STAGE
4
Gandhi
Rowena Akinyemi
Introduction
Chapter summary
Chapter 1, From India to England (1869–1892),
describes Mohandas Gandhi’s early life. He was from
a Hindu family, and he married very young. He was shy
but adventurous, and went to London to study law.
Back in India, his first experiences as a lawyer were
not very successful.
Chapter 2, South Africa (1893–1894), is about
Chapter 8, The salt march (1924–1931), describes
Gandhi’s experiences in Natal province which was, like
Gandhi’s campaign to stop the salt tax, which hurt
India, part of the British Empire. As a result of the
poorer people most. He was now becoming famous
discrimination and racism that he experienced, he
internationally, and met many admirers in England.
started to organize his fellow Indians, and created the
Natal Indian Congress to fight for just laws.
Chapter 9, A message to all India (1932–1939),
is about Gandhi’s continuing struggle with the British
Chapter 3, Experiences of violence (1895–
government and with those Indians who wanted to
1898), describes the increasing resentment against
maintain divisions between Hindus and Muslims and
Gandhi in South Africa. He also experienced the Boer
between Untouchables and mainstream society.
War, in which he helped the British as a member of
Chapter 10, Prison (1939–1944), covers the start
the Ambulance Corps. He finally returned to a
of the Second World War and the reactions of Indian
comfortable life in India, but was soon asked to return
leaders. Whilst he believed more and more strongly
to South Africa as an important British official was
that the British should leave India, Gandhi felt that
about to visit.
peaceful help should be offered to the British.
Chapter 4, Wars and books (1899–1910), is
Chapter 11, Working for peace (1944–1946),
about Gandhi’s developing religious and social ideas.
describes how, as the war finished, the British decided
He believed that large-scale, non-violent action was
to leave India. Many Muslims now wanted to create a
the right reaction to injustice. He also started to
separate state, and violence erupted between Hindus
believe that simple, communal, living was the ideal.
and Muslims. Gandhi and his followers travelled round
Chapter 5, Marching for change (1910–1914),
the affected areas, trying to bring peace.
describes Gandhi’s last years in South Africa and his
Chapter 12, My life is my message (1947–1948),
continuing efforts (and those of his wife, family and
explains how, to Gandhi’s despair, India was partitioned.
friends) to fight unjust laws through non-violence.
Millions of people started to move between India and
Chapter 6, Return to India (1915–1919), describes
Pakistan, and there was widespread violence. Gandhi
how Gandhi, now in simple clothes, returned to India
continued to work for peace, fasting, visiting refugees,
as a popular hero. He helped to organize the poor
and speaking against violence.
against injustice, and successfully fasted during one
Chapter 13, Father of the Nation (1948 and
campaign. However, not everyone agreed with his
beyond), describes Gandhi’s final days. He was still
vision for the future, nor with his belief that the
resolute in his work for peace, and planned to visit
Untouchables should be part of normal Indian society.
Pakistan. However, on his way to prayers he was
Chapter 7, The great trial (1919–1922), covers
assassinated by a Hindu extremist who was against
the general strike that Gandhi organized as a reaction
peaceful relations with Muslims. There was mourning
to British emergency laws. He was distressed by the
throughout India and Pakistan, and Gandhi’s ashes
resulting violence on both sides, but particularly by the
were scattered in a sacred river. After his death, his
massacre of 1,000 protesters at Amritsar. He was sent
influence was powerful, affecting people such as the
to prison, but released early because of illness.
Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Martin Luther King.
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STAGE
42
Gandhi
Pre-reading activity
What do you know?
1 What do you know about Gandhi? Tick the correct statements:
Gandhi . . .
a . . . was born in South Africa.
■
b . . . wanted to fight against injustice.
■
c . . . worked to free India from British control.
■
d . . . believed that violence was sometimes necessary.
■
e . . . was Prime Minister of India.
■
f . . . studied law in London.
