April 2018 E-ISSN : 2456-5571 UGC Approved Journal (J

BODHI International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

An Online, Peer Reviewed, Refereed and Quarterly Journal

Vol: 2 Special Issue: 19 April 2018 E-ISSN : 2456-5571 UGC approved Journal (J. No. 44274)

CENTRE FOR RESOURCE, RESEARCH & PUBLICATION SERVICES (CRRPS) www.crrps.in | www.bodhijournals.com

BODHI

BODHI International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science (E-ISSN: 2456-5571) is online, peer reviewed, Refereed and Quarterly Journal, which is powered & published by Center for Resource, Research and Publication Services, (CRRPS) India. It is committed to bring together academicians, research scholars and students from all over the world who work professionally to upgrade status of academic career and society by their ideas and aims to promote interdisciplinary studies in the fields of humanities, arts and science.

The journal welcomes publications of quality papers on research in humanities, arts, science. agriculture, anthropology, education, geography, advertising, botany, business studies, chemistry, commerce, computer science, communication studies, criminology, cross cultural studies, demography, development studies, geography, library science, methodology, management studies, earth sciences, economics, bioscience, entrepreneurship, fisheries, history, information science & technology, law, life sciences, logistics and performing arts (music, theatre & dance), religious studies, visual arts, women studies, physics, fine art, microbiology, physical education, public administration, philosophy, political sciences, psychology, population studies, social science, sociology, social welfare, linguistics, literature and so on.

Research should be at the core and must be instrumental in generating a major interface with the academic world. It must provide a new theoretical frame work that enable reassessment and refinement of current practices and thinking. This may result in a fundamental discovery and an extension of the knowledge acquired. Research is meant to establish or confirm facts, reaffirm the results of previous works, solve new or existing problems, support theorems; or develop new theorems. It empowers the faculty and students for an in-depth approach in research. It has the potential to enhance the consultancy capabilities of the researcher. In short, conceptually and thematically an active attempt to provide these types of common platforms on educational reformations through research has become the main objective of this Journal.

Dr. S. Balakrishnan Publisher and Editor - in - Chief [email protected] www.bodhijournals.com

BODHI INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SCIENCE (BIJRHAS) An Online, Peer reviewed, Refereed and Quarterly Journal

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Dr. S. Balakrishnan Executive Director, Centre for Resource, Research and Publication Services (CRRPS) Tamil Nadu, India

Vice Editor-in-Chiefs Dr. Manimangai Mani Dr. B. Jeyanthi Senior Lecturer, Department of English, Assistant Professor & HOD of English, Faculty of Modern Languages and Anna University, Tirunelveli Region, Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Tamil Nadu, India Selangor, Malaysia Dr. T. Marx Dr. Mamta Brahmbhatt Senior Lecturer, Department of English, Associate Professor of Management, Faculty of Modern Languages and B.K. School of Business Management, Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India Selangor, Malaysia

Pradeep D. Waghmare Mr. B.P. Pereira Assistant Professor of History, Visiting Professor of English in Journalism, Ramnarain Ruia College, Madurai Kamaraj University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Editorial / Review Board Dr. Sunil S. Narwade Dr. H.S. Rakesh Professor, Dept. of Economics, Assistant Professor of History, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada Davangere University, Karnataka, India University, Aurnagabad, Maharashtra, India Dr. Indira Banerji Dr. V.N. Kendre Assistant Professor of English, Yogoda Satsanga Assistant Professor of Sociology, Mahavidyalaya, Ranchi University, Ranchi, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Jharkhand, India Maharashtra, India Dr. Punam Pandey Dr. Nana Pradhan Assistant Professor, Dept. of English & Modern Assistant Professor of Physics, European Languages, JR Handicapped Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, University, Chitrakoot, UP, India Maharashtra, India Dr. Harshad Bhosale Dr. Prasenjit Panda Assistant Professor of Political Science, Assistant Professor, Dept. of English & Foreign Kirti College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Languages, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Chattisgarh, India

Dr. H.M. Kantharaj Dr. Vaishali Pusate Assistant Co-ordinator of Education, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Davangere University, Karnataka, India Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Dr. Vipin Kumar Pandey Associate Professor of English & Other Foreign Dr. P.V. Mahalinge Language, DSM National Rehabilitation Assistant Professor of Hindi, University, Lucknow, UP, India Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Dr. B.V. Dhananjaya Murthy Assistant Professor of Political Science, Dr. Neelkanth Bankar Davangere University, Karnataka, India Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Dr. Vijaykumar Chavan Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Rajeshwar Andhale Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Maharashtra, India Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Dr. Vijay Shankar Sharma Assistant Professor of Special Education, Dr. Anupama Mujumdar DSM National Rehabilitation University, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Lucknow, UP, India Ruparel College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Dr. Sunil Shankadarwar Dr. Parvez Shamim Assistant Professor of Botany, Assistant Professor of Physical Education & Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, Sports, Government P.G. College, Noida, Maharashtra, India G.B. Nagar, UP, India

Mr. Amit Agnihotri Assistant Professor & Head of Information Technology, JR Handicapped University, Chitrakoot, UP, India

SRI PARASAKTHI COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (An Autonomous College of the Manonaniam Sundaranar University) Re-accredited with ‘A’ Grade (3.38) by NAAC [Under the Management of H.R. & C.E. Dept] Courtallam- 627802, Tamil Nadu, India

Thiru.A.T. Paranjothi Secretary

I am immensely happy that the Department of English and Research Centre is organizing an International Conference on “English Literature- A Tool for Social Upliftment” in collaboration with L Ordine Nuovo Publication on 7th March 2018. Literature and Language are the two imperative requirements for human upliftment. As there is an ever increasing demand for literature teaching, innovative techniques and approaches for language, it would be a fitting gesture to organize such a Conference as this international level paves way for pooling national and international resources with the academic exchange of expertise from eminent language experts and researchers worldwide. The strategies employed in teaching one language and literature will definitely contribute that of other language literatures. Hence it would be a feast to the minds of budding scholars and teachers to be aware of various literatures, also the innovative teaching methods of language and literature. I am sure that the Conference will provide a fruitful interaction among teachers, scholars and students of various languages from several corners of the globe. I wish the Conference organized by the Department of English and Research Centre a grand success.

Dr. (Tmt) K. Thiripurasundari Principal

I am happy to note that the Department of English, Sri Parasakthi is organizing an International Conference on “English Literature- A Tool for Social Upliftment” in collaboration with L Ordine Nuovo Publication on 7th March 2018. I am sure it will enlighten the importance of Teaching language and literature. There is an intimate connection between literature and life. It is, in fact life which is the subject matter of literature, and by teaching any language & its literature, it improves the vocabulary, exposes imagination and learning of general human interests. It also develops the creative thinking, which enhances the depth in knowledge and feels pleasure in actual application. By organizing this type of conferences the students will be more benefitted and the reflection will be on the society. This is exactly what we have to do in the present day context. The Department has been quite active in organizing such programmes in order to provide opportunities for teachers and scholars of this area to discuss academic problems so as to enhance their professional competence and research capability. I appreciate and congratulate the Head of the Department of the English and Research Centre Mrs. A.S. Radha & Dr. (Mrs.) S. Karthika and all the staff members of the Department of English and student volunteers who are actively involved in organizing this Conference. I wish the Conference all success. And I wish the department to bring immense laurels to Our College.

From Editors’ Desk ….

Lexically ‘Conference’ means a formal meeting for discussion or debate, even an event for exchange of information and views. It has many avenues, one among is the International level which came practically result-oriented event at Parasakthi College, Courtallam on 7th March 2018, jointly organized with L Ordine Nuovo Publication, Tamil Nadu., under the style and title on ‘English Literature: A Tool for Social Upliftment’ studded with many sub-themes to ease the participants to involve and commit fully in the event with their views and write-ups before the dignified audience to assess its truth and value, besides need and importance on personal discussion before it go for a printed form. This special issue comes in multiple volumes on English literature. The first volume consists of 25 articles in English literature. The articles touch an area of the researchers’ interest in literature. They also explore the new avenues where people find something could be filled in with. The published articles in this volume bridge the gap in the field of English literature. The articles are highly informative with exhaustive research and outcomes are quite innovative and enlightening. The readers of these articles will have something to store for their life. The editorial team appreciates all the contributors for their research novelty and innovative outcomes. We also appreciate all the readers who invest their time to cherish these ideas into practical steps. Language is to express and literature is to follow and live. We sincerely thank the publishers and the team who put their effort to bring out this special issue. At this Moment we make our Sincere thanks to Management and all faculty fraternity of English Department for this Successful Academic event backed by their wholehearted contributions and supports, which exhorted us at large that are really appreciably commendable.

Special Issue Editors

Mrs. A. S. Radha Head & Assistant Professor, Department of English Sri Parasakthi College for Women, Courtallam, Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. (Mrs) S. Karthika Head & Assistant Professor, Research Centre in English Sri Parasakthi College for Women, Courtallam, Tamil Nadu, India

Mr. B.P. Pereira Visiting Professor of English in Communication Studies Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. S. Balakrishnan Publisher L Ordine Nuovo Publication, Tamil Nadu, India

About the Editors

Mrs. A.S. Radha, M.A., M.Phil., has been working in the Department of English, Sri Parasakthi College for Women, Courtallam since 2006. At present, she holds the post of Head and Assistant Professor of Department of English. She did her undergraduate and postgraduate in Holy Cross College, Nagercoil. She did her M.Phil Dissertation in American Literature. Her Area of Specialization is Indian Writing in English. She has participated in various National and International Seminars and conferences. She has been the resource person to various institutions. With great enthusiasm and cooperation from the department members, she successfully carries the department activities.

Dr. S. Karthika, awarded her Ph.D degree in 2013 in British Literature from Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamilnadu, India. She did her M.A & M.Phil in English from the same University Securing University First and Fifth rank respectively. She has been working as Assistant Professor in English in the Department of English, Sri Parasakthi College for Women, Courtallam, Tamilnadu since 2009. At present, she holds the post of Head of the Research Centre in English. Her area of specialization is British literature and Commonwealth literature. Her area of Interest in research is ethnic studies, gender studies, diasporic literature, fourth world literature and all the postcolonial studies. Apart from literature she is also interested in teaching language studies like linguistics, phonetics, communication skills and soft skills. She has updated her qualification with, M.B.A in Human Resource Management, B.Ed & M.A in Hindi, M.A in Mass Communication & Journalism, M.A. in Linguistics and currently doing M.A in Translation studies and Psychology. She has published more than 36 research articles in various reputed journals and books with ISBN. She has received silver medal titled as the Young Researcher Award for the best paper presentation in the International Conference on Classical Literature: East and West organized by Department of English and Foreign Languages, Alagappa University and Centre for Excellence for Classical Tamil on March 2008. She has also participated and presented more than 35 research papers in various National and International Seminars/Conferences.

Mr. B.P. Pereira, Founder Director of SPEECH POINT is a Soft skills / HR / English trainer after his M.A.(Eng), M.A.(Psy), M.A.(Edn) besides holding M.B.A,, B.G.L, PGD- JMC and other few PG Diplomas in multi disciplinary academic status. He has authored three books, edited 14 books, published 23 papers, presented 40 papers and carried out nine major event managements. He is one of the Associate Editors of Roots & Bodhi International Journals. He is associated with three NGOs for their project guidance and executions and also Psychological Counselor for few homes for the aged, deserted children and Geriatrics Centres. He is a coordinating member of Placement Officers’ Cell India Chapter.

Dr. S. Balakrishnan has been awarded Doctorate in the field of Philosophy entitled “Antonio Gramsci on State and Culture: A Study @ The Madura College, Madurai. He is working as an Editor-in-Chief @ Roots & Bodhi International Journals. He served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy, The Madura College, Madurai (2011-2014). Served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Arul Anandar College, Karumathur in F.I.P. Vacancy (2010-2011. He has published 20 Books with ISBN, Presented & Published 70 Research Papers in Journals and Books with ISSN & ISBN.

BODHI INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SCIENCE An Online, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed and Quarterly Journal with Impact Factor

Vol: 2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Aim & Objectives Academic Excellence in research is CONTENTS continued promoting in research support for young Scholars. Multidisciplinary of research is motivating S. Page Title all aspects of encounters across disciplines and No No research fields in an multidisciplinary views, by 1 An Ethnic Study on the Xenophobia 1 assembling research groups and consequently and the Ostracism in the Novel of Toni projects, supporting publications with this Morrison’s The Bluest Eye inclination and organizing programmes. M.Nithya Internationalization of research work is the unit 2 Exile Literature in the Perspective of 4 seeks to develop its scholarly profile in research Diasporic Indian Writers through quality of publications. And visibility of Dr.M.Manimozhi research is creating sustainable platforms for 3 Kunal Basu’s ‘The Yellow Emporer’s 7 research and publication, such as series of Books; Cure’– A Cross-Cultural and Historical motivating dissemination of research results for Perspective people and society. D.Rajesh & Dr.P.Kusuma Harinath

4 A Study of Banjaras, Lambada’s, 10 Disclaimer Sugali’s (Tribal) Oral Literature in India Contributors are advised to be strict in R.Samanaik & Dr.V.Palaprasadarao academic ethics with respect to acknowledgment 5 Man’s Inhumanity to Man in Rohinton 22 of the original ideas borrowed from others. The Mistry’s A Fine Balance Publisher & editors will not be held responsible for Dr.V.P.Rathi any such lapse of the contributor regarding plagiarism and unwarranted quotations in their 6 Oppression of Untouchables in 27 manuscripts. All submissions should be original and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance must be accompanied by a declaration stating your Mrs.G.Giriya & Dr.Shri Kant research paper as an original work and has not Kulshrestha been published anywhere else. It will be the sole 7 Impact of Translation in Literature 31 responsibility of the authors for such lapses, if any R.Johnpeter on legal bindings and ethical code of publication. 8 Domestic Violence in Vijay Tendulkar’s 38 The Vultures Communication S.Thangadharshini Papers should be Mailed to 9 Images of Iraqian Women in The Day I 44 [email protected] Became a Woman by Marzieh Meshkini Mr.T.Vishnupriyan & Dr.U.Sumathy 10 The Issue of Violence in Toni 47 Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

Dr.P.Vijay Anand 11 Disorganisation in Social Gerantology 52 Dr.K.Usha Rani

12 New Image of Women in Shashi 55 Deshpande’s Select Novels R.Kohila & Dr.A.Kayalvizhi 13 A Task-Based Approach to Teaching 59 Literature at Tertiary Level Noor Nigar 14 Education is a Liberating Force? : 63 A Study of Dalits’ Struggle for Liberation Through Education in Bama’s Karukku Dr.S.Ramanathan 15 Delight and Dismay in Family Life: 69 A Study S.Malarvizhi & Dr.Sp.M.Kanimozhi 16 Arthur Miller’s Changing Perceptions 72 about American Society and Women in The Ride Down Mount Morgan K.M.Kamalakkannan 17 The Story of Slavery, Oppression, 75 Resistance and Migration in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Joby Joseph 18 Social Violence in Vikas Swarup’s 78 Select Novels S.Gunela & Ms.Shobia 19 Reinventing Self-Discovery in Bharati 81 Mukherjee’s Desirable Daughters C.V.Semmalar & Mr.Arun Kumar 20 Homelessness, Hybridity and 84 Heteroglossia in Bapsi Sidhwa’s an American Brat Dr.K.Jayanthi 21 Fathers: A Source of Stimulus for Girl 87 Children in Shashi Deshpande’s Novels S.Deepa Priyadharsini & Dr.P.Madhan 22 Aggressive Nature of Women in the 89 Novels of Anita Nair I.Ilakkiya &Mr.S.Arunkumar 23 Existential Elements ion the Novels of 92 Mitch Albom V.Kalaimaithi & R.Shobia 24 Fabulism In Chitra Banerjee’s 96 “The Conch Bearer” S.Kowsalya & Ms.R.Shobia 25 Feministic Approach in Alice 100 Childress’s Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White A.Shahitha Begum

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

AN ETHNIC STUDY ON THE XENOPHOBIA AND THE OSTRACISM IN THE NOVEL OF TONI MORRISON’S THE BLUEST EYE

M.Nithya Assistant Professor in English, St.Joseph’s College for Women, Tirupur

Abstract Africa is one of the countries ruled over by the British, and the people belong to the black community suffers a lot against the white people. So the problems of racism and the slavery reflect in their writings. In the African and African-American literature so many works deal with the problems of the slavery and the racism. The storyline of Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye does not explore the racism directly, but through the all main characters in the novel she explores the problems of “beauty, ugliness, sanitation and the black self- hatred”. She presents more complicated and ultimately deeper on the racism and African-American issues of slavery and racism. She gradually revealed that this self –hatred is not because of the poverty or hardship but because of the cyclical and historically based tendency of white culture and their superiority. White is seen as the only thing worth offering credence, watching, idolizing and respecting, and this is shattering to the black characters in the novel, especially those who are very poor and not able to live up to the culture change of white perfection. These problems automatically lead the people inside the margin. So the marginalization is the main of all the problems and sufferings of not only the black community but also the entire colonized country and people.

Introduction automatically lead the people inside the margin. Africa is one of the countries ruled over by So the marginalization is the main of all the the British, and the people belong to the black problems and sufferings of not only the black community suffers a lot against the white community but also the entire colonized people. So the problems of racism and the countries and people. slavery reflect in their writings. In the African In those days American writers look upon and African-American literature so many works the European models for inspiration but after deal with the problems of the slavery and the 19th century, and later they become equals to racism. The storyline of Toni Morrison’s novel them. Along with Henry James, Pound, Stein, The Bluest Eye does not explore the racism and Eliot establish the growth of an directly, but through the all main characters in International perspective in American literature. the novel she explores the problems of “beauty, There are many known writers at the beginning ugliness, sanitation and the black self-hatred”. of the 20th century, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, She presents more complicated and ultimately Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, William deeper on the racism and African-American Faulkner, Edith Wharton, Stephen Crane, issues of slavery and racism. She gradually Theodore Dreiser, Toni Morrison, John Updike, revealed that this self –hatred is not because of Don De Lillo, Philip Roth, and so on. T.S. Eliot, the poverty or hardship but because of the Ezra Pound, and Ernest Hemingway are the cyclical and historically based tendency of white best well-known writers among their culture and their superiority. contemporaries. All the writers in this century White is seen as the only thing worth deal different kinds of issues, and themes. Their offering credence, watching, idolizing and themes like apocalyptic, upper class society, respecting, and this is shattering to the black love, social issues, and so on. Their writing characters in the novel, especially those who are styles also different from each other. Some of very poor and not able to live up to the culture the writers write very simple sentences, change of white perfection. These problems

1 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

complex, and some of them write very vague, receives Pulitzer Prize for her best novels of The and unclear. Song of Solomon and Beloved. As a woman writer Fiction is the general term which describes she explores the motherhood in her two novels the imaginative works, place, people, event, and Sula and Beloved. In 2006 by the New York it also narrates the history or fact. Novel, Times, the Beloved chosen as the most important novella, short story, fairy tales, fable, play, and work of fiction of the last 25 years. The theme of some narrative poems are considered to be her is mostly all about her own community or fiction. There are two major types of fiction, the problems of the people her mother country. Commercial fiction and literary fiction. In these In this Bluest Eye the racism is the main two main types there are many subgenres. theme and the problems of the characters. Commercial fiction attracts broad audience Through the character of the protagonist the widely and has some subgenres like mystery, readers can understand the depth of the feelings romance, legal thriller, western, fantasy, science of the colonized. The complication of racism is fiction, and so on. The commercial fiction can started only after the colonization; colony is the mesmerize the heart of 15 years old to 100 years main reason behind all the sufferings of the old people. Robert James Waller, John Grisham, entire colonized people throughout the world. Sydney Sheldon, Danielle Steele, and Jackie This racial suffering automatically leads the Collins are famous commercial fiction authors. people inside the marginalization and also the Literary fiction attracts smaller and more white government omits them even in their intellectual adventurous audiences. Because it country. The protagonist Pecola is the only contains some notable qualities like excellent mainstream of this racism. She thought by writing, originality of thought and style that rise herself that she is ugly and believes the white above the level of ordinary written works. color is the only beauty. Charles Frazier, Toni Morrison, Barbara Racial discrimination is a kind of segrgation Kingsolver, John LeCarre, and Saul Bellow are against one’s own basic racial. The racism is the successful literary fiction writers. related with social, political, economic, and Mainstream fiction is other general term psychological issues. This inequality describes both commercial and literary fiction discrimination based on one’s skin tone, hair that represents daily realities familiar to most texture, the color of the eyes or certain facial people. This kind of fiction attracts most of the features. This issue started during the period of audience in the 20th and 21st century. It deals colonization. The European government is the the themes like family issues, courtroom backdrop of these entire sufferings of the dramas, career matters, physical, and mental African people. The white people or the white disabilities, social pressures, political intrigue government invaded much of the Asia and and more. almost the entire continent of Africa. The Toni Morrison is one of the best novelists in European thinks that they are the superior or 20th century. She writes eleven novels; they well civilized and have most advanced areBeloved, Bluest Eye, Jazz, Paradise, Song of technology. So they thought the superior are the Solomon, Sula, Tar Baby, Love, A Mercy and Home. fit to survive and inferior are not fit enough to She recently receives Nobel Prize for literature. survive or exist. This is called as social She also receives American book award and Darwinism; with this idea the white Pulitzer Prize for literature. She uses unique government sent their troops resource to lyrical prose style. The Bluest Eye is one of her establish the colony. best novels, which is widely study in American “All life on life is connected and related to schools, including the elaborate description of each other Modifications and populations rape and search of beauty in whiteness. She by natural selection, where some traits were

2 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

favored in and environment over others”– burn out his house. So comparing these two Brian Richmond characters the reader can understand the The novel happening in Lorain, Ohia where description of the discrimination and the the characters are suffering under the problems domination. At the same time Cholly thinks that like racism, slavery, gender discrimination, torturing the women is a kind of showing love. inequality, and so on. When the girl experiences Brian Richmond says all the living beings are the humiliation in her family and school she interrelated with each other. That relationship couldn’t survive with her ugly black color (she gives them complete care and recognition, when thinks). Even her mother couldn’t understand it is neglected by the kith and kin the opponent her feelings and her problems. While analyzing feels frustrated and helpless. Though the Africa every character, all are standing for the different having years of history, the gender opinion. Her friends Claudia MacTeerand discrimination still exists and the entire women Frieda MacTeer who are very much are suffering. Another reason behind this independent and strong minded. But the problem is their atmosphere and the earth. The protagonist is very weak in character and men from the continent taking advantage over imagining that black skin is the ugliest one, at the women and treat them like a slave. Here in the same time she started to longing for the this novel The Bluest Eye the author, Toni has bluest eyes which will make her fair and given all those details in this novel. When beautiful. The thought of white-beauty occupies comes to analyzing the character of Pecola, we the head of the girl Pecola and she believes if can understand the real feel of Race as well as she gets white skin she maybe being liked by all the social discrimination. Through the character the people. of pecola, Toni has explained the black Her mother Pauline Breedlove another feminism and their quest for color. Social different character from Pecola but failed in her discrimination is the main theme of this novel. marriage life. Her husband Cholly Breedlove The main discrimination is racial and was humiliated by two white while having sex gender, the protagonist of the novel is victim in a field for the first time and he was forced to here is underwent all sort of problems like continue by them. It makes him to become very humiliation, gender discrimination, racial great aggressive character but not to the white problem, lack of confidence and so on. As she people but to the entire women and after the has no confidence towards her life, she started incident he started to go with woman to to longing for the white color but she couldn’t woman. It makes him to too aggressive to his get the color of her desire. As a feminist writer own child Pecola and rapes her when she was she has given her a bluest eye, but in her alone and impregnates her. It shows his subconscious mind (she becomes mentally arrogant deeds towards entire women. He can’t challenged girl). Her mental problems like even consider his daughter. humiliation and pregnancy of her father’s child Through the character of Pecola Toni has makes her to be so.So through her mental shown all sorts of feelings of the African problem Pecola is totally satisfied with her color women. The basic needs for the girls totally and issues in the society. Because she thought neglected by entire community of men except that she got her a bluest eye and the white skin very few. Comparing the character of MacTeer tone. with Chooly Breedlove, both are two extreme and totally different. MacTeer is always taking References care of his family and his daughters but Chooly 1. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye.London: Pan is not respect anyone from his home and tries to Books, 1990 Print.

3 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

EXILE LITERATURE IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF DIASPORIC INDIAN WRITERS

Dr.M.Manimozhi Assistant Professor of English, Department of English, DKM College for Women (Autonomous), Vellore

Introduction born in Kenya and lived in England, India, and In this modern world, the Migration is one of USA; and Kamala Markandaya married an the major calamities, which happens every Englishman and lived in Britain. Nirad C. corner of the world. It occurred by compulsion Chaudhuri preferred the English shores because and self-immolation including the writers. his views were not readily accepted in India. However, a strange but a powerful point to Salman Rushdie’s “imaginary homeland” observe is that writers in their displaced encompasses the world over. Colonial and post- existence generally tend to excel in their work, colonial India are divisions that are now more as if the changed atmosphere acts as a stimulant relevant to a historian than a littérateur because for them. These writings in dislocated Indian-English literature has transcended the circumstances are often termed as exile barriers of petty classifications and has become literature. The study of world literature might almost become part of mainstream English be the study of the way in which cultures literature. recognize themselves through their projections In the domain of Indian-English literature, of otherness. Where, once, the transmission of writers like Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherjee, national traditions was the major theme of a Shashi Tharoor, Amitav Ghosh, Vikram Seth, world literature, perhaps we can now suggest Sunetra Gupta, Rohinton Mistry, Jhumpa Lahiri, that transnational histories of migrants, the and Hari Kunzru have all stamped their name colonized or political refugees - these border themselves. The non-resident Indian writers and border conditions - may be the territories of have explored their sense of displacement—a all literature. perennial theme in all exile literature. They have Today, many writers face the internal exile, given more poignancy to the exploration by another form of exile. Perhaps it is the most dealing not only with a geographical dislocation damning of all exiles for in this case the exiles but also a socio-cultural sense of displacement. stay in their own country and yet are alienated. Their concerns are global concerns as today’s In fact it was the colonial powers that made world is afflicted with the problems of most people aliens in their own country - firstly immigrants, refugees, and all other exiles. These through linguistic displacement. It is in this exilic states give birth to the sense of dislocation colonial context that the native writers spawned and alienation. the various sub-genres of English literature. The main reason for Indian diaspora was the Writers like Mulk Raj Anand, R. K. Narayan, scattering of population and not an exodus of and Raja Rao, who established Indian-English population at a particular point in time. This literature, were all subjects of the British rule in periodic migration traces a steady pattern if a India. Even after the colonized countries got telescopic view is taken over a period of time: independence, writers of many of those from the indentured labourers of the past to the countries still faced a state of exile. technocrats of the present day. After Indian Among the Indian-English writers, Raja Rao independence the Indian diasporic community became an expatriate even before the has obtained a new uniqueness due to the independence of the country. G. V. Desani was processes of self-formation. 4 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

The history of diasporic Indian writing is as perception of their native land. The modern old as the diaspora itself. In fact the first Indian diasporic Indian writers can be grouped into writing in English is credited to Dean two distinct classes. One class comprises those Mahomed, who was born in Patna, India, and who have spent a part of their life in India and after working for fifteen years in the Bengal have carried the baggage of their native land Army of the British East India Company, offshore. The other class comprises those who migrated to eighteenth century Ireland, and have been bred since childhood outside India. then to England in 1784. His book The Travels of They have had a view of their country only Dean Mahomet was published in 1794. It from the outside as an exotic place of their predates by about forty years the first English origin. text written by an Indian residing in India. The writers of the former group have a literal In the history of Indian English diasporic displacement whereas those belonging to the novel, Bankimchandra Chatterjee’s Rajmohan’s latter group find themselves rootless. Both the Wife, was to be published much later in 1864. It groups of writers have produced an enviable shows that the contribution of the Indian corpus of English literature. These writers while diaspora to Indian writing in English is not new. depicting migrant characters in their fiction The likes of Seepersad Naipaul and later Shiva explore the theme of displacement and self- Naipaul, V. S. Naipaul, Cyril Dabydeen, David fashioning. The diasporic Indian writers’ Dabydeen, Sam Selvon, M. G. Vassanji, depiction of dislocated characters gains Subramani, K. S. Maniam, Shani Muthoo, and immense importance if seen against the geo- Marina Budhos are significant contributors to political background of the vast Indian the literature. subcontinent. That is precisely why such works The characters in the novels of V. S. Naipaul, have a global readership and an enduring like Mohun Biswas from A House for Mr. Biswas appeal. The diasporic Indian writers have or Ganesh Ramsumair from The Mystic Masseur, generally dealt with characters from their own are examples of individuals. These two displaced community but some of them have characters are generations away from their also taken a liking for Western characters and original homeland, India, but their heritage they have been convincing in dealing with gives them a consciousness of their past. They them. Two of Vikram Seth’s novels The Golden become wandering specimen of the outsider for Gate and An Equal Music have as their subjects the world to see. Their attempts at fixity are exclusively the lives of Americans and continuously challenged by the contingency of Europeans respectively. their restless existence - a condition grown out In the region of Indian diasporic writers, the of their forefathers’ migration, albeit within the formers have established their identification by Empire, from India to Trinidad. winning numerous literary awards and honors. The novels of Raja Rao, G. V. Desani, Santha But recently the ranks of the second generation Rama Rau, Balachandra Rajan, Nirad of Indian writers in the West have swelled Chaudhuri, and Ved Mehta primarily look back enormously and many among them have won at India and seldom trace their experiences international recognition. Meera Syal, who was away from India as expatriates. It is as if these born in England, has successfully represented writers have discovered their Indianness when the lives of first generation as well as second they are out of India. Obviously they have the generation non-resident Indians in the West in advantage of looking at their homeland from her novels Anita and Me. Hari Kunzru in his the outside. The remoteness gives them the novel Transmission traces a part of the lives of aloofness that is so necessary to have a clear three diverse characters Leela Zahir, an actress,

5 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Arjun Mehta, a computer expert, and Guy Swift, References a marketing executive - traversing through 1. Chaudhuri, Amit (ed.). The Picador Book of Bollywood, the Silicon Valley, and London. Modern Indian Literature, London: Picador, Sunetra Gupta has shown with truthfulness 2001. both the unpleasantness and the pleasantness of 2. Ghosh, Amitav. “The Diaspora in Indian intercultural relationships through characters Culture” from The Imam and the Indian: Prose like Moni and Niharika from her novels Pieces, New Delhi: Ravi Dayal Publishers Memories of Rain and A Sin of Colour. Jhumpa and Permanent Black, 2002. Lahiri’s book of short stories Interpreter of 3. Kumar, Amitava (ed.). Away: The Indian Maladies and her novel The Namesake Writer as an Expatriate, New York: convincingly illustrate the lives of both first Routledge, 2004. generation and second generation Indian 4. Mehrotra, Arvind Krishna (ed.). An migrants in the US. It is here that the differing Illustrated History of Indian Literature in reactions by Indian, Western, and diasporic English. New Delhi: Permanent Black characters towards similar situations are found Publishers, 2003. to differ only superficially. It demonstrates that 5. Rushdie, Salman. “Imaginary Homelands” the inner needs of all human beings are the from Imaginary Homelands: Essays and same. Alienation is a part of the experience of Criticism 1981 - 1991, London: Granta Books, the Indian diaspora and even if people are at 1991. home in any part of the world it does not mean 6. Shanker Shaw, Amit. “Exile Literature and that they will not become victims of the sense of the Diasporic Indian Writer.” Rupkatha alienation. Increasing acceptance into the host Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in society does not indicate that that the diasporic Humanities, Volume I, Calcutta, 2009. characters can feel at home. Social alienation is replaced by metaphysical alienation.

6 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

KUNAL BASU’S ‘THE YELLOW EMPORER’S CURE’– A CROSS-CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

D.Rajesh Research Scholar, Department of English, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andra Pradesh

Dr.P.Kusuma Harinath Professor, Department of English, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andra Pradesh

Abstract Cross-cultural studies, or comparative studies, is a specialization in literature, anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics, political science that uses field data from many societiesto examine the scope of human behavior and test hypotheses about human behavior and culture. In the recent times very few novelists published the stories of different times and different places, to mention AmitavGhosh’s Sea of Poppies, set in the time of Opium wars, and River of Smoke, a powerful historical novel with a contemporary resonance; ShashiTharoor in his novel ‘The Great Indian Novel’ recasts the two thousand year old epic “The Mahabharata” with fictionalized – but highly recognizable- events and characters from twentieth century Indian politics blending history and myth. KunalBasu is one of the first historical novelists in India. This paper studiesKunalBasu’s novel ‘The Yellow Emperor’s Cure’ in a cross-cultural and historical perspective. In this novel the author gives a clear view of the culture and the internal conflicts of China and the Boxer’s rebellion and its associated incidents.

