Raja Rao's narrative style

Raja Rao’s narrative style

Biography: Raja Rao born in an ancient respected Brahmin family on 1908. He graduated  in English and History. Kanthapura is Raja Rao’s first novel. Raja Rao is trying to justice ‘Indianness’ in the novel. Raja Rao used english in a creative way, he rejected western style of writing.

Raja Rao’s narrative style: Main point is his ordinary style of story telling.

·     In his narrative style we are shown appropriateness he brings out the difference in the language used by educated, uneducated, young and old.

·     In Kanthapura Achakka uses a language that is typical old women. Kanthapura is a ‘documentization’ of philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, the tents of Hinduism, spirit of Nationalism, and the Recognition of common people in India.

·     His style of narration is puranic.

·     Raja Rao follows the oral tradition of story telling without any break.

·     Raja Rao has used recollection of past to the action in present.

·     The novel starts like this; Our village- I don’t think you have ever heard about it- Kanthapura its name and it is in the provenance of kara…

·     Novel written in three  stands political background, religious background, & social background.

·     Novel has multiple structure, it is a dramatic tale told by old woman. Rao focus cast also here four quarter Brahmin, Pariah, Potter, and Sudra.

·     Raja Rao focus on a small things here in this novel he is taking about Transformation.

·     The people here were mostly poor, illiterate and backward. People were extremely religious minded.

·     Juxstapositionand in dreams and reality.

·     Recollection of the past and present.

·     In Kanthapura Rao has translated the native similes, metaphors, idioms, and phrases that are used in a Vernacular language.

·     In Kanthapura Rao uses many numerous instance like Harikatha, Sankra-jayanti, Payasana, Rohini etc..

·     Structure of the novel is strate forword.

·     Raja Rao uses various other devices like, repetition, additional modification in sentences. We can say that Kanthapura is a recreation of myth.

·     Raja Rao tries to historical figure with real situation, he also focus on Indian village life related with old tradition superstition, religious matter.

·     Village reflects simplicity.

·     The small village shows that how the nation was and is touched by Ghandian ideas. We say that Moorthy’s character reflect passion for action, he turned into a Gandhi man.

·     Raja Rao compares ‘Myth’ and ‘Meaning’.

·     Myth represents our tradition. Myths are the description of  historical events in an idealized manner.

·     End of the novel is very tragic.

·     In political background there is a Brutality of the British is shown in the novel.

·     Raja Rao is trying to create National identity.

·      He says that “ episode follows episode and when our breath stops we move another thought. This is still the ordinary style of our story-telling. I have tried to follow it myself in this story.”

·     Kanthapura is the narration of nationhood, Ghandian ideas, Transformation, Political and Social movement, Religious matter, History etc..

·     M. K. Naik: Raja Rao has presented a creative vision which posses an astonishing origination and distinction perhaps if all the Indian writers of fiction in english.

·     Kanthapura is symbolic of new life emerging out of the dead one. Raja Rao talk about transformation like this Kanthapura to Kashipura.

·     In the novel people try to understand the meaning of ‘Swaraj’ ‘Independence’.

·     Raja Rao beautifully describes a picture of village, a river, a hill and temple with the presiding deity of the village complete picture.

·     He also describes villager’s faith, believes for Kenchamma. In introduction of the novel Rao uses the words like this; “There may be smallpox or influence around you but you make a vow to goddess, the next morning you wake up and you find fever has left you”.

·     Raja Rao gave all the answer in this novel. He compare two different movement first Ghandian and second Myth or Historical. Story belief in caste orthodoxy people not ready to accept the changes.

·     The main point reflect here that is; The variety of complexity of village life.

Characterization: Raja Rao beautifully describes all the characters in the novel. Old women Rangamma, Achakka- narrates whole story. Moorthy- Gandhi man passion for action though he is Brahmin boy he began to mix freely with the pariah.

Ratna- young widow she is a good helping hand of Moorthy. Bade khan- is a typical police officer in the service of the British government.

·     The entire novel bristiles with action and all that action is centered round Moorthy. All characters are simple and life like.

·     There are clear discrimination between Brahmin, Sudra, Pariaha and Potters there are still mutual bonding between the villagers, they live happily with equal social and economical bonding.

·     Raja Rao use the collection Myth in his narration.

Conclusion: Kanthapura is not an allegory because here comparison between Gandhi-British rule and Rama-Ravana. Situation is not elaborate and complete. It is only a convenient comparison.

It is explained through fable or an episode an the Ramayana or Mahabharata or the Gita etc..the end like this all the villagers leave Kanthapura to settle n Kashipura.

Writer use religious metaphor to explain the subtitles of the freedom fighting movement.

Kanthapura is the best example of Raja Rao’s  narration..