NATION,
NARRATION & FOLKLORE; A CRITICAL SURVEY.
Introduction:
In the post modern period, liberalization, privatization,
& globalization bring out the various changes in different spheres. The
nature of narration has changed; the concept of nation challenged by the new
economic policies. World becomes global village. The idea of communication has
been changing constantly, due to the explosion of various devices of
communication. When the way of communication has been changing definitely there
are multiple effects on language terminology and literary narration. The paper
focuses on, in which way the effects come out on nation, narration &
folklore. Whether the new economic policies challenges to the concept of nation
& narration, it is attempted through this paper.
RELEVANCE:
The
life style of human beings complicated in the post modern period .people has
started to come close, way of talking, dressing and glomming food habits, life
style, language, philosophy, and over all understanding have been changing. As
a literary person, it should focus on all these changing scenario of the life. Life
is most precious gift for human being. Kipping this hypothesis in mind paper
tries to explain the correlation between nations, folklore and narration. In
the 21st century lingua franca of the world must understand, then we
could come across the literary genre very well.
WHAT
IS POST MODERNISM & POST STRUTUALISM?
The
post modernism a & Post structuralism are partners in the same paradigm and
there is bound to be some overlap between the two; some people use them even
interchangeably but it may be better to make some distinction in their use. The
overlap and the distinction may be shown as, Post modernism deals with, a
condition, a vision, a state of mind, a way of life, an attitude, &
culture. Whereas ,Post structuralism deals with, textualism, minute reading of
the literary genre or anti reading of literary genre.
Both Post
Modernism & Post Structuralism share the view of ontological uncertainty, offer
a critique of ideas regarding order and unity in language, art and
subjectivity; both repudiate convictions and question wholeness, autonomy,
grand theories negate reality both believe that everything is fiction and there
is no realism; politics history, sociology, psychology and even sciences are
all fiction according to both these points of view. Post- Structuralism is more
language based whereas Post Modernism presents a vision and a way of life.
Postmodernism is an artistic, architectural, philosophical, and
cultural movement or condition, said to arise after and in reaction to
modernism. According to many commentators, whereas modernism frames itself as
the culmination of the Enlightenment's quest for an authoritatively-rational
aesthetics, ethics, and knowledge, postmodernism is concerned with how the
authority of those would-be-ideals, sometimes called metanarratives, are
subverted through fragmentation, consumerism, and deconstruction.
What is
"postmodernism"? Postmodernism began as a theory of literature and
literary criticism, concerned with the properties of the literary text,
meaning, and reading. It focuses on the role of language. Concern with language
quickly led postmodernists to deal with human nature, explaining what being
human is and what it means to be human. As a theory of postmodernism claims,
speaking of human beings that "language is our home." Language here
refers to spoken discursive language. According to postmodernism, it is our
possession of language that makes us human. Language distinguishes us
absolutely from animals. Everything human about us is contained within
language. Consciousness, thinking, and behaviour are based in language and have
no source outside language. Postmodernism arose after World War II in Europe.
By the 1980s, it became the dominant paradigm for academic studies in the
humanities and a powerful influence in the social sciences.
The
effects of post modern period on narration and literature:
Narration
the process of relating a sequence of events; or another term for a narrative.
In the first sense, narration is often distinguished from other kinds of
writing (dialogue description, commentary) which may be included in a
narrative; it is also distinguished from the events recounted, i.e. from the story,
and from the narrative itself
Narration
is important devices of literature; the nature of narration reflects the
social, cultural, economic and political conditioning of the nation. Therefore
these terms are co relative to each other. Narration represents the nation,
nation represents culture of the people and the culture of the people reflects
through the literature .For the literary manifestation, it requires language.
Language is system of symbol, its symbols stands for concrete and abstract
meaning of day today communication. Narration is made through the language, and
language is identity of the nation. In the post modern period, substantial
changes occurred in different areas, multi-culture multi- ethnic,
multi-languages, multi-religion & multi philosophy emerged, it made
difficult to understand the culture of the nation. Eg. Rohinton MIstry’s Such
Long Journey, language this book of is the product of, Marathi, and western
culture. It is very difficult to identify original culture of text &
narration. Language is hybridized by unifying multi culture. Postmodern
literature argues for expansion, the return of reference, the celebration of
fragmentation rather than the fear of it, and the role of reference itself in
literature.
Postmodernism is often used in a larger sense, meaning the entire
trend of thought in the late 20th century, and the social and philosophical
realities of that period. Marxist critics argue that post-modernism is
symptomatic of "late capitalism" and the decline of institutions, particularly
the nation-state. Other thinkers assert that post-modernity is the natural
reaction to mass broadcasting and a society conditioned to mass production and
mass political decision making. The ability of knowledge to be endlessly copied
defeats attempts to constrain interpretation, or to set "originality"
by simple means such as the production of a work. From this perspective, the
schools of thought labeled "postmodern" are not as widely at odds
with their time period as the polemics and arguments appear, pointing, for
example, to the shift of the basis of scientific knowledge to a provisional
consensus of scientists, as posited by Thomas Kuhn. Post-modernism is seen, in
this view, as being conscious of the nature of the discontinuity between modern
and post-modern periods which is generally present.