Introduction the Mughals in the sixteenth century. Racists, a Historical Criticism, literary criticism in the novel set in the Victorian period, deals with two light of historical evidence or based on infants—one black and the other white - left to the context in which a work was written, grow up on a deserted island and prove, including facts about the author’s life and the definitively, the superiority of race, was historical and social circumstances of the time. nominated for the Crossword Book Awards in This is in contrast to other types of criticism, 2006. Lisbon and Peking of the late nineteenth such as textual and formal, in which emphasis is century dance in vivid description woven into placed on examining the text itself while outside the narrative in The Yellow Emperor’s Cure, influences on the text are disregarded. New which delves into traditional Chinese healing Historicism is a particular form of historical techniques versus Western medicine. His recent criticism. novel Kalkatta draws the reader into the New Historical critics, according to Lois shadowy everyday life of the gigolo in the Tyson, consider literary texts to be “cultural crumbling Kolkata of migrants set against the artifacts that can tell us something about the glittering city of the elite, established Kalkatta- interplay of discourses, the web of social wallahs. The critically acclaimed film The meanings, operating in the time and place in Japanese Wife is based on the title story of his which the text was written” (291). Additionally, collection of short stories. New Historical critics study how literary KunalBasu’s The Yellow Emperor’s Cure is a interpretations are shaped by the culture of the fascinating journey to Portugal and China in the various interpreters. late 19th and early 20th centuries. KunalBasu, one of the few historical writes 'A wonderful and compellingly visual novel, in India, whose writing encompasses disparate whose world is as completely realised as subjects with seeming ease. His first novel, The anything by Robert Graves, AmitavGhosh or Opium Clerk, is set in the time of the Indian Barry Unsworth'-William Dalrymple. Mutiny of 1857. The Miniaturist transports the reader to the landscape of the court painters of

7 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

'[A] richly painted literary novel . . . a deeply known to mankind. We Europeans know as satisfying tale mixing history, cultural clashes, much as there is to know about the yellow race, violence and love.' - Kirkus more than they know about themselves!” Soon David Mitchell and AmitavGhosh published enough, in the time-honoured manner of novels based in earlier centuries where Europeans before and after him, Antonio is characters change on coming in contact with a quickly entranced by the enigmatic Fumi, walled-off Orient. In Mitchell’s The Thousand DrXu’s assistant, a woman with a chequered Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, which retains those past. narrative tendencies while abandoning the The doctor from the west has the misfortune structural complexities often (and often to be in China at the time of the so-called Boxer wrongly) called postmodern, a young Dutch Rebellion, the incipient nationalist uprising book-keeper falls in love in 18th century Japan; opposed to foreign influence. The Boxers, one of in Ghosh’sRiver of Smoke, the second in his Ibis the characters asserts, are “...spirit soldiers, a trilogy, a bevy of characters, primarily an opium ragtag bunch of bumpkins passing themselves trader from Bombay, confront their destinies in off as god-sent saviours of China”. The uprising 19th century Canton, carry us deep inside the will bring secrets to light and have defining opium trade in the 1830s. Basu’s new novel, too, consequences for Antonio and his compatriots. charts the fate of an European in late 19th Basu is adept in conveying locale, century China — although it must be said that background and customs, whether it is Lisbon’s the author, better known for his moving short bustling streets, the hubbub of Macau or the story, The Japanese Wife, has dealt with similar imperial courtyards of Peking. There’s also a subjects almost from the start of his writing gallery of engaging, eccentric characters: Jesuit career, as evidenced by The Opium Clerk (2001). scholars, a pair of eunuchs, doctors, diplomats The Yellow Emperor’s Cure deals with the and merchants. After the novel’s brisk travails of a young Portuguese surgeon Dr beginning, however, plot and character Antonio Maria, possessed of “the most precious development become mired in thickets of pair of hands in Lisbon”. In the words of his cultural and historical detail. Especially when it friends, he’s “rock steady with the scalpel, but a comes to the Boxers, much is told and little prize idiot when it comes to women”. The good shown, rendering many episodes bloodless. doctor is shaken out of carousing at the Lisbon Basu’s novel is set in the 19th century when fiesta with the news that his beloved father has medicine has progressed to some extent – been stricken by the then-untreatable syphilis. Pasteur is working on a cure for rabies and He resolves to travel to China to find a cure for ether sprays are in use for operations – but the “French Disease, Spanish Itch, German Rash syphilis still remains a mystery. The young or Polish Pox — it was the same old curse Dom doctor Antonio Maria is gifted like his father Columbus had brought home from Hispaniola and something of a playboy. He and his father along with gold and talking parrots”. have been close ever since Antonio’s mother After a brief stint in Macau, Antonio died when he was small. Antonio is called to his ensconces himself at the summer palace of the father’s bedside just when he is about to set off Dowager Empress, adjacent to Peking. Here, he on a night of frolic after an arduous operation learns of the yin and yang of traditional Chinese and discovers to his horror that his father, medicine under the tutelage of the mysterious whom he thought a role model of rectitude, has DrXu in a period when, as his friend tells him, syphilis in its tertiary stage. “The grand libraries of Florence and Paris, He immediately decides that he has to find a London and Heidelberg, contain all that’s cure to save his father and for no apparent

8 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

reason except that Chinese medicine is of place. Basu leaves a great deal of his effect to relatively unknown and that the Portuguese nuance and while in a shorter text like the have a colony in Macau, he sets off across the Japanese Wife that was conveyed impeccably, seven seas to study NeiChing medicine. here it occasionally seems to lose its effect in too Basu, as in all his books, has done his many veils of gauze. However, there is enough research meticulously. He describes life and for readers wary of syphilitic studies to lose customs, the way NeiChing medicine is taught themselves in – eccentric curious characters, a and the subtleties of life in China for an wealth of location and a many layered outsider. Gradually the focus of the book shifts narrative. to the relationship between Antonio and the mysterious Fumi, a female exponent of References NeiChing who happens to also speak English 1. Basu, Kunal. The Yellow Emperor’s Cure,2012, since she lived with a man who printed Bibles Picador India for the Chinese and to the sensuous backdrop of 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross- life in the Orient. Basu describes the beauties of cultural_studies the Summer Palace under the reign of TsuHsi, 3. http://thepunchmagazine.com/the- the infamous Dragon Empress. There are court byword/interviews/kolkata-grabbed-me- intrigues, eunuchs and all the fascinating details in-my-innards-kunal-basu that one might expect. This is set against the 4. David Mikics, ed. A New Handbook of backdrop of the Boxer Rebellion where the Literary Terms, 2007, s.v “New Historicism” foreign legations in China were systematically 5. Tyson, Louis. Critical Theory Today: A User being attacked without warning. Friendly Guide. New York: Routledge, 2006. And of course, there are all the problems that Print. being involved with a different culture entails, 6. https://kitaab.org/2016/05/27/the-lure-of- primarily the mysterious Fumi who drifts all too the-written-word-interview-with-kunal- easily into an affair with Antonio under the basu/ guise of healing him and who is apparently 7. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book- used by the Dragon Empress ‘only to kill’. reviews/kunal-basu/yellow-emporers- Antonio’s life comes under threat as a result of cure/ his quixotic quest to find a cure for syphilis, 8. https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/ complicated by his love affair. kunal-basu/the-yellow-emperor-s-cure At one level, comparisons with River of 9. https://www.britannica.com/topic/histori Smoke, fairly or unfairly, are inevitable. And cal-criticism-literary-criticism Basu’s detailing seems to pale in the face of Ghosh’s sheer weight of information and sense

9 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

A STUDY OF BANJARAS, LAMBADA’S, SUGALI’S (TRIBAL) ORAL LITERATURE IN INDIA

R.SamaNaik Full-Time - Research Scholar, Department of English, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar

Dr.V.Pala Prasada Rao Associate Professor, Department of English, JKC College, JKC Nagar-Chowadry Pet, Gujjnagundla-Guntur

Abstract ‘‘Aspiration, it seems, is in danger of becoming the preserve of the wealthy’’- Prof.N.TK. Naik The article intends to highlight Tribal Oral literature as an alternative source for the writing of history, particularly of the Andhra Pradesh. Sub-Cast of Tribal’s in among 35 recognized tribal communities in Andhra Pradesh. State wise Tribal’s Reservation system in India. There areNeed for recognition of primitive tribal group (PTG) in among 12 group in Andhra Pradesh.Out of total population of Indian schedule tribe (STs) found 8.6 % as per 2011 census. 13 district and plain areas and Non-agency areas peoples the geographical barriers have provided protection to the long history of the Andhra Pradesh. They live in Thandas for a way form the town and are mostly nomadic. They have rich culture tradition and age old ethnicity. Their strong oral literature in clouds folk tales. Proverbs riddles myths, legends as in any written literature they are mostly uneducated and poor but lead a colorful life, their folk songs which are songs by women dancing rhythmically in colorful dress. Have special importance in tribal imaginative transaction, as they relate to every of their life. They include labor song as the majority work as day wagers on agricultural fields. They also have religious songs and songs related to their customs and traditions to teach to their younger ones. Their folktales or ‘’samaler-sakis’’ are didactic and entertaining. Their sakisor proverbs through high on their social elements. Phodersaki is used to settle disputes among the tribal men. It is said that their literature can attain the written form through ‘’ devangari’’ but no such attempt is made. They are getting educated now and mooring away from their traditional hence the present paper focuses on the rich oral literature of the lanbadies Women .Each than has ‘a head women called that nayakane, whose word is low and whose office is hereditary each sett lament has also a priest whose office is likewise hereditary’’. The themed is named after the head Women, and heads, the head of the gang appears to be regarded with great reverence, and credited with supernatural pioneers. This work gives them a platform to conceptualize the theories they receive and learn in class room and gives them an opportunity to work closely with the Tribal women . It is examine various, adverse impact of globalization on Banaras’s, Lambada’s, Sugali’s Culture, Dressing Patterns, Working and living conditions. The Non – Barajas traditions for Marriages, They are paying dowry as compared to the Tribal culture, folktale social system, administration system and economic system and their societal values are getting eroded in the Globalization Era in the Andhra Pradesh. The people engage themselves in folk songs and dances, arts and crafts, rituals and festivals etc. that are part of their daily life. Traditional folk which was made for expressing Socio-Ritual, moral and emotional need of the folk such as folk songs, Folk Arts, Folklore, etc, It inspires people to perceive the message or information more effectively. The Tribal way of life referring broadly to the ideas, values and cultural. The aim of the paper is to explore Tribal Literature and, Oral cultural studies to analyses the ethics of the Tribe life through the ages. Folklore is the Oral Literature of the simpler societies and it is perpetuated by Oral traditions. The Tribal communities in the Andhra Pradesh rarely find their approaches, concerns, and issues properly addressed by the mainstream mass media. Traditional folk, dance tale in the vacuum till now mirrors familiar details of their everyday culture, Validate rituals and an institution, Educate no-Literate groups, and maintains conformity to the accepted patterns of behavior. Thus, traditional folk media is the indigenous equivalent of exogenous and facilitates change and progress in Tribal societies by communicating Socio-Economic change. Traditional life style is found in the expression of their daily social life of the people. Since ancient time, the people engage themselves in folk songs and dances, arts and crafts, rituals and festivals etc. that are part of their daily life. Traditional folk which was made for expressing socio-Ritual, moral and emotional need of the folk such as folk songs, folk arts, folklore, etc, it inspires people to perceive the message or information more effectively. An attempt to understand the traditional folk in tribal communities with the help of empirical evidences form society of Andhra Pradesh. Keywords: - Dress – Festivals – Saki – Marriage –Songs – Life styles – Reservation.

Introduction with the introduction of transport facilities History of Banjara Community: The Banjara during the British rule, the people lost their led a wandering life and moved to several parts traditional occupation of transporting goods on of the nation carrying on their trade. Later on, the back of pack-bullocks. Their economy 10 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

became very dangerous with the loss of types of Banjara are Gor Banjara, Charan transport work. Later many of them moved to Banjara, Mathura Banjara, Sanar Banjara, Navi forests for their livelihood. Some continued to Banjara, Dhaliya Banjara, Singadiya Banjara, show their antipathy for losing their occupation Maru Banjara, Bamnia Banjara, Bagora Banjara, and took to unlawful activities. However, now Gigora Banjara, Rohidas or Ravidas Banjara, the major source of their livelihood is through Dhammkutta Banjara, Bhat Banjara, Jogi or labour in agriculture and non-agriculture sector. Bhatawa Banjara, Brijwasi Banjara and Banjara were doing trade by carrying stuff on DhadiBanjara. The Banjaras used to take rest the backs of the bullocks across India. The during rainy season. There entire goods of trade Banjaras are also known as Laman, Lamani and bullocks along with the community orLambadi. They came to be known as Lamani, members used to settle at a place. This when they started manufacturing salt at the settlement of the Banjara is named as Tanda. A banks of Luni River in Rajasthan. They were Tanda is no different from the village, but it was called as Banjaras because of their roaming not permanently settled. They always moved trade. The literature on available on Banjara tells from the forests since that helped the animals that they have migrated from Rajasthan and are get food. The head of the Tanda (hamlet) is now spread all over India. The word Banjara known as Naik.He was selected by the seems to have originated from the Sanskrit community members of the settlement. His job word ‘vanijyakar’ or ‘vanaj’, which means was to look after the code of conduct of the trader, and trade respectively. Banjaras used to tanda and maintain a friendly and cordial rear cows for the purpose of trade. Later they environment. The ‘Karbhaari’ was the second started using only bullocks for transportation of important person in the Tanda system. He used the goods. The Banjara tribe survives in India to look after the all the accounts of the Naik and since more than 5000 years. This tribe was assist him in all the matters. The Tanda system leaving a progressive life in before Arya period gave birth to their internal judicial system, in India. which came to be known as ‘Nasab’. A matter The Banjaras were the nomadic tribes who was resolved before the Nasab with the decision travelled across throughout the country and of Naik. If the accusers are not satisfied, the settled down in various states. The Banjaras are matter used to be taken before Naiks from 3-4 known as the wandering traders since a long Tandas. The decision is then obligatory on both time. They are pre-dominantly spread all over the parties. The marriage ceremony among the Maharashtra except the Konkan region. The Banjara tribe is characteristics. In the olden days Banjaras speak the same language across all it lasted over one month’s time. The over India. The Banjara language is called engagement was done between the bride and ‘Gormati’. The Gormati language has impact of the groom and it was symbolized by Marwari, Rajasthani and Gujarathi language. distributing the jaggery in the entire tanda. Banjara folk songs are a symbol of a unique and Marriage is prohibited in the same cognomen. distinct cultural identity of the Banjaras. These The groom has to live in the house of the bride songs are sung on the occasion of festivals, for a period of one month before the marriage marriages and other social functions. The ceremony is commenced. This duration anjaras identify themselves as the descendants gradually decreased with the time. The groom of the Rajputs. The main cognomens dominant has to wear a cloth over his head to hide his face in the Rajputs are found among the Banjaras. during his stay. The father of the groom had to Rathod, Jadhav, Chauvhan and Pawar are the give dowry called ‘Dej’ according to his major cognomens of the Banjara tribe. The sub- economic capability. The bride is taught to cry

11 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

in different forms and it has intended meaning Reservations System in India within it. This is called ‘Dhawalo’. The marriage Sub- Caste State Sc St Obc 29. Sugalis, ceremony takes place at the home of bride. The 01. Andhra Lambadi, 29.st Banjaras are religious and they worship almost Pradesh Banjara Gods from every religion. ljabhavani, 08. Daman Lambadis 001.bc Banajradevi, Shivabhaya, Mithubhukya, and Diu 17. Mariaaai are the main god and goddesses of 17.sc Banjaras. Superstitions dominated and the Karanataka 21. practice of offering sacrifice of the animals 181.bc Maharashtra continued with the culture of the Banjaras. The 26. Odisha 092.bc sacred fair of the Banjaras is held at Pohragad in orissa Washim district at the shrine of Pohradevi and 31. Tamil 086.bc Sevaabhaya. This is the biggest fair in nadu Maharashtra held by the Banjara 05.bihar 05.st 07. 005.bc Banjaras. They also respect their animals. Chandigarh The main festivals are Holi, Dussehra, Diwali 08.daman and 001.bc and Tij. Holi, the festival of colours, is diu celebrated in an exceptional manner. The 10.delhi 02.sc 02.st naming of the newborn child takes place on 13. Haryana 057.bc 14. Himchal holi. This is called ‘Dhund’. On the day of 06.sc pradesh Holi,‘geriya’ (Banjara male) and ‘Gerni’ (Banjara 16. Jharkhand 03.st 122.bc female) play an exceptional game where often 20. Madhaya 004.bc the Geriya are severely beaten by the Gernis. pradesh 20. Madhaya The Banjara woman enjoyed a good life. She 067.bc pradesh was valued and in many tandas the Naiks are 21. 181.bc women. As the children in the family used to Maharashtra grow the woman were granted a special status. 26. Odisha 03.st Their dress and ornaments can easily orissa distinguish the Banjara women. Their dresses 29. Rajasthan 05.st 32. Telangana 01.st are embroidered with different coloured pieces 34. Uttara 010.bc of clothes. The varied coloured skirts are khand decorated with cowries and small pieces of 35. Uttara 030.bc glasses. They wear special ornaments in their pradesh 08. Daman hands, on ear, nose and hair. Child marriage Sugalis 001.bc was practised in the olden days. Widow and diu Categories of Banjara Community: The marriage was allowed. A widow, if she has community categorised in three category – children, is generally asked to stay within the Mathura, Lavana (the salt carriers) and Charan family. She is allowed to marry her husband’s (The wanderers). The Banjaras of the North brother. Polygamy was practised, social status Western part of country too are divided into and childlessness led to the practice of many five broad categories – Chavan, Rathod, Pawar, wives. Jadhav and Tomar. Lamans are known by various names. They have used terms

differently such as Gor Banjara, Lambada,

Lambara, Lambhani, Chavan Banjara, Labana, Mathura, Laban, Banjara, Laman/ Lamani, 12 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Dhali/ Dhalia, Singari, Navi Banjara, Jogi norm and custom, a girl ought to be married at Banjara etc. Also used the different names like the age of seven or eight years. The boys also Laman, lamani, Labande, Lavani, Sugli etc., all used to be relatively younger between 10 – 12 refer to the same community Gormati. years of age. However, the marriages are now Social Life of Banjara: The distinctive performed between 18 to 25 years of age for community life, language, sacred customs, girls and between 21 to 30 years for boys as per festivals, and ceremonies marked the socio- the rules of the nation. Thus, the practice of cultural life of Banjaras. Mainly Banjara child marriage has been virtually done away maintained a unique and separate tribal with. The marriages are settled by parents. As identity. They claimed to have derived from rituals, the Naik (Traditional head of the village Rajput ancestry from Rajasthan region. Though / Tanda) is consulted before matchmaking and they have all tribal features after classification, settling marriages. they were included under various categories. In Family: Generally, two types families, such Maharashtra, they came under De-notified as; nuclear family and extended families are Tribes (DNT) category. This displaced their found among the Banjaras. Ordinarily, the sons tribal identity and displaced them from their with their wives live with their father, mother forest rights. Banjaras, unlike any other people, and grandparents. The married sons sometimes have a unique institution of socio-cultural life, establish their own separate house. The family Tanda settlement, dress, language, festivals, is patrilineal. In the individual family, the father gods, customs and manners as independent of or the senior male members are the head. The public life. Dubois rightly pointed out that, “The property is inherited through the male line and Lambadis form a caste entirely distinct from the the females are not entitled to get any share. rest of Hindus being wholly different from them Until marriage, the daughter enjoys equal status in religion, language, manners, and customs.” with the sons but after marriage, she cannot Mothiraj writes that Banjara had a unique claim any right over their paternal property. culture, independent public life, unique The Banjara women enjoy an important status tradition of livelihood, and much evident in in their society. Though they are debarred from their lifestyle, food habits, festivals, rituals, certain religious and administrative functions, worship, likes and dislikes, dances, songs, their economic status is very high. It is, they languages, clothing and Tanda life. Nagarjuna who generally go to market, do the bargaining Sagar in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh is in their sale transactions and they make over the said to be the origin of Banjara dance and other sale proceeds to the male embers for the cultural practices. Banjara does not follow the sustenance of the family. They are the caste system rather has a clan system. However, repositories of the moral and religious traditions they follow Hinduism in their practice of of their society. There is a genuine mutual religious and social life. During Diwali and Holi respect between husband and wife. The Banjaras sacrifice goats to deities and go from husband consults his wife in all-important house to house, dancing and receiving alms. matters. The relation between the parents and The social and cultural life of Banjara children among the Banjaras is also of a sweet distinguished them from other people. affectionate type. Marriage: The marriage is considered as a Dress and Ornaments: The traditional dress vital part among the Banjara. It has a special for men is Dhoti, white shirt and a red or white importance because two families connect each turban. The men also have the traditional other by the bond of marriage. In the Banjara ornaments such as Marki (earrings), Veenti community previously, child marriage was the (finger ring), Kanadoro (silver strands tied

13 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

around the waist) which are usually worn bodies of unmarried persons and those dying of nowadays by the old and elderly people. The smallpox and burn the others. Their rites of young men have changed the style of wearing mourning are not strict and are observed only traditional dress and ornaments. The women for three days. The Banjaras have a saying: wear distinctive colourful dress and ornaments, “Death in a foreign land is to be preferred, which vary according to the marital status. The where there is no kinsfolk to mourn, and the clothes of the married womenfolk are Phetia corpse is a feast for birds and animals.” (loose skirt containing heavy embroidery), However, this may perhaps be taken rather as Kanchli (blouse with bareback) Chantya or an expression of philosophic resignation to the Tookari (apron) and Ghungato (veil attached to fate, which must be in store for many of them, Chantya or Tookari). The unmarried girls wear than a real preference, as with most people the the dress such as Phetia (skirt without much desire to die at home almost amounts to an embroidery) which is also attached with Dor or instinct (Russel & Hiralal, 1916). The Banjaras Jalaro (a woven with small seashells), Kanchli generally burn their body. However, they put (simple blouse without bareback and six feet underground dead bodies of the embroidery) and Tookari, which is usually red, unmarried persons and those dying of smallpox yellow or green in colour.The main ornaments and cholera. Before carrying the dead body to worn by married women are Ghoogri (an the incineration ground, it is bathed and adornment tied to the hair over the temples), wrapped with a new cloth. The corpse is placed Topli (ornaments attached to hair in front of the on the pyre with its head towards north. The ear), Balia (plastic bangles), Choodo. Balia eldest son, or in his absence any male member (bangles made of plastic or wood worn in the of his family first lightens the pyre. They upper arm). Kasvankdi (a kind of anklet), Matli observe death pollution for twelve days. On the (brass bangles). Bhuria (nose ring), RupairHar eleventh day, purification rites are performed (a type of necklace made of old Rupee coins), when the entire house is besmeared with cow- Hasli (a type of neck ring), Moonga (necklace of dung and the old earthen pots are thrown away. red beads), Laidi (necklace made of coloured The Hindu barber shaves the male members. beads), Veenti (finger ring with a coin), Phoola The washer man too washes the polluted (a kind of ornament used in the finger). Chataki clothes. The members of the bereaved family (ring worn in the last finger of the leg), take purification bath in the stream. The head of Angootha (ring worn in the thumb of the leg). the family cooks rice added with the fowl’s The unmarried girls wear the ornaments like meat in a new earthen pot and offers a little of it Ghorgri , Balia , Garatani (anklet made of black to the departed soul at the cremation ground. beads), Teeki (ornament used on the forehead), The Brahmin priest performs the mortuary rites Ghoogra (bunches of brass bells tied to the leg). and offers Pinda (cooked rice) to the departed Birth Death Rites :- After the birth of a child, soul and ancestral spirits. No animals are the mother is unclean for five days and lives sacrificed on this occasion. A grand feast is apart in a separate hut, which is run up for her arranged to entertain the relatives and the use in the Kuri or hamlet. On the sixth day, she villagers (Rathod, 2002). washes the feet of all the children in the Kuri, Women in Banjara Community: Women in feeds them and then returns to her husband’s the Banjara community play a key role in the hut. When a child is born in a moving Tanda or household and the community though they are camp, the same rule is observed, and for five submissive to their men. The men exercise their days, the mother walks alone after the camp power of authority and control their women in during the daily march. The caste, bury the all lifestyles. In social activities, the women have

14 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

to oblige their men and work for the because of low literacy rate and income among maintenance of the family and the community. women of Banjara; in addition, the Banjara Her contribution to family income is women are living in remote areas and Tandas considerable and shares the burden equally if (Hamlets) so that they do not have access to a not more. Whatever be her economic health facility to overcome this issue. This contribution, still she has to be submissive to the system should be stopped within the men. If not, the Gor Panchayat dominated by community and women should be treated men takes action against her. In religious and equally. India has completed the 60 years of political affairs, the men play the dominant role. independence but there is not full awareness Women do not feel repressed whatever way the created by State or Central Governments. The men act in their society. Women consider them Tandas are visited by politicians at the time of as their power (Naik, 1983). There is a elections for vote banks but they are not seen at celebration of the birth of the child but the birth rest of the years. The culture of Banjara is of daughter does not count. The more identified by the women. However, it is importance is given to the male child. Illiteracy regrettable to note that in the case of is common in Banjaras but the women almost nondevelopment and exploitations she is the illiterate. After the isturbance in their economy first (Rathod, 2008). of pack-bullock transport, the men continued to Educational Status: Girls’ ratio of attending pouch in the forest it is also banned later. The higher education is very poor due to economic agricultural load of women increased. The crises and uncertainty of livelihood option women used to engage in domestic chores and along with the migration. The dropout rate of rearing children. The Banjara women face education from primary school is prevalent double oppression and exploitation by both among the banjara community. There are some those belonging to the upper castes and classes reasons were given while collecting the data. and by those of their own community (Mohan, The first and most important reason was to 1988) Prof. Motiraj in his book Pal Niwasi (Hut support the family. As found in the study all Residents) nomadic tribes portrayed the respondents reported that the girls’ percentage costumes, mother tongue, business, festivals, of attending higher studies is very less. That the and lineage of Mathura dwelling Labhan- family cannot afford to educate the girls. Banjara community. He also mentioned Laman- Marriage is a major reason for the poor Labhani as deprived tribes. He also gave details educational status of girls from Banjara about their history, lineage, surnames, community, educating girls means higher marriages, Jat panchayat, mother tongue, the expectation from the boy for dowry and higher distinction of Labhan. He denies calling expectations from the girl for good boy. Apart criminal and described their present condition. from marriage poor economic condition, lack of He asserted that the development of the society school infrastructure in the village and social is totally depending on the status, which is insecurity are the other reasons. The migrations given to the women. He also asserted that once of Tandas have badly affected the education of the woman of nomadic casts gets awaken will the children. be responsible for the society, which gives Tribal Lambada/ Sugalis/ Banjaras/ respect to the woman, is in the real sense can be Poem/Poetry/ Novel Brief History: Free verse is called a developed society (Pawar et. al, 2012). a form of poetry which has no set meter to it. It The Constitution of India does not differentiate can be Rhyming or non-Rhyming Free verse between rights of men and women. The female dose not, necessarily have to a particular infanticide has a big issue in Banjara community structure, although many poems written in this

15 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

form have a structure of some kind. Free verse The narrator’s function is to pass the story along is a form of poetry which allows for freedom of to the next generation and to the next expression, and does not confine its writer with storyteller. Of their content and is an efficient structure restrictions. An example of a free verse way of transmitting critical information, since poem can be seen below in ‘foe’ by Carl written language was rare, the only way to Sandburg. This unit consists two poems. One preserve tribal laws to orally transmit them to written by john Keats and the other by kishwar the next generation. ‘’In a world without book naheed. John Keats is an influential British poet or electronic media, oral tradition represented of the Romantic while. Kishwar Naheed is a the most important way of communicating contemporary Author who was born in knowledge from generation to generation. Pakistan, the two poems are concerned about Land has an important place in indigenous nature, one talks of its beauty and other stories are tied to a community’s traditional expresses concerns about how we are not able to territory, such as certain landmarks, traveling cope with the changes in nature. such a strong connection to the land that one B.Tribal Stories and History: - Oral history could say they are in fact ‘imprinted on the is composed of individual, family, or group land’. An example of land imprinting is they are stories that orient the storyteller and her in fact imprinted on the land. An example of audience in a place and a time, oftern before the land imprinting is totems. In the northwest, storyteller is born. In the case of indigenous totems demarcated clan boundaries. Intangible peoples, oral history includes songs, tribas, and properties, like songs and names, further ceremonies as well as artifacts like totems, delineated clan ownership claim to certain weavings, pottery, or even houses that recount properties. Thus the oral histories and the that history. These tangible and intangible stories they contain can play an important role properties are teaching tools for tribal members in establishing the essential fact of occupation in and comprise a clan’s laws, especially its rules a stories as providing an authoritative record of about property ownership. Like land, Tribal past event. stories are essential for self-identification and Indigenous stories also provide origin, governing they are a source of norms, cultural including the tribes cosmology, and explain values, and moral principles, where ties to a why a particular trine would be tied to a particular part of the landscape are crucial for particular place in the universe a specific their legitimacy. Through a co,plex arrangement geographic spot. The stories are generally of interconnected relationships dependent on nonlinear, not separating past form present, but storytelling and mythmaking. Elders passed rather flowing through the present, unlike non- down mores and other community behavioral indigenous history. Gods mythic contact with norms to yunger community members though them, and symbols occupy important places in the telling of stories. The authority of their the cosmology of indigenous people and hence ancestors gives stories credibility. Because tribal in their stories. The truth of the facts recounted stories assist in self definition, they are critical to in these stories is less important than the a tribe’s survival as a separate people from their purpose behind this story itself and the basic colonizers. Deprived of their stories, Indian moral and or cultural lesson they convey. Those cultures and Indians as separate peoples may basic lesson remain unadulterated even though disappear. the particular facts of the story may fluctuate to The narrator of a tribal story is someone accommodate a particular facts of the story may who occupies a special place in the family or fluctuate to accommodate a particular group due to ager or some form of investiture. storytellers proclivities and environment.

16 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Attempt to cohobate the factual basis of these chingarya was changed into girl rescued the stories with written, environmental, or shin of Zoori defeated the Goddess in haven corroborate the factual basis of these stories don not driven daru woeshipseva bhyaya). with whiten environmental, or geological Ajo ajo sevadas rarure aradas records would therefore have mixed results. Gor zhurare bhaya tarevas For the reason above, oral histories are the Ajo ajo Bhimarotu bala antithesis of written histories and are often Kana layis bhaya taroredal demeaned as coming or primitive, uncivilized Subjugated Nomadas societies. But oral histories are not the Ravnere sare ramero avatar precursors of written history are incomplete. ………………………… They occupy their own important place in Gokulema jamo ghanshyam reconstructing and reinvigorating the past, and (O! Sevvala, I worship and serve you may evoke recollection and may also be the Garave me with your vision only proof that indigenous groups have to The Lambadas server and worship you establish their claim to particular plot of land Be yourself the protector to them that hold significance to them. Further, because You are the dear son of Bheema their claims arose before there was any written When would you appeal before me history to document them any written history Rama’s incarnation was for the good of on record would unilaterally reflect the biases of people the particular historian recording it and contain So also your incarnation was for the good of translation errors, indeed, when law ignores the Lambadas) indigenous oral history, it is the history of Seva Bhaya’s was thus quoted with that of native peoples that is excluded, which is a Lord Sri Rama. potential violation of international norms. Sugalis, Lambadis Banjaras: Introduction to Seva bhaya Poem: Seva Bhaya encouraged Lambada (Banjara) Culture The Banjara the Lambadas to be non violent in their (Lamabdas) are a class of people usually struggles with their persecutors, using moral described as nomadic people from the Indian authority rather than force. Many songs were state of Amaravati pre-independence they claim sung on seva Bhaya’s miracles, and it was to belong to the clan of Agnivanshi Rajputs, and through these songs that his message of social are also known as Banjari, Pindari, Bangala, transformation was spared among the people. Banjori, Banjuri, Brinjari, Lamani, Lamadi, To cite an example. Lambani, Labhani, Lambara, Lavani, Lemadi, Sevabhaya jalmo Lumadale, Labhani Muka, Goola, Gurmarti, Sir Puri banyo Gomati, Kora sugalis sukali, Thanda, Vanjarai, Nizagamen garashiya chodayo Vanzara, and Wanji, Toghether with the Yaragadda pataliyar sanadlido Domba, They ae sometimes called the ‘’Gypsies Chingariyan chingari Banayo of India’’. They are divided into three the Zoorer zaj terayo ‘Maturia, Labana, and Charan. Swargem devin harayo Spread of Banjara in India:- The Banjara have Kawomat pivomat darunanotti spread in states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Sevanjauame djaavo Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhaya Pradesh (After the birth of sevea bhaya sweet dish Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and other states of and field flattened bread made out of mud India. About half of their numbers speak Freed the uncast rated bull at nimagaon Goat Lambadi, one of the Rajasthani dialects, while declare form the village chief are yaragaadda a other are native speakers of Hindi, Telugu and

17 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

other dominant Language in their respective today. Bajraras and non- Banjras in the locality areas of settlements. Rathod, parmar, Pawar, hold bhima naik katta platform in high esteem chauhan, and Jadhav castes belong to the and reverence since the ‘ORE’ (residue) of Banjara community in Rajasthan and Gujarat satgaru sevalal maharaj is buried under the which now are in General Seats after the ground of this plat form which is the tradition communal rights that took place in Rajasthan in of the Banjaras to bury the residue after the 2008 as they were landlords in Amarkot, delivery of the baby. Shri Bhima Naik delivered Fathaykot and Sialkot before Partition of India his Judgments to Banjaras of his and and Pakistan, they are scheduled as STs in neighbouring Tandas form this katta. Andhra Pradesh where they are listed as Sugali Orissa, Karnataka SC Haryana, Punjab, and 7). Holi 8). Teej:- 9). Depavali :- 10). Dasara :- Himachal Pradesh. 11). Satee:- 12). Sri. Kalaml Nayk (Bhage) :- 13). Tribal their Own Festivals :- (Lambada Hemala Nayak (Bhage) 14). Achapada Mata Sugalis, Banjaras) For India,Andhra Pradesh Bojari :- 15). Sithala :- State (Amravati) Rayalaseema Region Tribal dance and Songs: The dancing Anantapurum District, Vjarakarur Mandal tradition of the Tribal is ancient, but has been in Venkatam Palli Pedda (Rupa Nayak) Thanda vogue till today. One historian named airmen Village:- who accompanied Alexander the Great has also note the dancing art of the tribal all and rated it 1. Samasung (Majee):- 2. Sri Dhakaya as best. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru took keen interest Bhukiya:- 3). Thulaja Bhavani 4). Vakadhayee and appreciated it a one of the classical :- 5). Dharma Nayk Boge :- 6). Sre. Santh Seva performing arts of the tribal. Lal Maharaj :- SATGARU SEVALAL Maharaju How the dancing art originated is a question was born on 15th feb 1739. To parent shri which as been answered fidderently. One of the Dharmani yaadi (Mother) and shri Bhima Naik interpretations found in Tribal folk tales to the on this holy land around 271 year back. At that famous Lingo legend. One of the first sail time this location was popularly known as reformers and religious messengers was Pahadi Ramagundam or Ramji naik Thanda (Ramji kupar Lingo. He liberated the Tribal people naik is grand fataher of sevabhaya, who come to from the cave; which is located near Salkasa, the location with 360 families of his Thanda and Darekasa near the present Tribal Railway about 3755 loaded cattels). Ramji naik Thanda Station about 1 km. away on the southern side when deserted by the end of 18th century, the and became their Garu Preacher. He stared local people built a village known as giving sermons to them. Once, his disciples chennarayanipally. This land nown falls in the were going for taking bath in the river. On the revenue village of Golaldoddi, Taluk/Mandal way ther many fragrant floors. A big black bee Gooty District, Anantapur, and Andhra mooring around the flowers in circles and Pradesh. producing a sound like Roon sssss Roon sssss Sevabhaya live with his parents at this place Roon sss…’ the gond disciples were so attracted upto the age of 12. He bathed in ‘’kaliya kund’’ and possessed by the scene and the sound that (transparent clean water of natural spring water they also this, they were late in taking bath and pond). Worshipped in chennakesava (Shive) returned to the place where Lingo was temple on the top of the chandrayanagutta delivering the sermons. Ehen lingo asked them (Hill) near by Ramji Naik Thanda and grazed the reason for coming late, they described the his cattle in ‘’Zandi Zhol’’ (forest of Palms, All scene which they had seen, lingo was also the relics and monuments are existing even attracted and he along which them started

18 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

dancing and producing the same sound. This is the biggest ethnic tribal group of India which is how the Tribal were introduced to the art of not a conventionally construed caste. The new dancing . That is whay the Tribal dance in democratic republic was made aware of its circles and all ther songs start with syllables responsibility towards the welfare of Dalits and related to Roon ss ..’ like Rena sss … Rena…’ or other weaker sections of society thanks to the Reelo ss. Rello ss. Reelo ss. Rees Reelo ss’. Or revolutionary struggle launched by Ambedkar. Relaan ss. Relann ss Re’. They belong to Scheduled Caste in Karnataka The place where Lingo used to deliver his state and backward caste in other states sermons was the ‘Gotul’ and hence the palace respectively. The present sociological for dancing and singing also was the ‘gotul’. It investigation was carried out in Karnataka state was lingo who gave cultural education to the to understand the social, economic and cultural Tribal and developed their dancing art. It is also conditions of Lambanis in the Hassan district of said that the Triabl once swa a peacock dancing Karnataka state. There are several constitutional to please the female peacock. The beautiful safeguards for the members of the Scheduled dacne attracted the Gonds and they learnt the Castes and Scheduled Tribes which relate to the dancing art form the peacock. They believe that removal of the disabilities as well as positive the God came in the form of peacock to teach measures to enable them to acquire a dignified them to dace. A folktale of the Baiga tribals position in the national life. The Banjara tells that once their forefathers swa tiger beating lifestyles have changed to certain extent in the a drum, a leopard of this music. Since then their 21st century on account of progressive fore theater started dancing. legislations, social networking and intervention Description of a Few Dances: The Gonds of various stakeholders of their development. and the Kolams (and also the parches) sing the The Banjaras community of India has not been Demas which are tribal sons narrating the tales brought under the common umbrella by the about their tribes, forefathers, deities, etc. various stakeholders of national development. Traditionally sixteen dermas songs are sung and They should be empowered educationally, when the community celebrates festivals, they socially, economically and politically through dance and sing these songs. In the Hindu participatory communication and development menthe of pouch, on full moon day the ritual is approaches in the new millennium. All over the performed. All the men and women dace for world, girls and women are given secondary pleasing God percipient. The Dhols of big size status- all amenities, luxuries and even are the main instruments for this dance. One provisions must first be provided for boys and person who is the leader of this dancing Group men, and only then, if available, can be given to take intitivatie and hold a flange t the loft of a girls and women. This is true to some extent loping stick. Two dhal beaters are very fort and throughout the world but more so and very rhythmic. evidently in India. The banjara community is not an exception to the statement. However, the Conclusion true culture of Banjara lies in the traditional India is an ‘Ethnological Museum’. The dressing pattern of women and distinctive Indian social order is primarily responsible for culture of Tanda (hamlet) system. Banjara the deprivation, degradation and depression of women are more vulnerable as compared to a vast majority of indigenous people of India. men. Banjara women are living under the The Lambanis had led a gypsy life in the past umbrella of patriarchy. It can be found in every and primarily lived in the western Indian state stage of the women. Women are facing double of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Banjara is exclusion first is from within the community

19 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

and another is within the household. The men 9. Mane, L. (1980). Upara. Mumbai: Granthali and boys always have priority in every part. Prakashan. The family thinks they cannot afford to educate 10. Mane, L. (1997). Vimuktayan: girls but they spend enormously on the boy’s Maharashtratil Gunhegar Jamati- Ek luxuries. Boys are considered the future Chikitsak Abhyas. Mumbai: Yashwantrao supporter of the generation whereas girls are Chavan Pratishthan. the supporters of her in-laws family. Women or 11. Mohan, N. S. (1988). Status of Banjara girls do not have any choices for the marriage. Women in India: A study of Karnataka. Elder members of the family decide on behalf of Uppal Publishing House. the girls and then they have to marry with 12. Naik, B. S. (1983). Status and Role of decided. The community men become more Women in Changing Banjara (Lambadi) attached to the decision making while women Community of Andhra Pradesh. Indian were just considered as labourers. Above all Anthropologist. circumstances, women have to face the stress 13. Naik, R. (1983). Banjara Jamatichi and tension along with violence in the family. Samjashastriya Samajik Arthik Pahani. Women in banjara community given secondary Aurangabad. status in every walk of life. 14. Naik, V. S. (1996). Natal to conjugal household through marriage : A traditional References life cycle of the Lambadi (Banjara) women 1. Bhandwalkar, V. (2012, November). in Andhra Pradesh. Indian Anthropologist, Nomadic and De-notified Tribes. Retrieved 28-29. from 15. Pawar, A., Naik, P. A., & Rathod, S. J. http://vaishalibhandwalkar.blogspot.in/p (2012). A short overview of literature of past /articles.html research: Banjara community in India. 2. Bhide, A. (1981). A study of socio-economic Global Research Analysis, 101-102. conditions of women among Nomadic and 16. Press Information Bureau. (2015). National De-notified tribes in Marashtra. Bombay. Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and 3. Burman, J. J. (2010). Ethnography of a Semi-Nomadic Tribes. New Delhi: Ministry Denotified Tribe: The Laman Banjara. New of Social Justice and Empowerment Delhi: Mittal Publications. Government of India. 4. Devy, G. N. (2006). A nomad called thief: 17. Rathod, K. (1978). Banjara Samajachya Reflections on adivasi silence. Delhi: Orient Arthik Samasya: Ek Drushtikshep. Longman. 18. Rathod, M. (2000). The Denotified and 5. D’Souza, D. (2001). Branded By Law: Nomadic Right Action Group Newsletter. Looking at India’s Denotified Tribes. Vadodara, India: DNTs Right Action Group. Penguin Books India. 19. Rathod, M. (2001). Ancient History of Gor 6. Halbar, B. G. (1986). Lamani economy and Banjaras. Retrieved from Banjara Times: society in change. Delhi: Mittal Publications. www.Banjaratimes.com 7. Kale, K. S. (1994). Kolhatyach Por. Mumbai: 20. Rathod, M. (2003). Gor-Banjara Jan Jaati ka Granthali Publications. itihaas. Kanpur: Vidya Prakashan. 8. Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research 21. Rathod, T. (2008). Socio-economic Issues of Methodology: Methods and Techniques Banjara Community in Karnataka: (Second Revised Edition). New Delhi: New Redefined Strategy for Development. Age International Publishers. Present Status and future challenges of Banjara Community. Dharwad, Karnataka.

