Sunday Reading: Talks by Chimamanda Ngozi- Learning Outcome

Hello! While reading the future of Post- Colonial Studies we came across the prominent Nigerian Writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. So we are assigned a task to listen her ideas about singles story, Feminists and Importance of truth in Post- Truth Era. In this blog, I am sharing my learning outcome after watching her videos.

Talks by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is known for her books that use the history of the Nigerian civil war to create stories that tell people the tales of war, pain, love, and happiness. Amanda Ngozi Adichie, born 15 September 1977) is a Nigerian writer whose works include novels, short stories and nonfiction. Through her hard-work, dedication and passion, she managed to redefine how feminism is viewed in society, and wrote novels that portrayed what it was like to be and stay African in a very westernized world.

Dangers of single story

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's "The Danger of a Single Story" Ted Talk, in July 2009, explores the negative influences of a “single story”. By sharing her personal experience of being a trap of single story she pressures on having more than one perspective for looking towards the world. She grew up reading American literature and later her works also had blue- eyed characters and later when she went to white land for education she realized the single story of Americans towards Africans.

This idea can be or must be experienced by everyone, in a fight between two when we hear a story of only one we start making prejudices for the opposite person and without having any personal grudges we start hating them.

Taking an example of literature. Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Brontë hasn't grown a character of Bertha Mason and so we feel like what's happening with her is to happen because she is made. But then Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso sea (1966) gave readers a new perspective. It broke the prejudices towards Bertha and her single story got new perspectives.

Reading characters is the novel or meeting people from different communities, groups, schools, streams etc . We have a habit of generalizing a single person for the whole group/ community/ or nation.

Adichie also tackles the effect of political and cultural power on stories. Power controls “how [stories] are told, who tells them, when they're told, [and] how many stories are told”.

In 20112 when petrol prices were hiked, various Bollywood actors tweeted about it, following the orders of political power. At present, when the same political power is ruling and prices are increasing, touching 100 they are deleting their tweets. This is how stories and told and controlled by power.

Read in detail- CLICK HERE

Citing Palestentine poet Mourid Barghoti’s quote “if you want to dispossess people the simplest way to do it is to tell their story and to start with secondly. Begin with arrows of native Americans and not the British; start with failure of the African state.`` She gives us a mantra to look at things in a new way, a path to look at things with a new perspective.

She ended her speech with a wonderful line “When we reject a single story, we regain a kind of paradise”. Grow various perspectives to see the world.

We should all be feminists

The second video I watched of Chimamanda Ngozi is on Feminists. She has shared wonderful ideas which are sarcastic to patriarchal society. She stated that a words Feminists comes with baggage, heavy and negative baggage, u hate men, bras, African culture that sort of things. And the worst is that men or society don't know what women are facing or going through for them “सब चंगा सी|”. On a personal level also I have experienced the answers on sharing any experience. It's normal that everyone is falling, we can't do anything about it, women are blessed with endurance. Blessed with endurance ! So should they keep on suffering?

Not only in society but also in the workplace men have occupied more positions of power and prestige and on the other hand men are paid more than women for the same work, dedication and talent. Adding to it she also said that today we don't need physical strength but attributes like more creativity, innovation and intelligence and this are not on hormones, it's equal for both genders.

Society plays a significant role, humans are its by-product, it is inherited that men are to be respected, women are below them. Boys are molded to be hard- men subsequently a fragile England women are molded to cater that ego, taught to shrink and feel inferior, emasculated. Marriage turns out perhaps the right of a specific man or respective women. Women a trophy, a property. Marriage seems like a social idea favoring men and patriarchal society. For a peaceful marriage men will have to give up bad habits while women will give up her whole life and career, dreams and hobbies. A Bollywood movie ‘Thappad’ by Anubhav Sinha very significantly plants the idea of a girl giving up her passion after marriage. Girls are taught to be good wife material.

Women would be hesitant in looking to masculine and vice- versa; women are to cook food for the family while the high [position of chef is occupied by men; virginity in women is praised. We evolved but ideas of gender had not evolved.

Even our cinema shapes the mindset that women are incomplete without men and to be perfect they need to be feminine and have a men supporter. E.g: Kajol from Kuch kuch Hota hai, Jab we met, kabhi alvida na kehna, etc

Ngozi’s idea which i loved the most is

In this world gender communication is difficult. The simple answer we get is it was and is meant to be like this. women are considered subordinate to men culture and culture keeps changing. People make culture, culture doesn't make people.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie addresses Harvard's Class of 2018

In 2018 Ngozi was invited as a guest speaker in Harvard University and she gave a speech to the batch of 2018 for their further life outside the Harvard. The main idea/ aim/ message is be courageous to say the truth in this post- truth era. Be the change you want to see in the world. Tell the truth. Here I am writing some of her ideas which attracted me the most.

