Papers by Prof. Cynthia C A T H E R I N E Michael
Space and place are two complex concepts in literature. These can in turn affect the course of ch... more Space and place are two complex concepts in literature. These can in turn affect the course of characters, situations and the plot of story. Presently in visual media, especially in movies; a relation between nature and surroundings can be traced. Both nature and surroundings influence each other. Malayalam cinema is going through many different paths which are always open for study. Each movie in it is incomparable in plot, techniques and narration. A relation between surroundings and characters can always be drawn. Keith H. Basso is an important cultural anthropologist who found a noticeable connection between nature and human beings. Nature always creates mystery and wonder. Nature always has a great influence in the human evolution and culture formation. Tagore’s ‘The Religion of Forest’ says the link between forest and ancient Indian culture. In the same essay, Tagore represents the European belief on nature as a war between good and evil. ‘IyobintePustham’ is analysed in both ...
Markus Zusak’s novel, The Book Thief wholly recaptures the trauma induced by war-torn Germany upo... more Markus Zusak’s novel, The Book Thief wholly recaptures the trauma induced by war-torn Germany upon its inhabitants. This study serves the purpose of juxtaposing the traumatic bereavement of the Holocaust survivors with their various escaping tendencies. The chief protagonist of the novel, Liesel is representative of the entire traumatized community who faces the darkest moments of their life and still survives. Her story as part of the developing canon of Holocaust literature thus exposes the destructive trauma and affirms the importance of community in the rehabilitation of the traumatized. The power of words as an escaping force amidst all the upheaval provided much impetus to the distressed souls of Nazi Germany. Books emerged as an escaping force in the lives of many in times of all treachery and destitute. Trauma and escapism hence, binds together the traumatic experiences and the escaping strategies which the characters share among themselves under a dictatorial setup.
Racial Identity in Post-Apartheid South Africa: J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace
J.M. Coetzee is a South African novelist, critic and an active translator of Dutch and Afrikaans ... more J.M. Coetzee is a South African novelist, critic and an active translator of Dutch and Afrikaans literature. His novels are conspicuous for their well- crafted composition, pregnant dialogues and analytical brilliance. Coetzee’s earlier novels question the apartheid regime, while his later works offer an apocalyptic vision of post- apartheid South Africa. His major works include Disgrace, Waiting for the Barbarians, Life and Times of Michael K, Boyhood, Age of Iron and The Childhood of Jesus. In 1999, Coetzee has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career, although he has a reputation for avoiding award ceremonies. Coetzee became the first author to be twice awarded the Booker Prize, winning it as second time for Disgrace which portrays the post-apartheid society. Coetzee went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 2003 for his entire body of works. During the years of apartheid, he was at the forefront of the anti-apartheid movement among writers. Scholar Isad...
SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH
The Mighty Walzer is the story of a boy who dreams of winning fame, fortune and the adoration of ... more The Mighty Walzer is the story of a boy who dreams of winning fame, fortune and the adoration of beautiful women, as a table tennis player. He wants to make his life grandiose like all of us. However, it is a pity that he fails. Oliver, the protagonist is not disheartened. Even though he has not struck his fortune, life gives him other riches- the riches of life and growing up itself. Thus, the novel can be seen as the celebration of the trivial processes of growing up. The more we read, the more we realise that the mediocre lives presented in the novel are grandiose in their own ways. Thus, the author is examining the grandiosities of our mediocre lives. The novel is the life story of each and every one of us. It is the celebration of the simple life of a commoner with its trivialities and mediocrities. However, there is an exuberant grandiosity in this existence. It is this grandiose process of life which is emphasised in this study. Set in the1950s England, The Mighty Walzer is s...
SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH
The rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter” that reverberated all through the U.S. after the George ... more The rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter” that reverberated all through the U.S. after the George Floyd murder case brought to light the reality that racism is a living reality in the American soil. It is no legend of the past. It is not a bygone history. Therein lies the significance of the inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Obama’s Becoming is more than a memoir. It is a social document that faithfully portrays the ground reality of ‘Being Black’ and ‘Becoming Black' in a “White Society”. In her memoir, while recounting her rise from modest origins to the closest this country has to nobility, Michelle is taking the readers on an intimate tour of everyday African-American life. Her book illustrates how all Americans must part with the idea of post-racial society, the quaint notion that race and racism are relics of the United States’ long-ago past. In the memoir, she establishes that prejudice is so woven into the fabric of America that it w...
SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH
Diaspora writing is a recent trend in literature. Many writers especially women writers excel in ... more Diaspora writing is a recent trend in literature. Many writers especially women writers excel in this field. These diasporic writers though they live in a foreign land always hold their love in their writings. India is a land of myth and legends and hence many Indian writers borrow their plot from Hindu mythology which is used as a literary device. Many writers of the independence and post-independence era used mythology to spread nationalism and to guide humanity in the right path. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a diasporic writer who always holds a piece of her love for motherland in her writings. She extensively uses Hindu mythology in her works. She uses these myths to instill courage in her woman protagonists. She tries to prove how myths guide the immigrant women to overcome their conflicts in life. Her novels explain how myths instruct the humanity to lead a righteous life.
Literary Endeavour , 2020
This is a study of S K Pottekkatt’s In the Land of the Kappiris. His Universal Vision in depictin... more This is a study of S K Pottekkatt’s In the Land of the Kappiris. His Universal Vision in depicting the tales of Indians, the Natives and the Europeans is analysed. Descriptions of Nature is visualised. He used different modes of travel avoiding air travel. He describes the culture and customs of the lands he visited. He was concerned about human compassion and comradeship and his narrative has a global significance in maintaining unity between the different peoples of the world. The author’s concern towards the people of Africa was perhaps due to his own personal experiences as a victim of colonization in India. He emphasised on the need of making the people aware of the need of love for fellow human beings. This study focuses on Pottekkatt’s universal vision as his narrative has a global significance in main
IJELLH, 2020
Exploration and mapping of Africa began around 1850 and continued intothe nineteenth century.S. K... more Exploration and mapping of Africa began around 1850 and continued intothe nineteenth century.S. K Pottekkatt, the Indian travel writer from Kerala State in India, set out to Africa. This study focusses on S. K Pottekkat as a travel writer who made Malayalis aware of the geography, life and culture of Africa. The Kappiri had no place in the land of his birth. Beira was a source of great relief for Indians travelling from other countries because Portuguese Africa was fairly free from racial discrimination. The Gujarati businessman was prominent. They had mastered the language of the natives and had in depth knowledge of their customs as well as their needs and so prospered well. Who had the greater right in Africa: the British or the Indians? Extensive developments took place in travel writing during the latter half of the nineteenth century. This phase in exploration and mapping of Africa began around 1850 and continued into the nineteenth century. It also paved the way for the Europeans to race and capture as much as land as possible and as a result of this, the map of colonial Africa was redrawn many times. The writers of those times found material for books with the rapid
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Papers by Prof. Cynthia C A T H E R I N E Michael