The Creative Launcher

“Where are you going?”: Investigating Spatiality from a Translocal Perspective in Forrest Gander’s Core Samples from the World

2023-05-09T02:46:38+00:00

Abstract

An illustrious poet, editor and translator Forrest Gander probes into the conditions of modern human existence with a remarkable sensitivity towards the contemporary environmental challenges. The finalist for Pulitzer Prize 2012, Gander’s Core Samples from the World (2011) recounts his experience of distant, exotic places like China, Mexico, and Bosnia-Herzegovina from the perspective of an ecopoet writing in the Anthropocene. Composed from the objective viewpoint of a traveller the book exploits the Japanese Haibun form to juxtapose poetry, essays and photographs taken by his collaborators— Raymond Meeks, Graciela Iturbide and Lucas Foglia. Together the detached prose pieces, the disorienting poetry and the evocative photographs shed light on the severity of current ecological crisis and raise critical questions regarding one’s ecological self and identity. The present study aims to explore how Gander’s singular conception of space simultaneously instigates the readers to open dialogue regarding such pivotal questions and plays a seminal role in the evolution of his ecopoetic vision. This paper further aspires to analyse the ways in which Gander exploits his inclusive spatial engagement as a traveller to portray the world as a shared, connected space permanently altered by the reckless exploitation of nature and natural resources. It also intends to enquire the subsequent deterioration of the bond between human beings and their surroundings which ultimately results in a sense of fragmentation along with a loss of identity. The present study also scrutinizes how Gander’s unconventional imagination and delineation of translocal space which is essentially an open-ended, mobile and multilateral concept rather than a static geographical locale influence his engagement with contemporary environmental issues on various levels.

Counter-Narrative as a Powerful Narrative Technique for the Voice of the Voiceless in The Palace of Illusions

2023-05-09T02:51:50+00:00

India is a land of myth and legends. Indian epics are archives of our history and precedent culture which depicts what happened in the times of yore. They tell us about the events and developments that shaped our culture. Epics dole out as a testimony of our culture. Many Indian writers craft their plot from epics of Hindu mythology which is used as a literary device. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni uses Hindu mythology in her works broadly to instill audacity in her woman protagonists. She tries to demonstrate how myths steer women to surmount their conflicts in life. Her novels explicate how myths instruct humanity to lead a virtuous life. Draupadi, the heroine of The Mahabharata is presented through a fictional perspective in Divakaruni’s novel The Palace of Illusions, (2008). It is a retelling of The Mahabharata, from the perspective of Draupadi. She breaks the stereotype of a conventional heroine in Indian literature. Counter-narration is a method of telling the stories of those people whose experiences are not often misrepresented or untold. It is also a tool for uncovering, examining, and stimulating mainstream historical texts. The author uses counter-narrative techniques in the novel to counter the position of women in The Mahabharata era addressing the prejudice, difficulties, and the male dominance that they had experienced. A descriptive analysis enumerates upon the author’s use of the counter-narrative technique in the novel through a detailed description of plot, settings, and characterization. Divakaruni midst of suffering has overcome the predicaments she faced challenging the old age convention that women must accept tradition and society without questioning. Draupadi could endeavour the subversion where most women would have given up. Narrative technique is the art of narrating a story in a literary work by using various techniques. The narrative technique is vastly an aesthetic enterprise. The feature of the narrative includes characters with clear personalities or identities and integrated dialogues. Through Draupadi’s life author dispels outdated notions about what it means to be a woman. The author explores the ancient and personal experiences of Draupadi, as distinct from the original Mahabharata. Draupadi ends up being the most nuanced and divisive female character in Hindu literature. Draupadi is an archetypal representation of the pain and humiliation a woman experiences in a patriarchal society. The lives of women have not changed over time, whether it is the ancient or the modern era. There are still challenges to overcome the situations that call for specific actions. The novel The Palace of Illusions demonstrates the hardships a princess-born woman had to endure.

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in Adaptation: A Cultural Materialist Reading of Bollywood Movie Maqbool

2023-05-09T09:52:00+00:00

The present research article focuses on Bollywood movie Maqbool (2004), the Hindi language movie adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play Macbeth (1606). Shakespeare’s plays have become available in the cinematic adaptations in many different languages across the globe. All these adaptations focus on different aspects of the original texts, and come up with some entirely new movies which at times have the Shakespearean elements in them. The plots, settings and the timelines are of course different, but they make Shakespeare’s dramas available to a wider audience across different cultures. Maqbool is such a movie adaptation in Hindi, directed by Indian film-director, Vishal Bhardwaj. The movie relates to the incidents and events from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, though it has entirely new flavours of its own as a typical Bollywood movie. Like Shakespeare’s plays, these movies also have something to offer to the critics. A close analysis of such adaptations, in relation to the original textual creations, can bring forth many new critical perspectives. This article aims at analysing the movie, Maqbool from the perspective of cultural materialism where it tries to bring out that how the movie interrelates with the contemporary social and political situations of the time which it depicts. There are certain hidden structures in the movie which remain unearthed when watched without critical eyes. The paper attempts a cultural materialist reading of Maqbool to bring out such hidden aspects of the movie.