20 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

22. Renke, B. (2008). National Commission for Tribes: KBK. Retrieved from KBK: De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic http://www.kbk.nic.in/tribes.htm tribes . New Delhi: Ministry of Social Justice 25. Thurston, E., & Rangachari, K. (1975). and Empowerment, Government of India. Castes and Tribes of Southern India (Vol. 23. Russel, R., & Hiralal, R. B. (1916). The Tribes IV). New Delhi: Cosmo Publication. and Castes of the Central Provinces of India 26. United Nations Development Programme. (Vol. II). London: Macmillan and Co., (1995). Human Development Report 1995. Limited St. Martin’s Street, London. New York: Oxford University Press. 24. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute. (n.d.).

21 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

MAN’S INHUMANITY TO MAN IN ROHINTON MISTRY’S A FINE BALANCE

Dr.V.P.Rathi Assistant Professor of English, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College (Autonomous), Pasumalai, Madurai

Introduction remain excluded from local religious life. In A Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance focuses on Fine Balance Mistry vehemently condemns and the dejected life of the marginalised characters criticizes the devilish practice of casteism and who try to change their living condition by savage treatment of the untouchables in the entering the centre from the periphery, but their name of divine supremacy of the caste Hindus attempt falls apart when it comes into conflict who, according to Hindu mythology are with reality. The portrayal of the subalterns in supposed to be the most cherished children of this novel is the crucial subject to be analyzed the Brahma, the Supreme Soul. It is the critically because of his authenticity to represent hypocrisy of the Hindu tradition which renders the subalterns. the untouchables as born of the feet of the In the framework of traditional Hindu Brahma, therefore regarded as the lowest in society, the caste status of Chamaars has often social hierarchy. been historically associated with occupations Economic reforms have crushed the considered ritually impure, such as any work backbone of the Chamaars in terms of taking involving leather work, butchering, or removal back the agricultural lands as well as housing of rubbish, animal carcasses and waste. sites and it is true that the government has a Engaging in these activities has been considered power and right to take back any land that has to be polluting to the individual and this been assigned to the Chamaars. Mistry uses pollution has been considered contagious. As a realism to present the story of human beings in result the Chamaars have been commonly a documentary narrative, alleviated by immense segregated and banned from full participation compassion for his characters. In an interview in Hindu social life. Social reality in India can be with Robert Mc Lay, he talks about A Fine mapped along three axes – caste (social), Balance: profession (economic) and gender. After writing my first two books, I became Gender is a key dimension in mapping aware that they were stories about a very social reality but more so in the case of the particular and a very special kind of city, even Chamaars. Apart from the regular forms of then I had focused only on a very small part – gender-based inequality and oppression, which the Parsi Community – and I made a conscious they face in family, community and society, the decision in this book to include more than this, Chamaars in India are alienated on the basis of mainly because, in India, seventy-five per cent caste, class and gender. They are the most of Indians live in villages and I wanted to vulnerable targets of caste based violence embrace more of the social reality of India. And against their community and are also raped and so I made the tailors come from a small village abused. and Maneck come from a hill station in the Some Chamaars, however, have successfully North. So while this city is certainly important, I integrated into urban Indian society, where wanted to give a strong sense of the different caste origins are less obvious and less important locales and I wanted to root the reader in those in public life. But in rural India, caste origins are places so that he has a very clear sense of where more readily apparent and the Chamaars often

22 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

these people are coming from and what their caste system. These people who traditionally difficulties are now. (Mistry 18) cure leather were considered to be Besides narrating the living experience, “untouchables.” Mistry brings out the Mistry has depicted concerns for the neglected devastating effects and the astounding levels of regions of this vast country. He has delineated cruelty human beings can impart on the basis of both the simplicity of rural life and complexities so called caste system. Om and Ishvar’s of city life. The shift is remarkably towards an experience of suffering from village to town and urban and modern situation. He has then city allows Mistry to articulate concentrated on the pessimistic image of his lost powerlessness and oppression, in both the city motherland, gives an insight into rural India and the country, as a continuum. and mentions the atrocities committed on the Despicable power is the most main type and untouchables. The children of the low castes that form of power is always allied with force in were denied the right to education; Ishvar and A Fine Balance and the potential of violence is Narayan were caned severely when they inseparable from exploitative power. The sway entered the classroom. of the upper caste Thakur cossets in a perennial The story of the tailors allows Mistry to deal caste war against the “untouchables” of the with those who are twice disempowered. Om village. This stranglehold is achieved through and Ishvar are not authorized in the city as recurrent violence – beatings, torture, rape, etc. representatives of the rural poor encountering Various episodes in the novel reveal Mistry’s the senselessness and cruelty of the city. They sympathy for the oppressed and concern at are also deprived of power, authority, weak and authoritarian, oppressive practices during the unimportant rural inhabitants as representatives two year period of Internal Emergency. During of the family of tanners; the untouchables who the course of the narrative, Mistry makes some have dared challenge the dictates of caste revealing political insights. The transitions in difference and oppression. Their trajectory rural life, the change in aspirations of the lower allows them to encounter the dispossessed of castes, the attempts by the upper castes to both rural and urban areas. They become preserve the old order are aptly delineated. friends with slum dwellers and illegal squatters, A major instance is the violence perpetuated beggars, thieves and circus players as they are by Thakur Dharamsi’s and his henchmen at the receiving end of the insane plans of the against Narayan’s family during the week of government. parliamentary elections. Narayan who is Mistry relates untouchability with the Hindu educated wants to exercise his rights as he “Dharmic order” (FB 101). The Pandit in the wants to actually vote in the elections and not novel says “if the order was polluted – then let the blank ballots be filled by the landlords’ there was no telling what calamities might men. Two years later when elections take place, befall in the universe” (FB 101). While reading Narayan tries to assert his democratic right and this one is reminded of what S.G. Sardesai and cast his own vote instead of being a party to Dilip Bose have said in their Marxism and The rigging in the elections. For his defiance, Bhagavad Gita: “if we cannot imagine other Narayan and other two ‘Chamaars’ were religions without their church and forcibly gagged, flogged and tortured. “Burning institutionalized hierarchy. Hinduism is coals were then stuffed into their mouths” (FB inconceivable without caste” (88). 146). Finally the ropes were transferred from In A Fine Balance, the family of Ishvar and their ankles to their necks and the three were Omprakash come from the Chamaar caste hanged. Their bodies were displayed in the which is the least in the hierarchy of the Hindu village square. Narayan’s family for defying the

23 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

existing social order pays an extreme price; is when the shack of the tailors is bulldozed to Dukhi, Narayan and Ishvar’s father and his wife ground as part of slum evacuation programme. Roopa and their daughters are bound and burnt Ishvar is content that at least their sewing alive. Their screams were heard through the machines are safe at Dina’s house. They stuff all village until their lips and tongues melted away. their belongings in a trunk and sinking, under The lives of the forefather of the tailors affect the its weight, go all over the city in search of a tyranny of the caste system in rural India where place to live in and realize that even to sleep on unimaginable horrors were perpetrated on the the platform they must pay the policeman. lower castes. Mistry, here, focuses on man’s Devika Khanna Narula in her article “Living on inhumanity to man and on the deprivation, the Edge” observes: inequities and injustice faced by the The disillusioning factor in the novel A Fine unprivileged in India. Balance is that in both these instances the The tragic irony of the novel A Fine Balance is protagonist has fallen even further below that a high caste lust perverted man who is the social status from which she wanted to likely to be polluted even by a shadow of the rise. The novel leaves a feeling of low caste still covets and sleeps with impunity depression at the end and shows the with a woman of Chamaar caste and the workings of a very malignant fate. (Narula Thakurs also obtain cheap labour from the 61) lower castes for when they demand their due The second blow of Emergency in the lives wages they are violently threatened. The killing of the tailors is when Ishvar and Omprakash are of Narayan is notable for its alarming savagery picked up by the policeman from their rented and the brutal assertion of their power. footpath dwelling to work as construction The Indian society is decaying from pinnacle workers as part of the city beautification project. downwards as there are many corrupt leaders. Ishvar’s protest that they are not street urchins They fool around with human lives and accept or beggars falls on deaf ears as they are forced money from businessman who needs favours into a truck. They are enforced to abandon their for votes and powers. The pre-election speeches work for a number of days for reasons beyond of leaders are crammed with false promises of their control. Mistry, instead of asserting an powerful laws. For them “passing laws is like authorial voice, speaks through the passing water, it all ends down the drain” (FB disillusionments and disenchantments of his 143). Mistry lays bare the election system of the characters. world’s largest democracy and the hypocrisy of Forced vasectomy, detention without trial, the politicians. limitations of freedom of speech, media A Fine Balance makes use of these historical censorship and ambiguous family planning events and shows how they pave way for the clinics are among the consequences of suffering of the poor and the downtrodden in Emergency experienced by Mistry’s the hands of Government and local authorities protagonists. One of them, Ishvar, after seeing who have gained more powers in the wake of his dwelling been torn down to the ground by the social and political upheavals. Mistry the City Embellishment Programme, gets attempts to show the vulnerability of the sterilized; then, as a result of a surgical average man’s life. Emergency, a defense of an operation in bad hygienic conditions has both insecure leader, disturbs the coherence of his legs amputated and eventually loses his job routine of the average lives of Ishvar, as tailor, because without feet he cannot work at Omprakash, Dina Dalal their employer and his sewing machine. Maneck Kohlah her paying guest. The first blow

24 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

The ultimate incident of the Internal instead of working with leather, their traditional Emergency comes in the description of the occupation. ‘Nusbandi Mela’ in the closing chapters of the The conflict between the upper class and the novel. Mistry appropriately describes the untouchable is a sort of concrete reality in India. callous indifference of the authorities who are Here people from two different communities keener on “targets have to be achieved within are not at war but the Thakurs and the the budget” (FB 533) rather than human welfare Chamaars representing the Hindu community and the upliftment of the poor. B. Indira in her are at war for no proper reason. “In fact, Mistry article “Designer Quilt: A Study of A Fine wants indirectly to convey a message to the Balance” proclaims: entire mankind focusing on the fact that ideal They all believe that the oft-heard word human relationship should be above all the Emergency is a sort of a game played by the concepts of caste, creed and colour” (Dodiya power centered and it would not really 19). affect the ordinary people like them. Hence Mistry’s strategy of fear and temptation each in his way tries to connect the monitors the thoughts and actions of his pervading discomfort and insecurity to characters. Dukhi fears caste restrictions and their problems of the here and now. Very marginalization and hence he changes the soon when their simplest dreams get profession of his sons owing to his temptation thwarted they are forced into realizing the of winning social respectability. Ishvar and his mayhem created by the Emergency. (Indira brother become tailors giving up their original 110) business of cobblers. Of this note, Mistry The novelist lucidly shows the involvement reports: “It soon became known in Dukhi’s of an entrenched, insensitive bureaucracy where village that his children were learning a trade senior administrators from the Family Planning other than leather working. In the old days, Centre admonish doctors for not achieving punishment for stepping outside one’s caste targets. Operations are conducted with partially would have been death” (FB 118). sterile equipment due to the harsh reprimands In the surrounding villages also the low of bureaucrats who are only interested in targets castes underwent untold sufferings. Dukhi and not human suffering. recounts the brutal and inhuman treatment The sterilization operations are performed given to the people of this caste. Besides, the even under unhygienic conditions. Mistry very low castes were not allowed to go near the cleverly shows that vested interests are school as education was denied to them. In combined with the bureaucracy to perpetuate contrast to the other Chamaar boys, the two the status quo under the guise of saving the brothers Ishvar and Narayan had the natural nation from population explosion. Thakur impulse to be with the high caste students in the Dharamsi, the upper caste ring leader, achieves class, to read and write and learn sincerely. As respectability as a political leader during they were denied the chance of getting Emergency because he organizes many education once they stealthily entered the sterilization camps. He uses his superior school through the window. Calling the boys position to see that Omprakash is castrated and “Chamaar rascals” (FB 109) the teacher slapped the testicles are removed. In this way Thakur them and made them remove their pants and Dharamsi takes revenge on the lower castes in then beat them up with a cane. his village whose only crime was to achieve Poor Dukhi, the father of the boys took up some social mobility by getting educated and the matter with Pandit Lalluram who was sending their children to be trained as tailors known “for the Sacred Knowledge locked inside

25 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

his large, shiny cranium” (FB 111). But he was Narayan, Ishvar and Om in Mistry’s A Fine safely dismissed by the learned Pandit with the Balance are standing examples of the existential usual exhortation that he had to adhere to caste condition and tragic state of the lives of Dalits in rules. Raising his voice in anger the Pandit told post-independent India. The role of religion, him: deep rooted conceptualized ideology, imperial Your children entered the classroom. They attitude and poverty are brought out to exhibit polluted the place. They touched the ways of dominating the underprivileged instruments of learning. They defiled slates caste in the Hindu society. Mistry has attempted and chalks, which upper-caste children to give voice to these untouchables, subalterns would touch. You are lucky there wasn’t a and lower class people hoping to elevate their holy book like the Bhagavad Gita in that status by portraying their terrible struggle to cupboard, no sacred texts. Or the survive in an antagonist world with dignity. He Punishment would have been more final. represents the untouchables to reduce their pain (FB 114) and restore their honour with sympathy in Mistry heaps insult on the high caste reality. This makes him the most authentic voice Brahmins who have great contempt for the of Indian diaspora. other caste people. Dukhi’s family stands as the representative of the untouchables in A Fine References Balance. The members of the Chamaar 1. Mistry, Rohinton. A Fine Balance. London: community were not allowed to walk on the Faber & Faber Limited, 1997. Print. temple roads and to hear slogans. Mistry also 2. Dodiya, Jaydipsinh. Perspectives on the reveals the exploitation of the low caste women Novels of Rohinton Mistry. New Delhi: Sarup to succumb to the machinations of their very & Sons, 2006. Print. upper caste male seducers. Once Rupa, Dukhi’s 3. Indira B. “Designer Quilt: A Study of A Fine wife and mother of Ishvar and Narayan was Balance.” The Fiction of Rohinton Mistry: seduced by the lascivious watchman of the rich Critical Studies. New Delhi: Prestige Books, man’s orchard in exchange for a few oranges 1998. Print. that she coveted for her sons. Even the birth of a 4. Mistry, Rohinton. Interview by Mc Lay, male child in Dukhi’s family was envied by the Robert. “Rohinton Mistry Talks to Robert upper caste people for one of the childless wives Mc Lay”, Wasafiri. 23, 1996. Print. of the upper caste explained that the boys were 5. Narula, Devika Khanna. “Living on the not really Dukhi’s. Perhaps the Chamaar had Edge,” South Asian Diaspora: Summer journeyed afar and kidnapped a Brahmin’s new Blossoms in Winter Gardens, New Delhi: born. It is possible only in India that caste and Creative Books, 2005. Print. profession could be the cause of an upheaval in 6. Sardesai S.G. and Dilip Bose. Marxism and the village. the Bhagavad Gita. New Delhi: People’s, The novel throws light on the problems of 1982. Print. the Dalits, their marginalized condition and their struggle for survival. The lives of Dukhi,

26 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

OPPRESSION OF UNTOUCHABLES IN ROHINTON MISTRY'S A FINE BALANCE

Mrs.G.Giriya Ph.D. Research Scholar in English (Part Time), Kandasami Kandar’s College, P.Velur

Dr.Shri Kant Kulshrestha Assistant Teacher in Uttar Pradesh, Basic Education Department, Agra

Abstract “Never stop fighting till the fight is done” - Eliot Ness Marginalization is the process whereby something or someone is pushed to the edge of a group and accorded lesser importance. The marginalized lots are also called Subalterns. “A Fine Balance” published in 1995 depicts the traumas suffered by the marginalized and subaltern section of Indian society. The novel is as much about the shared lives of these four major characters as it is about their separate entities. These subalterns are wronged by society. However, the cruel and hard experiences do not squeeze out the humanity from the hearts of these downtrodden. Through this novel, “A Fine Balance”, Mistry has brought out a very dark but prevailing side of India in which the subaltern section and marginalized people of Indian society like Dalits, women and minority people, inhabit and inherit their lives in margin. Through this study Mistry reveals sensible and sensitive understanding of social exploitation in the class and structure of colonial India. It also reveals the scale and degree of the painful story of an outcaste in an aggressive society. Keywords: Marginalization, Identity, subaltern, caste-violence, trauma and sufferings

Introduction refer those who are subjected to the hegemony of Diasporic writing has taken a heavy sweep the ruling classes. Subaltern classes may include on all the countries in the last century. The women, peasants, workers and other groups, theories of post colonialism, subaltern, denied access to hegemonic power. Gramsci deconstruction and marginalization were claimed that the history of the subaltern classes discussed and portrayed by different diasporic was just as complex as the history of the writers in their respective works. These dominant classes, although the history of the prevailing socio-political theories marked a latter is usually that which is accepted as ‘official’ distinct trend in Indo-Canadian Diasporic history. Mistry in A Fine Balance enlists atrocities writings, giving birth to a number of writers such committed on the poor during the emergency. as Bharathi Mukherjee, Suniti Manohar He serves to provide a corrective for the factual Namjoshi, M.G. Vassanji and so on. Emerging in lacunae of institutional history. the same trend was Rohinton Mistry who won a According to Gramsci, the history of number of accolades for his works. Rohinton subaltern social groups is necessarily fragmented Mistry is a South Asian-Canadian writer, who and episodic, since they are always subjected to unlike most Indo Canadian writers have chosen the activity of ruling groups even when they not to concentrate on life outside South Asia. rebel. In Mistry’s A Fine Balance Chamaars are the Mistry is seen to draw abundantly from Indian subalterns whom the prevailing caste system history, but more purposely to rewrite the denies the right to live a simple frugal life or to history of the marginalized and the oppressed. earn the bread honestly. The slur of (Hall 8) untouchability, which stuck to them by birth, Marginalization is the process whereby never leaves them. In this novel A Fine Balance something or someone is pushed to the edge of a these Chamaars give up their traditional group and accorded lesser importance. The occupation of leather working and trained marginalized lots are also called Subalterns. themselves as tailors in the hope of freeing Subaltern, a term adopted by Antonio Gramsci to 27 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

themselves from the cruel claws of the caste boundaries of Ishvar’s father Dukhi untouchability. Mochi’s existence in the novel. Mistry attempts to portray the reality of The life of the chamaars in a village and their India by weaving together the four worlds in the traumatic existence in a caste ridden Society is fabric of the novel. The first is the middle class evoked realistically by Mistry without any over- urban world of Dina Dalal- a pretty widow in her dramatization of their tragic plight, as it often forties. Then, there is a glimpse into the rural happens in the novels of Mulk Raj Anand, the India provided by Ishwar and his nephew champion of the oppressed in Indian English Omprakash. There is another world, the fiction. Dukhi Mochi learns to survive with predatory world of university students, humiliation and forbearance as his constant symbolized by Maneck Kohlah, a sensitive Parsi companions in the village. The silent suffering of boy. The novel is as much about the shared lives his wife Roopa and the ruthless punishment of these four major characters as it is about their meted out to his sons Narayan and Ishvar for separate entities. These subalterns are wronged transgressing the caste code by entering into the by society. However, the cruel and hard school premises makes Dukhi Mochi a much experiences do not squeeze out the humanity dejected man. from the hearts of these downtrodden. The national role of the suppressed A Fine Balance published in 1995 depicts the womanhood is dealt with almost by all the traumas suffered by the marginalized and novelists, especially the women writers. The subaltern section of Indian society. This book overall impression is that despite suffering deals with the realities of Indian society and tremendously in a patriarchal society, women discusses the social evils and shortcomings nurture and act as nurtures and as catalysts of existing in rural and urban areas of India. The positive change during crisis. Dina Dalal, the novel throws light on the injustice, cruelty, the poor parsi widow in A Fine Balance shows traumas and the disparity suffered by the remarkable grit as she stands up to Government untouchables in rural India. Through a complex, onslaughts during the emergency. It represents splendid and merciful story, Mistry has brought the struggles of the modern Indian women for out a very dark but prevailing side of India in personal liberation and socio political reforms. which the subaltern section and marginalized The role of the Parsi community in national life, people of Indian society like Dalits, women and its achievements, failures and sufferings are minority people, inhabit and inherit their lives in reflected through the characters. (Novy 86-88) margin. The ill-treatment of the Dalits does not stop Parsis today are a very urbanized group with the villages; their expectation for a better even though they began their Indian sojourn as future in the city is sabotaged and buried deep agriculturists in Gujarat. As such Mistry’s down with the Emergency. They are experience of rural India and especially of its marginalized socially, economically and lower castes would have been limited and at the politically and are exploited by the upper caste most extend to those among its members who people. Margin is a place where a person ceases through centuries of interaction with Parsis in to thrive; which implies that if a person is in the Gujarat, had come to be known to them. So while margin he is unable to evolve whether being describing the village of Om and Ishvar, Mistry is economically backward, destitute of basic needs in an uneasy position. The knowledge, the or suppressed by psyche. In India the Dalits are experience here is second-hand and derived from the most marginalized in the society and their textual material or family hearsay. Mistry defines everyday life is a struggle towards survival.

28 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Hinduism explains caste by recourse to the content. The incidents occurring to Dalits in A concept of karma, which can be understood as a Fine Balance appears very grim and bleak to the natural law that determines the quality of a untouchables, yet the emergence of the Dalit person’s rebirth on the basis of his deeds in aesthetics and the awakening of Dalit his/her present incarnation. In general one can consciousness visible in the family of the Dalit, say that confirming to caste rules increases the epitomizes the evolution of Dalit existence in chances of a better reincarnation. Moreover, caste English and Indian literature. is such a powerful instrument for structuring a Mistry uses literature as a mirror to reflect society not only because it is resistant to change, society. He advocates humanism and takes a firm but also because it provides psychological relief stand against the ill-treatment of the for those who are better off. (Khatri 18) untouchables. He describes that the degradation The representation of Dalits in A Fine Balance of the untouchables is due to their economic brings a sensible and sensitive understanding of dependence on the upper caste people. He shows social exploitation inherent in the class structure in the novel that human beings who want to of India and points out how a marginalized make a difference and change the age old person loses his individual identity. As a traditional norms of the society succumb to the humanist and social novelist, it becomes easier socio-economic cultural pressures. Generally for Mistry to describe the dignity, value and writing on the Parsi margin, Mistry narrates the freedom of the individual human being with social realities, particularly related to the Dalits. their identity. The reasons being the search for He brings a social consciousness against the caste the individual and social identities, is palpable in system by making bold and dauntless statements Mistry’s works. As Narayan in the novel states: in the novel. “Life without dignity is worthless” (A Fine The lives of Mistry’s four characters Balance 144). Omprakash, Ishvar, Dina Dalal and Maneck The search for dignity comes with a cost. The Kholah illustrate how globalization and casteism cost that Narayan had to pay was his life, along has affected the lives of ordinary people. And with his families, as it was the cost which Dukhi how the degeneration of community and social had to pay. Ishvar was maimed for life, while capital hinders people from moving forward Om was castrated. These characters face the from facing life’s harshness and are left merely consequences of their beliefs end up brutal and with their bare survival. tragic. The voice of a few like Dukhi’s family was The narrative voice in Mistry’s fictional easily suppressed as they were fighting against a discourse archives a fine balance, between much larger force with power and money. Their involvement and detachment thus providing a efforts did not bring the change they expected reliable witness to an eventful era, in the nation’s but it was definitely a start for the change. When history. Mistry’s humour is gentle, subdued and voices could get together and hands could join occasionally quite amazing with the characters. firmly against such social evils, change could be The novel’s conclusion more than amply seen. demonstrates the values of human relationships The considerable heartrending condition of and fellow feeling among people, despite their the Dalits highlighted in A Fine Balance is actually distinctions in caste and class. Mistry’s view of raising the voice of the marginalized people in life makes for health and sanity, a need most India. Through his vivid and picturesque compellingly felt today more than ever before. descriptions of the conditions of the He has given the subaltern (the chamaars) a voice untouchables, he illustrates how mainstream and visibility in this fine novel. literature has gone to merge untouchability in its

29 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Through this study Mistry reveals sensible References and sensitive understanding of social 1. Mistry, Rohinton. A Fine Balance. New York: exploitation in the class and structure of colonial Rosetta Books LLC 2004. India. It also reveals the scale and degree of the 2. Hall, Stuart “Cultural Identity and Diaspora”, painful story of an outcaste in an aggressive Diaspora and Visual Culture, Nicholas society. Here Mistry gives graphic details of Mirzoeff, ed., London: Routledge. 2000. ruthless exploitation, tortures, booth rigging and 3. Khatri, Chhotelal. Indian Novels in English. sufferings of the poor and the downtrodden. New Delhi: Roshan offset press, 2004. Thus, the novel A Fine Balance shows good 4. Kapadia, Novy. “The parsis: An examples of interpersonal relationships in which Introduction”. Parsi Fiction. Vol. I. Op. Cit. how it affects and changes everyone’s life. 5. Guha, Ranjit. Ed. Subaltern Studies, Vol, VII, Oxford, 1982

30 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

IMPACT OF TRANSLATION IN LITERATURE

R.Johnpeter Assistant Professor of English, Bharathidasan University Constituent College, Nagapattinam

Abstract The literature on ‘knowledge translation’ presents challenges for the reviewer because different terms have been used to describe the generation, sharing and application of knowledge and different research approaches embrace different philosophical positions on what knowledge is. We present a narrative review of this literature which deliberately sought to highlight rather than resolve tensions between these different framings. Our findings suggest that while ‘translation’ is a widely used metaphor in medicine, it constrains how we conceptualize and study the link between knowledge and practice. The ‘translation’ metaphor has, arguably, led to particular difficulties in the fields of ‘evidence-based management’ and ‘evidence-based policymaking’ – where it seems that knowledge obstinately refuses to be driven unproblematic ally into practice. Many non-medical disciplines such as philosophy, sociology and organization science conceptualize knowledge very differently, as being (for example) ‘created’, ‘constructed’, ‘embodied’, ‘performed’ and’ collectively negotiated’ – and also as being value-laden and tending to serve the vested interests of dominant élites. We propose that applying this wider range of metaphors and models would allow us to research the link between knowledge and practice in more creative and critical ways. We conclude that research should move beyond a narrow focus on the ‘know–do gap’ to cover a richer agenda, including: (a) the situation-specific practical wisdom (prognosis) that underpins clinical judgment; (b) the tacit knowledge that is built and shared among practitioners (‘midlines’); (c) the complex links between power and knowledge; and approaches to facilitating macro-level knowledge partnerships between researchers, practitioners, policymakers and commercial interests.

Introduction formalized, with dedicated schools and Translation is the communication of the professional associations. meaning of a source-language text by means of Because of the laboriousness of translation, an equivalent target-language text. While since the 1940s engineers have sought to interpreting—the facilitating of oral or sign- automate translation or to mechanically aid the language communication between users of human translator. different languages—antedates writing, The rise of the Internet has fostered a translation began only after the appearance of world-wide market for translation services and written literature. There exist partial has facilitated language localization. Translation translations of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh studies systematically study the theory and (ca. 2000 BCE) into Southwest Asian languages practice of translation. of the second millennium BCE. Translators always risk inappropriate spill- Methods over of source-language idiom and usage into Translation Procedures, Strategies and the target-language translation. On the other Methods hand, spill-overs have imported useful source- The translating procedures, as depicted by language calques and loanwords that have Nida (1964) are as follow: enriched the target languages. Indeed, translators have helped substantially Technical Procedures to shape the languages into which they have  Analysis of the source and target languages; translated. Owing to the demands of business  A thorough study of the source language documentation consequent to the Industrial text before making attempts translate it; Revolution that began in the mid-18th century,  Making judgments of the semantic and some translation specialties have become syntactic approximations. (pp. 241-45)

31 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Organizational Procedures processes that favor the acquisition, storage, Constant reevaluation of the attempt made; and/or utilization of information." He contrasting it with the existing available maintains that strategies are "heuristic and translations of the same text done by other flexible in nature, and their adoption implies a translators, and checking the text's decision influenced by amendments in the communicative effectiveness by asking the translator's objectives." target language readers to evaluate its accuracy Taking into account the process and and effectiveness and studying their reactions product of translation, Jaaskelainen (2005) (pp. 246-47). divides strategies into two major categories: Krings (1986:18) defines translation strategy some strategies relate to what happens to texts, as "translator's potentially conscious plans for while other strategies relate to what happens in solving concrete translation problems in the the process. framework of a concrete translation task," and Product-related strategies, as Jaaskelainen Seguin (1989) believes that there are at least (2005:15) writes, involves the basic tasks of three global strategies employed by the choosing the SL text and developing a method translators: (i) translating without interruption to translate it. However, she maintains that for as long as possible; (ii) correcting surface process-related strategies "are a set of (loosely errors immediately; (iii) leaving the monitoring formulated) rules or principles which a for qualitative or stylistic errors in the text to the translator uses to reach the goals determined by revision stage. the translating situation" (p.16). Moreover, Moreover, Loescher (1991:8) defines Jaaskelainen (2005:16) divides this into two translation strategy as "a potentially conscious types, namely global strategies and local procedure for solving a problem faced in strategies: "global strategies refer to general translating a text, or any segment of it. principles and modes of action and local "As it is stated in this definition, the notion strategies refer to specific activities in relation to of consciousness is significant in distinguishing the translator's problem-solving and decision- strategies which are used by the learners or making." translators. In this regard, Cohen (1998:4) Newmark (1988b) mentions the difference asserts that "the element of consciousness is between translation methods and translation what distinguishes strategies from these procedures. He writes that, "[w]hile translation processes that are not strategic." methods relate to whole texts, translation Furthermore, Bell (1998:188) differentiates procedures are used for sentences and the between global (those dealing with whole texts) smaller units of language" (p.81). He goes on to and local (those dealing with text segments) refer to the following methods of translation: strategies and confirms that this distinction Word-For-Word Translation: in which the results from various kinds of translation SL word order is preserved and the words problems. translated singly by their most common Venuti (1998:240) indicates that translation meanings, out of context. strategies "involve the basic tasks of choosing Literal Translation: in which the SL the foreign text to be translated and developing grammatical constructions are converted to a method to translate it." He employs the their nearest TL equivalents, but the lexical concepts of domesticating and foreignizing to words are again translated singly, out of refer to translation strategies. context. Jaaskelainen (1999:71) considers strategy as, Faithful Translation: it attempts to produce "a series of competencies, a set of steps or the precise contextual meaning of the original

32 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

within the constraints of the TL grammatical research. Therefore, it is necessary to translate structures. research instruments into the language of the Semantic Translation: which differs from culture being studied. In this methods review, 'faithful translation' only in as far as it must take different processes of instrument translation more account of the aesthetic value of the SL and evaluation of translation adequacy in text. published nursing research are described and Adaptation: which is the freest form of classified into a hierarchy. Studies including translation, and is used mainly for plays translation of quantitative research instruments (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters, were reviewed. Forty-seven studies were plots are usually preserved, the SL culture is included. converted to the TL culture and the text is rewritten. Result Free Translation: it produces the TL text Studies were classified into categories as without the style, form, or content of the follows: forward-only translation , forward-only original. translation with testing , back-translation , back- Idiomatic Translation: it reproduces the translation with monolingual test , back- 'message' of the original but tends to distort translation with bilingual test , and back- nuances of meaning by preferring translation with both monolingual and bilingual colloquialisms and idioms where these do not test . Strengths and weaknesses are analyzed. exist in the original. The studies reviewed used diverse methods Communicative Translation: it attempts to of varying quality. There is need for consensus render the exact contextual meaning of the among researchers in how to achieve quality of original in such a way that both content and instrument translation in cross-cultural language are readily acceptable and research. comprehensible to the readership (1988b: 45-47). Researchers should carefully attend to Newmark (1991:10-12) writes of a achieving and reporting evidence of the continuum existing between "semantic" and accuracy and validity of instrument translation. "communicative" translation. Any translation When back-translation fails to achieve semantic can be "more, or less semantic—more, or less, equivalence, the instrument development communicative—even a particular section or process should be replicated in the target sentence can be treated more communicatively language. or less semantically." Both seek an "equivalent effect." Zhongying (1994: 97), who prefers literal Literature and Knowledge Translation translation to free translation, writes that, "[i]n Implementing important advances in health China, it is agreed by many that one should care knowledge and stopping invalidated or translate literally, if possible, or appeal to free outmoded activities are vital to providing the translation." best possible health care. Many people from a In order to clarify the distinction between range of backgrounds and interests have begun procedure and strategy, the forthcoming section to conduct research in this domain of is allotted to discussing the procedures of implementing important knowledge in health translating culture-specific terms, and strategies care. for rendering allusions will be explained in The domain has many names; in this paper, detail. we will refer to it as knowledge translation Cross-cultural and international (KT), and base our use on the Canadian collaborative studies are needed in nursing Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) definition:

33 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Knowledge translation is a dynamic and In 2006, Graham and colleagues recounted iterative process that includes synthesis, the varying concepts and terms related to the dissemination, exchange and ethically sound domain of KT, with special emphasis on how application of knowledge to improve the health granting agencies describe and define KT. Davis of Canadians, provide more effective health described the KT domain as interdisciplinary services and products and strengthen the health and thus provided some explanation for the care system. variation in terminology that exists in KT This process takes place within a complex research and application. system of interactions between researchers and In addition to being an emerging domain knowledge users which may vary in intensity, that crosses multiple disciplines, many complexity and level of engagement depending countries are working in the KT area. They have on the nature of the research and the findings as developed terms unique to their countries and well as the needs of the particular knowledge disciplines. Examples include Rogers' work in user. diffusion of innovations in rural sociology For the science and practice of KT to starting in the 1940s in the United States, advance, ready access to KT literature across nursing research utilization also in the United disciplines is essential. The KT literature is large States , KT and knowledge transfer in Canada and encompasses the spectrum of material from research capacity in the United Kingdom , and opinion pieces and editorials through controlled the know-do gap in Australia. trials of interventions to improve clinical This plethora of terms and phrases for the performance, formal modeling of the processes processes of KT provides challenges for involved with KT, and qualitative studies of understanding and working with the KT why and how interventions worked. literature and communication. Nowhere is this This large body of literature includes two problem more evident than during report smaller subsets of material that have greater writing and information retrieval. The broad potential to inform KT practice and research. goal of the research described in this paper was The larger of these two sets of literature to review and analyze KT terms and to develop includes the descriptions and data on KT information retrieval assistance for those implementations application of specific research searching for KT material. findings), and reports of projects and practices This retrieval assistance is to build search that have been implemented in clinical practice. strategies, also called filters, that can be used to Examples of this application literature are collect or sift the content of a major database the kinds of studies that are included in the such as Medline or Cumulative Index to systematic review by Grimshaw and colleagues Nursing and Allied Health Literature . The second set of articles is the theoretical (CINAHL) so that all KT articles, and only KT papers on models, tools, and methods to articles, are retrieved. People interested in KT improve or implement KT. The number of then can use the filtered literature and add their articles on KT theory is smaller than the number own content terms such as immunizations or of articles dealing with applications and smoking cessation. Search filters reduce the implementations. amount of information a searcher must go Although the term KT was used in adult through while providing assurance that education research in the 1950s, the term KT important material has not been missed. became used in the context of implementation An example of how filters can reduce the of best evidence and was more recognized and amount of non-relevant citations is the study of studied as such in the late 1990s and early 2000s. the use of computers for people with diabetes to

