Write the critical appreciation of the essay On Doing Nothing.

Ans.

Introduction

The essay entitled On Doing Nothing is an extract from Open House by J. B. Priestley. It is one of his finest pieces written in defence of an idle life. In it the essayist asserts that doing nothing is good for health and mind. He condemns those who are ever engaged in any work and do not have leisure time to enjoy their lives. He also presents the instances of up and doing. He says that the First World War of 1914 would not have taken place if the kings, statesmen and generals of that period had been persons with different attitude of doing nothing. For him, an open air life, contact with Nature and ideal state of doing nothing show the real way for true happiness. In his opinion the materialistic life of city should be avoided. An idle life in the lap of Nature can bring a perfect development of body, mind and soul. The essayist also condemns devil who is regarded the busiest creature of the universe.

Thought-content

The essay begins with the long stay of the essayist at his friend’s cottage among the Yorkshire moor. When the essayist got opportunity to stay with his friend, it was pleasant warm weather. This place was located at some ten miles from a railway station. Both the friends left in the morning and climbed up happily. They reached a place that was about two thousand feet above sea-level. Lying flat on their backs, they spent the entire period of afternoon. During their stay in the moorland, they enjoyed themselves doing nothing. No doubt, they did something but it was practically nothing. They smoked cigarettes, ate sandwiches and chocolates, drank water, exchanged remarks and walked down dozen yards but they were thoughtless while they did all that. They made no plans and entertained no ideas but lay on the moorland grass quiet and motionless. The essayist regarded a moor the best lounging place, a clean and open room to heaven. Under apparent dull life without excitement, there was variety and interest for them in the slowly changing clouds and the fine scene of coloured horizon. He felt rest, pleasure and pure thought on the grassy carpet. There he was entirely indifferent to all the hurry and worry of the city life. Finally the essayist came down into this world of men and newspaper owners only to discover that they had just been denounced.

Further the essayist depicts the consequences produced by those who are ever engaged in any business. He also presents many instances of this up and doing.

Philosophical Attitude

While condemning laziness, the essayist adopts philosophical attitude. He says that all the evil in this world is brought by those who are up and doing. He regards the devil the busiest creature in this universe. In his opinion there is plenty of energy in this universe but this energy is misdirected. If the statesmen and politicians had been inspired to do nothing and enjoy their life in the sunshine, there would have been no world wars and no bloodshed. The world peace is generally disturbed by those who pose to do something for the world.

Humour and Irony

The title of the essay is also humorous. The opening lines of the essay show a clear glimpse of humour when it is told that the essayist is away in Yorkshire in the company of his artist friend and there both of them are lying flat in the hilly area enjoying Nature and doing nothing. It is also humorous when we are told that they did something but it was practically nothing. They smoked cigarettes, ate sandwiches and chocolates, drank water, exchanged remarks and walked down dozen yards. There is also found a glimpse of humour when the essayist suggests that the statesmen and politicians should be inactive. He says that if the statemen and politicians had been inspired to do nothing and enjoy their life in the sunshine, there would have been no world wars and no blood-shed. It is indeed humorous when he says that the importance of Thoreau and Whitman lies in their habit of doing nothing. It is again humorous when the essayist says that Wordsworth knew the value of doing nothing.

Irony is found when the essayist suggests to do nothing and enjoy the beautiful sights of nature. Further the essayist says that the great writers of America like Thoreau and Whitman have turned satirists only because of the evil effect of too much busy life of this physical world. It is an irony when the essayist presents suggestion that the people should follow the doctrine of Wordsworth in order to make free the world from all the evils.

His Language and Style

The language of the essay is simple and easy. The essayist has not used any complicated words which can create difficulty for an average reader. Some sentences are long but they are understandable:

1. It is a kind of clean bare antechamber to heaven. Beneath its apparent monotony that offers no immediate excitements, no absorbing drama of sound and colour, there is a subtle variety in its slowly changing patterns of cloud and shadow and tinted horizons, sufficient to keep up a flicker of interest in the mind all day.

2. It is not strictly true, of course, to say that we did absolutely nothing, for we smoked great quantities of tobacco, ate sandwiches and little sticks of chocolate, drank from the cold bubbling streams that spring up from nowhere, gurgle for a few score yards, then disappear again.

The language which he has used, is also highly figurative:

1. “There is no better lounging place than a moor.”

(Simile)

2. “With its velvety patches, no bigger than a drawing-room carpet, of fine moorland grass, its surface invite repose.”

(Simile)

3. “We were as gods……”

(Simile)

4. “All the noises of the world are drowned in the one monotonous cry of the curlew.”

(Onomatopoeia)