Distressed Adolescent in Subima Misra’s Select Stories: An Anthropological Study of Indian Childhood

2023-05-09T09:58:14+00:00

Critically speaking, Indian societies tend to ignore unusual behavior or psychosexual crisis in a child or teenager. This paper attempts to tap some of those uncomfortable nerves of Indian childhood and debate some of their challenges through the lens of Indian family structure. Contextualizing some of the crucial stories of Subimal Misra, a prominent and powerful voice of Modern Bangla literature, this paper, again, sympathetically but scientifically negotiates different relations of Indian household and their effect on the psychosexual growth of a child or teenager. It attempts to ask, though not limited to, these following sets of questions: How does the presence of a mother and her behavior affect the child? What are the psychological dilemmas that push a teenager to unidentified rage and revengeful attitude? How does society influence the formulation of a veneer into a teenager? It is curious to note that the stories under consideration here, like Will You Preserve Your Chastity, Aparna (1987), or Here’s How We Wring a Quarter of Lime (1989), are ‘about’ children but not ‘for’ children. With the help of an anthropological point of view, this paper problematizes family relations, imposition of social choices, and their gaps.

Dynamics of Rationality and Irrationality in The Painter of Signs

2023-05-14T15:37:46+00:00

R. K. Narayan occupies a significant place in the Indian literary scene. He remains one of the most read, cherished, and appreciated novelist and is an integral part of the University curriculum. The Painter of Signs (1976) is a well-known novel by R.K. Narayan. The text provides a beautiful scope to unearth the intricate dynamics of rationality and irrationality distinction that in fact provides much content for the plot of the novel. The present paper makes an attempt to explore the dynamics of the conceptual framework of rationality and irrationality distinction through a scrutiny of certain instances taking place within the space of the novel. The paper also tries to illustrate that the criticism made by the main protagonists, Raman and Daisy using the conceptual framework of rationality and irrationality are targeted towards ritual practices prevalent in Indian society. Thereby, the paper attempts to build a background to make intelligible the comments and attitude of the main characters towards the incidents taking place around them. At the same time, the paper explores the way in which the novel thus provides a significant space to examine the interplay and dynamics of the framework of rationality and irrationality and how it can impact one’s experience of life.

Haruki Murakami’s Spellbinding Embodiments: Decoding the Feline Mystique

2023-05-14T15:48:47+00:00

Being a vital spark in Japanese culture, cats made their way through Japanese Literature and became an imperative potion in the writings where they were often associated with mystery and incongruity owing to the rich symbolism and imagery. Murakami’s writing is sequestered with cats that add an exorbitant richness to his works. They possess an eccentric demeanor and play a vital role in his fiction, from their disappearance to the violence imposed on them, they open new pathways to enter the parallel worlds and allow the characters to enter the quest which ultimately leads them to search for their own identity. The present research work analyzes the representation of these cats in his three major novels of Haruki Murakami— The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Kafka on the Shore, and Wild Sheep Chase to show how these cats are used as a medium to enter a parallel world and how they help characters in confronting their darkest fears in order to make them aware of their own existence. Murakami is a prolific Japanese author, known for his surreal, introspective works blending fantasy, reality, and metaphysical themes. His novels, such as Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, and 1Q84, captivate readers with their poetic prose, symbolism, and enigmatic characters. These cats provide tenderness and warmth to the characters at their lowest and enables them to apprehend a sort of meaning to the relationships they possess. Due to their spellbinding eloquence, they prove to be therapeutic for the characters, aids them in attaining a subjective self and provide them solace in their darkest hours.

