The 3Ls of Empowerment

Summary
The 3 Ls of women's Empowerment is a thought-provoking speech delivered by
Christine Lagarde, the first women Finance Minister of the G8 economy and the head of
the International Monitory Fund(IMF). She explains the three key factors which
constitute women's empowerment as learning, labor, and leadership. She also emphasizes
the attitudinal changes that have to happen in the mind of the people.

Education is the fundamental means to bring any desired change in society; it enables
women to acquire knowledge, skills, and techniques which will help them in their
personal and social growth as well as foster their sensitivity towards problems in society.
Education not only helps in the development of the personality of the child but also
determines his future. It has been said if you educate a man you educate a person, but if
you educate a woman you educate the entire village’. Education of the girl child would
mean the emancipation of women and the social development of the nation. Lack of
education is the root cause of women’s exploitation and negligence. Economical
independence in a male-dominated society is necessary for the empowerment of women.
Only literacy and education can help women to secure a decent job and economic stability
which make her powerful enough to claim social right and equity.

Any change we desire to see in society should begin with ourselves.

Women's empowerment is not possible without changing the attitude of society.
Government policies and regulations alone cannot bring women empowerment. It should
be begun from or the home itself. We have to provide a congenial situation to the women
members of our family enough space to express their views and aspirations in matters
related to the family. we should dare to change the existing practices of considering
women as second-class citizens. The age-old customs of considering women as the
underprivileged and subjugated citizens should be abandoned. We should avoid all the
restrictions in the names of religion, culture, and other social barriers which
prevent women from acquiring quality education and restrict them from coming into the
limelight of society. If we dare to face the challenges and do our responsibilities the
difference will deliver.

Ways of Empowering Women.

a. Giving quality education.

b. Giving equal status and equal wages.
c. Providing job opportunities.
d. Providing social Justice.
e. Ensuring participation in all fields.
f. Developing the culture of inclusion.
g. Providing better health care.
h. Giving social security.

Five questions for an interview with Christine Lagarde

I. Say about your childhood

II. What are the challenging tasks before women in the world?
III. Why do you select this field?
IV. How can we build self-confidence in women?
V. What is your message to us?
How to prevent atrocities against women in our society?

a) Conducting awareness programs.

b) Developing the culture of social inclusion.
c) Strict implementation of the law.
d) Establishment of fast-track courts to handle cases of atrocities against women.
e) Establishment of guidance and counselling centres in all villages.
f) Adopt a better rehabilitation policy

Importance of education in Women empowerment

a. Education is a golden way to success.

b. Education paves the way for human resource development.
c. Education provides more opportunities.
d. Education develops a personality.
e. Education improves knowledge.
f. Education develops creativity.
g. Education gives hope and dreams.
h. Education gives better life training.

Major qualities of a woman to attain success in life

1. Self-confidence
2. Hard work
3. Life skills
4. Patience
5. Perseverance
6. Social outlook
7. Emotional intelligence

Women should step outside their comfort zones- Discuss

The majority of women around the world are at ease within the four walls of their own
homes. They are unwilling to take on difficult jobs in order to demonstrate their abilities.
Women must definitely step outside of their comfort zone if they are to reclaim their
rightful place in society. Most women, particularly Indian women, feel safe and secure
within the four walls of their own home. Even when they do work, they prefer safe jobs
such as teaching, nursing, and clerical work. They are afraid of taking on more difficult
jobs because they are afraid of failing. They believe that if they take on jobs and do things
that men do, they will be labelled as "men," which they despise. As a result, they stay in
their comfort zones, denying themselves the opportunity to develop to their full potential.

The role of learning, labour and leadership skills in making a woman liberated.

The 3Ls are crucial in a woman's liberation. Education teaches her about her rights and
responsibilities. Labour allows her to earn money while also contributing to the nation's
economic development. Women can be better leaders because they make decisions based
on consensus, inclusion, compassion, and sustainability. Men are more impulsive,
whereas women are more reserved.
Women sometimes lack the confidence to match their competence. Comment on the
statement.

Many women are competent, but they often lack confidence. They are afraid of failing.
We have seen women like Israel's Golda Meir, Britain's Margaret Thatcher, Sri Lanka's
Sirimao Bandaranaike, and India's Indira Gandhi. They were all manlier than men! They
were tough ladies who had the guts to do what they thought was right. However, most
ladies lack such self-assurance. They would rather stay at home and care for their
husbands and children. Their mindset must shift. They should believe that they are not
inferior to men. "What a man can do, a woman can do better!" says a popular African
proverb. Let them believe in it and then they will see the difference.

How can we build self-confidence in women?

We can boost women's self-esteem by allowing them to do things on their own, without
being advised or guided. They should be forced to read biographies of women like Israel's
Golda Meir, Britain's Margaret Thatcher, Sri Lanka's Sirimao Bandaranaike, and India's
Indira Gandhi. They should also learn about the first woman in space, Valentina
Tereshkova, and our own Kalpana Chawla. All religious books contain stories about
strong and courageous women. The belief that men and women are equal should be
instilled in them. Entrust them with responsible jobs.

Can speeches make an impact on the human mind?

There is no doubt that speeches can influence listeners' minds. We can observe how great
orators impacted their audiences. Subhash Chandra Bose, one of our own, once stated,
"Give me blood, and I will give you freedom." Because of his words, a lot of people
joined the INA (Indian National Army). We are aware of how Winston Churchill affected
his countrymen throughout the Second World War with his 13 May 1940 address, "Blood,
Toil, Tears, and Sweat." He told the cabinet after being chosen as prime minister, "I have
nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat." Kennedy's historic inauguration address,
delivered on January 20, 1961, had an impact on youth in the United States and, in fact,
the entire world. He advised, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you
can do for your country." We are influenced by speeches. Some of our political leaders are
skilled orators, which explains why they hold positions of authority.

