This PPT is prepared as a part of virtual Teacher's Day Celebration, 2023 at the Department of English, MKBU, in which I have selected the topic Meena Kandasamy's Poem 'One - Eyed.'
1. Department Of English, Maharaja
Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar
University..
● Virtual Teacher’s Day Celebration
On 5th september, 2023
Prepared by :- Hetal pathak
3. Introduction about
the author
An Overview of
the Poem
Poem’s
Message
Conclusion
01 02
Table of contents :-
03 04
Relevant Images
and news headline
about that Incident
05
4. Introduction
❏ Ilavenil Meena kandasamy born in
the year 1984 is an indian Poet,
Fiction writer, translator and activist
from Chennai , Tamil nadu, India.
❏ She developed an early interest in
Poetry, and later adopted the name
Meena. She Completed a Doctorate of
philosophy in Sociolinguistics from
Anna university , Chennai.
❏ But, she began writing poetry at the
age of 17 and began translating
books by Dalit writers and leaders
into English.
5. Continue…
❏ As a writer, Her main focus was mainly on caste annihilation,
Feminism and linguistic Identity. She is an anti caste activist,
Poet, Novelist and translator.
❏ Her Father taught Tamil for a time at the Madras university.
Their Involvement in the anti - caste Struggle led Meena to Work
alongside Dalit movements and it influences all her Work.
❏ Her Writing aims to deconstruct trauma and Violence. She says
that ;
“ Poetry is not caught up within larger structures
that Pressure you to adopt a Certain set of Practices while
you Present your ideas in the way that academic language
is’’.
6. One - Eyed Poem :-
the Pot sees just another noisy child
the glass sees an eager and Clumsy hand
the water sees a Parched throat Slaking thirst
But the teacher sees a girl breaking the rule
the doctor sees a case of a medical emergency
the school sees a potential embarrassment
the press sees a headline and a photo feature
dhanam sees a world torn in half.
Her left eye, lid open but light slapped away,
the Price for a taste of that touchable water.
7. ● The Poem is about Dhanam - a little girl who is thirsty and
touches the pot, drinking a glass of water from it.
● “One-Eyed”, the short poem highlights various atrocities
committed against the dalit women. Meena kandasamy
emphasizes the humanitarian attitude of inanimate things
which human beings lack.
● This Poem Poignantly reveals the story of a child whose eyesight
was snatched for drinking water in the glass that is only meant
for the upper class.
● The Concept of Untouchability is primarily used against lower
caste and lower section people.
An Overview of the Poem :-
8.
9. Continue…
❖ The teacher of the School considers it as an act of Violating the
rule whereas the media looks it as a Fresh headline to Publish.
❖ In this poem the learned teacher in the school slapped the girl for
breaking the rules. Meena Kandasamy tries to tell us that Dalits
are the worst sufferers. As they do not have the Political and
economic power to fight against the upper class People’s
supremacy.
❖ Even the pot, glass and water take pity upon the girl. These
inanimate objects feel for her and they allow themselves to
quench her thirst.
10. Poem’s Message :-
● Water is a natural resource and it never gulps but
sacrifices itself to all the creatures in the world. But ,
Some human beings divide water for the upper caste
and water for the lower caste.
● The children of the low castes were denied the right to
drink water with the other , Dhanam was slapped
severely when she drank. In her eyes the world seems to
be Partial one and it shows Partiality to a Particular
group.
● The main message of this poem is Dalits are Common
people like other human beings and they also have their
own lives.
11. Conclusion :-
To Conclude, Meena kandasamy recounts the brutal and
inhuman treatment given to the little girl of the lower caste.
Here , In this poem the reader could see that an institution
corrupts the little child.
According to Meena Kandasamy , the school, hospital and press
violate the rules. Human beings are born equal in dignity and
rights.
Meena Kandasamy voices for the Unvoiced especially for
Dalits.