A.K. Ramanujan: A Poet of Different Cultures and Languages

2023-05-14T15:55:44+00:00

The paper explores the impact of different cultures and languages in the poetic writings of A. K. Ramanujan. He has a full command over Indian culture, scriptures and rituals. Tamil, Kannad, Sanskrit and English languages are well known to him. Language is a very important tool in the formulation of a culture and its aesthetics, as it is a medium of expression. Without language no human culture can be imagined. Culture is a manifestation of the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular group of human society. It is a code of conduct which guides and control a certain human society. Ramanujan was deeply rooted in Indian culture and tradition, which is evident in his work. However, his exposure to Western education, particularly his studies in the United States, also influenced his literary style and themes. As a result, Ramanujan's work reflects a unique blend of different cultures and languages, and he is known for bridging the gap between Indian and Western literary traditions. Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary defines culture as “the customs and beliefs; ways of life and social organization of a particular country or group” (373). The cultural and linguistic influences are evident in the literature of any nation, therefore, it always becomes a perfect source of information. Literature of any nation keeps the record of its history, geography, culture and tradition. For instance, we have to study Leo Tolstoy to know the history and geography of nineteenth century Russian literature; similarly, if we want to know something about the English culture, we have to study English literature as literature is a part of culture. In the same way, there are several languages and cultures that are observed in India and each of them are closely connected with the theme of Indianness and this is how it paves the way of unity in diversity.

From Proscenium to Public: Explorations of Body and Space in Sircar’s Third Theatre

2023-05-20T14:34:56+00:00

The name of Badal Sircar, the Bengali playwright, actor and theatre activist, holds a very prestigious position in the history of modern Indian theatre. Both in the field of the Indian mainstream proscenium theatre and in that of the Alternative/Street theatre, he has made significant contribution to the Indian drama. In the post-independence period, when Indian theatre world was caught in the debate of “modern” and “Indian”, he established a brand-new genre of theatre called “Third Theatre”. Third Theatre provided a potent resolution to the inherent dichotomy in modern Indian drama by skillfully reconciling indigenous theatrical tools and techniques with the Western proscenium tradition of a text-based, plot-driven idea of theatre. Sircar’s style is thus a hybrid of folk theatre and proscenium theatre. This was a creative attempt to create an alternate media to effectively spread the playwright's views among the populace. With all these innovative ideas, philosophies and techniques, Sircar’s primary purpose was to bridge the gap between the drama and the audience, between the rural and the urban, between the form and the content etc., and to attain to the ideals of liveness and direct communication in theatrical experience. This effort aids him in breaking sharply with the modern Bengali theatre, which is fixated on the manner of presentation used in the English Victorian drama, and elevating it to a hitherto unattainable level of artistry. The present paper seeks to explore how Badal Sircar experimented with the body of the actor and with the performance space in order to create a syncretic form of theatre accessible equally to the rural and urban.

Correlating Language and Music for the Activation of Human Mind

2023-05-20T14:42:38+00:00

As Heinrich Heine puts it, “Where words leave off, music begins”. Music and language belong to a common origin i.e. sound, a form of energy. In other words, language and music are two sons of the same mother. Language and music both engage the auditory system, utilizing similar neural pathways to process sound and rhythm. Just as language relies on patterns of sounds and syntax to convey meaning, music utilizes melody, harmony, and structure to evoke emotions and communicate messages. A language always talks about the speech sounds that are produced by the vocal cords while music is the outcome of non-oral sounds or sometimes may be the oral sounds. Both language and music have the ability to elicit powerful emotional responses in individuals, stirring feelings of joy, sadness, or nostalgia. The rhythmic and melodic elements in music can enhance language processing by providing a rhythmic framework that aids in memorization and comprehension. Though language and music are not always complementary to each other but one seems incomplete in absence of the other. Language and music share the capacity to convey complex ideas and narratives, allowing us to express our thoughts and experiences in nuanced and creative ways. Studies have shown that exposure to music can improve language skills, including vocabulary acquisition, syntax comprehension, and verbal fluency. The use of prosody, intonation, and rhythm in language mirrors the melodic and rhythmic components of music, highlighting their interconnectedness. Musical training has been found to enhance linguistic abilities, as musicians often demonstrate better pitch discrimination, phonological awareness, and language learning skills. Language and music can both serve as cultural markers, reflecting and preserving the traditions, values, and identities of different communities. The shared neural processes involved in language and music suggest a deep-rooted correlation, as they tap into fundamental mechanisms of auditory perception and cognitive processing. The present research article is a descriptive study on the relationship between language and music and their effects on the mind and body of the human beings. In the first section of this paper, the linguistic aspects that are akin to music have been attempted to be pointed out. Similarly, in the following section, the core of the music has been discussed in context to language. In the third section, a comparative study of language and music has been done on the basis of the points discussed in the preceding sections. Finally, the paper also discusses as how the amalgamation of the two i.e. language and music can be helpful in activating the human mind and the body.