34 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

help them in their disease management. classified as being KT is needed to build and Medline had 285 articles in April 2009 that were validate effective search filters. Initial analysis on this topic. Using methodological filters for of the number of articles in individual journal interventions , qualitative studies , and titles gave us an estimate that 12 journals would economics, brought the retrieval set down to 27 provide sufficient numbers of KT articles. randomized controlled trials, 113 potential Yao and colleagues also show that to qualitative studies, or 12 economic analyses, develop search filters articles need to come from respectively. journals that have relatively high and low Search filters can be used to identify specific numbers of articles that are in the categories for content and are available for such topics as which filters are being built. To establish those mental health, palliative care, and nephrology. journals that contain KT content, we used Search filters, especially those designed to several strategies to ensure a broad coverage of collect only specific research designs, are titles. We produced a list of journals containing heavily used. KT material from examining articles listed in the Most filters are based on study Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre methodology. The main goal of this funded (AHPRC) KT database , the list of journals used project was to produce search filters for KT in the production of a Health Services Research material; the results of which are reported in filter , and journals identified in the University other papers. The current paper represents a of Alberta Research Utilization Resource Guide . sub-study and reports on KT term use in We also used work by Estabrooks and published reports--data that were collected as colleagues who produced a bibliometric part of the filter production process. analysis describing the top 10 journals for In the production of the search filters, we knowledge utilization article publication from sought to determine a list of KT terms and 1972 to 2001. We used their top 20 journals cited phrases used by authors, researchers, and in the bibliographies. Using these resources we practitioners. We also created a database of produced two lists of journals, one with journals articles categorized as being about KT or not likely to have considerable numbers of KT about KT. articles and the other with journals that include The database and list of KT terms were a relatively smaller proportion of KT articles. developed independently. The database and list The journal lists were ordered by the number of were used in this study to determine which KT- expected KT articles. related terms authors used in the titles and Inclusion criteria for the journals chosen abstracts of articles and how often they are were that the journal had to be indexed in used. We also compared these rates of use of KT Medline and CINAHL and available online terms in the KT and non-KT articles in the through the Health Sciences Library at database. McMaster University. We chose the top six journals for inclusion as the high-yield Journals and Read journals: Annals of Internal Medicine, BMJ, Health We chose to read journals for 2006 because Affairs, JAMA, Journal of Advanced Nursing, it was the most recent full year of publication and Social Science and Medicine. with complete indexing in Medline and CINAHL that was available at the start of our Analyses grants . Sample size calculations based on data Using custom-designed computer from Yao and colleagues showed that a programs, we determined the number of articles database with approximately 110 to 150 articles containing each of the KT-related terms for all

35 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

of the articles that we categorized as KT or non- numbers. As a young and growing domain, we KT. We chose to look at only the titles and are in an ideal situation to do so. abstracts of these articles for two reasons. First, titles and abstracts are the tools that authors Translation and Political Engagement provide and the indexers of bibliographic The possibility of using translation for databases (such as Medline) use to enable geopolitical agenda and political engagement information retrieval. has stimulated substantial interest in the last Second, the title and abstract of a paper decade within translation studies and in other provide a summary of its content as a guide to disciplines. Defining engagement in translation whether the full text is worthwhile retrieving studies as translation with an activist for further consideration. We determined if the component, this article reviews the discourse use of the KT terms was more common in the pertaining to translation and engagement. titles and abstracts of KT articles than in the The case study of the translation of Irish titles and abstracts of non-KT articles (chi- literature into English over the last century, square test of proportions using Stata from the epoch of Irish cultural nationalism Intercooled 9.0 software). These data provided through Irish political independence to the evidence of how often the terms related to KT present, is used as an exemplar of a translation were used by the authors producing KT papers movement that has been effective in achieving and if this use was associated with being KT significant geopolitical results. articles. Desiderata for a theory of translation and Authors writing about KT in 2006 used engagement are discussed, in the context of multiple terms to refer to their work making which a criticism is offered of Venuti’s information retrieval and sharing of ideas and contribution to the discourse of translation and content difficult. Authors used only one-half of engagement. The article concludes with the the terms identified in this study in their titles identification of characteristics shared by and abstracts of KT articles and of these, translation movements that have effectively approximately only one-half of these terms contributed to political engagement and discriminated between KT and non-KT articles. geopolitical change. The category of all KT articles had the fewest number of terms that discriminated Conclusion between KT and non-KT articles. KT application This article investigates essential questions and KT theory categories had more terms that regarding ideology and language from a differentiated, that is, between KT application translation studies perspective. Adopting a and non-KT application papers and also broad-based approach, it examines what is between KT theory and non-KT theory articles. meant by ‘ideology’ and how it is treated in The most consistent use of terms seemed to be translation studies, where it has primarily been in articles that dealt with the theoretical basis of linked to manipulation and power relations. KT and KT tools. But the need for consolidation However, this article focuses on the and consistent use of fewer terms related to KT ideology of the individual translator. Following research is evident. Simpson and Van Disk, it considers ideology to The data in this article provide a starting be constructed from the knowledge, beliefs and point for further consideration of consensus value systems of the individual (in our case, the building on standardizing terms and definitions translator) and the society in which he or she and hopefully focusing on reducing the operates. The main interest is in how ideology in its many facets is conveyed and presented

36 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

textually in translation and how analysis drawn and procedures involved in Bible translating. from within monolingual traditions (such as Leiden: Brill. critical discourse analysis and the tools of 2. Richards, et al (1985). Longman dictionary of systemic-functional analysis) may not always be applied linguistics. UK: Longman. the most appropriate to detect and classify the 3. Seguinot, C. (1989). The translation process. shifts that take place. Examples are analyzed of Toronto: H.G. Publications. translations of speeches and other political 4. Venuti, L. (1998). Strategies of translation. In writings and interviews with revolutionary M. Baker (Ed.), Encyclopedia of translation leaders in Latin America (Castro, Marcos, studies (pp. 240-244). London and New Chavez. York: Rutledge. 5. Zhongying, F. (1994). An applied theory of References translation. Beijing: Foreign Languages 1. Nida, E. A. (1964). Towards a science of Teaching & Research Press. translation, with special reference to principles

37 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN VIJAY TENDULKAR’S THE VULTURES

S.ThangaDharshini Assistant Professor, Department of English, VV College of Engineering, Tisaiyanvilai

Abstract This paper focuses on the ruthlessness of human beings in a family set up. The Vultures is a curious admixture of ruthlessness and compassion, degeneration of family ties and values with the steady degradation of economic and moral mores. The title itself suggests violence, ferocity and instant urge for killing. Like vultures, the flesh eating birds, the characters in the play are ready to prey on others misfortunes. Through a family Tendulkar exhibits violence at various levels such as sons against father, brothers against sister, brother against brother. In The Vultures most of the characters are governed by the evil qualities which are totally opposite to the divine attributes. The play deeply portrays the decadence and degeneration of members of the middle class family. Tendulkar has vividly manifested the avarice of Ramakant and Umakant, the gross sensuality of their sister Manik and the degenerate nature of their father. The intrinsic evil in human nature surfaces when Pappa is beaten up by his two sons for the money and property and in forcible termination of Manik’s unborn child.

Introduction Benare in the play “Silence! The Court is in the Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar was born on Session” has been thrown away after its usage. 6th January 1928. He was ranked as a front- line The very title of the play The Vultures or playwright in contemporary Indian theatre Gidhhade itself suggests violence and along Mohan Rakesh, Badal Sicar, Girish ruthlessness. Actually, vultures are flesh eating Karnad and Mahesh Dattani. He had been the birds and in literature, they have stood for leading playwright in Marathi for more than greedy people who are ready to live even in the fifty years. He was a creative writer and misfortunes of others. This play reveals violence manifests a lot of full-length plays, one-act both physical and emotional within the family plays, a novel and several columns for the set up. The violence inside the family has a newspapers as well as theatre and film critiques. greater tragic impact because of the loss of In his works, Vijay Tendulkar portrays the affinity of man’s moral self with the scheme of evil which curtails the development of the things. society. Likewise his plays deal with ‘social’, The Vultures is a distinct play while ‘political’, and ‘gender discrimination’, etc., comparing with Tendulkar’s other play. In this with his passion for freedom and the boldness play Tendulkar manipulated various types of of a journalist, Tendulkar gave an importance to violence, emerging out of drunkard, greed, the creation of characters. He believed that sexual aberration and immorality, anticipating a characters are not mouthpieces but the real complete collapse of value system, sanctity of success of drama lies in the search real family and familial responsibility, man’s characters. disobedience to the social orders and moral Most of his plays are gynocentric. He seems principles. to be a feminist because he projects women as The plot of the play revolves around the the victim of chauvinistic oppression. He family of HariPitale who has been addressed as portrays the male characters as embodiments of Pappa. He has two sons and daughter. The first hypocrisy, selfishness and treachery. On the son Ramakant knows as Ramya and the second other hand, he portrays women as the helpless son Umakant known as Umya. Rajaninath is the victims of the conspiracies of men. Thus we find youngest son of the family but he is the

38 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

illegitimate son of Mr. HariPitale. There are two The constant ‘loud screeching of vultures’ in female characters, Manik and Rama in this play. the background of Rajaninath’ song is Manik is HariPitale’ daughter and Rama is suggestive of the atmosphere of hospitality, Ramakant’s wife. violence and humanity. HariPatile becomes a successful The second scene of the play The Vultures businessman by cheating his own brother opens with the presence of Rama and Manik Sakharam. Both of his sons inherit the and both of them provide appropriate foil to selfishness and inhumane nature which are the each other. From Manik’s maneuvering two qualities of their father. Though she is a woman aspects are remarkable- her arrogance and her Manik is totally devoid of all feminine delicacy. greed for money. She snubs her brother She has been portrayed as the embodiment of He and Ramaya haggle away. Every evil and cruelty. morning ruin my sleep, the swine! Does Rajaninath has two roles in this play. He money grow on trees here? Or is there any performs the role of chorus and he presents an mine of it somewhere? (207). elaborate account of Pitale family through the In The Vultures Tendulkar like Mahesh song in the very beginning of the play. On the Dattani accepts the organization of the family other hand he performs the role of a lover and determines the nature of personal relationship. conciliator for Rama. From the long song of With the growing impact of industrial values Rajaninath we understand that twenty years the family structures are being collapsed. In have passed before the opening of the play. He Pitale family all the members survive in their notices Ramakant and Rama leaving the house cruelty without any bonds of personal after locking it. This sight kindles his memory relationship. Tendulkar admits that that it is the and begins writing a song. He remembers the passion for money that governs the fate of them. day Ramakant married Rama. Then she was There is no filial affinity existing between “like a doe” and “as loving as the earth” (203). Pappa and Ramakant and all their affinity are When he sings on her nature, he addresses expressed only in terms of calculation and her, “a statue of emotions chilled to stone”(201). transaction of money and poverty matters. The idea of ‘statue of emotions’suggests that Contempt, greed and revengefulness are the key Rama lives in the perpetual domination of her knot of Ramakant’s character. Instead of husband. In Pitale’s family she never allowed to accepting his weakness, he shamelessly enjoy freedom and dignity of her own. He condemns his father for his own misdoing, defines that house as a shelter of ‘Vultures’. “Pappa, Pappa, as the seed, so the tree. Did we Along with the story of Rama, he makes a ever ask to be produced?” (211). He does not confession of his on resentment in the house of tolerate the interference of his father in his ‘vultures’ that have inflicted all sorts of pain on personal matters. him. Rama is the only consolation in his life and From the father and son the attention shifts she expresses her sympathy and love to him. to sister and brother relationship. Ramakant Rajaninath in his song highlights that she has all uses derogatory comments to describe his sister, hopes of self-survival and she is given only to Manik’s beauty and her character. Like his elder feed the whims of five vultures. It is said brother, Umakant also does not acknowledge Five Vultures, the presence of his father. The social irony is On the swinging branch intense and poignant in the play The Vultures. Of her rotted hopes Children, instead of being proud of their Five…… Vultures (206). parents, they are ashamed of them and have

39 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

contempt to the extent that they can devour vent to her agony and frustration. Referring to parent’s flesh. her barrenness she says, The second scene of the play The Vultures It’s not the fault of doctors, of learned men, opens in a drawing room where there was ‘the of saints and sages! It’s not even my fault! paraphernalia of drinks all around’ (217). The womb is healthy and sound, I swear it! Ramakant and Umakant ruthlessly reflect on I was born to become a mother. This soil is Pappa’s treatment with his brother, Sakharam. rich, it’s hungry. But seed won’t take root. If They have heard his uncle demanding money the seed is soaked in poison, if it’s weak, from Pappa. This rouses their suspicion that feeble and lifeless, devoid of virtue – they their father still has some money stacked away why blame the soil?... (241). somewhere. So, after driving away Sakharam, Rama’s yielding to the desires of Rajaninath Ramakant, Umakant, Manik make their Pappa evinces that every woman wants something drink to extract the truth about money. The more in marriage than more social security. It is greed, temptation and violence are the ways not Rama’s revolt against Ramakant but it is that Pappa adopted to ruin his brother and now positively the assertion of her femininity against his cruelty is being repeated by his sons. the passive responses of her husband. Rajaninat, Umakant’ idea of cutting his father into sensitive to Rama’s yearning to become a pieces surpasses all limitations of violence and mother, holds her in an embrace. cruelty. In spite of hostility among the siblings, Ramakant and Umakant weave a plot they unite for the removal of his uncle. They together to break Manik’s leg in order to ruthlessly drag his body on ground. Umakant prevent her from meeting her lover further. staggers at his feet. This sight brings the image They ruthlessly execute this plan. A phone call of vulture which kills its prey with identical informs them Raja of Hondur has died of heart cruelty for sadistic pleasure. When they are attack. As a result their prospects of planning to extract the details about the hidden blackmailing Manik’s lover vanish. In a rage, money from Pappa, Umakant proposes, “Finish they break Manik’s room open and in sheer Pappa off” (221). Papa gets injured. In order to agony she runs away. In this scene, Tendulkar escape from further assault, he admits to them presents two brothers kicking the abdomen of that he has deposited some money in the Punjab pregnant Manik. No dramatist in the entire Bank. range of Indian drama has thundered the stage In Act II scene ii of this play The Vultures with the deadly display of shell beastly focuses on the emotional crisis of Rama and passions. Manik’s screaming is terrifying. Her Rajaninath who were forced to maintain one leg in plaster and her white sari is soiled marginalized position in the earliest part of the with blood. Amid this play of cruelty, Pappa’s play. Both of them seem to be the victim of laughter in the backgroung is crude and violent. violence and parental authority of HariPitale’s In scene IV of Act II of The Vultures, Rama family. Like most of the postcolonial writes, and Ramakant come in private conversation Tendulkar also admits that silence is not sign of where Ramakant expresses his elation at the the submissiveness only. It is willful thought of Rama’s pregnancy and tries his best suppression of desires and energy and its to give the best care of his wife. It becomes the cumulative impact can transmute into rebellion. mockery of male’s egoistical sublime and it also As usual Tendulkar gives an opportunity to reveals the collapse of sanctity of personal Rama to express her agony and frustration in relationship. Rama in her submissiveness gets this scene. In a long moving speech, Rama gives the triumph over and above conventional structure of gender specific roles. Rama’s

40 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

rhetoric confession, “I am going to become a by his brother he could not answer properly, mother. Am I really going to be a mother?” instead it induces Ramakant’s anger. (249) is positively a challenge to the masculinity Although Umakant very well knows of Ramakant. She further makes a declaration of Ramakant’s situation, he does not come forward her freedom and expresses her desire to leave to help him. Instead of that he tries to usurp the house. Moreover, she is afraid of the family even the remaining money and home from his members, and she gets fear that she might be own brother. Though Ramakant is in the need aborted by them. she is very much disturbed by of his brother’s help to rescue from this financial the threatening of Manik. The masculinity of crisis, he is not ready to transfer his house to his Ramakant is humiliated but his ego still brother’s name. Then, Umakant ruthlessly talks survives in the illusion. about the illicit relationship between Rama and In the meantime, Pappa seeks consolation in Rajaninath and he talks ill of the unborn child, the company of Rajaninath and claims his lost “I know about the brat your wife’s having” kinship with him. He addresses his two sons as (255). He shouts at Ramakant for the love and ‘bloody sins’ of his previous birth. Papa care that he is having for embryo. He condemns, considers this is the only way to take revenge Call the brat as your own, go on! Put him on upon his sons but Rajaninath who maintains your head! Lick his kiss! Let smart-ass have certain dignity is not ready to reconcile with his fun. You be the bloody father. Bloody fool. father. As Rajaninath tries to avoid his father, he Not a paisa’s worth of sense.. Bloody dupe ! drives his father out by speaking harshly. … Bring shame on all of us!(255). Manik by the end of the play exhibits the worst And he leaves the house. Ramakant goes to of her wickedness. She plans for the abortion of his wife he talks in suspicion, inwardly Rama and Rama is petrified on the idea of such brooding over the matter what his brother has a cruelty that will ruin her ambition to become a just informed him. mother. Manik’s idea of getting Raam’s Child In the scene vii, Ramakant comes to know aborted reflects her unconsciously resentment the real secret of Rama’s pregnancy through the against the abortion of her own child. unparliamentary words of Umakant and it In scene V of Act II, Ramakant has drunk reflects the worst failure of his life. It is the loss too much and fallen asleep. He dreams of the of his authority, loss of his own arrogance and sophisticated life as a normal middle- class man the loss of his identity and self-respect. He and he also believes in horoscopy. Due to that, admits, “I am a useless fellow brother. the birth of his son will change his life and he Absolutely bloody good- for nothing. Futile, a advises her wife to take healthy food. He says, bloody bitch. Son of a swine! I – I let my wife… “Don’t you worry Rama. Hold on a while. Take go …go”(263). The tone of violence and chaos rest, what? Fruit’s excellent. Ought to drink become alive once again. Ramakant seems to be milk. Morning and evening. That’s good for the at war with his inner self in whom it becomes bloody too…”(252). Umakant enter into the difficult for him to retreat, earlier he has killed house, smoking very proudly in front of his the child of Manik for personal pleasure but own brother. It symbolically represents the state now he has been forced for the murder of his of Ramakant. Ramakant suddenly wakes up own child for the sake of contempt and revenge. and sees Umakant like nightmare. Ramakant In both the conditions the inherent rage becomes pauper and he sells all the things such dominates the action of Ramakant. He suddenly as phone, sofa and radiogram for his livelihood. shouts harshly and heavily When he is inquired about their mother’s jewels … the child is not mine! Not mine, not bloody mine, not mine! It’s his,that bloody

41 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

son of whore’s! Nursed up my step civilization where men is alienated from society, mother’s blood of spring…He’s my enemy’s family, relationship, professional commitments bloody son. My enemy. I’ll abort him cut and worst of all, with his own inner self. The out, you bastard. Don’t want you. Don’t crisis of dramatist in the creation of The Vultures want you, son of a swine!(264). come close to following observation of Arthur It is remarkable that Ramakant has been Miller, the eminent British dramatist who responsible for organizing the act of killing and perceived the lack of harmony existing between it is evident to the truth that brutality and the demands of society and the needs of the violence was the integral part of Ramakant’s individual. To quote personality and he seems to have no control For a secular society, it is perhaps more over them. In scene viii, of this play The Vultures difficult for such a victory to document comes to an end with the song Rajaninath sings itself felt, but conversely the need to offer which is the epilogue of this play. He concludes greater proofs of the humanity of man can that these vultures like human beings of Pitale’s make that victory more real. It goes without family, have no hope of survival of a better saying that in a society where there is a future he sings basic disagreement as to the right way to The tale of the five vultures live, there can hardly be agreement as to the Had this end right way to die, and both life and death The story of men accurse must be heavily weighted with meaningless Or else the culture cursed futility (Miller: 33-34). To live their lives as men (265). The images of vultures with consistent It is anticipation not only to the ‘Vultures’ of screeching sound in the background prepare a Pitale family but for all those vultures that are conductive atmosphere of the perils of futility hovering over the system of the world to and loss that has reduced the civilization to devour its basic structure. wasteland swallowing the virtue and good Vijay Tendulkar in the creation of The sense and restoring the slavery and wildness Vultures has poured out of the best of his that has become the keynote of postmodern creativity to extract the inner most cruelty industrial society. which lie in the unconscious mind of all Thus this play, The Vultures intensifies the individuals. To define it as a play of domestic impact of violence not through the exhibition of violence is to avoid the real message integrated violence but through the celebration of it. in the text. The play The Vultures has a complex Moreover, the violence depicted in this play is a structure with the intricacy of diverse issues tool employed by Vijay Tendulkar to give shape that are prevailing at the core of this universe. It to his desire of creating social awareness. is a dramatic representation of the complex social issues like the collapse of value system, References the triumph of sexual sadism, disintegration of Primary Source the institution of family, menace of mercenary 1. Tendulkar, Vijay. Five Plays. Oxford drugs and the prominence of crime and University Press.1992. violence. The cumulative influence of these creeping Secondary Sources elements is producing a generation of blood 1. Agarwal, Beena. Dramatic World of Vijay thirsty individuals expressed in the brutality of Tendulkar: Explorations and Experiments. Manik, Ramakant, Umakant and Pappa. Jaipur: Aadi Publications, 2010.ix, 236. Tendulkar’s The Vultures is a threat to the entire

42 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

2. Das, Veena Noble. “Theatre as Plague: A 5. Ghost, Sumana. “Theme of Violence in Vijay Study of Webster’s The White Devil and Tendulkar,s Giddhade or The Vultures”. The Tendulkar’s Vultures”. Osmania Journal of Quest 26.1 ( June 2012): 47-52. English Studies 26. (1990):85-92. 6. Myles, Anita, “Contemporary Indian English 3. Dharan,N.S. The Plays of Vijay Tendulkar. Drama: An Overview”. Sarup Book New Delhi: Creative Books, 1999.109. Publishers. New Delhi.2010. 4. Dharan,N.S.“Vijay Tendulkar’s The Vultures: A Postmodernist Reading”. The Quest 26.1 (June 2002):22-25.

43 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

IMAGES OF IRAQIAN WOMEN IN THE DAY I BECAME A WOMAN BY MARZIEH MESHKINI

Mr.T.Vishnupriyan M.Phil. Scholar, Assistant Professor in English, The Central Law College, Salem

Dr.U.Sumathy Head & Associate Professor, Government Arts College, Coimbatore

Abstract Feminist writings were of crucial interest to the Post-colonial discourse for two major reasons. First, both patriarchy and imperialism could be seen to exert diﬀerent forms of domination over those subordinate to them. Because of this, it was important for the experiences of women under the patriarchal influence to come out to the forefront and expose the undue cruelty be held on them by men. It was necessary for the women to oppose this male dominance over them. We observe that women continued to define the borders of the community, class and race. They tried to exert feminism through their works. However, the Feminist writers tried to stamp their authority in a male dominated environment as best as it is possible to them. It was a very difficult path, as the women had to break through years of male dominance, taboos and beliefs that had heavily impregnated the society. In addition, critics argued that colonialism operated very diﬀerently for women and for men. This was so because women were subjected to both general discrimination as colonial subjects and specific discrimination as women addressed as ‘double colonization. This paper focuses on the most imporatnt issue faced by Iraqian Women. Dirrected by a woman, it rightly voices the pathetic condition of women in the Middle East. Keywords: Male dominated society, discrimination, harassed, feminism, and status of woman

Introduction Images of Women Marzieh Meshkini is an Iranian The Day I Became a Woman (Roozi Khe Zan cinematographer, film director and writer. She Shodam) is a 2000 award winning Iranian movie was born in 1969 in Tehran, studied film at directed by Marzieh Meshkini. The movie grew Makhmalbaf film school from 1996-2001.She out of a small film school started by her was married to film director Mohsen husband, the acclaimed Iranian film maker Makhmalbaf, who wrote the script for her debut Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The movie has won a raft film The Day I Became a Woman (Roozi ke zan of awards from various film festivals. The film shodam). The film won many awards. It is very neatly and tidily presented, it has got no attended the Critics Week Category in the 2000 overt violence or sex. Yet it deals with the most Venice Film Festival. Her second film Stray important issue faced by Iranian women. Dogs(sag-haye velgard) competed in the best The film which is episodic in nature deals film category at Venice film festival in 2003 and with woman’s struggle for identity in Iran. received two awards from the festival. She has Three stories are told each depicting different worked as the assistant director in ‘The Apple’, stages in the lives of Iranian women; from ‘The Blackboards’, ‘At Five in the Afternoon’ young to the elderly. The first part takes us to and ‘Two Legged Horse’ with her daughter the morning of Havva’s ninth birthday. In the Samira Makhmalbaf. She has also collaborated first part of the film, the mother and the with her husband in several recent films. She is grandmother of the nine year old Havva keeps also the script writer of the award winning film her from playing with her childhood play mate Buddha Collapsed out of Shame by Hana Hassan. The girl is told that she is a woman Makhmalbaf. from now on. In traditional communities in accordance with the Islamic law, a girl will become a woman once she turns nine years old.

44 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Playing with boys in the street is considered a comforts that she has desired in her good salad sin from that day on. From now onwards she days. Now she has become a free woman and should veil herself under the chador. But spends wads of money and is also free to do because it is only 11 am and Havva was born what she wishes. She has bought many things around noon she pleads to her mother and ranging from teapots to refrigerator. She enlists grandmother to allow her play till noontime. the help of a young boy and his friends to carry Havva, literally the Eve, is going to be expelled her appliances. They follow her with the new from the paradise for no sin of her own. She appliances to the beach. As she floats out on a requests one more hour so that she can drink waiting ship, free from the bonds of her free life to the lees. This plea was granted on womanhood, she is watched by both Havva and one condition that she will return home at the Ahoo. Both of them may be looking at their own appropriate time. She is given a stick by which possible future. she could measure time and return when the Meshkini’s thesis film The Day I Became a stick no more has shadow. She is also reminded Woman, which was set on the island of Kish, is of the fact that if she does not come back at the a scathing indictment of the harsh and stifling correct time she will not be forgiven by God. treatment of women in Islamic Iran. It is a three This story of Havva tells us about the end of part allegory which was once banned in Iran. innocence of a girl child in an Iranian society. The three stories tell us about the impossibility The mother and grandmother entering with for a woman to escape from the male clutches of chador in their hands symbolize the farewell to the society. How far they try to flee, the sea is all childhood plays and transition to always the limit beyond which she cannot pass. womanhood. The second tale revolves around a young Conclusion woman Ahoo who decides to participate in a Thus, the feminist Criticism was the direct bicycle race by the seashore and who is all the product of the Women’s movement of 1916. way pursued by her angry husband on a horse Because Feminism has become a vital aspect in back. The film shows lots of women clad in literature in contemporary society and the burqas speeding on the bicycle, peddling on female perspective, expressed through women’s and on towards their goal. The bicycle race can writing of all kinds is considered to be more also be taken as a travel towards freedom which than a valuable connective to an all male view is unattainable for women in their real life. Her of the universe. In exploring the question what husband, in-laws, local religious leaders and the is it to be woman lie the history of mankind: village elders follow her demanding her to give “History of mankind is the history of repeated up her profane behavior and to stop the race. If injuries and usurpations on the part of man she does not obey she will be divorced then and towards woman having indirect object the there. When every woman in the competition is establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.” racing she is flying as if it is an escape from her (Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions of own life to a new world of freedom, and the First Women’s Rights Convention In selfhood. The threatening words of her husband America, Seneca Falls, 1848). It is perceived that and all other people are ignored by her; as she, the very subjection of women is consolidated by an embodiment of the new woman, moves on religion. The Holy Bible holds such observations and on. and perceptions: “Wives submit yourselves to The third part shows us an old woman your husbands as to the Lord. (Ephesians, 5:22) Hoora who has some money and who is The Holy Bible). This concept of women adamant on purchasing all the material consolidated by Christianity aﬀected their status

45 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

for centuries. Gradually women lost the right to the male–dominated society and letting the control their lives and as a result, they were public beware of the various atrocities heaped deprived not only of human rights but also of upon women who dared to cross the various humanity. rigid boundaries that were laid on them by Literacy spread rapidly and women began to society. utilize the power of the pen. Betty Frieday, the mother of Modern Feminism with the References publication of Feminine Mystique (1963) 1. Betty, Frieday. The Feminine Mystique. New initiated this new change. The new women’s York. Dell, 1963. Print. movement expanded into a commanding 2. Luhman, Niklas “The Representation of political force. “Women are an oppressed class. Society Within Society”, Political Theory in We are exploited as sex objects”. the Welfare State, trans. John BednarzJr, Berlin : Walter de Gruyter. 1990 Undoubtedly, it is understood that they have perceived a good job in exposing the fallacies of

46 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

THE ISSUE OF VIOLENCE IN TONI MORRISON’S THE BLUEST EYE

Dr.P.Vijay Anand, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, Department of English, Periyar Arts College, Cuddalore

Abstract This paper focuses on the survival of black women in a white society, their emphasis on loving their own race, their own culture and loving themselves and not to trap in white superiority or white beauty standards. State segregation, poverty and racism have discursively, geographically and materially marginalized the black community. Toni Morrison’s focus is on the way in which society maintains its power by naming reality. When people believe that power belongs only to those the dominant culture has named as valuable, they accept that culture’s right to define the values for all those living in it. Morrison’s characters are primarily black women and often black children. Society tells these characters in many different ways that what they value is not of value, or the way they want to live is the wrong way to live; therefore, they begin to doubt their perception of reality and even themselves. This doubt leads to their madness, death or isolation from the community. Thus In The Bluest Eye, Morrison provides the most effective theme of race, gender, power and oppression within the topic of rape as the subject matter. Keywords: Sexual-Discrimination; Racial-Discrimination; Double-Identity; Black-Identity

Introduction hears herself during her internal dialogue with In The Bluest Eye, Morrison provides the her split self. Pecola has no voice, and her most effective reading and revision of the theme muteness is used against her in a cycle of blame. of race, gender, power and oppression within In The Bluest Eye, Morrison revises the the topic of rape as the subject matter. The novel typical portrayal of incest, which has removed takes on one of the most forbidden stories of attention from the sexual act to prioritize sexual violence, father-daughter incest. Cholly’s concerns about race, class and gender. She also victimization of his daughter, Pecola Breedlove, focuses upon the act of rape and its is highlighted by his own sexual subjugation consequences upon the victim. As Rubenstein when as an adolescent he is forced to “fuck” his puts it, “The Bluest Eye is a narrative of both girlfriend Darlene under the direction and gaze violence and violation . . . Incest and rape of two white men. Decades later, Cholly rapes become metaphors for both black and white his own daughter while remembering this nightmares of inverted love and suffocation of violent induction into sexuality. selfhood” (144). The utter despair of Pecola, wondering if she It is significant that an Afro-American can ever be loved, produces her wish for blue woman was the first author to address the eyes and eventually her madness. Pecola’s story subject of child rape from a sympathetic point of becomes a failed quest because society thwarts view. Morrison employed rape as a symbol of her quest for love through valuing everything the death of black, American men’s capacity for she cannot attain and through its need for a compassion as a result of racism and sexism in pariah to look down on to establish its own self- The Bluest Eye. She connected the violent worth. Such bitterness, from both the white and madness of the rapist with the disintegration of black communities, makes Pecola’s world a the spirit and body of his victim. world of grotesques unable to survive. The scene of sexual trauma unfolds as Throughout the novel, Pecola searches for follows; Pecola is washing dishes when Cholly beauty all the while hiding behind her ugliness. drunkenly staggers into the house. A gesture on Behind her imagined blue eyes, Pecola her part scratching her calf with her toe reminds disappears and becomes invisible as no one will Cholly of a similar movement made by his wife, look at her. She is the only one who sees and Pauline, on the day they first met. He responds 47 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

to his daughter in the same manner he had to under his wing and he learns a lot from him. his future wife, by dropping to his knees and Cholly respects and loves these parental figures, kissing the itchy leg. Yet replicating his but he loses both of them when he is thirteen, response to Pauline evokes a surge of sexual with the death of Aunt Jimmy and his own desire for his daughter. subsequent flight out of town to find his Pecola does not look to her father, she is not biological father. From a young age, Cholly is impressed with the way her father abuse his curious about the identity of his father, his aunt “power”; it is not Pecola who crossed the line tells him. During his search for his father, between parent and child, but her father who Cholly finds himself even more lost than before. raped her. Such men are victims of the He falls asleep, hoping for a return to the ambiguous society in which they live. They are comfort and connectivity of the womb after his constructed against and respond to hundreds of failure to connect with the man who sired him. years of racial and cultural oppression, and in Cholly directs his anger at the women some ways do not know how to be a man—a around him. He links sex with rage, frustration Black man in particular. Having taken many and violence after being sexually humiliated by cues from the white men, who ruled over them, two white men. While this event is traumatic, they exact authority in their homes through the racism implicit in the experience rigor, violence and unfaithfulness. complicates the way Cholly reacts to the Morrison allows the familiar rape trope to situation. He has escaped the funeral banquet provide the initial layer of signification for this for a tryst in the woods with a neighbourhood representation of sexual violation. Morrison girl, Darlene, and is nearing the peak of sexual complicates the stereotypes about the black excitement when the two hunters happen upon male rapist, which figure him as a sexually them. The men order Cholly to continue having rapacious predator, by detailing the sex with Darlene and to “make it good,” circumstances that led to Cholly’s conflation of reinforcing their power by ominously shifting sex and love with anger and frustration. their guns and running their lights over the Cholly’s deformed understanding of sex and couple’s half-clothed bodies; they forced him to power arises from his own experience of rape, “finish” it in their presence (The Bluest Eye 116). albeit a metaphorical rape. In her detailed He knows that this violation is not about sex, account of Cholly’s past, Morrison emphasizes but race, and he subconsciously processes this how racism warps the sensibilities of this black experience in that way. Unable to refuse, Cholly man, which explains his devastating attack on and Darlene are transformed into a sexual his child. spectacle for the voyeuristic gratitude of the The whites have robbed the blacks of each hunters. Darlene covers her face with her hands other and they are taking the blacks away from while “With a violence born of total their family, their culture and their minds. helplessness, he Cholly pulled her dress up, Cholly is an unfortunate victim. For him, the lowered his trousers and underwear” (The turning point occurs during his impressionable Bluest Eye 116). He directs his anger upon teenage years. Although abandoned as an Darlene. Cholly is unable to vent his frustration infant, Cholly is raised well, with a stern mix of except upon the girl beneath him. For Cholly, discipline and affection, by his Aunt Jimmy. He sex is no longer an avenue for enjoyment, but a also enjoys the companionship of the older man way to express anger and violence and to Blue Jack. “Cholly loved Blue. Long after he was demonstrate power over another person. His a man, he remembered the good times they had mortification and his unwillingness to face had” (The Bluest Eye 104). Blue takes Cholly Darlene make Cholly runs away. His response,

48 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

violence directed at Darlene, is echoed later in demonstrates the importance of a child’s his treatment of both his wife and daughter. perspective in this novel. Claudia feels security Cholly attempts to redeem his manhood, in her home and her family. Her home life molests his daughter and terrorizes the contrasts with Pecola’s in which there is no love, household through his drunken violence. so that Pecola fears that what is left of her Morrison leads up to Pecola’s rape by family will disintegrate. Claudia empathizes detailing Cholly’s maturation to adulthood and with Pecola because the fear of knowing that his subsequent marriage to Pauline. In the years there was “such a thing as outdoors bred in us a before his marriage, Cholly is “dangerously hunger for property, for ownership” (The Bluest free,” he cares for nothing and no one, only the Eye 18). The MacTeer children also live on the fulfilment of whatever he desires at that brink of poverty, but their lives are rich with moment (The Bluest Eye 125). His initial love and they are nurtured both physically and enjoyment of Pauline’s company leads to their spiritually. union, but he finds marriage stultifying and When Pecola gets her first period, Claudia unnatural; most importantly, Cholly is baffled and Frieda tell her that she can now have a by parenthood. The lack of knowledge affects baby. She asks how and they tell her somebody his ability to care for his children. Thus, when has to love you. In her extreme despair, she Cholly enters the kitchen that fateful day, he asks, “how do you get somebody to love you?” succumbs to the feelings that arise at the sight of (The Bluest Eye 23) The heartbreaking question his daughter at the sink, scratching her calf with she asks is not one that comes because she her toe. He sees his daughter’s body as a wants to have a baby. It comes because nobody repository for his emotions. This rape seems like loves Pecola and she is a little dark skinned another attempt for Cholly to re-experience his black girl. She is hurt and angered by this fact. first sexual experience, to go back and fix the Everyone around Pecola degrades her point when everything went wrong in his life. blackness. On her way home from school one While Cholly’s imagination was frozen, he “was day, she is encircled by a group of boys who free to live his fantasies” as bizarre and chant, Black e mo, Black e mo, your daddy dangerous as they may have been (The Bluest sleeps eked. Their hatred for Pecola’s blackness Eye 159). He is not able to distinguish between is a revelation of their own self-hatred, but it is parental love and sexual lust. In raping his so entrenched that they see no connection daughter, he is at once punishing Pecola and between their own skin colour and the loving her, in the only way he knows how. “offensiveness” of Pecola’s. Maureen Peal Keith Byerman, in “Untold stories,” explains rescues Pecola from the boys and assuages her “the black father himself is not permitted a pain with ice cream. She asks if anyone’s ever human identity. It is symbolic white father, seen a penis. Pecola begins to defend herself through his control of the sign system of the from the reality that she has seen her father’s society, and in particular the emblem of the penis, and Claudia and Frieda, jealous over ice white daughter, who determines the fates of cream, launch into an attack of Maureen. In black daughters and their black fathers.” (134) response, Maureen runs across the street and The Bluest Eye is about Pecola’s search for yells out “I am cute! And you ugly! Black and self-worth and salvation within her community. ugly black e mos. I am cute!” (The Bluest Eye 56) She begins a quest to acquire the bluest eyes, the Pecola’s search for personal integrity is symbol to her of female-worth and beauty. further thwarted by denials of being from both Pecola’s story is told through the voice of her of her parents. Her mother and father are so young friend, Claudia Mac Teer, it caught up in their own racial oppression, self-

49 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

hatred and misery that they cannot provide and rejection from her family. She turns to a warmth and love for their children. Their love is local “Reader, Advisor and Interpreter of tainted, displaced, twisted and lost. They breed Dreams,” Soaphead Church. He has the same no love. The childhoods of Cholly and Pauline contradictory reaction to Pecola as Cholly does. have not added to their understanding of their Soaphead experiences “a surge of love and children’s needs, in spite of, or perhaps because understanding surged through him, but was of, the fact that both Pauline and Cholly are quickly replaced by anger” (The Bluest Eye 176). neglected and abused kids themselves. Pecola’s Soaphead promises Pecola “the bluest eyes” if parents block her avenues toward self- she will poison his landlady’s dog. Pecola reconciliation. They, on the other hand, who are unwittingly poisons the dog and takes the the most closely related to Pecola, do not give animal’s convulsions to be a sign from God that her the love she needs. He has bestowed the blue eyes upon her. After Morrison makes painfully clear Pecola’s Pecola’s encounter with Soaphead, she becomes innocence of her mother’s history as well as obsessed with watching her own reflection in Pecola’s rejection by her mother. As Suranyi the mirror, and with discussing her new blue notes, “In The Bluest Eye, the black mother hates eyes with her imaginary friend; the mirror is her own child as a reminder of her hopeless significant here as, “she is not seen by herself situation and adores the young child of the until she hallucinates a self” (Morrison, white family she works for. Morrison clearly “Unspeakable Things Unspoken” 21). condemns a racist culture for its worship of Pecola is outside in many ways. She is white standards of beauty” (13). Shortly after, outside the standard of beauty. She is outside Pecola is raped by her father. Her spirit is the reach of warm loving arms. She is outside violated by her mother, her father violates her the range of assistance that Claudia and Frieda body. All tenderness and love removes itself can give her. She is loved and unloved, wanted from Pecola’s life. It is unfortunate also that and unwanted. Being abused by both parents, Pecola must live with her mother on the by Cholly raping her and her mother not outskirts of town after Cholly and Pecola’s believing her, Pecola becomes “a victim of brother escape the scandal that follows the trauma who would be unable or unwilling to incestuous rape and the ill-fated pregnancy. tell the story of her rape. However, when Pecola’s mother does not The community also rejects Pecola because answer to her overwhelming dilemma, Pecola her pain is too great for them to integrate it and seeks to break away from her mother and leans be able to support her. Pecola’s eyes present the closer to madness. depth of her misery and self-loathing of the In all societies mothers are expected to fulfil whole community. Their reaction pushes her certain roles; in African societies in particular into madness, in which she believes she finally one of the roles is to prepare the daughter and has acquired the bluest eyes. The bluest eyes empower her for her own culture. It is the symbolize a promise of love and hope that has mothers who prepare the daughters for the been perverted by racist notions of beauty and journey from a confusing childhood to a stable worthiness. adulthood. Pauline is a brilliant woman, but she Thus Morrison’s The Bluest Eye highlighted is impotent, dispossessed of the power to the themes of the standards of beauty, sexuality, prepare her daughter for the journey of prostitution and gender. This study illuminates survival, for the survival of the culture. that Morrison’s each character of black girlhood The novel ends with Pecola asking for blue as a pivotal point wherein each woman’s eyes as a means of coping with her pregnancy inherent value is either denied or affirmed. The

50 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

implications of a theory that eliminates the Morrison and Faulkner Re-Envisioned. Eds. agency of the victim in favour of discourse on Carol A. Kolmerten, Stephen M. Ross, the internal conflicts of culprits are dire for and Judith Bryant Wittenberg. Jackson, blacks and for women whose psychological and Mississippi: UP of Mississippi, 1997. Print. emotional copings with subjugation, as 2. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. 1970. New members of an oppressed group, have been York: Penguin; New York: Plume, 1994. historically dismissed or denied. Morrison’s Print. novels focus on black females in constructing 3. Rubenstein, Roberta. “Pariahs and their identities in a racist society. Black women Community.”Toni Morrison: Critical are doubly oppressed; the question of race is the Perspectives Past and Present. Eds. Henry issue, which distinguishes black feminism from Louis Gates, Jr. and K. A. Appiah. New white feminism. York: Amistad, 1993. Print. 4. Suranyi, Agnes. “The Bluest Eye and Sula: References Black Female Experience from Childhood to 1. Byerman, Keith. “Untold Stories: Black Womanhood.” The Cambridge Companion to Daughters in Absalom! Absalom! and The Toni Morrison. Ed. Justine Tally. Cambridge: Bluest Eye.” Unflinching Gaze: Cambridge UP, 2007.Print.

