open teaching treatment to the closed teaching treatment,
and vice versa. The data indicate that information flow
through student interaction waszrleffective contributor to
knowledge gain for all the experimental and control groups
in East Lansing High School. .More effective means of iso-
lating the East Lansing experimental and control groups
would have been desirable; however, this was virtually im-
possible in a normal school operation. The results do
demnstrate a high degree of student learning through student
interaction outside the classroom as well as inside the

classroom in any learning process.

70

71

One of the aspects of this study was to see if selected
cultural concepts of India could be taught to U.S. students
in a classroom learning environment. The data supported
this aspect. In general, the majority of the students in—
creased their knowledge on India.

.Unquestionably the majority of the students, regardless
of their dogmatism levels, including the experimental
teachers, expressed a preference for the open teaching
treatment. This preference supports the contentions of
Dale59, Grambs and Iversonao, Clark61, and Milleraz, and it
may be indicative of the overall nature of this approach.
Students, in general,seem to prefer a teaching style which
offers a wider range of sensory stimulation, the potential
for optimum feedback and interaction, and personal involve-
ment in dramatized human experiences. The play production
used in the open teaching treatment provided this wider range
of stimulation.

This study revealed no significant relationship between
teaching treatments, and students' knowledge gain and their
change in affective behavior toward India for either high
or low dogmatic students. There could be salient reasons

for this.

 

59Dale, loc. cit.
60Grambs and Iverson, loc. cit.
61Clark, loc. cit.

62Miller, loc. cit.

72

The dogmatism test may not have accurately tapped im-
portant internal student variables, i.e. isolating opinions,
attitudes, and beliefs, etc. which may have been operative.
.If this is true, the dogmatism scores may not have been an
accurate reflection of relevant individual differences.

Also, as Costin63 points out, the "more-than-one-kind-
of-dogmatism“ hypothesis could be relevant here. Dogmatism
may be differentially related to classroom learning, de-
pending on the particular nature of the learner's dogmatism,
and its relevance to the kind of learning tasks he pursues.
If there is more than one kind of dogmatism Operative here,
a variety of instruments is required to measure it more ac-
curately.

.Considering the teaching treatments, perhaps their con-
ceptualizations and their inputs of information and manipu-
lative activities were not of such a nature as to effectively
test influence of the varying levels of student dogmatism
on behavior change resulting from these inputs. If more
than one kind of dogmatism was operative, the teaching in-
puts may have immediately affected only a certain number of
students, which were not put into a single category by our
measures.

.Costin does not identify the individual differences
which constitute the more than one kind of dogmatism, which

may have been operative in this study. We can only say that

 

63Costin,.loc. cit.

73
some students shifted one way, and some students another on
the attitude measures. We cannot tell whether this is just
random response patterns operating,or some significant as-
pect of individual differences other than those measured by
the Rokeach dogmatism scale.

Time,also,may be important here. Costin64 maintains
that over a period of time certain students of varying
levels of dogmatism who showed no change in attitude at the
conclusion of the induction of the information inputs, did
show a change in attitude on the information inputs six
months later.

Attitudinal effects of messages are frequently delayed.65
This might be a further explanation for the lack of more im-
mediate change in affective behavior by those students who
did not shift on the social distance measure. The experi-
mental teachers maintain this is reasonable. They believe
change to be more persistent over time in the open teaching
treatment (see Appendix F). The only way we could test this
speculation would be to retest all the East Lansing experi-
mental students on the change in affective behavior measures
at a later time.

Another relevant factor might be the relative restric-
tive-unrestrictive nature of the two teaching treatments.

Student comments attest to the fact that several students

 

64Ibid.

65Rosnow and Robinson, loc. cit., pp. 419-427.

74

in the closed teaching treatment considered it "deadly" and
”boring"; while several students in the Open teaching treat-
ment considered it "too fast moving to be able to adjust to
what was going on", (see Appendix F). A check of their dog-
matism scores showed a random spread of high and low dogma-
tism levels in each teaching treatment. Therefore, we can
only speculate that other individual differences are opera-
tive here, i.e. intelligence levels of the students, etc.,
.which could have affected their reactions.

These students in both teaching treatments may have
put up defense mechanisms. They could have "turned off"
rather than becoming involved in the content of the learning
process. By doing this, their desire to learn about Indian
cultural concepts diminished because they may have considered
the learning activities to be relatively unimportant to re-
duce the possible high degree of frustration over the ex-

perimental tasks.*

 

*-
Two recently unpublished Ph.D. dissertations not previously

available for the rationale of this study are relevant
here. They are:

(1) Edward M. Bodaken, Choice and Perceived Audience Atti-
tude As Determinants of Cognitive Dissonance and
Subsequent Attitude Change Followinngounteratti-
tudinal Advocapy, Dept. of Communication, Michigan
State University, pp. 36-37.

(2) Eugene Tate, A Comparison of the Relative Immunizing

.Effect of gpunterattitudInal Advocacy With the
Passive Reception of a Persuasive Message, Depart-

ment of Communication, Michigan State University,
pp. 28-29.

75

Janis and Mann66 tried to show that persons who actively
verbalize the content of messages in a role-playing situa-
tion will demonstrate greater attitude change in the direc-
tion of the messages than those who only passively listen
to them. This prediction was not supported in this study.
The semantic differential measure number two: beliefs about
Indian priests showed no statistically significant differ-
ence between the teaching treatments.

We can only speculate here. It may be that any kind
of verbalization, whether question and answer (closed teach—
ing treatment) or role-playing (Open teaching treatment),
induces ego-involvement and change. Perhaps change in the
closed teaching treatment might be produced by the students'
vicarious involvement with the characteris in the plays;
whereas, change in the open teaching treatment might be
produced by the students' active involvement with the char-
acters.

Again the time factor could be relevant here. If atti-
tudinal effects of messages are frequently delayed, we might
reason that the students' more personal involvement with
the characters through role-playing activities might make
change more persistent for them over time. This can only be
determined by retesting all the experimental groups in East
Lansing at a later time. The same rationale might be ap-
plied to the semantic differential number one: beliefs

about India.

 

66Janis and Mann, loc. cit.

76

Considering the manipulation checks, students in the
Open teaching treatment reported using more sensory chan-
nels than did students in the closed treatment. The data
supported our contention that playmaking activities bring
into operation a greater number of sense organs for varied
sensory stimulation for the participants involved.

However, the data showed that the manipulation check
on student perception of feedback and interaction was rela—
tively the same for both teaching treatments. We might
speculate that this may be due to the overall nature of the
established teaching practices of the experimental teachers
In a questioning session with them by the researcher, they
said that they encourage in their regular classes a free
exchange of feedback and interaction among the students and
themselves. This could have presensitized the students to
this operational mode of learning, and made it difficult to
establish the more restrictive interaction style which was

sought for in the closed teaching treatment.

What Are theiImplications From This Study? Both treat-
ments produced significant knowledge gain; however, student
preference for the open teaching treatment suggests it may
be a more effective teaching style.

.It seems plausible that the Open teaching treatment may
be effectively used with several disciplines; such as, Eng-
lish and American literature, history, sociology, psychology,
or any subject area which has as its content the behavioral

nature of man and his social and cultural environment.

77

Perhaps the open teaching treatment would be more ap-
plicable in most schools because of its overall student-
teacher preference; nevertheless, the closed teaching treat-
ment might be preferred in schools of a relatively conven-
tionally structured learning environment, and where the goal
is to cover a large amount of content quickly.

Even though this study revealed no statistically
significant difference in knowledge gain and change in
affective behavior toward India between the two teaching
treatments and the student levels of dogmatism, it should
be replicated in various schools with students of different
socio-economic backgrounds, i.e. an urban school, a rural’
school, an inner city school, etc. Hopefully, this would
give a more representative sampling of students with belief-
disbelief systems of varying degrees than was possible in
the present study.

A way to more effectively control contamination effects
would be to replicate each teaching treatment separately in
different schools, with efforts to equate the students in
the different schools on the dimensions being studied.

The persistence of attitudinal effects of messages over
time needs to be tested more extensively. A way to test
this variable would be to use the open teaching treatment
(this choice is based on student-teacher preference for it)
for a period of say three months. This would allow the stu-

dents to participate extensively in verbalized role-playing

experiences.

78

Attitude theory maintains that the more actively an
individual involves himself in the role he is playing, he
should acquire more of the attributes of that role. Now if
these attributes persist over time, significant behavioral
change might result from this teaching approach.

Another study in this area would be to see if the pro-
fessional productions of the Indian plays have a greater
effect on student learning and change in affective behavior
than the amateur student productions of them. This would
be carried out in a classroom setting.

In the professional productions, the students would
view the Indian plays; whereas, in the amateur productions.
the students would actively participate in playmaking ac-
tivities. This approach would test Dale's67 claim that both
playseeing and playmaking are effective means to student
learning, and we may be able to determine which approach,
if either approach, is more effective in producing this

learning and attitude change.

.Summary

This study examined the relationship of two teaching
treatments and dogmatism on student knowledge gain and stu-
dent change in affective behavior on selected cultural con-
) cepts of a particular country, India.

Hypotheses were based on relevant research on theatre

‘as a teaching tool, communication theory, learning theory,

 

67Dale, loc. cit.

79
dogmatism theory, and self-persuasion theory. .It was pre-
dicted that a relationship would exist between student dog-
matism and each specific teaching treatment. Low dogmatic
students were expected to show a greater gain in knowledge
on India and a greater change in affective behavior toward

India in the open teaching treatment and vice versa for the

 

high dogmatic students. Also, it was hypothesized that the
students would prefer the open teaching treatment.

The results of this study failed to confirm the inter-
action between teaching treatments and dogmatism in relation
to knowledge gain and change in affective behavior. However,
it did confirm student preference for the open teaching
treatment. Also, student knowledge gain on India was sta—
tistically significant for all teaching treatments, includ-
ing the East Lansing control group. Though not statistically
significant, a group of high and low dogmatic students
shifted in the predicted direction on the social distance
measure, even though none of the F values reached the 0.05
level, the value of 0.066 for difference in dogmatism levels
approached the 0.05 level.

Furthermore, the manipulation check on greater student
awareness of sensory channels in the open teaching treatment
was successful. .However, the manipulation check on greater
perception of feedback and interaction in the open teaching
treatment was not successful.

Another fruitful study to undertake is to compare changes

in knowledge and affective behaviors of students viewing a

80
performance by professional actors with the changes in their
behavior when they participate in their own production of

the same play.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Plays

Anon. Bawa No Ve§h. Translated by Harish Travedi and
adaptEdibwaevia Abrams and Farley Richmond. East
Lansing: Michigan State University, 1968-69.

Bairgai, Dhananjoy. Summer Shower. Translated by Vedantam
Subrahmanyam. Calcutta: Privately printed, 1959.

Vikram, King Mahendra. Ihe Priest and the Prostitute.
Translated by C. C. Mehta. East Lansing: Michigan
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Amidon, Edmond J. and Flanders, Ned A. The Role of the
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, and Hunter, Elizabeth. The Analysis of Classroom
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Arnold, H. J. P. Aid for Development: A Political and
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Basham, A. L. The Wonder That Was India. New York: Grove
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Berelson, Bernard and Steiner, Gary A. Human Behavior: An
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Brace, and World, Inc., 1964

Berlo, David K. The Process of Communication. New York:
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Bruner, Jerome S. On Knowing: Essays for the Ieft Hand.
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Press, 1964.

81

82

Dale,.Edgar. Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching. 2d. ed.
revised. New York: The Dryden Press, 1954.

Grambs,.Jean D. and Iverson, William J. .Modern Methods in

.Secondary Education. New York: The Dryden Press,
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-Hovland, Carl 1., et al. -Experiments on Mass Communication.

Vol. III. Princeton: Princeton University Press,
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Lewin, Kurt. "Group Decision and Social Change," Readings
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Pelz, Edith Bennett. "Some Factors in Group Decision,"
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Rokeach, Milton. The Open and Closed Mind. New York:
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Rosnow, Ralph L. and Robinson, Edward J. (eds.). Experi-
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Angell, G. W. "Effects of Immediate Knowledge of Quiz Re-
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(1949), 391-94.

Briggs, L. J. and.Hamilton, Nancy R. ”Meaningful Learning
and Retention: Practice and Feedback Variables,"
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545-58.

Christensen, C. M. "A Note on Dogmatism and Learning,"
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No. 1 (1963), 75-76.

Clark, Hazel I. ”Teaching History by Dramatization: Grade
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Bureau of Publication, Teachers College; Columbia
University Press (1936), 31-35.

83

Costin, Frank. "Dogmatism and Learning: A'Follow-up of
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_Research, Vol. 59, No. 4 (December, 1965), 188.

 

 

Ehrlich, Howard J. “Dogmatism and Learning," Journal of
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Janis, Irving L. and King, Bertrum L. "The Influence of
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, and Mann, Leon. "Effectiveness of Emotional Role-
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gournal of Experimental Research, Vol. 1 (1965),
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Pinson, Maxine. "A Conversation with Macine Pinson and
Barbara Van Ness," English Highlights 9-12, edited
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Rokeach, Milton. "The Nature and Meaning of Dogmatism,"
Psychological Review, Vol. 61 (1954), 194-204.

Walberg, H. J. "Teacher Personality and Classroom Climate,"
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, and Anderson, Gerald. "The Achievement-Creative
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Creative Behavior, Vol. 10 (1968), 21-30.

 

White, Jack B. and Alter, Richard D. "Dogmatism and.Exam-
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White,.Kinnard. "Delay of Test Information Feedback and
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Unpublished Material

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84

Byrnes, Kerry J. "The Relationship of Dogmatism to Channel
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Powell, Frederic A. "Open and Closedmindedness and the
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.Reports

Institute of International Education. Open Doors 1968
Report on International Exphangs, New York, 1968.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

QUESTIONNAIRE FORMS AAAA. BBBB, CCCC. AND DDDD

APPENDIX A
Qpestionnaire Forms AAAA. BBBB, CCCC, and DDDD

Questionnaire AAAA Name

 

Class
Section
Teacher
We are interested now in what the general public thinks
and feels about a number Of important social and personal~
questions. The best answer to each statement below is your
personal opinion. We have tried to cover many different and
Opposing points Of view; you may find yourself agreeing
strongly with some Of the statements, disagreeing just as
strongly with others, and perhaps uncertain about others;
whether you agree or disagree with any statement, you can be
sure that many people feel the same as you do.
Mark each statement in the left margin according to how
much you agree or disagree with it. Please mark every one.
Hrite +1, +2, +3, or -1, -2, ~3. depending on how you feel in

each case.

0

+1: I AGREE A LITTLE -l. I DISAGREE A LITTLE

+2: I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2. I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE

+3: I AGREE VERY EUCH -3. I DISAGREE VERY MUCH
Please write both the number and the sign in the margin
left of each statement.
The United States and Russia have just about nothing
in common.
It is Often desirable to reserve Judgment about what's
going on until one has had a chance to hear the opinions

of those one respects.

85

 

86

Questionnaire AAAA

Continue marking your answers in this manner:

+1: I AGREE A LITTLE -1: I DISAGREE A LITTLE
+2: I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2: I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE

+3: I AGREE VERY MUCH -3: I DISAGREE VERY HUGH

Man on his own is a helpless and miserable creature.

In this complicated world of cure the only way we can
know what's going on is to rely on leaders or eXperts
who can be trusted.

I'd like it if I could find someone who would tell me
how to solve my personal problems.

The highest form of government is a democracy and the
highest form of denuxzracy is a government run by those
who are most intelligent.

While I don't like to admit this even to myself, my
secret ambition is to become a great man, like Einstein,
or Beethoven, or Shakespeare.

The present is all too often full of unhappiness. It is
only the future that counts.

To compromise with our political opponents is dangerous
because it usually leads to betrayal of our own side.

It is only when a person devotes himself to an ideal or
cause that life becomes meaningful.

Most people just don't give a "damn" for others.

The main thing in life is for a perSon to want to do

something important.

\‘I

 

s-

a
as"

87

Questionnaire AAAA

Continue marking your answers in this manner:

+1: I AGREE A LITTLE -l: I IESAG “E A LITTLE

+2: I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2: I DISAGREE ON THE THOLE
+3: I AGREE VERY hUCH -3: I DISAGREE VERY HUGH
host people just don't know what's good for them.

Even though freedom of speech for all groups is a worth-
while goal, it is unfortunately necessary to restrict
the freedom of certain political groups.

In a discussion I Often find it necessary to repeat
myself several times to make sure 11am being understood.
Host of the ideas which get printed nowadays aren't
worth the paper they are printed on.