It's always difficult to acknowledge our own lies and tell the truth. We should not lie because it's good manners but because telling the truth will give us a good sleep. “We lie because we don't have the courage to embrace truth.” stay truthful not only to others but to oneself also. “it's hard to tell ourselves the truth, our failures, fragilities, uncertainties. It's hard to tell that we haven't done our best, which we could have.”

“There is a difference between malice and mistake, outrage but always remember the context and never disregard intent.”

Whether you are a leader or a led urge to bend towards the truth, to err on the side of truth. Live a life where humans are at center not abstractions. If you can't take support of literature which always says- we humans are flawed, all of us are flawed. We don't need to be perfect, we need to be right and just. Be courageous to recognize the things which come in your path of telling the truth.

Telling the truth is an act of courage, be courageous. Never silence yourself from fear. Always listen to the other side whether the person is in position or not.

Be courageous to admit what you don't know. If you feel dissatisfaction, nurture that dissatisfaction. Get into the system you want to change.

When the fear of failure holds you back, the truth to overcome is easy to forget, forget your failure. In life nothing is a waste of time, everything is an experience and experience is all we need in life. We cannot make or do without self- doubt and self- belief.

If you fail in life, think of literature and literary writers who bloomed early and who bloomed late. The experimenting literature which broke all the rules of traditional writing. They were not known in their time but are classics today.

Life is all about being truthful and courageous.

Mahesh Dattani's Final Solution

Hello readers, this blog is an assigned task by Vaidehi Hariyani Ma’am. This deals with Mahesh Dattani’s play and a movie ‘Final Solutions’, it answers the various assigned questions.

FINAL SOLUTIONS (1993)

Mahesh Dattani

Mahesh Dattani, born on 7 August 1958 is an Indian director, actor, playwright and writer. He was born in Bangalore to Gujarati Parents. He is the forest Indian playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his remarkable contribution to the world of drama and is also awarded for his book of plays, Finals solution and other plays.

His various Works are-

Where There's a Will (1988)

Dance Like a Man (1989)

Bravely Fought the Queen (1991)

Final Solutions (1993)

Do The Needful

On a Muggy Night in Mumbai (1998)

Seven Circles Round The Fire (Radio play for BBC) (Seven Steps around the Fire) (1998)

30 Days in September (2001)

The Girl Who Touched the Stars (2007)

Brief Candle (2009)

Where Did I Leave My Purdah (2012)

The Big Fat City (2012)

His critically acclaimed works include Where There’s a Will, Dance Like a Man, Tara, Bravely fought the Queen, Final Solutions, Night Queen, and Thirty Days in September.

Dattani's approach is not only to just raise questions that exist in contemporary Indian society but to think about the best possible solution for these problems and try to recognize the identity of the marginalized class in society.

Final Solution

बटने का दर्द कहने से कम हो ता है क्या? 

फर्क रंगों में तलाशो तो अच्छा है, पैदाइशी में फर्क होता है क्या?

-Final Solutions (Zee5 2019)

The play Final Solutions, written by Mahesh K. Dattani discusses the theme of communal riots, hatred and bitterness of Hindus and Muslims against each other, social vision, social exclusion. The plot is set in Gujarat (after the 2002 Riots). The communal hatred is at peak. problems of communalism and gender, class and caste discrimination found everywhere and every time in the contemporary Indian society.

Final Solutions revolves around a Hindu family that gives refuge to two Muslim boys during a communal riots. Hardika, Ramnik Gandhi, Bobby and Javed are important characters in the play, In this play Two Muslim boys, Javed and Bobby (Babban) take refuge in the house of a Hindu businessman, Ramnik Gandhi while a Communal riots rage outside.

What is the significance of the title ‘Final Solutions’?

Final Solutions talks about the communal riots of Hindu and Muslim community. The play aptly shows the Hindu family which is trying to help Muslim boys but they are afraid of their community. Ramnik, calling himself a liberal tries to help Muslim boys but in the raged conversation between them we realize that somewhere Ramnik is trying to wash or balance his or his family’s mistake done in past where because of him a Muslim family had to suffer and face loss. Ramnik knew that Muslims are not bad while the female of the family felt that unpleasant happened in the past was because of Muslims and so they couldn't trust the Muslim boys but later in the end truth was revealed. We realize that here no one is the be blamed. There is always a powerful person who is benefited by this type of riots. And today all this has reached a level where we don't have a solution to stop it. The title can be said to be reversible or communal. Reading the title one might think it will give a solution, a Final Solution but we realize there is no Final Solution to the various communal riots in this world.

Do you think Mahesh Dattani’s ‘Final Solutions’ makes any significant changes in society?

The theme of the play Final Solutions is to highlight human weaknesses, selfishness, avarice and opportunism. Woven into the play are the issues of class and communities and the clashes between traditional and modern life style and value systems. I cannot surely say if Mahesh Dattani's' ‘Final Solutions' have made or is making any significant changes or not because even today we are seeing the riots in the society and various issues based on Hindu- Muslim Community issues. We can assume that perhaps in subsequent times readers will grasp its morals and will understand the real reason and story behind the communal riots in society and it will bring significant changes in society.