Why do we make speeches?

We make speeches to make our listeners follow our ideas and ideologies. Through
speeches we let others know what we think is right. Religious leaders make the believers
follow their religion through speeches, known as sermons. Political leaders constantly
make speeches to retain their following and to prove that their policies and programmes
are the best. To be successful in public we ought to master the art of speech-making.
Oratorical skills are essential for leaders to make an impact on people. Sometimes, it may
sound paradoxical, but words often speak louder than actions!

Christine Lagarde suggests various means of empowering women. She persuasively

insists on the idea that women should think and act independently. Keeping this in
mind; Prepare a script of a persuasive speech on the topic „Education is the Key to
Women Empowerment‟ to be delivered at the school assembly on International
Women‟s Day (March 8).

Respected Principal, teachers, and my dear students, You are probably aware that it is
International Women's Day today, March 8. The day is marked globally in order to
guarantee that women participate equally in developmental initiatives. Women are still
frequently regarded as second-class citizens around the world. India is one of the nations
where prejudice against women is the worst. The system of dowries still exists. Males
frequently kill females. Despite being against the law, things nonetheless occur in our
culture.
The life of an Indian woman, generally speaking, is a series of slaveries. Until she is
married, she is a slave of her father; when she is married she is a slave of her husband and
when the husband dies she becomes the slave of her son with whom she chooses to stay. It
is usual that husbands die before their wives because they marry women much younger to
them. This situation has to change and this can be done by 3 Ls – Learning, Labour and
Leadership – as shown by Christine Lagarde, who was first woman Finance Minister of
France. Learning helps the woman to know about her rights and duties. Labour or
employment gi ves her the economic power to assert herself. A woman without any
income has to depend on her father, husband or son for her needs. Leadership makes the
woman powerful. She should be able to lead so that the world becomes a better place to
live in. Lagarde says women make better leaders than men. Women tend to make
decisions based on consensus -building, inclusion, compassion and sustainability. It is true
that sometimes women lack the confidence to match their competence. They have to
change their mindset. They should be ready to “dare the difference”, to take risk and step
outside their comfort zones. Indira Gandhi and Kalpana Chawla .came out of their
comfort zones and that is why we respect them and remember them almost every day.
I, therefore, ask the girls assembled here to take charge of their lives. You have a lot to
gain and nothing to lose by trying to make yourself equal to men. I wish you success in
your endeavour!

In her speech The 3Ls of Empowerment’, Christine Lagarde speaks about the
importance of learning in empowering women. Do Indian women get an equal space
in the society? Write a paragraph of about 100 words on the social, cultural and
economic status of Indian women.
Christine Lagarde is quite right in saying that in em powering women, learning has great
importance. In the Indian society, women do not have equality with men in many areas.
Although the Constitution of India ensures equality of women in all aspects of life, in
practice that equality remains on paper. In the social, economic and cultural status, women
are inferior to m en. Even now there is the dowry system. When a man marries he gets not
only a wife, but also a lot of money which is called by euphemistic terms like share,
pocket money or gift. But the fact of the matter is women won’t get married unless they
pay huge dowries to men. Culturally a woman is discriminated against. She is refused
entry in m any places, even in some places of worship just because she is a woman. There
is also economic discrimination. If a m an gets Rs. 800 as his daily wages, a woman is
paid only Rs. 400, although she may do more work than a man. Look at the Ministries in
the Centre and the States. How m any women ministers are there? Look at the Lok Sabha
and the State Assemblies. How many women representatives are there? We find in India
equality of women is only on paper and to change this, learning has a major role to play.

Imagine that your Residents’ Association is organizing a celebration on Women’s

Day. As the secretary of the Youth Wing of the Association, you are asked to deliver
a speech on the Role of Women in the Family and Society. Draft the speech in the
light of your reading of “The 3Ls of Empowerment’ and any Woman’.
Respected Principal, teachers, and my dear students, As all of you know, today, March 8,
is International Women’s Day. All over the world, the day is observed to ensure that
women have an equal share in the developmental activities. In m any parts of the world,
women are still considered second class citizens. India is one of the countries where
women suffer most because of discrimination. We still have the dowry system. Female
foeticide is common. Although these are prohibited by law, they still go on in our society.
The life of an Indian woman, generally speaking, is a series of slaveries. Until she is
married, she is a slave of her father; when she is married she is a slave of her husband and
when the husband dies she becomes the slave of her son with whom she chooses to stay. It
is usual that husbands die before their wives because they marry women much younger to
them. This situation has to change and this can be done by 3 Ls – Learning, Labour and
Leadership – as shown by Christine Lagarde, who was first woman Finance Minister of
Franc e. Learning helps the woman to know about her rights and duties. Labour or
employment gives her the economic power to assert herself. A wom an without any
income has to depend on her father, husband or son for her needs. Leadership makes the
woman powerful. She should be able to lead so that the world becomes a better place to
live in. Lagarde says women make better leaders than men. Women tend to make
decisions based on consensus -building, inclusion, compassion and sustainability. It is true
that sometimes women lack the confidence to match their competence. They have to
change their mindset. They should be ready to “dare the difference”, to take risk and step
outside their com fort zones. Indira Gandhi and Kalpana Chawla cam e out of their
comfort zones and t hat is why we respect them and remember them almost every day. I,
therefore, ask the girls assembled here to take charge of their lives. You have a lot to gain
and nothing to lose by trying to make yourself equal to men. I wish you success in your
endeavours!