It is better to be a dead hero than to be a live coward.
My blood boils whenever a person stubbornly refuses to
admit he's wrong.

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who
are for the truth and those who are against the truth.
Of all the different philosophies which exist in this

world there is probably only one which is correct.

THANK YOU

Questionnaire Form BBBB Name

 

Class Section

Teacher ‘__
Dear Student: .
The questionnaire you are about to complete is part Of a
research project being conducted by the Department Of Theatre
and the Department of Communication of hichigan State
University. The research is an attempt to find out what high
school students know about some aspects of life in India and
their opinions about some parts of the culture of India. We
would like you to answer pggp_question-statement as accurately
and completely as possible. If you do not understand the way
a question is stated, your teacher will help you. Your answers
will be kept confidential, and no one will connect your name

with the answers you give. Thank you for your cooperation.

88

Questionnaire Form BBBB

1. A family in India has a
high degree Of respect for
each person in the family
unit.

Yes
No
Don't know

2. The family mother in India
is the major influence on the

rearing Of

sons

daughters
neither

3. The family father in India

is the major influence on
the rearing of

sons
daughters
neither

4. Members of a family in a
modern city in India have
the same personal problems
as members of a family in a
modern U.S.A. city.

Yes

H0
Don't know

5. In a family in India, a
daughter is taught to be
pleasurable to men.

Yes

No
Don ' t know

6. In a family in India, a
son is taught to be respect-
ful a

Yes
HO
Don't know

89

7. In a marriage in India, the
having of children is a religious
necessity for the husband.

Yes
No
Don't know

8. Pleasurable love is a more
vital aspect for happiness in a
marriage in India than a marriage
in the U.S.A.

Yes
_0
Don't know

9. Among the peoples of India,
physical pleasures are rooted in
Nature 0

Yes
N0
Don ' t know

10. It is possible for a Brahmin
(person in highest caste) to
marry outside his caste just as
an American can marry outside his
social class in the U.S.A.

Yes
NO
Don't know

11. Historically, prostitution
has been held in high regard in
India.

Yes
NO
Don't know

12. The various kinds of priests
in India feel they enjoy high
positions of respect in their
societies.

Yes
HO
Don't know

.
.
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Questionnaire Form BBBB

13. In the religions in India,
individual meditation is

more important than physical
needs; such as, food, drink,
etc.

Yes

___EO

____Don' t know

14. Gardens and ornaments
(jewelry) were important
elements in creating an at-
mosphere for love in ancient
India.

Yes
No
Don't know

15. The actions of the priests
in India are more controlled
by the physicrl‘nccds and doe
sires of ordinary men than by
religious meditation.

Yes
No
Don't know

16. The long survival of the
culture in India is due to
its strong belief in toler-
ance for peoples of other
cultures who have invaded the
country over the centuries.

Yes
no
Don't know

17. The caste system in
India is being destroyed to-
day because Of: (please
check as many Of the follow-
ing as apply).

___democratic nature of the
country

___education

con't.at top of page

17. con't.

technology
freedom Of women

___nodernization
___increasing number Of new
jobs
movement of people to
cities

18. To what extent would you
say that the cultural values p
of India are better suited for
a happy life than U.S.A.
cultural values?

___flery much better than U.S.A.
Somewhat better than U.S.A.

__;Somewhat worse than U.S.A.

___Nery much worse than U.S.A.

19. How fair to the individual
is the caste system of India?

Absolutely fair
Fair
Don't know
Unfair
. Absolutely unfair

20. To what extent do you be-
lieve that a family in India
today has a "generation gap"
between the parents and the-
teenagers similar to that
which exists in the U.S.A.?

Very much like the U.S.A.
. Somewhat like the U.S.A.

Can't really tell

Not much like the U.S.A.

Very much different

from the U.S.A.

Questionnaire Form BBBB

21. Yhich of the following
things had the major influ-

snce on shaping India's

philosophy p£,life"? Put
a 1 eside the answer you
believe had the most influ-
ence, a "2" beside the one
which had the second great-
est influence, a "3" beside
the one which had-the third
greatest influence, a "4"
beside the fourth greatest
influence.

Religions
Caste system
Family structure

. Nature and climate

I v o I

22. Which Of the following
things had the major influ-
ence on shaping India's
social values? Put a "1"
Beside the answer you be-
lieve had the most influ-
ence, a "2" beside the one
which had the second great-
est influence, a "3" beside
the one which had the third
greatest influence, a "4"
beside the fourth greatest
influence.

Religions

Family structure
Caste System
Nature and climate

23. Is it possible for a

person in India to marry out-

side his Own caste?

Possible in nearly all

08.8055

Possible in very few
cases

Possible in most cases
Possible in some cases

24. India today is tied to its
cultural past.

Definitely agree
Agree
Don't know
Disagree

. Definitely disagree

25. The idea of love and marriage
in India is the same as the idea
of love and marriage in the U.S.A.

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree

Strongly disagree

' ‘ I
I O ‘

26. A family in India is a more
closely knit unit than a U.S.A.
family.

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree

Strongly disagree

27. An individual in India has
more freedom today in selecting
a mate, a job, etc. than in the
past.

Strongly agree
agree

Don't know
Disagree

Strongly disagree

28. The ancient gods and legends
Of India have played a minor

part in shaping the cultural
values of India.

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree

Strongly disagree

 

— ...-

Questionnaire Form BBBB

29. Life in a city in India
today is very much the same
as life in a U.S.A. city
today.

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree
___Strongly disagree

30. The peOple of India be-

lieve that physical pleasures

and tolerance for all forms
Of life are necessary for a
"good life".

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree
Strongly disagree

31. Life in a village in
India today is very much
the same as life in a U.S.A.
village today.

Strongly agree
Agree

Don't know
Disagree
Strongly disagree

32. To what extent do you

believe that modernization
is destroying values that

should be preserved in the
culture Of India?

Destroying the cul-

tural values Of India
. Somewhat destroying

the cultural values of

India

Hot destroying the

cultural values of

India

Don't know

92

Please check Yes or fig on the
following questions:

33. Would you like to live next
door to a family from India?

Yes
NO

34. would you like to entertain
a person from India in your
home?

Yes
NO

35. Would you like to have a
close friend marry a person from
India?

Yes
No

36. would you like to have your
brother or sister marry a person
from India? '

Yes

NO
37. would you like to marry a
person from India?

Yes

No
38. Would you wear an item of

clothing worn by a person from
India?

Yes
NO

 

93

Questionnaire Form BBBB

Example Question

0n the question below, the farther you mark toward one end
or the other of each scale, the stronger your feelings about
the object you are rating. If you are rating "soul Music"
and you feel it is very, very pleasant, you would put an X
on the :

I think of "soul music" as being:

 

Pleasant X Unpleasant
1 2 3 E ’5 5 7
Extremely
pleasant

If you feel it is very, very unpleasant, you would put an
X on :

 

7
Pleasant I Unpleasant
1 2 3 3 5 3 7
Extremely

unpleasant

If you are somewhat less strong in your feelings, you
would move one space toward the center:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasant X ______Unp1easant
1 2 3 5 5 6 7
Very
pleasant
Pleasant X ”Unpleasant
1 2 3 A 5 5 7
Very
unpleasant
If you are neutral, you would mark an X on :
T
Pleasant X Unpleasant
1 2 3 3 5 5 7

Neutral

Important: Place your mark in the middle 2; the spaces, not
on the edges:
(this) (not this)

Pleasant X X Unpleasant
1 2 3 Z 5 5 7

 

n.
“-
s

o-

1
I
...
o
a
.-
u‘.

..n
.- o

94
Questionnaire 3333

39, Please check on the scale the degree of your feelings
(views) toward the following statement -

I think of India as being:

Poor Rich

TTTTSTv
Educated Uneducated
1 2 3 5 5 5 7
Happy Sad
1
Dirty
1 2 3
Crowded Uncrowded
1 2 3 Z S 7

Unfriendly
7

Clean

WI
4 ‘1
01
5*!

Friendly

1

”I
“I
4
ml
01

Progressive

7777??

Civilized Uncivilized
1 2 3 5 5 5 7

horal Immoral

ITTTTTT

40. Please check on the scale the degree Of your feelings
(views) toward the following statement -

Unprogressive

In the dramatic plays of India, the priests and the monks are:

Respectful Disrespectful

1 2 3 Z 5 5 7

Helpful Not helpful
1 2 3 3 5 5 7

Just Unjust

177-T"-

5 5 7
horal Immoral
1 2 3 E 5 5 7
Influential Hot influential

1 2 3 5 5 5 7

 

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u.

 

 

 

Questionnaire Form 0000
Name __

Class Section

Teacher

Dear Student:

The questionnaire you are about to complete is part of a
research project being conducted by the Department of Theatre
and the Department of Communication of hichigan State
University. The research is an attempt to find out what

high school students know about some aspects of life in India
and their opinions about some parts of the culture of India.
We would like you to answer pggn,question-statement as
accurately and completely as possible. If you do not under-
stand the way a question is stated, your teacher will help
you. Your answers will be kept confidential, and no one will
connect your name with the answers you give. Thank you for

your cooperation.

95

 

96
Questionnaire Form GOOD

1. Did you see or hear anything about India or the peeple of
India other than in this class section?

Yes
No

If yes, please state briefly what you saw or heard and from
whom.

2. Have you discussed what you have been studying about India
or the people of India with anyone?

Yes
No

If yes, please list briefly some of the things you talked
about and with whom you talked.

3. Did you discuss what you have been studying about India
or the people of India with any ninth graders at East
Lansing High School other than those in this English
class section?

Yes
No

If yes, please list which English class sections.

 

97
Questionnaire Form 0000

4. Do you believe the study on India in which you took part
was worthwhile?

1. Very worthwhile

2. Somewhat worthwhile
3. Not very worthwhile
4. Worthless

 

 

 

 

5. How much do you believe you increased your knowledge on
the cultural values of India?

1. Very much
2. Somewhat

3. Very little
4. NOt at all

 

 

 

6. How much do you believe your attitude changed on the
cultural values of India?

1. Very much
2. Somewhat
30 Very little
4. NOt at all

 

 

 

 

7. How much did you like the study approach on India you
took part in?

l. I liked it very much
2. I liked it somewhat
3. I liked it very little
4. I did not like it

 

 

8. Which of the teaching devices (plays, films, specific
activities, etc.) do you believe were the most interesting?
Please list and explain what about these devices made them
interesting?

98

Questionnaire Form COCO

9. Which of the teaching devices (plays, films, specific
activities, etc.) did you like best? Please list and
explain why you liked them best.

10. Which of the teaching devices (plays, films, specific
activities, etc.) did you like least? Please list and
explain why you disliked them least.

11. Please check the following things that helped you most
in understanding India and the people of India:

 

 

 

Plays Teacher's lectures

Motion pictures Individual readings

Film slides Activities Sacting, making
Guest speaker props, etc.

Discussions (class-group) Reference materials
Reports (oral-written) Projects

 

Please explain why those you checked helped you the most.

0”.

99
Questionnaire Form 0000

12. Please check the following things that helped you least
in understanding India and the people of India:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plays Teacher's lectures

fiction pictures Individual readings

Film slides Activities (Acting, making
Guest speaker props, etc.)

Discussions (class-group) Reference materials
Reports (oral-written) Projects

Please explain why those you checked helped you the least.

13. There were certain teaching devices that should appeal to
your sense of sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, a: tonic.
Please list below those teaching devices which really
appealed to:

1. Your sight:

2. Your sound:

3. Your touch:

4. Your smell:

5. Your taste:

6. Your tonic (muscle action):

100

Questionnaire Form 0000

14. In the teaching approach you took part in, how often did
the teacher let you express your views, opinions, etc.?

1.Very often
.Fairly often
.Not very often
oNever

15. In the teaching approach you took part in, how often did
your classmates let you express your views, opinions, etc.?

1.Very often
oFairly often
.Not very often
.Never

16. In the teaching approach you took part in, how often did
you let the teacher express his or her views, opinions,

etCo?

1-Very often
' 2'-17'ai33ly‘often
oHot very often
oNever

17. In the teaching approach you took part in, how often did
you let your classmates express their views, opinions,
etc.?

l~Very often

23Fairly often
Not very often

,Never

Questionnaire Form DDDD

Name

 

Class Section“

Teacher

Dear Student:

The questionnaire you are about to complete is part of a
research project being conducted by the Department of Theatre
and the Department of Communication of Michigan State University.
The research is an attempt to find out what high school students
know about some aspects of life in India and their opinions
about some parts of the culture of India. We would like you

to answer g§2h_question-statement as accurately and completely
as possible. If you do not understand the way a question is
stated, your teacher will help you. Your answers will be

kept confidential, and no one will connect your name with the

answers you give. Thank you for your cooperation.

101

 

 

 

102
Questionnaire Form DDDD

1. Did you see or hear anything on India or the people of
India in the last 4-6 weeks?

Yes
No

If yes, please explain where you got this information (place)
and from whom (person).

2. Did you receive any information on India or the people of
India from your friends?

Yes
No

If yes, please tell a little about what you received, Egg
you happened to receive it and from whom it was received.
If a ninth grade student, please give his or her class
section in English.

3. Do you feel that what you saw or heard affected your
knowledge or changed your attitudes about India?

Yes
No

If yes, please explain in what way.

APPENDIX B

PLAY SCRIPTS. INCLUDING A BRIEF SYNOPSIS
OF EACH PLAY

APPENDIX B

Play Scripts, Including a Brief Synopsis
of Each Play

 

Synopsis: The Priest and the Prostitute

The title of the play literally means a saint and a
concubine of a higher order. It has a delightful theme:
the exchange of their souls so they can momentarily live
the life and the views of each other until they are re-
stored again to their original selves.

The soul transformation offers the playwright oppor-
tunities to discuss various views on love, religion, intel-
lectual enlightenment, spiritual meditation, sensuality,
and the social institutions appropriate to the ancient
Indian aristrocratic society from the point of view of a

Brahmin priest and a lower caste courtesan-concubine.

103

riest an t e Progtigute
by
King Mahendra Vikram

104

. 105

QEEEEEEEEQ
Priest - a follower of Buddha.
Shandilya - his student.
Vasanti - a concubine.
Madhurika - an attendant to Vasanti.
Latika - an attendant to Vasanti.

Yamaduta - chief messenger of the God of Death with his
retinue of executioners.

M.ther - mother of Vasanti.
Lord Ramalik - in love with Vasanti.
Banaspati - a doctor.

2113 Priest $9.9. £132 Prostitute

PRIEST: Shandilyai Shandilya! Where are you? Where
can you be? Persons surrounded by darkness of
ignorance always behave like him. They can find
nothing, neither their selves nor truth. He is
young, strong and handsome, and therefore has 5
naturally become proud of his human birth, but
he does not realize that this body is a store-
house of diseases. Every moment passion devours
it, and old age and death conspire to destroy
it. Shandilya! Let me search these corners. 10
He is always after some good food!

(Goes off in one direction. Shandilya follows in A
a second from the opposite direction.) 15

SRANDILYA: How long have I listened to my master's sermons!
An empty stomach makes the mind dull. I am born
a Brahmin in the highest of the high, the purest
of the pure, the best of the castes--and yet I
have to starve! No food for the past three days.20
I left my fold and embraced another, believing
that I would get plenty to eat, but it was the
same situation, and now I have decided to serve a
Buddhist priest, and I will embrace Buddhism with
the hope of getting rid of starvation. We always 2
discuss salvation, but not the ways and means to
end starvationi

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PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :
PRIEST:

106

(entering) Shandilya!

Where are you, my master? I am tired of search- 30
ing for you and therefore I’m hungry.

All the
35

On the contrary, I was looking for you.
while I kept on shouting your name.

But that will not help us: I want food:
You are always talking of food, but never about

studies, never about meditation, never about
gathering knowledge-~1 40

Like the sun appearing in the sky everyday-~you
tell me the same old phrases but never about food.
How can we survive? 45

Shandilyai You can't use such language while
talking to your teacher. You have allowed all
your bodily senses to develop to the‘utmost with-
out any control. You have been changing your
religious faith as if you change your clothes. 50

The whole city is celebrating a festival. Every-

day there are feasts. Instead of letting me

go over this again and again, why not go there and
ask for alms? 55

Are you advising me?
Yes, on matters which

I am better informed.
ask for alms.

are not spiritual, I think
Let us go to the town and.50

We can't. There is a
We must not approeach
midday. Since I have
I have to observe all
to be flippant, not I.

certain code for begging.

the good gentry before the
renounced worldly pleasures,6S
the rules. You can afford

You:aecepted me as your attendant, and guarantee?
food. 0

Just a moment. Attendant and pupil; go on.

