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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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SVU Journal oj'English Studies
SW J'ourna6of ~ n g 6 . h Studies
Volume - I I, June 201 2
Editor in Chief
Prof. M.A.K. Sukumar
mo/ 44. Sun$ruvuh?, DEPARTMENT OF ENOLllH
S.V. UNIVERSITY TlRUPATI.517 102
SRI VENKATESWARA UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502, A.P. INDIA
Volume - 11
S VU Journal of English Studies
S.No. Contents Page No
1. A Feminist Reading of Vimala's Telugu poem Kitchen 1 P. Hari Padma Rani, R.Geethan jali
2. Streaks of Romanticism in Toru Dutt's Selected Poe~ms 5 RV. Jayanth Kasyap
3. Love, Betrayal, Deceit: Deshpande's in the Country 9 of Deceit K. Purushotham
4 Rabindranath Tagore, The Humanist: A study of 14 His "Kabuliwallah" and "The Post-Master"
M.Neeraja
5 . The Dark Holds no Terrors: The Dile~nma of a Doctor 19 T.T.Prasad Mohan Babu, K.Sumakiran
6. Soyinka and Yorubian World in his Plays 30 GVasishta Bhargavi
7. Black Cultural Identity in Toni Morrison's Tur.Brtl)~ 35 Syed Mu-iahid , M A K Sukumar
8. Developing Communication Skills through Cooperative 43 Teaching Method RVidyadhar,M.V.Raghu Ram
9. Culture and Culture Studies 50 P.Kusuma Harinath
10. Zoological Curiosity: Bret Harte's A Yellow Dog 54 K.Koteswara rao, GM. Sundaravalli
11 . Bye-eve B l ~ c k Bird The Dilemma of Immigration 59 KRavi Naidu
12. Beauty as Detriment for Female Identity in Toni 68 M o r r i s o ~ ~ ' ~ ' Thi Bluest Eye ' Suneetha Yedla
13. Theme of Fundamentalism in Taslima Narsin's 'LA.[.IAt 73 GAruna , M.Narendra
14. The Home and The World Nationalism Vs. Universalism 81 RManjula
15. Portrayal of migration and cross culturalism througti Xb voyage in Amitav Ghosh's The Circle qf'Rerr,con and Sea of Poppies. C.Naresh
Volume- 11 iii
S W Journal of English Studes
S.No. Contents Page No
Expatriate Experience in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake A.SreenivasuIu, GM. Sundaravalli
A Comparative Study on the theme of East-West Encounter in Kamala Markandaya's Possession and Anita Desai's Bye-Bye Blackbird P.Krishnaveni
Ernest Hemingway's Life Style and his Creative Activity N.Rajendra Prasad
Human Vultures: A Study of Vijay Tendulkar's The Vultures William Nelaballi
Key Factors Essential for the Smooth Functioniilg ofA Cooperative Learning Classroom
Ch. Venkata ramani, Ravi naidu
The Sense of Nostalgia: Toru Dutt's 'Sita' and 'Our Casuarina tree' P.Usharani
The Moral Complexity in Hemingway's the Sun also Rises ICMadhu Murthy
Vocabulary Development and Language Proficiency - P.M.UshaRani
Significance of Symbolism in the Play Mukta-dhara, of Tagore T. Ravi Symbolism in Tagore's "The post Office"
KMani
The Portrayal of Women Protagonists in Shashi Deshpande's ' YGowthami
Pebbles in the Stream Role of Minor Characters in the novel The Thousand Faces of Night
P. Pothan Prathap
iv Volume - 11
SVU Journal of English Studies
Pebbles in the Stream Role of Minor Characters in the novel
The Thousand Faces of Night P. POTHAN PRATHAP
Two major movements were conceived during the freedom struggle. The first was the political movement and the second a social movement in favour of the freedom of the fairer sex. There were many writers, both male and female, who depicted these two movements simultaneously as well as separately. Githa Hariharana's debutant novel, The Thousand Faces of Night is a reflection of the struggle women underwent in India as a result of male egoism. The novel had been awarded the Common Wealth Writers' Prize in 1993. It was an exemplary piece of work for the other authors and books; and an ample proof of Githa Hariharan's conscious effort. Like TS . Eliol, H~rriharan also believes the business of the writer is not tofind new emotions hut to use ordinary ones to make them into a work o f art (Dr. Kuiriur Ajuy, The Heroine in Githa Hariharan k The Thousand Faces of Night, Cyher Literature; vol. XXIII, No. I, June:2009,p69).
The present article is an attempt to highlight the importance of minor female characters on the pace of the novel and further show their irascible impact on the other important characters. The grandmother of Devi, Parvatiamma, Mrs. Lalitha , Annapoorna, mother-in-law of Mayarnma, Lakshmamma, Gauri and Uma are some of the minor characters of the novel. The ideas, thoughts and imaginations of these minor characters go a long way in casting a spell over the major characters and help them transcend greater heights psychologically.
