In this story, the writer has depicted the mob mentality with great dexterity. He has narrated the experiences of his Aunt Edith Taylor and his own experiences about the "Great Run" of the afternoon in Columbus city. This short story is a good example of Thurber’s sardonic but affectionate view of human behavior.

James Thurber recalls an interesting incident of his early childhood when he lived in Columbus city, situated near the Ohio River in the U.S.A. All of a sudden, on March 12, 1913 a rumour spread that the River Ohio was in flood and the water would rush towards the city as the dam had broken. The people became panicky after hearing the rumour and came out on the High Street. They started running towards the East for safety with out confirming the news about the flood. In calamity ever rumour is believed. Men, Women and children were running helter-skelter towards the East. Normal business was going on in the market, but when the rumour spread about the flood, the people who were busy in selling and buying, started to run in utter confusion for saving their lives. Two thousand people were abruptly in full right. Go East! Go East! The Dam has Broke was the clarion cry, being heard everywhere.

The writer’s aunt Edith Taylor was in a movie theatre, she wrote:

The panic-stricken people ran out for safety leaving fires burning and food cooking and doors wide open. Some of the people covered the distance 12 miles in order to save their lives. At last the military men riding through the city in motor-lorries announced that the news about the flood was false and that the dam had not broken. At first the announcement added to the confusion and increased the panic, for many stampedes the militiamen were announcing, The Dam has now Broken! Thus setting an official seal of authentication on the calamity. But after repeated announcements the misunderstanding was removed and order was restored. The people heaved a sigh of relief when they heard that the dame had not broken. The people returned to their homes and started their normal business the next day, but they did not joke about the happenings of the previous day. It is rightly said:

This story is a good study of human behaviour. It shows that men lose all there wit and wisdom in a panic. In fact, this humorous story is also a satire on human follies.

Through all the funny references Thurber has tried to point out that all of us no matter how serious and sober, behave in one and the same idiotic manner when we are thrown in a trying situation

Thurber has presented, in this story, his sardonic but affectionate view of life. It is a commendable effort to tell something serious through fun and laughter. But in fact the author has tried to study human characters thrown in difficult and trying circumstances because:

Liaquat Ali Khan was the right hand man of the Quaid-e-Azam during the crucial years of Muslim struggle for the creation of Pakistan. In 1947 he became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was a great statesman and an eloquent orator. He steered the country with immense ability through its early years of trial and tribulation. On 16^th October 1951 he was assassinated by a fanatic at a public meeting in Rawalpindi. He worked for the achievement of independence tirelessly and selflessly. He had profound love for Pakistan. He lived for Pakistan and he died for Pakistan. Beyond any shadow of doubt he was a great man and great leader.

Liaquat Ali Khan in his speech says that Pakistan is a new country, which came into existence in 1947. Before partition Pakistan was only an ideal and a longing. It was the part of the vast sub-continent, which was inhabited by a hundred million Muslims and three hundred million Hindus. The sub-continent was ruled by the British. When the dawn of freedom was drawing near the Muslims realized that at the end of the British rule they would have to live in perpetual political minority and to them freedom should mean no freedom, but merely a change of masters. But that was no the only reason for thee demand for a separate country for Muslims of the sub-continent. There were religious and cultural differences between the Muslims and the Hindus. They feared that their culture would suffer a great setback under the domination of the Hindus. Moreover, the Muslims were backward economically and industrially. So, they demanded a separate homeland. The demand was very reasonable on human and geo-political grounds. Further more, the creation of Pakistan was the greatest contribution that could be made towards the stability of Asia.

Chaotic conditions exist in almost all the countries of Asia. But Pakistan stands unified as its people are free from mental confusion. They believe in the supreme sovereignty of God, democracy, human liberty, universal peace but an equally strong belief in resisting aggression, tyranny and exploitation. They established Pakistan for practicing these beliefs without being thwarted by the domination of the Hindus and their conflicting ways of life.