Granted also a pupil, but what about food?

75
After two or three hours.

Til then?

Try to learn something.
that I told you?

Do you remember anything80

AI

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:

107

Just this much; that a man should always do some
good deeds. If he does some good deeds, he may
get the reward.

85
To an extent, correct.
I have done the good deed of becoming yourpupil,
yet I am starting for the last three days.

90

Your good deeds are washed out since you tell me
lies. Last evening you had a good feast at the
house of Ramalik.

I was entirely earning my own, not because of you.95
Now you may please start again.

What?

Preaching. I would prefer the shortest cut to 100
learning.

Be not highly elated in joy, and be not miserable
in grief.

105
Instead, suppose I try to become miserable in joy
and extremely happy in grief.

That is not possible.

110
Once, I remember you told me that by exercising
or what is it, by strengthening will power, one
can achieve anything.

But you have never controlled your will-~which is115
like a bee, or like a monkey.

In short, it is fickle.
Very much fickle. You do remember that. 120
That means I have memory. I am capable of re-
membering things. That shows that I have a
steady will.

125
You have a confused mind.
That means I have something called "mind".

Yes, you have, luckily. And it requires to‘be 130
regulated, organized.

SHANDILYA: Which you are trying to do.

“

4‘

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDIL YA :

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :
PRIEST:

108

But you do not listen.

135
I am ready.
Try to control your mind. A real saint would
never be angry.
Aha: That sounds quite fishy. 140

Why?

You yourself have been resorting to anger, loosen-
ing your temper whenever I am concerned. 145

That is perfectly all right, according to the
Books. They say that when a pupil does not study
he should be rebuked and even be beaten. But {59
But --

When I beat you, I do not lose my temper. I do
it with perfect control, at times with love.
All for your good. 155

That is very interesting. You can beat somebody
without being angry. Angry without anger.

Yes, it could be. There are many things beyond.160
your understanding. Now let us go to that garden
and have a little rest.

Rest, you said! That is trying to be comfortable.
So once again you are in the wrong. 155

In what way?

Comfort or discomfort, both mean the same to your
Holiness. 170

You do not understand. My Soul does not differ-
entiate between comfort and discomfort. But my
body demands comfort at this moment.

175
So soul and body have different functions?
Certainly.
How do you define them? 180

Soul usually can move all over the universe, as
for example, in dreams it can traverse unlimited
regions. But the body enjoys food, pleasures,
joys, pains, and so forth. 185

¢
. l
t .
.
u

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:

SBA NDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYK:

109

I get it now, and now we are near the gates of
the garden. Do we enter?

We do enter.

190
Ah, what a garden: Lovely trees. This is champs,
this is kadamb. What a variety of flowers, and
what a fragrance. This is certainly the spring,
the best of all the seasons. There is a peacock
and a cuckoo. Bees hum enchanting tunes. Though195
so wonderfully fine, it is capable of making lonely
women miserable.

Remember, if it is spring today, later on there
will be another season, and so the cycle will go 200
on. What is beautiful will ultimately parish.

If a thing is beautiful, we do have to declare
that it is beautiful.

205
But don't you realize that it is transitory?
May we sit down and rest awhile?
Well, why not just here? 210

Oh, but this is not a clean place.

What an ignorant fool you are! A garden is
always considered a holy place, and earth is 215
ever innocent.

In other words, where we take our seats, the
place automatically becomes clean.

220
Don't be sarcastic. I always quote from the holy
books.

But how am I to trust you?
225

PRIEST: This is the trouble with you. You always start

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDIL YA :

doubting because you are illiterate. Therfore
I insist that you must study.

Well, give me one good reason, so that I should 230
study.

What a fool you are: By studying, you give your-
self not one but many good reasons. 2
35

What are the advantages of vauiring knowledge?

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.

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :
PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILIA:

PRIEST:

MMURIKL:
VXSAJHDI;

110

Many. Knowledge explains every thing about
everything. Having known all that, you become
detached. Detachment enables you to perform
penance. By performing penance you become a yogi,
you know all about the past, the present, and the
future.

A slightly longer process. Now that you are a
yogi, can you see into somebody else's house 245
without being seen?

Why?

To find out if there is some extra food therein. 250
I am getting hungry.

Greed is the curse of life. You know that.

Yes, you had told me; starting that, it keeps on 255
increasing. The more I eat, the better for my
health.

I promise you all, food, better health, and every-
thing. All can be secured if you start meditating.
Once sit down and start practicising meditating--
that will make your mind steady, and the body
perfect. Concentrate:

Well, on what object do I concentrate? 255
On the light that is within you.

Very well, you start on your light, and I will
concentrate on th1g' rice bowl. (Takes it cut.)270

Silence, follow my way. Do as I do. Direct

your senses towards your soul. Think yourself

as a part of the universe. Discard all desires,
and you will get supreme boy, indescribably peace.
Start.

(They sit on one side of the stage and start
meditating. Of course, the priest is serious
the pupil vibrant. There enters a courtesan 58°
accompanied by two maids.)

Here we are in the garden.
Yes, I appreciate the fragrance. Spring it is 285

at its full bloom, but where is my darling lord,
Ramalik?

LATIKA:

VESANTI:

LATIKA:
VASANTI:
MADHURIKA:
LATIKA:
MADHURIKA:
VASANTI:

LATIKA:
VASANTI:

LATIKA:

MLIHURIKA:

VASANTI:

MADHURIKA:

VASANTI:

MADHURIKA:

SHANDILYA:

111

He told me that he will first go to the city-centre
and then proceed to this place.

290
But why? I am here, his centre of attention, and
why did he go to the city?

Just for some recreation.

295
Recreation! What an insult to me!
Recreation means--
He Has gone to have some liquor. 300

So that he can enjoy your company better.

Nonsense! I am the living liquor, pupil of his
eye, nectar of his life. What, why should he go 305
to those liquor shops. Latika!

Yes, my mistress.

G0 at once and bring him here. Tell him I feelj1O
lonely without him.

As you command. (She goes.)
Spring seems to be at its best. 315
As if I am not!

You are. That's why your lord of the heart,
Ramalik, decided to meet you here, so that he can
enjoy the spring, you and the garden.

But I cannot bear his separation. Why don’t you
sing something, or dance or let us play with the
balls? 325

I have the ball in my purse. Here it is. Let
us play.

(They start playing with the ball, with loud 330
sounds of laughter.)

Some sweet sounds come to me. It must be a cuckoo
singing-~no, it's the sound of laughter. How

can one poncentrate? If my ears have cared to 335
listen to it, why should the eye not benefit?

Aha! Some two young ladies. The garden and the
girls, and some play. A cake, with butter and
honey! Master! Did you listen to this?

 

.'

112

PRIEST: If your ears prefer to listen, they may. My mind
is somewhere else.

SHANDILYA: Then ask your mind to attend to it.

PRIEST: Don't be stupid. Mind your own meditation. 345
SHANDILYA: Yogls never resort to anger. You should not.

PRIEST: Quiet. I am not going to listen to you, or to anyg%%ng.

SHANDILYA: Now I do consider you to be a real yogi, a perfect
saint.

PRIEST: Oh! What a pose! What pose, what grace, what
charm, what delicacies, what beauty! 355

VASANTI: Latika! When will Ramalik come?

LATIKA: Very soon! I am sure he too must be equally 6
anxious to meet my honourable lady, Vasanti. 3 0

SHANDILYA: Vasanti! The well-known courtesan of the city.
How fortunate are the rich! Fancy, I got a chance
to see her in the garden. Master! Can I go near
them and see their charm? (He goes). 355

(Enter the chief of the messengers of the God of
Death, Yamaduta, with his retinue of a few ex-
ecutioners. Their movements are at theback of the
stage, on a little hi her level, to suggest that370
they are not mortals.§

YAMADUTA: Listen! This 19 the part of the Earth where we
have to operate, as per command of the God of
Death. Here is the list of the mortals to be 375
summoned today. Be tactful, show, and do not be
unkind. Collect their souls and the moment their
time is up, present them to me. Ah! What is up
here, some dancing in the garden? 380

ONE ATTENTANT: That 18 Vasanti, girl!

YAMADUTA: How well informed you are. How did you come to
know her? 385

’ONE ATTENDANT: We do not remember anything after death. But
this much I remember. I was her neighbour in my
mortal life. I loved her so much, that when she
refused, I committed suicide. 390

‘YAMADUTA: Ah! I remember. You made our task easy. Well,
I appoint you to take her life. She is the first
on the list. You may take the form of a serpent,
and bite her, and satisfy your unfulfilled desire.

113

ONE ATTENDANT: Thank you, I shall enjoy doing so. 395

YAMADUTA: Let us be on our way. Distribute yourselves,
and decide your methods, and collect here later

on
' 400
(They exit, except one.)
VASANTI: The flowers are beautiful. Let us collect a
few. (Exit). 405

SHANDILYA: Now they have retired to collect flowers. Let
me follow them. What a feast for the eyes! (To
the Priest.) Master! Do you know what you are
missing? 410

ONE ATTENDANT: Here is my chance. I must go and form myself
into a serpent. (Exit.)

SHANDILYA: What a beauty, eyes like lotus petals, hair en-
twined like a curled-up cobra. 4‘

VASANTI: (From inside) Oh! God, save me, I think it was a
cobra or a serpent who did bite me.

SHANDILYA: What? 420
VASANTI: (Coming out followed by Latika.) I am dying.

LATIKA: Yes, I saw a big snake moving away from the
flower tree. 425

VASANTI: Oh, I will fall now, I am dying.
SHANDILYA: How can such a beauty die?

430
LATIKA: Who are you, some great sage, ascetic, holy man!
SHANDILYA: Yes, I am a holy man.
LATIKA: Please save my lady. She is dying. 435

SHANDILYA: Master! Do you listen this courtesan is bit by a
snake? Please save her.

PRIEST: She must have completed her course of life so her440
end has come.

LATIKA: :How do you feel Vasanti Devi?

VASANTI: Ah! I feel my eyes revolving, heart as if stopped,
tongue coming out. Oh! I feel sleepy.

I“

 

 

.-

LATIKA:
VASANTI:

LATIKA:
SHANDILYA:

114

Then do go to sleep. It might do you good.

It would be my final sleep. Convey my respects
to mother, to Ramalik. Oh, I am no more. 450

What did she say?

She said I am no more.
455

ONE ATTENDANT: (Entering and going) Ah! The bite was a

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

LATIKA:

sweet one. Let me deliver the soul to my master.
Exit).

Master, the concubine is dead. She has abandoned
her life.

Pool! No mortal wants to abandon his life, it
is the life which departs from the body. 46
5

Ah! Fie on you. Who wants this philosophical
discourse at this moment. Heartless as you are.

What stupid things are you muttering. 470
I am going to hate you, abuse you, harass you.
Go ahead. Do your best.

Pardon me, but I am terribly moved. Please 475
come along.

But why?
She is one of us, she is ours. 480
Ours, how strange! What an utterance!

She is like a yogi; prostitute is attached to no
one, as yogis are attached to none. 4

Yes, but she is attached to money and calculates
in terms of wealth, and wealth only.

You may go your own way. I cannot resist her, 4§O
so I will attend to her, I go.

You‘dare not go near to her. Shandilya, come here.

You dare not afford to resort to anger. You are495
a yogi. I am with her.

Now, what have you decided after your learned dis-
cussions?

fl

SHANDILYA:
LATIKA:

SHliNDILYA :

LATIKA:

SHANDILYA:

LATIKA:

SHANDIDYA:

LATIKA:

SHANDILYA:

LATIKA:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

115

Love. 500

Love, Oh, me! Yes, the yogis love everybody
alike, I know.

May I touch her, young lady? 505

You, of course, a yogi like you, certainly.
Who knows if it might help her in getting her
salvation.

510
Oh, Vasanti; How beautiful you are? (Touches her
£001? 0

That is her foot; why touch her foot, and not
the head? 515

Really I have lost my senses; I cannot even make
out what is head and foot. Ah, God! What a
shame. I could not possess her when she was
alive. 520

(To herself) I must go and fetch somebody.

(To Shandilya) Revered Sir! Would you be kind
enough to look after her, I will go and fetch

her mother. 525

Do be off quickly. I am the mother of all who
are motherless.

How kind and considerate you are: (She goes) 530

And now I can weep, pour out my sorrow, and do

What I like. Ah, you, moon-faced one, lotus-

like, delicate as the ether, slender as the stem,
ah, Vasanti, the most charming one. (He weeps). 535

Stop it, Shandilya. You are disturbing me in my
meditation.

Here lies the living meditation. The source of.590
inspiration, its very incarnation.

(Gets up) Come here, and start your studies.

You be please away from her. You had turned me545
into a stone; fooled me into dillusion, hardened
me into a rock and now I have melted away in a
moment. I am a human being.

What about your learning? 550

SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:

PRIEST:

VASANTI:

SHANDILYA:

VASANTI:
SHANDILYA:
VASANTI :

SHANDILYA:

116

Learning be damned, I am moved like a human
being, and want to act like a human being. Do
not stare at me, but please have a look at her.

What do you want me to do? 555

Nothing, you are good for nothing. All yogis are

of no use! Where is your knowledge, your power,
your boast of a hundred things, of revival of the
dead, revitalizing the decayed, rejuvenating the 560
old?

Use these powers for the sake of the prostitute?

To a yogi, all are equal, When a person is dead,565
where is the prostitute? Oh, how sweet you are -
even death is in love with your charm and does not
leave you. Oh, Vasanti. (Wecps and sobs).

Let me see, what does the Book say, Here is an Eifl)
ignorant fool unaware of his immediate duties, and
has become miserable. I do remember a chapter and
a verse when a yogi can take pity of his pupil,

if he is in troubles, and there is another
sanction, you can do an thing out of pity. 575
(Goes toward the pupil. Listen. Ah grief has
benumbed his senses completely. Well, what

should I do -- I know of the power, of entering
anybody’s body, transplanting my soul in her, and
exchange hers for mine. That would be a good ~580
test, and quite a surprise of Shandilya.

(he goes in a corner. He sits in a pause and
starts muttering some hymns)

My pranas, my life, proceed over there. My

Shakti, my power, proceed over there on. 585
(He repeats it, gesticulates, and gradually he
falls and Vasanti revives.)

Ah, me! Oh, Shandilya! Shandilya. What are you
doing, get up. 1590

Ah, it is the same sweet voice. Oh! She has
revived, how wonderful.

Shandilya! ‘595
Yes, at thy command, madam!

No, don't touch me. You have touched a dead fi,
body. So, go, and first have a bath. 000

My God! She talks of cleanliness!

a. . . A
O O

VASANTI:

SHANDILYA :

VASANTI:

SHANDILYA :
VASANTI:

SHANDILYA:

VASANTI:

SHANDILYA :
VASANTI:
SHA NDILYA :

VASANTI:
SHANDILYA :
VASAN TI :
SHANDILYA :

MOTHER:
LATIKA:

MOTHER:

VASLLNTI :

117

Get along to that waterfall and then come for
your studies, and meditations.

60
What studies and what kind of meditations with
YOU.

You have become completely flippant. You must
practice your mental course. 5610

Where am I now?

As usual, you are caught up between several
passions. 515

My charming girl; this sort of attitude does
not fit in at all.

Who has put this ornaments on me. Take them 620
away. (She starts throwing them away one by one.)

Oh! She discards these costly ornaments.
Shandilya! Bring my staff and rosary of beads...525

God forbid this sacrilege!

She sits in a meditative pose.)

Where is my Master! Oh, save me from this hellfi_
ucination. Ah! He seems to be dead. Oh, pity 531
me how strange to find that even the learned also
die. Oh, Master, my protector, what can I do
without you. I can stand you but not this.

You are a fool; "636
Eh!

The wise do not weep over a dead body. 64
- 0

My God! How can I exist? I have lost both the
Priest and the Prostitute!

(Enter Latika and the mother of Vasanti.)
, 564:-
Oh, where is my darling daughter? J

Here in the garden. Ah, here she is and seems
she is much better. Here is your mother, how
worried she was. 650

Ah, God has taken mercy on me. Come my child,
how are you?

Old woman! Do not touch me. -655

MOTHER:

VASANTI:

MOTHER:

VASANTI:

MOTHER:
VASANTI:

MOTHER:
VASANTI:

SHANDILYA:
MOTHER:

SHANDILYA:

SHANDILYA:

RAMALIK:

MOTHER:
RAMALIK:

VRSANTI:

118

my God. It seems that the poison has done her a
great damage. It has affected her mind.