An indepth analysis of these characters brings forth certain truths which may sometimes be difficult to acknowledge, accept and agree. The oily pock -marked village doctor mumbling that Mayamma: as a woman must learn to bear some pain.. . . . reflects the thought that prevails in the society. Women are not supposed to express their pain but bear it. The character of Devi's grandmother as a teller of stories whenever a situation demands brings forth her technical ability to impart truths without making the listener feel it as a burden. At the same time, My
S VU Journal of EngIiivlt Studies
grand mother 5 stories are not ordinary bed time stories. She chose each for a particular occasion, a story in reply to each of m,v childish question. She had an answer.for every question. But her ansulers were not simple: they had to he decoded. A comparison had to be made, an illustration discovered, and a moral drawn out (Hariharan, Githa. The Thousand Faces of Night.Delhi: Penguin, J992,page2 7).Moreover the tender age at which Devi is when her grandmother narrates the stories to her, create a much deeper impact on her psyche. The numerous questions that,crop up in her mind seek solutions in the stories narrated by her grandmother. Different situations, various instances and problematic episodes instigate Devi's inquisitive mind and cluestions keep blurting out. This is enough for the grandmother to start a story, each one, an allegory to the many famous epic stories. Drawing comparisons from the stories and concluding each by attributing a moral significance to them is dextrously handled by the old lady. She, who had once reigned over her household, expects the same treatment to her grand daughters in their married lives. But Fate wills it otherwise and her eldest granddaughter, Uma, falls a victim to her in-law's sexual harassment. After this setback, the grandmother now concentrates entirely on Devi and hopes that at least Devi would be successful in her married life. All her efforts to instil the qualities of patience and adjustment in her granddaughter prove to be futile. In spite of her hopes and aspirations the life of Devi turns insecure and unstable.
Lalitha, the sister-in-law of Devi, is introduced into the story through a letter she writes to her father. She also sends an air ticket for him to travel to New York. The character of Lalitha is in no way visible to the readers for her entry is as a third person and her actions or deeds are immaterial to the pace of the novel. But her abstract presence in the novel hastens the culmination ofthe novel. The letter from Lalitha results in the separation of Devi from her father-in-law. The father figure in whom Devi finds solace is forced out of her life through the letter. The separation is not a temporary one but a permanent one; because her father-in-law returns lifeless.
Devi's innate passion for fatherly love is satiated through her father-in-law. The only happiness that Devi secures at her in-law's place is because of her father-in-law's companionship. He, in fact educates her in Indian philosophy and other life-sustaining truths in the world. Lalitha's letter crashes the small edifice of Devi's hope. She is now forced to turn to the world and people outside for companionship. She finds Gopal, the singer and is drawn to his affectionate words. This leads to her elopement and Devi's marital world crumbles down.
SVU Journal of English Studies
The character of Mrs. La1 is that of a young bride, nervous and alienated in the company of her husband's colleagues. She is a guest at Devi's house. She is an unsure and insecure guest at the house of an equally unsure and insecure hostess.
Devi, the reluctant hostess of the party hosted by Mahesh tries to fit the bill. She realises her! situation to be precarioi~s as she has to play a role that satisfies different categories of guests that walk into her living room. The subtle margin that separates the two categories of people is barely visible but strongly felt. The womert .rat sejxzrately, huddled bundles in silk, faces set with anxiety to please the husband's boss. They all looked at the same to me, but 1 soon found that there was an unbending line, invisible but self evident, that divzdeu' the women at two camps(p73).The difference that is persistently present in every state of society is echoed in this party. The dominance of one category over the other; be it social, psychological, physical or religious; is an omnipresent feature in the world.
Beginning with husband-wife relationship at home to that of boss-subordinate relationship outside the dominance persists. This inequality is the basis of the severe unrest among peoplc. The unrest leads to unsurity and insecurity. Insecurity leads to nervous breakdown. This collapses the wisdom of a person and hastens his path to destruction.
The life of Devi is not a path of flowers. She was steeped in her own misery and was facing a highly insecure future. Hosting the party is also done with great reluctance. Tending to the needs of guests like Mrs. La1 who reflect her life; is indeed a trauma, unasked for. As the hostess, I couldpretend that my rightful place was in between, around, on the edges of, all circles 0773).
The character ofAnnapoorna refreshes the minds of'the readers. Similarities are instantly drawn of her to a flower blooming afresh but weighed down the heavy dew drops. Being an orphan, she enters Devi's house as a destitute. The initial silence is shown to be a mask that manages to shroud the bubbling nature; but not for long. Though her age is not mentioned, it is clear that she was young - older than Devi but younger than Sita. Her nature is similar to that of an unharnessed horse. Exuberant, exhilarating and energetic - she is as fresh as a Mayflower. Her childishness is evident from her behaviour with Devi. She enchanted me. She was much older than I was, but once she had shuken off her grieJ: her orphan hood, sheFlled her house with unruly laughtev. She was not mad for long-lasting tears. She cried often enough, sometimes
SVU Journal of English Studies
over such silliness, that even I was astonished by her childishness. But the tears dried quickly, even quicker when Anna held her chin up and called her a foolish little kitten (p76). This is unceremoniously crushed by Sita, an adult who views her as a threat to her very existence. Sita who had given up playing on the veena and spun her life around her husband and daughter, perceives Annapoorna as a danger signal to her family. It is clear from Devi's words that Annapoorna had cast a spell on Devi and her father. Dressing up specially for Devi's father was an unrestrained beha~ioural tip that does not escape the hawk-like gaze of Sita. Annapurna helped Amma with the house work and plujged with me when Igot back from school. But it was when Anna came home that she would bubble and spill over with her chatter and giggles. Her hair was combed, her .face washed. Her forehead gleaming with a large maroon mark, she would stand at the door like a golden goddess, a goddess who shone the barely suppressed laughter (p77). The signs of temptation are easily detected and she unhesitatingly acts with the speed that the blow falls hard and firm, even before anybody can realise it.
Devi and her father, face an anguished loneliness after Annapoorna's silent exit. The dreams they have of her are equally painful and endearing at the same time. To Devi even after a gap of many years, remembering Annapoorna was like a musical notation. The resemblance drawn between Annapoorna and Gopal forbodes disaster that is to strike Devi. Devi's father was whisked out of Annapoorna's reach deftly by Sita; but what now can prevent Devi's fatal fall?
An epitome of harassment, Mayamma's mother-in-law is a well- churned combination of a variety of characters. She reflects the then prevailing mentality of a lower middle class mother-in-law. Her superstitious beliefs, rigid ideologies and horrendous ways of expressing them - all show her in a different light. Her intense wish that the family line continue makes her treat Mayamma horribly. The ignorance of a village woman is reflected in her superstitious practices. Her passion for a grandchild makes her blind to the suffering of Mayamma, somebody else's grandchild.
Her selfishness doesn't allow her to look beyond her nose. The only important thing for her was satiating her beliefs, her opinions and her views. She remains immune to the suffering of her daughter-in-law. This combined with the crueltyof Mayamma's husband and son; has an adverse effect on Mayamma. The loss of her youth, her marital life, her motherhood - all that were snatched away from her make Mayamma
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embittered and dejected. She turns highly unresponsive to such emotional break outs.
The character of Lakshmiamma clearly reflects the extent to which a woman can go if she just decides to do something. Nothing is able to stop her. Lakshmiamma, whose son lived in the town and who hardly came to visit his mother, gets her way by enacting a small drama of her own. Her son, who had been previously sending some money to his mother, stops doing it. Lakshmiamma becomes a destitute. She is unable to maintain herself. She is at a loss to express it also. Hcr son not only stops sending money but also stops visiting the village. Patience Lakshmiamma, they ssuid sagely. Money is not that em17 to come by these days @125). Among themselves, they clucked their tongues, and spoke of young men who lost their souls in towns, and old women who lived too 1ong.Lakshmiamma tells her woes to everyone in the village. Everybody advises her to be patient. But they also denounocd the modern generation who cared the least bit about their parents. This they do in secrecy.
Suddenly for a couple of days Lakshmiamma doesn't come out of her house. On the fourth day, she came out; swept the courtyard and sat down to gaze at people. Her appearance stunned the villagers, for she was stark naked. Everybody thought that she had lost her senses. The rejection she faced, they believed, was the cause 01' her insanity. She was immune to the gazes, awkward stares and averted thces. She sat on, immobile of the things going on around her.
After sometime, a few women took her inside ant! covered her, trying to drive away the devil. After a few weeks, her son arrived and took her to the town, where he stayed.
The half-smile on her lips while accompanying her son to his house, is an indication that she might have planned out the whole drama. When she didn't find a way to contact her son, or make him notice her problems; she allowed the village to represent that matter to him. To achieve this she took a drastic step of appearing naked before the public. She did not hesitate to do that. May be this is one way in which she tried to teach a lesson to her son. This is one character that plays the game as it had to be played.
The word 'minor' may mean small but its impact on anything in life is major. There are instances in life where the bite of the smallest ant has averted disasters; the close of an eyelid by the driver resulted in accidents. 'small' is everything . Many minute atoms combine to make a
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particle. A small change in DNA results in a major change of species. The minutest of characters in Ramayana, Manthara, is the pivot around which the entire story revolves. Githa Hariharan deftly brings this fact through her minor characters. She likens them to pebbles in a stream, which accords the stream its music.
References:
I . Dr. Kumar Ajay, The Heroine in Githa Hariharan 's The Thousand Faces ofNight, Cyber Literature; vol. XXIII, No. I, June:2009,p69
2. Hariharan, Githa. The Thousand Faces of Night.De/hi: Penguin, 1992,
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