During the three years of independence, Pakistan had to face many problems such as the setting up of administrative machinery, industry and the rehabilitation of 7 million refugees migrated from India to Pakistan. Due to the unity and determination of the people these problems were solved and Pakistan made astonishing progress.

Maintenance of freedom requires constant vigilance. So the Pakistani must maintain their own freedom first, and they must strive ceaselessly to achieve real freedom which means freedom from hunger, disease, ignorance and want. Having firm faith in the ideology of Pakistan, they must make progress in the field of science and technology.

Backward people of Asia want to progress in all walks of life. So, the western world must demonstrate that true democracy is international and it must allow them to share the great kind of knowledge, skill and experience. Without there progress the world will limp along one leg. So, the Americans; it is certain, regard the emergence of Pakistan, its progress and future development as of great importance. In the end Liaquat Ali Khan says that he came to America with the purpose of bringing the people of the two countries closer. The Americans have fulfilled this mission by honouring him and his country.

John Galsworthy is a famous novelist and playwright whose works contains a great deal of criticism of British society, particularly of the values of the well-to-do professional class. Like all the writers of the time, John Galsworthy is a satirist and at bests an ironist. Like Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and Arnold Bennet he looks of what man has made of man with a bitter grin on the face. In some of the plays of Galsworthy, particularly, The Silver Box and The Show, some aspect of social injustice is brought out.

Mr. Barthwick was a member of the British Parliament. He posed himself as a social reformer who seemed to have great sympathy and compassion for the poor and Dow-trodden people. In a drunken state his dissolute son, Jack Barthwick, stole a lady’s purse. He returned home very late at night. James Jones, a poor and jobless person, happened to pass near the house of Mr. Barthwick. He saw Jack Barthwick trying to find the keyhole on the wrong side of the door. He helped Jack in unlocking the door of his house. As Jack had nothing to give him, so he invited him to have a drink. Jones entered the house with Jack. He drank whisky excessively and under the influence of whisky he stole a sliver cigarette box and the same purse, stolen by the jack. In the morning Thomas Marlowe, Butler to Barthwick, found the silver box missing. He communicated the loss to Mr. Barthwick who sent him to the police station to lodge the report of the theft.

The police acted promptly and arrested Jones along with his innocent wife who was employed as a charwoman in the house of Mr. Barthwick. Jones became violent and resisted the police when they arrested his wife who did not commit any crime. The police took her into custody because they suspected that she might have stolen the silver box or helped her husband in entering the house of Mr. Barthwick. Owing to the scoundrel Mrs. Jones lost her job and had to vacate the house in which she lived with her three children.

Jones was aried in the court of law for stealing the silver cigarette box and making an assault on the police. He was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. He protested against this injustice, for Jack who committed the identical crime, was not punished. He says to Magistrate:

Mrs. Jones was also tried for stealing the silver box and helping her husband in obtaining access to the house of Mr. Barthwick. But the charges leveled against her could not be proved and she was acquitted. At the end of the trial she looked at Mr. Barthwick with a silent request for re-employment but he made a gesture of refusal and hurried out of the court. Thus the poor family was ruined completely. It is said that:

In this drama, we can say that,

John Galsworthy has written this drama with a great purpose. He raises his voice against injustice of his own time. He believes that the poor hardworking class is crushed by those who have power and influence. It is rightly said:

It was a stormy winter’s evening of 1955. A heavily wrapped lady entered the waiting room of a country railway junction, followed by a porter who lighted the fire for her, as it was very cold. Soon a male passenger also entered the waiting room and came near the fire in order to warm himself. The porter told them that they had to wait for 20 minutes for the arrival of the train, bound for Stainthorpe. After the departure of the porter the two passengers were left alone. They were strangers to each other, but soon they started a conversation to while away the time.