Mind! It is the seat of desires, and there-
fore always very fickle. Woman, try to control it.

Rush ye my maid! and bring the doctor as quickly
as you can before her mind gets completely de-
ranged. Ah, God, have pity on me.

66
How can God take pity on you? You who always 5
desired your daughters to be distributed among
the rich of the city.
Will you shut up. How dare you! 5670
You have taught your daughter all the sixteen
arts, nay sixty-four.
Oh, God! '575
Yes, think of Him, and me too, and now do not
disturb me in my meditations.
(Vasanti sits in a meditative pose.) 530

You are the mother of this lovely lady?

Yes, I am the unfortunate one. Can you not err"
her disease? 685

How can I?' I myself have gone mad! Half by the
priest, and half after her!

Oh! The great sage has retired -- 9 590

To heave. I do not think he will now think of
returning. Oh, now what should I do?

(Enter Ramalik and the Madjurika) 699

It is a strange sight. 'A yogi evidently dead in
that corner and the pupil mouring his death,
and Vasanti in contemplation. Well, let me see.

I have sent for the doctor. 700’

It is not necessary. I am the doctor. Darling
Vasanti, please do not be cross with me. I .
went to the pub to have a little drink, so that 1'705
can one I can 000

Go to hell! Wine, women and spring will ruin you
completely.

RAMALIK:

VASANTI:
LATIKA:

MADHURIKA:

MOTHER:

RAMALIK:

LATIKA:

RAMALIK:

MOTHER:

RAMALIK:
VASANTI:
RAMALIK:
VASANTI:

RAMALIK:
MOTHER:
RAMAL IK :

LATIKA:
RAMALIK:

BANASPATI:

RAMALIK:

BANASPATI:

Enough of it.

119

Do not play this tricks here in the garden. 71b

They are all right when we are alone. Now get

up my charming one.

Don’t touch me you dirty dog! _
715

What nonsense!

That is her mental condition after the snake has.
bitten her. 720

Oh, she had a snake bits, that explains now. But
she should be dead after the reptile bit her.

That's what happened, sir! But later on she 725
revived with this kind of mood, and discarded all
the ornaments.

It seems that some beastly ghost has taken
possession of her body. ' 730

The sooner we drive him off it is better.
Vasanti!

I told you not to disturb me.

Pray, tell me who you are.

Does one ever know oneself? What is to be kn‘ow«740
when everything is known! What remains to be

known by one who has known the unknown? One who
does not know, will never know, what is known

and unknown, who am I who could I be, who can

say who is who, so search yourself. 745

Now I know what is to be known.

What is it, please tell me. 7
50

She is possessed, obsessed, distressed and there-

fore mentally oppressed.

Here comes the renowned doctor.

755
What's you name -- your honour?
Banaspati.
Banaspati means vegetables. 760

That is my name. Where is the patient?

120

RAMALIK: Here she is.

BANASPATI: Who told me she had a snake bite. She should be”765
dead by now.

RAMALIK: Ifishould be so, but here she is alive, very much
a V0.
770

MOTHER: Oh! doctor. I am her poor mother. Please examine
her. There is something wrong with her brain.

VASANTI: With the brain? My foot! Look into yourself.
You degenerate diseased old bitch. 775

BANASPATI: Let me feel her pulse. I will soon find out the
truth.

VASANTI: The Truth. You dare not with you limited talents.
Truth is infinite, eternal, immeasurable, in-
comprehensible, unutterable, unfathomable.

BANASPATI: My god! Are there so many words in the languaggi
Please let me feel your pulse. .15

VASANTI: Better search your own heart. By having wrong
diagnosis and administering wrong medicines, how
many have you killed?

790
BANASPATI: None. On the contrary, I revive those who are
dead.
VASANTI: Yes, and kill those who are alive. I am not
dead -- keep at a distance from me. 795

BANASPATI: That is a good suggestion. She requires to be
watched. Please all move aside! I will then pre-
scribe the course. 800

(All move aside and watch her. Pupil is grief-
striken near the priest. Enters the first
attendant of Yamaduta.)

lst ATTENDANT: Oh, dear! Whenever there is some adminis-EMID
tration mistakes will happen. This time it is not
my fault, it is my boss who is guilty. He
picked up a wrong name, but what can he do? The
world is full of prostitutes or concubines, and '
they label themselves, more or less with the sameEhC)
kind of names! And so I was asked to pick up a
wrong soul. Bah! What is this she is not dead!
Oh, the priest got tempted and put his soul into
her body! Well, I don t grudge it. Anyway, my
duty is to return the soul, and future will take
care of itself. So I do.

315

121

(He acts returning the soul to the priest, and the
priest starts moving up.)

PRIEST:
SHANDILYA:
RAMALIK:
PRIEST:

RAMALIK:

SHANDILYA :

PRIEST:

RAMALIK:

PRIEST:

SHANKILYA:

RAMALIK:

BANASPATI:

RAMALIK:

BANASPATI:

LATIKA:

Ah! Where am I? 1820
Oh! What a luck! My Master is alive.

He certainly is alive, the great saint.

825
Madhurika! I am glad Ramalik has arrived. Come'
here, why were you so late, my darling?

(He gets up and moves like a woman, and starts
putting up ornaments thrown away by Vasanti.) 830

What?

Ah, the world has changed. What do I see?
The hand that should hold the ascetic staff 835
seeks gold bracelets and puts them on!

I am dying without you, Ramalik, Why don't you
embrace me?

What perversity! Embrace this mother if you ééO
desire, not me, not me.

(They run after one another, one to escape, one
to embrace.) 845

Ramalik, you get yourself drunk in the city. I
am dying for a good cocktail!

What! My Master to utter these words! I, too,850
can follow in his footsteps.

Now, Mr. Banaspati, you cannot hold her pulse,
but please hold this.

I am at an utter loss to differentiate which 855
is here and which is his.

(Shandilya moves towards the two maids and starts
playing with them.) 855

Sir, expert. You must try to solve this puzzle
some way or another.

This seems to be an act of God. It is beyond me E65
either to understand or solve. I forget my
my fees and go. (He goes off.)

You make up your mind either you like Madhurika or
me. You can t have both. 870

l‘

 

 

VASANTI:

RAMALIK:

SHANDILYA:

VASANTI:

SHANDILYA:

RAMALIK:

MOTHER:

VASANTI:

PRIEST:

VASANTI:

PRIEST:

VASANTI:

PRIEST:

SHANDILYA:
VASANTI:

122

Shandilya, what pranks are you playing there with
those maids? Remember, they will lead you to hell,
you devil or a pupil!

Imagine, Vasanti saying this. 875

Devi Vasanti! You need not be jealous, as a
matter of fact I wanted you, but you talk
philosophy.

880
Come here at once, and sit down, and start your
lessons.

Oh, god! Have I a master or a mistress! .

885
No sire, excuse me, but I cannot stand your
flirtations. It is inhuman, it is sinful, it is
unnatural, it is impossible.

I think that now I am on the point of losing my 890
senses.

(now moving towards the Priest) My today's

session of meditation is over. (Facing the Priest)
It is you who has brought all this trouble to myg‘gg
pupil. Why don't you shut up in your room and
carry on love making with your master?

We believe in life, in enjoyment. I don't deny if
you come and enjoy our hospitality, We can '.900
entertain you, too.

Do what you like at your home. Why do you move
out in public gardens?

905
Because they are public -- besides, where else
can one go during the spring season?

Do you know that spring like youth lasts only
for a short time? 910

And do you know the youth does not return, but
spring returns every cycle? We make the best
during the spring. We sing and dance.

(He starts dancing.) 9%?
Come along, young girls, this is the festival 0
youth.

(They start dancing.)
20
Ah, if they join, I, too, am ready. 9

N00

.-

a!

123

(Enter Yamaduta with his retinue.) .
925

YAMADUTA: What is this, a woman as a priest, and a priest

playing the fool?

lst ATTENDANT: It is the result of our mistake. As per

YAMADUTA:

RAMALIK:

MOTHER:

YAMADUTA:

RAMALIK:
SHANDILYA:
RAMALIK:
SHANDILYA :
VASANTI:
RAMALIK:
PRIEST:
SHANDILYA :
MOTHER:

RAMALIK:

MOTHER:
VASANTI:

command I secured Vasanti's soul, and the Priest ‘930
preferred to take advantage of the situation, and
slipped his soul into her body.

Aha! So the mortals can also provide entertain-
ment to use. (Pause) 935

If this orgy is to go on like this, I'll be soon
going.

Oh, god, death alone can save me from such 940
misfortunes.

Enough, it is high time that we should go. Let me

change these two exremities of mortal life. 4
9 5

(He does so, both fall on the ground, and revive

gradually again.)

What both again are in swoon? , ,
Or dead perhaps, oh, woe be to me. 950
Why?

.Again I will be without a priest or a prostitut%5.‘5
Where is my Ramalik?

Oh, here I am, my darling. 960‘
Shandilya?

To whom shall I now attend?

9
Oh thank god, they are new themselves, as they
were before.

Come along my darling Vasanti. Let us go home.
Garden is no place to have a randevouz. 970

(They start off going, mother and maids follow.)
Vasanti! Can you tell me what was all this?

7
For that you must ask that holy man! ‘9 5

124

SHANDILYA: Tell me, master, what was all this?

PRIEST:

It is a long, long story. Perhaps, this may all
be due to hunger. Let us find some food, so 980
that we may have some good slumber.

(Both exit.)

0 U R T A I N

Synopsis: Bawa No Vesh

This play's action centers on the hap-hazard efforts
of Bawa to build a temple in a rural village. He and his
pupil, Dhokanio, have come to the village on their pil-
grimage. They are hungry. .The simple villagers, honored
by the presence of a knowledgeable priest among them,
Openly cater to all of Bawa's wishes. However, Bawa is
not very interested in building a temple for these simple,
trusting, people because of his desire to seduce the young
village women. He succeeds in marrying two of them leaving
the villagers with a rather disillusioned view of their
Bawa.

Though the action of the play is farcical, the theme
is serious. It reiterates the basic hypocracy in all men.
ert the play in no way shows contempt for the priest or
the Indian socio-religious order. It merely uses the situ-
ation to highlight a basic fact: all men are human, even

priests, with the basic weaknesses of ordinary men.

125

Bawa fig Vesh

by

an anonymous author

126

127

Characters

Bawa - a Brahmin priest.

Dhokanio - son (student) of Bawa.
Nayak - the stage manager.

Ramki - wife of Bawa.

Janaki - second wife of Bawa.

Villagers.

(BAWA and DHOKANIO walk onstage singing a devotional
song - an "Aavana". Once onstage, they continue walk-
ing about as they.sing. NAYAK enters a few paces be-
hind them. He follows out of curiosity, then stands. 5
aside waiting for the two to finish their song.) 5

BAWA and
DHOKANIO: (Singing) Ram, help us, oh God.
We shall praise you
On the banks of the river, 10
We shall say "hail",
We shall give praise.
Ram, help us, oh God.
Ram, help us. ,
Help us to get us 15
Just one pound of flour,
And we will give praise
While we eat and we drink.
And we will give praise

And we will give praise. 20
BAWA: (Reciting) Ram, Ram, Mother, Ram, Ram,
Ram, Ram, Mother, Ram, Ram.
NAYAK: Welcome, gentlemen! What brings you to our 25
village?
BAWA (Whispers to his son) Who's that, my son?

II-IOKANIO (Whispers) I don't know. 30

‘.

 

.0

128

NAYAK: (Warmly) Hail, Sita Ram, Bawaji.
Hail, Sita Ram.
BAWA: Hail Sita Ram. .
35
NAYAK: What brings you here?
BAWA: We have come from the banks of the Nanmna River. ‘
We are on a pilgrimage. We have walked very far.-.
We have travelled much and we are tired and 40

hungry. And so is our horse. Can we get some-
thing to eat in your village?

NAYAK: We abide by tradition. A holy brahmin will have
his food. (Claps hands) It will be brought to 45
you.

BAWA: Good, good. ‘

NAYAK: Holy man. Our people are a devoted lot, and we 50

pray you to help us build a temple here in the
village. We would honor god through worship.

BAWA: Son, it will be done. I will build you a temple (7
and I will place inside it the Laiji -- the idol 55
Of GOdc
(A Villager enters with some groceries in his
arms.)
60
NAYAK: (To BAWA) Someone comes here.
BAWA: (Puts his hand to his head) Not now. I am
meditating.
65
NAYAK: Someone with food for you.
BAWA: Yes, by all means. Come Ramji will bless you.

(The men with the groceries comes forward, pre- 70
sents them to BAWA and exits. BAWA set
quickly to eating.)

NAYAK: Holy brahmin from the Bawa people, would you I
recite for us some devotional songs? 75

BAWA: My son, here (Pointing to DHOKANIO), can do that.
I am eating. Go on Dhokanio. Recite some
Bhajans. 80

KHOKANIO: (sings and dances in a shuffling manner.)
Between verses, BAWA interjects pseudo-religious
comments of prasie, then returns to eating.)

,.
ai-
.

 

 

a0.

BAWA:

NAYAK:
BAWA:
NAYAK:
BAWA:

NIL YILK :

BAWA:

129

When you become a Fakir '
There is nothing left to fear. 85
Just concentrate -

One day an elephant ride
The next upon a horse,
Sometimes just a walk, '.
When you become a Fakir. 90

When you become a Fakir,

Life is sweet elixir.

You can always concentrate - ‘
Sometimes bread 95
And sometimes sweet-balls

And maybe once you die of hunger,

When you become a Fakir.

When you become a Fakir, 1OO
Nothing more will ever matter.

You can always concentrate -

One day a dish of Khaja,

The next some Ghebar sweets, -
Sometimes you even starve 105
When you become a Fakir.

When you become a Fakir,

The world's design is clear. .'
All you do is concentrate - 110
Sometimes she's a white girl
And sometimes black

And sometimes even an old lady,
When you become a Fakir. 115
Say the name of Ram, all. Somebody's food be-
longs to you. Here sits Bawa, who accepts what-
ever is offered. And because I am given, so you
will also get. (Mumbles) Aesa Thai Ta thai.1éo.'
What do we get in return? And when, holy brahmin?

When, Why, after your death, my son.
How do we know for sure? 125

You're an innocent child! You're just a fool.
Why, you're an atheist!

Bawaji, make me understand. Teach me. Share 130
your Knowledge with one who would learn.

(Wipes his mouth, as if finishing his food, and
sings)

To eat is Knowledge 135
To Drink is Knowledge

 

 

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NAYAK:
BANE:
MAYAK:
BAWA:

NAYAK:
BAWA:

NAYAK:

BAWA:
NAYAK:
BAWA:
NAYAK:
BAWA:
NAYAK:

BAWA:

BAWA:

130

Knowledge means you enjoy life.
So, brother, say Ram. Say, Ram.

To rob is Knowledge 140
To cheat is Knowledge

. Knowledge means to practice hypocrisy

So, brother, say Ram. Say Ram.

I am Brahma and I am Vishnu 145
And I am Shivji, Lord Shankar himself.
Say Ram, brother. Say Ram.

Then do whatever in life you like. J
Say Ram, brother, say Ram. 150
Bawaji, you surprise me. What kind of wisdom is
this from such a holy man like you?

Son, you're just a country boy...a poor villager.
What do you know about wisdom? 155

(NAYAK sees some activity offstage) Bawaji,

some ladies are coming to receive your blessings,

There's one of them. ‘ ~
160

How old is she? (He lights up a cigarette)

(Looking onstage) Oh, I'd say she's about sixty.

I don't want to see her now. Later. I am 165
smoking Bhang.

(Waves offstage to ward off the woman.) Oh,

there's a second one coming. 170

(Relaxed) How old is she?

I'd say about forty years old.

Forget it. I am enjoying Banja right now. ‘75
(Waves offstage to ward off women.) Now,

there's a third one out there.

How old? 180

(Smiles) Couldn't be more than sixteen. A mere
Child.

(Jumps up like a child) Don't just stand there,185
idiot? Let her in. Let her in! (NAYAK beckons
offstage; RAMKI enters.)

