Female Pakistani Fiction. A Critical Approach E-Book

Matthias Dickert

• Herausgeber: GRIN Verlag
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Scientific Essay from the year 2015 in the subject Literature - Asia, Comenius University in Bratislava, language: English, abstract: This book is an introduction into (female) 'Pakistani Fiction'. It starts with some sort of background information on the catchphrase 'Pakistani Fiction' in order to place the female aspect into its literary background. A second step lies in a description of the position of this literary concept within 'Postcolonial Writing' which is marked and shaped by so many different cultural and religious elements. The short analysis of two selected novels, Ice Candy Man (1991) by Bapsi Sidhwa and Brick Lane (2003) by Monica Ali should help to show how female Pakistani writers deal with female matters. This literary reflection will be supported by three parameters which can be found in many novels dealing with this subject. The talk is about gender, diaspora and globalization all of which are used to portray female characters. The end will consist of some sort of outlook where 'Pakistani Fiction' stands at the moment and where its trends might go to.

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Abstract

This book is an introduction into (female) 'Pakistani Fiction'. It starts with some sort of background information on the catchphrase 'Pakistani Fiction' in order to place the female aspect into its literary background. A second step lies in a description of the position of this literary concept within 'Postcolonial Writing' which is marked and shaped by so many different cultural and religious elements.

The short analysis of two selected novels, Ice Candy Man (1991) by Bapsi Sidhwa and Brick Lane (2003) by Monica Ali should help to show how female Pakistani writers deal with female matters. This literary reflection will be supported by three parameters which can be found in many novels dealing with this subject. The talk is about gender, diaspora and globalization all of which are used to portray female characters.

The end will consist of some sort of outlook where 'Pakistani Fiction' stands at the moment and where its trends might go to.

This book is for two very special people.

It is first of all for my long gone brother Michael who never had the chance to see this world. Although he only lived for one day he left many traces in our family. I personally know that he is my guardian angel protecting me now as he would have done in real life.

This book is also for Diana a very special person, who opened my eyes for something which had gone astray for a long time in my life - true love!

You will always be close!

"Great fiction comes from the tension that produces those dramatic political developments. Pakistan has been going through really interesting times. As writers process that through their fiction, they're coming up with an art with a real urgency and political need."

Table of Contents:

Abstract

1. 'Pakistani Fiction' ̶ background information

2. 'Female Pakistani Writing'

3. 'Female Pakistani Fiction' and 'Postcolonial Writing'

4. Parameters for (female) 'Pakistani Writing'

a) Gender

b) Diaspora

c) Globalization

5. A short analysis of (female) 'Pakistani Fiction'

a) Bapsi Sidhwa's Ice Candy Man (1991)

b) Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (2003)

6. Outlook

7. Bibliography

1. 'Pakistani Fiction' ̶ background information

The catchphrase 'Pakistani Fiction'[1] which is commonly used for writers living and writing in Pakistan or abroad covers one of the most influential Iiterary developments of contemporary English speaking literature. It has to be seen in what is generally known by 'Migrant Writing', which itself is a product of 'Postcolonial Writing'. Although there is a close relationship to England as the former colonial power 'Pakistani Fiction' by now has reached an independent literary status. This was not always the case since Pakistan had not only been influenced by English literature it was also overshadowed by literary giants from India such as Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy or Salman Rushdie. It was, however, especially Rushdie who helped Pakistani writers out of their - lets call it (with all respect) - literary infancy status­ with his novel Midnight Children (1981).

This book started a literary production of novels which ranges from topics such as religious extremism, class divides to dictatorship or war and love.[2]

Most Pakistani writers write and talk about their homecountry and problems related to it and they do this from two perspectives, from abroad and at home. So you find many of them working and living in London, New York, Karachi or Lahore. It is this double perspective which also helps to fully understand the possibilities which 'Pakistani Fiction' offers.

Two of the most important representatives, Nadeem Aslam and Hamid Mohsin, have already gained international status and were nominated for many literary awards such as the Man Booker Prize.

