Gandhian Thought and Nationalism in Waiting for the Mahatma
Journal Title: International Journal of English and Literature (IJEL) - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 4
Abstract
The Second World War period’s growing chasm between the Hindu and Muslims communities, India and Britain, the Bengal hungers, the “Quit India” movement and the mounting frustration and misery are covered in novels like Bhabani Bhattacharya’s So Many Hungers, R. K. Narayan’s Waiting for the Mahatma and Kamala Markandya’s Some Inner Fury. R. K. Narayan is a novelist, who undoubtedly is one with his people and surroundings. He has mastered the craft of representing his people, their values and ethos. There are claims of his concern about the daily travails and frustrations of his characters and a general apathy towards their contribution to the society and politics. Some critics have even claimed that Narayan is essentially apolitical. Similarly, there are other critics who eulogize Narayan and argue that, any work of art is considered to be the product of the historical, political, social and economic movements of its time. So, they have explored the presentation of national tradition in the works of R. K. Narayan. This paper discusses Waiting for the Mahatma as a work which reverberates with Gandhian philosophy and ideology of nationalism of 1950’s.
Authors and Affiliations
Meenu Bhola
Keywords
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