Hello, Mother! Come to me. Present something...
a token. Bow to me. Yes. Now take this. 190

ad

131

(Gives her a chain necklace) Put this around

your neck. (She tries, but finds it difficult)

Here, let me. (As he does so) What's your name,

gentle mother? 1
95

RAMKI: My name means nothing. I am a miserable creature,
oh holy man. My husband is seventy if he's a
$¥. Can you make him young again? It's awful.
s got no teeth. Can you get him his teeth '.
back? 200

BAWA: God will do everything, my dear. You are lovely,
a jewel in the prime of youth. Why, then, is
your husband so old? 205

RAMKI: It's all my parents fault. We had no background
and even less money in our family. So, they
practically threw me away to that old wreck. 209

BAWA: But not for nothing, I'm sure. Go and bring some

of your wealth. We will eat, drink and enjoy
life. Your old man...is he still living?

RAMKI: I don't think he'll survive much longer, and
when he goes I don't think I'd want to go and live
with my in-laws. My mother sent me there very
often, but each time I ran home. I remember one
night after my mother had sent me back to my
in-laws. I waited until it was late and then I ‘ ‘
rushed out. But my old husband ran after me. 220
He slipped and fell. (Giggles) You know, I'm
sometimes tempted by older men. They're
different. But my husband...he' s got these deep-
set jawbones, and a nose that's so long it
touches his lips. And then he's got some kind 225
of stuff that dribbles from his mouth. Please,
holy brahmin, turn him into a young man.

BAWA: Silly girl! You ought to come to this temple ,-
which I am building and stay here with me. 230
Before others I will call you mother, but in
my heart, you will be my wife.

RAMKI: But a lady cannot stay in this temple. It is
forbidden, when the idol of God swells inside. 235

BAWA: Ah! We'll throw that bloody in the garbage.
. Come here, my darling. (Places arm about her)

Wear a white sari for me, and a chain of beads.
Become a Bawi, wife of Bawa. And now...go 240
and bring your money and your ornaments...
everything. We will recite a devotional prayer
when you return. Go, my dearest. (He kisses her;
she exits.)

e.

NAYAK:

BAWA:

NAYAK:

BAWA:

JANAKI:

BAWA:

RAMKI:

132

(To audience) You're all witnesses here. This 245
brahmin...this Bawaji of Kaliyug has gone beyond
all the bounds of exemplary conduct. Consider
what he's up to. He came to this village,

received our hospitality, and promised a temple

in return. Sure, he had one built. But now 250
he's ready to throw the idol of god into the
garbage. You heard him. You're all witnesses.

And now, he's cheating the wives of our village
folk. Outrageous! (He looks offstage, sees
another woman, then turns to BAWA). Hey, Bawaji, 255
there's another woman out there.

(Businesslike) Alright. Who is she? How old
is she?

260
She's a widow, and she's about sixteen years old.
Her name is JANAKI.

Show her to me. She sounds just right for me...-
I mean for my work. There should be two wives 255
of Bawa in this temple. (NAYAK beckons offstage
for JANAKI to come forward. She does so.)

Maharaj, I am a widow since childhood. I was ,
just five years old when I lost my husband. Now,270
I am burning with the fire of love. I heard

news of your stay in our village. I thought you
could extinguish the fire within me. I cannot,
imagine life without a husband. 275

(She sings and dances)

Holy Bawa, I'm in love with you

I'm just a girl of sixteen

But I've been stuck by the thorn of love. 280
End my widowhood, my love
And my soul will reach out
With love 5
Ta thai...to thai... ' '
285
You too will be the wife of Bawa, my sweet. It
won't be without advantage to a girl like you.

The state will exempt you from all taxes. After
all...Bawa is a holy man. You'll be respected
whereever we go, and we '11 enjoy the gifts of fogd
throughout this land. Janaki...you' 11 end your
widowhood this day. (BAWA leads JANAKI to a seat
on the stage, near his son DHOKANIO. Enter
RAMKI, dancing and singing.) 295'
(Singing and dancing)

Bawa is my Bawalia fire

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ALL:

BAWA:

ALL:

NAYAK:

133

Bawa is my man _'-
First I hold his finger 300
Now I hold his hand

Ram is kind, Ram is good

Treats the downtrodden as he should

(Sing chorus with RAMKI) 305
Ram is kind, Ram is good
Treats the downtrodden as he should

(Mocks his own role) So I have ordered my life ' ;
to satisfy my lust 310
But Bawa, the holy brahmin is far from just

In fact, you might say I'm a nasty old man

This Bawa, who calls in vain the name of Ram

(All hold hands and sing) 315
See the Bawas of the world, everyone!
They turn ascetic to dupe the people

And burn incense and meditate on evil
While cheating people one by one

See the Bawas of the world, everyone! 320
They gather food from village poor

And stoop to sell for private gain

Then take young widows to adorn his name

Oh, see the Bawas of the world, everybody! 325
Seek them out to and corruption
That flows from worldly wisdom

Brothers, hasour subtle message found its mark?
Or are you puzzled by this Bawa' s spark? 330
Take heed, brother...Learn what not to do

This tale was meant for you...and 122!

The End

 

 

Synopsis: Summer Shower

(An important aspect of this play is the effects of
change through moderinzation upon the traditional social
and cultural values of ancient India within the context
of contemporary, urban life.

-Human misunderstanding is the play's theme. All the
members of the Babu family have difficulty in understanding
each other's views, or the roles they should play. .As a
result, a "communication gap" develops between Khoka and
Sarama, Sarama and her husband, Prasanta, and Khoka and
his sister. Fortunately this is finally resolved by the
humbling of all concerned, and their desire to accept the
basic individuality of each other so an atmosphere of trust

and understanding is achieved.

134

SUMMER SHOWER
Dhananjoy'Dairagi

Translated from Bengali
'EK-PASHLA-BRISTI '

by
Vedantam Subrahmanyam

135

136

P RSON

PRASANTA: Father, a middle-class gentleman.

SARAMA: His second wife.

BABY: Their daughter, aged 7 years.

KHOKA: Prasanta's son from first wife, aged 14 years.
KAMAL: A friend of the family.

SUMMER SHOWER

(The sitting room of a middle class rented house.
Visitors are received here. It is also‘the study room of
Khoka. There is a desk in the corner. .Khoka is sitting
silently at the desk, with the doors and'windows closed.

Sarama enters. She is about 30, simply dressed.)

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SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:

137

You are again sitting there with closed doors. '
What's coming over you, Khoka, may I ask? It's
nearly 8 o'clock. Let me open a window at least.

(Goes to open a window.) 10
(Annoyed) No, don't cpen the window.
Why not?

15
I don't like it.
You have started again to remark 'I don't like
this and i don't like that' You don't seem to
like anything these days. A boy of your age! 20

Instead of playing about with your friends, you sit
glum all the time with closed doors. If you carry
on like this, you will get sick, I tell you.

Who cares if I get sick? 25
What do you mean?

(Excited) 'What do you mean? What do you mean?’
-- I don t know what anything means. Will you 30
leave me alone?

(Hurt) Your father was asking for you, so...

(Jeeringly) So, you have come to look for.me! 35
Well, you can go now and give your report to father.
(Surprised) Report?

Yes, the good things you have done for me all the40
day.

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KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SARAMA:

KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:

138

(Suppressing her tears and advancing towards
Khoka) Why do you talk to me like this, Khoka? 45
Do you think it won't pain me?

Why should it pain you? Everybody sings your
praises, what a wonderful mother you are, what
excellent treatment you give to others, and so 50
on and so forth.

I cannot understand how your mind got spoiled.
(She is about to leave the room, when Khoka
calls her back.) 55

And one thing more. Please tell father that from
now on I would like to stay in the hostel.

Why? Isn't there room enough in your own house?60

I cannot study here, and for that matter, who can,
if people keep on disturbing like this?

One can study anywhere, if he has a mind to. 65
While attending to all the household duties,
did I not get my M.A. Degree?

Well, I am not a genius like you.

70
It's not that. Take your own freinds, many of
whom haven't even a proper place for study.
They do many things, right from the marketing...

Oh. that's your grouse, is it? Go ahead, send 75
away your servant and put me there. That will
make you happy, perhaps!

(Angrily) What an audacity! You are becoming

an ape from day to day. Your father's indul- 80
genes has turned your head, If I had my way...
You would whip me and shut me up in a room, an

I right? Why don't you do it instead of this
false pretension before people? 85
False pretension! How dare you?

Why? Haven't you driven out my aunt from this
house? Now throw me out too. 90

Your aunt! I never asked her to go away.

Then why did she leave after all these years?

V

SARAMA:
KHOKA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

139

Your father can tell you why she left. 95

You influenced him. What does he know about

such things?... However, please let me go to

the hostel. I don't want to stay here for a 100
single day any longer. And if you prefer not

to allow me on the pretext of eXpense, tell me.

I shall have no other alternative, but to commit
suicide.

(He rushes inside. Sarama stands silently for a105
while, then opens the window. Khoka is heard
shouting inside the house. Sarama is sobbing

with grief and anger. Prasanta Babu enters,
dressing for office. He is a little over forty,
of heavy build). 110

Must you start your dissensions so early in the
day? People generally say their prayers and

snend their mornings in devotion...What now,
Sarama, Why pull such a long face? Come on, 115
8111119. on

Enough of your jokes. I am sick of it all.
A kid of yesterday -- he dares tell me what he
likes, without trying to understand me! 120

Of course, he is a kid. Why should you take
him seriously?

You won't realize. You are outall day. How 125
can you know what is going on here?

If I have to worry about all the things at home
and outside, what will you do to spend the time,
Sarama? 130

Then, why are you racking your brains now?...By
the way, tell me why you sent away your sister to
Banaras? You know, Khoka feels it's all my

doing. - 135
One day he will find out the truth.

But I'm losing all confidence. Khoka is much
changed after his aunt's departure and snaps 140
at me at the slightest thing. He is not at

all as he used to be; he quarrels with me all

the time.
You can't clap with one hand, Sarama! 145

Do you mean to say that I too am responsible?

PRASANTA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:
PRASANTA:

SARAMA"

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

140

No, that's not exactly what I mean. But if
you remain silent, how long can he go on shout-
ing by himself? 150
You have no idea what ugly things he says now-
adays. He has many advisers now...He has just
now informed me he would not stay in this house
any longer, and he would go to the hostel. 155
To the hostel: ((Pause) You know, hostel is
after all not a bad place for studies. I my-
self lived in a hostel when I was a student.

160
You studied in Calcutta, while your parents
lived in Berhampore. There was no other way
for you. But why on earth should Khoka leave
his own home and go to the hostel?

165
(In the same strain as before) Of course, the
food they serve at hostels is not quite palatable,
but one gets used to it in course of time.

Do you mean to approve his stay in the hostel,17O
as he wants it?

Once he has got it in his head, there will be
more trouble if I don't agree.

175
(Spiritedly) Then, do just as you like. Like
father, like son. Must you send him to the hostel,
only because he says so! (Pause) And I have to
bare the whole brunt of it. The boy thinks I
have thrown his aunt out of the house. Now any- 180
body will think I have sent the boy too away!
At last I know how tragic it is to be a step-
mother. No one will have so much trouble with
one's own children.

185
Why, Sarama, who can say where trouble lies? It
does not matter whether it is your own child or
of somebody else. Everything depends on the mind.
Your mind... Khoka' s mind... 190

But I can't be strict with him. I am always
afraid lest he minds it. I wish to avoid his
remembering his mother and feeling sad.

Do you know the old saying that only those who 195
love can also chastise. I should think...

Don't start lecturing, I beg of you. Whenever

I hear your tall talks these days, I am reminded
of that famous line -- "Don' t talk big words, 200
they mean so little!"

"

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

BABY:

KAMAL:

BABY:

BABY:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

SARAMA:

141

(Laughing) See how good it is to know English!
You can readily give out a quotation suitable
for every occasion.

205
Oh, you and your Jokes! (Pale Smile) After Baby
was born, do you remember my cautioning you re-
peatedly not to make such a show of your affec-
tion to her? You always wanted to fondle her.
Ever since, Khoka has been hurt. I could see 210
it from his face. Strange, you never noticed
it being his father.

What's new about it? All brothers and sisters
get upset when a new baby arrives. I myself 215
was Jealous of my little brother...

(Outside -- Mummy, Kamal kaka is here. Daddy,
Kamal kaka...’ Baby arrives dragging in.Kamal,
aged about 30, Baby is very active). 220

Look, Mummy, Kamal kaka comes after all these
days and tells me he never missed a day here:
(To Kamal) You must be the Invisible Man,
that's why we could not see you, is it?

225
You mean about the past seven days? Well, I
was out on a trip.
Where did you go? Why didn't you tell us?

230

a dreadful hurry that I didn't
get the time: I Just dropped in for a while at
Mt. Everest. Tenzing has been after me for some
time, you know.

235

Oh, you 'show-off' ! You remember, Mummy, a few
days back he told us he had brought a golden
fish from the Atlantic Ocean. What a fibber!

I was in such

Really, Kamal, the children ask for you every 240
day. Looks as if they take you as their equal
n age.

I too, brother, feel happy only with young

children. I have had 'flu' , and I couldnt 245
come.
Say so. You told us the other day that you

would take Khoka' s roll number, and I was won-
dering why you didn' t turn up. 250
That's why I have come to-day. I want his roll
number. I'phoned Pramatha. 'The results will be
but today.

0Q

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

BAHAMA:
KAMAL:

SAMMA :

PRASANTA:
KBMAL:

PRASANIA:
KAMAL:

PRA SANTA :

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

142

(Suddenly) Khoka says he will put up in the
hostel from now on.

255

Oh, Just leave it to Kamal, Sarama. Khoka is
sure to confide in him. Baby, go darling, call
your brother. (Exit -- Baby) 250
If he really wants to go, I have no obJection
Kamal. One can study much better at the hostel.

But I do object, Kamal. Please persuade 3
him to stay at home. I know he can 't stay by 265
himself, he is after all still too young.

Let me hear what he says. I have never heard
him say anything about the hostel.

270
This is the first time he has mentioned it, but
he seems to be determined. I am sure he will
kick up a row about it. I'd better go in. He .
loses histemper at my sight. (Exit -- Sarama). '

275
Women are easily excited at trifles.

No, Brother, I don't agree with you. Sister isi
very calm and patient. I always praise her for
it. Khoka is gradually becoming a problem child.
I can 't follow myself what he says nowadays.

You think so tool.

Yes, It is a serious matter. Specially from 285
fourteen to sixteen years, anything may happen to
children, if they are not properly guided. He
is in such a peculiar state of mind, I shouldn't
be surprised if he develops ’melancholia' .

290
When he talks to me, he is perfectly normal. ,I
don' t find anything wrong with him.
It is bound to be like that. He is a very in- ‘
telligent boy. He will never give himself away295
before us, but he broods at other times. He
feels'himself alone in this world, without mother,
father or anybody. 3

But we are all lonely, Kamal. I often remember 300
that poet who philosophises' 'It' 3 sweet to be
lonely like the lovely lamenting moon".

There is a pleasure in such loneliness. But

Khoka' s case is different. He is grieved at his305
helplessness and it is really most pathetic. But,
of course, it is not his fault. Others have
tutored him that she is his stepmother, who can

PRASANTA:
KHOKA:

KAMAL:
KHOKA:
PRASANTA:
KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
PRASANTA:
KHOKA:

PRASANTA:
KAMAL:

KHOKA:

KHOKA:

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

143

never be good to him and she is.taking hisi
father aWay from him. He thinks he is abnbrmal,310
theta the tragedy of it.

Yes, that's to be tackled. (Enters Khoka)

Kamal kaka, you wanted my roll number, Here it is.

(Hands him a slip of paper).

You look rather sickly. Hope you are keeping fit.

Yes, I got up late to-day, that's all. 320

Kamal, I am off now, It is time for office.

O.K., Brother, and I shall be back here in the

evening. 325

Khoka, would you like to go to the football match
to-day?

330

It's always a critical

Who are playing?

Mohan Began vs. Aryans.
game, isn't it?

Doesn't matter. I shant go out to-day. 335

Why, what happened?

Just nothing. (Pale smile) I don't feel like
going. 340

(Looking at him) Ohl...Well, I'm off.

Khoka, you used to be crazy about football. Have
you got over it? 345
Well, everything passes, nothing remains.

I see you are talking like a grown up man! 350

Am I not growing up? What is surprising there?

Your father was saying that you would like to go
to the hostel.

355
Yes, he is right. It's in a day or two.
I don't think it will help your studies.
Certain boys keep on disturbing. 360

Doesn't metter.

If at home, your parents can coach you up.

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.‘

KHOKA:
KAMAL:
KHOKA:

KAMAL:

KHOKA:

KAMAL:

KHOKA:

KHOKA:

KAMAL:

KHOKA:

KHOKA:

KHOKA:

KAMAL:

144

They have no time.

