Book Reviews by Tasnima Yasmin
Papers by Tasnima Yasmin
Journal of East-West Thought, 2023
Prairies of Fever by Ibrahim Nasrallah and Temporary People by Deepak Unnikrishnan revolve around... more Prairies of Fever by Ibrahim Nasrallah and Temporary People by Deepak Unnikrishnan revolve around characters of the Arab and Indian labor diaspora in the contemporary Gulf, respectively. Present literary analysis of these texts indicates the silencing and othering of the non-citizen Arab and Indian nationals in the Gulf while shelving their intra-psychic conflicts. Tracing the concept of inferiority complex as highlighted by neuro-psychologist Alfred Adler and referencing Gulf Studies to substantiate arguments, this paper studies the Arab diasporic character Muhammad Hammad in Ibrahim Nasrallah's Prairies of Fever and the plethora of Indian diasporic characters in Deepak Unnikrishnan's Temporary People to contextualize neurosis in the backdrop of the Gulf society. This paper finds that the neurosis of Arab and Indian migrant diasporas in the Gulf is directly proportional to the Gulf's systemic unfairness.
Deepak Unnikrishnan's debut book Temporary People (2017) is one among several texts that comprise... more Deepak Unnikrishnan's debut book Temporary People (2017) is one among several texts that comprise an emerging niche of Indian diaspora literature. Unnikrishnan explores the phenomenon of Indians migrating to the Gulfon the basis of contractual employment opportunities. He describes how Indians form the backbone of the labour force in present-day United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this context, this paper studies Unnikrishnan's representation of alienation as faced by the Indian diasporic characters in Temporary People. The purpose of this paper is to analyse Unnikrishnan's attempt at foregrounding the multifaceted nature of alienation in Temporary People and the complexity of Indian diasporic experience in the Gulf. This paper concludes that Unnikrishnan uses the text as an alternative space to generate discourse against alienation of Indian diasporic characters.
A robust novel in terms of narrative structure, plot, themes and writing style, 1984 was chosen b... more A robust novel in terms of narrative structure, plot, themes and writing style, 1984 was chosen by TIME magazine in 2005 as one of the 100 best English language novels from 1923 to 2005. Retrospectively, TIME's November 23, 1983 issue ran the title heading 'Big Brother's Father' featured with a charcoal colour sketch of George Orwell's mugshot looking towards the ominous one eye. Early January of 2017, Orwell's 1984 shot up to the position of Amazon's best seller. It indicated a sceptical, apprehensive yet an inquisitive readership that was bowled over to discover the astounding modern-day relevance the book displayed. Declared as a 2017 must-read by the New York Times, authoritative scholarship and research regarding 1984 has been abundant.Yet, the novel continues to enthral, stimulate and puzzle. However, at the heart of the novel is a blossoming love story that is often overlooked if not side lined. Firstly, this paper analyses the features of a post-modern world in 1984 manufactured under the patronage of oligarchical capitalismthatleads to the dismantling of regular human interactions. Secondly, it dissects the protagonist, Winston Smith's loss of family and sense of belonging. Thirdly, it highlights the elements of a romance in1984.
Fervent and fantastical are understatements to define the genre of magic realism that exudes mind... more Fervent and fantastical are understatements to define the genre of magic realism that exudes mind boggling extravaganza. Replete with allusions, allegories, myths and mysteries, it is incomparable to any fantasy fiction. Broadly descriptive rather than escapist or speculative, the genre encompasses the ability to raise curiosity in the minds of readers about worlds yet undiscovered and unfathomable. Though a much-debased term, the word
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Book Reviews by Tasnima Yasmin
Papers by Tasnima Yasmin