51 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

DISORGANISATION IN SOCIAL GERANTOLOGY

Dr.K.Usha Rani Assistant Professor, Department of English, KLEF, Vaddeswaram

Abstract Social gerontology is the branch of geriatrics. Growing age is inevitable. Every stage of age has its own importance. The senior years are often viewed as a period of poor health, yet many older adults are capable of remaining active and busy well into their 80s and 90s. After 60, a person feels, he has completed his work, responsibilities or duties. But the important aspect at this point is social interaction. At old age, the neurotransmitters and hormones disturbance causes dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, hyper tension and common knee pain, low back ache, ankle pain, tremors, anxiety and depression are the common ailments they suffer with. Increased health concerns mark this period of development, and some individuals may experience mental declines related to dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Erikson also viewed the elder years as a time of reflection back on life. A gerontologist who studies the biological, psychological, and sociological phenomena of old age and aging will take care of old people by engaging them in social rehabilitation, sports, walking etc. Keywords: biological, engaging, psychological, responsibilities.

Introduction Starting from 13 years to 19 years is called People go through many changes over the teenage. This period of life is often marked by course of their lives. Development describes the forming and maintaining relationships. Forming growth of humans throughout their lifespan, bonds, intimacy, close friendships, and starting from conception to death. Psychologists strive a family are often critical milestones during to understand and explain how and why people early adulthood. Those who can build and change throughout life. While many of these sustain such relationships tend to experience changes are normal and expected, they can still connectedness and social support while those pose challenges that people sometimes need who struggle with such relationships may be extra assistance to manage. left feeling alienated and lonely. That is the Social gerontology is the branch of geriatrics. decision making age, where society influence, Growing age is inevitable. Every stage of age parental influence and all other influences work has its own importance. We study old people on the person. their bodies, their perceptions, their After that career, marriage, children start motivations, their relationship to society and and continue up to the age of 40’s and 50’s and these topics are the subject matter of we call it as middle adulthood. This stage of life gerontology. tends to center on developing a sense of A person, who is under age 12 years, is purpose and contributing to society. Erikson considered as childhood where physical and described this as the conflict between mental development takes place. Their parents generativity and stagnation. Those who engage and teachers will help him to grow. This period in the world contribute things that will outlast of development is marked by both physical them, and leave a mark on the next generation maturation and an increased importance of emerge with a sense of purpose. Activities such social influences as children make their way as careers, families, group memberships, and through elementary school. Kids begin to make community involvement are all things that can their mark on the world as they form contribute to this feeling of generativity. friendships, gain competency through The person stabilizes at the age of 60 and schoolwork, and continue to build their unique later he is considered as retired. The senior sense of self. years are often viewed as a period of poor health, yet many older adults are capable of

52 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

remaining active and busy well into their 80s spend less time with others as they age, and and 90s. Increased health concerns mark this those who are able to enjoy this segment of their period of development, and some individuals lives are better adjusted and have a greater may experience mental declines related to sense of well-being. Research finds that dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Erikson also disorganisation occurs at differing rates and in viewed the elder years as a time of reflection different aspects of behavior. Other research back on life. Those who are able to look back indicates that it is the increased physical and and see a life well lived emerge with a sense of social stress that can accompany aging, rather wisdom and readiness to face the end of their than age per se, that creates disorganization. lives, while those who look back with regret A gerontologist who studies the biological, may be left with feelings of bitterness. After 60, psychological, and sociological phenomena of a person feels, he has completed his work, old age and aging will take care of old people responsibilities or duties. But the important by engaging them in social rehabilitation, aspect at this point is social interaction. The sports, walking, writing story, poetry, children of that person might have settled in gardening, meditation, participate in social their lives and at this old age the person may be activities. They have to be involved in Geriatric alone or with his spouse. At this stage, the sports club, social activity club, geriatric food people won’t have energy of 20 or responsibility festival, geriatric movie hall, geriatric hospital, of 40 or stability of 50. At old age the physical geriatric nursing homes, and geriatric ministry. ability comes down, brain shrinks and memory The Government should release special funds to will be lost. the geriatric people. Youth should respect them Human brain has 100 million neurons, 639 as part of Indian culture. That should be muscles and 206 bones. At old age, all these will retained, sustained, elaborated and enlightened. gradually lose their strength. At old age, the Recent studies find it unnecessary for elders neurotransmitters and hormones disturbance to maintain the same high degree of activity causes dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, hyper they had in middle age in order to have a high tension and common knee pain, low back ache, degree of self-esteem and life satisfaction in old ankle pain, tremors, anxiety and depression are age. Relationships and our need to be connected the common ailments they suffer with. There in order to maintain psychological wellbeing are doctors, scientists, and friends, family alter with time. In 1994, Lars Tornstam used the persons to treat them or support them with term gerotranscendence to refer to the elderly as necessary medication, practicing yoga, selectively investing in some relationships over meditation etc. At 60 he never feels depressed or others, rather than comprehensively loneliness. He had the feeling that he feels all withdrawing. In his model, elders do seem to human relationships are illusionary. He knows disengage, but do so more at will, choosing the gross difference between illusion and he where their priorities lie and divesting gets acceptance. He starts getting satisfied with themselves of superfluous relationships to focus what he has. He feels contented with what he on a more transcendent view of experience. has. According to Quinnan (1997) in his study of Some people deal with stress by secluding elderly religious men: themselves from social contact, spending time Thus the elderly demonstrate a higher degree of reflecting, and engaging in self-care activities. autonomy by dispensing with forms of social Clearly this does not imply that it is healthy to intercourse which have little value for them. This be involuntarily isolated from others, but exercise of autonomy, rather than breaking consistent reports continue that people do connectedness, selectively enhances those

53 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

relationships which the gero-transcendent find filled turn gives satisfaction. Then the old people can with meaning. get happiness so easily. To combat the disorganization above considerations should be implemented. Then References there is no point of geriatric disorganization and 1. Brocklehurs of Geriatric Medicine and discrepancies. Everyone can live happily and do Gerontology Robert Olen Butler, The happily as everything is in our hands. In old age longevity Revolution - The benefits and people have to develop correct thinking, right challenges of living a long life, 2008 understanding and honest approach in order to 2. H.Asuman Kiyakh, Social Gerantology, A develop amicability and acceptance which in Multidisciplinary Perspective, 2010

54 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

NEW IMAGE OF WOMEN IN SHASHI DESHPANDE’S SELECT NOVELS

R.Kohila Ph.D. Scholar, Salem Sowdeswari College, Salem

Dr.A.Kayalvizhi Assistant Professor of English, Salem Sowdeswari College, Salem

Abstract The present research work deals with the new image of women in Shashi Deshpande’s select novels. Deshpande’s novels are an attempt to analyze the Indian women’s journey towards selfhood. She is known for creating women characters that are contemporary. Her women protagonists are victims of the prevalent gross gender discrimination, first as daughters and later as wives. It has been minutely handled in the works of Indian English fiction especially of Anita Desai, Bharathi Mukherjee, Kamala Markandaya, Shoba De, Shashi Deshpande etc. These Indian women novelists have portrayed women’s issues realistically in their novels. They have written about women in a varied cultural perspective. In fiction, some women characters have attitude of rejection and negation of life while others have an affirmation and acceptance of life with a compromising attitude leading to deep sense of fulfilment. The proposed study attempts to focus on different images of women in Indian English fiction with special reference to select novels of Shashi Deshpande.

Introduction qualities. Her individual self has very little Shashi Deshpande is one of the artists who recognition in the patriarchal society and so instead of adhering to any established tradition self-effacement is her normal way of life. of fiction, created her own tradition of fiction Women write differently from men. While that provided her ample spaces to explore the men write about affairs of state, war, business inner world of female consciousness. Under the and sexual encounters, women write about influence and inspiration of her father, she themselves. The main contention is that there is started her literary career in 1970. In one of her such a thing as a distinctive woman’s interviews she confessed that she began writing sensibility, and that it reflects itself in the most casually and without any intention of literature of our times. Indian Writing in settling down to career in writing. Ever since English mirrors these concerns. her visit to England with her husband in 1969, Shashi Deshpande takes up for study the she felt an internal compulsion to express her issues and problems of contemporary middle inner experiences in the form of creative class women. Her heroines are sensitive, writings. This instinctive urge of Shashi intelligent and career oriented. She is one with Deshpande to express her sensibility as a Anita Desai and Nayantara Sahgal in not merely woman motivated her to make a representation describing the pathetic life styles of Indian of the new image of women’s experience in women but trying to understand and suggest gender based social structure. These novels are measure for amelioration. The Dark Holds No Terrors (1980) and That Long Deshpande portrays modern, educated and Silence (1988). career oriented middle class women who are In a male dominated society, woman is sensitive to the changing time and situations. supposed to be an ideal wife, a mother and an They are aware of the social and cultural excellent home maker with multifarious roles in disabilities to which they are subjected in the the family. As wife and mother, service, male-dominated society. They want to rebel sacrifice, submissiveness and tolerance are her against them in their search for freedom and required attributes. Excessive endurance and identity, but they find themselves up against series of adjustments she makes in her life well-entrenched social inertia. Conscious of the faithfully and obediently are her admired predicament of a woman in a male-dominated 55 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

society, especially when she is not economically represents the predicament of self-conscious independent, the author presents her women as educated woman who in spite of having a daring to become economically and realization of the oddity of life finds herself ideologically independent. She finds them helpless against the strong hold of tradition. The caught up in a conflict between their family and unfolding of the narrative in the novel That Long professional roles, between individual Silence has become a process to catch the aspiration and social demands. Jaya and Saritha conscience beyond self-imposed silence. Jaya (Saru) are torn between self-expression and after her marriage with Mohan follows all his social stigmas, material and psychological. decisions without any choice of her own. She In the novel, The Dark Holds No Terrors bore two children Rahul, Rati and the third Shashi Deshpande seeks to expose theproblem child was aborted. Once when Mohan was of masculine ego that makes harmonious found guilty of embezzlement and he was conjugal relationship impossible. The events in expecting Jaya’s implied consent in the whole the novel are focused around the idea that the affair, her inner self revolted. She determined to social images related with gender ideologies are break that long silence. so deep rooted in human consciousness that the In That Long Silence, the heroine, Jaya, construction of the periphery of life conditions succeeds in realising and discovering herself. beyond them generates only grief and shame. The need to establish herself as an individual Sarita, the protagonist of the novel The Dark comes to her after seventeen years of marriage. Holds No Terrors, in spite of her childhood Jaya’s husband, Mohan, is facing charges of insecurity makes alternative spaces with her corruption and may possibly lose his job. In success as a doctor. She enjoys better economic order to avoid further complications, his partner security and social status than that of her Agarwal suggests that he should remain away husband, Manohar (Manu). Her success from office for the time being. Mohan moves becomes the cause of inferiority in the mind of along with Jaya to her maternal uncle’s flat in Manu and it subsequently converts into sexual Dadar. Here, Jaya remembers the past events of sadism. The traumaof being the victim of her her life. The memories of the days gone by make husband’s frustration that manifests itself in the her feel uncomfortable and unhappy. She form of sexual sadism is successfully presented analyses her life and relationship with her by Shashi Deshpande. Besides, through the husband and children and finds that she has antagonism of the personal relationship of miserably failed in each of them. Her silence Sarita and Manu, Shashi Deshpande recreates and uneasiness remind one of the epigraphs of the horrible effect of the myth of preference of a this novel. male child on the psyche of a sensitive young Jaya begins to realise the futility of her girl. Saru’s life represents the apathy of the existence. She pours forth her frustrations in the parents and the hostility of the husband but form of this novel. In the midst of playing the these negative pulls inspire her to construct her roles of wife, daughter-in-law and mother, she identity beyond socially accepted images. had forgotten that she was a talented writer. That Long Silence deals with the self analysis Although she had won the first prize for a story of Jaya, the protagonist who passes through a she had once written for a magazine, the maze of self doubts and fears towards the response she had received at home was far from affirmation of her female self. In her encouraging, saying the least. But by the end of preoccupation to play the role of a successful the novel, a great change has taken place in wife and mother, Jaya realizes that she has lost Jaya’s personality. She has decided that she her hold on her own talent as a writer. Jaya shall no longer be the subservient, silent wife.

56 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

She has decided to break her long silence. She latter she was becoming popular and famous as has decided to emerge from the margins and a lady doctor and Manu was referred to as her occupy a place in the centre. She is conscious of husband. Saru remembers painfully, the her own individual personality and says, she is element of love had disappeared from their not afraid any more. Her panic has gone. Jaya relationship. She realises that Manu is a sadist concludes, “We don’t change overnight. It’s and this marks the beginning of their marital possible that we may not change even over long discord. When her father asks her if something periods of time. But we can always hope. was wrong with her husband, she reacts in a Without that, life would be impossible. And if strange manner. Later she reveals to her father, there is anything to know now it is this: life has “he attacked me like an animal at night, I was always to be made possible.” (193) sleeping and I woke up and there was this Deshpande’s heroine Saru, in The Dark man...this man hurting me with his hands, his Holds No Terrors, is also able to escape from the teeth, and his whole body” (200).Now love and trap that ismarriage. After a lot of struggles and romance were only illusions. They were no unhappiness she does succeed in having a room longer necessary in her life. of her own. Saru’s childhood was not a happy The tragedy of Saru is that she does not one. She has only bitter memories of it. Her know how to come out of the trap. In her mother makes her feel guilty of her brother’s husband’s home she was like a terrified and death. Saru had seen her brother Dhruva, trapped animal. And even in her parent’s home drowning in the water, but was unable to save she did not find the desired freedom. The him. Her mother all the time accused Saru of the change comes when she gradually realises that death of her brother. She hates her mother and there is more to life than in just relying and rebels against her by going to Bombay to study depending on an unsuccessful marriage, medicine. Here she falls in love with Manohar parents, home, and other such social and marries him against the wishes of her institutions. Finally, she decides to leadher life mother. Saru hopes that her marriage would as an independent individual. She decides to cut close the painful chapter of her childhood days. off the traditional bonds of marriage and home She did not know that she had only moved from and walks into the wide world. one prison to another –a worse one. It was hell Towards the end of the novel, she receives a this time. When she receives the news of her letter from her son Abhi, informing her that mother’s death, she takes this opportunity to Manu would be reaching her father’s home. On escape the violent world of her husband’s house learning this, she decides to go away. But she and returns to the family home ostensibly to doesn’t know where to go. Her plight is such take care of her father. It is here that she realises that she doesn’t even have a home. She couldn’t that merely shifting between her father’s and call her husband’s home in Bombay her home husband’s homes will not provide her the because it was not a home. And neither was her freedom that she desires. She ultimately realises father’s home a home to her. Abhi’s letter leaves that she has to walk out of these homes to lead her in desperation. Once again she feels her life as she likes. trapped. She feels the desperation and When Saru reaches her father’s house, she helplessness of a trapped animal, who has reflects on the events of her life. She had been in nowhere to go, and who will, finally, be the a love marriage. But her husband Manu turns victim of her pursuer. She is tired of her life and vicious when his career as a poet does not pick tells her father that she just cannot go on like up and Saru is successful as a doctor. Earlier she this. She has lived as a guilty sister, undutiful was known as the bride of the poet Manu, but daughter, unloving wife, but only she knows

57 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

that, if she was all of them, they were not all of indicates the emergence of the new breed of her. She no longer wishes to cling to a tenuous brave and bold heroines. The heroines of the shadow of a disintegrated marriage. She gains novels all save themselves from being helpless self-confidence and becomes assertive. She is a victims. different woman now. Earlier she had asked her father not to open the door for her husband. References This was the attitude of a coward, who escapes 1. Deshpande, Shashi. That Long Silence. New from tough situations. But now with regained Delhi: Penguin, 1989. Print. courage and confidence she tells father: “And 2. Deshpande, Shashi. The Dark Holds No oh yes, if Manu comes, tell him to wait” (221). Terrors. New Delhi: Penguin, 1990. Print. With these words, she goes to attend to a child 3. Carden, Maren Lockwood. The New Feminist who was suffering from fits. She is once again Movement. New York: Russel Sage herself –a doctor and –a woman. Foundation, 1974. Print. Thus the spirit of freedom is present in the 4. Ramamurti K.S. Rise of the Indian Novel in heroines of Shashi Deshpande’s fiction. A brief English. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, 1987. study of the novels discussed in this paper Print.

58 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

A TASK-BASED APPROACH TO TEACHING LITERATURE AT TERTIARY LEVEL

Noor Nigar Assistant Professor of English, SSMRV College, Bangalore and Research Scholar at Jain University

Abstract In today’s world both teachers of English and curriculum developers are obsessed with teaching English language. Teaching of literature is grossly ignored; a few universities have removed literature from the syllabus and have replaced it with communicative language teaching. Teaching language to students without teaching them literature is like feeding data to computers; that are devoid of emotions. We are humans and we need more than just factual detail or dry knowledge about the use of language. For a very long time, literature had been holding a very important place in the curriculum but with the changing time, its importance has come down. The traditional methods of teaching literature have failed to arouse any interest and enthusiasm among students. In order to salvage literature from getting lost in the wreckage of modern world, we have to find new and innovative methods of teaching English literature. This paper tries to explore task-based approach as an alternative method of teaching literature to students at tertiary level. Keywords: Task-based Approach, Tertiary level, Literature, Tasks

Introduction college. Nevertheless, most of the students, In today’s globalized world everyone wants especially those from vernacular medium, to learn English language to stay connected struggle to utter or write correct sentences in with the world. In an era of internet and e- English. Due to their limited linguistic gadgets, English language has undoubtedly competence, they are unable to comprehend scored a brownie point over literature. and appreciate literature. The best solution to Literature is gradually losing its sheen. this problem is to teach literature through task- Nevertheless, it remains a fact that literature is a based approach that will not only enhance their reflection of the culture and traditions of the critical sensibilities but also help them improve society in which it is written. Ignoring literature their language skills. is like ignoring our culture and traditions. A man without being attached to his culture is like Why Literature? a rudderless boat without any identity or aim. Literature is a mirror to our society. It not The need of the hour is to save literature from only enlightens us about the society in which getting lost in oblivion. One of the reasons for we live but also helps us to discover ourselves the decline of interest in literature is the as a member of human society. It helps us traditional method of teaching literature; that develop new ideas and adapt different has failed to capture the attention and interest of perspectives of things. In the words of David the students. Hence, there is a need to use a new Lick, “literature offers not only a chance to and innovative method of teaching literature to enlighten a person, but it also gives the chance to students that both interests the students and broaden one’s horizons and helps them to improve their language skills. perspectives." Yeasmin, et al. (2011) argues that One such method is Task-based approached “literature gives students exposure to that has garnered a lot of attention from both meaningful contexts full of descriptive language teachers and researchers. This paper explores and interesting characters the potential of Task-based approach in The following are few of the reasons why teaching literature to students at tertiary level. literature should be taught to the students: The tertiary level students have been learning Literature develops critical thinking in English for more than 10 years before they enter students.

59 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

 Language learning becomes more thought target language while their attention is focused provoking and meaningful when it is taught on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in through literature. order to express meaning, and in which the  Literature reflects real life. Hence, it intension is to convey meaning rather than provides authentic material for learning manipulating form.” English language. Shehan (1998), enumerates the following  Literature provides an interesting context for characteristics of a task: students to learn language.  Meaning is the most important aspect of a  Literature takes us through the journey of task time, it helps us to understand the past and  Learners don’t blindly repeat other people’s learn important lesson from it. meaning It has some connection with the  Unlike the informational text, the literary real-world task Priority is given to text is closer to life and reflects human completion of the tasks The task can be concerns and emotions more vividly. assessed in terms of outcome  It exposes students to a wide range of Ellis (2003: 16) defines a pedagogical task vocabulary, variety of sentence construction, has a work plan with the following features colloquial as well as formal dialogues in  Learners process information pragmatically myriad contexts. to achieve an outcome.  Literature is an integral part of our lives that  The outcome can be evaluated in terms of helps us to become more informed, whether appropriate content or message has reasonable and responsible citizens of the been conveyed society.  Primary attention is given to meaning  By reading literature of other cultures, we  Students ought to use their own linguistic prepare ourselves to become global citizens resources.  Literature is an integral part of our lives that  The language used during the completion of helps us to become more informed, a task has resemblance to the language used reasonable and responsible citizens of the in real world. society.  Tasks can engage oral or written skills and  In today's world of globalization, literature various other cognitive processes. helps us to understand different cultures and Researchers believe that language thus make us global citizen. acquisition is a subconscious process in which conscious learning of grammar is unnecessary. What is Task-Based Approach? Karshen and Terrell (1983: 55) argue that Pabhu (1987) is considered as the pioneer of “Language is best taught when it is being used task-based language teaching. Task-based to transmit messages, not when it is explicitly approach is a method of teaching that involves taught for consciously learning.” Task-based engaging language learners in the use of Approach is based on the principle of authentic task. Task-based Approach lay experiential learning or learning by doing. emphasis on completing tasks rather than on Students learn the language by using it in conscious learning/ teaching of the rules of authentic situation rather than by listening to language. In this approach, tasks are central to lectures on language learning; the focus of the the teaching and learning process. Nunan (2006) students is on completing the task rather than defines a task as “…a piece of classroom work on consciously learning of language. Students that involves learners in comprehending, use the language at their disposal to convey manipulating, producing or interacting in the messages. Hence, they learn language

60 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

subconsciously by using it. Students are students to appreciate language but also learn encouraged to work in collaborative groups or all the four skills of language namely, listening, pairs to complete the tasks. speaking, reading and writing. “The role of task-based language learning is Task-based approach encourages authentic, to stimulate a natural desire in learners to practical and functional use of language for improve their language competence by meaningful purposes. the learners to use challenging them to complete meaningful language they already know to gain confidence tasks.” (CDC 1999:14, cited in Nunan, 2006) and fluency. Tasks facilitates language teaching as well as learning by engaging the students in Rationale for Using Task-Based Approach to meaningful activities that not only motivates the Teach Literature students but also enthusiastically involves the Willis and Willis (2010: 2) states that one of students in the language learning process. It the most important things about Task based reduces the anxiety of the students. approach is that it boosts the confidence of the Task designed should be close to the tasks learners by giving them umpteen opportunities students engage in the real world. While doing to use language in the classroom without being the tasks, the focus should always be on bogged down by the fear of committing meaning. At the post-task stage, the teacher can mistakes. Theybelieve that mistakes should be draw the attention of the students on language viewed as a natural part of spontaneous speech form. and students’ focus should be on completing the The following tasks can be used to teach task and not on their mistakes. The objective of literature: TBA is to prepare learners to use the language  Task 1: Paraphrasing- students are asked to in the real world outside the classroom. Karshen paraphrase an extract from the text in their in his Theory of Second Language Acquisition own words. argues that “Acquisition requires meaningful  Task 2: Dialogues and role play: students interaction in the target language - natural can be asked to change a novel into communication - in which speakers are concerned dialogues and then enact it. not with the form of their utterances but with the  Task 3: Students can be asked to change messages they are conveying and understanding.” dialogues in a play into narrative paragraph Teaching literature through TBLT aids in and vice-versa. meaningful and natural communication among  Task 4: Retelling/ rewriting a prose/literary students in which they are not worried about text with a different ending the grammatical correctness of the sentences  Task 5: Rewrite a literary text by changing used by them rather, they are more concerned the tense of the narrative i.e. if the story is about completing the task or, in other words, written in present tense, students can be conveying the messages. This facilitates asked to change it into past tense and vice- language learning. He further says that students versa. should be engaged in communication and be  Task 6: Prediction Task- the teacher can stop given a freehand in the use of language without at a crucial juncture in the text and ask the any fear of committing mistakes. students to predict what is going to happen Language is always used in a context. next. Literature provides an authentic context for the  Task 7: Concept Map- students are asked to students to learn the language. A number of write a paragraph from a concept map on interesting tasks/activities can be designed the lesson. from the literary text that can only help the

61 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

 Task 8: Discrimination Task: Students are based approach will not only develop the asked to discriminate between main idea critical sensibilities of the students but also and supporting information improve the language skills of the students.  Task 8: Summarizing- students are asked to summarize the story in their own words. References  Task 9: Information- gap filling: students 1. Bygate,M., Skehan,P., & Swain, M. (2001). are given an extract from the text and some Researching pedagogic tasks: second information is removed from passage. The language learning, teaching,and testing. students are asked to listen attentively for Harlow, UK: longman. key information and fill in the blanks. 2. Fatehi Rad et al. Teaching English Literature:  Task 10: Skimming- students are asked to Task -Based Method Possible or Not? read the text quickly to get a general idea International Journal Review Life Science., about the text or to identify the theme or 5(8), 2015, 934-940 type of writing i.e. formal or informal. 3. Little wood, W. T. (1986) “Literature in the  Task 11: Personalizing- students are asked school foreign-language course”. In Brumfit, to share their opinion, feeling and ideas C. J. & Carter, R. A. (eds.) Literature and about the topic being discussed or raised in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford the literary text. University Press.

 Task 12: students were asked to imagine if 4. Nunan. D. (2004). Task based language they were in the place of the main character, teaching. Cambridge University Press. how would they have reacted or handled Nunan, D (2006). Practical English language the situation. teaching. New York: McGraw Hill.

 Task 13: Jig-saw reading- The order of the 5. Obediat, M. 1997. Language vs. Literature in sentences in a paragraph is changed and the English Departments in the Arab World in students are asked to rearrange the text. English Teaching Forum. 6. Prabhu, N (1987), Second Language  Inferring- students are asked to identify Pedagogy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ideas that are not explicitly stated in the Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). text. Approaches and Methods in Language Conclusion Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University From the above discussion, it can be Press. concluded that a number of interesting tasks 7. Van, T. M. T. (2009) “The Relevance of can be designed from the literary text to engage Literary Analysis to Teaching Literature in students in meaningful use of language. the EFL Classroom”. English Teaching Moreover, literary texts can provide authentic Forum Vol. 47, No. 3: 2-9. contexts to the students to use the target 8. Willis, J. (1996). A framework for Task-Based language. This new approach to teaching Learning. Essex, UK: Longman. literature can salvage literature from getting lost 9. Yeasmin, N et al. Teaching Language in the ruins of the modern time. The need of the through Literature: Designing Appropriate hour is to design more interesting tasks from Classroom Activities. ASA University the literary text that can engage the interest of Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 the 21st century students. It can also be concluded that teaching literature through task-

62 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

EDUCATION IS A LIBERATING FORCE? : A STUDY OF DALITS’ STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION THROUGH EDUCATION IN BAMA’S KARUKKU

Dr.S.Ramanathan Assistant Professor, Research Centre in English, VHNSN College, Virudhunagar

Abstract It is believed that education is the liberation force that liberates the marginalized people from their slavery. Educational opportunities are widespread in the age of globalization as compared to the ancient days when accessibility to educational opportunities and limited to only a particular society of people; classic examples to cite for whom the educational opportunities are denied are Ekalaivan and Shambukha. The caste system was initiated into this subcontinent with the introduction of varnashramadharma with the immigration of Aryans. Still the caste system continues; still we hear the news of honour killings and caste slavery. Though we claim that we are living in the age of globalization and digitalization , still we have the problem of manual scavenging, remember manual scavenging is prohibited by the act of Parliament promulgated on September 2013. One can strongly affirm that a large scale educational opportunities are given but think over the status of those educational institutes towards the treatment of Dalits. Bama’s Karukku is an autobiographical fiction which through light on the entire Dalit society and its strive to survival. Her speculations are clearly and succinctly expressed in the thought provoking rather slim novel. This paper analyses the part played by education in the process of liberation using the contemporary predicament of Dalits in the educational institutions, and concludes that education has failed to bring equality among the people.

