The Downside
By Ibrahim
In this material world of ours, fictional characters always seem to be the ones that capture our imagination. Moving on from that rather dysfunctional paradox, there are countless examples of such characters being immortalised in time. In the literary world, this isn't always a good thing. Sure, the authors get to revel in the worldwide fame of something which they created, but, sometimes it can lead to rather sad consequences for these writers. The fame of their creation eclipses them until they are nothing but a footnote, often ignored. Although it is a rare event, here are some of instances of it.
(For the purpose of this article J.K Rowling and her Harry Potter books have been excluded because they are relatively new and it remains to be seen if she will suffer the same fate as her illustrious and unlucky comrades. We hope not.).......................................................................................................................................................
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Jibanananda Das (Banalata Sen): Born in Barisal, Das is one of the most famous writers in Bengali Literature. And yet, even he pales in significance in front of this hauntingly beautiful poem created by him. The poem itself has probably been read and dissected countless times and still the mystery surrounding this woman lingers. The situation was probably escalated by the fact that Das himself was a recluse for most of his life and let his writings represent him. It seems his wish was granted and many modern-day critics remember Das as the shadow of the man trailing in the wake of his temptress. Anyone who hasn't read the enchanting poem yet should definitely do it.
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Thomas Harris (Hannibal Lecter): Perhaps a little less well-known but still a brilliant character. Hannibal starred as a brilliant psychiatrist while moonlighting as a cannibal in Harris's suspense novels. The character really gained its fame after Anthony Hopkins portrayed it in the film adaptations of the book. But the sad fact is that many people fail to remember Harris and his fantastic books. Like Holmes, many people believed Lecter to be a real person. The character was modelled on many horrific real life accounts of cannibalism, but he is, thankfully, fictional.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes):
A familiar name to millions of people all over the world, Sherlock Holmes was one of the first of his kind to gain such unprecedented popularity. The genius mind behind the world famous sleuth, however, is often forgotten by people. Even more astonishing is the fact that many all over the world used to believe that Holmes was an actual private detective. Many letters containing problems for Sherlock were addressed to the fictional 221B Baker Street every year. Needless to say many were left disappointed. While that practice has died down over the years, there's still great ignorance about the writer who created Holmes in the first place. He deserves better.
Ian Fleming (James Bond):
The character needs no introduction, the writer, apparently, does. Even in his wildest dreams Fleming could not have imagined the popularity 007 would generate. The books themselves are worth a read, and Fleming does a good job of the character. Several blockbusters, millions of dollars and a bevy of Bond Girls later, James Bond is one of the biggest franchises in the world and the writer has disappeared into the annals of history.
Tip: Picking the perfect camera for your needs
By Rannia Shehrish
Megapixels are not to worry about. Most cameras have enough for a 13 by 19inch photo.
* Prefer strong optical zoom cameras to high resolution ones. These save the trouble of enlarging and cropping, and in turn keep the resolution intact.
* Make sure the camera has inbuilt image stabiliser to avoid hazy photos, especially when using zoom.
* Image quality depends on the size of the sensors and lens - the larger the better. Check the specs for info. For DSLRs, full frame ones are certainly better and worth the high price.
* For action photography you'll need a camera with high shutter speed. Avoid ones built to take fast shots as they decrease image quality in the process. A camera with 'burst mode' or 'continuous shooting' of three shots in a second is good for such use.
* Consider a camera which allows you to shoot at higher ISO with less noise. This feature is very useful in low-light photography.
* Buy according to your use. If you're only interested in photo sharing then a DSLR should be your last choice.
