Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Ms Marple vs Mr Poirot

Ok by now everybody knows that I am a huge Agatha Christie fan .Of all her creations I love her works which involves Mr Poirot or Ms Marple. Although Christie has written only 13 novels with Ms Marple as the investigator  I still love Ms Marple more than anybody else. The other books she has written with Parker Pyne ,Tommy and Tuppence aren't many and somehow was not able to read them with lots of interest. Ok now lets come to Mr Poirot and Ms Marple. They both investigate crimes .Thats the only thing which is common between them.In terms of character they are poles apart.Let me list down a few of them.

Methodical vs Haphazardness

Poirot is extremely methodical in his process of investigation as well as in his personal life. He adjusts ashtrays ,makes sure his stuff are kept properly in its place (Ms Lemon /George sure help him in this!) .Although  Watson  tries to mellow it down ,Poirot doesn't budge. He must do things in an order. And surprisingly the order lies in his head. He hates anybody who is not methodical  in their approach(any Poirot story we take up is definitely an instance of this) and thats where Ms Marple enters the picture.Her investigation process is totally haphazard. She has no method but does have a sharp eye and an ear.With the help of these both she manages to crack every crime piece. The thirteen problems is an fantastic example of this. She manages to guess her nephew's impending marriage just by his and his fiance's behaviour which nobody else observe. Otherwise she has no process at all. Just observe each day and create a jigsaw piece and finally piece it together to crack the crime.

To the point vs Digress-er

Poirot hates anybody who digress and do not get to the point faster. How many times we see that the witness at the scene of crime especially maids  go on and on and on and hardly get to the point .He himself gets to the point very quickly and asks questions which are only relevant  Ms Marple on the other hand is a total digress-er .At one point she talks of the crime and in another about the milk man or the delivery boy.Only later we realize that what she spoke at that time has some relevance to the crime. But at the specific moment it seems as if she is scatting and kind of puts off the rest of the people around her.

Boastful ,Proud,immodest vs Self demeaning

It is very clear who is boastful. The greatest detective the world has seen ever :).Yep Mr. Poirot. He keeps praising himself so much that at one point you want shake him up and request him to be more modest. But modesty is not his cup of tea sorry sirop :D. Whereas our Ms Marple keeps telling that she hardly has gone out St Mary Mead and she can only judge based on her experiences in her place. She hardly takes credit for any work she has done  .At first she seems as if she is totally out her mind and she doesn't even correct anybody who believes it to be the case. That is one of the main reason why I love Ms. Marple.


Dressing

Poirot being Poirot gives too much importance to his appearance. He is immaculately  dressed and his mustaches take up most of his time.And Ms Marple hardly takes her appearance into account.She just worried about her rheumatism and health and nothing else.


Ok these are the things I can think of .If anybody else can add anything else I would love to hear.

Ciao



Thursday, March 07, 2013

Women's day

Women's day is around the corner  and I am sure  many articles will come up with topics like these "How to manage work life and home life ", "Women in our society","Crimes against women" etc. The whole fact that these topics are written every year   around women's day is in itself a wonder to me .

The articles are written every year simply because nothing has changed. The women is still talked about ,discussed about  . The chat shows,tv channels , newspapers and in our own households. Crimes again women are on the rise. As far as I  know dowry harassment is still rampant.Not a day goes without hearing the word "rape" . The wives are getting beaten up and yes their opinions still don't matter. And of course the girls are still "items" (It is a shame that top actors themselves want to be called "item" girls). Now of course the positive side of it is that people are  growing aware of the evils in our society. The news channels are not leaving a single stone unturned (maybe for sensationalism ,don't know the motive)  to get the news across to us.  But I always wondered what is the reason behind all this? Why does a woman still need a "Women's day" to tell the world she is just another human being  . Why does she need this special attention ?Why does she have to scream and tell  "I am a woman ,respect me?"  These questions have never come up for a man! And it will never.I am sure about it.

The whole answer lies(I feel) in the way  women are made . Their physical  make up I mean. And of course this led for the man to behave in a certain way which the women endured meekly and  now it won't stop! The very act of procreation is designed in such a way that women's power is diminished. Makes her physically weak. And this gave man the great power to dominate .And he assumed (I guess) that if he can dominate in the act of procreation,he can do the same in all walks of life. This included things like beating her up(he is physically stronger) , screaming at her(show of power again), impose himself on her (without her permission), assume that women have no brains so there is no need to ask her for her opinion(coming from the same dominating personality) .Because the man was physically stronger  he would go out and get the wood ,build house etc. And the women had to make sure their men ate well and ended up cooking.But who added rules like after marriage the woman should go to the man's house ,that she should assume his name, that her children also should bear the father's name is a bit obscure.But whoever did ,should be blamed partly for all this mess. And in our country, the exchange of money during the marriage is an additional evil  to whole "disrespect for women" scenario.

The positive side is that people are aware now. Our own men have realized that what their ancestors did was wrong. Many are treating their  partners as equals. But unfortunately that is just the 2% of the population. The rest are still in the dark(including the women). Womenfolk please wake up! If your dignity is being shamed then question it.If someone is treating you like an physical object then stand up and fight and if you are not aware of what you want from life then please please educate yourself. Education will enlighten you!

Here is wishing every woman  a happy "Women's day".I only  wish that such a day should never be celebrated but only used as a tool to help women understand that they are equals as well.

Friday, March 01, 2013

A Poem


They

Two inches on this side and  hundred inches  on that side,
I am of the same colour.
I grow trees, feed animals, fill myself with water  that’s all I know.
Here or there it is the same for the blind me.
Yet they colour me with red for the same me.
They pushed down the wall to grab me with greedy hands.
They plunder me to have me.
I cry but they don’t hear the deaf ones.
God Let me be .Please.

I flow from beginning to the end to meet my sea.
Am I in the temple land or land of kings?
Here or there it is the same for the blind me.
I quench thirst and nurture life, that’s all I know.
They fight for me, they cut me into half, they stop me.
I roar and weep yet none hear, the deaf ones.
God let me just flow .Please.

I know to love and nurture
And in return I want the same. That’s all I know.
I am a human too with emotions and self respect.
Why am I treated like an object?
They ravage me, poke me, and murder my respect.
I shout for help ,I scream ,the bus moves.
My country shouts for justice yet none hear,the deaf ones.
God, just let me live with respect.Please.

I was made by you to help you .That’s all I know.
The more they have me the more they are happy.
They use me to hurt, murder and cheat  .
Their greed for me turns them to monsters.
 I cannot cry, I cannot weep. I cannot feel.
I am just a green paper. I can just pass on.
God, is there a way out of this ?Please?