Introduction to eradicate casteism and stratification but want In Indian society, casteism is one of the caste and the Brahmanical hegemony to survive. sediments of the well designed and well Dalit liberation movements owe a long developed hegemonization of Brahmanical standing history right from Mahatma Jyotiba culture, practice and ritualism. Caste Phule to the present protest at Una in Gujarat stratification exists as a result of the against the so called “Cow Vigilantism” mooted construction of purity-pollution theory based on by the Sang Parivar. The process of the the Bramanical texts like The Laws of Manu, development of Dalit organizations first rooted Rigveda and the Upanishads and ideas; Brahmans in the practice of non-Brahmin movement by consider themselves as pure and others as Jyotiba Phule. The movement has worked polluted. But economically speaking the within the Congress Party. Simultaneously Brahmanical caste are exploitative and others as many similar movements have also been geared productive. All the sociologists and historian up in the communist party, but the movements who publish their pamphlets or books on caste have possessed differing aim and nature. Many invariably adhere to the purity-pollution theory caste reformers also have raised their voice and to examine the evolution of caste system in serious concern against untouchability and India and they consider, “terms like “upper operation of the caste system in Indian society. castes” and “clean castes” as uncontestable Dr.Ambedkar has first tried to unify the synonyms” (Ilaiah: Buffalo Nationalism 95). In Dalits and worked towards the liberation of contemporary Indian society, caste makes its Dalits. He has convened many conferences on multitudinous existence and it has spread the theme of annihilation of caste and liberation almost in all minds living in the nooks and of Dalits. Through his versatile works, he corners of very Indian society regardless of their enunciates the strategies to be adopted by Dalits educational background. Even politicians who to liberate themselves; this is the reason for are the sole part of the governance do not want what he is remembered almost by all Dalit liberation movements throughout India. With 63 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

the celebration of his centenary, the modes, Kshatriya is restrained from learning Government of India has published all his mantras and Vedas. R. K. Sharma and R. N. works which have acted out its platform as an Sharma observe, “Although kshatriyas and instinct for the making of many Dalit vaisyas were permitted to enter the higher stages organizations, working for the liberation of of learning, their periods of study of Vedas were Dalits. different from Brahmins . . . for they also had to From 1980 onwards many social and undergo education related to their occupation” political movements have been developed for (7). In course of time mankind has become the cause of fighting against the caste hierarchy, civilized which has resulted in creation of subjugation of Dalits and domination of the educational institutions and the educational developed castes in Indian society. There are opportunities are decentralized, modern people who are working on the same theme, education institutions teach everything and are though they are varied in their approaches and more concerned with the culture and outside aim. All the organizations working on the the culture, that is to say that the precepts of theme of Dalits’ liberation and emancipation education have become universalized. make their confluence in a particular point of Educational opportunities have been denied to strategy—unity, education and protest. The the Shudhras and the outcastes during the organizations invariably consider liberation can ancient days. Their capabilities have been be achieved only by means of education and devalued. Alice Walker writes, ‘For most of the agitating against the tradition. years . . . in America, it was a punishable crime Education can be a tool for emancipation of for the black person to read and write (234), the any socially oppressed class of society. Social same plight befalls on Dalits in Indian society. transformation comes from the collective One of the most incontestable features of transformation of individuals of a particular cultural reality is the social change, a change in society and this type of collective social structure and in the types of its transformation within the individual can be institutions. The pace of social changes varies brought forth through education. Education is from age to age, culture to culture and from one an independent institution, and a process that area to another. In a dogmatic society, which enables the individuals of the concerned society pervasively sticks to the deadening traditional to effectively participate in the activities of views put forth by religion, social changes take society and education is able to bring forth a place or are promoted slowly. Social scientists positive contribution of the members of the find out the reasons for sluggishness in the society towards an eminent social progress. promoting social changes; the chief features Education exists since evolution of mankind among them are the sovereignty, hold of in the universe but originally it has been authoritarianism, religion, illiteracy and non- transmitted orally from one generation to progressive mentality of the members of the another and eventually one can perceive that concerned society, and also they are of the this oral transmission of knowledge is confined opinion that social change is influenced by the within a select group of people and many living decline of autocratic thoughts, rise of science outside the sects have been denied the access to and technology and fast means of educational opportunities. The content taught communication and travel and these things are through this oral transmission is limited and the offshoots of education by which social based on the need of the concerned sect that is a change is greatly accelerated. Brahmin is taught the mantras and Vedas but a Bama also brings out the significance of Kshatriya has been taught archery and battle education in Dalit emancipation. Education

64 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

becomes a liberating force which can bring importance of education in bringing out some respect to Dalits in the society. Bama’s emancipation to induce her learning. brother is an M. A. graduate. Once when he ‘Because we are born into the Paraya jati, we signs in the register of the library, he has added are never given any honour or dignity or the title of his graduation and from that day respect . . . But if we study and make progress onwards the librarian has begun to call him as we can throw away these indignities. So study “Sir” and has given him chair to sit, whenever with care, learn all you can. If you are always he has seen him again in the enclosure of the ahead in your lessons, people will come to you library. of their own accord and attach themselves to Probably the most pertinent issue that you (Bama: Karukku 17-8). education has to redress in Indian society is the Bama has been urged by this statement and caste and caste based violence which seems to she has begun to learn everything earnestly. She be an obstacle in the progressive path of Indian has stood first in all her educational society. Education is believed to be directly endeavours. Many children, irrespective of the related to the development of an individual and caste and status, approach Bama for getting the community. For the weaker section of their doubts clarified and for befriending her for society, like Dalits’ education has a special guidance. significance, because for a number of centuries Bama is admitted to a convent hostel. their illiteracy and social backwardness have Though she does not like the atmosphere, she been the instrument in the hands of dominant has been forced by her mother to stay there and culture for their harassment, humiliation and study and so she has “gritted . . . teeth and economic exploitation. stayed there” (Bama: Karukku 73). As time The deep foundations of inequality between passes on everything turns to her favour and sexes and castes are deeply ingrained in the she has begun to love the atmosphere in the minds of the people which has to be overthrown convent. Here Bama makes a reference which for the process of inclusive socialization of differentiates the way of dressing by the upper women and Dalits. The persons who aver that caste students and the Dalits. there are no gender based discriminations now, Both in hostel and in school, the children should keep in mind that there is an increase in wore all sorts of fine clothes, and they kept nice the gender based violence even in cities and things to eat in their rooms. So I thought they even the villages are of no exception where must all be upper-caste children. I wondered to women are still subjugated and subordinated. myself how it was that children belonging to The only institution which can counteract the other communities always had fine clothes and effect of this process is the precepts of good food. I realized it was they who had educational system. Education must not only money. As for me, my community was low- promote equality among people, but also it caste; I had no money either. (Bama: Karukku 73) should intentionally make planned sustained Government provides uniform to all the effort, so that the values of equality among students to conceal the economic imbalances, sexes and equality among castes can whereas the educational institutions demand successfully replace the conventional system students to wear clothes other than the that maintains and promotes inequality. uniforms and that increases the differences Dalits also have begun to realize the among the students. significance of education in the process of their Educationists often view educational system liberation. Bama’s brother instructs her of the as offering opportunity for mobility of individuals. No doubt that education is helpful

65 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

in solving poverty providing social mobility but bondages of Dalits and it can bring equality one should remember that there are social amidst the heteronomy which prevails in the classes that are more powerful in hindering the present society. Bama’s determination to study opportunities. Social class background of well and make good is further intensified by, individuals in strongly related to their her brother’s letters who promptly and educational and professional aspirations and enthusiastically writes, “‘You have lots of achievements. Consequently, the education brains; . . . study well and gain lots of marks” system has to be instrumental in promoting (Bama: Karukku 73), and by others who used to unity among the social classes, and thereby say that Bama would gain good marks and has providing space for the emergence of an begun to study well, caring less and less about equalitarian and integrated society, but at clothes and others comments comforting herself present instead of doing so, education itself telling, “this was the destiny . . .” (Bama, tends to increase social segregation and to Karukku 73); education makes the “residuals to perpetuate and widen class distinctions. accept everything as fate. Educationists and scholars raise their serious Education accelerates the process of social concern about the politicization of education in change, but in case of Dalits the process is too higher educational institutes and also they raise slow due to people’s aversion towards Dalits doubts about the mechanism of education in that the dominant cultured people are not ready bringing forth the effective changes in society. It to accept Dalits. No doubt education leads to is particularly doubtful that the position of the enlightening and in turn this enlightenment poor and the oppressed is much worsened leads to social change, but when the through education. Economic and social opportunity is implicitly denied, how Dalits can stratification too strongly exist as a pattern of prosper. So education has failed to create society and consequently, the gap between attitudinal change and hence Dalits are forced “haves” and “have-nots”, the dominant and to live within their culture with given resources ostracized and oppressed is widened, and the which are too minimal. scholars doubt whether education system takes School and education system is believed to us behind to the days of “Gurukulas” which be the only tool that can bridge the gaps, made restricts educational opportunities to the upper up of caste, class and race, but in India there are caste only and because of which the people are educational institutions run by Nadar, segregated and the education for the Sengunthar, Devangar and so on and that they downtrodden is denied, the process of which admit and appoint their respective caste people, has pervasively provided a space for remaining where will the depressed go. Bama expresses the downtrodden as downtrodden and the her existential agony saying “. . . it seems that dominant as always dominant and exploiters. Nadar schools only admit Nadars, and Naicker Bama focusses the economic imbalance schools only admit Naickers. And then, Aiyar between Dalits and other upper caste people. schools will only teach Aiyar children. If it is all Upper caste people are able to afford to more like this, then heaven knows where all the Dalit expensive outfits and to an elevated and children can go and break their heads” (Karukku sophisticated lifestyle. Bama realizes the socio- 119). The entire system marginalizes Dalits economic inequality and ostracism because of saying that the standards of education will fall the socio-economic inequality and decided to down, if they admit Dalits. Amidst all these “study hard and make good” (Bama:Karukku existential mystifications, the Dalits’ survival 73), as she believes education is the only force becomes problematized. which can break the social barriers and

66 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Education, in the modern society is Senthilkumar has committed suicide because of considered as one of the medium for change, the caste based atrocities in the same institute, but in reality modern education, teaches Dalits University of Hyderabad. Senthilkumar is a to remain as same as they are. They are not Dalit scholar belonging to Tamil Nadu to whom educating the Dalit students by making them the research supervisor has not been allotted aware of the present situation. In turn they because of his low caste status. Once direct them to adjust with the existing situation educational opportunities have explicitly been rather than to change it and consequently. God neglected to Dalits, whereas now the scenario is has created everyone out of same clay and His not so explicit but circuitously deny educational own breath whereas the church which promotes opportunities thus towards forbidding Dalits the same God, behaves as an anti-God agency in entry to the higher education institutes. Dalits matters related to Dalits, they not only ostracize have to revise their strategies in order to attain Dalits but also God himself since it is God’s socio-economic, socio-political and socio- breath that animates everybody. The poor Dalit cultural independence. Dalits have organized children are made to work from dawn to dusk. their own liberation strategies in the Indian On seeing, all these atrocities the narrator social concern. Raj Gautaman assigns two argues with the authorities. In many parts of dimensions for Dalit liberation movements: India Dalits have to fight their losing battle for First cutting through nationality, race and their rights. From independence to present time language, Dalit culture should identify itself they face many types of problems often. They with the cultural features among other people have to give the most of the crops yielded to the similarly discriminated at birth, due to the skin owners of the land, the upper caste men from colour like the blacks or due to their gender like whom Dalits borrow the land; Dalits own only a women. Second, in India there are other people meagre amount of the yielded crops. These like them who cannot be considered of Indian landlords lead a wealthy and more comfortable nationality but are of a subservient position. life exploiting Dalits. The welfare of Dalits are (263) completely ignored and they are pushed to the Those people must be joined together to outskirts of the mainstream society. build a distinct culture that radically differs Not only schools, even the higher education from the existing nationalism. Dalit issues share institutes like universities foster caste a common border with racial problems and discrimination. It is a wrong and misleading feminism. interpretation that the level of education may Dalit culture is bound to protest, in order to diminish the caste hierarchization and attain that standard sub-nationalism. Dalits discrimination, because casteism is deep rooted have the need to challenge the Brahmanical in Indian minds. The recent institutional murder Hindu society and the existing Christian society of Rohit Vemula a Dalit research scholar of the that ostracize the Dalits. The hegemonic classes University of Hyderabad on January 17, 2016, in Indian society impose the living strategies on confirms the existence of caste stratification in Dalits to further their interest which seems to be the universities, which is a consequence of “ the the ideological burdens on Dalits. These type of predominance of deep rooted casteism and ideological burdens can be discarded only Hinduism in the Indian universities ” through protest, Dalits who are accustomed to (Vasudevan: “Nindru Kollum Saathi” [Slowly live a subservient life that is steeped in guilt, Grinding Caste] 20)*. Statistics show that from fear, despair, centuries of exploitation, 2007 to 2013 nine Dalit students have committed ignorance, and slave mentality, will find it suicide in the University of Hyderabad. In 2008 difficult to come out with the protesting

67 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

mindset, but only by ignoring, attacking, down. So the protest culture has to take a newer humiliating and ridiculing the dominant form. When Dalits project their culture in this hegemonic culture and its symbols of bondage way, they appear to the power hegemony as and slavery, Dalits can get out of their mental criminals and anarchists, consequently they ban agony; they should protest against these such activities. Evidently three books that are symbols and hegemonic cultural identities brought out in Tamil Nadu celebrating the which subjugate and exploit them perennially culture of the present untouchables, two by and should direct their protest towards the Senthil Mallar of Mallar Meetpukalam, and destruction of these symbols. another one by Arunthathiar on the history of Education has offered a platform for Dalits Madurai Veeran are banned, alleging that these to hide their cultural identities. Among the books may bring forth disharmony among educated youths, employed and dwelling in different castes. Though Indian constitution cities, the characteristics of this antipodal envisages freedom of expression, the ban is culture seems to disappear, as they readily enforced by the constitutional constituent, accept the influence of western and Brahmanical Government. culture. The culture of Dalits has rooted deep in Education teaches Dalits to accept their the subconscious stratum of mind. Many in existence as fate. No doubt it brings urban areas consider this antipodal culture as emancipation to some extent, but the much rustic and barbaric and deliberately want to worried fact is that the Dalits emancipated obliterate it. Nowadays the educated youths through eduction are not accepted and not also organize themselves and do work for making duly recognised by others. So as far as the the people aware of the need for liberation from Dalits’ predicament is concerned Education has the upper caste hegemony using the social failed to bring liberation. media like WhatsApp and Facebook. They create their own groups to expose their cultural References values that have been devalued and demeaned 1. Bama. Karukku. Translated by Lakshmi for decades and its significance in the Holmstrom, 2nd ed., Oxford UP, 2012. contemporary social life. This strategy gives 2. Gautaman, Raj. “Dalit Protest Culture: The momentum to the Dalit liberation movements. First Stage.” Translated by Theodore They want to follow the devices generated by Baskaran, The Oxford India Anthology of their veteran leader Ambedkar: inter-caste Tamil Dalit Writing, edited by Ravikumar marriage, education, protest, destroying the and R. Azhagarasan, Oxford UP, 2012, Hindu shasthras and conversion. Ambedkar pp. 263-71. opines that the Hindu shasthras devalue and 3. Iliah, Kancha. Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique deteriorate the Dalit culture, but in the modern of Spiritual Fascism. Samya, 2012. days not only the Hindus but also the other 4. Sharma, R. K., and R. N. Sharma. History and religions consider Dalit culture as barbaric; Problems of Indian Education. Kanishka, 1993. consequently the educated youths need deroot 5. Vasudevan, Aniruddhan, “Nindru Kollum the deep-rooted caste bias in all the religions, Saathi [Slowly Grinding Caste]” Kalachuvadu, merely contemplating on the ideologies on the vol. 28, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 20-22. leaders may not liberate Dalits from the dominant culture that has made them upside

68 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

DELIGHT AND DISMAY IN FAMILY LIFE: A STUDY

S.Malarvizhi Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Alagappa University, Karaikudi

Dr.SP.M.Kanimozhi Assistant Professor, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Alagappa University, Karaikudi

Abstract Family is a threshold of a society. It shields bonds and relationships. It affixes individuals personality both inwardly and outwardly. Novel being a piece of Literature reflects society as a mirror in an enthusiastic way. R.K.Narayan's character and circumstances are established with this sort. Narayan's novel The English Teacher is a fragile and aromatic with the scent of affection, the beat of a family. Krishnan the saint in this novel is a hitched young fellow and furthermore a father of Leela, a young lady. To him, cherish isn't a physical craving or over the top energy. It has quietness, excellence and delicacy of marriage which stands dispassionate. India is a place that is known for custom and culture where familial love is viewed as unadulterated and everlasting. R.K.Narayan influences the pursuers to envision this veritable human relationship of the land. The English Teacher discusses a romantic tale. The life of Krishna and Sushila is upbeat and fight. The obviously cast back the esteem and refined residential life in Indian families during that time to day circumstances of Krishna and Sushila. The subject of familial love is altogether gauges in the whole novel. The harmony of any relationship is satisfied only through proper communication. Here the bond amongst Krishna and Sushila is beyond physical, even after the demise of his cherished spouse the love continued. This element is the natural energy of Indian family which is the first fortune of the land. Keywords: Familial relationship, Indian family, Love

Introduction is followed according to the traditions of the India is a land of tradition and culture. particular region. Narayan who is from a south Family system is the pulse of Indian society. It Indian middle class Brahmin family gives out safeguards the values and binds relationships. It with all flavour the portrayal of the land, is such a bond that fastens human relationships culture , tradition and importance of familial emotionally and intellectually. bond. The family is a divine building block of a This paper explores how the fiction of R.K. society. The Indian family has been a dominant Narayan helps in understanding the delight and institution in the life of individual and in the life dismay in family life with some examples from of a community. Novels reflect society as a his work The English Teacher. Narayan’s literary mirror which presents scenes in a very lively creations are colourful fabrics woven with the manner. The family relationships constitute the intricate threads of Indian culture such as major theme in Narayan’s fictions. It is traditions, customs, religious beliefs, faiths, considered as an immediate context and the social hierarchies, family system, bitter & sweet novels are notable for the delineation and melodies of love and marriage. precision of the family relation. R.K.Narayan’s central character in his novels The elegance and beauty about the Indian shows everything that occurs in the culture reclines in its age -long prevailing development of human relationships. His tradition of the family system. In Narayan, the heroes are aware of the social and political characters and situation are rooted in the changes, but they do not take sides not do they geography and history of India especially South commit themselves to any ideology. Narayan India. has created all sorts of the human relationships Apart from western culture and tradition, in which he depicts the pure and incredible India possesses varied customs and rituals. Indian culture and tradition. It is important to Here marriage itself is a wonderful ritual which note that Narayan is a conservative Indian both

69 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

in thought and spirit in the presentation of death of his wife but he is unable to retrieve human relationship. from the memories. Here Narayan beautifully The nuptial affinityof the couple is carried expresses the life after death and the longings through Narayan’s world of values in his novel and pain of Krishna. The English Teacher also the novel The English The portrayal of Krishna – Susila Teacher narrates about a simple, stylish ordinary relationship is vivid and fascinating. They make living man Krishnan who lives with small themselves a unique pair because there is no dreams and limited expectations. It pictures question of individuality, pride and ego in their how much he loves his family and cares it. This relationship. The superiority of their is one of the poignant feature of Indians. This relationship lies in their grand nature which story revolves around a very soft spoken, kind moves them to confront one of the bitterest hearted and sensitive lead character, typical substances of human presence. It is because of orthodox village lady, one eccentric character in mutual devotion for each-other and proper atypical village environment. The protagonist understanding for each-other that the narrates his story (Krishnan) about his different relationship between Krishna and Susila that phases of life. All the charters are very natural their relationship attains the high of sublimity. and we can feel them. We have used this world R. K. Narayan has presented the importance of believe because this story is all about belief and husband-wife relationship by observing the faith. How a person starts believing the daily affairs of both the husband and the wife. supernatural things and slowly gets involved Krishna is a devoted husband. In this novel, we into it. It is not only the supernatural factor it is find that owing to his true love of his wife, even the eternal and pure love of a husband towards death is not capable of separating Krishna from his love wife. This sort of eternal love is seen in his wife Susila. After a brief period, Krishna has the nook and corner of Indian cities and entered into direct communion with the spirit of villages. his wife and this rejuvenates him and he The English Teacher achieves the point of reconciles with life again. sublimity which considered one of the major In this novel he has beautifully projected the quality in Indian family system. The proper role of love and death as inevitable agents in the understanding of each-other, self-respect for formation of a successful husband-wife each-other, and the frank communication relationship. In the relationship between between them are the marked features of the Krishna and Susila love and romance are relationship between Krishna and Susila in The successfully resolved and the future of this English Teacher. In The English Teacher R. K. relationship depends upon fate and chance. The Narayan has beautifully projected the role of beauty of the relationship between Krishna and love and death as predestined agents in the Susila lies in Krishna’s acceptance of Susila’s structure of a successful husband-wife death in a natural manner. Krishna accepts the relationship. In the relationship between reality of human existence in the form of death. Krishna and Susila, love and romance are They make themselves a unique pair because successfully resolved and future of the there is no question of individuality pride and relationship depends upon fate and chance. ego in their relationship. The strength of their Through Krishna’s acceptance of Susila’s death relationship lies in their sublime nature which in a natural manner lies the sublimity of the inspires them to face one of the bitterest realities relationship between the couples. Krishna of human existence. It is because of mutual accepts the reality of human existence in the devotion for each other .in this novel we can form of death. Though Krishna accepts the find that owing to his true love of his wife even

70 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

death is not capable of separating Krishna from handle profoundly clear and fascinating books his wife. The husband and wife relationship about India and Indian individuals. His portrait presented in The English Teacher clearly reveals of Indian family life is correct to realities. He the separation and loneliness are the two reliably expects a mirror to remember India and natural agents of human relationships. Indian society and puts forth it without any The connubial relationship presented in The bends. Narayan in all sense gives respect and English Teacher clearly reveals that the privilege to incredible Indian culture and separation and loneliness are the two natural tradition through his pen. agents of human relationships. Every human being to fight against them. The presentation of References relationship between Krishna and Susila is the 1. Narayan, R. K. 1945. The English Teacher. basis of the novelists’ new philosophic Mysore: Indian Thought Publication. understanding of life as well as death. 2. Walsh, William.1932.The Novels of R. K. To conclude Narayan's books are basically Narayan. London: Heineman Publication. stories of Indian life and he jumps at the chance 2. Bhatnagar, M.K.2002.New Insights into The to delineate the universal life of the Indian town Novels of R.K.Narayan. New Delhi: Atlantic with all its backwardness. He distinguishes his Publishers and Distribution. constraints as a craftsman, and just plans to

71 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

ARTHUR MILLER’S CHANGING PERCEPTIONS ABOUT AMERICAN SOCIETY AND WOMEN IN THE RIDE DOWN MOUNT MORGAN

K.M.Kamalakkannan Assistant Professor of English, Erode Arts & Science College, Erode

Abstract The most conspicuous aspect of Miller’s play selected for study is the ways in which they incorporate the experience of the marginalized characters, particularly, female characters. This experience of marginality is often linked with their pursuit of individual freedom and autonomy with special focus on women’s emancipation from the monopoly of men folk. The play The Ride down Mount Morgan discussed in this paper deals with the marginalization of the female characters that, despite their efforts, could not raise themselves from their marginalized position. Gender based marginality is the state of exclusion and deprivation of one sex from equal opportunities, equal participation inside the household as well as in the public sphere, equal social status and living standard in comparison to another sex who avails oneself of all opportunities and rights and consequently dominates the society. This deprived category of sex is a woman who is crushed under the yoke of traditional gender role prescribed for her by the man. These gender roles have been assigned to them by the patriarchal male desire, the desire to have one who could perform the role of a wife. That role can only be performed by human being who is by nature and upbringing modest, unassuming, self- effacing, nurturing and submissive. The Ride down Mount Morgan (1991) is a play about the dominating and dominated, exploiter and the exploited, the deceitful and deceived, when the former is, naturally, the male and the latter, female. Lyman Felt, is the central character of the play, is already a married man in his late forties, who goes in for bigamy. Lyman is a hedonist who sees no harm in bigamous marriage, if the two relationships are fulfilling for all those concerned. Theodora, his first wife and Leah the second, are kept in dark about their real status. This situation in itself speaks loud about the significance of women in the play. They just operate on the margins of society. Keywords: Emancipation, Marginalization, Deprivation, Patriarchal, Self-Effacing, Bigamy, Hedonist.

Introduction yoke of traditional gender role prescribed for The most conspicuous aspect of Miller’s play her by the man. These gender roles have been selected for study is the ways in which they assigned to them by the patriarchal male desire, incorporate the experience of the marginalized the desire to have one who could perform the characters, particularly, female characters. This role of a wife. That role can only be performed experience of marginality is often linked with by human being who is by nature and their pursuit of individual freedom and upbringing modest, unassuming, self- effacing, autonomy with special focus on women’s nurturing and submissive. emancipation from the monopoly of men folk. The Ride down Mount Morgan (1991) is a play The play The Ride down Mount Morgan discussed about the dominating and dominated exploiter in this paper deals with the marginalization of and the exploited, the deceitful and deceived, the female characters that, despite their efforts, when the former is, naturally, the male and the could not raise themselves from their latter, female. Lyman Felt, is the central marginalized position. character of the play, is already a married man Gender based marginality is the state of in his late forties, who goes in for bigamy. exclusion and deprivation of one sex from equal Lyman is a hedonist who sees no harm in opportunities, equal participation inside the bigamous marriage, if the two relationships are household as well as in the public sphere, equal fulfilling for all those concerned. Theodora, his social status and living standard in comparison first wife and Leah the second, is kept in dark to another sex who avails oneself of all about their real status. This situation in itself opportunities and rights and consequently speaks loud about the significance of women in dominates the society. This deprived category the play. They just operate on the margins of of sex is a woman who is crushed under the society.

72 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Lyman has deceived both the women. To the feel insecure outside the exploitative institution extent that, until the revelation, Theo is made to of marriage. They may feel trapped in their feel that she is the only wife and Leah believes marriages but do not find any viable solution to that Lyman has married her, only after this social practice. Marriage is no longer is a divorcing his first wife and this illusion of the union of hearts and bodies but an unequal two women continues for full nine years. This institution where women feel stifled and shows that how gullible are these two women oppressed and men, sometimes, opt for other and how much hypnotized were they by this younger women. The personality of women is great glib-talking salesman who has suppressed, so is her innate creativity. She tends mesmerized them. For him, women are nothing to lose her independence and identity as a more than aspects required for his own person. She has to play a subservient role in fulfillment of needs and desires. They are not order to keep the male head of the family treated as proper human beings with emotions appeased. and feelings, who can also feel hurt and Lyman is a highly amoral man who has had betrayed like others. The women faithfully other flings with women in his past. Besides follow the ideals prescribed by patriarchy for fathering Benjamin, from Leah and Bessie from them. Thus, once again, it becomes evident that Theo, he had also had a son of about seventeen women are kept on the margins in this male years, with other woman, who is his spitting centric world. image, reference given by Tom Wilson, his In the play Lyman is admitted at memorial lawyer. According to critic Christopher Bigsby, hospital after meeting serious accident. It is Lyman no longer believes as once he did, that reported that his Porsche was seen skiing down there is a moral spine to experience. He recalls Mount Morgan on a stormy night. Very soon, the entirely arbitrary circumstances of his first his wife Theodora and daughter Bessie come encounter with his first wife, turning, as it did, down from New York after hearing the tragic on mere chance and finds that he can no longer news. Both are under great shock and pain. recognize “the moral purpose of the universe”, Theo displays her optimism through the Arthur Miller has once again attempted to manner in which she is consoling her daughter. examine marriage as a failing institution in Both mother and daughter are conversing, American society where he believes that when bewildered Leah, thirty, with blondined marriages have become disposable and love hair, enters the scene and demands information could disposable and love could shrivel and die about her husband’s well being. as fast as today. Miller’s plays have always been As ice breaks between them, they start based on a simple question: “what happens divulging information about themselves to each when you cannot walk away”? other and gradually there comes a point where Lyman has a very stereotypical image of it suddenly becomes clear to the three of them ‘women’ and he feels that women are easily that they are all talking about the same Lyman swayed by emotions. They live in such a who is Bessie’s father and Theodora’s and romantic world that men can easily gull them. Leah’s husband. The despairing and restless He is also sure they might not have stopped ladies immediately become each other’s rivals loving him. Hence, when Tom informs him and start arguing bitterly over their disputed about how TV is flogging the story of his extra marital status. Theodora cannot bear the marital affair and wants to know his final factuality of the situation and she finally intention, he says without a second thought that collapses out of fright and shock. This apparent he wants both the women. He says, “I know fright of sisters turned into enemies over the those women and they still love me! It is only title of ‘Mrs.’ shows that women in America still what they think they’re supposed to feel that’s confusing them. Do I sound crazy?” 73 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Arthur Miller has clearly established the throwback to D.H. Lawrence, Norman Mailer superiority of the male over female. He has and Henry Miller, as far as literary emphasized the importance of the male over representation of women is concerned. Kate than the female role one male sought after by Millett critiqued the latter three writers by two females. Lyman wants to defend himself by showing their condescending attitude towards establishing that happens of a woman, the fair sex and objected to this literary emotional or physical, is dependent on the commoditization of women. Miller can be male. Lyman feels, he is an ideal husband as he charged with same prejudice. For him, women has provided material comforts and physical are not autonomous persons but secondary to fulfillment to both his women. And it is because men. The portrayal of wives, mistress, women are equally fascinated by power that daughters and daughter-in-law is negative his they fall for the powerful. universe. Both Theo and Leah are shown to be The end shows both the women walking out complicit in their own degradation- in one scene on him despite Lyman’s numerous pleading to both of them lay on a hospital bed, on either both for not deserting him. In one way, the end side of Lyman. They fight with each other over is quit radical where not even one of the Lyman not only deceives them for long but also towages stay at his bedside to soon the his continues to exploit them emotionally from his keyed nerves and they leave, physically injured hospital bed. The real and the imaginary are and emotionally wounded Lyman alone to face fused together in his mind. He is an the consequences of his betrayals and amorality amalgamation of the ideal and animal. He can in life. But even those, Lyman has, assay easily use and abuse his wives and get away decided, not to need his ways, starts his hunt for with it. This does not happen in real America. other women. The women as wives in this play are depicted as The Ride Down Mount Morgan clearly spineless creature with no sense of will-power illustrates Arthur Miller’s changing perceptions and moral strength. They all seem to be poor about American society and its mores. Miller is caricatures of exploitative and sexist patriarchal not happy with this hedonistic society and system for whom women still continue to be sex portrays a grim picture of such an amoral objects and unpaid domestic slaves. This culture that venerates success and money over persistent sexist attitude in mature Miller is relationships and community at large. He surprising and distressing. It clearly bemoans the dulling of conscience and demonstrates that Miller continues to produce surrendering of noble, moral concerns to the male-texts that do not reveal a nuisance Memon. The consequences of such surrender understanding of female sexuality and can be very frightful, both emotionally and psychology. physically. Any society without barriers can be dangerous for an overall humanistic growth of References its citizens. The ride down the mountain can be 1. The Ride Down Mount Morgan. In Arthur a freefall and lead to injuries. Lyman represents Miller Plays—Five. London: Methuen World such a greedy culture for instant gratification of Classics, 2000 senses. The ephemeral is the dominant. This 2. The Cambridge Companion to Arthur Miller, leads to a devaluation of human relationship Cambridge University Press, p.172. and other scared values. Language becomes the 3. The Second Sex,1974 vehicle that records this devaluation quite 4. The Feminist Reader: Essays in Gender and correctly. Miller deploys highly sexist languages the Politics of Literary Criticism. that reduce the husband-wife relationship to 5. Women, Literature, Criticism. mere physically. The description of women as mere holes is shockingly crude and is a 74 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

THE STORY OF SLAVERY, OPPRESSION, RESISTANCE AND MIGRATION IN JOSEPH CONRAD’S HEART OF DARKNESS

Joby Joseph Assistant Professor of English, K E College, Mannanam

Abstract When we read Heart of Darkness, we understand that it is a Pilgrim’s Progress from the pessimism of the age in which it was written. Joseph Conrad told his friend Edward Garnett: ‘Before the Congo, I was just a mere animal.’ Of course, the novel predominantly rests upon its autobiographical elements and obviously the introspective tempo of the narrative is quite apparent. The Congo was much in the public mind in 1889, when Henry Stanley’s undertaking discovered Emin Pasha (who like Kurtz did not have any desire to be protected). Likewise, it is fascinating to bring up that Conrad was in Brussels quickly after Stanley's triumphant welcome in April 1890. We find this was just before he set out all alone Congo venture. Moreover, it turned out to be Conrad’s longest journey into his unexplored self. Besides, Heart of Darkness is a sensitive and vivid travelogue. It is still the most crucial and a ruthless comment on “the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience and geographical exploration” (Heart of Darkness, 25). Heart of Darkness has its significant public side as an angry document on the greedy and brutal nature of exploitation. Marlow is shocked to see sick and starving natives of the Congo wander into the grove at the first company station. Marlow compassionately renders the deplorable condition of the indigenous people in the African jungle. Deprived of the rotten hippo meat they had brought along for food, and paid three nine-inch pieces of brass wire a week, they appear to subsist on “lumps of some stuff like half-cooked dough, of a dirty lavender colour” (51) which they keep wrapped in leaves. Joseph Conrad asks the careless European reader to investigate the state of the general population out there. Heart of Darkness is a record of things seen and done. Keywords: Postcoloniality, Resistance, Civilization, Idealism

Introduction these words give a deeper meaning to the title As the novel begins, both the first narrator and the instances described in the novel. and Marlow give voice to the same thoughts Both voices in the novel give us the curious with subtle differences. “And this also has been picture of torch-carriers issuing out of darkness. one of the dark places of the earth”(6), says Marlow, the English seaman, is modestly aware Marlow, the chief narrator in the novel, of the light of England’s achievements and implying that this England, this London, are no civilization and was struck by men long dead longer dark, though the first narrator has just and he and his contemporaries bask in the noted that they are entirely hidden beneath the reflection of their glory. Maybe, the dark gloom. Then, looking at the Thames, Marlow English coast reviews for Marlow, the darkness puts in his own words what the other has just of modern Africa, which is the natural obscurity said about the “great knights-errant” of of the jungle. It is the darkness of good opening, Elizabethan exploration, the “Hunters for gold prompting the monstrosities or horrors he has or pursuers of fame…bearing the sword, and observed in Africa in the meantime. For often the torch…bearers of a speak from the Marlow, the ethical darkness of Africa is not the sacred fire”(Conrad’s Heart of Darkness: Rebirth of basic darkness of native ignorance, but rather Tragedy, 55)). Answering to it, Marlow says in more than that it is the murkiness of white men Heart of Darkness, “Light came out of this river who have blinded themselves and tainted the since- you say Knights? Yes; but it is like a natives by their claim to be light-bearers. The running blaze on a plain, like a flash of most evident image pattern in Heart of Darkness lightning in the clouds. We live in the flicker- is maybe the light-and-darkness symbolism. It is may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling. certain that no reader will miss such a striking But darkness was here yesterday” (7). Perhaps allegory in spite of the fact that it is barely noticeable some of its nuances. However, there 75 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

is another dimension of the symbolism pretty Kurtz- A Torchbearer for White Civilization much as it is vital. In the event that Marlow's In the novel, Kurtz and the Manager trip up the Congo is far from light and towards represent two different aspects of the European darkness, it is likewise far from structure and Society. Kurtz comes to Africa with the idea of towards confusion. From its outer shell of elevating the natives, whereas the Manager has humanitarian idealism the story progresses and no such intentions. Both the Manager and Kurtz it leads to Marlow’s reliance on his skill and are on different levels of morality in the African craft to the enigmatic and seductive behaviour darkness, and Marlow, the moral participant in of the natives. Finally, it reveals Kurtz’s lusts the whole drama, allies himself with Kurtz. It is and a wordless “Intended” (77), and some true that Kurtz’s morality has a minimum unperceivable “horror” (118). The story moves standard of intelligence, a noble purpose, and a from its external shell of deliberately detailed touch of grandeur and it is true that the business plan to its internal centre of Manager’s morality is rooted in a mean-spirited discriminated greed. We also find a move from avarice. It is correct that Kurtz has lost his its outer shell of civilized constructs balance and dove into a chasm of degradation (passionless, marble buildings, steamships, and and catastrophe that he had occupied with railroads) towards mere raw material (rank unspeakable customs. Perhaps it allowed the vegetation, stockpiled ivory). In some cases the tribesmen to defy him. The Slain Africans light-darkness and structure -confusion whose heads he awesomely impaled on posts symbolism are strikingly conjoined as when outside his lodging could exclaim “Exterminate Marlow sees two ladies in a Brussels office all the brutes” (Heart of Darkness and Other giving form to black wool by weaving it. Stories, 87). After all his early intentions to Obviously, Conrad is a harbinger or forerunner civilize the natives, the reader becomes of the twentieth-century authors in his cautious unsympathetic and indifferent to his words and formation of the symbolic significance. In deeds which drove him to greed and specific passages he expounds his symbolism in exploitation and finally to deception. If he has order to give another dimension to descriptive fallen, he has tumbled from a great level of writing. The external subtle elements are clear tallness and Marlow finds even in his fall an in themselves however they don't remain just indication of his prevalence and superiority. scenic. Each has a symbolic quality in the novel The Manager, by contrast, is never ill, never which develops and enriches the enthusiastic varies his dead-level routine, and never displays and moral components involved in the picture. the slightest sign of humaneness. Kurtz had One of the bits of such works is the portrayal of turned out outfitted with good thoughts or the steamboat immediately before it is something to that affect. Anything would assaulted. In any case, Conrad's technique here appear to be desirable over the dispirited unions three components: the ideal quietness of eagerness and aggregate negativity of the others the night and the evident safety of the and we can call it the overweight demon or “the steamboat; the inner moral significance of that flabby devil” (81) of the Central Station. in terms of the evident ease of keeping a straight course as long as all is serene and peaceful and Marlow-The Agent of Civilization finally Marlow's own feeling of his own security Like Kurtz, Marlow is also the agent of and his propensity for departure into fantasy civilization as against primitivism. Civilized fulfillment. These elements are clearly men have to plunge into contact with the expressed in the novel. primitives before they can get to the bottom of their natures, but they must not linger there too long. If they do, they may become prey to 76 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

satanic temptations like Kurtz has caught in the provides an interesting comparison with Heart heart of his African darkness. Marlow searches of Darkness. ‘Life and Death in the Niger Delta’ Kurtz to his final station and hears his last is the account of a journey by steamer up the words and serves as his spiritual executor by Niger. Of course, the illustration of the voyage bringing back his body and delivering the last itself has certain immediate similarities with massage to his grieving sweetheart. But he some aspects of Marlow’s account of journey up returns to Europe before he sinks irretrievably the Congo: The steamer panted softly past into the Kurtzian quagmire. We can see that he many a mile of oozy swamp…On either hand undertakes a long journey to the Inner Station in the leather-leaved mangroves rose up on their the African jungle to meet and talk to Kurtz, but high-arched roots…sickening emanations rose the static, airless, primitive atmosphere of the up into the steamy air, and the whole place Inner Station starts to suffocate him, and he can reeked with putrefaction…At times we slid hardly wait to get back to the civilized world. In through the heart of a shadowy forest…( Under the article, “Conrad and the Idea of Empire,” Robert Hampson calls attention to the civilizing Postcolonial Eyes: Joseph Conrad After Empire, 68) work in Africa in the subtle element. We read in References Heart of Darkness: The conquest of the earth, 1. Abrams, M.H.,and Geoffrey Galt. Harpham. which mostly means the taking it away from Handbook of Literary Terms. New Delhi: those who have a different complexion or Cengage Learning India Private Limited, slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a 2009. Print. pretty thing when you look into it too much. 2. Adelman, Gray. Heart of Darkness: Search for What redeems it is the idea only. An idea at the the Unconscious. Boston: Twayne, 1987. Print. back of it; not a sentimental pretence but an 3. Ahmad, Ajjaz. In Theory: Classes, Nations, idea; and an unselfish belief in the idea- Literatures. London: Verso, 1992. Print. something you can set up, and bow down 4. Ashcroft, Bill et al. The Postcolonial Studies before, and offer a sacrifice to…(3) Reader. London: Routledge, 1995. Print. 5. ---. The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice Conclusion in Post-colonial Literatures. London: When we read Heart of Darkness in the first Routledge, 2002. Print. attempt, we can articulate that the emphasis is 6. Bloom, Harold. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of upon the redeeming idea behind imperialism Darkness & the Secret Sharer. Broomall, PA: itself. We can likewise expect that the story that Chelsea House, 2000. Print. takes after is to be an investigation and 7. ---. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. New articulation of that thought. In fact, the writer York: Chelsea House, 2008. Print. argues that Marlow's assertion of the recovering 8. Brooks, Peter. “An Unreadable Report: thought behind imperialism drives him into a Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.” Reading for the metaphorical language which subverts the Plot: Design and Intention in Narrative. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University thought he has been affirming. In the opening Press, 1992, pp. 238-63. Print. segment of Heart of Darkness, Conrad puts a 9. Cesaire, Aime. Disclosure of Colonialism. New progression of strategies in connection with the York: Monthly Press Review, 1972. Print. inferred reader, who, in the main case, was the 10. Graham, Kenneth. “Conrad and ordinary or conventional reader of Blackwood's Modernism.” The Cambridge Companion to Magazine. To begin with, there is the awakening Joseph Conrad. Ed. J.H. Stape. Cambridge: of “the great spirit of the past” (47) by the Cambridge UP, 1996, 203-20. Print. unnamed first narrator. 11. Guerard, Albert. Joseph. “The Journey Blackwood’s Magazine for April 1898 Within.” Conrad the Novelist. Cambridge, accommodated an anonymous article which Mass.: Harvard UP, 1958. pp.1-59. Print. 77 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

SOCIAL VIOLENCE IN VIKAS SWARUP’S SELECT NOVELS

S.Gunela M.Phil. Scholar English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Ms.Shobia Assistant Professor, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Abstract Vikas Swarup is a prolific Indian Writer. This paper focus on the Social Violence in Q & A and The Accidental Apprentice and they are affected in society. These novel deconstructs the grand narrative of Modern India and conveys the real violence of ordinary Indian life. Vikas Swarup serves as an in depth and completely tale regarding the less fortune people of India. The stories is shows in human emotion and humour surrounded by murder, thieving, violence, common conflict, prostitution, beggary. Ram also face many problems in his life. Sapna is thrown into situations where she has to face among other things child labour, black market, organ sale, forced marriage, corruption, rape and General violence. In these serious topics with a light tone and a sense of humors. Keywords: Social Violence, Deconstructs, Modern India, Corruption, General Violence.