How are the beginning and the end of the movie? Do you feel the effect of communal disturbance in the movie?

The narration in the movie oscillates between past and present. The movie begins with female protagonist Daksha (whose name is changed after marriage to Hardika) reading her diary at an older age. She is confused about what to write and comes to a point to write something which is big and notable for the world. And she begins with August when the nation got its independence and this brought her to the remembrance of communal riots in the nation that happened because of partition. And in this partition she lost her father. She recollected how she and her mother were holding the Krishna murti and hoping for her father to return but he didn't return.

Moving towards the end of the movie, the truth gets revealed to Hardika/ Daksha that Zarina’s Family (Muslim Community) was not at fault. It was her father- in - law and husband who tried to destroy Zarin’s father’s shop and bought it at half price. The root cause of all this happening and lack of friendship from Zarin’s side was also the Hindu- Muslim Communal riots.

Here we can see the effect of communal riots in the beginning and ending of the movie.

The movie comes up with many different symbols and colors. Write about any two symbols which caught your attention. What does it signify?

Mahesh Dattani’s film ‘Final Solutions', latest adaptation on ZEE5 platform of his 1993 work ‘Final Solutions’ has one of the best cinematography. It has wonderfully used the colors, chorus and symbols in the movie. There are various symbols like, Chair, Photo frame, saffron, green and white color, diary, Pooja bell, Taqiyah (Muslim cap), Krishna, singers and songs, and fire. According to question we will discuss to symbols-

1. Photo in Hardika’s room- The photo was of her favorite singer who was Pakistani, Noor Jahan. And the song she sang mostly was

Jawan hai mohabbat

Haseen hai zamana

Lutaya hai dil ne

khushi Ka khazana

This frame of Muslim singer in Hindu house suggest that how the nation was one before partition. Everyone used to celebrate each other’s art and enjoy it but with the time and because of partition the differences began. The frame also symbolized the deep love of Hardika/ Daksha for music and her dream of being a singer.

2. Diary- diary comes as a symbol of past and present. It also suggests an ambition of women to make her voice reach to everyone. Hardika began to write a diary with an idea of how larger society will read and what type things should be shared with them. Diary also came out as a friend and a secret keeper for Daksha/ Hardika. In the movie and also in the novel diary is a vehicle which takes us to the past and the present.

3. Colors- the Movie makes use of colors very aptly it is a play performed in a traditional light with the use of modern techniques and method. Chorus is wonderfully used in the play as an observer, narrator, voice of conscience and in times of blood-lust, participants. Dattani uses the chorus to directly address the audience and help them visualize the action. And the lights on chorus and the props color used by the chorus without the use of words clearly suggest whose ideas are shared or displayed by them. It can also be a satire on owning a color in the name of religion. Saffron- Hindu, Muslim- Green.

Is Ramnik a liberal thinker? If yes then why? If not then why?

Literal meaning of liberal is willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas. Here in the movie various times we see that Ramnik Gandhi is trying to be a liberal thinker and wants to help Javed and Bobby. He gives them shelter in his house, safeguarding from the mob instead of his conservation wife, Aruna. Ramnik’s character grows as a sympathetic person and as a viewer we also love him, thinking him to be rational. But when the arguments begin between Javed and Ramnik we realize that somewhere Javed is having a strong point like when he said u r helping cause you are in majority and you have power to help us we (Muslims) are ‘bichara’ poor and disabled. And later when Javed’s character grows we realize that it was his childhood trauma who constructed him to be a part of riots and we as a community are to be blamed for the happenings with Javed. After knowing about Javed, Ramnik forcibly wanted to give him a job. In between he also says, “yahi to ek liberal person karta hai na”. Which shows he was trying to be good and act like a liberal. Also when Javed says something Ramnik directly points out about the whole Muslim community which shows that in his mind there difference between both te communities and he hasn't accepted the community but is trying to balance his sins, what was done by his father and grand father. So after reading Ramnik's fully grown character of Ramnik we cannot consider him to be a Liberal thinker.

Does education make any difference? Comment with the reference to the women characters.

In this movie we have four women. Daksha (young Hardika) and Zarine, Hardika (grandmother), Aruna and Smita (Tasneem). This work has a wonderful symbol or diary writing which directly suggests the level of education in women in that period. Daksha/ Hardika was a literate and that character was really indulges in Muslim community which an be seen through her song and singer interest and also his love for Zarine. She was hugely interested in having friendship with Zarine and the same things are seen in Smita, her granddaughter. But as the society has moved further by two generations we find that she has a Muslim best- friend. Smita is studying in college but unlike Hardika she didn't had to go against family to have friendship with Muslim girl. And she could also take her own stand. The difference grew in society can be clearly seen in these two characters. On the other hand, Aruna is a so-called ideal Hindu woman. We don't see glimpses of education in her character. Majority of the time she is seen doing pooja or veneration of Lord Krishna. And she is the one who feels touchable towards Muslims and these types of character traits are also noted in Gajju’s Hardika's Mother- in -law's description by Hardika herself. So here we can conclude that yes education does make a difference in the way of looking towards society.