You are a regular commuter in city buses. You have noticed that the seats reserved
for women are usually occupied by men. The conductor of the bus does not respond
to your complaints and you decide to report it to the station master. Draft a letter of
complaint.

Radha
Govt HSS,
Kollam
1 Jan 2023

The Station Master

City Bus Service
Kollam

Sir,
Sub: Seats Reserved for Women in the City Buses

I am a regular traveller in the city buses. As a woman, I find it quite irritating to see men
occupying the seats meant for women, while women are standing. The other day I saw a
pregnant woman and an old lady standing in the bus, while the seats reserved for women
were occupied by some very impolite and rude male passengers. I requested the conductor
of the bus to ask the illegal occupants to vacate the seats but the conductor told me that he
would be abused or even beaten by the men. I think this is a gross violation of the law by
the male passengers. Please ensure that the seats reserved for women are made available
to them when they are travelling in the bus.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,

Sd /-
(Radha)

The Ayalkkoottam unit in your locality is opening a canteen for wayfarers and locals.
Imagine that you are a journalist and you wish to prepare a feature on how such
initiatives boost the self-confidence of women.
 Opening Of Vanitha Canteen Near Kollam Junction

The Ayalkkoottam Unit of Kollam is planning to open a Vanitha Canteen for wayfarers
and locals very close to the Kollam Junction, on the NH 47. The Canteen will be managed
by a Committee consisting of only women. The primary aim of opening the Canteen is
building self-confidence among women to undertake new initiatives. It will also bring in
financial benefits to the Ayalkkootam for planning and executing other welfare services in
the locality. Since Kollam is a busy junction, the Canteen is expected to have a lot of
customers. Since the prices are below what is charged by similar places run by private
persons, it is expected that Canteen will prove a success.

If you are in Kollam for any reason you may visit this Canteen and have nice meals or
snacks at quite reasonable prices. The authorities say customers can expect excellent
personalized service in their Canteen.

The Social Science Club of our school is organizing a debate on the topic “Women
are born to do what men cannot do’ on 21.8.2017. The programme will be
inaugurated by Dr. Prasanna who fights for women’s rights. We shall be thankful if
you could kindly register your names at least by 18.8.2017.

Sd/-
Convenor
Social Science Club

A popular television channel is telecasting a panel discussion on ‘The Need for women
Empowerment’. If you are one of the panellist, how will you introduce the topic? Attempt
it in about 150 words.

The Need for Women Empowerment Empowering women is an urgent need of the day,
especially in our society. In the Indian society, women do not have equality with men in
many areas. Although the Constitution of India ensures equality of women in all aspects
of life, in practice that equality remains on paper. In the social, economic and cultural
status, women are considered inferior to men. Even now there is the dowry system. When
a man marries he not only gets a wife, but he also gets a lot of money or ornaments. Many
women don’t get married because they have no money to pay huge dowries to men.
Culturally a woman is discriminated against. She is refused entry in many places, even in
places of worship just because she is a woman. There is also economic discrimination. If a
man gets Rs. 800 as his daily wages, a woman is paid only Rs. 400, although she may do
more work than a man. Look at the Ministries in the Centre and the States. How many
women ministers are there? Look at the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies. How many
women representatives are there? We find in India equality of women is only on paper.
Therefore the empowerment of women is very essential.

A debate was conducted by the English Club of your school on the topic ‘Women are
not born to do everything a man can’. As a member of the group that supports the
topic, write a short paragraph expressing your arguments in favour of the topic.
There should be at least four points in your argument. You may use expressions like
‘I agree … ,”1 don’t agree…’ etc.

I quite agree with the idea that “Women are not born to do everything a man can”. I may
sound a male chauvinist when I say like that. But look at the facts impartially and decide
if a woman can do everything a man can do. Can a woman run as fast as a man? Can a
woman lift as much weight as a man can? Can a woman jump as high as a man jumps?
Look at the world of science and technology. If you ask people to name some great
women inventors they may immediately gone up with the name of Marie Curie and then
they will struggle to find a second inventor. But we have hundreds of male inventors. Ask
the ladies to name a few literary giants like Shakespeare, Milton, Coleridge, Wordsworth,
Keats, Shelley, Dickens and so on. Of course they will come up with some names like
Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. But can we really compare their
works with those of the men? Now ask for great painters among women. Do they have
any Raphael, Michael Angelo or Pablo Picasso? Do they have any female composer to
match Mozart or Beethoven? So I feel that women can’t do everything that men can do!

Imagine that a leading activist for women’s rights is visiting your school. You are
one of the students who got an opportunity to interact with her. Frame four
questions on the need of women empowerment that you wish to ask.

Madam, do you think women empowerment is really possible?

What is the greatest obstacle you find in women empowerment?
Do you think women themselves are against women empowerment because in many
families mothers prefer their sons to their daughters?
We have heard that the 3 L’s for women empowerment are Learning, Labour and
Leadership. Are they enough?
 “Any Woman”
Katherine Tynan

Katharine Tynan was an Irish-born writer,

known mainly for her novels and poetry. After
her marriage in 1898 to the English writer and
barrister Henry Albert Hinkson she usually
wrote under the name Katharine Tynan Hinkson

Born: January 23, 1859, Ireland

Died: April 2, 1931, London, United Kingdom

Theme

The poem celebrates the significance of women in a family and how they keep the family
together.

