Solved Exercise for Precis writing “Modern Times” for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

We have seen that many craftsmen of former days put their heart and soul into their work. In many cases they produced the articles “elves from start to finish. The pleasure and pride which they felt in a well-made article cannot be equalled by the factory worker of today.

In a big modern factory each worker contributes so little to the finished article that he does not think of it as the fruit of his own labours. Workers who repeat the same operation day after day can take no ire or pride in their work. Their chief pleasure in life is outside the factory. Their work is dull and they spend their time with one eye he clock. In spite of various attempts to brighten the lives of the workers, the average man in a factory is rather to be pitied than envied. The dullness of his life is one of the drawbacks of mass production.

Some people believe that man is becoming the slave of the machine. Certainly machines are playing an ever-increasing part in our lives. Let is hope that they will never become more important than the men they were intended to serve. Charlie Chaplin, in his film “Modern Times”. drew attention to this danger. In the film he got a job in a factory that employed mass production method. He had to stand by a machine with a spanner in his hand. An endless belt passed in front of him carrying slowly an endless line of articles. As each one passed he tightened one nut on one bolt with his spanner. His work was one with one turn of the wrist repeated throughout the day. Very soon his mind became affected and the film shows the amusing things which he did as a result of his mental disorder. Although it is very funny, the film had a serious side. It showed that the kind of work which many people do, far from giving them pride and pleasure, is more likely to fit them for the lunatic asylum.

We must all hope that means will be found to retain the advantages arising out of mass production, while at the same time giving the worker some of the pride and pleasure of the old craftsman.

(378 words)

Precis

Title:- Modern Times

The Drudgery of Factory Work under Mass Production Unlike the craftsmen of former days who produced articles from to finish, the factory workers of today, whose contribution in the finished product is so little, can hardly feel any pride or pleasure in his which is simply a dull routine. The result is that he sees his outside the factory and not in the work itself. Charlie Chaplin pleasure outside the factory and not in the film “Modern Times” has shown how the work in a modern factory so much tells on the nerves of a worker that he is likely to turn mad. It would however be advisable to retain the advantages of mass production but something must be done to enable the worker to take pleasure and pride in his work.