I hope my Blog was useful. thanks for visiting.

Foe- J.M. Coetzee

This blog is written in response to a blog task assigned by Yesha Bhatt Ma’am based on J. M. Coetzee’s Foe which is a retelling of Danial Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. It deals with several assigned questions as a task.

How would you differentiate the character of Cruso and Crusoe?

The Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau applauded Crusoe’s do-it-yourself independence, and in his book on education, Crusoe is never interested in portraying himself as a hero in his own narration. He does not boast of his courage in quelling the mutiny, and he is always ready to admit unheroic feelings of fear or panic, as when he finds the footprint on the beach. Crusoe prefers to depict himself as an ordinary sensible man, never as an exceptional hero. Crusoe seems incapable of deep feelings, as shown by his cold account of leaving his family—he worries about the religious consequences of disobeying his father, but never displays any emotion about leaving. As an individual personality, Crusoe is rather dull. His precise and deadpan style of narration works well for recounting the process of canoe building, but it tends to drain the excitement from events that should be thrilling.Crusoe is nonetheless very interested in possessions, power, and prestige. When he first calls himself king of the island it seems jocund, but when he describes the Spaniard as his subject we must take his royal delusion seriously, since it seems he really does consider himself king. His teaching Friday to call him “Master,” even before teaching him the words for “yes” or “no,” seems obnoxious even under the racist standards of the day, as if Crusoe needs to hear the ego-boosting word spoken as soon as possible.

Cruso, a parody of Daniel Defoe's character Robinson Crusoe, is first seen living on the island that Susan washes up on. He is shown to have made a life for himself on the island, but Susan notes his lack of enthusiasm to be "rescued" and he is portrayed as somewhat stubborn by her. Cruso tries to exert his dominance over all things on his island, whether it's the monkeys that share the island with him, or the new addition of Susan. He is shown to be an aging man and takes ill a number of times in the first part before dying on board the ship that saves them. He also enjoys telling stories about how he ended up on the island and how he found Friday, all which contradict each other and vary greatly, suggesting to the reader either forgetfulness due to old age or that Cruso repeatedly tells lies to suit his needs and in this case, the story. Both cause Cruso to be portrayed as a highly unreliable character.

This table brings out the major difference between both, Cruso and Crusoe.

Coetzee’s Cruso	Defoe’s Crusoe
Change in spelling- exclusion of e	Cruso’e’
Finds no need of documentation- “Nothing I have forgotten is worth remembering”	Keeps written document/ habit of documentation
Cruso in Foe has not put any effort towards building tools, as he only has a bed when Susan arrives at the island, and from the quote, it seems like he may not have the mental capacity to build these tools.	Crusoe builds are to improve and aid in his growth on the island, and he must be mentally sharp in order to build these items.
For Cruso, the island did not lead him to make any significant changes in his character or ideals.	This newfound lifestyle gave significant meaning to Crusoe’s daily actions as they represented growth in his faith, and a positive change in character.

Friday’s characteristics and persona in Foe and Robinson Crusoe.

Robinson Crusoe names the man Friday, with whom he cannot at first communicate, because they first meet on that day. The character is the source of the expression "Man Friday", used to describe a male personal assistant or servant, especially one who is particularly competent or loyal.

If Crusoe represents the first colonial mind in fiction, then Friday represents not just a Caribbean tribesman, but all the natives of America, Asia, and Africa who would later be oppressed in the age of European imperialism.

The first and most obvious point about Friday's relationship with Crusoe is that Friday is Crusoe's subordinate. Friday always calls Crusoe "master," for example. Crusoe also mentions that their relationship is much like that of "a Child to a Father". Foe deconstructs Robin Crusoe and gives its postcolonial reading. We find the change in the center point of both the novels. Foe has Susan Barton, the interloper character and female narrator. But we find Friday, the only similar character across both books.

Defoe’s Friday is exploring the themes of religion, slavery and subjugation. While Coetzee’s Friday is used to explore more strong themes like of slavery, black identity and the voice of oppressed or subaltern.

In Coetzee’s Foe Friday is without voice and he has left the disturbing question of who has cut Friday’s tongue or mutilated it open. This question is never answered and the attempts to communicate with Friday leaves us wondering whether the slaves that capture Friday remove his tongue or was done by the colonist Cruso, who felt no need of a great stock of words.

We also find that Defoe’s Cruso gave a lot more care and interest to language than Coetzee’s Cruso. Defoe’s Cruso, appreciated documentation in his own language and also took pleasure in teaching Friday to speak.

Defoe’s Crusoe was certainly concerned with language, but never investigated the language that was Friday’s own, erasing Friday’s history by naming him, and teaching him English. In this way, he could only voice the thoughts that Crusoe had given him language to speak. This was challenged by the voiceless Friday in Coetzee’s work, a character who literally couldn’t speak. In this, it could be argued that Coetzee was asserting that it was not his right to give voice to an oppressed black character, and let Friday stand for the victims of apartheid and slavery, where Defoe (due to the beliefs of society at his time) believed that it was right and natural for Crusoe to claim the position of Master to Friday, and to speak for him.

