English Lit. Extended Essay

Abstract:

In this paper, I have attempted to explore V. Lakshman's character in Shashi Tharoor's novel Riot and have tried to investigate whether he would be an apt representative of the contemporary Indian man.

This paper highlights the turmoil of conflicting ideologies that question the portrayal Lakshman's character as the contemporary Indian man.

For me, "the contemporary Indian man... (is) a man who is modern in his approach to life, educated, not sanctimonious, while being responsible and obligated to his family and to society." , and I have used these characteristics and values to compare Lakshman's character to the contemporary Indian man. To support my views, references have been made to his family, culture, education, experiences and moral considerations.

I found Tharoor's style of writing refreshing on my first reading of the text, and by my third reading, his depth of knowledge of communal strife in India became evident.

At the outset, there appear to be no obvious parameters to generalize the mindset of the contemporary Indian man. The traits that define this individual are likewise ambiguous. Therefore it was apparent to me that this would not be the topic of choice for many and that encouraged me and reinforced my decision to choose this topic for my extended essay. My in-depth analysis of Lakshman's character, as it develops through the course of the novel, has helped me to identify the elements that have shaped his ideologies and lifestyle.

Through this extended essay, I have expounded on various notions of modernity at different levels of consideration. This has been an exercise at understanding the fluid emotions of anger, compassion, greed and lust. The experience of working on this paper has helped me to empathize with the characters in Riot and broaden my views on issues that are plaguing modern India.

Word Count: 299

Is Lakshman's character in Shashi Tharoor's Riot a portrayal of the contemporary Indian man?

"I am an Indian, dressed in suit and tie;

The words roll off my lucid tongue in accents long gone by;...

When I've had enough of the working day, I fall upon my bed;

My walls are hard, my carpets soft, my sofa cushions red

What kind of Indian? You said."

Shashi Tharoor's Riot addresses communal conflicts in India on a macrocosmic level while simultaneously crafting a story of forbidden love at a microcosmic level. V.Lakshman is the district magistrate in the Indian town called Zalilgarh. As the district magistrate, his duties revolve around the communal tensions while his heart is perplexed with a moral struggle. Lakshman is portrayed as being an intelligent and educated man who keeps up with global issues but is surrounded by people who are barely educated and have purely localized concerns. He is involved in an extra-marital affair with a young American girl, Priscilla Hart, who is in Zalilgarh to promote women's reproductive rights. Their relationship is one of the key factors in the story and a lot can be inferred from this relationship regarding Lakshman.

The above poem "I am an Indian" is meant to have been written by Lakshman and gives the reader an idea of what to picture Lakshman as. Lakshman's circumstances force him to make decisions, which reflect several aspects of his character such as cultural background, education and moral perspectives.

In this paper, I will be analyzing whether or not the character of V.Lakshman accurately corresponds with today's contemporary Indian man.

The question of who is a contemporary man and what defines this particular individual is one that can be left to the reader's creativity. But, in my opinion, and this is the intent I have had while writing this paper, is to classify the contemporary Indian man as a man who is modern in his approach to life, educated, not sanctimonious, while being responsible and obligated to his family and to society.

A background to Lakshman's character is one probable way of understanding his responses and motives that lead him to face the consequences of his actions. Born and raised to a South-Indian family in the city of Calcutta and educated in Delhi University, Lakshman easily surpasses the background of most Indian men but seems to adequately represent the contemporary Indian man. His work as a civil servant leads to several postings and eventually he is stationed at a village named Zalilgarh.

Lakshman is drawn to public service; he may have been forced into taking up this job but he appears to have carried out his duties with pride. Lakshman is well disposed in his obligations and works to the best of his abilities, as he wants to help create and maintain the image of an ideal India that is in his mind. In the words of Jaydeep Sadarangi:

"Indianness is a theme too difficult to expound... The long history of Indianness as the socio-cultural identity, its different expression, and its rich variety make it difficult to deal with."

Indianness as a concept is in fact, complex to define, as it is sculpted out of multi-faceted ideologies, religious beliefs and geopolitical aspects, which discern its uniqueness. Indianness can be considered as a collage of ideologies, which stem from various sources but fit together in a manner which is truly exceptional, making the notion of Indianness completely unique. Lakshman's Indianness seems to focus on the notion of familial and societal obligations being more important than love and desire. His childhood has crafted his views on Indianness, which are highly optimistic. Tharoor seems to have adequately represented Lakshman's views on Indianness while keeping up with the renowned Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel's comment:

"There is no one single Indian flavour which can alone claim the designation ('Indianness') and that its value too depends on a host of generative factors which should never be simplified for purposes of praise or blame."

His character is difficult to define holistically. Several aspects of his character can, however, be analyzed: he represents the new, modern vision of an Indian man but is held back by his familial obligations, which serve as restraints to his fantasies. A relationship with Priscilla would be mutually beneficial, not only for their physical cravings but also as they would be the perfect ideological match. It is this aspect of commonality