THE EFFECTS OF POST–MODERN PERIOD ON NATION:
A nation may
refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity,
descent, and/or history in this definition, a nation has
no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common
territory and government (for example the inhabitants of a sovereign state)
irrespective of their ethnic make-up in international relations, nation can
refer to a country or sovereign
state.
The concept of nation is being changed, borders of nation are
vanished, people of the nation started to come together. No border nation is
the motto of new world therefore it has substantial changes on the nation. In
reference to India , India adopted new economic policy in 1991, after that we
find different flow of language in India
.Narration of literature is not identity for the nation ,it has broke all borders of social, economic, and cultural
values of the nation. Eg. In the Canada, there are various official languages
due to the multi culture, when we come across the literature of Canada, we
unable to understand the features of original Canadian culture. With that reference
‘nation’s border are not to be remaining prominent part for national identity.
It does not mean that all cultural and social values mixes up, only some
portion of it gives different effects .If the new economic policies continued
to remain in the world after some year there will be unified culture of the
world. Somehow it is good for humanity; any way with the literature we could
enrich the principles of humanity.
HOW, THE NATION, NARRATION &FOLKLORE ARE CORELATIVE
In the literary arena, means and modes of communication are
important because it plays vital role in the study of literature. National identity
should be survived, for that instance we find some regional movement to
preserve nation’s cultures. Culture is unique concept; it has various differences
to region to region. Narration is tool in hands of the literary, academicians, philosopher,
scientist and so on to reflect concrete and abstract ways of thinking and
behavior. For better understanding they use appropriate ways of communication
to say what they perceived. Though the substantial changes occurred in
different areas, it is essential to enshrine national principles for the sake
of nationalism. But due to the global effects, it destroys the main motif.
Other hand there is a little hope for strong nationalism. Eg. due to the global
recession there is slow down in various field(industry, real estate sector,
agriculture & service sector ) most of developed nations are now saying
about the strong nationalism by banning the out sourcing of the job . Most interesting
before that they use to say about the liberalization in large manner. It is
clearly indicates that strong nationalism is about to emerge. Though the globalization
is everywhere, writer should use proper mechanism to enshrine linguistic & cultural
principles of state.
Nation and narration is the most important things and they are co
relative to each other .Literature is
expression of the society ,whatever things occurs in the society it reflects
through the literature.
NARRATION AND FOLKLORE:
Folklore (or lore)
consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy
tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices
through which those expressive genres are shared. It plays very important role
in life styles of human beings, even today folklore is most neglected part,
there should be intensive attempt to be made by academicians & politicians to
preserve it for the future reference. Most of part of the folklore are in
spoken form, therefore it is difficult to make it available it to the people of
society. Due to the global effects it is going to be diminished, if it is
remain there will adverse effects on cultural heritage of the every country.
Lingua franca of the every languages kill the beauty of language, but language
is dynamic therefore it is acceptable, but it started to encroach on folklore,
it is absolutely worst. As long as culture is there, humanity or human being
exist. If cultures disturbs humanity or way of thinking disturbs. Possibility
there could be negative impact on people. Therefore culture & languages
accept the changes gradually For example; In the Australia, Newzeland, &
Canada, we find negative growth of population of the indigenous people .Because
of the intensive encroachment of modern & post modern effects on their life
Their communities are in danger, could be diminished in future. Even though
this statement somehow exaggerated, but when we go in history we find result.
Change is the rule of nature and life, but it should happen or occur gradually,
otherwise it gives adverse effect to the human. Therefore every aspect of
language & culture should be handled carefully.
CONCLUSION:
Nation and narration
both terms are important, narration is a dynamic concept, and it changes in
course of time. As per the flow & way of thinking of the people, author
uses it effectively for the reader & listener’s response. Narration differs
from culture to culture, nation to nation, and so on. In the changing scenario
of the way of thinking and life styles of human being, it is urgent need to
focus on such differences.
Integrated culture & language is going to
come in the world, due to the effect of electronic media. It challenges to
basic features of the literature. If such thing remain the same, definitely
after few years there will be unified, integrated & link language and
culture of the world. And that will destroy the identity of the nation,
narration & culture. With reference to that paper raises various questions
regarding to it, which are very important. I am happy to put views forward for
the consideration……..
REFERENCES:
1)
The Atlantatic
Literary Review Quarterly.
2)
The Indian Economy, Quarterly
3)
Datt & Sundram ‘Indian
Economy’
4)
http://www.concepttshirts.co.uk/articles/post-modernism.htm
5)
Wikipedia
6)
Contemporary Literary
Theory A Student’s Companion by N Krishnaswamy
7)
A Hand book of
Literary Terms, by M. H. Abrams.