Friday was somehow better than the average Caribbean tribesman As Friday in Foe stood for the victims and slavery whereas Crusoe’s Friday was not doing all that and is portrayed as being a anglicized version of Caribbean man.

In Coetzee’s work, Friday is allowed to be sullen and unpleasant, easy to see, but hard to like, he is created to be the embodiment of all the oppression experienced by a racial group, to only be able to take in, never to give out ideas or understanding, to be central to a story he can have no part in. The silence of Coetzee’s Friday could also be said to reflect the reader, who, like Friday, can only react and respond to situations.

The representation of Friday in these two texts is vastly different, and one could hardly believe that the two were in fact the same character. With different histories, and different personalities, in fact all both have in common is playing the role of the non-white slave in the text, to serve a literary purpose, in both reflecting the views of wider society towards non-white people, and in showing the development of other characters.

Is Susan reflecting the white mentality of Crusoe (Robinson Crusoe)?

I lie against Cruso; with the tip of my tongue I follow the hairy whorl of his ear. I rub my cheeks against his harsh whiskers, I spread myself over him, I stoke his body with my thighs. “I am swimming in you, my Cruso.” (44)

Major difference between two novels Robinson Crusoe and Foe is inclusion of women’s voce in Foe. This female voice is presented by Male author J.M. Coetzee. She is a female castaway but fails to award her a voice of strength Crusoe dominates not only the island they are both on but also the whole story itself.

“I presented myself to Cruso, in the days when he still ruled over the island, and became his second subject, the first being his manservant Friday” (Coetzee 11)

Throughout the novel, she describes the island as “Cruso’s island.” She finds herself as the mere female companion to the king and his manservant, Friday. Coetzee makes Barton the woman behind the man, defining her as a “free and autonomous being like all human creatures that finds herself living in a world where men compel her to assume the status of the Other” (Dragunoiu 15). Barton is quick to assume the submissive role on the island as the assertive character of Robinson Cruso takes the lead on the island and in her story.

Susan is a sensual woman, and as the only female character in both Defoe’s novel as well as Coetzee’s novel, she is represented through her sexuality. She also views her sexuality as therapy for Cruso at the end of his life when he suffers from a raging fever. She spends many nights with him while they are on board the ship that rescued them, holding him and using her body to cure him.

Susan Barton’s voice is projected through the words of the male author who created her. Using the text as evidence, it seems as though Coetzee purposefully creates a female character of weakness. She goes through a myriad of roles throughout the novel—each of which clearly point to her as a minor character in a book that is supposed to be about “the female castaway” (67). Although Susan Barton is the voice of the novel, she is not the main character because she is most concerned with telling the story of “Cruso’s island.” J.M. Coetzee is a male author who uses the voice of Barton to convey a deeper understanding of Defoe’s male character, Robinson Crusoe. Coetzee uses her as merely a device to relay the stories of Cruso and Friday. Hence, she doesn't reflect the white mentality of Crusoe.

I hope this blog is useful. Thanks for visiting.

The Curse or Karna- T.P Kailasam

Hello everyone! This blog is a task assigned by Yesha Bhatt ma’am. It deals with the several assigned questions based on T.P Kailasam’s The Karna or Curse.

THE CURSE OR KARNA

T.P. Kailasam

Tyagraj Paramasiva Iyer Kailasam , his life span is 1884 to 1946. He was a playwright and prominent writer of Kannada literature. His contribution to Kannada theatrical comedy earned him the title Prahasana Prapitamaha, "the father of humorous plays" and later he was also called "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" meaning "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada".

The Curse or Karna

Karna, son of Surya and Kunti and the doyen of archers, endures a challenging journey on his way to becoming one of the greatest warriors of the Mahabharata. His Foster parents were Sootha Radha and Adirath. The story of Karna begins with the misfortune of his secret birth and unfolds itself amidst the unremitting gloom of injustice and insult. Karna was lodged in the section reserved for ordinary pupils and away from the section reserved for princes and other high caste students. The Curse or Karna is one of the best known works of Kailasam. This story is from Karna’s perspective. Here we get to see Karna as a hero of Mahabharat. He was the one who in spite of being of high class society had to face all the shame of being in lower caste. In every step of his life he has been cursed for being a Sootha. In ancient times society was divided into 4 categories based on their work (karma) but slowly with time it changed and everyone had to do work based on birth. In this case lower birth talent was never counted and was cursed. Same happened with Karna. In Mahabharat he is always shown as a supporting character. We never knew in detail about the pains of his life. T.P. Kailasam in this work has tried to bring Karna as a hero and brought to us pains of his life. The story of Karna is the intriguing story of a hero who despite being born to royalty was brought up lovingly by a lowly charioteer and his wife, his whole life was one great struggle against cruel destiny and all the odds placed in his way by the inequities of his time.