Introduction ministry of external affairs in New Delhi, Q & A Indian writing refers to the body of work by is being translated into twenty-five Language writers in India who write in the English and is due to be made into both a film and a Language and who’s native or co-native stage musical. Vikas Swarup is writing a second Language could be one of the numerous novel. Vikas Swarup like Aravind Adiga Languages of India. Its early history began with attempts to expose the grim reality of the poor the works of Michael Madhusudan Dutt in India. Adiga in his “The white tiger” highlights followed by R.K.Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand and the ever widening gap between the rich and the Raja Rao who contribution to Indian fiction in poor and the economic system that lets a small the 1930s. It is also associated with the work of minority to prosper at the expense of the members of the Indian diaspora such as V.S majority. Naipaul, Kiran Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kovid Vikas Swarup born in a family of lawyer, he Gupta, Agha Shahid Ali, Rohinton Mistry and was educated in Allahabad, The very essential Salman Rushdie, who are of Indian origin. subject that made a good story-teller. He joined It is frequently referred to as Indo- Anglian Indian foreign services in 1986 and has worked Literature (Indo-Anglian is a specific term in the in turkey, USA, Ethiopia, UK, South Africa and sole context of writing that should not be Japan. Just imagine the wide variety of culture confused with Anglo-Indian) as a category, this experience that such work would involve production comes in the broader realm of post- leading to a matured, realistic view of colonial Literature the production from complexities of the world. This can be seen in previously colonized countries such as India. his characters that grown up in a multi The violence is use of physical force so as to religious, multi linguistic sets and blending injure, abuse damaged or destroy. Violence can identities but we will talk about his books in be divided into three broad categories is self- detail in some of the future posts. directed violence, interpersonal violence and Swarup is able to give us snapshots of Indian collective violence. Violent acts can be used in Society at its most lurid and extreme, if the physical, sexual, psychological and emotional. prose style suggests social realism. Vikas Vikas Swarup is an India Civil servant who has Swarup has published three novels that is” served in turkey, the United States, Ethiopia Q&A”, “Six Suspects”, and “The Accidental and Great Britain. He is presently posted in the Apprentice”. He also contributed to a children’s 78 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

charity by providing a short story called “A Mr. Gupta conveys a short bamboo cane and Great Event” that was published in the slaps the boys in the Juvenile home whenever children’s hours: stories of childhood.” he feels like it. Gupta calls young boys into his Vikas debut novels, “Q&A”. Tells the story room at night to sodomize and abuse them, of how the story of how a poor waiter in Muslim youth lock Salim father, mother, and Mumbai becomes the biggest quiz show winner brother in their hut, and set fire to the hut.Babu in history. Critically celebrated in Indian and Pillai cripples, blind and injures young boys and abroad. This international best-seller has been then sends them out on the street to beg. If they translated into 43 different languages. It was do not earn money, they do not eat. Mr. Rao eligible for the best First book by the common kills his wife’s help. A train robber grabs a wealth writer’s prize and won South Africa’s nursing mother’s breasts. The robber demands a exclusive books booker prize in 2006, as wells kiss and wants to see the young girl’s breasts. the prix grand public at the 2007 pairs book fair. Ram fights the man to the ground as they fight It was voted winner of the best travel read for control of the gun. The robber is killed and (fiction) at the Heathrow travel product award ram runs shocking battle scenes from the war 2009. It was won eight Oscar award winning with Pakistan recounted by a supposed war film “Slum dog Millionaire”. hero. This paper focus on the “Violence” in the Balwant sigh commits suicide when he is novel. In this novel Ram faces many problems found to be a war hero cheat. Ahmed khan is a in his life. The stories is steeped in human professional killer. Salim secretly gives Ahmed, emotion and humour surrounded by murder, Babu Pillai’s picture and he is killed. Prem thieving, common conflict, prostitution, beggary Kumar abuse women. He beats his lovers. and violence. Vikas Swarup serves as an in Neelima has a very deep cut on her face, her depth and completely tale regarding the less check is swollen, and her chest has been burned fortune people of India. It is follows the by cigarettes and Neelima commits suicide. protagonist Ram Mohammad Thomas as he Salim is beaten by both families at a wedding explain how he know all ten answers in the party. Shanker, the son of a wedding women. game show. Swapna devi, best him as a child when he Ram was arrest by police because he was walked in on her, while she was having an win quiz show. He was poor waiter that is why affair with her brother in law. Swapna devi he was arrest. Then Ram is tortured by the harshly through Shanker out of the home and police and beaten, tried to a wooden beam, chili forced him to live in a public housing. Shanker powder is put on a stick and put into his anus. regresses until he is nearly unintelligible and He is also shocked with electricity. Father John though to be retarded, Swapna devi harshly Shoots father Timothy and then commits refuses to pay for rabies treatment for her son suicide. finally he was dies. Nita, a prostitute is also Shantaram is a scientists but he was loss his beaten by prem kumar. Nita’s jaw is dislocated job. He is a violent drunk, beats his wife and and her chest is also burned with a cigarette. burns his daughter’s face with hot tea. Prem kumar finally commits suicide by chatting Shantaram breaks his Gudiva’s cat’s neck. He himself to death in his car, although may be foul returns home drunk and tries to touch his play. Ram shows that people can overcome the daughter. He continually tries to abuse his own greatest odds, the worst heartbreaks and crimes daughter. He breaks a bottle over in his wife’s against humanity. The novel shows that people head. Shantaram loses his balance and fall to the should not be judged by outward appearances ground below, and he is died. or by the dirtiness of their past.

79 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Sapna is thrown into situations where she She was planning to buy a kidney. But after has to face among other things child labour, she observed the ugliness of the organ industry black market, organ sale. Force marriage, in India and hour painful people can be by corruption, rape and general violence. Sapna selling their organs, she refused to buy a kidney lives in Delhi with her mother Susheela and her for her mother. It shows the people should not sister Neha. She has another younger sister Alka judge by outward appearances or by the died in a suicide. His father passed away not dirtiness of their past. long after that. Sapna was close to a guy named karan, who References happened to her lover. He worked in a Indus 1. Beaufoy, Simon.” Slumdog Millionaire”: mobile. Sapna agreement with Acharya to make Screen play graft, London: Slumdog Films her as the ABC group CEO and undergo the Limited, 2017. seven texts. Sapna faced child labour. Anees 2. Sdp, Sebastian. A.J. “Quest for identity in Mirza tortured children and he was punished contemporary Indian English fiction and them harshly then she solved a child labour poetry”,Adhyayan publishers, Delhi: 2010. crisis near the place she lived. Print. Sapna survived a Khap marriage in a rural 3. Swarup, Vikas. “q&a”. London: Black Swan. area in India, as a home appliance salesgirl. She 2006. Print’ was sent to village and she was stopped that 4. Swarup, Vikas. “The Accidental Apprentice”. force marriage, then Priya Capoorr missing her London: Simon & Schuster. 2013. Print. ring that time sapna treated in theft and she was 5. https://www.goodreads. Com tortured by police. She handling corruption is 6. Www. Simonandschuster.com regular in India, she make the decision to donate her kidney to her sick mother.

80 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

REINVENTING SELF-DISCOVERY IN BHARATI MUKHERJEE’S DESIRABLE DAUGHTERS

C.V.Semmalar M.Phil. Scholar English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Mr.Arun Kumar Assistant Professor, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Abstract This presentation consists of Diaspora literature which deals with identity crisis in Bharati Mukerjee’s Desirable Daughters. This novel depicts with Self identity. Its unfold of three sister who are settled in different countries and are sufferings to find out their own identity. The quest of its protagonist Tara for a separate identity in the traditional bound society her place to place but where ever she moves she find her Indian identity. She had a problem in clashes also. She was bored in her marriage life so she got divorce from her husband. She wants to prove her Self identity in without belonging to anyone. Keywords: Self - Identity, Cultural Clashes, Traditional, Bharati Mukherjee.

Introduction history, the grandmother of legend and great This presentation belongs to Diaspora grandmother of tradition.” literature. Diasporic writing occupies a place Bharati Mukherjee, an Indian born great significance between countries and American writer who explored the internal cultures. Theories are generated and positions culture clashes of her immigrant characters in defined in order to construct new identities the award winning collection “The Middleman which further negotiate boundaries and and other stories “ and in novels like confines that relate to different temporary and “Jasmine,”. In these stories, sometimes with spatial metaphors. Interestingly, the terms anger, often with violence, sometimes comedy, “Diaspora”, “exile”, “alienation”, often with tenderness, Mukherjee gives voice to “expatriation”, are synonymous and possess an the other within North America. ambiguous status of being both a refugee and The theme of expatriation and isolation an ambassador. The chief characteristic features which is handled with such assurance in The of the diasporic writings are quest for identity, Tiger’s Daughter is again treated in her second uprooting , and rerooting. The diasporic writers novel. In Wife, Dimple Dasgupta is married off turn to their homeland for various reasons. For to a young engineer, and soon finds her example Naipaul who is in a perpetual quest for immigrating to America. Darkness is an his roots turns to India for the same. important landmark for Mukherjee. It is in this The diasporic writing have also helped in book, her first collection of stories. Bharati casting a new aura around global India and Mukherjee is a writer who is at her best when have also contributed in building a novel image she draws on her experience of the old world of India aboard. All this helps in strong bond while writing with insight about the new world between various countries and they begin to to which she now belongs. relate through historical, cultural, social, In a 1989 interview, Mukherjee said that she traditional, and economic ties saw herself as an American writer and not an A famous American travelogue says of Indian diasporic one. Bharati Mukherjee’s India, fiction accurately produces the disposition and “India is the cradle of the human race, the temper of current American society as birth place of human speech, the mother of experienced by immigrant in America. It

81 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

engages with the divorce perspective of Her search for identity leads her back to her multiculturalism, post colonialism, and childhood memories against the condition of the globalization. Her novels illustrate cross culture scene from Indian history which gives little crisis. She is one of the finest examples of this consideration for her. Tara restricted with an variety of writing. identity of Bish. Cultural clashes also restricted Desirable Daughter and Tree Bride these some of her life. But she was fright with people two novel mainly focuses on” self identity”,” and proves their self identity. M ukherjee’s self destruction” and “ self discovery”. Her female characters suffer from male domination novels depicts on female subaltern. She is and migration from her own country to another considered marriage as a life time prison she country. The women are ready to fight with opposed with child marriage. Most of the society to get some individual freedom. But families believe marriage is secure to female life many of them don’t consider about women they but its wrong thinks. Marriage is not given full look up on a machine of child breeding and freedom of women. In this novel Tara Lata house workers. Tara was search her own roots married with American citizen but she is in other country and she signifies her own belongs to Indian way of Brahmin family. She culture and customs. Bharati Mukherjee says don’t voice against her marriage because her women are search for freedom in all aspects of father only decided. He is head of the family. their life. Desirable Daughters celebrating both The society people always obey men decisions identity of cultural and identity of women. nobody can interfered. Mukherjee establish seems to establish Indian is “A Bengali girls happiest night is about to a land of spiritual values stability Varity of become her life time imprisonment. It seems all language and tradition. Bharati Mukherjee the sorrow of history, all that is unjust in society discussed with tradition and modernity by the and curial in religious has settled on her.”(pg female protagonist Tara. Tara is belongs to no4) Indian tradition but she adopted modern Desirable Daughter is a brilliant thoughtful tradition. she highly adopted and accommodate novel about three Indian sisters. Parvati and herself both to her Indian way of life Tara who lives as an Indian immigrant in USA. Bharati Mukherjee character suffers from In this novel portrayed female identity. The male empowerment. Even though the female protagonist Tara bored her marriage life she equal to men. In every situations men also accepts her modern American culture but she depends with women. In this novel the wants to prove their own identity in immigrant protagonist wants to live with without help of country. She never adopts with her another men. She moves to her husband. She emphasis culture. Tara had a reason to take divorce from her originality don’t hide with inner thought Bish. She was living her marital life being aloof and feels. as she throes light upon the fact that her As a woman freely express her conflicts. She husband had no time for her as well as she was adopt with modern life so she ready to leads a carrying on the relationship just for formality. life without help of any male in character in her In his Atherton years, as he become better life. In her childhood days Tara’s father marries known on the American scene-a player , an his daughter to a tree because he believes that advisor, a pundit-he also become, at home, only gives spirituality, pure virginity, and more of a traditional Indian. He was spending prospers life. Tara made arrange marriage to fifteen hours a day in office, sometimes longer Bishchaterjee, Tara bored by her marriage so she (82). gets divorce from her husband. She adopted

82 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

with Indian culture but she realize many Tara’s mother immediately offers a contrasting changes in her marriage life. belief, claiming that her home. “The bride name is named Tara Lata, a Tara also shuttles between identities. name we almost share. The name of the father is During the New York visit, Tara thinks,”it was Jai Krishna Gangooly. Tara Lata is five year old wonderful re turning to my native language, and headed deep In to the forest to marry a rediscovering that mocking tone just shy of tree.”(5) aggression”. Tara’s reconstruction of identity is rooted in her nostalgic and romantic recollection of her References past. It is based on flux of her thoughts about 1. Mukherjee, Bharati. Desirable Daughter. the past coming to her mind in the present but New Delhi: Ruba publication Pvt, Ltd, 2015. in fragments, and not whole. She tried to Print. reconstruct her identity through her diasporic 2. https://www.ukessays.com/...Mukherjee,B experience. She was attempting to redefine the harati- Desirable Daughter web26.2018 importance of her cultures through space and 3. Nayak, Bhagabat.”Quest for identity in time. Bharati Mukherjee’s “Desirable Daughters” After the destruction of her son Francisco In postcolonial Indian English Fiction: house, Tara return to India. Reunited with her Critical understanding, ed N.D.R, Chandra parents, she also returns to more culturally New Delhi: Adhayan publishers, 2010, traditional concept of home and community.

83 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

HOMELESSNESS, HYBRIDITY AND HETEROGLOSSIA IN BAPSI SIDHWA’S AN AMERICAN BRAT

Dr.K.Jayanthi HOD of English (SF), Lekshmipuram College of Arts and Science, Neyyoor

Abstract Pakistan’s leading diasporic writer Bapsi Sidhwa was born to Zoroastrain parents, Peshooton and Temina Bhandara, on August 11, 1938, in Karachi and later moved with her family to Lahore. Sidhwa first wrote a couple of short articles about the beauty of the Karakoram Mountains. However, feeling compelled to tell the girls story, she decided to make her first attempt at fiction writing and sat down to write a short story which turned into her first novel. The Pakistani Bride, (1984) Sidhwa after moving to United States and becoming a naturalized U.S citizen, Sidhwa has written An American Brat (1993) which describes the Americanization of a young parsi woman. The present paper brings out the diasporic literature and the Pakistani diasporic writings. The term diaspora carries a sense of displacement that is the population so described finds itself for whatever reason separated from its national territory, and usually its people have a hope, or at least a desire to return to their home land at some point. In an American Brat, Pakistani born novelist Bapsi Sidhwa reveals with a humorous yet incisive eye the exhilarating freedom and profound sense of loss that make up the immigrant experience in America. Normally diaspora fiction lingers over alienation, loneliness, and homelessness, and existential rootlessness, nostalgia, questioning protest and assertions and quest of identity. Sidhwa also express the same ideas in the novel. Sidhwa examines the adventurous life of Feroza in another country. She explore how Feroza learns her individuality in an alien country, and Feroza’s westernizations, which is based on Sidhwa’s own experience when she was migrated to modernized society America from conservative Pakistan society. Sidhwa also brings out the impact of native society on the lives of the immigrant. She portray’s the Feroza’s change over in the suppressed community to the modernized society. This paper highlights the harsh consequences of a woman’s inability to effectively negotiate the transition from the traditional space of home to the public space of the world. It also shows how the suppressed women can achieve their individuality in an alien country.

Introduction The term diaspora carries a sense of Pakistan’s leading diasporic writer Bapsi displacement that is the population so described Sidhwa was born to Zoroastrain parents, finds itself for whatever reason separated from Peshooton and Temina Bhandara, on August 11, its national territory and usually its people have 1938 in Karachi and later moved with her family a hope, or at least a desire to return to their to Lahore. Sidhwa first wrote a couple of short homeland at some point. Some writers have articles about the beauty of the Karakoram noted that diaspora may result in a loss of Mountains. However, feeling compelled to tell nostalgia for a single home as people‘re-root’ in the girls story, she decided to make her first a series of meaningful displacements. attempt at fiction writing and sat down to write In this sense, individuals may have multiple a short story which turned into her first novel, homes throughout their diaspora with different The Pakistani Bride, (1984). Sidhwa after reasons for maintaining some form of moving to United States and becoming a attachment to each. Diaspora cultural naturalized U.S citizen, she has written An development often assumes a different course American Brat (1994) which describes the from that of the population in the original place Americanization of a young parsi woman. of settlement. The last vestige of cultural affiliation in a diaspora is often found in

84 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

community resistance to language change and she takes up the issues like globalization and in maintenance of traditional religious practice. brain-drain from the third world. This novel Normally diaspora fiction lingers over marks her entry into the orbit of diasporic alienation, loneliness, homelessness, existential fiction in which other South Asian novelists rootlessness, nostalgia, questioning protest and have already made a mark. The genius of Bapsi assertions and quest of identity. It also as a writer is better revealed in this novel. An addresses issues related to imagination of American Brat brings out her gift of keen cultures, surprisingly the writer has to relocate observation, heightened sense of story and himself afresh for which he has to undergo character along with her moral vision of her penance such as readjustment, adaptation, Parsi community. In the narrative of An fulfilment and self-imposed ghettoisation. American Brat the protagonist Feroza Ginwalla, Diaspora writing displays its past-modern trait the rebellious daughter of Cyrus and Zareen too. Diaspora as a category has eclipsed various Ginwalla moves from Gulberg, Lahore to other denomination and is a supreme in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A, with her ambitious currency as dollar in international economy. hopes and dreams. The novelist delineates the The present paper brings out the diasporic character of Feroza ‘adapting to an alien culture literature and the Pakistani diasporic writings. and the stress that accures when colliding In An Amercian Brat, Pakistani born novelist cultures clash. On many occasions, Feroza finds Bapsi Sidhwa reveals with a humorous yet herself in an awkard situation whom she fails to incisive eye the exhilarating freedom and understand the naunces of a foreign language. Her roommate Joe teaches her various profound sense of loss that make up the Americanisims. This helps Feroza to grow and immigrant experience in America. Normally make herself fit in a new system. The perennial diaspora fiction lingers over alienation, Parsi problem of inter-faith marriage arises loneliness, homelessness, existential when Feroza wants to marry David Press, an rootlessness, nostalgia, questioning protest and American Jew. assertions and quest of identity. Sidhwa also Coming of age is never easy. Coming of age express the same ideas in the novel. as women is even harder. But coming of age as An American Brat (1994) written after a female immigrant in a foreign country may be Sidhwa immigrated to America follows a the most difficult of all. For many women born sixteen years old Parsi girl named Feroza into societies with restrictive social and political Ginwalla Alarmed by the rising codes, however immigration may be the only fundamentalism of Pakistan in the 1970’s. real way to come of age. In An American Brat Feroza’s mother Zareen, decides to send Feroza Pakistani-born novelist Bapsi Sidhwa reveals to the United States to stay with her uncle. After with a humorous yet incisive eye the an initial culture shock, however, Feroza exhilarating freedom and profound sense of loss decides to remain in America as a college that make up the immigrant experience in student where she falls in love with a young America. Jewish man. Feroza also becomes increasingly In An American Brat almost every word politicized about such issues as gender, and phrase of the native language employed in imperialism and global relations. Zareen, the novel is translated by the writer in a alarmed by Feroza’s newly Americanized Glossary at the end of the novel. For instance attitudes, travels to the United States to retrieve Badmash:Scoundrel, Gura:White, in Urdu, her daughter who Zareen believes has become Heejraeumuchor transvestile. What does such a an ‘American Brat’. translation of individual works do? Bill Ashcroft In this novel Bapsi moves the locale from et al in The Empires Writes Back observe that Pakistan to the United States of American. In it 85 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

such translation of individual words is the most Americanization, which is based on Sidhwa’s obvious and most common authorical intrusion own experience when she was migrated to in cross-cultural texts. Juxtaposing the words in modernized society America from conservative this way suggests that the meaning of a word is Pakistan society. Regarding the theme of the its reference. But the simple matching of words novel, Suman Bala observes: ‘In making this from the native language with its translated issue the central concern of the narrative. version in English reveals the general Sidhwa reveals her awareness of an issue that inadequacy of such as exercises. The moment a has serious ramifications and consequences for word from a native language is juxtaposed with the very existence of the Parsi community’. (84) its referent in English, instead of clarifying the The narrow-mindedness of Feroza becomes meaning, it shows the gap between the word a problem for her parents-Zareen and Cyrus. and its referent. She becomes more orthodox than her mother An American Brat a fine combination of Zareen, though there is a big generation gap. ethnography and autobiography. As a writer Feroza’s mother Zareen is perturbed that her from Parsi Community, Bapsi Sidhwa pits her daughter has adopted a Parsi-like orthodoxy in character against a time period (1970s) creating her attitude and outlook, thereby, making her a within a perspective with which the character misfit in her community. views the world, based on the events of the Hybridity refers in its most basic sense to story. Like the another, the protagonist is the mixture. The term originates from biology and ‘other’ in Pakistan, in more senses than one was subsequently employed in racial theory in ‘othered’, since she is one of the minority the nineteenth century. Its contemporary uses Zoroastrain communities living in Islamic are scattered across numerous academic Pakistan. disciplines and is sailent in popular culture. It In an American Brat Sidhwa exposes the explains the history of hybridity and its major mental, psychological, social and cultural theoretical discussion amongst the discourses of conflicts that the shy conservative Pakistani girl race and Inter Cultural relationship. Hybridity Feroza confronts during the process of her is a cross between two separated races or migration to America. It describes how she gets cultures. A hybrid is something that is mixed uprooted from her ‘mother culture’ and is and hybridity is simple mixture. As an forcibly transplanted in the alien American explicative term, hybridity became a useful tool culture. Feroza is presented as a timid girl at the in forming a fearful discourse of racial mixing beginning of the novel and as the narration that arose towards the end of the eighteenth progresses; Feroza’s movement to American century. America shapes her into a bold and confident Heteroglossia is a concept introduced by woman. Later on, she begins to live her life M.Bakhtin in ‘Discourse in the Novel’ which independently. Her transformation in American refers to the fact that language represents socio- does not occur in a single night but takes several ideological conflicts. It is a combination of years. different ‘languages’ that are in constant Sidhwa’s An American Brat unveils the interaction amongst themselves and in the experiences of Feroza, a Pakistani girl belonging larger framework of society. to the Parsi community, shifted to the United This paper highlights the harsh States by her family to make her modern in consequences of a woman’s inability to approach and outlook. Furthermore the effectively negotiate the transition from the experiences of diaspora can be seen both as traditional space of home to the public space of empowering as well as disempowering for the the world as seen by Bapsi Sidhwa. women. It is a story of a young Parsi girl’s

86 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

FATHERS: A SOURCE OF STIMULUS FOR GIRL CHILDREN IN SHASHI DESHPANDE’S NOVELS

S.Deepa Priyadharsini Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Alagappa University, Karaikudi

Dr.P.Madhan Associate Professor, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Alagappa University, Karaikudi

Abstract Shashi Deshpande a prolific writer in the field of literature always focuses on the predicaments faced by the women of Indian middle class and their empowerment within the traditional boundaries in the name of marriage. Though the writer does not call herself a feminist her works are always focused on the theme of feminism by the critics. The role of patriarchy plays a predominant role in all her works, but when analyzed thoroughly, the relationship between fathers and daughters also have equal importance. Fathers are the inspiration to all protagonists and some minor women characters to pursue their higher education and act as a source of self-confidence in them to overcome the hurdles they face. The novels, here taken up for study are The Dark Holds No Terrors, That Long Silence and A Matter of Time. In all these novels the protagonist’s fathers stay behind their daughters at the time of crisis and give them valuable guidance to boost them up. Though the mothers of the protagonists prohibit their daughters to pursue their education due to the traditional blood that run ceaselessly through their veins, their fathers stand on the side of their daughters opposing all the traditional barriers which prohibits their daughters to enter into the society as an individual. Keywords: Father-Daughter Relationship, Father’s Inspiration, Daughter’s Empowerment

Introduction studying medicine. She thinks as if she is Parents’ love is divine, but the divinity talking to a deaf person. She says “ I felt fades when they start discriminating their own prepared to shake him, beat him, pound him. children in the name of gender. Though they Why did he not speak?” (DHNT 141) Saru had love her children equally, the traditional the thought that her father is faint-hearted hierarchy of India makes them give more person who is acting according to the rules of preference to a boy than to the girl. This force is his wife due to the patriarchy which prevails in India for Saru’s mother warns her father don’t forget, a long time. But there are some parents, despite medicine or no medicine, doctor or no doctor, patriarchy, act as supporting pillars for their you still have to get her married, spend money girls to attain and obtain the destination which on her wedding. Can you do both? Make they long for. The protagonists Saru, Jaya, and yourself a pauper, and will she look after you in Sumi belong to a traditional background. They your old age? Medicine!Five, six, seven…. God struggle at every walk of their, but in every knows how many years. Let her go for a B. stage, their fathers lend their helping hands to Sc…you can get her married in two years and support their daughters to come out of their our response will be over.’(DHNT 144) struggle. But for the first time, her father supports her Saru in The Dark Holds No Terrors faces and let her join in medical college, the first step discrimination right from her childhood days, towards success for Saru. He talks in favor of especially from her mother. Though her father her ignoring his wife. Saru says “ but for the showered more love for his son Dhuruv at the first time he ignored her as I had done and early stage, the situation changes upside down spoke to me, excluding her. Not purposefully, after the demise of Dhuruv. The demise of not intentionally, but as if he did not, could not Dhuruv changes the mind of Saru’s father and see her at.” (DHNT 143) he turns his attention totally on Saru. Saru The company of her father offers her a realizes it when she confesses her wish of chance to understand that no one is responsible 87 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

for the circumstances that happen around; it is naming ceremony of her cousin Nikhil with that only because of the decisions which one takes. of Jesus Christ and Lord Krishna and feels that She revives her relationship with her family only male child gets the adoration. So she says “ members by removing the fear within. I have no right to be here… I feel a parasite… The case of Jaya in That Long Silence differs ‘You don’t know how easy it is to become a from Saru. Jaya’s father wants her to be a parasite… sponging on you.’”(MT 71) These winner always. It brings confidence and hurting words of Sumi make her father to strength in her every step. The lines of Jaya request her to call some of her friends home for which she remembers all the time is “Jaya, the Sumi’s comfort. But when she was in her teens, Winner as papa wanted to make her” (TLS 136). her father never allowed any friends to enter Jaya being a daughter from a modern and into their house especially boys. She even educated family tries to upgrade herself from remembers the words of her father “Remember other typical girls of her age because she just my dignity” (MT 73) when he saw Sumi once wants to keep up her father’s words who often with a boy. We can see a change in the attitude says “You are not like others, Jaya,’... You are in Sumi’s father towards tradition. The man going to be different from others….” (TLS 136). who initially prohibited Sumi from moving Though her father brought her up as an with boys, which he thought is not a part of a individual, the society refuses to look her as an traditional girl allows her to mingle with friends individual. But the supporting and enthusiastic after seeing her dilapidated condition. words of her father lingers in her mind and that Another character Surekha, a lawyer finds helps to a great extent to vanquish the problems inspiration from her father only. She was that her husband creates. advised by her father to read the story of A Matter of Time, a totally different novel Nahusha, a mythical character in The talks about the step by step improvement in the Mahabharata, which tells that “every revolution status of women, where men act both as carries within it the seed of its own destruction. supports as well as opponents. Kalyani, who One oppression only replaces other.” (MT 214) belongs to the second generation is partially She confesses that she is a feminist, and she educated. Her father wants her to become an believes, a change is needed for women, but at engineer, but due to some intrusion from a boy the same time she denies the argument of Manorama, Kalyani’s mother refuses to allow feminists “a man is responsible for his Kalyani to go to school. Immediately she family.”(MT 214) Because she thinks, rejection arranges her marriage with her brother Shripati of patriarchy is the rejection of all things based not only to escape from the boy’s attention but on patriarchy. also to safeguard her family property. Her By delving deep into the selected novels the father’s dream of making his daughter the first researcher finds out that men, though they woman engineer in the country shatters into project themselves as sore in front of their pieces. Property ruins Kalyani’s life. Here we wives, they are truly sweet for their girl witness the spirit of the father who strives hard children. to make her daughter, an engineer. But the irony is that Kalyani’s mother being a woman References remains a block for Kalyani’s education. 1. Deshpande, Shashi. A Matter of Time. (New Sumi the protagonist of this novel, after the Delhi: Penguin Books India Ltd., 1996) desertion from her husband, takes shelter in her 2. ______. The Dark Holds No Terrors. (New father house. She feels like a parasite in her Delhi: Penguin Books India Ltd., 1990) father’s house because she knew that parent’s 3. ______. That Long Silence. (New Delhi: property belongs to sons. She compares the Penguin Books India Ltd., 1989)

88 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF WOMEN IN THE NOVELS OF ANITA NAIR

I.Ilakkiya M.Phil. English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Mr.S.Arunkumar Assistant Professor in English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Abstract This paper seeks to focus primarily on the psychological exploration of inner mind of Indian women in the novels written by an Indian writer in English. There is a need and relevance to dwell briefly on some of the novels on Anita Nair to study the aggressive nature of her women characters and their significance with a view to substantiating this issue. Physical behavior which is threatening or involves harm to someone or something or behaving in an angry and violent way towards another is one sort of aggression. Keywords: Women characters, Aggressive Nature.

Introduction man, woman and Nature, and between Anita Nair describes situations or events in individual man and society. The image of which characters are hurt or killed, because of woman is central two the writings of literature the aggressive nature of characters in her all over the world. Women have inspired novels. In the past, men tend to be more literature and have themselves been its central aggressive than women. But in the novels of theme. Anita Nair, reality is presented to show how Anita Nair describes hoe the Indian women women characters in her novels are aggressive. are exploited even in the modern times both by Women are expressing opinions strongly and individuals and society and she emphasizes the demanding attention or action very forcefully. It need for creating awareness in women. Her is an attack on the male dominated society-a female protagonists are aware of the injustice sort of dilution they make to weaken their meted out to them in marriage. They boldly domination. walk out of their homes when she finds man not This paper aims at studying the image of fit to be an equal partner, till such parterns are women’s aggressive nature at social, familial ready such womens will get weaker in and financial level. Women are represented as loneliness. She also examines the concept of incarnation of Sakthi in legends and great epics, chastity and the hypocritical attitudes which the to illustrate her aggressive and assertive nature Indian society has developed towards on the world. Their existence and life in this aggressive women. Anita Nair shows how her world is many faceted. She plays the role of a female character break away from their mother, sister, wife and daughter and there is unhappy marital bonds, taking a strong stand an extreme kind of domination on social, against vital human and familiar relationships. familial, financial bodies. Anita Nair has emerged as a very A woman is lovable creature of God, to interesting story-teller through her two novels balance man. Naturally, women are physically ‘The Better Man’ and ‘The Ladies Coupe’. Her and mentally weak, because of their staying novels also portrays without the least inhibition power. But they suddenly express their feeling the complex problems faced by the educated and for that she is spoiled during a fight against women who lead lives outdoors and large gyno- her counterpart. Anita Nair concerns men, centric with women protagonists occupying the women, nature, real life and social convention ‘centre’ of narrative.They present the problems which explore the inter relationship between faced by women who work and live with men

89 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

in contemporary society. Anita Nair presents and pampered wife she was forced to undergo women protagonists who find ultimate even an abortion which she does not in the least, fulfillment in either marital or in sexuality her being to hate him. So Margaret Shanthi gratifying men of the choice. turns her life in a hostile way. Anita Nair’s characters are also liberated; Marikolanthu comes from a poor her women seem to liberal where sexuality is background. Her mother works as a cook at a concerned, even tending to border on the chettiar house hold. She is also employed to permissive. But they are all women leading look after sujata Akka’s son. She adores the quite healthy lives, capable of making the child and shows much affection while hating much-needed adjustments in their personal her own child Muthu. Muthu is the result of a lives with characteristics realism and rape at the hands of Murugesan. The turning intelligence. In short, she summarizes the point in her life comes very soon, when she sees emerging trends prevalent amongst the urban the dead body of Murugesan burning at a pyre. cream of the crop women who are on the verge She sees Muthu, she feels shocked at the of breaking their age-old, custom-venerated realization that she feels guilty over her own shackles of life. child. At last she decides to look after him and Janaki, is one of the characters of ‘Ladies make up to him for all she had lost. Coupe’, gets married to Prabhakar.She has Marikolanthu suffers from an extreme kind of enjoyed forty years of married life. At first, her repression, social, familial and financial. husband wanted to control everybody. She felt Aggressively, she hated that filthy animal, like launching a revolt against him whenever Murugesan. her husband was in a nasty mood. She felt “a Prabha Devi’s life has been comfortable as a queer rage uncoils within her” and bursts out pampered young daughter of a wealthy family. “you just want to control him. you want to She is married into a rich family of Jagadesh control everybody. You want everybody to do and enjoys her role as a wife and a daughter-in- your bidding. ’’Janaki takes her husband in her law. Her trip to New York makes her crave to hands, to control him aggressively, because be like those women with swinging hair and a women were weak in the past, strong at present, confident stride. She is very much aware of her to restrain man. The modern women control physical appearance. She feels that the everything and even the family with the help of pregnancy will result in the ruin of her beauty. her strength. Thus, Janaki aggressively When she meets Pramod, a friend of her controlled her husband and family. husband she is ready to make love with Margaret Shanthi goes through several him.Pramod goes home thinking her to be “one physical, mental and spiritual crises in life. She of those women and she feels jolted out of her keeps on changing till she reaches a state where artificial world”. It is then she completely she feels happy. Her marriage to Ebenezer changes and forgets her beauty and charm and Paulraj is like a fairy tale wedding. She initially starts enjoying her life with Jagadesh. Even a says ‘yes’ to whatever her husband asks and the woman can be ready to face any sort of he starts controlling her completely. She is obstacles she will face. forced to do B.Ed. though she to do Ph.D. she Anjana the wife of Ravindran gets has to do whatever her husband bids her to. He introduced to Mukundan. Mukundan suddenly becomes more and more overbearing after he feels that his wife about to blossom to start an becomes the principal of the local school. He affair with Anjana, to start living as husband begins to irritate her and find fault in her and wife. She has decided to banish her housekeeping and cooking .Being a beautiful husband because of his impotency, from her life

90 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

forever and starts to do the divorce proceedings. of an insincere lover. The woman who makes a Having that in mind, she forgives Mukundan’s better choice walks in the right path. trespassers and accepts him in life. Man’s All these characters assert their approach towards another woman other than individuality after having led difficult lives with his wife has been justified in real patriarchal. It men in their aggressive lives. Having gone shows his aggressive nature. Now the women through the vile way of life they all develop a protagonists in her novels take it their right to strong of confidence to decide their lives live, to live happily and when circumstances positively or negatively. Their lives prove the forbid them, she can go to the extent of violating fact that women are not weak creatures or the so called morality and code of conduct as pitiable victims but they can achieve everything developed by the same irrational men. Breach of they need, all by themselves; even without the morals is a sort of aggression, to find an identity help of man. But one should impart a role to for her. Women are tending to be more their conscience. aggressive than usual as they began to give importance to their own self. She has lived for References others sacrificing much to be called altruistic. 1. Nair, Anita. Mistress. New Delhi: Penguin Now she is ego centric to be called aggressive. books India, 2005. Meenakshi is one of the characters of Anita 2. Nair, Anita. Ladies Coupe. New Delhi: Nair, cousin to Mukundan to share her thoughts Penguin books, 2001.Print. with him in her youth; they used to be close to 3. Nithyanandham, Indira.”A Post-colonial each other. As for Meenakshi, she is forbidden Reading of Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe”. to go wandering around the fields with Indian Writing in English: Perspectives .Ed. Mukundan. He shall entertain a secret plan to Joya Chakravarty. New Delhi: Atlantic escape. Slowly and steadily she begins to be publishers and Distributors, 2003. fade away from his memory. Meenakshi falls in 4. Singh, Savita. ’’Repression, Revolt and love with Balan, the Kathakali dancer, after Resolution Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe”. The sometimes. In modern times,a woman has the Quest 16.2(December 2002):28-35. power to discern and decide upon who her partner should be, ignoring the enticing words

91 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

EXISTENTIAL ELEMENTS IN THE NOVELS OF MITCH ALBOM

V.Kalaimaithi M.Phil. English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women (Autonomous), Villupuram

R.Shobia Assistant Professor, Theivanai Ammal College for Women (Autonomous), Villupuram

Abstract Existentialism refers to people are free and responsible for their own action, which is portrayed in Mitch Albom’s novels through the experience of people in an extraordinary world. Therefore, the individual must find or create meaning him or herself. There are various existentialistic elements such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, passion, dread, angst, authenticity etc. all these are presented in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper and For One More Day. The novel The Time Keeper has the theme of loneliness, anxiety and passion also. These themes are portrayed through the character of Dor. In this novel, Dor is trying to measures God’s greatest gift. So he punishes into the cave for six thousand years. After that he suffered by loneliness and isolation. Then the novel For One More Day exposes the theme of depression and anxiety. The protagonist Charley Benetto is depressed due to his mother’s death. So that he lost everything in his life. From these novels human feelings are explained in this paper. Thus this paper focuses on the existential elements in the novels of Mitch Albom.