■
2Here are some words which are connected with Gandhi’s life. Match the words with the
definitions.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
strike
fast
election
empire
tax
march
negotiate
court
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
money that people have to pay to the government
a place where trials happen
a time when people choose their government by voting
to discuss and try to reach agreement
a time when people refuse to work, in order to get what they want
a group of several countries governed by one country
a long, organized walk for a lot of people
to stop eating food for a period of time
3 Which of these statements do you agree with? Which do you disagree with? Say why.
a A simple life, without too much money, is best.
b Religious leaders are more important than government leaders.
c Farmers are the most important people in a country.
d People should always obey their governments.
To the teacher
Aim: To introduce some of the key vocabulary, facts, and ideas in the book.
Time: 15–20 minutes
Organization: Show students a picture of Gandhi. Ask them if they know who it is. Then ask them to do exercises
1 and 2 either individually or in pairs. Go through the answers as a group. Discuss why the statements in exercise
1 are true or false, and why the vocabulary in exercise 2 might appear in the book. Exercise 3 is meant to provoke
discussion and get students thinking about some of the issues that they will be reading about in the book.
Key 1: Statements b, c, and f are true.
Key 2: 1e, 2h, 3c, 4f, 5a, 6g, 7d, 8b
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STAGE
42
Gandhi
While reading activity
Order the events
These sentences are about Mohandas Gandhi’s early life. Put them in the correct order. The first
and last ones have been done for you.
EVENT
ORDER
a
He travelled to London to study law.
b
He refused, and the police pushed him off the train.
c
Henry Polak gave him a book called Unto This Last.
d
A judge told him to take off his turban.
e
He married Kastur.
f
Guards asked him to leave a first-class compartment on a train.
g
He went to South Africa to help Abdullah Sheth.
h
His father died.
i
He started the Natal Indian Congress.
j
He finished his studies and returned to India.
k
He decided that he had to fight racism and injustice.
l
He bought some western clothes.
m
He started to live in a simpler way, and moved to a farm in the country.
n
He was told that his mother had died.
o
He found a vegetarian restaurant called the Central.
p
He refused, and had to leave the courtroom.
1
16
To the teacher
Where: At the end of chapter 4.
Aim: To revise the key events of Gandhi’s early life.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Organization: Give each student or group of students a copy of the worksheet, and ask them to put them in the
correct order. The first and last events have already been numbered. When students have finished, go through the
answers as a class, encouraging students to expand on the events described where possible.
Key: 1e, 2h, 3l, 4a, 5o, 6j, 7n, 8g, 9d, 10p, 11f, 12b, 13k, 14i, 15c, 16m
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Gandhi
STAGE
4
After reading activity
Hidden word
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1 In 1947, the British left and India became an ______ country.
2 Farmers in Champaran were very poor, because they could not get a good price for their ______.
3 Because of his ______ faith, Mohandas was not allowed to eat meat.
4 Lord Mountbatten was the last British ______ of India.
5 India was divided, and a Muslim state called ______ was created.
6 When they left Phoenix Farm, Gandhi and his friends moved to ______ Farm.
7 Gandhi led a long march against the ______ tax.
8 Mohandas was the ______ child in his family.
9 In his later life, Gandhi used his ______ wheel every day.
10 When war started in South Africa, Gandhi started the ______ Corps to help the wounded.
11 Gandhi was killed when he going to a ______ meeting.
To the teacher
Aim: To revise and discuss some of the main events in the book.
Time: 15–20 minutes
Organization: Give each student, or group of students, a copy of the worksheet. Ask students to read the clues,
write in the eleven words and find the hidden word running down the centre. Go through the answers as a class,
and see how much the students can remember about the topics mentioned.
Key: 1 independent; 2 indigo; 3 Hindu; 4 Viceroy; 5 Pakistan; 6 Tolstoy; 7 salt; 8 youngest; 9 spinning; 10 ambulance;
11 prayer. The hidden word is NON-VIOLENCE
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