Stanza I and II

Women are the ones holding the house together, preventing it from collapsing. They are the
pillars that hold the house high and the keystone to the arch. They provide warmth to
whoever seeks it. They radiate light and warm the earth that would otherwise be cold and
unpleasant.

Stanza III and IV

Children most often tend to approach women to seek comfort. They like to play with them and
grow under their care. There is no love like a mother’s love and under her care, no child loses his
way. No matter how old, a child will always want his mother to counsel and comfort him. She is
the knot that lovingly binds everyone together.
Stanza V and VI

A woman is described as being the house, she is indeed a home, where everyone finds comfort
and peace. She is a force to be reckoned with. She is the protector, a wall that shields the family
from all perils. The poem ends with the mother praying to Jesus to keep her alive till the children
grow.

1. Mention the underlying ideas in the expression ‘pillars of the house’.

The pillars are the main supports of the house. It is not possible to have a house without
pillars. The pillars support the weight of the house and make it stand without crumbling.
2. How does the poet portray the bond between a mother and her children?
The poet says that mothers give their children their love. She is their loving light. The
children can't thrive without her. She is the thread that ties the kids into the sacred ring of the
family. The kids do not want to be separated from her and leave. A stem and its branches are a
comparison for the relationship between a mother and her children.
3. Comment on the expression from ‘floor to roof’. Attempt to coin another expression
without changing the meaning.
Floor to roof is a phrase used to refer to something from beginning to end. The woman,
the mother of the house, has a connection with every aspect of the home. She is never alone or
unfamiliar with anything in the house. The phrases "top to bottom" and "head to toe" also have
the same meaning.
4. What is the symbolic significance of ‘wind and snow’?
'Wind and snow' is a metaphor for life's difficulties and hardships. Different kinds of
problems have an impact on life. They may be illnesses, money issues, emotional issues, or other
tragedies. The mother works to keep all of these things out of the family and away from the
people who live there.
5. Explain, in your own words, the concluding line of the poem.
It was a prayer that the woman addressed to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one that a woman
(Mary) laid in a manger. The woman is praying to Jesus not to take her life until her children
have grown. She knows that without her, her children would not be able to live and thrive in the
world.

Let’s Discuss Question

1. Woman: the focal point of the family.
The woman is the focal point of the family. She is the pillar of the house. She is the
keystone of the arch. Without her, the roof and wall will collapse. She is the heat upon the hearth.
She is the heat that warms the home. Without her the home will be colder than a stone.
The children get their warmth from her. She is the light of their love. Without her, her
children will not thrive. She holds the children together in the love ring of the home. They are
tied together with the knots of love. The children would not like to break the thread and go away
wandering. The woman is everything in the house. She is the one filling the bed of the children
with down (soft hair of animals) and covering them with leather. She is the wall that protects the
members of the family against all kinds of dangers. She prevents dangerous winds and snow from
harming the members. Without her a family is unimaginable.
2. The qualities a woman needs to face the challenges of life.
A woman should have many qualities to face the challenges of life. First of all she should
be educated. Education tells a woman her rights and duties. Secondly, she should have some
employment which brings her some income. Income empowers her. Then she should have
leadership qualities. These include wisdom, understanding, courage, determination, compassion,
sympathy and empathy. Women should not remain the weaker sex. There is nothing „weak‟
about them. They should dare the difference and come into leadership roles acquiring equality
with men in all walks of life.

Think and Write

1. Analyse the theme of the poem keeping in view the plight of women in the Indian social
scenario.
The theme of the poem is the importance of the woman in the family. Without a woman, a
family is simply unimaginable. This is more so in the case of Indian women. Women take care of
the children, cook, wash and do all other household chores. Nothing at home happens without her
knowledge or without her participation. She is the pillars, roof, walls and doors of the house. She
is the one who gives love to all. It is the woman who makes home a sweet place.
2. Identify the major figure of speech used in the poem and describe its significance.
The major figure of speech used in the poem is metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison
where one thing is seen as another. The entire poem is a metaphor because the woman thinks she
is the pillars, walls, roof and doors of the house. She is the heat and light of the house. In fact she
is the house!
3. What is the quantum of work done by a woman in the household? Can it be reduced?
How?
The quantum of work done by a woman is tremendous. She cooks for everyone in the
family. She washes the plates, pots and pans. She washes the clothes and irons them and keeps
them in the cupboard. She has to clean the house and the yard. She has also to take care of the
children‟s discipline as well as their education. Indeed, she has a lot to do.
Her work can be reduced in two ways. One way is taking mechanical help by using some
modern labour-saving machines. But, more importantly, her work can be reduced by an
understanding husband and loving children. They can lend a helping hand in the various jobs she
is doing at home.

Activity II (Appreciation)
Keeping in view the ideas discussed above, prepare an appreciation of the poem “Any
Woman”.
Appreciation of the poem

“Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan speaks of the importance of the woman in the family. She is
the pillars of the house. She is the keystone of the arch. She is the roof and walls. She is the fire
upon the hearth. Without her, the home would be colder than a stone.
The children come to her for love and affection. She is the light of their love. The children
could hardly thrive without her support. She is the one who holds the family together. No child
wants to get away from the close-knit family group. She is all over the house, from the floor to
the roof. Nothing happens without her knowledge. She decorates the house and makes the
children‟s bed cosy and warm.
She also protects the children from all dangers. She is the door that guards against all
kinds of troubles and tribulations that come to pester the inmates. At the end of the poem, the
woman prays to Jesus to spare her life till her children are properly grown up.
The poem has simple language. The entire poem is an exquisite metaphor. The imagery is
great. The woman doing all kinds of jobs and standing guard at the same time make us admire
her capabilities. Her love is superb and there is utter unselfishness in her activities. At last we
also see the birth of Jesus in the manger. We see the woman standing before Jesus praying to him
to let her live till her children grow up. Katharine has painted a fine picture of a devoted mother
with words.
The poem is rife with metaphors. The speaker compares herself to ‘pillars of the
house’, ‘keystone of the arch’, ‘fire on the hearth’, ‘light of the good sun’, ‘heat that warms
the ground’, ‘light of love’, ‘knot of love’, ‘home from floor to roof’, ‘wall against every
danger’, and ‘door against the wind and snow’. All of these analogies allude to maternal
love. The metaphor of the ‘sacred ring’ is intentionally employed to convey the holiness
associated with marital vows and the consequent bondage by which children are bound
inside the family. The ring is shaped like a circle, which symbolizes ‘forever’. It is a sign of
completeness, harmony, perfection, and tranquilly. Mother’s love and devotion exert a
gravitational pull on her children, compelling them not to stray.

Another beautiful metaphor is ‘the wind and snow,’ which represents family
conflicts. The line ‘Their door against the wind and snow’ is adjacent to the sentence
alluding to the birth of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary. This excellent example exemplifies
the ‘wind and snow’ that a woman encountered in the world. The final prayer becomes the
most moving passage, eliciting a tear from us. A woman cherishes her life and desires to
live in order to witness her children grow and provide them her support.

The artistic effect is produced through the repeating of the words ‘I am’. Another poetic
approach for conveying a sense of natural motion is ‘enjambment.’ The line ‘Take me away, and
roof and wall/Would collapse, entirely ruining me’ is an example of an idea running into the next
line. With the exception of the first stanza, all the stanzas rhyme in a pattern in which the first
line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the fourth, the rhyme scheme is abab.
 Matchbox

Sketch the character of Nomita. You may analyze the sentences given below:
Why, why does she keep on begging like this? “Stop it! What a common, vulgar m an
you are!” Nomita laughs a laugh that can bring an attractive flush to a white face.

Nomita is the wife of Ajit. They live in a joint family. Altogether there are 26 members in
that family. Nomita comes from a very poor family. But she is very beautiful and that is
how she gets married in to a rich family. Her mother, who is a widow, was the one who
managed to find a rich boy for her daughter. Nomita has no brothers or sisters. She is
referred to as “queen” by her mother. Her mother frequently writes to Nomita requesting
her for money. She used to write in postcards which could be read by anyone. Nomita is
ashamed that her mother is always begging for money. To prevent others from reading,
Nomita asks her mother to write letters in an envelope. The requests are so frequent that
Ajit says that there is no need for reading the letter, but send some money to her. Nomita
also secretly helps her mother. It seems her mother is very demanding and shameless as
she goes on begging. One day while collecting the soiled clothes for giving to the
washerman, Nomita sees a letter in the pocket of Ajit. It is torn and crumpled. It is
addressed to her and from the postmark, it is obvious that Ajit got it some 3 days earlier.
But he had not told anything about it. Nomita i s unhappy because Ajit reads the letters
addressed to her. She had told him many times not to do it. He says he is checking to see if
any love letter is sent to her by somebody. At this point Nomita gets angry and tells him
that he is a common, vulgar man. This enrages Ajit and he says she is a dung-picker’s
daughter. He will do what he wants to do and what can she do about it? Nomita, flaming
with anger, picks a matchbox and lights a stick and puts it on her sari which instantly
catches fire. Ajit rushes and with his bare hands he puts out the fire telling her that she
loses her common sense when she is angry. Nomita can be very sarcastic and can make
faces effectively. She can easily tell lies as she calmly says her sari got burned as she was
taking down a hot pot from the stove. Nomita is good at making retorts. When her sister-
in-law accuses her of rushing to Ajit at every small opportunity, she asks her to come and
peek into her room to see what is happening there. Nomita can forget things fast. Soon
after the burning of the sari, she is ready to peel potatoes. Even while peeling potatoes she
is thinking how she can help her mother by sending her some money. Nomita seems to be
a snob. She has forgotten that she came from a poor family. She calls Ajit a „comm on‟
and vulgar man, forgetting that she is a common girl gifted with some beauty. People who
forget their past are not good people. She seems to have forgotten her roots.

Do you think there is a set pattern for exhibiting a woman’s emotions? Is she always
emotionally under stress? Justify your answer.

I don’t think there is a set pattern for exhibiting a woman’s emotions. They express their
emotions in different patterns. I don’t think she is always em otionally under stress. We
see how Nomita tries to burn herself one moment; the next moment we see her teasing her
sister-in-law and soon we find her settling down to peel potatoes. She even tells lies about
the burning of her sari.
Prepare a write-up discussing the space of women in a family.

The women are the lamps of the family. It is impossible to imagine a family without a
woman. Although we say the man is the lord of the family, in most homes things are
decided by the women. They decide what to cook and what the members of the family
should eat. They not only deliver children but look after them and bring them up in the
right way. They do all the household chores. They also give a lot of love to their husbands
and their children. Men are often rash but women are compassionate and generous. People
are so attached to their mothers that often when facing troubles the word that com es to
their lips is “mother”. It is said that God created mothers because he could not be
everywhere at the same time.

How does the author substantiate the comparison between a woman and a matchbox?