365
What do you mean?

Father is always busy with his own affairs and
mother with her social work. That's the only
thing she thinks about, since she gets up in the
morning. She can 't even attend to Baby' 5 lessons,
let alone mine.

Hm...What do you wish to become ultimately,
Khoka? 375

I'd like to be an engineer. That 8 why I shall

take the science combination. What' 5 the use

of taking to Arts? There is no future at all.
380

If you study Medicine, you will have to take

Biology...

No, not a doctor. It's better to be an engineer.
One can get a Job somewhere far away. Kamal 385
kaka, cannot one go away to some other place now?

What other place?

Well, some foreign country. Many boys go to 390
Europe, don' t they? What fun they must be having!
If only I had plenty of money, I would have
certainly gone away.

Can you live there alone? 395
I am alone here too.

Wouldn't you miss anybody? 4

00
Heaven knows...Do you know, Kamal kaka, my friend
Avinash, about whom I told you many times, has run
away from his house!

Run away! But why? 405

Well, he used to live with his uncle, who is very
short tempered. Not to speak of the rotten and
insufficient food he was given daily, he could
bear no longer the ill treatment meted out to him.
He stood it for a long time, and then in the end
he ran away. 412

Where is he now?

KHOKA:

KAMAL:
KHOKA:

KAMAL:

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:

KHOKA:

145

He has secured a Job in a private firm at 415
Asansol. The manager there is the elder brother
of a classmate of ours, through whom he got this.

Poor fellow! To begin working at his age... 4
. 20
But he is very happy. I have had a letter from
him only yesterday. See, what a nice letter!
(Reads)
"I have Just finished my work and reached
home. It is slightly drizzling outside. 425
I have told the servant to get me a cup of
good tea. I shall not go out for a walk
to-day, but shall read and enJoy some good
poems of Tagore. There is none to disturb
me. I am all alone. This very idea makes43o
me happy. My life at Calcutta seemed to
suffocate me. I could not even breathe
peacefully. None of you could realise
my state. I feel it is a new world here
with plenty of hope, light and Joy. Come 435
here, if you can, before Joining theCollege.
You will see for yourself how I have changed.
I am no longer the old Avinash.

Affectionately your 440
Avinash."

Isn't this a nice letter, Kamal kaka?

It may suit him, as you say he has nobody of his445
own .
(Dreaming) "Plenty of hope, light and Joy."

I must go in. I have something to tell your mother.
(Exit). (Khoka sits down with a sigh. Baby enters)

Brother, what will you give me, if you pass your
exam?

455
What can I give you?
Didn't you say you would get me a little puppy
from Sontu’s house? 460

Do you think your mother will let you keep a
puppy?

Who cares if Mummy doesn’t like it? What's wrong
in it? Many people keep dogs. 465

Well, then I will ask Sontu if all their puppies
have already been given away.

BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:

146

Still there are two left. I see them every day
on my way from school. 470

I say, Baby, why has the tailor come here to-day?

Isn' t my Birthday coming? He has taken the cloth
to make my new frock. I shall invite all my 475
friends this time. You know, Dada, they will all
bring lovely presents.

Oh, you are going to have a Birthday Party only
to get presents? 480

Of course. For what else do people have Birth-
day Parties? If one doesn’ t get presents, they.
might Just as well have an ordinary party.

485
But I have never had a Birthday Party.
You wouldn't get any presents, even if you did.
How do you say that? 490

All your friends wear torn shirts. What presents
would they bring?

(laughingly) My friends may wear torn shirts, but
they don t stink like the girls at your school.

(Excited) What a thing to say! None of my friends
walk to school, they all have cars. They don' t
stink at all. so there... 500

It' s most unfortunate that you are the only one
who hasn’ t.

How senseless! I go in the school bus, I don't 505
walk like you.

(Teasingly) All right. Your friends have cars,
but do you know what my friends have? 510

What?
Houses...Huge Big Houses.

Oh, those! They are all rented houses or their 515
uncles' houses. Take your friend Avinash. He
lives in a big house, but it is his uncle' s, and
how he smells! How can you sit near him and talk
to him for hours, I wonder.

KHOKA:

BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:

BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

BABY:

SARAMA:

BABY:

147

(Suddenly getting serious) Ah, you shouldn't 520
mention names, Baby --

Of course, I will..a hundred times.
Is this what you learn at school? 525

Why did you say things about the girls at my
school?

I never mentioned any names. 530
It's all the same.
All right, stop it and get inside.

535
No, I wont.
Then shut up and sit there. Don't talk.

Why should I shut up? I' ll tell Mummy you scolded
me (Advances to the table and picks up the letter).

Go and tell your mother, I am not afraid...Leave
that letter there. It' s mine.

Letter indeed! It's only a postcard. 545
Baby, don't read it.

Of course, I will. (Nervously reads) 'My life 550
at Calcutta seemed to suffocate me.’

Baby, I tell you...

!I could not even breathe peacefully'. 555

(advancing) I say, give it here.
He must be suffering from Asthma!

5 0
You are becoming an ape. (Baby bursts into tears.

Sarama enters).

What's the matter? Why are you crying?

Dada is scolding me. 565
Why?

He started shouting at me, as I looked at this 570
letter of his.

BAHAMA:

BABY:

KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:

KAMAL:
BAHAMA:

KAMAL:
SARAMA:

KAMAL:
SARAMA 3

KAMAL:
SARAMA:

KAMAL:

148

Give Dada his letter back. Why do you always
annoy your elders?

Well, he quarrels with me all the time. He calls
me names and then reports to you all against me.

(slapping her) Haven't I told you a hundred times
that you must not talk that way. Get out of here.
(Exit -- Baby in tears) 580

Why have you beaten.her?

To teach discipline to naughty children. 585
Discipline means slapping, is it? What a shame!
You cannot love your own child! What sort of a
mother are you?

(Khoka rushes out, Sarama stands in silence.

Kamal enters). 590

Boudi!

Yes, Brother, you are going? You'll be back in
the afternoon, isn't it? 595

Khoka is acting very funny.

He has humbled all my vanity, Kamal. I thought

I could, with my Master's Degree in Psychology§00
make my stepson happy and never make him feel

the want of him mother. This is how it has
turned out.

But he was not like this before. .605

He was Just two years when I married. You know

I was your Dada's pupil. I could observe how
dreadfully lonely he was after his wife died.

He was sick with anxiety for his son. It was 510
then that I wanted to marry him.

I know all that.

He tried to dissuade me, but I wouldn't listen.515

I told him if I could not belie at least a step-
mother's iTlfame, all my education had been

wasted. At last we married, and as soon as I

came to this house, I drew Khoka close to me.

At first he was a little stiff, but in course of 520
time he could not be without me.

I have seen that myself. You used to take him to
the school, and fetch him in the afternoon. You
looked after his lessons as well... 525

SARAMA:

KAMAL:
SARAMA:

KAMAL:

SARAMA:

KAMAL:
SARAMA:

KAMAL:

SARAMA:
KAMAL:

KAMAL:

149

Your Dada used to exclaim that I had made him
happy without any further worries...Gradually it
all happened to be undergoing a change. As he
grew older, his relatives began telling him that
I was only his stepmother... 630

How did you know all this?

Well, he used to ask me all odd questions. I
guessed that somebody had been putting them in his
head. He couldn't have thought of them by himself.
I told your Dada many times, but he would not take
it seriously. This is the result!

Who do you think had put these ideas into Khoka's540
head?

Many people. For instance, his aunt had begun
such a continuous campaign, that in the end she
had to be sent away from here. I never wanted 545
it, but your Dada insisted. Since then the boy
seems to have gone crazy.

Strange!

650
I kept Baby at a distance from me, in spite of
my being her own mother, lest he supposed my
partiality to her, I would always send her to
him, so that the bonds of brother and sister
would strengthen. And it worked too. But 555
what has happened now?

Yet, he loves you, Boudi. I have seen how

worried he is when you are ill. He goes about

with an anxious face, and he doesn't even relish 550
his food.

I don't know, Kamal, I can't quite understand it.

I have always noticed he considers, before doing 555
anything, whether you would like it or not.

(Khoka shouts inside, scolding the servant: 'Do

I ever take fried eggs in the morning, rascal,
idiot? If mother has ordered them, you’d better
give them to her. Why didn’t you make any 570
porridge? Wasn't there any stale milk left over
from last night? If one chatters all the time,

how can I ex ect the house to be looked after?
Well, I shal go to the hostel soon. Never mind,

I can Just as well take my food at a restaurant 675
from now itself’.)
(Sarama sobs, and Kamal goes to the door).

Ah, Khoka, do stop it, I tell you. 680

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:
PRASANTA:

SARAMA:
PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
PRASANTA:
KHOKA:

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:

150

(He goes in. Sarama closes the window and sadly
goes in also. The lights are turned down. It is
evening. After a lapse of time, Prasanta Babu
comes home from the office and talks to Sarama
while removing his coat). 685

I have fixed up everything, Sarama.

What about?

690
Let Khoka go out for a change with Bela for a few
days. They are all going to Puri. They have
fixed up a lovely house. I think he would feel
better if he goes away for a while. 695
Splendid. When are they going?
Next week. Bela was Very pleased, and you know

how fond she is of Khoka. Of course, she suggest-
ed that we all should go. 700

No, he had better go alone. That would be very
good. Of course, Baby would be a little sad
when she hears her brother is going on a holid%%§

'But can she stay without you?

You mean I would be here without both of them?
Oh, no.

710
Let me call Khoka and tell him. I don't know how
he takes it. (Calls) Khoka! Khoka!...These
modern children are apt to dislike Whatever we
suggest.

715
(Khoka enters)
Yes, father!
Bela and other are going to Puri. You can go '720
with them, if you like.
Oh! The Puri beach...
Yes. 725

Cousin Bela, her husband, Laltu...are they all
going?

Yes, Laltu said it would be nice if you accompany‘DO
them.

I'd love to go.

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
SARAMA:
BABY:
SARAMA:
BABY:
KHOKA:

BABY:

PRASANTA:

BABY:

PRASANTA:

BABY:

SARAMA:

BABY:

SA RAMA :

151

I think they would start on Monday.

735
(Enter Baby)
Then I'd better see cousin Bela to-morrow.
Where are you going, Dada? 740

Purl o

What? To bathe in the sea? I shall go too... 4
7 5
How can you go alone?

Why alone? Dada is going and cousin Bela is there!

Let Dada go this time, you can go later. 750

No, Mummy, I want to go. I can't stay here alone.

Let her come with me. Laltu's cousins may be
going.

Yes, Dada, it will be great fun if Raka and

Radha also go. Raka always boasts she has

learned to swim. As soon as she gets into the

sea, she will be found out. Oh, such huge waves...
Baby, you can't go alone. You will miss your
Mummy.

No, Daddy, I can stay. Didn't Dada and I stay at765
uncle's house by ourselves?

But your Granny is there, that's quite different.
And the sea is very rough there. How it roars!

When I went there as a child, I used to be afraid770
at night 0

Then I won't let Dada go either. Why should he

go and enJoy himself and I stay behind? 775
Dada is much older than you, Baby. Don't be
naughty now. Daddy is Just back from the office;
let him have a wash first.

No, I won't listen to you. Then I can never gm 780
to Puri. You have all been there already and

now Dada is going.

Well, I can't argue with you any more. I'm

getting the tea. 785

BABY:

KHOKA:
PRASANTA:
KHOKA:
PRASANTA:
KHOKA:

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:

PRASANTA:

KHOKA:

PRASANTA:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

152

Whether you argue or not, I tell you I won't
listen to anybody. I will go to Puri, so there,
I Will, I Will...

(Exit -- Baby following Sarama). ?90
Let Baby come with me.

Why?

She would really be lonely, if I am not here. 795
Well, we are all here.

(Absentmindedly) Mother doesn't quite understand
her. Baby is rather mischievous but she has aBQO
tender heart.

Let me worry about that... How, you must be very

careful and do everything Bela tells you. Bathe
in the sea along with the others, never go by 805

yourself. And mind your food. All that sea fish
is bad for digestion.

You don't have to tell me all that. I will be
careful. 8:0

And write to us every two or three days. An
ordinary postcard will do.

I don't think I can stay there very long. The 3’5
results will soon be published.

But I am here, you don't have to worry.‘ I shall
send for you, if necessary. 820

(Kamal's voice is heard from outside: 'Where is
Boudi? Where are the sweets? Khoka has passed
the exam.')

(Calls) Oh, Kamal, Kamal, this way, come to this'8a5
room.

(Sarama enters smiling with Kamal).

Khoka has passed with credit, Dada. I was asking 330
Boudi for sweets.

Not Just sweets, Kamal, you must dine here to-day.

I knew that he would pass and I have arranged on
your food here. 3:

Please give the good news to everybody, Sarama.
You had better visit Sushila to-morrow, from where
you can, phone to all the places. Give a spec%fl&)

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KHOKA:
PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

BABY:
PRASANTA &
BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:

KAMAL:
BABY:

KAMAL:

BABY:

KAMAL:

BABY:

KHOKA:
BABY:

153

message to Anukul. They will be really p1eased.84o
I shall go myself to uncle Anukul, father.

Khoka, why haven't you bowed donw to your uncle
Kamal 9 feet? He brought you the good news. 845

(Khoka advances to Kamal, but is prevented by
him .

Silly Boy, bow down to your parents first and 850
your uncle comes afterwards.

(Khoka bows down to Prasanta, who mumbles some-
thing, then to Kamal).
855

May you pass all the trials and tribulations of
life with such a smiling face.

(Before Khoka can go to Sarama, Baby comes in) 860
Dada, well, give me the puppy now.

KAMAL: P-U-P-P-Yl

Yes, Dada said he would get me a puppy, if he 855
passed. Sontu's dog has many puppies, you know.

I shall get one to-mcrrow. 859
Get me a good collar and a leather chain also. I
shall take the puppy for a walk daily.

You would also take him to your school, I am sure!

Oh, what brains! I can't take him to school. You
don't know our Mrs. Halder. 875

Don't I know her? She must surely be Halder's
wife.
880

Are you laughing at our teachers again? I wont
talk to you ever again, so there!

No, no, why should I laugh at them? I am only
telling the truth. 885

All right, don't expect any more detective stories
from me, I tell you. Dada, remember that book?

What book? 89 0

The one with the black cover and the picture of a
bat on it. I shant give it to Kamal kaka (teasingly)

KAMAL:
SARAMA:

BABY:

SARAMA:
BABY:
PRASANTA:
BABY:

PRASANTA:
BABY:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

BABY:

PRASANTA:
BABY:
PRASANTA:
KHOKA:
KAMAL:
KHOKA:

154

I...shant...ask...for...it...(Mimics at her).

895
Well, well, Kamal, you really are a child too. I
must go and serve the sweets.

Mummy, Dada has passed. Aren't we going to have

ice-cream? GED
Ask your father. (Exit -- Sarama).
Daddy. 0 o Dada love 10 e-cream.

.905

And don't you?

(Cooingly) Yes...,I too.
going to send for it?

Tell me, aren't you

95)

Ask your mother.

From Magnolia? Mummy, Daddy says we must have
ice-cream. (Exit) _
ENJD

Baby is most restless, whereas Khoka is quite
calm and quiet. She will eat me up, if I don't
get her the ice-cream to-day.

Children are always like that. 92.0

They treat you as one of them and begin to play
with you.

But I too like it. I avoid going to houses where
there are no children. .935

And I am Just the opposite.
avoid me.

As a rule, children

(Baby comes to the door). '2930
Where did you keep your purse, Daddy? It's not

in your pocket.
on, I must have put it away in the cupboard. ,935
Keys, Daddy.
I will get it out for you. (They go out). '
Kamal kaka, I am going to Puri. 960
With whom?
Beladi and her people are going. Father has 945

arranged everything.

.

vs

KAMAL:

khoka;

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

KAMAL:

KHOKA:
KAMAL:

SARAMA
KHOKA:

SARAMA

KHOKa:

155

It's a lovely place. I've been there about three

times.

I will have a look at the sea for the first time.
95!
Yes, it's lovely, I tell you. Besides, Puri has
sweet memories. Do you know that Chaitanya Deva
spent his last days there? I' ve heard of Rakhal
Maharaj, later known as Swami Brahmananda, who 955
used to fall into a trance whenever he visited
Jagannath's Temple. He could feel the divine
presence of Chaitanya Deva.
Why don't you come too, Kamal Kaka? 960
I have no leave now. However, you had better
write to me from there and if I can, I may go
over for the weekend. 965

I always remember your talks on Lord Sri Ramakrishna.

Well, than I shall lend you my copy of Kathamritam,
the story of his life. When you go to Puri, gen
can read it. 70

(Prasanta from inside; "Kamal, come along, tea is
served." .