The man told the woman of two half-minute meetings, which had the most profound effect on his life. The first meeting took place in June 1953 in Korea. He was severely wounded and wanted to die. He fainted and when he regained consciousness, he saw a young Korean girl bending over him. She smiled at him and her smile gave him the courage to live. He smile made him realize what his daughter would have been like if she had lived. She was killed along with her mother in a road accident. They were overrun by a car, which was being driven recklessly by Mrs. Judy Oakentubb. She was held guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 18-month imprisonment but according to him it was a plain deliberate heartless murder. So, he was going to Stainthorpe in order to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter.

The woman told the man that his wife and daughter were killed in the accident. It was not a murder. But he did not agree. He said that she was drunk and was driving the car very fast to reach the coast from Stainthorpe. She led a bet with one of her companies to cover the long distance within 15 minutes while it could be covered in half an hour. She drove recklessly and killed his wife and daughter. So, it was a deliberate murder.

By chance he read the name of Mrs. Oakentubb, written on the label of the suitcase, which belonged to the lady who was conversing with him. He was sure that the lady, who was standing before him, was Mrs. Judy Oakentubb. He pulled a revolver from his pocket and pointed at her. Mrs. Judy Oakentubb recoiled and told him that she had been in perpetual agony ever since the accident took place. She posed herself as a repentant lady over the tragic accident. She instead of asking for her life implored for her death that according to her was a mean of escaping from the mental torture. Believing in her statement, he decided to leave her and give her no punishment, as living with a sense of self-reproachment was an ideal punishment for the lady. He says:

He pocketed his revolver and walked out leaving her sobbing. As soon as he left the room, she came to her real self. She expressed her hatred for the man observing her from outside. He opened the door suddenly, raised the revolver and shot her dead. It is rightly said:

Albert Einstein says that our stay in this world is very short. It is rightly said that:

Life is not purposeless. As far as the practical life is concerned we exist for our fellowmen. He thinks that his fellowmen work very hard in order to make his life comfortable. So, he must repay them in the same manner. He is against class differences which, he thinks, are contrary to justice and are based on force and compulsion. He believes in simple living. He says that man is not completely free in this world. He acts under external compulsions and the pressure of inner urges. He believes in the philosophy of the famous German philosopher who says that:

According to Einstein comfort and ease are not good ideals. He has always been inspired by the ideals of truth, goodness and beauty. He thinks that property, outward success and luxury are the ordinary objects of life. He loves solitude because he thinks that a man can form his opinions, habits and judgments without being influenced by any person if he leads a life of solitude.

Einstein is a firm believer of democracy. He considers it to be the best form of government. He is against Hero-worship. He attributes the causes of the failures of democracy in Europe to the weak and incapable rulers. He pays great tribute to the presidential form of Government prevalent in America where a president is elected for a sufficiently long period and enjoys sufficient powers. Therefore, he acts in a responsible manner.

Einstein hates war. He would rather die than take part in such an abominable business. Wars break out because the sound sense of the nations has been corrupted by political and commercial interests.

According to Einstein mystery is the basis of religion. Man always tried to know the unknown and the passion to know the unknown mysterious things results in a religious attitude. In this sense alone, Einstein is a deeply religious person because he has tried to know the unknown.

After the study of this though-provoking essay we come to the conclusion that Albert Einstein is really a great man. He is humanist and pacifist and a genius. He has a philosophical bent of mind. In short, he is a man of great wisdom, keen observation, deep insight and profound knowledge.

One morning an old water rat put his head out of his hole. He saw the little ducks swimming in the pond with their mother. He told the duck that friendship was a higher thing than love. A green Linnet who was sitting on a willow tree nearby, asked him to explain the conception of devoted friendship. The duck said that she also wanted to know the water rat’s view about the duties of a devoted friend. The water rat could not explain his point of view. Then, the green Linnet told a story on the subject of devoted friendship.

