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Book Summary of Kanthapura To Malgudi : Cultural Values And Assumptions In Selected South Indian Novelists In English

The present book makes a scholarly attempt to examine the portrayal of South Indian ;culture in thirty-seven Indian English novels written by seven eminent authors: K.S Venkataramani, K.Nagarajan,Kamala Markandaya,Raja Rao, R.K.Narayan B.Rajan and Santha Rama Rau. The novels under study were published during the years 1925-85. The book sketches and evaluates critically the cultural values and assumptions such as the idea and role of womanhood the role relationship the role of myths and puranas the role of the guru the role of religion and bhakti and the role of proverbs. It makes an attempt to evolve a cultural criteria that is ;native and indigenous and demonstrates a paradigm that could as well be applied to Indian English poetry,drama and short story. While establishing a close relationship between literature and culture the book makes a rich contribution to the disciplines of indological studies,Comparative literature and Indian English literature.
About Author :
Rev. Dr. S.Xavier Alphonse, S.J. is a Jesuit Priest of the Tamilnadu province. He completed his doctorate from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, in 1992. He taught at St. Joseph's College (Autonomous) Tiruchirapalli and was the Principal of Loyola College (Autonomous) Madras from 1992-95. At present,he is the Director of Curriculum Development and Project planning of the Madras Community College. In 1987, he went to great Britain as a British Council visiting scholar and interacted with scholars at various British universities including the well known fiction critic Professor David Lodge at the University of Birmingham. Also, he spent a year in the USA and visited various universities, He published a biokgraphy of Mother Teresa in Tamil entitled The Spring Returns Not in 1978 and a book on community colleges in India entitled Changing Track in 1996.
Contents :
Introduction Part I Indian English Literature : Some Problem Part II Indian English Fiction: Critical Approaches : A Review Part III The Cultural Approach : The South Indian Element Part IV The Cultural Values and Assumptions The Idea and Role of Womanhood The Significance of Relationship The Role of Myths and Puranas The Absorption of Native Preoverbs,Expressions,Festivals and Customs The Role of the Guru and Asceticism The Role of Bhakti and the Idea of Religion Part V Kanthapura to Malgudi Index The List of Charts