rohinton mistry mg vassanji i. allan sealy

221 Pages·2015·1.3 MB·English

Saurashtra University
Re – Accredited Grade ‘B’ by NAAC
(CGPA 2.93)

Vasani, Meera A., 2013-03, Narrating the communty : A critical study of the
works of Bapsi Sidhwa, Rohinton Mistry, M.G. Vassanji and I. Allan Sealy,
thesis PhD, Saurashtra University

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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL
STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA,
ROHINTON MISTRY, M.G. VASSANJI AND
I. ALLAN SEALY

BAPSI SIDHWA

ROHINTON MISTRY

M.G. VASSANJI

I. ALLAN SEALY

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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY
OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINON MISTRY,
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
SAURASHTRA UNIVERSITY, RAJKOT FOR THE DEGREE
OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

SUBMITTED BY:
MEERA ANANTRAI VASANI
ASSISTANT PROFFESOR
L.E. COLLEGE, MORBI

SUPERVISED BY:
DR. NILA SHAH
HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,
JASANI ARTS & COMMERCE COLLEGE, RAJKOT

SAURASHTRA UNIVERSITY
RAJKOT

2013
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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the work embodied in this thesis entitled
NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE
WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINON MISTRY, M.G. VASSANJI
AND I. ALLAN SEALY has been carried out by Ms. Meera Anantrai
Vasani under my direct guidance and supervision. I declare that the work
done and presented in this thesis is original and independent.

I further declare that the work has not been submitted either partly or fully to
any other University or Institute for the award of any degree.

Rajkot
Date: 13/3/2013 Signature of the Guide

Dr. Nila Shah
Associate Professor and Head,
Department of English,
Jasani Arts & Commerce College,
Rajkot

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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

Acknowledgement

I heartily extend my gratitude to my guide Dr. Nila Shah, Head, Department
of English, Jasani Arts & Commerce College, Rajkot without her valuable
guidance and co-operation this dissertation would have not been possible. I
also express my gratitude to Dr. A. K. Singh former Head of the Department
of English and Comparative Literary Studies, Saurashtra University, Rajkot,
and now Hon‟ble Vice Chancellor, BabasahebAmbedkar Open University,
Ahmedabad for being the inspirational force in selecting this topic of my
dissertation. I am also thankful to Dr. J. K. Dodiya, Dean Arts Faculty,
Saurashtra University, Rajkot and Dr. Iros Vaja, Head, English Department,
M. V. M Arts College, Rajkot for being motivators to resume and complete
my study after a break.

I am also thankful to Shri P. C. Vasani, Principal L. E. College, Morbi and
my HOD Shri Y. N. Dangar for co-operation and encouragement extended
by them during the course of my research.

My special thanks are also due to Mr. Dilip Vaghadia for typesetting the
manuscript painstakingly.

Finally and most significantly, I am grateful to my honorable Parents for
being with me in every walk so as to pursue my study successfully. I cannot
forget the motivational support provided by my Brother and Bhabhi time and
again. Lastly, I thank my son, Veer and my nieces Maher and Pushti for
being my chief source of inspiration in accomplishing this task.

My warm vote of thanks to my mother-in-law, Mrs.Chhayaben Trivedi; my
father-in-law, Mr. Jagdishbhai Trivedi and my husband Mr. Nishith Trivedi
for motivating me for the studies.

Thank you Almighty for being with me all the time.
Date:
Rajkot.
(Meera Vasani)
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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

Index

Sr. Page

Chapter Name

No. No.
1 Chapter – I Introduction 6
2 Chapter – II Fictional World Of Bapsi Sidhwa 37
3 Chapter–III Fictional World Of Rohinton Mistry 95
4 Chapter – IV Fictional World of M.G. Vassanji 144
5 Chapter – V Fictional World of I. Allan Sealy 168
6 Chapter – VI Conclusion 182
7 Bibliography 210

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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

Chapter – I
Introduction

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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

The word Community is derived from the old French communite which is
derived form the Latin Communitas (Cum “ with / together” + munus
“gift”) a broad term for fellowship or organized society.

In biological terms a community is a group of interacting organisms sharing
a populated environment. In human communities, intent, belief, resources,
preferences, needs, risks and a number of other conditions may be present
and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of
cohesiveness.

In sociology, the concept of community has led to significant debate; the
sociologists are yet to reach agreement on a definition of the term. There
were ninety-four discrete definitions of the term by the mid-1950s.
Traditionally a community has been defined as a group of interacting people
living in a common location. The word is often used to refer to a group that
is organised around common values and is attributed with social cohesion
within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a
household. The word can also refer to the national community or global
community. (Hillery1955: 111)

Community is a realm where words are never fully suitable and language
itself falls short. The seeds of community reside in humanity – a social
species. A group becomes a community in somewhat the same way that a
stone becomes a gem through a process of cutting and polishing once cut
and polished, it is something beautiful. But to describe its beauty the best we
can do is to describe its facts. Community like a gem, is multifaceted each
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NARRATING THE COMMUNITY: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORKS OF BAPSI SIDHWA, ROHINTON MISTRY, By :
M.G. VASSANJI AND I. ALLAN SEALY Meera Vasani

facet a mere aspect of a whole that defies description. The facets of
community are interconnected, profoundly interrelated. No one could exist
without the other. They create each other, make each other possible. What
follows, then is but one scheme for isolation and naming the most salient
characteristics of a true community. (McMillan 1986: 16)

In his The Different Drum Community Making and Peace by M. Scott Peck,
describes the following salient characteristics of a true community:

1. Community is and must be inclusive
2. Community is that it is realistic
3. Community is humble and hence realistic and it is contemplative
4. Community is healing and converting.
5. Last but not the least community is a spirit but not in the way that the
familiar phrase “Community Sprit” is usually understood. The spirit
of true community is the spirit of peace.

Community thus is multifaceted, each facet a mere aspect of a whole that
defies description. The facets of community are interconnected, profoundly
interrelated. No one could exist without the other. They create each other,
make each other possible. According to M. Scott Peck:

There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no
community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and
ultimately no life, without community (Peck 1987: 86)

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