Using Gen AI in Literature Classroom: Two Worksheets

    AI-infused interpretation.

This task, given by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir, aims to explore the role of ChatGPT in the literature classroom, highlighting its benefits, limitations, and impact on learning. ChatGPT enhances comprehension, encourages critical thinking, improves writing skills, and supports independent learning. However, it also has limitations, requiring students to critically evaluate AI-generated content. While it serves as a valuable educational tool, human guidance remains essential in ensuring meaningful learning. 

 

Here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading: Click here.

 

Objectives of This Task:

Enhancing Comprehension – Aids in analyzing and interpreting literary texts.

Encouraging Critical Thinking – Fosters discussions and deep literary analysis.

Improving Writing Skills – Provides grammar-perfect feedback and suggestions.

Enhancing Vocabulary – Generates vocabulary lists and quizzes.

Supporting Independent Learning – Offers summaries and explanations for self-study.

Recognizing AI Limitations – Helps students identify AI-generated errors and biases.

Sir shared two worksheets where we used ChatGPT to generate and analyze responses. While the AI provided well-structured answers, some lacked depth, highlighting the need for human refinement. This task helped us grasp both AI’s potential and its limitations, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and human evaluation in learning.

Following are the questions which were asked in Worksheet 1:

1.1. Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five

leaves?

 

Ans  :

The few leaves on the barren tree in Waiting for Godot (Act II) symbolize the ambiguous passage of time, a faint yet futile hope, and the absurdity of existence. While they suggest change, they do not alter the characters' endless waiting, reinforcing the play’s themes of uncertainty, irony, and stagnation.

1.2. Can we do any political reading of the play if we see European nations represented by the

'names' of the characters (Vladimir - Russia; Estragon - France; Pozzo - Italy and Lucky -

England)? What interpretation can be inferred from the play written just after World War II?

Which country stands for 'Godot'?

ANS:

In a political reading, Waiting for Godot reflects post-WWII Europe’s paralysis—Vladimir (Russia) and Estragon (France) wait in vain, Pozzo (Italy) dominates but declines, and Lucky (England) is burdened. 'Godot' could symbolize the U.S. (Marshall Plan) or an unattainable political salvation, reinforcing themes of futility and disillusionment.

1.3. In Act I, in reply to Boy’s question:

"BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?

VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't

you?

How does this conversation go in Act II? What is the significance?

Ans:

In Act II, Vladimir tells the Boy, "Tell him you saw me," instead of "us," marking his growing isolation. This reinforces existential uncertainty, highlights the play’s cyclical stagnation, and deepens the futility of their endless wait for Godot.

1.4. In both Acts, evening falls into night and the moon rises. How would you interpret this

‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?

Ans:

The coming of night and the rising moon mark the slow, inevitable passage of time, emphasizing the futility of waiting. Vladimir eagerly anticipates night, not because it brings change, but because it offers closure to another day of meaningless hope. The moon, distant and indifferent, mirrors their endless cycle—time moves, yet nothing truly happens, deepening the play’s existential despair.

1.5. What is the meaning of the terms ‘Apathia, Aphasia, and Athambia’ in Lucky’s speech? “. . .

divine apathia divine athambia divine aphasia loves us dearly with some exceptions for

reasons unknown ...”

Ans:

Lucky’s speech is a chaotic parody of scholarly and theological discourse, blending real and nonsensical words to highlight the absurdity of intellectual pursuits. The terms Apathia, Aphasia, and Athambia mock God’s supposed qualities—indifference, silence, and impassivity—questioning divine benevolence. The speech’s rapid delivery, fragmented logic, and physical chaos on stage reinforce the play’s themes of existential absurdity, the futility of communication, and the meaningless search for certainty in an indifferent universe.

1.6. ‘A better solution to the tramp’s predicament than to wait – is, suicide”. Is it really so?

Why did they fail to commit suicide? (Pg 36 in the article)

Ans:

In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon view suicide as a possible escape from their meaningless existence, yet they ultimately fail to go through with it. Their reasons are both practical and existential:

1. Lack of Proper Means – They consider hanging themselves but lack a strong rope, and Estragon’s belt is too weak. Their failure to find a simple tool mirrors their overall helplessness.
2. Fear of Being Left Alone – If one succeeds while the other survives, the survivor would be left in unbearable loneliness, a fate perhaps worse than waiting.
3. Inertia and Habit – They are trapped in an endless cycle of inaction, incapable of making decisive choices, whether it be living meaningfully or dying.
4. Flickering Hope – Though Estragon is more skeptical, Vladimir clings to the faint hope that Godot might bring salvation, keeping them tethered to the idea of waiting.

1.7. Explain: “Godot might become an image of what Sartre calls Bad Faith”. (Pg 39 in the

article)

Ans:

Godot: A Symbol of Bad Faith

Vladimir and Estragon’s endless wait for Godot mirrors Sartre’s concept of Bad Faith—self-deception that keeps individuals from embracing their own freedom. Instead of taking control of their existence, they cling to the illusion that Godot will bring meaning, using his absence as an excuse for inaction. Much like those who conform to societal roles to avoid confronting life’s absurdity, they surrender to false hope rather than face the unsettling truth: there is no salvation beyond what they create for themselves.

1.8. Explain: “One hardly feels the absurdity of some things, on the one hand, and the

necessity of those other things, on the other, (for it is rare that feeling of absurdity is not

followed by the feeling of necessity), when one feels the absurdity of those things of which

one had just felt the necessity (for it is rare that the feeling of necessity is not followed by

the feeling of absurdity)” .