Recently on the Hindi television Sony channel began a television series named ‘Suryaputra Karna’. In that also Karna was the hero in the serial and his life and pains were shown. Here is a promo of the serial. The story revolves around the best archer of the Mahabharata, Karna and narrates the entire story of Mahabharat from Karna and Pandavas' birth to the eventual crowning of Karna in the Swarga. The show covers the life journey of Karna on his way to becoming a great warrior.

WATCH PROMO OF TELEVISION SERIES. CLICK HERE.

T.P. Kailasam’s play is divided into 5 Acts. act 1,3,5 contains two scenes. The play does not narrate the whole Mahabharat, it contains some important scenes like

• Raama’s (Parshuram) Ashram i.e. the scene of Karna’s last day of pupildom;
• Guru sleeping in Karna’s lap- Anon, mason wasp scene
• The Royal Stadium of Hastinapur- competition after competition of training between Pandavas and Kavravas
• Karna crowned as king of Angaraj
• Panchali, Draupadi Swayamvar
• Conversation between Draupadi and Karna
• Chirharan of Draupadi
• Battlefield in Kurukshetra
• Kunti revealing the truth
• Death of Karna

1) Interpret the 'end' of all Acts and scenes.

Act-1

Gurujee Raama

POOR KARNA! POOR, POOR KARNA!

Act- 2

Gandharaj

POOR ANGA! POOR POOR HONEST ANGA!

Act- 3

The King Suyodhan

The King POOR ANGA! OUR POOR GREAT ANGA !

Act- 4

Bheema

(Anga crumples into Bheema’s arms who carries him out muttering amid tears: POOR ANGA! POOR GREAT ANGA!” The THRONE ROOM, empty now, is exposed for a minute before—)

Act 5

Aswattha

“OUR ANGA!” “OUR GREAT ANGA!”

(“OUR POOR POOR ANGA”!

Karna can be considered the most sympathetic character of Mahabharat. The happenings of his life always make us feel he is a poor thing. With a birth he was discarded by his mother being an illegal child, brought up by foster parents- Sootha’s despite being a blood of royal family, always faced insult by gurus and society for having power/ abilities instead of being a Sootha. He was a sharp child but no one was ready to guide him. He lied and took his training under Parshuram but unfortunately truth spilled and he was cursed by his Guru. At the end of his life he came to know his reality. He was crowned as a king but with a motive of using him against Pandavas by Suyodhan/ Duryodhan.

All the act of this play ends with Karna/ Anga being Poor (બીચારો). Every character who has a conversation with him feels sympathetic to him and realizes that anything that happened in his life is not a result of his mistake. It was fate. As we say karma helps to gain good and bad here Karna’s life cannot be measured so. By birth he was left out; he didn't get a chance for karma too.

2) Is 'moral conflict' and 'Hamartia' there in Karna's character?

A moral conflict is a situation in which a person has two moral obligations, which cannot be met both at once. Karna's moral conflict happened when during the war days his real mother Kunti came to him and told him all the truth and counted him among the Pandavas. Kunti requested him to fight for the Pandavas' cause. Because Karna was as powerful as Pandavas and he possessed all the power possessed by Pandavas. In this situation, if we think of Karna we can realize his struggle. He came to know his truth and now one one hand he has his own blood siblings and is fighting against them being with cousins. On the other he has all the burden of Suyodhan’s favors and promise of Friendship. He gets a moral conflict about do he be on part of siblings to whom he shares similarities or be with one who helped him, did favors gave him a respected place in society.

Hamartia is a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero. A flaw of character himself. In Karna’s life his flaw is his lying to Parshuram for gaining knowledge. He already knew about him giving training only to brahmins yet he deceived him. He had a personal cause for his lying and later he was cursed by his Guru which always stopped him and made him lack in his abilities.

His another hamartia can be considered is about his loyalty, primarily to Duryodhana. Karna joined Duryodhana's side in the Kurukshetra war. He was a key warrior who aimed to kill the third Pandava Arjuna but died in a battle with him during the war. He is a tragic hero in the Mahabharata, in a manner similar to Aristotle's literary category of "flawed good man".

Aristotle has said that "the good of man is the activity of his soul in conformity with virtue, or if there are several virtues, then in conformity with the best and most complete."

3) Karna - The voice of Subaltern

The word subaltern was generally used in the British army who had lower rank, junior position. an officer in the British army below the rank of captain, especially a second lieutenant.

Later we see after various literature this word was used for one who is/ was deprived of some learning or facilities due to his birth, caste or creed. Who were considered to be in a lower position in society by the elite class. They even didn't have basic freedom like speaking, attaining knowledge and using the basic facilities. When Britishers colonized over the major world in the name of Civilizing the uncivilized, the colonized whose basic rights were taken are also called subaltern.

