"Piggy on the railway tracks
picking up stones.
Down came an engine driver
and broke piggy's bones.
'Ah' said piggy that's not fair
'Oh' said the engine driver
I don't care!"
The old familiar nursery rhyme-simple? I think not. I feel its complicated.
Who is the piggy and who is the engine driver or should I ask-What role do each of us play in the society-that of the helpless piggy or the ruthless engine driver? The roles may get merged at times, confusing identities-that of the helpless and the ruthless. And sometimes roles may be reversed.
The piggy cries out for help while the engine driver, intent on his mission, doesn't bother. And whose fault is it anyway? Didn't the piggy know about the railway tracks and the danger involved? He wasn't supposed to be picking up stones on the railway tracks!
Or maybe piggy had always picked stones on that spot and the railway tracks were a recent addition. His area, his territory was taken over to build a railway track, just like the situation now-industries are built to make sackfuls of money, not caring about the losses farmers would suffer. By the way the nursery rhyme was written precisely at the time of the industrial revolution. Talk of reflection of society in literature.
And what about our roles? What role do you play? Who are we- the piggy or the engine driver. We must have played either of the roles atleast once in our lives? Or haven't we? Will we? Or wont we?which one do you prefer? Are you on piggy's side or the engine driver?Is deciding one over the other the correct thing to do? Is their a correct answer?
Piggy or Engine driver?
picking up stones.
Down came an engine driver
and broke piggy's bones.
'Ah' said piggy that's not fair
'Oh' said the engine driver
I don't care!"
The old familiar nursery rhyme-simple? I think not. I feel its complicated.
Who is the piggy and who is the engine driver or should I ask-What role do each of us play in the society-that of the helpless piggy or the ruthless engine driver? The roles may get merged at times, confusing identities-that of the helpless and the ruthless. And sometimes roles may be reversed.
The piggy cries out for help while the engine driver, intent on his mission, doesn't bother. And whose fault is it anyway? Didn't the piggy know about the railway tracks and the danger involved? He wasn't supposed to be picking up stones on the railway tracks!
Or maybe piggy had always picked stones on that spot and the railway tracks were a recent addition. His area, his territory was taken over to build a railway track, just like the situation now-industries are built to make sackfuls of money, not caring about the losses farmers would suffer. By the way the nursery rhyme was written precisely at the time of the industrial revolution. Talk of reflection of society in literature.
And what about our roles? What role do you play? Who are we- the piggy or the engine driver. We must have played either of the roles atleast once in our lives? Or haven't we? Will we? Or wont we?which one do you prefer? Are you on piggy's side or the engine driver?Is deciding one over the other the correct thing to do? Is their a correct answer?
Piggy or Engine driver?
