WRITINGS

Thoughts, Stories and Other Wanderings

Books I have read, stories I have imagined, poems I have written, and reflections on the many questions that make life worth exploring.

All Writings

Literature

Stories

Poems

LITERATURE

Books, Reading and Literary Reflections

Thoughts on books, authors, characters and the many ways literature deepens our understanding of life, ourselves and the world around us.
  • LITERATUREMAY 2021

    Russian Novels and the Art of Fiction

    Having discussed the various aspects of fiction and what constitutes the art of writing, I have to dwell upon some books which have occupied a particular space in my thought and often foreground their importance when a discussion of fiction ensues. Largely due to fortuitous circumstances and also because cheap editions of them were available…

    Read more →: Russian Novels and the Art of Fiction
  • LITERATUREMAY 2021

    Structure in Fiction

    In our effort to understand the making (writing) if fiction, awareness of various strategies can enhance our understanding of one of the most difficult creative processes. Story, Narrative, plot, setting and dialogue have been discussed to some extent in my earlier posts. However one keeps coming across the word ‘structure’ in literary discussion, theory and…

    Read more →: Structure in Fiction
  • LITERATUREMAY 2021

    Setting in Fiction and Film

    The setting in film Noir movies of Hollywood of the 1950s and 60s, portrayed the cynical attitude and dark motivation of the characters. The “Wrong Man, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Maltese falcon, The Woman in the window, Scarlet street, Detour, Touch of Evil, Diabolique (French), The Stranger, The Innocents (British), Woman on the Run…

    Read more →: Setting in Fiction and Film
  • LITERATUREMAY 2021

    Setting in Fiction

    In my Plus 2 Advanced English course, we had a one act play titled ‘The Little Man ‘written by John Galsworthy. It is a play about the Universality of the little man who is far taller than all the other characters in the play. What he lacks in terms of physical attributes is more than…

    Read more →: Setting in Fiction
  • LITERATUREAPR 2021

    THE FEAST OF THE GOAT

    A novel that I had wanted to read for a very long time; a story about the dictator Trujillo who ruled the Dominican Republic for 30 years. The novel is arranged as an episodic narrative tale which follows the events of the deadly, brutal regime from three points of view, that of Urania Cabral, the…

    Read more →: THE FEAST OF THE GOAT
  • LITERATUREAPR 2021

    Narrative Forms: In Medias Res

    Coming to the different forms of narrative, one has to look closely at an epic convention called ‘Medias res.’ In the Iliad Homer plunges directly into the action in the middle of the Trojan War. More famously in ‘Paradise Lost’ Milton takes us directly to Satan ruminating and wallowing in Hell with his comrades. The…

    Read more →: Narrative Forms: In Medias Res
  • LITERATUREAPR 2021

    Showing and Telling in Fiction

    “ Showing” as it is called is obviously more difficult than merely “Telling” because while telling, the novelist can narrate from experience, render judgment, analyze and objectify motives, vent anger and frustration at a degenerate world and assume the position of anything that he or she desires: A sympathizer, a castigator, a Judge or a…

    Read more →: Showing and Telling in Fiction
  • LITERATUREAPR 2021

    Plot in Fiction

    Plot is the way in which a story is narrated. The domain of the plot belongs entirely to the craft of the novelist where as the story belongs to the imagination of the novelist. To generate interest and also to sustain it, the novelist has to make use of this device, as a story told…

    Read more →: Plot in Fiction
  • LITERATUREFEB 2021

    Anton Chekhov

    People say he is the most read author after William Shakespeare. One reads a short story expecting a twist in the tale, a sudden change in the plot, an unexpected turn of events etc, as in O.Henry, Saki or Guy De Maupassant. Sometimes the short story is an exploration of character, a delineation of a…

    Read more →: Anton Chekhov
  • LITERATUREJAN 2021

    సెగు – మరియసె కొండె

    అది 19 వ శతాబ్దం. మొదటిసారిగా తన ఖండాంతరాల ఆవల ఉద్భవించిన శక్తుల ధాటికి ఆఫ్రికా ఖండం ప్రభావితం చేయబడుతున్న శతాబ్దం. సాంప్రదాయ సంస్కృతి, జీవన శైలి, మతం, కుటుంబ నిర్మాణం లాంటి అన్ని వ్యవస్థలు ఈ ఆటుపోట్లలో చిక్కుకొని తీవ్ర సంక్షోభం ఎదుర్కొంటున్న సందర్భాన్ని రచయిత ఆవిష్కరిస్తారు., తింబక్తు మాలి, సూడాన్ మధ్య ప్రాంతాల్లో ఒక భాగాన్ని సెగు అని పిలుచుకుంటారు. ఇక్కడ యొరోబా, బంబారా, ఆషాంతి తెగల మధ్య జరిగిన సంఘర్షణని ఈ నవలలో…

    Read more →: సెగు – మరియసె కొండె
  • LITERATUREDEC 2020

    Long Walk to Freedom

    I was deeply enchanted after reading Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long walk to Freedom.’ What I found most interesting was the question the author poses to himself; Should an individual live for his family or the society; a question obviously confronted by many great freedom fighters. Mandela’s life belongs to the category of saints and apostles for…

    Read more →: Long Walk to Freedom
  • LITERATURENOV 2020

    The Discreet Hero

    If I were to describe the Discreet Hero by Mario Vargos Llosa, I would call it contemporary. Don Ishmael Carrera and Fanatio Yanaque, both prominent businessmen face a threat and a challenge of sorts from their children. Betrayal, deceit and incest are common and these old men; harbingers of hard work and examples of dedicated…

    Read more →: The Discreet Hero
Load More Literature