Keywords
Indianness, Indian Literature, Short Stories, Cultural Themes, Social Issues, Caste System, Tradition, Gender, Familial Structures, Social Reform.
Abstract
India's vast fabric of historical, social, and cultural experiences is reflected in literature's complex and dynamic concept of Indianness. The short stories of three well-known Indian writers--R.K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, and Rabindranath Tagore--are examined in this study to see how they deal with and portray the concept of Indianness. These writers highlight many facets of Indian identity through their unique narrative styles and thematic concerns, such as the intricacies of social reform, caste relations, tradition, gender roles, family structures, and the interaction between personal goals and societal values. While Tagore's poetry prose reveals a profound engagement with Indian spirituality and humanism, his writings eloquently convey the tension between modernity and tradition, frequently including protagonists struggling with societal expectations and personal independence. Anand presents a harsh but sympathetic depiction of social reform by taking a realism stance in his analysis of systemic inequities, emphasizing the suffering of under privileged groups and the wide spread injustices of the caste system. With his trade mark subtle humor and keen observational abilities, Narayan creates tales that vividly capture the pulse and tenacity of small-town India, emphasizing its distinct fusion of tradition, simplicity, and subdued resistance to change.
India's vast fabric of historical, social, and cultural experiences is reflected in literature's complex and dynamic concept of Indianness. The short stories of three well-known Indian writers--R.K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, and Rabindranath Tagore--are examined in this study to see how they deal with and portray the concept of Indianness. These writers highlight many facets of Indian identity through their unique narrative styles and thematic concerns, such as the intricacies of social reform, caste relations, tradition, gender roles, family structures, and the interaction between personal goals and societal values. While Tagore's poetry prose reveals a profound engagement with Indian spirituality and humanism, his writings eloquently convey the tension between modernity and tradition, frequently including protagonists struggling with societal expectations and personal independence. Anand presents a harsh but sympathetic depiction of social reform by taking a realism stance in his analysis of systemic inequities, emphasizing the suffering of under privileged groups and the wide spread injustices of the caste system. With his trade mark subtle humor and keen observational abilities, Narayan creates tales that vividly capture the pulse and tenacity of small-town India, emphasizing its distinct fusion of tradition, simplicity, and subdued resistance to change.
IJCRT's Publication Details
Unique Identification Number - IJCRT1033103
Paper ID - 291155
Page Number(s) - 675-683
Pubished in - Volume 6 | Issue 1 | March 2018
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) -   
Publisher Name - IJCRT | www.ijcrt.org | ISSN : 2320-2882
E-ISSN Number - 2320-2882
Cite this article
  Dr.Puspanjali Dash,   
"The idea of Indianness in Indian literature: An analysis of social and cultural themes in the short stories of RabindranathTagore,MulkRajAnand,andR.K.Narayan", International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), ISSN:2320-2882, Volume.6, Issue 1, pp.675-683, March 2018, Available at :
http://www.ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT1033103.pdf