Coming. (Goes to the door.) Khoka, you never 975

bowed to your mother!
I Will.

Always bear in mind that you should never hurt 980
anybody’ s feelings unneccessarily.

(Exit -- Kamal. Khoka advances to the table in a
thinking mood. He sits down silently for a while,
and then takes out the picture of his own mother
and looks at it intently. After placing it on
the table, he looks round, and then bows down

to it.Sarama enters almost simultaneously).

Khoka, come darling, I have served tea and sweets.

(hastily hiding the picture)
come presently.

You go, I shall

But all are waiting for you. What are you doing 995

here all by yourself?
I am thinking of my mother.

KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SARMAM:
KHOKA:

BAHAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

PRASANTA:

I too heard so.

156

Oh!

IOQO
You have never seen her, isn't it?
No, I havent' seen her.
I don't remember her either. 1005

How can you? You were only two years old then.

Aunt used to say she was very fair, like a Jasmige.
101
I think she was likedby all.

What do you think she would have done to-day if
she were alive?
1015

Well, she would have been quite happy and pleased.
Words cannot describe a mother' s feelings when
her son passes his examination oreditably.

(Suddenly) Are you happy? 1020,
(Astonished) What?
(Jeeringly) You have only tears in your eyes.

ICE
(Wiping her tears) No, no, why should I have

tears?

I know you are not pleased.
1050

What do you say?

You will only be pleased the day your daughter
passes her exam. Then there won 't be any tears in
your eyes, you will smile all the time. That i
What happens when a mother is really happy. 10*

Again you dare speak that way?

Because I know it is true. You wanted me to fail,
to turn a useless idiot. 1041

You have become one! (Slaps him angrily) Never
talk to me again till you learn how to behave.
Get out. (Exit -- Khoka, astonished, afraid,10
and holding back his tears. Sarama breaks down
in grief and inJured dignity, sits down and rests
her head on the table. Prasanta enters, casts

a glance at her, and turns away). 1050

You know, Sarama, the boy is grown up now. He
shouldn't tbe slapped any longer...especially today,

 

 

 

 

 

SARA“ '3
PRASANTA:

SARAMA:
PRASANTA:

SARAMA:
PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

PRASANTA:
SARAMA:
PRASANTA:

157

when he has Just heard of his success in the
exam.

1055
Will you please be quiet?

He is lying in the other room with his head
buried in a pillow. Can this sight be pleasant
to a father? Baby is crying too. 1060

Let her.

Hm...Poor Kamal, he is feeling terribly embarrass-
ed with all this display of tempers. He has 1065
brought us good news, and instead of enjoying
ourselves together...

Why don't enjoy yourself? Who is stopping you?

1070
And you won't Join us?
How can I? Your son hates me. I am not his
mother after all. God only knows what the
servants think about all this. 1075

But why has it turned out this way?

Because of you, what else? A boy can’t be

brought up on love alone; he must be taught a.10@0
few other things. How many times have I told you
this? Now he has become an ill-mannered ape!
Hearing him, who could say that he belongs to a
respectable family? Oh, I have had to tolerate
such horrid words from your son that none wouldIIfiS
dare with me. It' s all because I reared him up
with all sincerity more than a mother!

You are mistaken, Sarama... 1099
Not at all. What is it that I have not done for
your son? I have showered all the nectar of
motherhood over him. I have neglected even Baby,
to make Khoka gown up happily, and so that none
can blame you for having married again. But I 10%
now know it is all in vain... If you ask me why I
have done all this, I can only say that it is for
your sake and for the sake of all your relatives,
who hate me, and who poison Khoka' s mind con-

tinuously... 1100
Then what can be done now? I had better...
Send for a taxi.

1105

Why?

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SARAMA:
PRASANTA:
BAHAMA:
PRASANTA:
SARAMA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:
PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

PRASANTA:

KAMAL:

158

I am going to my mother's place.

To-day?
1110
Just at this moment.
Hm...
Baby can come with me, if she wants. I shant be

back till Khoka leaves for Puri. 3115
(Exit -- Sarama, Kamal enters a little later .

What' 8 the matter, Dada?

1120
It s too bad, Kamal, I can 't bear it any longer.
Something has happened to Sarama. She won 't
listen to anything. She is completely disgusted.

Khoka has
1125

Hm...I never thought things would come to such a
pass. You never saw Khoka' 3 mother. She used to be
quite handsome, but strangely selfish. Thinking
over it now, I realise that I was not happy for a
single moment after I married her. She could not
stand any of my relatives, specially my mother.

In a way, it can be said that was the cause of my
mother' s pining away and her demise. 1135

You can't put the blame fully on her.
begun to talk as he pleases.

You told me all this once.

After I had come to know Sarama, I realised’how
generous and lofty she was. By marrying her, I
hoped without a doubt that we both could bring
up Khoka properly and she would fill up the
mother's gap. But what has happened?

mm

It will be all right in course of time, if you
explain to Boudi...

Your Boudi wants to go to her mother's place at
once a

1150
I think it is best. I hear Khoka too is going

to Puri.

Yes, Please get a taxi, Kamal, and take her to

her mother' s house. 1155
Very well. Only don't make a row about it any
more.

(Exit -- Kamal. Baby enters with a bi
and starts to arrange the things in it .

suitcase
1160

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PRASANTA:
BABY:
PRASANTA:
BABY:
PRASANTA:
BABY:
PRASANTA:

KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:
BABY:
KHOKA:

BuBY:
KHOKA:
BABY:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:

159

Are you going with your mother?

Yes.

Where is she? 1165
She is busy in her room.

Hm...and your brother? H
I haven't seen him. 11:0

Oh, (Sighs and leaves the room).
(Khoka enters and watches Baby packing)

1175
What are you doing?
Can't you see?
What are you packing for? 1180
I'm going to Granny's house.
By yourself?

1135

Rummy and I.
Ch, (Hoves towards the table).
You haVc quarrclled with Mummy, isn't it? 1190

Leave me alone and don't grumble like an old
woman.

You are getting very quarrelsome nowadays. 1095
Oh, shut up, I say.

And you are scolding me too. Just wait, I shall
tell Daddy. (Exit). 1200

(Khoka sits thinking. Suddenly he pulls the box
to himself and starts packing his own clothes,
which he takes out from his box. Sarama’s

voice is heard from within). ‘25

(SARaHA: Where have you left the box, Baby?)
(BABY: In Dada's room) (Sarama enters). 122°
1

(addressing Baby) Why, the box isn‘t herel)

It is with me.

SARAMA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:
SaRAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAT':
KHOKA:
BAHAMA:
KHOKA:

SARAMA:

KHOKA:

SARAMA:
KHOKA:
SARAHA:

PRASANTA:

160

Give it here. I have to pack it.
(Khoka gives her the box with lowered head. 1215
Sarama pulls out his shirts).

Why has she put all this rubbish inside? She has
no idea what to take and what to leave.

1230
(nervously) Those are my clothes.
Why are they here?
I am going too. 1225
Where?
With you.

1230
With me? You are coming with me!

You know, I never wish to hurt your feelings, but
something comes over me. My thoughts get mixed
up, and then I don’t know what I say, I realise
now that I talk like a mad man. You probably
think. so 1,257

No, Khoka, I don't think anything. It's not
your fault, my darling. It s mine. I could not
fill up the absence of your mother, and I 1241

couldn t be a real mother to you...
Mother, darling mothcri

1245
(He comes forward and bows at her feet. Prasanta
enters and observes them).
(Lifting him) Khoka --

1250
I won't go to the hostel mother.
Who would let you go, Khoka? If you don't
behave yourself again, I shall slap you hard
you know. (255

(Sound of motor horn outside. Kamal calls out)

(Kamal: Dada, the taxi is here).

1260
(Bright and smiling) There is no need of a taxi
any more, Kamal. You had better come upstairs.
(Sarama and Khoka look roundat this, with tears in
their eyes, smiling shyl . After the summer Shower,
the sky gets clear again . 1 55

C U R T A I N

 

 

..!.D

APPENDIX C

QUESTIONNAIRE - PLAY LINE - BASHAM CROSS-REFERENCES
OF INDIAN CULTURAL.CONCEPTS

Appendix.C

Qustionnaire - Play Line - Basham Cross-reference of Indian

Cultural-Concepts

The following is a listing of the selected cultural con-
cepts appropriate to the study of India included in items
(1-32) in the Questionnaire Form BBBB; the three Indian plays:
The Priest and the Prostitute, Bawa No Vesh, and Summer

Shower; and Basham's book, The Wonder That Was Igdia.

 

 

 

Questionnaireggtem Play? and Line** Basham***
Q1. A family in India SS 61-62; 75-77; 89-90; PP. 155-158.
has a high degree of 667-676. -
reapect for each person

in the family unit. PP 449-450.

Q2. The family mother SS 118-120; 139-155; P. 484#**

in India is the major in- 367-371; 1032-1050.
fluence on the rearing of
sons, daughters, or neither.

 

*The plays are identified as follows in this listing:
PP = The Priest and the Prostitute.
BNV = nga.No Vesh.

,SS = Summer Shower.

**Refers to a cultural concept inherent in the entire play,

not just in a specific line or lines of the play.

***Refers to a statement by Basham of a general nature rather

than a specific nature on a cultural concept of India.

161

162

Questionnaire;;tem Play and Line
Q3. The family father in
India is the major influ-
ence on the rearing of

sons, daughters, or neither.

763-785.

Q4. Members of a family
in a modern city in India
have the same personal
problems as members of a
family in a modern U.S.A.
city.

SS 176-184; 277-299

1069-1100.

Q5. In a family in India,
a daughter is taught to be
pleasurable to men.

BNV 185-355.

Q6. In a family in India, SS 5-106; 657-666;
a son is taught to be
respectful. 1244—1265.

PP 46-47.

Q7. In a marriage in India, SS 240—246; 915—925.

the having of children is a BNV 185-355.
religious necessity for
the husband.

Q8. Pleasurable love is a SS 1126—1135.
more vital aspect for hap— BNV 185-355.
piness in a marriage in
India than a marriage in
the U.S.A.
Q9. Among the peoples of PP 190-216; 287;
India, physical pleasures
are rooted in Nature.
912-916.
Q10. It is possible for a BNV 185-355.
Brahmin ( erson in high-
est caste to marry outside
his caste just as an Ameri-
can can marry outside his
social class in the U.S.A.

Q11. Historically, prostitu-PP 288-320; 359-360;

tion has been held in high 386-389.

regard in India.

Q12. The various kinds of PP 23-25; 364-365;
priests in India feel they BNV 16; 44-83; 130-
enjoy high positions of re- 131; 195-332.
spect in their societies.

SS 367—371; 686—731;

367—371; 543—590;
650-655: 763-785;

SS 205—212; 891-930.

850-860; 975-981;

315-320; 391-394:
414-415; 707-708;

Basham

P. 180.

PP. 481-
484?**

PP. 166-167;
170-172;
180-182.

PP. 162-163.

P. 165.

.PP. 165; 170-

172.
9-
P. 147.

PP. 183-184.

P. 241.

163

Play and Line
PP 38-40; 263-270;

Questionnaireggtem

Q13. In the religions in
~India, individual medita-
tion is more important than BNV 64-65; 84-115;
physical needs; such as, 315-324.

food, drink, etc..

Q14. Gardens and ornaments
(jewelry) were important
elements in creating an
atmosphere for love in
ancient India.

BNV 190-195; 239-
245.

Q15. The actions of the
priests in India are more
controlled by the physical
needs and desires of ordin-
ary men than by religious
meditation.

BNV 5-332.**

Q16. The long survival of SS 5-1265.**
the culture of India is

due to its strong belief in
tolerance for peoples of
other cultures who have invaded

the country over the cen—

turies.

Q17. The caste system in .SS 5—1265.**
India is being destroyed
today because of: the
democratic nature of the
country, education, tech-
nology, freedom of women,
>modernization, increasing
number of jobs, and movement
of the people to the cities.

SS 5-1265.**
PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

Q18. To what extent would
you say that the cultural
values of India are better
suited for a happy life

than U.S.A. cultural values?

'88 5-1265.**
PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

Q19. How fair to the indi-
vidual is the caste system
of India?

Q20. To what extent do you
believe that a family in
India today has a "genera-
tion gap" between the par-
ents and the teenagers similar
to that which exists in the
U.S.A.?

SS 5-1265.**

536-537: 881-882.

PP 520—521; 829-847.

PP 813-816; 979-981.

Beam—m

PP. 281-
283.

416-417.

PP. 278-
281.

P. 345.

PP. 151;
434.***

Po 9.

PP. 147-
151.

P. 484.***

Questionnaire Item

Q21. Which of the following
things had the major in-
fluence on shaping India's
“philosophy of life":
religions, caste system,
family structure, or

nature and climate?

Q22. Which of the follow-
ing things had the major
influence on shaping
India's "social values":
religions, family struc-
ture, caste system, or
nature and climate?

Q23. Is it possible for a
person in India to marry
outside his own caste?

Q24..India today is tied to
its cultural past.

Q25. The idea of love and
marriage in India is the
same as the idea of love
and marriage in the U.S.A..

Q26. A family in India is
a more closely knit unit
than a U.S.A. family.

Q27. An individual in India
has more freedom today in
selecting a mate, a job,
etc. than in the past.

Q28. The ancient gods and
legends of India have play-
ed a minor part in shaping

164

Play andgéine

SS 5-1265.**
PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

SS 5-1265.**
PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

BNV 5-332.**

SS 5-1265.**
BNV 5-332.**

SS 5-1265.**
PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

SS 5-1265.**

SS 5-1265.**

PP 5-980.**
BNV 5-332.**

the cultrual values of India.

Q29. Life in a city in India SS 5-1265.**

today is very much the same

as life in a U.S.A. city today.

Basham

PP. 3-4;
147-151;
155-158:
239-241;
250-251;
268-273;
319-320;
323-328.

PP. 3-4;
147-151;
155-158;
239-241;
250-251;
268-273;
319-320:
323-328.

PP. 147;
484.***
PP. 481-

484.

PP. 160-
172.

P. 155.

P. 484.***

PP. 239-
241.

PP. 482-
484.***

165

 

 

Questionnaire Item Play and Line Basham
Q30. The people of India SS 5-1265.** PP. 9;
believe that physical PP 5-980.** 339-345;
pleasures and tolerance BNV 5-332.** 484.***

for all forms of life are
necessary for a ”good life".

031. Life in a village in BNV 5-332.** PP. 189—
India today is very much 190.
the same as life in a U.S.A.

village today.

Q32. To what extent do you SS 5-1265.** (P. 484.***
believe that modernization

is destroying values that

should be preserved in the

culture of India?

APPENDIX D

INSTRUCTIONAL.MATERIALS USED IN THE STUDY ON
INDIA. WITH ANNOTATIONS

APPENDIX D

Instructional Materials Used in the Study on India, With

Annotations

 

A. Plays

1. The Priest and the Prostitute. This 7th century
A.D. Sanskrit play depicts some modes and manners of
aristocratic life in ancient India. The playwright is
King Mahendra Vikram.

2. Bawa No Vesh. Written in the 12th century A.D. by
an anonymous author, this village folk play depicts a
way of life still practiced today in rural India.

3. -Summer Shower. .A 20th century A.D. contemporary
play by Dhananjoy Bairagi portraying the effects of
modernization upon the patterns of traditional life in

a modern.Indian city.
B. Motion Pictures

1. India: A Better Tomorrow. This motion picture
contrasts old and new in present day Indian cities and
rural areas, customs, religions, womens' place in soci-
ety, crOps, education, and the attempt to combine the
best of ancient and modern ways for a new, powerful
India. (16 minutes - color)

2. India: Customs in the Village. The content of
this motion picture portrays the peoples' lives, work

166

167
and customs in a small north Indian village, the caste
system in operation, a wedding celebration, and the
effects of a devastating fire. (11 minutes - color)
3. Hindu World. A motion picture which highlights
historical and cultural aspects of Hinduism set against
the background of ancient temples, statues and scenes
of Hindu religious rites. It reveals the disciplines
of Yogas through which Hindus seek eternal union with
Brahma (the universal Spirit of God), the caste system,
belief in reincarnation, and the influence of the
religion on the Hindu way of life.
(11 minutes - black and white)

4. Hindu Family. The essence of this motion picture

 

deals with the marriage of a young girl in the province
of Gujaret, India. It reveals aspects of Hindu life,
school, home, clothing, preparation of a meal, village
goldsmith, potter, weaver at work, and the role of
religious ceremony in daily life.