Once Upon a Time in Biafra: War Time Caucus, Hate Crime and Ethnic Violence in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun

2023-05-20T14:53:43+00:00

A study of wartime literature also serves the function of documenting and preserving the stories and key experiences which the victims have witnessed through their forbearance in such events. While hate crime, caste conflicts, communal violence and ethnic violence are indispensable discourses in the study of criminal justice system, a parallel study of hate crime and ethnic violence through the kaleidoscope of contemporary Nigerian literature would be equally influencing. For any civil war, citing one cataclysmic reason is never justifiable. In the late 1960s the political and social climate in a multi- ethnic country like Nigeria was brimming with religious and tribal differences, the immediate reason that triggered the unfortunate civil war in Nigeria was ‘hate speech’ of the political leaders and military commanders. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a third-generation Nigerian woman writer reminisces this civil war through her novel Half of A Yellow Sun (2006) in which the scarring memoirs of genocide, war time rapes, ransacking of houses and property, mass killings, forced conscription and forced prostitution of young girls are captured with the intent to highlight the menacing minds of war driven humans. It is true that Hate crime is more destructive and dangerous when it finds such secessionist atmosphere as would ignite ethnic violence and deeper still into a full-blown civil war. Through this paper an evaluation and analyses of the hate crime during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War would come under scrutiny through the literary promontory of Nigerian novel Half of A Yellow Sun.

Class Struggle: Money, Power, Oppression, and Resistance

2023-05-21T12:24:59+00:00

The paper contributes to the lifelong dialogs about the capital-labor conflict between the upper-class (bourgeoisie) and the working-class (proletariat). It unpacks the ideological underpinnings driving the insatiable quest of the capitalist class for profit, power, interminable exploitation of the working class across ages. The paper underscores the knack of the upper-classes to exert limitless authority over the working classes given their control of the means of production in ways that include dictating the working conditions, wages, hours of work, and engaging the apparatuses of the state – laws, judiciary, police, and army – as detailed by Althusser, to enforce their compliance with capitalist ideals (80). It ascribes the continued failure of the working-class to successfully resist and overthrow the brutal capitalist machinery to encumbering False Consciousness; described as a mental trap that propels the class to accept and naively participate in their own economic oppression. The predilection of the members towards individualized forms of resistance as against forming formidable alliances across interest groups to pursue collective action is equally found culpable. Alongside forming alliances, the author suggests outright rejection of bourgeois ideologies which permeate the major spheres of the society and their replacement with the workers’ own ideological alternatives as imperative. Consistent with Marx’s submission, workers’ ownership of the means of production to produce their own necessities rather than continually selling their labor for a living wage is considered expedient in their struggle to disable the capitalist machinery system (571). This is coupled with textual analysis of media and popular culture, for example, newspapers, television, advertising, games, and films, by the audience; mostly comprising the working class, to unearth and disavow the entrenched capitalist ethos. The paper examines two films that exemplify how the capitalist class systematically exploits their subjects with feeble resistance.

From Individuality to Universality: A Critical Exposition of ‘Self’ of Women in Dalit Movement and Literature in India

2023-05-21T12:37:01+00:00

This scholarly research article delves into the conceptualization of ‘Self’ of women in the Dalit movement and literature in India, providing a critical analysis that bridges the gap between individuality and universality. It initiates a discourse on the often-overlooked narrative of Dalit women in a predominantly patriarchal and caste-dominated society, underscoring the experiences they encapsulate, extending from personal narratives to shared universality. Through the examination of an assortment of primary sources, including autobiographies, literary texts, speeches, and interviews of Dalit women, this study unveils the complexities in their identities, informed by the intersection of caste, gender, and class. It further explores how these experiences, entrenched in oppression and resistance, shape the ‘Self’ and communal identity of Dalit women. The article advances a unique theoretical framework that combines intersectional feminism and subaltern studies to decipher the nuances of Dalit women’s selfhood. The framework enables a systematic exploration of the convergences and divergences in the perception of ‘Self’ amongst Dalit women, aiding in the understanding of their position within the wider socio-political discourse. In unearthing the shared collective consciousness arising from individual struggles, the research sheds light on the universality of Dalit women’s experiences. Simultaneously, it exposes the evolution of the Dalit women’s movement from a regional force to a global voice, forging an essential link between local experiences and universal human rights discourses. This study conclusively asserts the need for broader recognition and comprehension of Dalit women’s narratives, not as a marginal story but as a central one that intersects with various global feminist and human rights movements. It proposes that the understanding of Dalit women’s ‘Self’ is pivotal in moving towards an inclusive and equitable society, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of social justice in India and beyond.