Unit 3 : Essay

Chapter 1 : Sharing Tradition Exercise Question Answers Class 11 by Frank LaPena

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Understanding the Text 

Answer the following questions.

a. According to LaPena, what is the importance of the oral tradition? To what extent do you agree with his opinion ? Why?

=> According to LaPena, the oral tradition helps maintain culture and values from generation to generation. I do agree with his opinions to the great extent because it is the best way of passing on culture and values into generations.

b. Who preserve and pass on the oral tradition?

=> According to LaPena, the Elders create and preserve the oral tradition and after them their successors should pass on it.

c. What is the danger of not passing on information from generation to generation?

=> If the information is not passed on from generation to generation the cultural values will be vanished and the successors or individuals will have nothing more than regrets.

d. What is the difference between oral tradition and literary tradition?

=> In oral tradition the misinterpretation of cultural values can be corrected while passing on information but in literary tradition the information can be modified and misinterpreted in printed form by the researchers and that is seer difficult to corrected.

e. How does LaPena establish a relationship between art and the oral tradition?

=> In art, an artist beautifies its essence with essential tools and stories but doesn’t include all materials. Similarly, while passing on information from generation to generation, the individuals happen to follow and transmit the cultural values, which are of very significant in the modern life.

Reference the context  

a. LaPena states that the oral tradition helps maintain the values of a culture. If you believe that the oral tradition is important, how would you maintain it?

=> Obviously, oral tradition helps maintain the values of culture. While passing on information from generation to generation, there are some obstacles such ‘niche, ‘science and technology, ‘modern education’ and ‘modern life’. Due to ‘niche’ the successors do not pay much attention. Similarly, with the innovation and inventions in science and technology, the natural world is being destroyed. Moreover, modern education has misinterpreted the cultural values and modern life has made it more difficult for people to follow the norms, values, taboos, and cultural aspects.

However, Nepal is a multilingual, multicultural, multiethnic country, where we believe our culture is our identity. Therefore, I would listen to the elders at first. Then, I would document their stories using modern tools like video camera, sound recording and other devices. I would bring the order of events like historical background or religious beliefs, or interesting facts about my culture. I would try not to miss any single information. Then, after I complete studies, research and documentation, I would upload the facts on Social Media like Facebook or Youtube. It has two major purposes. The first and foremost thing is that the information is preserved on electronic world for a long time until it is deleted. Second thing, whoever can be interested in watching and the members of my cultural background can gain lots of knowledge and try to follow them. Even though I cannot orally transmit and pass on the things. I can at least present it on Social Media and they can learn and may pass on the information into generations. Because in the modern time, people have no time for listening to others. They are very busy.

b. “Not everyone is capable of fulfilling the roles of the elders.” Explain this statement with reference to the essay.

=> In fact, the elders make their ‘niche’ – an ideal position with their knowledge or performance on religious norms or skills. As long as they stay alive, they continue to influence the individuals with their positions and their successors or young generations are reluctant to pay much attention. Even if they are obliged to fulfill their positions, they lack knowledge, skills and motivation. They cannot perform like what their fathers or forefathers used to act like. It is mainly because they are much more attached with modern development in their surrounding, which makes them reluctant to update their elders culture and values.

c. What is the controlling idea or thesis of this essay?

=> Sharing tradition of a culture and its values from generation to generation oral tradition is a very significant act and one should listen to the elders to fulfill its spirit.

d. How do the topic sentences guide the readers through the essay ? What would be lost without them? 

=> One essay has an introductory part, body parts and a conclusion. In the introductory part, LaPena signifies oral tradition, which helps maintain one’s cultural values. And in the body paragraphs he intends to highlight how important oral tradition is by mentioning the challenges and comparing with art form. The topic sentences guide the readers to understand his message that he wants to convey. He is making us aware of problems. He is reminding us our roles to maintain the culture and values creating logical topic sentence. If these topic sentences were lost or were not mentioned, his message would be vague, dubious, or incomplete and the readers would be misguided. His writing would ridiculed.

e. What are the four major problems developed by LaPena with regard to maintaining the oral tradition. How are they used to structure the essay?

=> According to LaPena, ‘niche’, ‘science and technology, ‘modern education’ and ‘modern life’ are the four major problems to maintain oral tradition. They are used to structure the body paragraphs to strengthen what he views in the introductory part and give an appropriate outlet to the conclusion. In the introductory part, he has talked about the significance of oral tradition in maintaining cultural values. By mentioning these problems in the body paragraphs, LaPena interconnects what he wants to continue further in preceding paragraphs. With reference of ‘niche’, he reminds the readers of their roles to fulfill ideal position and centres on oral tradition. With reference of ‘science and technology, he makes the readers aware of destruction in nature and natural world, which is tied with our tradition, culture, values and says how science and technology have affected our oral tradition. He still centres on oral tradition. With reference of ‘modern education, he appeals the readers not to trust in literary(written) tradition because it is modified and misinterpreted by the researchers. He here too centres on oral tradition. Finally, with reference of ‘modern life, he accepts the fact that like an artist includes only essential tools in his art, important part of oral tradition must be at least be honestly be passed on. And in the conclusion, the problems are structured to make choice by ourselves with LaPena’s restatement.

Reference beyond the text 

a. Write a paragraph or two explaining your attitude toward the oral tradition of passing along information.

=> We are all social beings and we live in our society. There some cultural identities of each society and the members of that society must follow and share. Every society has some underlined values, norms and behaviors which are carried out generation to generation through oral tradition that is also called orality, the first and still most widespread mode of human communication. It refers to a dynamic and highly diverse oral-aural medium for evolving, storing, and transmitting knowledge, art, and ideas. This is also an art form which plays a vital role in preserving our tradition, culture and beliefs. The continuous practice of this tradition from generation to generation helps to make our culture immortal. Different modern things are helping to erode our cultural values, in such a circumstance, oral tradition helps to make it strong and unaffected.

b. Our culture is our identity. Write a few paragraphs explaining how you intend to preserve your culture, values and norms.

=> Preserving your culture is important. Your culture is a part of your identity. If we don’t preserve our culture, in later generations, they’ll completely forget about the beautiful culture of our ancestors. The culture our ancestors followed is precious and unique. I take part in the following activities with aim to preserve my culture, values, and norms.
Every culture has its own values and norms so do mine. We have our own religion, traditions, food and clothing customs, and festivals and so on. I take part in every cultural activities take place at my own home or in public places. I share these cultural values to my children, my friends and relatives as well as respecting others’. Several festivals and rituals have their own norms and behaviors to be followed. I celebrate all festivals and carry out all ritual rights. I am sensitive to my culture and respects. I worship all gods and goddesses according to my religion, I observe the elders how they take cultural responsibilities and apply in my life. I manage time to participate in family functions, speak my ancestral language. I eat traditional food according to religious festivals such as Maghe Sankranti, janai Purnima. I always wear sacred thread according to our custom. There are lots of such things according to our culture and I take part in each and every occasions.

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