The term ‘Subaltern’ was coined by Ranjit Guha and later it was adopted by Marxist Antonio Gramsci and further it was discussed by Gayathri Chakravarty Spivak in her essay ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’ People consider Subaltern as the unrepresented group of people in the society, people of inferior race, not fit for making any real contribution to the society and therefore they cannot speak, but in reality subaltern can speak but others do not have the patience to listen to them and same can be seen with Karna, he is capable but he ultimately he is Sootha Putra.

As we discussed above also, Karna, unknown to his reality lived his life being Sootha, he had all the power, courage, bravery of a kshatriya blood but unknown to it growing a Sootha Family made him Subaltern. He was not given education, and was deprived of all basic rights from childhood. Even in the Kurukshetra war he blindly had to follow Suyodhan as he was king. His point of view was not considered. He was devoted to Suyodhana because of his favors and promise of friendship. Even in the chirharan act of Draupadi he stood for truth, he tried to stop Suyodhana which shows his generosity and attitude of gentleman but his voice was subdued. Hence we can consider the voice of Karna to be the voice of Subaltern.

I hope my blog is useful. Thanks for visiting. Share your views in the comment box. Thank you.

Midnight's Children- Salman Rushdie (Part I)

MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN (PART-1)

Writer:

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and Western civilizations, typically set on the Indian Subcontinent.

Recently, Salman Rushdie was attacked in New York on 12 August 2022, based on a fatwa issued on Feb. 12, 1989 for his work ‘The Satanic Verses’ (1988). Read the new in detail CLICK HERE

Novel:

Midnight’s Children is a Second novel of Salman Rushdie. Midnight's Children sold over one million copies in the UK alone and won the Booker Prize and James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1981. It was awarded the "Booker of Bookers" Prize and the best all-time prize winners in 1993 and 2008 to celebrate the Booker Prize 25th and 40th anniversary. In 2003 the novel appeared at number 100 on the BBC's The Big Read poll which determined the UK's "best-loved novels" of all time.

The novel basically is from Kashmir in 1917 to Bombay 1977, it brings us through the ending of British rule, the birth of a nation, the Partition of India and Pakistan, later the war of independence of Bangladesh, and finally, the Emergency under the government of Indira Gandhi.

Amidst the torrents of history emerges the main character Saleem Sinai. The film begins with his grandfather Dr. Aziz (Rajat Kapoor) in Kashmir, examining his patient and future wife Naseem (Shabana Azmi) through a perforated sheet. Then comes the next generation of Saleem’s parents Amina (Shahana Goshwami) and her husband Ahmed Sinai (Ronit Roy), moving to Bombay, giving birth to a baby boy at the stroke of midnight, the dawn of India’s independence on August 14, 1947. But baby Saleem is a changeling with another baby born at the same time, Shiva, by the hands of Mary (Seema Biswas) the nurse.

Narrative technique in Midnight’s Children

S. Rushdie’s Midnight's Children uses a unique and innovative style of narration which is completely different from traditional narrative techniques and makes his work challenging for readers. We find fragmentation and non- linearity in the narration. It uses varied elements like first person narration, oriental and western texts, magic realism.

William Walsh rightly praised Rushdie's technique, 

"combining the elements of magic and Fantasy, the grimmest realism, extravagant force, multi- mirrored analogy, and a potent symbolic structure, Salman Rushdie has captured the astonishing energy of the novel unprecedented in scope, manner and achievement in the hundred and fifty- years old tradition of the India novel in English"

Author Salman Rushdie asserts his authority in condensing 533 pages into 148 minutes of screen time, offering us a concise rendition of an epic story spanning four generations.

“It was an exercise in discovering the essence of the book,” Rushdie said in an interview on CBC radio.

Firstly let us discuss the change in narration in adaptation. In film the narrator is directly speaking to viewers while the Novel has a traditional India (eastern) way of telling story, narrator Saleem tells his story to Padma as the reader eavesdrops, Similar to Nat and Sutra Dhar i.e, India Oral Narratological method.

In classic texts it is not necessary what is told but how it is told is important and Rushdie in his novel has brought a new set of literary terms. He broke grammatical rules and brought a significant relation between prose and cinema. Midnight's Children is rich in allusions to Indian history, literature, and mythology. Casting his unreliable first-person narrator, Saleem Sinai, in the mold of the traditional Indian story-teller.

Midnight’s Children open up as box- in- box stories, story within story the metaphor for this can be used are Russian Dolls and a Chinese box.

Narrative devices used in this novel are similar to the story method in Panchatantra, kathasarit sagar etc warriors stories. There is always a story and within stories are told or narrated to the listener as Saleem is telling stories to Padma and readers are provided with a variety of stories.

As in Panchatantra, there are the stories of animals (Fables) to teach the princes of the King Sudarshan or Amarshakti’s three sons named Bahushakti, Ugrashakti and Shakti.

Vishnu Sharma (Brahmin) knew that these three cannot be taught in conventional means so through stories of animals he gave them morals lessons and we got various stories. This story is frame within the frame.

