1. Power of Literature
The theme:
By: Nandita Seshadri & Radhika Santhanam
Power of Literature

2. Significance of Literature:
Form of escapism
Allows LCS to understand her own potential I had no idea you could take on the role of a completely different person...-and still be yourself...Luo told me Id make a good actress.
Boys experience different worlds and realms
Encouraged to be more daring: About those books, what if we stole them?
It enthralls the boys to an extent that they do unusual things Well help you carry your hod to the rice station... you can lend us some of the books youve hidden. & If we were to succeed in getting your miller to sing his folk songs to us, would you lend us more books by Balzac? - Luo.
Literature is a metonymy for Western Culture
Power of Literature
3. Stylistic Features:
soft, supple and smooth- sibilance and triplets creates calming effect which juxtaposes the environment the boys are in
...a ray of light bounced of the glossy lid- symbolism- light hope- books bring chance of hope
Four-Eyes walked on air- metaphor- Four-Eyes is no longer bound to oppressions of mountain life
Modern man has moved beyond the age of the thousand and one nights, and modern societies everywhere, whether socialist or capitalist has done away with the old story tellers.- Luo, at first, underestimates power of books- irony
Power of Literature
4. Stylistic Features Contd: ALLUSION
Counte of Monte Cristo:

LCS realizes her potential

5. LCS gets the idea of reinventing herself 6. LCS realizes she can escape from her planned destinyUrsuleMiouret:

LCS and Luo are introduced to love and sex

7. All characters are introduced to new worlds and different realmsPower of Literature
8. Transformative Power of Lit: -
'...book titles poured from our lips, the mysterious and exotic names evoking unknown worlds.- page 46
...whatever his reasons, his choice was to have a profound effect on our lives.- page 52
'...Picture if you will, a boy of nineteen... having heard nothing but revolutionary blather about patriotism, communism, ideology and propaganda all his life, falling headlong into a story of awakening desire passion, impulsive action, love.- page 53
Power of Literature
9. Quotes- Explained Cont:
In spite of my complete ignorance of that distant land called France... I was feeling quite at home in Nemours.- page 53
'...then I was seized with an idea: I would copy out my favorite paragraphs from UrsuleMirouet.- page 54
it was like seeing a great uprooted tree: the nobility of its trunk, the grandeur of its branches, the strength of its naked roots.- page 56
'... your coat was resting on the flat of her hands, the way a sacred object lies in the hands of the pious.- page 58
Power of Literature
10. '...this fellow Balzac is a wizard. He touched the head of this mountain girl and she was transformed, carried away in a dream.- page 58
About those books, what if we stole them?- page 83
'...we were beside ourselves. My head reeled, as if I'd had too much to drink- page 93
'...loathing for everyone who kept these books from us.- page 93
'...with these books, I shall transform the Little Chinese Seamstress. She'll never be a simple mountain girl again.
'...we were seduced, overwhelmed, spell-bound by the mystery of the outside would... page after page, book after book.- page 101
Power of Literature
11. fierce individualism; one man standing up against the whole world.- page 102
"I was carried away, swept along by the mighty stream of words pouring from the hundreds of pages. To me it was the ultimate book: once you had read it, neither your own life nor the world you lived in would ever look the same." page 102/103
My passion for Jean-Christophe was so great that... I wanted something to be my very own.- page 103
'...I wondered what my good friend Jean-Christophe would say if were to turn back.- page 106
'The blue sailor trousers mentioned by Dumas and copied by his disciple, the old tailor conquered the girls hearts with their fluttering bell-bottoms and whiff of Cte dAuzur.- page 117/118
Power of Literature
12. ...I pictured myself at the head of a routed army.- page 138
If you will help my girlfriend... I will give you a book by Balzac.- page 160
It was not the little seamstress's predicament that was making me weep, I think, nor was it relief at having come this far in my efforts to save her. It was hearing the name of Fu Lei, Balzac's translator- someone I had never met.- page 161
The deal we had made was that I would give him our copy of UrsuleMirouet, but upon reflection I decided to extend his reward to include the book I treasured most of all- Jean Christophe, which had been translated by the same Fu Lei.- page 162
Power of Literature
13. '...the poor somnambulant french girl was roused by the conflagration, she tried to flee, but it was too late; before she could be reunited with her beloved cousin, she too was engulfed in the flames.' page 164
That the ultimate pay-off of this metamorphosis...was yet to come did not occur to us- page 168
She said she had learnt one thing from Balzac - that a womans beauty is a treasure beyond price.- page 172
Power of Literature