Question

How did Novels become popular among masses?

Answer 1

Indians used the novel as a powerful medium to criticise what they considered defects in their society and to suggest remedies.This helped in creating a sense of collective belonging on the basis of one’s language. Writers like Viresalingam used the novel mainly to propagate their ideas about society among a wider readership. The stories depicted the lives of the contemporary times and thus helped the readers to associate themselves with the novels. Themes of love, marriage, proper conduct of men and women helped the 18th century men to relate to the stories

Answer 2

(i) Indians used the novel as a powerful medium  to criticise what they considered defects in their society and to suggest remedies.

(ii) Writers like Viresalingam used the novel mainly  to propagate their ideas about society among a  wider readership.

(iii) Novels also helped in establishing a relationship  with the past. Through glorified accounts of the  past, these novels helped in creating a sense of  national pride among their readers.

(iv) At the same time, people from all walk of life  could read novels so long as they shared a  common language. This helped in creating a  sense of collective belonging on the basis of  one’s language.

(v) Novels also made their readers familiar with the  ways in which people in other parts of their land  spoke their language.