Ans:

This statement captures the endless loop of human perception—what seems absurd soon feels necessary, and what feels necessary eventually seems absurd. In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon’s waiting follows this cycle: they doubt its meaning (absurdity), then justify it (necessity), only to question it again. This reflects existential anxiety, where people cling to illusions of purpose to escape the void of meaninglessness.

Here is how we work on Worksheet 2:

1)

2)

Conclusion

This task provided valuable insights into the use of AI in literature classrooms, helping us explore ChatGPT’s strengths and limitations. While AI-generated responses were well-structured, they lacked depth, reinforcing the need for human interpretation.

Additionally, in an activity on Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, we analyzed existential themes and absurdist elements using AI. This highlighted how AI can assist in literary discussions but cannot replace critical thinking and academic reasoning. Overall, the task showed that AI is a useful tool but requires human refinement for meaningful engagement with literature.

Video - 1: The Sheep and the Goat | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett

1. Biblical Reference and Its Subversion

• Beckett uses the parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31–46) as a symbolic framework.

• Traditionally, sheep = righteous (rewarded), goats = unrighteous (punished).

• In Waiting for Godot, this expectation is reversed: the goat-tender is spared, and the sheep-tender is punished.

• This reversal questions the moral certainty and reliability of divine judgment.

2. Critique of Religious Morality

• Beckett challenges the idea that religious duty guarantees divine favor.

• Vladimir and the boy’s conversation suggests fear of punishment overshadows genuine love for God.

• The play critiques binary views of morality (good vs. bad, reward vs. punishment).

• Encourages audiences to rethink inherited religious and moral beliefs.

3. Broader Symbolic and Social Implications

• The sheep-goat divide echoes political and ideological polarities (right vs. left).

• Traits of obedience and resistance in both animals reflect human complexity.

• Beckett highlights the limits of fixed systems—religious, political, or social.

• Urges viewers to question authority and re-evaluate the narratives that define justice and virtue.

 Conclusion

Through the symbolic inversion of the sheep and goats parable, Beckett questions the reliability of religious judgment and the oversimplified binaries of morality. Waiting for Godot challenges not only theological assumptions but also broader ideological divides, urging the audience to reflect on the constructed nature of authority, justice, and virtue. In doing so, Beckett invites a deeper, more critical engagement with the systems and beliefs that shape human behavior.

Video - 2: Hope - Christian Faith or Sartrean Bad Faith | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett

1. Religious Interpretations and the Act of Waiting

• The play reflects Christian values through the mutual care between Vladimir and Estragon, portraying waiting as an act of spiritual endurance and charity.

• Biblical references like “they also serve who only stand and wait” support the idea of waiting as service and moral commitment.

• Comparative readings with Hindu philosophy (e.g., Bhagavad-Gita) suggest that waiting can also symbolize a path to self-realization through Karma and devotion.

• Across traditions, the act of waiting is portrayed as meaningful, though ambiguous, highlighting themes of patience, charity, and interconnectedness.

2. Existential Critique and the Illusion of Hope

• Sartre’s concept of “bad faith” applies here: waiting becomes a mechanism to avoid responsibility and the truth of human freedom.

• Godot’s never-arriving presence symbolizes an illusory hope that keeps characters trapped in inaction.

• Their repetitive behavior (e.g., routines, passivity) mirrors modern distractions like social media scrolling—offering comfort but stalling authentic self-awareness.

• This habitual waiting prevents existential growth, illustrating how hope, when misplaced, becomes a tool for self-deception.

3. Duality, Mortality, and Contemporary Relevance

• Beckett shows a tension between meaningful acts of compassion and the paralyzing effects of passive hope.

• Interdependence offers comfort but can also lead to collective resignation and avoidance of existential truths like mortality.

• Themes like time, habit, and even suicide are explored not as taboos but as rational reflections on absurdity.

• Ultimately, Beckett fuses religious ideals and existential doubt, inviting us to reflect: is hope a noble virtue or an evasive habit? This ambiguity makes the play deeply relevant in today’s fast-paced, digitally distracted world.

 Conclusion

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot masterfully blurs the boundaries between religious faith and existential despair, presenting hope as both a source of spiritual resilience and a potential illusion that hinders self-realization. While acts of charity and companionship reflect a moral, perhaps even sacred, dimension to human relationships, the characters’ endless waiting also mirrors modern patterns of passive escapism. Beckett does not offer clear answers but instead constructs a complex narrative where waiting is both necessary and absurd, comforting and crippling. This duality invites audiences to critically examine their own lives—questioning whether their hopes inspire meaningful action or serve as distractions from the deeper truths of existence.

References

Barad, Dilip. “Hope - Christian Faith or Sartrean Bad Faith | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett.” YouTube, uploaded by DoE-MKBU, 30 Jan. 2023, youtu.be/umeapOKxyds. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

 “Objectives for Using ChatGPT in Literature Classroom.” Dilip Barad | Teacher Blog, 22 Jan. 2023, blog.dilipbarad.com/2023/01/objectives-for-using-chatgpt-in.html. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

 “The Sheep and the Goat | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett.” YouTube, uploaded by DoE-MKBU, 26 Jan. 2023, youtu.be/6KJw9LZ_HC8. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts. Faber and Faber, 2012.