Introduction rather than Nim. Still, no one is respect to his Existential Elements in the Novels of Mitch knowledge and his curiosity. Everyone make Albom him to be in anxious. There is no one equal with In Ancient period, people don’t know the his knowledge and they are not motivated him. meaning of time. Even they don’t the word So, he feels alone and worried a lot due to ‘time’. In the novel The Time Keeper, the loneliness. This novel shows anxiety and protagonist named Dor tries to measure time. loneliness elements. So that, he suffers a lot. In his childhood period, “Did you really play with him when you he is obedient child and knowledge person. He were a boy?” his son asked (17). One day, Dor, is different from others. So he feels lonely. His Alli and their children, they are walking near mind is going deeper than those around him. the tower side which belongs to Nim. Nim has He always counting something what he could. many slaves who are building this new tower He has two friends named Nim and Alli. They which is very high. It may reach the heaven. are spent their most of time in hillside. Whatever person crossed this tower, they are While his father is beating him, his mother staring it which is amazing one to people. That is cried. She looks over his work and feels for time, Dor’s son compares him with his friend him. She thinks that why God has left him like Nim. There is a lot of difference between Dor this. His mother is compared him with his and Nim. Nim is a King but Dor is an ordinary childhood friend named Nim. When Nim was person in the village. Nim is very rich and who child, he is a poor. His father is bricks maker, has many properties, but he has nothing who is help to his father. He improves his belonged to him. Nim has many slaves but Dor status, now he is a King. Nim is responsible for has no other people rather than his family. So his higher position, because he works very hard that, his son may ask the question that, Dor with his father. But there is no development really played with Nim when they were a boy. regarding to the position of Dor. So that, Dor’s This question make him upset and felt mother asks him that, why he couldn’t be more uncomfortable. All children can be feel, their like Nim. Everybody is not treats him in good father is first and real hero in their life. But manner. Actually, he is very intelligent person where Dor’s son is snubbed and under estimate

92 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

his father. He is ashamed in front his children are.” She coughed up blood. He wiped it away. and wife. He is thought about how much “Dor?” “My love?” “Ask the gods for help.” (37) difference between Nim and his life. Nim’s life Dor was praying for her. Even he never is totally changed. Dor worried for there is no prayed before. He wanted to keep the world any improvement in his life. dark. Then, he will have enough time to find the When he is not appreciated to Nim’s invite, Asu who was medicine man. He can cure Alli. Nim is ordered him to leave the city. He is He was dreaded when he sure the change of shocking and stunned when he heard these colors on the horizon. He angered and hated his words from Nim’s mouth. He couldn’t realize, knowledge. When the sun rose, he was crying whether it is happening in real or dream. Of and he begun to run form morning to midday course, they are very close friend when they sun. He climbed the tower for find God and to were child. Some people, when their position is make time stop. The bottom of the tower melted changed, their character also will be changed away. The top burst into flame. Now he was in easily. When the close or beloved person is the cave. He was afraid. He was imprisoned for treated very badly like a third person, it will six thousand years. God may punish him to hurt heavily in their heart. That is happening measure a time. He wept. The tears poured into there. Nim is throwing him out from the heart his finger. The tears gathered and forming a within a second. But Dor couldn’t take this pool of blue on the rocky floor. The old man easily. His heart is broken into two pieces and appeared who gave task to him. Dor would which make heavy weight in his heart. He is teach two people about time. Then, he will worried because no one respected to his reach the earth. He heard the two voices. One knowledge and they are not tried to understand was Sarah, other was victor. his passion. Everyone is humiliated him. “He is Sarah is teenage girl. Every Saturdays, She a great and powerful king,” Dor’s father said. is serviced to homeless people. Where, she Dor looked down. Nim was the reason they meets Ethan. He is senior to her in school. His were living in exile (30).Dor’s father brings the uncle had the food company. He is distributing food for them. He told him about Nim’s tower. food to homeless people. Then they becomes His father praises Nim and compares with him. friend. He was charming and he was a play boy. Dor is feeling and irritating, because Nim is the He told her, they will meet next week in his only reason for they are living alone without uncle hut house. So she was very excited to see their family. him. They fixed time at 8.30 pm. She mumbled More than three years passed since their 8.30 again and again. She told nothing to her banishment. After some days, he hears Alli’s mother, when her mother asked where she was cough. Quickly her cough grew harsher and she going. She reached the hut house. They were also very weak. She is fainted while she is drink and kissing each other and pulled them. preparing a meal. He thinks it is spread from That is happen again and again. their neighbor. When she is in death condition, When she decided to present the gift to him, Dor is worried. Because she is a only companion she sends a message, he is not reply. She called to him from the childhood to till now. He him. He comes very late. She gives the present couldn’t imagine his life without her. She is only and told him, she loves him. He is not accept world to him. He has being in guiltiness for her her love and gave back the gift. Then he is trouble. talking with new girl in phone. Sarah is “I do not want to die,” she whispered. “you depressed. She come to home. For five days, she will not die.” “I want to be with you.” “You was in her room with same dress. Her mother goes to the New Year party. Sarah was anxiety

93 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

when she saw the face book. Ethan posed with after Chick invested his money to a woman in other girl. And he is criticized Sarah. So Sarah is one of the companies in his town. But Chick depressed. She drinks alcohol so much. Then was deceived by that woman so that he should she gets into the car. She closes the mirror. She loss his money. Then, it made Chick became cannot breath, because there is no oxygen. Her depress. He drank the alcohol which in time got blood filled with carbon monoxide. She is him fired from his two jobs. The following dying. From the cave, Dor saw everything. quotation shows depress when he got divorce Dor carried Sarah and Victor into the cave. with Catherine which caused by money Through the power of magical hourglass, he can problem. “Money became a problem; Catherine pause the world. Dor showed the future to and I fought constantly about it. And, overtime, Sarah and Victor. Dor showed her, Ethan was our marriage collapsed. She grew tired of my not felt for her. After few days, he came to his misery and I can’t say I blame her. When you’re uncle’s hut house. Then like Sarah aged girl rotten about yourself, you become rotten to came. Where they were drinking and playing. everyone else, even those you love (4).” Now the setting was changed. They were in the One day, he is received a letter from his place where homeless people were lined to only daughter Maria. The letter is informed him food. One old man asked about Sarah and he that his only daughter has married a guy, whom prayed for her. Then he showed her mother he hasn’t even met before, just a few days ago how her mother felt for her. Eventually Sarah he is saddened of the fact that his daughter realized her mistake. doesn’t ask for his permission and neither he is Now they were in cryonics warehouse. not invited to the event. It is also uncovered that Victor body was lifted into the fiber glass. Grace letter has no returning address, which made followed and hiding herself. She was seeing him felt even worse thinking that his family what was happening there. Victor saw how his doesn’t want him to know where they are wife worried for him. Then Dor told his story currently staying. Maria’s parents’ divorce how he was suffered in the cave for six drifted her apart from her father. She also grew thousand years without his family, wife and his a perspective that her father wasn’t as children. He mentioned nothing special in more important as he was before. Apparently, she life time. Victor realized his decision is wrong. didn’t even include her father to her wedding For One More Day is the story about family plan. Which one makes him depressed and and Charley’s attempted suicide. Charley is a stimulate to commit suicide. man who got the chance to spend one more day He decided to commit suicide after he lost with his mother, who died eight years ago. all of his family and he lived alone in his When his mother dead he was not with her. He apartment. He has tried to kill himself went to match, who was a baseball player. He repeatedly, but he always failed. The following was more affection with his mother, so he can’t quotation reveals this. “I lowered my head. I take his mother’s death easily. After his would not be missed. I took two running steps, mother’s death, his life changed totally. He grabbed the railing, and hurled myself over”. became depress due to his mother’s death. So This quotation shows that Chick wanted to that he drinks alcohol heavily and not attached commit suicide. He wanted to end his life by with his wife Catherine and his daughter Maria. jumping from the water tower in pepperville Money problem can also be the cause of Beach, the town in which he grown up. one’s divorce. It can be seen in this novel in After he is arrived the house in the which Charley (Chick) should get divorced with Pepperville Beach, he saw once again his dead his wife, Catherine. This problem happened mother sand recollected his past life. Charley’s

94 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

mother informed him that his father left and Nothing is special in more life time without was never come back. His parent got divorced, familiar. and divorces were very uncommon situation in Now-a-days people give more importance the 1950’s and 1960’s. In fact Charley and to their emotion which plays a major role in all Roberta his little sister were as the only children human beings. They are not ready to accept the with divorced parents in town, adults began to nature of reality. So that they will face a lot of treat Charley and Roberta, differently which problem like depression, anxiety, guiltiness, one affected his life. stress, tension and also they took a wrong Posey is depressed after she marries with decision instead of right one. For example, in Len. There is a problem which is the differences the novel For One More Day, Charley cannot take in a couple’s culture and beliefs. In this story, his mother dead easily. So he became alcoholic Posey was a described as a French protestant man. He has lost his job, family everything. while Len was an Italian catholic. With Len Even he was not invited to his daughter’s being a catholic, they always argued on an marriage. So he took a decision to commit image of Christ, which was hung up by the suicide. He thought that it is a right one. Too bathroom. And when Len returns back from much of emotion leads a life failure. Every work, immediately he would become furious of human has obstacle in their own life. Even not seeing what he has previously hung by the though they faced many problem but they bathroom. Chick was anxious and felt forget their sorrows and lead their happy lives uncomfortable when he saw his parent who with children. From these two novels, always fighting with each other. Characters teach the other people through their After all his experiences met his mother experience that impulsive and postponement dead, he woke up and found himself at hospital never allowed to leads a harmonious life. cause of accident. He is ashamed for trying to commit suicide. He realized that life is precious. References After the incident, he never drank alcohol again 1. Albom, Mitch. For One More Day. Sphere : and lived better. Charley believed that United States, 2006. Print. somewhere between life and death his mother 2. Albom, Mitch. The Time Keeper. Sphere: found time to give him one more day with him. United States, 2012. Print. He believed that his mother had saved his life. 3. “Depression and Suicide.” Health and Home Dor has a curiosity to know something new. 36.4 (1995): 12-15. He gave more importance to his passion than 4. Flynn, R. Thomas. Existentialism: a Very Short his personal life. He did not consider how his Introduction. Oxford: USA, 2006. Print. personal life was important. So that he faced 5. Ginott, Haim. Between Parent and Child. 1965. lots of problem. Now-a-days, people have this New York : The Macmillan Compan, 1971. kind of mind set. If they need something, they 6. Miller, Erin Collazo. Rev. of Book :For One have more concentration only on the particular More Day, by MitchAlbom. 26 Nov, 2017. matter. But they did not consider others who around them. Sarah was very sensitive. She 7. Zipp, Yvonne. Rev. of Book World: The Time cannot accepted, Ethan was rejected her. So she Keeper, by Mitch Albom. 11 sep. 2012. attempted suicide. Victor wants more life time. 8. < https://www.washingtonpost.com> He was trying to cheat and postpone his death. But, Postponement never gives a good solution.

95 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

FABULISM IN CHITRA BANERJEE’S “THE CONCH BEARER”

S.Kowsalya M.Phil. English, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Ms.R.Shobia Assistant Professor, Theivanai Ammal College for Women, Villupuram

Abstract The paper is about “Fabulism or Magical Realism” in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel The Conch Bearer. This novel takes from the series of The Brotherhood Conch. Three series respectively, Book I The Conch Bearer, Book II The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming, and Book III Shadowland. This paper focused on fantasy elements like levitation, telepathy, and telekinesis, which help to encompass modern political realities that can be phantasmagorical. The existence of fantasy elements in the real world provides the basis for magical realism. The protagonists of this series are dual heroes. One is Anand, who is twelve-year-old boy, lives in modern India, as a waiter. Another one is Nisha, who is the same age of Anand, lives as a sweeper girl. Main characters are Master Abhaydatta, Surabhanu. Their Adventure lives starts with the tiny Conch shell with extraordinary power of magic. Keywords: Magical realism, Animorphism, Telepathy, and Telekinesis

Introduction (1990), Black Candle (1991), and Leaving Yuba Overseas Indian Diaspora is otherwise City: Poems and edited two volumes of known as non-resident Indian. The people live readings: Multitude: Cross-Cultural Reading for outside the Republic of India. Diaspora Writers (1993). Her second novel is Sister of My literature has its roots in the sense of loss and Heart (1998). alienation, which emerged as a result of Fabulism or Magical Realism, the term migration. The first Indian writing in English is descended from the German phrase magischer attributed to Dean Mohamed. Writers like see realismus, introduced by Franz Roh in his book Prasad Naipaul and Shiva Naipaul, V.S. Nach-Expressionismus (Magischer Realismus): Naipaul, Cyril Dabydeen, David Dabydeen, Probleme derneuesten Europaischen Malerei, Sam Selvon, M.G. Vassanji, Subramanian, K.S. published in 1925. A kind of modern fiction in Manisam, and Marina Budos are important which fabulous and fantastical events are contribution in this field. Contemporary notable included in a narrative that otherwise maintains Indian diasporic writers like, Bharati the ‘reliable’ tone of objective realistic report. Mukherjee, Shauma Singh Baldwin, Jumpa The term has been extended to works from very Lahiri, Anujana Appachana, Anita Nair, Anita different culture, designating a tendency of the Rao Badami, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and so modern novels. Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s on. Children have been described as magic realist Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, a short story novels along with Angela Carter’s Nights at the writer, poet, novelist, and essayist. She was Circus. The fantastic attributes given to born in 1953 in Calcutta. She also grew up characters in such novels---levitation, flight, bilingual in Bengali and English, and earned her telepathy, telekinesis---are among the means decorate in English literature from the that magic realism adopts in order to University of California, Berkeley (1984). She encompass the phantasmagoric political published a collection of short stories, Arranged realities of the 20th century. Marriage, in 1995. Her first novel, The Mistress Chitra Divakaruni’s novel The Conch Bearer of Spices, published in 1997. Divakaruni has is a kind of modern fiction. In which fabulous published four collections of poetry, Dark Like and fantastical events are included in the the River (1987), The Reason for Nasturtiums narrative style. This novel is an adventurous, 96 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

mysterious and thought provoking tale. Chitra’s In J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter is a series of writings are simple and free flowing technique, fantasy novels, which is dealt with the life of which is helps to read by her young readers. Harry Potter. He is an English boy, who lives Chitra Divakaruni’s novels were always based with his aunt. His magical adventure life was on Indian modern society life style. Here The discovers at the age of eleven, before lives in Conch Bearer novel, she picturized perfectly non-magical world. He went to a wizard for and clearly brings out the magic that would be learning magic and becomes a student at in the realistic tone. She shows the poor life and Hogwarts schools of witchcraft and wizardry in the troubles of adult mind and also mixing Scotland. In the same way Anand was also fantasy and realism on the modern world. discovers at the age of twelve by the old The protagonist of a novel, Anand, who was Abhaydatta, Master Healer. twelve years young boy working in the tea stall “Then I could make Meera better, and we as a waiter in the city of Kolkata. His father left could see where father was, and if he was all them for a job in Dubai, but his father stopped right”, he said. (4) Anand’s hopes and dreams to send money order, before few months ago. comes true, when he meets Abhaydatta, Master Anand and his mother forced to work and Healer of Silver Valley, who was posses extra struggle to keep a shacks roof over their heads. ordinary powers with him. Anand’s life would Anand’s sister has had a breakdown and ill change as an Adventurous and mysterious one. health condition. He was working in the tea Once the old man Abhaydatta, appears with stall, where he ill treated by his owner Haru. ragged cloth bag hung from his shoulder, who “For Anand, she had bought a book__ looks like a beggar man in the eyes of Anand. So because books were what he liked the most. It that Anand offers a glass of tea and stale pooris, was titled Persian Fairy Tales. He had spent which is Anand’s morning breakfast. His many blissful hours reading about a apple, that kindness was admired by the old man who could cure you of any disease if you smelled it chooses Anand to replace the Conch in rightful once…” (3-4) place. Abhaydatta traced him at the night time, Here Divakaruni Portrayed Anand’s deep when he returned to house. Anand started to inner desires and dreams on the magic, he spoke with the stranger old man who follows believes it, which is existed in the real world. him in the street. From his childhood itself, he was interested on “From his bag, the old man pulled out a the Fantastic Tale and believes on magical tools cloth in which something was wrapped. “Just like, magic apple, mirror, and so on. When he for a moment,” he said. The conch’s energy is so started to read the fantasy stories, his mother potent…” (36) Here Divakaruni discovers the encourage him to read it. From the beginning of magical power has had in the small Conch shell, the novel Divakaruni shows Anand’s desires which was protected by the Master Healers in and his quest for magic. Commonly children the Silver Valley. In the same way, J.K. would like to have some super powers, with it Rowling’s Harry Potter series first novel, Harry they wants to fly like a bird, and some magical potter and the Philosopher stone, which was hidden and seek play. Human beings are portrayed his quest to regain and gain the always searching for their desires and power of the Philosopher’s stone that bestows destination, but they couldn’t alive with peace everlasting life and turns any metal into pure and satisfaction at their present lives. Anand gold. The Conch shell has an ability to speak, often thoughts to change his present poor life of with whom it posses or had. That tiny shell, mother. such a thing child can picked it, which was shows its full power to whomever believing the

97 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

magic. Otherwise the Conch never shows it, old man Abhaydatta on his way, but he didn’t even its shape. Anand believed the magical find him at any place. He stood on the edge of things that would be existed in the world. the main street, without any hope to find the old “What’s this, old man?” he heard his mother man. At that time, the girl was singing cry. “What are you doing with that dirty piece something with cute voice. She looks like a of bone wrapped in a rag? Is that how you same age group of Anand. He gave a pleasant hypnotized my son? Well, it won’t work on smile on her, but she didn’t consider him. Even me!” (43) she didn’t know her name, because she was an Abhaydatta took out the Conch from his rag, orphan girl. Her boss offers food, stayed at the for the sack of Anand’s mother. But his mother same shop, even in the bad weather condition. didn’t believe any kind of magic and she “Once on the main street, the girl threw her thought that it is a kind of black magic, that broom under the soft-drink stall and hurried could seems like a dirty piece of bone. It will be into the post office, which was bustling with mesmerizing the children. So she started to cries clamoring customers and the loud, metallic the act of Abhaydatta. ringing of the change machines. Anand “Our Meera!” he said to her. “She’s cured!” followed, mystified.” (56) That poor orphan girl His mother nodded, smiling, wiping at her helps Anand to lead him to find Abhaydatta. eyes. “Yes, thanks be to God! At first I didn’t Both the characters are fought and fun with the dare to believe it, but it’s true. She has been old man, when they find him as soon. These chattering away ever since she woke me up.” three people had a good companionship, the old “Then the old man__?” (49) man lead them with happy to the Silver Valley. Anand’s sister Meera, who was two years Abhaydatta also teach him upcoming old child. The terrible things happened in dangerous by the satanic figure of Surabhanu in Meera’s life. She was a witness for roadside the way of replacing the Conch. When they murder and also becomes mad. The old man reached Sialdah station, he suspected by the Abhaydatta found the reason for her madness, ticket checker. Anand suddenly escaped by the with his power. Abhaydatta also had the power help of strange old man and as his nephew’s of remembrance and forgetting. That magical son. The strange old man wasn’t Abhaydatta. power helps to cure Meera’s breakdown. Finally He offered several kinds of food that was Meera’s mother believes the power of magic Anand’s favourite one. Meanwhile Nisha and allowed Anand to go as a assistant to shouting and gesturing outside train and stand journey with Abhaydatta. on the platform, but Anand doesn’t hear the “Each of the Healers of the Silver Valley is words of Nisha. trained in many arts. But according to each The expression on the old man’s face had one’s temperament, he develops one special changed, so that instead of a smile, there was power. Mine is the power of remembrance and now a sneer on it (6). An old stranger man’s forgetting.” (38) Here Chitra Divakaruni made a appearance was changed, his voice becomes turning point of the novel, The Conch Bearer, young and hard, his face was clear and which was started with mysterious and unwrinkled. Nisha tried to help Anand to Adventurous life of Anand. Each and every escape from that stranger, but it doesn’t works. chapter has had some surprise and thrilled one. “I see that Abhaydatta tried to teach you a Abhaydatta promises him to waiting for his rhyme of protection!” the man said. “But he arrival and leave him. After Anand’s mother’s didn’t do too good a job of it, did he? Not that it permission to go with Abhaydatta, he prepare could have saved you from my power, the for his journey. At one point, Anand search that power of Surabhanu!” (69).

98 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Anand shivered, when see that stranger’s magical power becomes weaken by Abhaydatta. cold laugh. He comes to know, that stranger Likewise Anand and Nisha met so many was really that evil Surabhanu, whom he was obstacles in their mysterious journey. Finally, Abhalydatta as already told them that when Anand reaches the Silver Valley to return Surabhanu was one of the Healer of Silver the conch shell he undergoes a moral test. They Valley. He tries to capture The Conch shell from faced the magical creatures like giant apes, Abhaydatta. Surabhanu with the help of his tentacle, snake and so on. Together with his magical power, come to know the friend Nisha, Anand embarks on what may be companionship of Abhaydatta and children. his most dangerous mission in his attempt to “The tentacle moved caressingly along his restore the conch to its rightful place, and his face and cheekbones. Was the same thing home to its original splendor. happening to the girl? Anand wasn’t able to Through this novel Chitra Divakaruni turn his head to look. Anand wasn’t able to turn shows the Indian myths and contemporary his head to look. The tentacle had paused on his concerns as well as external human issues. An lips. Its fat, moist feel made him want to scream ordinary events and things are created an or throw up in disgust. But he was powerless to extraordinary manner with the elements of do either” (71). magical realism. Moreover if the man believes Here Divakaruni views, Animorphism in that the magical things happen in the real this chapter through the character of world, it will occurs in their own life. It Surabhanu. As a human being Surabhanu, had a incorporates thoughts, emotions, dreams, power of transformation of his likes and wish. myths, and imagination. Now the evil natured Surabhanu took a shape of Tentacle to attacks and captured the young References boy Anand. Anand struggled to escapes from 1. Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. The Conch Surabhanu and also scared about his power of Bearer. New Delhi: India Ink, 2008. Print. magic. Anand feels burden on his head, because 2. An oxford Guide Literary Theory and that tentacle Surabhanu moves towards the Criticism. New York: Oxford University window side but outside people couldn’t hear Press, 2006. Print. the voice of Anand. He was close the eyes 3. Bowers, Maggie Ann. Magic (al) Realism. without hope, Nish doesn’t had power of magic London: Routledge, 2004. Print. to help him. At the time Anand heard the voice 4. Chanady, Amaryll. Magical Realism and The of sweet colored lozenges seller from the side of Fantastic: Resolved Versus Unresolved railway platform. Surabhanu finds the voice of Antinomy. New York: Garland, 1985 Print. candy seller, that it is the master magician Abhaydatta, who spell the magical words and breakdown the magical boundary of Surabhanu and enter into the compartment. So that his

99 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

FEMINISTIC APPROACH IN ALICE CHILDRESS’S WEDDING BAND: A LOVE/HATE STORY IN BLACK AND WHITE

A.Shahitha Begum Guest Lecturer, English Department, Thiruvalluvar University, PG Extension Centre, Villupuram

Abstract Alice Childress was an American playwright, actor, and author, acknowledged as the only African- American woman to have written, produced, and published plays for four decades. Childress was known for realistic stories that posited the enduring optimism of black Americans. The play Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White focuses on South Carolina’s anti- miscegenation laws and an unfashionable tragedy of American interracial relationship between two lovers, Julia, a black seamstress with Herman, a white baker. The present article analyzes the characters performance occurs that lays at the centre of a feministic approach of the play. In addition to, Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex has been applied for feministic views. The women characters live in poverty, which is depicted by the circumstances of their homes. The paper gives the stand point of Julia’s problems are not only the miscegenation laws, rather, her isolation from the black community, especially the community of woman stands at the heart of the play. Keywords: Feministic Approach, Miscegenation laws, Black Community, Interracial.

Introduction multidimensional, Childress became a Feminism is a collection of movements frontrunner in the development of African aimed at defining, establishing and defending American theatre and a novelist of significant equal political, economic and social rights and merit. In all of her works Childress’s major equal opportunities for women. It is mainly concern is with the difficulties of white and focused on women’s issues, but because black relationship and she focuses on racial feminism seeks gender equality, some feminists inequities and social injustices, featuring argue that men’s liberation is therefore a African American female characters. necessary part of feminism and that men are also harmed by sexism and gender roles. Female Vocalizations Feminists are persons whose beliefs and Wedding Band: A Love/Hate story in Black and behaviors are based on feminism. White describes a period when demands for Third World feminism is often referred to as equality are repressed by lynching and when postcolonial feminism. It is a form of feminist interracial marriage is not legally possible in the philosophy which centers the idea that racism, Jim Crow society of 1918. The play takes place colonialism and the long lasting effects of on the tenth anniversary of Julia and her white colonialism in the postcolonial setting are lover, Herman. The setting is a small backyard inextricably bound up with the unique tenement to which Julia has moved because of gendered realities of non-white, and non the negative reactions that she has received western women postcolonial feminists criticize from the inhabitants of other regions. She has western feminists because they have a history of violated both state laws and social mores of the universalizing women’s issues, and their working class by having a relationship with a discourse are often misunderstood to represent white man. women globally. Julia is a thirty five year old black Alice Childress possessing great discipline, seamstress with an eighth grade education. She power, substance, wit and integrity, she stands seems to be a different lack woman among her out as a writer who was always a step ahead of neighbours because of her aloofness from their her contemporaries. Peopling her works with daily conversations and her extraordinary characters who are challenging, innovative and relationship with a white man. She ends up with defying the white community at the same 100 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

time as she can never be completely integrated voice down throws money at his fest. with that society even if she can marry Herman Commenting, legally in north. And when she realizes this fact, JULIA. Get out of my house! Beneath she turns to her own people and becomes a contempt, that’s what you are. whole with them. BELL MAN. Don’t be lookin’ down your As wedding opens, Julia sleeps on her bed nose at me … actin’ like you Mrs. Martha in the new house while a little girl her yard Washington … Throwin’ one chicken – shit weeping about a quarter she has lost. Julia tries dollar at me and going on… to sleep through this scene, but she cannot hide JULIA. Get out! Out, before I take a stick to from either the noise because the coin has rolled you. I wish you was dead, you just oughta under her porch. Fanny, her landlady, be dead, stepped on and dead. (127-128) introduces Julia to other women in the This episode declares man’s need, which backyard. She gossips about them and says a makes the male dependent for satisfaction upon Mattie was low-class enough to have worked the female. The second Sex of Beauvior, signifies, once washing ‘joy-towels’ (121) in a white Man can think of himself without. She cannot house. Another neighbour, Lula, has her grown- think of herself without him, by which it means up adopted son living with her, although the she appears essentially to the male as a sexual arrangement in Fanny’s eyes ‘It’s ‘gainst nature’ being. (122) and she is doing Silver-plated tea service. The location then shifts to Mattie, receives a The women in the play learn to depend on letter from October. The argument raises as a themselves and each other rather than on absent question, ‘Who’s gon’ read it for you? (129), the men, a self-reliance born painfully through self- reason is she is illiterate. Julia the educated acceptance. In compared to Beauvoir’s outsider trying to fit into working – class description, of women-a free and autonomous surroundings, reads the sentimental sailor’s being like all human creatures. letter aloud. After her performance, in which The rumours spread over to Julia again by the women listening have actively participated, Fanny about Nelson. While Fanny talking Mattie tells Julia, that in addition to his love, her seriously, he is so cowed by a racist system and husband gives her what is more important, his so afraid of its consequences diat he cannot name and protection. These two standards of protest when a bucket of water is dumped him. conventional love are denied for Julia. Since her The white intuitions warned him not to wear his love of ten years is with white man. The two uniform in public when he was on leave. This women are initially shocked but cannot believe activity is applied in Beauvior’s The second sex. that Julia really loves him. Beauvior relates the history of black suffrage As curtain opens, Teeta, Mattie’s daughter with Nelson. The American white relegates the follows princess, a white girl, out of Mattie’s black to the status of shoeshine boy and comes house and ties her sash. Princess is holding a to an experiment that the black is good for jump rope. While, both are playing princess nothing but showing scene to them. The fact is asks her, you want to jump. Teeta needs it, but that he is in low rank than higher hierarchy. princess pretends to act like women by warning Bell man, White salesman, carries a large Teeta to give respect for her. Teeta never agrees suitcase, the American flag painted on both with princess condition and says, ‘No. You too sides, cowbells are attached and he visits little’ (135). By admiring young girls casually, backyard to sale it. There he invites Julia to have Beauvior presents, a girl taught to be a woman sexual desire with him. Julia trying to keep her but her destiny is imposed on her by society.

101 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

In the end of the Play in act one, Herman for you … but some meat and gravy or a Visits Julia. He has brought her a gold wedding new petticoat ... we’re the ones who feed band on a chain, and they plan to buy tickets on and raise’ em when it’s like this ... They the Clyde Line to New York, where Julia will don’t want’em. proudly and legally bear Herman’s name. But JULIA. Go fight those who fight you. He Herman succumbs to the influenza epidemic never threw a pail-a water on you. Why and in the second act he lies in Julia’s bed didn’t you fight them that did? Takin’ out waiting for his mother and sister to take him to on me ‘n’ Herman ‘cause you scared of’ em a white doctor. Julia’s landlady has refused to … help because it is illegal for Herman to be in NELSON. Scared, what Scared! Julia’s house and she cannot appear to sanction JULIA. You fightin’ me, me, me, not them Julia’s immoral behavior. However, despite … never them. aligning herself with ‘her race’, Fanny ironically NELSON. Yeah, I was scared and I’m warns Julia, ‘I can’t afford to mess that up on tougher, Stronger, a better man than account- a you or any -a rest - a hard-luck, Any of’ em ... I was scared to fight a better -off- lead, triflin’ niggers’ (147). At last, hundred or a thousand. A losin’fight. Julia is helpless because of society. In Wedding JULIA. I didn’t want to make trouble. (153- Band, the Community lacks a Positive and 154) coherent female heritage. In Beauvior’s view, of Nelson’s speech hopes him to feel high in female characters, women were treated almost backyard community but the fact; he does not like slaves and they are pain that never goes understand Nelson’s approach. Beauvior away. suggests an idea, one of the benefits that for In the beginning of second act, Annabelle oppressors is that the most humble among them enters to backyard community to see his is made to feel superior. brother, Herman. Annabelle introduces herself A Similar pattern of conflict, anger, to Julia and dabs at her eyes with a confrontation and epiphany occurs when handkerchief saying: ‘Cryin, doesn’t make sense Herman’s mother entered the yard. The a tall. I’m a Volunteer worker at the Naval conversation between Julia and Herman’s hospital … I’ve Nursed my mother’ (150). mother explode an anger which heightens Trying to console her, Annabelle informs Julia, Julia’s awareness of her true relation to women ‘Gets a little darker we’ll take you home, call a inside and outside her race. Julia silences herself Physician’ (150). Annabelle is worried about the in order to preserve harmony in her interracial damn law, so, she plans to take him during the relationship. Herman instructs Julia to tolerate dark time. The women in the play are ‘doubly his mother and sister, when they arrive at her colonized’: being as women, and also on the house to transport him to home under the cover basis of other categories of identity, such as of darkness when he falls sick with the race, class and religion. influenza that is ravaging the country. As Nelson enters the yard, he immediately Herman’s mother comes to backyard teases Julia for selecting a wrong partner in her community with bitter, miserable and without life. Nelson stepping, turning to her makes a love. The bigotry that Herman’s mother exhibits question: foils Julia’s attempt to erase her true emotions NELSON. How can you account for carin’ from the face-to-face encounter with her “bout him a tall? and he’s got nothin’ to common mother- in -law whom she refers to offer. The one layin’ on your mattress, not Julia as ‘niggers’. Julia shouts at her to get out of even if he’s kind as you say. He got nothin’ my house. Leave me my own black identity.

102 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

In contemporary literary criticism, Clive You’re comin’ back in glory … with honors Barnes in New York Times wrote, and shining medals … Nelson, on account-a It’s strength lies ... in the poignancy of its you we’re gonna be able to go in the park. star-cross’d lovers, but whereas They’re gonna take down the no-colored Shakespeare’s lovers had a fighting chance, sings … and Rusty Bennet’s gonna print there is no way that Julia and Herman are new ones … Everybody Welcome... (170) going to beat the system. ‘Niggers and As Nelson prepares to return to the army, Crackers are more irreconcilable than any Julia lists out the benefits they going to have in Montagues and Capulets’. (Qtd. in future. Conflicting feeling towards Bryfonski 15) desegregation are voiced by Fanny, ‘some of us Beauvoir points out Herman’s mother racist ain’t ready for that’ and equally Nelson asks, action with reference to historical women’s ‘You believe all- that?’(170). As Nelson says to suffrage. Fanny to have positive reinforcement . In After Herman and his family are gone, she response to Beauvior’s demonstration, many of must face her difficult reintegration into the today’s women, hopes in future, fortunate in the community of Fanny’s backyard. The final scene restoration of all the privileges pertaining to the of wedding Band amalgamates many of the state of the human being. They are no longer previously highlighted issues, seen most like partisan elders; by and large women have poignantly in the opening session as anti- won the game. woman laws are juxtaposed with unremitting After a farewell bid to Nelson, Herman racial discrimination. This is all to the appears in the yard, holding two boat tickets background sound of a marching band who will band for New York, however they are ‘Colored play during the parade sending black tickets’ (171) which means that they obviously servicemen back to the war. Such a marching of cannot travel together, which again sound reverberates and within this wall of noise paradoxically portrays the whole issue of colour and confusion is the complication of Julia and contradiction and awareness. At the end of the Mattie’s lives. Julia is drunk and feels play, Julia gives her wedding band and boat emotionally abandoned by Herman, and Mattie tickets to Mattie and her daughter, finally cannot believe that her marriage to October is admitting that, ‘You and Teeta are my people … considered illegal by the state government. As my family’ (176), demonstrating her new found the woman prepares to escort Nelson to his black female self-awareness and burgeoning proud participation in the soldier’s parade, communal consciousness. Like the audience, Nelson wearing his private uniform with Annabelle witnesses Julia’s articulation of her quarter master insignia enters the community. newly-won independence. Everyone leaves the Nelson addresses the ladies and feels sorry to stage except for Annabelle, who moves towards them for doing harm, soon, to send Nelson on the house, listening to Julia’s words with his way, Lula prefers Julia to give him a farewell Herman dying in her arms. As Julia comforts speech telling him ‘how life’s gon’ be better Herman by describing their pretended journey when he gets back. Make up what should be north on the Clyde Line Boat together, she says, true’ (169-170), whether Julia believes in her We’re standin’ on the deck-a that Clyde performance or not Julia stands on her porch Line boat … wavin’ to the people on the makes a speech. shore … your mama, Annabelle, my Aunt Soon, Nelson, in a little while … we’ll have Cora … all of our friends … we’re takin’ off, what so ever our hearts desire. ridin’ the waves so smooth and easy … There now … on our way…. (177)

103 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Vol.2 Special Issue 19 April 2018 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

She evokes an image of them both on a ship carefully suggests the stirrings of black waving good-bye to everyone. Wedding Band consciousness, as well as the strength of white concludes by placing authority within the grasp bigotry. It also has a great deal of compassions of Julia, black female hands that would rarely and deserves comparison with the most have been allowed such control and potential celebrated American tragedies. It also for future racial empowerment. In regard to, The transverse’s time and embodies the historical Second Sex, Beauvoir illustrates how the women continuation of racial discrimination. are forced to relinquish their claims to transcendence and authentic subjectivity by a References progressively more stringent acceptance of the 1. Perkins, Kathy A., ed. Selected Plays: Alice ‘passive’ and ‘alienated’ role to man’s ‘active’ Childress. Evanston, Illinois: North western and ‘subjective’ demands. University Press, 2011. Print. 2. Stanley, Deborah A., ed. Contemporary Conclusion Literary Criticism. Vol. 96. Detroit: Gale Thus, Wedding Band can be read today as a Research, 1997. Print. history lesson pointed at white women to 3. .

104 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science