Orientalist Perspectives in Ellis’s Breadwinner Trilogy: A Postcolonial Critique

The study critically engages with the issue of continuity of the orientalist rhetoric in the contemporary literary yields. To establish and substantiate the argument, the researchers have analyzed Deborah Ellis’s Breadwinner Trilogy (2009) that comprises Breadwinner, Parvana’s Journey, and Mud City. All the three fictional narratives claims to have represented the life of the Pakistani and Afghani characters who have been shown to face the existential threats in the wake of the insecurities that have engulfed the region. However, the study contends, the Canadian writer has also given way to the parochial psychological and sociological schema that has been held as the prime representational trope regarding the East, that is, Orientalism. The qualitative and textual approach has facilitated the researchers to negotiate the identified thematic patterns with the interpretive freedom. In this regard, framing the fictional representation into the Saidian critique of the orientalist discourse, the study explicates the reductive approach of the writer and exposes the latent ideological triggers working under the manifest humanist projections. Thus, the study strengthens the postcolonial stance and, therefore, will sharpen the Pakistani students’ understanding of the current socio-literary debates.

Relationship of Classroom Learning Environment and Teacher Interaction With Students Attitutde Towards the Learning of English Language at Secondary Level

learning environment and Teacher Interaction with secondary school students’ attitude towards the learning of English Language in context of Pakistan. Classroom environment is considered as one of the influential factor in enhancing learners’ achievement, attitude and learning process. The objectives of the study were to investigate secondary level students’ English language classroom learning environment, teachers’ interaction in English language classes and attitude towards learning of English language. Moreover, the relationship of classroom learning environment and teacher interaction with secondary level students’ attitude towards the learning of English on gender and locale was also established in the study. The study at hand was co relational and descriptive. For data collection survey method was used. Multistage stratified random sampling technique was used for sample selection of the study. Stratification was based on three geographic zones of Punjab: Northern, Central and Southern Punjab. One district from each zone was selected randomly. The sample of the study was 930 students from 03 districts of the Punjab. Three instruments were used, first for Classroom learning environment, second for discovering Teacher Interaction in English language classes and third for finding out students’ attitude towards learning of English language. Data for this study were analyzed by using statistical operations through SPSS. T-test was used to calculate the significant difference between means of different categories of respondents like rural & urban, male and female. To investigate the possible relationship among the variables, Pearson correlation was used. Results of the study showed that male and female respondents reflected significant differences on English language classroom learning environment, teacher interaction and attitude towards English. It further revealed that female respondents were more favorable on their classroom learning environment, get more teachers’ support and interaction than male in their English language classes and had more positive attitude towards the learning of English. Significant positive correlation was found among classroom learning environment, Teacher Interaction and attitude towards the learning of English. Findings suggest that positive attitude in a foreign language class can be developed by making learning environment more favorable in shape of better pupil-teacher relationships and teacher support, involvement, cooperation and equity. It may help in developing attitude towards Adoption of English language learning attitude and enjoyment of English lessons in the classroom.