Singhasen battisi where the 32 dolls on the sinhasan of Vikramaditya tells 32 stories to king Bhoj.In the frame story, the 11th century king Bhoj discovers the throne of the legendary ancient king Vikramaditya (also known as Bikramjit). The throne has 32 statues, who are actually apsaras that had been turned into stone due to a curse. Each of the apsaras tells Bhoja a story about the life and adventures of Vikramaditya, in order to convince him that he is not deserving of Vikramaditya's throne.

Similarly, we find a variety of Indian stories which are frame in frame, a conversation between narrator and listeners and readers get a variety of stories. E.g.- Alif Laila – Arabian Nights, Baital Pachisi, Kathasaritsagara, Shahrazad, and Shahryar. Adding to it also our epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and not forgetting Girish Karnard’s Hayavadana.

Western Postmodernist Devices	Eastern narratological devices
Unreliable narrator	Sutradhar- Nati
Social Realism	Magical realism/ Fantasy
Historical events	Counter Historiography
Framed narration	Framed Story telling
Mythical technique- for the sake of universalization	Parodic treatment

Rushdie adopts the device of Magic realism in Midnight's children. characteristics of this new style were identified as the mingling of the realistic and fantastic, natural and supernatural, skillful time shifts, use of dreams, myths, fantasy and fairy tales. While reading Midnight's Children we find that the whole novel is a perfect combination of reality and imagination between the real and the unreal. There are many places in Midnight's Children where Rushdie used the device of magic realism for the framework of the novel. When we go through the novel, we find that Saleem Sinai, the protagonist, has the gift of having an incredible sense of smell which allows him to determine other's thoughts and emotions. With a sneeze, he could call a conference of all the midnight’s children and call off the conference also. Rushdie's use of magic realism and his exuberant prose, which features extensive use of symbolism and hyperbole, led many critics to compare his style with that of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Rushdie also added a pinch of Bollywood, Bombay cinema. Melodramatic elements like changing of children in the hospital, real- parents, and step-parents' behavior over truth. Also, the alter- egos of Saleem and Shiva come up as Heroes and villains in the story.

We find the use of Hindi and Urdu in the English novel which can be considered as a chutnification of language. The words like 'ekdum', 'angrez', 'nasbandi', 'dhoban', 'firangee', 'rakshasas', 'garam masala', 'baba', 'badmash', 'goondas', 'sarpanch', 'paan', 'khichari', 'gur' etc. are used in flawless English. Also expressions and phrases such as 'baap-re-baap', 'hai-hai', 'sab kuch', 'chi-chi', pyar kiyadarna kya', 'ooper-niche', 'bhai-bhai', 'nimbu-pani' etc.

The narrative style used by Rushdie makes it a unique, wonderful, and mind-blowing novel.

Characters in the novel and in the movie.

Midnight’s children is a heavy book of more than 600 pages and it is difficult to bring such a magnificent book into the film of two and a half hours. As we discussed in the style of narration has a variety of stories in it, like a Russian doll it opens into a new story. So to bring such a large and fragmented tale into a movie is a difficult task. It is possible if a web series is prepared on it the OTT platform according to today’s trend then perhaps the director can conclude and have the essence of the whole novel Midnight’s Children.

We find a whole Wikipedia page on the list of characters in Midnight’s children. CLICK HERE to visit it.

The film adaptation has taken very few important main characters from the novel which has completely changed its narrative. The important character in the Novel Padma who is the listener of narrator Saleem is not adapted or excluded in the film.

Character in the movie are:

Saleem Sinai

Parvati

Shiva

Ghani

Naseem

Young Naseem

Mary

William Methwold

Wee Willie Winkie

Aadam Aziz

Jamila

Zulfikar

Emerald

Amina

Joseph D'Costa

Ahmed Sinai

Picture Singh

Alia

Nadir Khan

Indira Gandhi

Hardy

Governor

Laurel

Field Marshal

Astrologer

Rajesh Khera

Salman Rushdie, the narrator

The original book consists of more than 89 characters and in the film, only 26 characters are included. If we watch a movie without any previous reading about the text and historical background it becomes difficult for us to understand the movie or storyline. As a Novel, film adaptation also seems to be fragmented. We realize that the novel has told a variety of stories that can not be bound in a limited time.

In the movie, some small parts are symbolically talked about. The novel has a glimpse of Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati (Rustom Pavri)’s case, Commander Sabarmati, and Laila Sabarmati’s case, which brings out the idea of a mother’s extramarital effect. And to bring this idea to the novel Rushdie used the poster of Mother India movie.

There are many such things or events from the novel told symbolically or excluded. We can understand the difficulty to bring so many stories into one movie but still somehow Rushdie's Film adaptation has tried to bring the essence of the novel. But definitely, we don't get the whole idea of a novel through movies. While watching Pride and Prejudice film adaptation 98% of the novel’s storyline and plot idea can be known but it's not the case with this Novel and Movie, so if one is interested in it he/ she must read the novel.

Here is my learning outcome of S. Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children.

CLICK HERE to read further.