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Anonymous
Super
QUESTION # 1
Discuss
the background of "Super?
This essay has been written by some anonymous
writer and was published in "The Times" magazine. The writer humorously criticizes the use of
different prefixes.
Mr. Shaw translated the word “super”
from German to English language from the work of Nietzsche, who originally used
this word. He applied this word as a
prefix to the "man" and created a character of super qualities. When this word was translated to English, it
caught the fancy of people, specially the advertisers. They vehemently made use of the word ‘super’
with almost everything that was advertised.
Every thing was given the status of being super. The character of the "Superman" was
a man of extra-ordinary qualities but the super things are quite ordinary. Writer says that super things should be
superior to something but they are not.
In writer’s view people use this prefix with their products but never
use it with their own names. For example
a man would call his trousers as super-trousers and even he may call himself a
super tailor but would never call himself super, as a man.
In past, too many people were given
distinguished titles but they never called themselves as super. Even today the richest man does not try to
embellish himself or his conversation as being a super-human thing. The writer mocks at the over use of this
prefix and ironically says that this word has lost its worth and emphasis
because of its over use. As the modern
music produces no effect on mind body or soul, so is the case with "Super". It is as meaningless and irritating as is the
modern music.
Q. No.2: What
is wrong with the use of this word?
The writer humorously points out the
use of unnecessary phrases in advertisement, specially the word
"Super". He states many
examples to present his case.
He objects to the overuse of this
prefix with every thing. He says that we
live in a realm of super things like super chocolate, super soap, super
cigarettes and so on. He objects because
the quality of things has not been improved even by a zero percent but their
names have been changed to "Super".
Being super means that the thing is superior to something else, but to
what, it is not known. He ridicules the
situation by saying that these things must be made by a race of supermen.
In fact the writer wants to assert
that the things should not be improved superficially but their true quality
should be raised, so they can genuinely impress people. Modern time is the time of glitz and glamour. Things are presented in super packing and
super advertisement but their true quality is nothing.
The things are symbols of their makers, who
have become super outwardly but from inside they are still uncultured and
undeveloped. The change should come in
the soul of everything. This is what the
writer wants to suggest through this essay.
Q. No.3: Point
out the elements of satire and humour from this essay?
This essay is full of humorous and
satirical expressions. Writer has light-heartedly pointed out the use of the word “super”. He ridicules the emptiness of shallow modern
man who tries to embellish things outwardly but their inner hollowness remains
intact.
The very first line is satirical
when writer says that Mr. Shaw could never foresee the immense effects of his
novel use of the word super. He says
that the superman is an imaginative character that may come in future but the
use of this word has filled the world with super things like super soap, super
cigarette, super chocolate etc. Being
super they should be of a higher quality but they are not. He humorously adds the example of a certain
abusive epithet that has lost its meanings due to over use.
Ironically enough he expects that
this bulk of super things might be made by a race of super men. He laughs at the trends of advertisement
where people go to the extent of calling themselves, for instance, as
super-tailor due to the super trousers they make. He compares the use of the word super to the
doubling of paper money that increases the quantity of currency but buying
power remains the same. Today nobody
caress about the personal worth or quality of a man. Writer says that our development is so
superficial and fickle that we think that our super inventions like our super
aero-planes will astonish and amaze even Shakespeare or Leonardo da Vinci.
At the end he mocks at the quality
and impact of super music and says that now the use of "Super" does
not produce any effect like the super music.
On the whole this is a fun-packed essay that conveys its message in an
emphatic and straightforward way.
nice
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