The author compares women to matchboxes. Matchboxes contain enough gun powder
to make a hundred Lankas burn. But they sit around meek and innocent in the kitchen,
in the pantry, in the bedroom, in fact in any place. Women are the same. We see Nomita
getting inflamed when Ajit insults her. She takes out the matchbox and lights a stick and
puts it to her sari which catches fire. Fortunately Ajit is able to put the fire out. Soon she
becomes a normal person and starts peeling potatoes. That is why the author says that even
when they have material within themselves to burn many things, they never flare up to
burn away the mask of men’s high-mindedness and their large heartedness. They don’t
burn even their own colourful shells. The men know that. That is why they leave them
scattered carelessly in the kitchen, in the pantry, in the bedroom, here, there and
everywhere. Without fear, they also put them in their pockets.

In the story “Matchbox”, the rift between Nomita and Ajit occurred when Ajit hid
her mother’s letter and read the content secretly. Nomita could not win the quarrel
and had to return to her normal routines without a second thought. If the same
situation arises in the life of a modern couple, how would it affect their relationship?
What would be the woman’s response to such an issue? Prepare an essay on
“Modern Woman – her dreams, aspirations and role in society”.

Modern Woman – her Dreams, Aspirations and Role in Society In the story

“Matchbox‟ by Ashapurna Debi, there is a rift between Nomita and Ajit. It was caused
when Ajit read Nomita’s mother’s letter secretly. Nomita is angry and in the argument that
ensues, Nomita goes to the extent of attempting to burn herself. Somehow the quarrel is
patched up and Nomita returns to her normal duties. Things would have been different if
this happened to a modern woman. In the past women were considered the lamps of the
family. Most of the time, they stayed at home and did the household chores and looked
after the children. The men were the lords of the family. Important things were decided by
the men and women had hardly any say in such matters. Girls married the men who were
chosen by their fathers. But all this is past history. Today’s woman is m ore assertive and
she will not tolerate a husband like Ajit. Modern women think they are equal to men and
they have a role to play even outside their homes. In the m odern world, women are
educated and they also want to work and earn money. They don’t want to depend on the
goodwill of their husbands to get certain things they want. In the home, modern wives
expect their husbands to share household chores. In the past the wives would be busy in
the kitchen, but the husbands would be reading newspapers or listening to the news. Now,
the wives also want to read the newspapers and listen to the news. They also want to be
entertained and taken out for meals outside and also an occasional trip to attractive places.
Modern women also want their share in politics. They are no more satisfied to be led by
men. They think they too have the capacity for leadership. Women like Golda Meir
(Israel), Mrs. Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka), Margaret Thatcher (England) and Indira Gandhi
of India have shown that women can be even better leaders than men. Today we have,
Jacinda Ardern as the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Angela Merkel as the Chancellor of
Germany.

Imagine that a debate was held in your class on the topic “Nuclear Family. An Ideal
Place for Women Empowerment”. The following points were presented by one group
against the topic.
a) Nuclear family provides unlimited freedom to women.
b) Nuclear family is not safe for women.
c) Nuclear family makes women irresponsible.
d) In a nuclear family, woman tends to neglect her children.
Write four points supporting the topic.

a) In a nuclear family, a woman gets enough time to do the things she likes – to cook the
things she likes, to read, to write, to paint, to watch movies of her choice, etc.
b) Nuclear family makes women highly responsible because she realizes that any lapse on
her part can cause calamities.
c) In a nuclear family, the woman can give greater attention to her own children. But in an
extended family, she has to think of all the children there.
d) In a nuclear family, the woman can notice how the family progresses with her hard
work. She feels important there and she knows that the welfare of the family depends
on her also.

A panel discussion is conducted in your school on the topic “Role of Media in Women
Empowerment”. You are asked to initiate the discussion. How would you introduce
the topic? Draft an introductory speech.
Hints: (media- wide publicity-reach millions of viewers- require careful handling of
details-wrong messages conveyed by advertisements and serials – responsibility of media)

Respected Teachers and my dear friends, Good Morning!

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to this panel discussion on “Role
of Media in Women Empowerment.” If women empowerment has to be a reality, the
media, both print and electronic, have to play a big role in it. Media can give wide
publicity as they reach the nook and corner of the country. The majority of homes in India
have television and many homes get daily newspapers. So by using these media, women
empowerment can be given the boost it needs. When using the media for women
empowerment the details must be handled carefully. Women empowerment does not mean
that women are given the right to do what they like and say whatever they feel. Many
people consider w omen empowerment means a woma’s ability to smoke publicly, to
drink in open bars or wear the kind of clothes she likes. This is not the meaning of
empowerment. Its aims are more serious and graceful where women can contribute to the
welfare and prosperity of their community and humanity at large. We are often misguided
by advertisem ents and serials. There is a tendency to show women’s bodies to sell
anything – from salt to satellites! The concept is that men get hooked to the curvaceous
bodies and comely faces of women. This should be stopped. Women should not be used as
promoters of merchandise! Some of the serials are grossly immodest and present women
in bad light. Women should be bold and courageous but not unnecessarily aggressive and
blood thirsty, consumed by vengeance. Media have a big and positive role to play in
Women Empowerment i n India. We shall now listen to various views by our panellists.
Have a nice and fruitful day!

Read the following excerpts from “Matchbox” and “Horegallu”. I can’t? I can’t do
anything? You want to see if I can do anything?, “says Nomita” God has given me
two ears to listen to others. I hear them out with sympathy and without any
judgement,‟says Ratna. What do you understand about the character of Nomita and
Ratna? Compare and contrast the characters of Nomita and Ratna.

