to study as his knowledge and skill would have been passed down to him. The Dalai Lama is then likened to a car mechanic ‘a skilled mechanic learning basic car maintenance again!’ He is just basing that on the traditional belief of the Buddhist views. But everyone has to educate themselves to learn and experience things for their own abilities. It also states in the book that the word ‘Lama’ comes from the Indian word ‘Guru’ which means teacher so this is also part of his main reputation due to the name he is given. The reputation of the Dalai Lama as a religious teacher and figure is not only known by the Buddhists but also around the world. As they regard him as a ‘living Buddha’ his teaching and practice have been absorbed by many people “Buddha statues have become home, restaurant and garden furnishing items.” (Waterhouse, 2008, p.204.) This is clear that the symbol of Buddha is a recognizable one who is commonly known for his teaching and practices for therapy and relaxing of the mind. So it is understandable that the traditional role of the Dalai Lama is seen as a religious teacher.
The Dalai Lama then answers him with the reason for his knowledge and understanding and that it is all down to studying. ‘I could not have acquired my present level of knowledge without engaging in serious study.’ (Assignment Booklet, Dalai Lama, 1995, p.22) It is clear that he understands the traditional views and the role that he must play but it suggests that he is also still advising as he is saying that in order for someone to gain substantial knowledge and skill you must study and educate yourself. This exchange not only shows the strong traditional views of the Dalai Lama from the Tibetan people and Buddhist culture but also the more personal side
of how the Dalai Lama feels about his own identity as he says ‘I am just an ordinary person like you’ (Assignment Booklet, Dalai Lama, 1995, p.22)
Word Count 600
ASSIGNMENT 3- PART 2 READING POETRY: THE FABER BOOK OF BEASTS
Read the following poems by Thom Gunn and Thomas Flatman in ‘The Faber Book of Beasts’, compare the ways in which the two poets represent cats.
‘Apartment Cats’ is a poem set out in three stanzas and captures the thoughts of the speaker as he observes the cats. It is clear that the poem merely describes the movement and the individuality of the cats and the relationship between them. On the other hand ‘An Appeal to Cats in the Business of Love’ is a very different poem, it is written in an anthropomorphic style in one block of verse. The behaviour or attributes of prostitution are described and conveyed through cats.
In the first line of ‘Apartment Cats’ it uses verbs like ‘wake’, ‘stretch’, and ‘pad’ to feel the real sense of the cats movement. ‘And they wrestle: parry, lock of paws’ ‘Blind hug of close defence’ (Assignment Booklet, Reading Poetry, p.23.) this imagery gives greater meaning and contributes to the feeling and mood which helps to emphasize the poet’s thoughts and ideas. The tone is playful and excitable which projects the playful nature of the cats. Gunn uses a metaphor on the first line of Stanza 2 comparing the cats to the film Ben Hur. This is very simple but effective, as it draws the link between the cats and the intense chariot race in the film.
The enjambment used in the poem effectively helps the lines flow and continue momentum. The rhyme occurs on the first and last line, ‘Fur/Hur’, ‘Withdraws/Paws’, this helps unify the poem and repeat the sound that links one concept to the other and helps determine the structure of the poem.
‘An Appeal to Cats in the Business of Love’ seems to portray a mocking and hateful tone towards prostitution but is conveyed through cats. The language of this poem is much more suggestive and sexual which helps convey different meanings of the poem. This is clear on the first and second lines of the poem ‘Ye Cats that at midnight spit love at each other,’ ‘who best feels the pangs of a passionate lover.’ (Assignment Booklet, Reading Poetry, p.23.) It shows strong meanings of sexual, erotic feelings, pang meaning a physical sensation which comes across very intimate and quite explicit language. On Line 5 a cat is described as ‘Old Lady Grimalkin’ with her ‘gooseberry eyes’ this creates a verbal picture helping to see the ideas of what the poet is suggesting more clearly. It gives a real evocative image and expresses the idea of a sexually experienced woman but is conveyed through the old cat. The title of the poem is also very implicit as it refers to ‘Business of Love’ meaning prostitution. This idea is again replicated on Line 7 ‘You find my experience, the love-fits soon o’er’ suggesting the orgasm lasts not long but she is off looking for her next target ‘Cats tread many tiles’ this language continues on Line 8 ‘Puss, Puss’ which is in Italics to highlight the orgasm. The rhyme is continual through the poem with AABBCCDDEEFFGG which emphasizes the sounds and really portrays the poet’s thoughts and feelings of prostitution across to the reader.
Overall both poems are very strong and dramatic in their use of language and techniques which capture thoughts and feelings that are conveyed through cats. ‘Apartment Cats’ seems to portray one cat being more subservient than the other. Whereas in ‘An Appeal to Cats in the Business of Love’ it portrays a very sexual aggressive concept of women and cats. Both poems show the aggression of cats towards each other but also show, cats are independent as they can walk away from one another.
Word Count 588
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Waterhouse, (2008) 'The Dalai Lama', in Moohan (ed)
Reputations (AA100 Book 1), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.191-211
The Dalai Lama (1995) The World of Tibetan Buddhism, Boston, Wisdom Publications, p.51
Wikipedia ‘The Dalai Lama’ available from
Brown.R. (2008) 'Reading Poetry: The Faber Book of Beasts', in Price (ed)
Tradition and Dissent (AA100 Book 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.39-69
Muldoon.P (1998) ‘The Faber Book of Beasts’, in Muldoon (ed), pp.5-6
Wikipedia ‘Thom Gunn’ available from
Wikipedia ‘Thomas Flatman’ available from