(10 minutes - black and white)

5. Hinduism. This motion picture shows the essence

of the Hindu belief, the presence in all living things
of a Universal Spirit, the tolerance of all other faiths
and the veneration of living things.

(18 minutes - black and white)

6. India (IFB). A motion picture which surveys India's

 

geography, climate, agriculture, racial and social

structure, religions and culture. The plight of India's

168
undernourished, overcrowded masses in contrast to
cultural life of the minority is emphasized.

(22 minutes - color)
C. Filmstrip

1. The Kathakali Dance-Drama. A series of 35 mm slides
depicting the bodily movements of the actors, their
training, and the musical instruments used during a

performance.

D. Guest Speakers

1. Some Observations ofgIndian Life. An informative
talk using 35mm slides given by Mr. Jeep Jeffries on
some of the social and cultural aspects of Indian life
significantly impressive to a U.S. family in India.

2. How to Wrap a Sari. A demonstration given by Mrs.
Savitri Damadaren on some of the details involved in
making, wrapping and wearing a sari, as well as other

Indian clothing.
E. Supplemental Reference Materials

1. The Wonder That Was India. The most comprehensive
and authoritative socialogical work on Indian culture
known today. Scholars consider it to be the most
accurate work compiled to date on Indian life. The

author is A. L. Basham.

169
2. -Nectar in a Sieve. A novel by Kamala Markandaya
depicting the effects of modernization upon the chang—

ing role of women in modern India.
F. Indian Music

1. Recordings of Indian Music. .Several records de—
picting the various kinds of Indian music from the
religious raga to the classical form, including the
folk forms of northern and southern India.

a. ”Wondrous Music of India" (South India).

b. "Six Ragas Ravi Shankar."

c. "Classical Ragas of India."

d. "Classical Indian Music" (North and South India).

e. "Folk Music of the Punjab" (North India).

G. Disglays

1. Artifacts. The following artifacts were used for
display purposes:
a. Sitar - a major musical instrument used in all
Indian music.
b. Clothing - a dodie and a sari worn by men and
women in India.
c. Tapestries commonly found in Indian homes.
d. Pictures portraying various "settings" of

Indian life.

APPENDIX E

SCHEDULE OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHING PROCEDURES FOLLOWED
IN THE STUDY ON INDIA FROM JANUARY 26
TO MARCH 2, 1970

APPENDIX E

Schedule of the Classroom Teaching Procedures Followed in the

Study on India From January 26 to March 2, 1970

Qpen Teaching Treatment

January 26:

January 27:

January 28:

Questionnaire Form AAAA and Questionnaire
Form BBBB were administered to all the

cpen D and E section classes.

Three motion pictures on India were shown
to all the open D and E section classes.
The motion pictures were: (1) Hindu Family,
(2) Hinduism, and (3) India (IFB).

Group discussions were begun by the
teacher and the students on these motion
pictures in all the open D and E section
classes.

Three more motion pictures on India were
shown to all the open D and E section classes.

The motion pictures were: (1) India: A

 

Betterigomorrow, (2) India: Customs in the
Village, and (3) Hindu World.

Group discussions continued by the teacher
and the students on these motion pictures

in all the open D and E section classes.

170

January 29:

January 30:

February 2:

February 3:

February 4:
February 5:
February 6:

February 9:

171
Group discussions continued on the six
motion pictures on India in all the Open
D and E section classes.
All the open D and E section classes start-
ed their silent read throughs of the three

Indian plays: (1) The Priest and the Pro-

stitute, (2) Bawa No Vesh, and (3) Summer

Saguar-

Group discussions continued on the three
plays and the related cultural concepts
found in Basham's study on India in all
the Open D and E section classes.

Silent read throughs and group discussions
continued in all the Open D and E section
classes.

All the Open D and E section classes started
their 2E3; read throughs of the three Indian
plays.

Group discussions continued in all the
Open D and E section classes.

February 3rd procedure followed.

February 4th procedure followed.

February 5th procedure followed.

All the Open D and E section classes heard

a talk and saw a demonstration on how to
wrap a sari given by Mrs. Savitri Damadaren.

Also the 'filmstri'p on the Kathakali dance-
drama was shown to all the Open D and E

section classes.

February 10:

February 12:

February

»February
February
February
February
February

February

February

February

February

February

16:
17:
18:
19:
20:

23:

26:

27:

172

All the Open D and E section classes set up
play production committees and play rehear-
sal schedules for the three Indian plays.
A slide film talk on a family trip to India
was presented by Mr. Jeep Jeffries to all
the open D and E section classes.

Work continued on the play production and
play rehearsal activities in all the Open
D and E section classes.
Play production and play rehearsal activi-
ties continued in all the open D and E sec-
tion classes.
followed.

February 13th procedure

February 16th procedure followed.

February 17th procedure followed.

February 18th procedure followed.

February 19th procedure followed.
Dress rehearsals started for the three
Indian plays in all the open D and E sec—
tion classes.

February 23rd procedure followed.

Play performances started for the three
Indian plays in all the open D and E
section classes.

February 25th procedure followed.

February 26th procedure followed.

March 2:

173
Questionnaire Form BBBB and Questionnaire
Form CCCC were administered to all the open
D and E section classes. Five week study-

unit on India concluded.

Closed Teaching Treatment

January 26:

January 27:

January 28:

January 29:

Questionnaire Form AAAA and Questionnaire
Form BBBB were administered to all the
closed A and B section claSSes.

Three motion pictures on India were shown
to all the closed A and B section classes.
The motion pictures were: (1) Hindu Family,

(2) Hinduism and (3) India (IFB).

Teacher lectures and teacher directed

 

class discussions were begun on these motion
pictures in all the closed A and B section
classes.

Three more motion pictures on India were
shown to all the closed A and B section
classes. The motion pictures were: (1)
India: A Better Tomorrow, (2) lgdia: Cus-

toms in the Village, and (3) Hindu World.

 

Teacher lectures and teacher directed
class discussions continued on these films
in all the closed A and B section classes.
Teacher lectures and teacher directed class

discussions continued on the six motion

January 30:

February 2:

February 3:

February 4:
February 5:
February 6:

February 9:

174
pictures on India in all the closed A and
B section classes.
All the closed A and B section classes
started their silent read throughs of the
three Indian plays: (1) The Priest and the
Prostitute, (2) Bawa NO Vesh, and (3) Sam:
mer Shower.
The silent read throughs continued on the
three plays in all the closed A and B sec-
tion classes.
Qggl read throughs started on the three
Indian plays in all the closed A and B sec-
tion classes.

Teacher lectures and teacher directed
class discussions continued on the three
plays and the related cultural concepts
found in Basham's study on India in all
the closed A and B section classes.
February 3rd procedure followed.

February 4th procedure followed.

February 5th procedure followed.

.AD.the closed A and B section classes dis-
cussed with their teacher the social and

the cultural concepts of India appropriate
for their oral and/or written class reports.

(Also the filmstrip on the Kathakali dance-
drama was shown to all the closed A and B

section classes.

February 10:

-February 12:

February 13:

February 16:

175
All the closed A and B section classes
started to work on their oral and/or
written reports outside of class.

Teacher lectures and teacher directed
class discussions continued on the Indian
plays and related materials in all the
closed A and B section classes.

A slide film talk was presented by Mr. Jeep
Jeffries on a family trip to India to all
the closed A and B section classes.

-Work continued on the oral and/or written
reports outside of class.

Teacher lectures and teacher directed
class discussions continued on the plays
and the related materials in all the closed
A and B section classes.

All the closed A and B section classes
started to read and to discuss in class a
novel on India - Nectar in a Sieve.

Work continued on the oral and/or
written reports outside Of class.

All the closed.A and B section classes
started to give their oral and/or written
reports in class.

-Work continued on the reading and the
class discussion of Nectar in a Sieve in

all the closed A and B section classes.

February

February
February
February
February
February
February
February
February

March 2:

17:

Control Groups

January 26:

March 2:

176
Oral and/or written reports continued in
all the closed A and B section classes.
Reading and class discussions continued
on Nectar in a Sieve in all the closed A

and B section classes.

February 17th procedure followed.

February 18th procedure followed.

February 19th procedure followed.“

February 20th procedure followed.

February 23rd procedure followed.

February 24th procedure followed.

February 25th procedure followed.

February 26th procedure followed.

Questionnaire Form BBBB and Questionnaire
Form CCCC were administred to all the closed
A and B section classes. Five week study-

unit on India concluded.

Questionnaire Form AAAA and Questionnaire
Form BBBB were administered to all the con-
trol section classes in East Lansing High
School and Okemos High School.
Questionnaire Form BBBB and Questionnaire
Form DDDD were administred to all the con-
trol section classes in East Lansing High

school and Okemos High School.

APPENDIX F

COMMENTS BY THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS ON THE
TWO TEACHING TREATMENTS USED IN THE STUDY ON
INDIA

APPENDIX F

Comments by the Teachers and the Students on the Two Teaching

Treatments Used in theggtudy on India

A few of the salient personal comments by the teachers
.and the students who participated in the two teaching treat-
ments are listed below. Overall, these comments Offer a
sampling Of their reactions to the experimental study ap-

proaches on India.

Open Teaching Treatment

Favorable Comments by the Teachers

One teacher said: "The theatre, or acting, approach
to learning is more exciting and more beneficial. It
should be carried through in one form or another in
all subjects."

Another teacher stated: "I think the open class woke

up a lot of students. .Many of the students who have
been quiet all year blossomed out. It brought out self-
reliance in many of the students."

The teachers claimed: "That the largest amount of at—
titude change was in the Open classes. Six months from
now the Students from the Open classes will remember
more about their experiences."

One of the teachers stated: "My students were really
aware Of the physical dynamics Of acting, the pungent
Odor of the incense, the peculiar flavor of the Indian
food, the texture Of the costume materials and the con—
sistency Of the make up grease paints."

All the teachers agreed: "Overall,a high level of
personal interaction and feedback was apparent in the
open classes because the students asked many questions
among themselves on how to do the plays."

177

178

All the teachers agreed: "The open classes were emo-
tionally exhausting, but it was a good, happy tired."

The teachers got no complaints in the Open classes after
they started working on the plays. They said: "The
whole class got involved in the production of the Indian
plays, even to the point of talking about them with
their parents."

According to the teachers: "Working on the different
committees brought students together who had never been
together. It also gave the teachers a chance to learn
more about their students.“

In support of this, one teacher said: "One of my most
able students fell apart as a director because he
couldn't control his cast."

One teacher said: "I would do it again, the open ap-
proach, I mean, simply because it is interesting and
fun to do for most of the students, as well as myself."

Favorable Comments by the Students

Several students were excited about the study approach
on India and wanted something like it to be repeated.
They stated: "At first we thought it was a bad idea.
.We had no interest in learning about India and thought
it would be boring. Then we split up into different
committees and started working on the plays. We really
liked it, and we would like to do it again."

Some students said: "By acting the role of an Indian,
we had learned a lot about the people and their customs.’

One student exclaimed: "It was confusing as hell at
first, but gradually we got organized and everyone
pitched right in."

Another student said: "The Indian food really turned
me on, but that incense - phewL What an Odori"

Several students agreed with one student's statement:
"Questions: QuestiOnsl I never asked so many questions
in my life."

Some students stated: "We left the class emotionally
beat, but we were glad to go back the next day."

179

Unfavorable Comments by the Teachers

One teacher said: "Personally, I feel, over a period
of time, that the Open approach could become too emo-
tionally tiring for everyone involved in it."

All the teachers asked, "What do you do for the student who
is reluctant to become involved in the playmaking ac-
tivities or the marginal one who finds it difficult to
learn anything. There is hardly any time for individual
attention in the open approach."

According to the teachers: "There is a lot of wasted
motion and energy at times in this Open approach. It

needs constant supervision. The teacher is here, there,
and everywhere at once."

Unfavorable Comments by the Students
A few students said: "We were bored to death because
we were not interested in the activities."

Some students stated: "Plays turn us Off."

A few students exclaimed: "Who needs to learn about
India anyway?"

Several students said: "Everything was moving so fast,
we just couldn't catch up."

A few students stated: "We were so frustrated by all
the activities, we didn't have time to learn much on a
particular area Of interest to us."

Some students declared: "It was too much work, so we
turned Off."

Closed Teaching Treatment

Favorable Comments by the Teachers

All the teachers said: "We feel more factual know-
ledge had been acquired by the students in the closed
classes."

One teacher stated: "Some of my students really liked
the closed approach.

180

According to the teachers: "We had much more time for
individual student attention in the closed classes."

Another teacher said: "I must say that in contrast to
the Open approach I did have more time to devote to in-
depth work on a particular area Of interest to the stu-
dents."

The teachers agreed: "That, overall, the individual
student projects showed good effort and content for
most of the students."

The other teachers supported one teacher's statement:
"Generally speaking, a better continuity in the use Of
the various teaching materials was possible in the
closed approach."

In general, the teachers agreed: "That the closed
classes were not as emotionally tiring for the students
or us. Some students did well and seemed comfortable
with the teaching approach."

Favorable Comments by the Students

Some of the students said: "We enjoyed the closed
classes because we could spend time on things of inter-
est tO us, especially the individual projects."

One student stated: "I learned to like plays because
we really dug into them.“

Another student declared: "I had time to think about
life in India by looking at what was in the plays, the
motion pictures, etc."

Some of the students agreed: "That the work wasn't too
hard because the teacher did much of it for us."

A few students said: "We learned because the teacher
made it interesting to us."

Unfavorable Comments by the Teachers

The teachers claimed: "That there was almost no inter-
action between the students and the teacher. It was
‘difficult to draw the students into any kind Of discus-
sion on the plays, and the students had very little
enthusiasm for the closed approach."

181

One teacher stated: "I found the morning closed classes
boring, deadly, and very limiting to the students."

According to the teachers: "The majority of the com-
plaints and grumbling came from students in the closed
classes."

Another teacher said: "Some of my students complained
to their parents about the teaching approach."

The teachers agreed: "That the sensory stimulation was
too limiting. The films were repetitious and didactic,
and the reading of the plays became monotonous at times."

All the teachers said: "Many of the students in our
closed classes came in quite Often during class break
to see what we were doing in the Open approach."

Unfavorable Comments by the Students

Some students from the closed morning classes felt:
"The entire session was a waste of time, and very un-
interesting."

Other students said: “The presentation really turned
us Off. (We think we would have learned a lot more if
we had been able to do something active."

Several students stated: "There was just too much
teacher control. It was frustrating because we had so
few Opportunities to really become involved in any-
thing worthwhile."

APPENDIX G

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOR THE USE OF THE INDIAN PLAYS
IN THE STUDY ON INDIA

APPENDIX G

Acknowledgments for the Use of the Indian Plays in the Study

on India

The writer of this thesis is deeply indebted to the
authors and translators of the three plays. Their works
were central to the class instruction, so it is most appro-

priate here to comment briefly about these persons.

Tarun Roy: Author of "Summer Shower"

 

Mr. Roy's pen name is Dhananjoy Bairagi, probably be-
cause he acts in so many Of his Shows he does not want added
recognition for his talents. Other plays by this famous
author, director, and actor are: Bondage and Freedom, Hare
mony, Light That Shone in Darkness, Dhritarashtra (Blind Love
Personified), Rupoli Chand (Silvery Moon) and Ek Mutho
Akaash (Handful of Sky). He, also, wrote Odor of Tubrose.

He lives in Calcutta, India.

Vedantam Subrahmanyam: translator of "Summer Shower"

into English

The Bengali version is entitled Ex-Pashla-Bristi. Mr.
Subrahmanyam translated the play into English and also pub-

.lished it himself in Calcutta, India, in 1959.

182

183
C. C. Mehta: translator of "The Priest and the Prosti-

tute"into English

Mr..Mehta translated the play from Sanskrit into English
in 1966-67 when he was a visiting professor at Michigan State
University. The play has been published along with two other
translations of Mr. Mehta by the University of Baroda entitled
Three Sanskrit Eighter Delights. The publication date was
(1969).

Asaita Thakar: reputed authorc§§”Bawa No Vesh"

This play is reputed to have been written by Asaita
Thakar, the founder of Bhavai, although no firm proof exists
regarding his authorship. The play is a hereditary story
passed down from father to son by the bhavaiyas (the community of
players). A text of the play was published in Ahmedabad by
Mahipatram Nilakanth in the late 19th century (no clear
publication date available). The story as it is translated
by Harish Travedi and adapted by Tevia Abrams and Farley

Richmond is considerably modified from the actual text.

"IHEWITTEs