How Literature Shaped Me?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a thrilling novel by Robert Louis Stevenson that opens the darkest of the dark side of the human psyche. By using the metaphors of liquids and potions, Stevenson has advised humanity not to drink them as they are the loopholes to chaos in human life. The novel taught me to learn how to find ways to curb and nullify the darker side of my personality.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville And Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway falls into the same genre of adventure fiction. The footsteps of Captain Ahab thudding on the stern of the ship are the markers of sharp determination and courage. His broken leg with ivory joint support makes me think of my own weaknesses and yet teaches me to stand in front of the giant sperm whales of hardships and troubles. As Ishmail narrates the story of Ahab and his whale hunt I grew a sketch of him inside my brain.

Similarly, Santiago taught me never to give up on hard work and dedication. Always select the role models wisely as Santiago admires a baseball player Joe DiMaggio and his playing style. I also learned to be specific in making and selecting the role models for me.

"All My Sons", a play written by Arthur Miller, moved me to think of removing all the prejudicial and personal interests whenever a larger collective is on the front. A single amoral decision can ruin many lives. Joe Keller bears the guilt throughout the play and commits suicide at the end. I learned from the play that one must remain true and honest to one's self and make wise decisions in all walks of life.

The Namesake, a good read to understand the diasporic sensibility, family life, and parenthood. Ashoke and Ashima meet, completely unknown to each other, and make a fine living after marriage. Ashima learns to live in a foreign country and Ashoke gives time and space to Ashima to keep the romance alive. This taught me the necessity of human adaptability and flexibility in life. Later on, their son Nikhil doesn't like the name given by the parents. He goes through the perspective clash between him and his father Ashoke. This has made me learn to be open to other's views and perspectives. I also learned how and why world literature is very important to read in life. Russian author Nikolai Gogol's book "The Overcoat" is a gift to Nikhil by his father. In the grief of Ashoke's demise, Nikhil regrets himself for being rude to his father and gradually grows out of the rawness of age and transforms into a very mature person. This is the best part I liked in the novel. One should always be thoughtful about its surroundings and should know the know-how and whys of everything. It doesn't only make one mature but also a sensible and critical thinker. The undercurrent thoughts and ideas open a completely new world for an individual.

How can one forget African Literature when world literature is being discussed?

Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, sheds light on the bitter reality of the Breedlove family living in Ohio State in America. On one hand, a mother struggles badly to make both ends meet and on the other hand, her husband carelessly throws the responsibilities and duties to the family. The pair's daughter, Pecola Breedlove is abused several times and is raped twice. The eleven-year-old's only wish is to have blue eyes so that she can get some love from the whites. Such a tragic narrative of the young girl shook me from within and made me question the core aspects of humanity.

Hamlet was the second play I studied in my academic journey. Hamlet's anxiety about the unfair relationship between his mother and Uncle Claudius is quite defendable. The play also suggests how morality and power intervene with one another when it comes to making crucial decisions. Hamlet's dilemma and soliloquy open new paths for the psychoanalytic study of human behavior and disorders such as anxiety and overthinking.

The Waste Land by Eliot, says that be a giver, have compassion, and have self-control. As the Sanskrit words go: Datta, Dayadhvam and Damyata. It has come to my observation that those who are the givers to society suffer the most, and those who only take from others, enjoy. All five parts of the poem are taken precisely from various legends and Indian Upanishads. The poem also made me think about how the modern world is getting spiritually degraded and how it is proceeding towards heart-wrenching practicality where no emotions are entertained.

The Birthday Party is a play written by Harlod Pinter, a Nobel Prize-winning, twentieth-century, British playwright who discusses power relations and authoritative interventions in the life of an individual. His iconic and groundbreaking dialogue from the play is, "Don't let them tell you what to do!"