Once upon a time there was an honest little fellow named Hans. He lived alone in a tiny cottage surrounded by a lovely garden. In his garden he grew various kinds of flowers and fruits. Hugh the Miller was his intimate friend who was a smooth-tongued fellow. Hans was under the impressions that the Miller was his fast, bosom and devoted friend. But he was a selfish friend. He used to get flowers and fruits from Hans but did not give any thing in return, though he was very proud of his friendship with the Miller. To justify his selfish attitude, the Miller used to say to little Hans:

When the winter came, Hans began to starve but the Miller did not go to see him. He used to say to his wife:

When the winter was over, the Miller came to see Hands. Hans said to him:

The Miller pleased Hands by speaking a beautiful sentence. He said:

Hans told the miller that he was obliged to sell many things including the wheelbarrow. The Miller promised to give his own broken wheelbarrow. Now he began to exploit Hans. On the very day he got a plank from him. Then, he asked him to repair the roof of his barn. Once he asked him to carry his sack of flour to the market. Thereafter, the Miller asked him to take his sheep to the mountain. Every time the Miller asked Hans to do any thing, he reminded Hans that he was going to give him his wheelbarrow. On a stormy night he sent Hans to call in a doctor as his son was injured. While returning with the doctor, he lost his way and was drowned. Next day his dead body was found floating in the pool of water. Every body attended the little Hans funeral and the Miller, who was responsible for his tragic death, posed himself to be the chief mourner. Hans sacrificed his life for the sake of devoted friendship. He was the embodiment of sincerity and sacrifice. He departed from the world leaving a shinning example of devoted friendship.

Oscar Wilde has deliberately written the story in order to explain his point of view that when a story is written with a moral, the writer is bound to weave unrealistic elements into the texture of the story. For example the Miller’s son is injured and he refuses and he refuses to give his new lantern to Hans. Hans is so simple that he does not get angry at the refusal and goes to call in a doctor. While returning he is drowned in a pool of water. It is difficult to find such a person in the realistic world. The moral behind the story is a dominantly repeated saying:

In this lesson Russelll has tried to present a historical study and analysis of the reemergence of the East as a powerful influence in the World after centuries of subjugation and exploitation by the Western Imperialism. He praises the people of the East and criticizes the people of West. He admires the Muslims of Spain, who had a brilliant culture, at that time when the Christian Europe was sunk in barbarism. He has expressed his hopes and apprehensions as regards to what Asia should and what it will do after it has achieved both its political and economic independence. He also desires that the East will use its power to promote peace, justice and happiness in the World.

According to Bertrand Russelll the Re-awakening of the East is an enormous movement. During the period of more than two thousand years, the East and the West held the power alternately. In the earlier history, the East predominated. It was more civilized and more powerful than the west. However, the West got the lead in civilization with the rise of Greece and it came into power with the conquests of Alexander. But after the fall of Rome, the East regained the power and very large parts of the Roman Empire were conquered by the Muslims, who had an Empire considerably larger than that of Rome. During the early part of the East was dominant in power as well as in culture whereas Europe was sunk in barbarism. There was no culture in Europe but only in Christian Europe, for the Muslims of Spain had a brilliant culture. However, the West once again came into power and prominence due to the stupendous progress of science and by following the policy of imperialism. But the two world wars so enfeebled Europe that it was no longer able to hold Asia in subjection. Now most of the African and Asian countries have achieved independence and other will achieve their freedom very soon.

Welcoming the emergence of these new countries Russelll warns the Asian people of the danger of communism, which, he believes, is the worst kind of Western imperialism. He is of the opinion that Asian people can raise their standard of living by making tremendous progress in science and technology and in the field of industry.

Asian countries should adopt the Western scientific technique but they must not follow it blindly. They must retain the glorious traditions of their civilization. They must not exploit their knowledge and power like the Western Countries. They must avoid the mistakes and blunders committed by the West. Mankind must learn a degree of mutual respect in order to make the world a happy place. Russelll has strong hope that the Asian countries can play a vital role in maintaining the international peace and in making the world a place of happiness, Russelll concludes the article with the following memorable sentences: