02-05-2014, 12:36 PM
Ignoring Theories : Experiencing R. K. Narayan
Ignoring Theories.pdf (Size: 168.31 KB / Downloads: 31)
Abstract
R. K. Narayan excludes theory in his work. His playing truant to
theory has earned him some liberties; at the same time he has also incurred certain
liabilities. This paper attempts to discuss Narayan’s neglect of theory and evaluate
his fiction in this perspective. Narayan’s abilities that are focused upon here are
his creation of Malgudi landscape, his humour peppered with irony and his
amazing linguistic felicity. The liabilities this paper focuses upon are: apolitical
content, plot shifting and irrational conclusions.
R. K. Narayan excludes theory in his work. He is aggressively against
theory. He writes in “Introduction” to his story-collection Under the Banyan Tree
and Other Stories:
“I . . . assert that all theories of writing are bogus. Every writer
develops his own method or lack of method and a story comes into being for some
unknown reason and anyhow. The process involved cannot be stated
theoretically” (vii). Narayan’s playing truant to theory has earned him some
liberties; at the same time he has also incurred certain liabilities. One of his most
outspoken critics in this regard is Shashi Tharoor; Nai Paul and Wyatt Mason
have middling praise for Narayan. There is, nevertheless, a respectable body of
criticism of his work the best of which are that of Harold Bloom and Jumpha
Lahiri.
This paper attempts to discuss Narayan’s neglect of theory and
evaluate his fiction in this perspective. The liabilities this paper focuses upon are
his ahistorical and apolitical content; plot shifting; forced and irrational
conclusions. Narayan’s abilities that tend to eclipse these liabilities which are
focused upon in this article are the Malgudi magic; his humour peppered with
irony; and his amazing linguistic felicity.