THE WRETCHED STONE

THE WRETCHED STONE

-Van Allsburg

·        Theme:

ð This symbolic story is about the disadvantages of television.

ð TV makes our mind dull, we lost our critical mind. So, if we didn’t have critical and creative mind, we are not better than the ape without tail.

·        Literal Comprehension:

In this story metaphorical story Van Allsburg presents the disadvantages of TV in human life. Here the wretched stone means the TV set symbolically.

                        On 8^th may the captain Randall than started his voyage with the crews on Rita Ann. They were happily moving ahead because the crews used to read stories, sing songs, tells the story to pass their free time. They reached at on Island but it was not on his map. They stopped there and they found fruit less trees and the clean water was too bitter to drink. They felt bad smell on the Island. They got a stone which was shinning from one side but though on the another side. They were attracted with the stone and brought it on the ship. After the day, the crews left the captain and they locked themselves in a room to watch the stone. They forget to read books and told stories. They just watched the stone all the time. Once there was the storm in the sea, he captain needed help to save the ship, but they crew didn't come out. The captain went into their and they have also tail. They couldn't understand what the captain said. The captain though it was the wretched stone that made them apes. So, he threw the stone into the sea and the apes started to weep. The captain read books and told stories to them gradually, hey turned into human being. The ship was also saved.

·        Interpretation:

The metaphorically story tells us about the bad aspect of TV makes us lazy and less critical. Before the invention of TV, people used to read and write book, but when the TV was invented, people left to read and write. They pass their time by watching TV if they have free time. So, if people are nit critical and creative, they are not better than apes.

·        Assimilation:

This story truly presents the impact of TV on children. Children don't like to read and write when they get to watch TV. They just want to watch the useless things like cartoons, sometimes my mother forgets to take over the milk from the oven when she starts to watch Indian serials. It shows that TV is a kind of addiction and it makes us lazy.