The energy involved in these and other Pakistani novelists is quite well described by Kamila Shamsie who wrote about these new writers by saying that 'Some of us have been writing for many years but suddenly we've had four or five novels coming out together and that's created a buzz'. The result of this literary vitality soon made clear that Pakistani literature - in contrast to contemporary Indian writing - seems to be more grittier and more engaged in style.

The background of this energy can certainly be seen in Pakistan's religious, historic and political background which helped to pave the way for many writers since readers seem to have embraced the political nature of 'Pakistani Fiction' a lot. This especially goes for novels written after 9/11 most of which also have to be read in the face of the 'War on Terror'. Hamid Mohsin commented on this with the words that 'If you have grown up in Pakistan, to sit down and write something that's not political is almost impossible'. This link between writing and politics is done by many young writers who originally stem from the country's upper class while having grown up in Pakistan in the 1980s. The list of these writers and their works shows that they consist of many authors already disposing of an international status. If one really dares to pinpoint it down to a novel which opened the present importance of Pakistani writing most critics mention Mohammed Hanif s A Case of Exploding Mangoes (2008) or Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011). It is these two novels which seem to have inspired writers such as Mohsin Hamid, Kamila Shamsie or Uzma Aslam Khan and books like The Story of Noble Rot (2001),Tresspassing: A Novel (2003), Geometry of God (2008) or Thinner than Skin (2012). H.M. Naqvi's Home Boy (2009), such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) by Hamid Mohsin or Kamila Shamsie' s In the City by the Sea (2004) use Pakistan and the West as their literary backgrounds thus reflecting modern Muslim existence from two sides. On the whole the quality of these writers is extremely high and shows that 'Pakistani Fiction' 'is now coming to its own' Munezza Shamsie ( 2013). This newly gained independence must, however not forget that Pakistani writing is still deeply rooted in its long Pakistani background[3]. Many of these modern writers are still influenced by Pakistani authors such as Jamil Ahmed and his book The Wandering Falcon (2008) although they work in their own personal migrant background by now. Nadeem Aslam's novels Season of the Rainbirds (1993), Maps for lost Lovers (2006), The Wasted Vigil (2009), or others like The Blind Man's Garden (2014), Broken Verses (2005), or Burned Shadows (2009) by Kamila Shamsie have all reached international importance. This also goes for Daniyal Mueenuddin 's novel In Other RoomsOther Wonders (2009) or Roopa Farooki's book The Flying Man (2012). The double perspective of East and West which can be found in many of these and other books is at the moment broken apart by this newly gained literary autonomy which many of these authors seem to favor. Pakistani literature, like Australian or Canadian literature as well, is becoming more and more independent, i.e. it more and more centers around Pakistan as its literary focus. This trend can - at the moment - quite well be seen with writers such as Uzma Aslam, H.M. Naqvi, Ali Sethi, Mah Khan Philipps and Feryal Gauthar who all seem to follow this direction of going back to their mothercountry. 'Pakistani Fiction' in English has been more focused on political issues at both the national and international levels especially after the recent rise of interest in Islam and Muslims in the wake of 9/11. However as far as Shahraz's works are concerned, her writings cannot be strictly classed as political as she only makes slight evasive hints at the underlying political struggles and her major concern remains the social conflicts at more or less domestic levels that shape the everyday lives of her characters. Siddiqui (2011) in his chapter, 'The Political or the Social: Qaisra Shahraz and the Present Pakistani Writings in English' voices a similar thought. Regarding Shahraz's writings he adds that:

"Though the political questions are only hinted at by Qaisra Shahraz, her novels remain rooted in its social context. As such it can also qualify as a Muslim social novel with the elements of romance thrown in. This kind of fiction has a more successful counterpart in popular Urdu literature. There are not many novels in English that can qualify as Muslim socials [...] she earns the distinction of introducing a new genre of fiction in English." (Siddiqui, 2011:194-195).