Narayanpur incident essay
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Published in 1982, The Narayanpur Incident is Shashi Deshpande’s fourth novel for children. It has been variously established that Deshpande deals with a variety of issues even in her books for children including the didactic principle (not the conventional one) which is supposed to be a significant constituent of any children’s book. This paper intends to analyze the underlying ideology in The Narayanpur Incident. Just like her other novel 3 Novels, it caters to the need of the society at large by offering a story that carries a moral. That children need a moralistic tale to evolve into virtuous adults is fairly established as one of the aims that books for children thrive to attain. What follows that argument is how inculcating national consciousness is very much a part of that educational enterprise. In other words, what is fairly apparent in this novel, as in the other three novels, is how children were (and still are) tied to the nationalist discourse of the twentieth century vis-à-vis children’s literature. What better theme than national struggle could there be to instil in young children the values of nationalism? The pertinent question, then, is to scrutinize how the notion of childhood gets constructed through such a selection. The purpose of this novel seems to be a fairly simple one, one which is striving hard to make children aware/ conscious of their roles in their family as well as nation. While the intent may seem preachy, the events take place in a way which appears very similar to a practical teaching mode. However, unlike the other three novels by Deshpande, this plot does not have as much pleasure or entertainment to offer as its educational content. Additionally, an ‘introduction’ has been affixed to this nove... ... middle of paper ... ...e India, were truly the representatives of the future India which has no fear of the British and its ideals whatsoever. The appeal of Gandhi had truly touched Indian hearts. Works Cited Deshpande, Shashi. The Narayanpur Incident. New Delhi: Penguin, 1995. Print. Bakshi, S.R. Congress and Quit India Movement. New Delhi: Criterion Publication, 1986. Print. McGillis, Roderick. “Children’s Literature: A World Accustomed to Violence.” Children’s Literature. Ed. Wendy Mass. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 110- 119. Print. Patil, V.T. Gandhi, Nehru and the Quit India Movement. Delhi: B.R Publishing, 1984. Print. “Hindi Children’s Journals and Nationalist Discourse (1910-1930)”. Economic and Political weekly. 39:33 (2004). 3723-3729. JSTOR. Web 6 June, 2013.