From the talk of Nomita one can easily guess that she is a hot-tempered woman. Here she
is challenging her husband saying that if he thinks she can’t do certain things, he is
mistaken. She can do some things which he thinks she can’t. She is challenging him and
telling him whether he is prepared to see what she is capable of doing. It is by talking like
this, she puts a burning match stick to her sari which catches fire. The conversation shows
Nomita is not a dependable woman and she can act quite rashly in an unthinking manner.
But Ratna is quite a different woman. She is a middle- aged senior clerk and she is always
smiling. Every day after lunch she sits with some person and listens to her/him. She is
listening to people’s problems. Even by listening to them, she can help them. A big
problem the modern world faces is that people have no time to listen to the problems of
others! God has given us two ears to listen. A person with a problem feels relieved even
when somebody sympathetically listens to him or her. Between the two women, Ratna is
by far the better one.

A person can react against injustice in different ways. Nomita reacted by quarrelling
with her husband and setting fire to the anchol of her sari. What are the other
possible ways in which Nomita could have reacted against her husband’s dirty habit?
Suggest three other possible methods of response that could have been adopted by
Nomita.

People can react in different ways when they face problems. Nomita reacted by quarrelling
with her husband and even setting fire to her sari. She could have used some other ways to
show her displeasure and to mend the ways of her husband. Tell him how impolite and
rude the habit of reading letters addressed to others is. Reading letters addressed to others
is uncivilized behaviour. She could have explained to him the helpless condition of her
mother and the need to help her without complaining. She could have stopped talking to
him for some time so that he can realize that she is offended and this might help him in
changing his bad habit.
Imagine that Nom ita’s mother visits Ajit’s household a few days after the quarrel
between Nomita and Ajit. Nomita narrates the entire incident to her mother. She
tries to console her daughter and promises that she won’t write letters to her. What
would be the conversation between the mother and daughter? Draft the conversation.

Nomita’s Mother : I’m sorry Nomita that this happened because of my letter. How was I to
know that he opens your letters?
Nomita : At least now you know. So please do not write such letters again.
Mother : What shall I do then? There is nobody to help me.

It is often said that an empowered woman is the one who can ‘find her own voice’,
‘speak up’, and ‘be seen and heard’. In the present world, what we need is to foster a
man-woman relationship which contributes to healthy, mutual development. Man
and woman should move forward together, supporting and respecting each other,
and being open to different opinions and situations.

How far is the above statement relevant to Nomita in Ashapurna Debi’s “Matchbox”?
Prepare a review of the story, emphasizing the role of its women characters.

The story is very simple. Nomita is married to Ajit. They live in a joint family. Nomita’s
mother is a poor widow. Nomita has no brothers and so her mother always demands
money from Nomita for her needs. She writes letters to her always telling misfortunes of
various kinds with the intention of getting financial help from her son-in-law. Nomita is
ashamed of the beggarly nature of her mother, but she continues helping her. Ajit has the
habit of opening and reading all the letters that are addressed to Nomita. Once she sees a
crumpled letter addressed to her in one of his trousers’ pockets. The letter was written by
her mother. He had received the letter some 3 days ago but he never told Nomita about it.
Nomita had asked him many times not to open and read her letters. When she questions
him about his bad habit, he says he will always do as he likes and what could she do stop
him. There is a heated exchange and Nomita picks up a matchbox and sets fire to her sari.
Ajit is able to put out the fire. All this drama takes place as the washer-man was waiting
for the dirty clothes.

Soon Nomita gives the dirty clothes to the washer¬man and gets busy with household
work. There is some teasing by a sister-in-law who accuses Nomita of spending too
much time in the company of her husband, neglecting her duties in the joint family.
The two most important women characters in the story are Nomita and her mother.
Nomita is a beautiful young girl who wants to assert her freedom but her husband Ajit
does not allow it. He insists on reading the letters addressed to her. Nomita’s mother is
a typical widow who wants to get as much help as possible from her rich son-in-law. Her
begging behaviour makes Nomita lose her face before her husband and other family
members. It is true that an empowered woman is the one who can ‘find her own voice’,
‘speak up’, and ‘be seen and heard’. We need gender equality and then only we can have a
healthy world. Dominance by any sex will ruin the equilibrium of the family and the
society.
Extra Questions

1. ‘Nomita keeps thinking about how she might be able secretly to send her mother a few
rupees’. Imagine that Nomita stealthily geos to a post office to send a money order to
her mother. She seeks the help of the postmaster to send the money order. How will
she ask for help? Draft two request statements for her.

2. Imagine that Ajit feels guilty over his brashness towards Nomita. He requests Nomita
to forgive him. How will he ask for forgiveness? Write three sentences. You may use
the following expressions like ‘Please forgive…., I regret , I am extremely

3. Imagine that Nomita’s mother visits Ajit’s household a few days after the quarrel
between Nomita and Ajit. Nomita narrates the entire incident to her mother. She tries
to console her daughter and promises that she won’t write letters to her. What would be
the conversation between the mother and daughter? Draft the conversation.
 Horegallu

Qualities of a good listener.

The qualities of a god listener include: attention, interest, sympathy, making agreements,
giving suggestions and being non- judgmental.

Imagine Nomita gets a chance to talk to Ratna. How would she present her worries?
Begin as follows: I am Nomita. Yesterday I had a quarrel with my husband.

Nomita: I am Nomita. Yesterday I had a quarrel with my husband.

