Recapturing the Picture of the Past: A Study of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children
Keywords:
History, Identity, Memory, Culture, Partition, Magical realism, NationAbstract
This research paper examines Salman Rushdie's Midnight’s Children as a seminal work that masterfully intertwines personal and national histories, utilizing diverse narrative techniques to revisit and reimagine India's past. The study explores how Rushdie's novel, through its protagonist Saleem Sinai, presents a fragmented yet profound reflection on the nation's journey from colonial rule to post-independence challenges. It delves into the narrative's backdrop of the 1947 Partition and its lasting impact, highlighting Rushdie's use of magical realism to blend the ordinary with the extraordinary. This blending creates a complex, symbolic portrayal of India's identity and history. The paper also discusses the subjective nature of historical interpretation as portrayed in the novel, emphasizing memory's role in reconstructing the past. By critically analyzing Midnight’s Children, this study underscores the novel's significance in postcolonial literature and its power to reshape our understanding of history through storytelling.
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References
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