SGiannangeli - Xmas Holidays Homework 

Pag. 247-249

Exercise 1 pag. 247

Proper love is respectful love. I think respect is the most important element that can lead to a happy relationship or marriage.

Exercise 2 pag. 247

The pictures show different marriages of different cultures and religions.

Exercise 3 pag. 247

1. Yes, marriage is still popular in my country.
2. The average age people get married at is around 30 years old, whereas in the past people used to get married some years earlier.
3. The wedding ceremony depends on the religion and beliefs of the couple. Most people in Italy are catholic so the ceremony takes place at the Church and it is usually followed by a big lunch or dinner with relatives and friends. However, some people decide to have a laic marriage.

Exercise 1 pag. 249

1. Nazneen was thinking about fate and its role in humans’ life. At first, she was convinced that her sister had made a mistake by going against her destiny, but then she realized that maybe her fate imposed that she behaved like she did, escaping from her family in order to follow the man she loved. Plus, she realized people never know where destiny will lead them.
2. Chanu was twenty years older than her and lived in London, where he took her after their marriage. He was kind and gentle with her.
3. Chanu considered her a good worker, even if she was not well-read and did not know English, so she was not able to do some housework that required the knowledge of the language. He also thought she wasn’t beautiful but neither ugly. Nazneen knew about this because she heard him talking on the phone about her.
4. Nazneen expected that he would have been grateful for her to have accepted to marry him and she thought he would have had a high consideration of her and loved her.

Exercise 2 pag. 249

The text is narrated through a third person narrator that tells the story from Nazneen point of view.

Exercise 3 pag. 249

The characters are presented from the protagonist’s point of view. Both their physical appearance and personality are described. The reader knows Nazneen’s personality by her thoughts and behaviours, whereas Chanu’s personality is deduced by Nazneen’s description of his behaviours towards her and by what he says.

Exercise 4 pag. 249

The writer uses some proverbs and ironical exclamations in order to make the text more realistic and more and effective. For example, “Narrow hips! You could wish for such a fault”; “It would be possible to tuck all your hundred pens and pencils under those rolls and keep them safe and tight”.

Exercise 5 pag. 249

The theme of marriage is developed by Nazneen point of view. The protagonist tells about her hopes and dreams about the marriage but also describes what the reality looks like and how she feels about the situations she is living: Nazneen was forced to marriage a man and her role in the marriage is essentially to do the housework and take care of him and his needs.

Exercise 6 pag. 249

The main difference between E. Bennet and Nazneen is that the protagonist of “Pride and Prejudice” looks forward to independence and autonomy and definitely refuses to stick to stereotypes and does not want to fit into the socially accepted role of the woman of that time. On the contrary, Nazneen decides to accept what her family and her society wants for her and she submits to social rules.

Exercise 7 pag. 249

I think I would prefer to live together with my partner, since I’m not religious and I don’t think marriage is necessary for a couple.

Exercise 8 pag. 249

I don’t think an arranged marriage can have some advantages. People should have the right to choose their partner.