Ratna: What happened, Nomita?
Nomita: He received a letter written to me by my mother. He read and left it in his pocket.
After 3 days when I checked his pockets before giving the dirty clothes to the
washer man I found it there, crumpled and torn. When I asked him why he opened
my letter and even refused to give it to me later, he rudely told me he would do what
he wants.
Ratna: He said that!
Nomita: He did. He further asked me what I could do. I was enraged. I saw a matchbox
lying near, lit a match and put it to my sari which caught fire.
Ratna: Goodness! How could you do that?
Nomita: I was mad with anger. I wanted to tell him that l can also do things.
Ratna: And then?
Nomita: Ajit was shocked and he came running and put out the fire. I could see remorse in
his face. I am sure he will not challenge me again in the future.
Ratna: But Nomita, you had gone too far in setting fire to yourself.
Nomita: Well, men sometimes need shock treatments to bring them to their senses!

Ratna was Sudha Murty’s colleague in the early phase of her career. Now Sudha
Murty is a successful business woman. Imagine that Sudha Murty invites Ratna to
her office and felicitates her for her selfless services to mankind. How would Sudha
Murty introduce her and appreciate her work? Draft her speech.

Dear Friends,
I have great pleasure in introducing Ratna to you. She and I were colleagues a few
years ago. I have learned a lot from Ratna and probably that is why I am now able to run
this big business. It is from Ratna I learned what a “horegallu” really means. A horegallu
is a stone bench. It helps tired persons to sit down and rest for some time so that they can
regain their energy. Ratna was a horegallu in the sense she helped tired and miserable
people to regain their energy, patiently listening to their problems. Every day during lunch
hour, she would sit with some person in one of the rooms, chatting with him/her. I often
wondered what they talked about. One day I asked her and Ratna told me that they shared
their troubles with her. I then asked Ratna how she could help in solving their problems.
Did she have an answer for them? She told me she only listened to them. I was young and
I wondered how merely by listening to somebody’s problem, it gets solved. She then told
me she was not a trained counsellor or an intellectual. Nobody can solve your problem.
You have to solve it yourself. Ratna explained things to me further. God has given her two
ears to listen. She hears people with sympathy and no judgment. When somebody talks
about his worries, it relieves him a lot. Ratna never revealed to others what people told her.
This way Ratna helped people to be relieved and to go on with their journey of life. This
way she was serving people in her own way. I thank Ratna for what she did to all and to
me.

“I hear them out with sympathy and without any judgement”, says Ratna in
Horegallu. As part of the World Mental Health Day, the Souhrida Club co-ordinator
of your school asks you to prepare a chart on the topic “Listen to Others – Broaden
your Mind”. Write a paragraph in about 80 words.

Listen to Others – Broaden Your Mind ”

God has given us two ears but only one mouth. We have two ears so that we can listen
more than we speak. There is a difference between listening and hearing. Listening is a
voluntary activity but hearing is something that happens automatically. It is like the
difference between looking and seeing. By listening to the people’s problem we help them
to get some relief. A person feels happy and relieved when he tells his problems to a
sympathetic listener. So we should learn to listen sympathetically to people without
making judgments. By listening to others we broaden our minds as we learn new things.
By listening we can also be “horegallus” to others. Some people say that only if we listen
to others, God will listen to us!

Imagine that Sudha Murty sends an e-mail to Ratna, thanking her for changing her
outlook towards life. Draft the e -mail for Sudha Murty.

To : Ratna@gmail Dearest Ratna,

Sub :

I want to thank you for all the valuable suggestions and advice you gave me. As a young
girl, I did not know much about the importance of listening to others. When I saw you
listening to people every day after lunch, I used to wonder why you were wasting your
time listening to the trouble of others. Do you remember me asking you that question?
And then you told me “We are given two ears to listen.” It was a great answer. You further
told me that even by listening to the problems of people you are helping them because
they feel relieved by telling what they feel in their mind to some sympathetic listener.
Now I am running a big business and I have seen how helpful your suggestions had been. I
too now practise what you taught me – to listen to people without prejudice or judgment. I
have found it a good thing, both for me as well as the person to whom I listen. Thank you,
Ratna. Thank you very much. Please do keep in touch!

Sudha Murty

Modern world offers us so many material comforts and we can easily satisfy all our
desires. But Sudha Murthy says, “If ever now I happen to pass a horegallu in the
village, I remember them and wish there were many more of them in this world.
What makes her say so? Give reasons.

When Sudha Murthy passes a horegallu in the village she remembers especially two
people. One is her grandfather and the other is her colleague Ratna. A horegallu is a stone
bench. It helps tired persons to sit down and rest for some time so that they can regain
their energy. Sudha’s grandfather was a retired school teacher. He would spend hours
sitting under the banyan tree, on the horegallu there, talking to those resting there. Most of
them told him their troubles and pains. He could hardly have done anything to solve their
problems. But by patiently listening to them he was relieving them to a great extent. He
was a horegallu on which the tired people unburdened their burdens. Sudha met Ratna
when she went to work in Mumbai. Ratna was her colleague. She was a middle aged
senior clerk and she always smiled. Every day during lunch hour she would sit with some
person in a room and chat with him/her. Sudha often wondered what they talked about.
One day she asked Ratna what they discussed. Ratna told her that the persons with whom
she talked shared their troubles with her. Sudha then asked Ratna how by listening to one
person, she could solve his problems. Ratna said God has given us two years to listen.
Even if we can’t solve problems for people, we can help them by listening to them. A
troubled person feels relieved when he tells a sympathetic listener about his troubles.
Sudha knew Ratna was right. So she wishes there were more horegallus like her
grandfather and Ratna. It would make the world a better place to live in.