Style and Structure of the novel ‘A House for Mr. Biswas’ E.C - 401

Assignment Paper: - E-C 401 New Literatures

                                   

Topic                      : - Style and Structure of the novel

                                     ‘A House for Mr. Biswas’

 Student’s name    : - Makwana Jayshri D.

Roll no                  : - 14

URL                      :-makwanajayshri261011.blogspot.com

Semester              : - 4

Batch                    : - 2011-12

                                 

                                              Submitted to,

                                                Dr. Dilip Barad

                                                Department of English

                                                Bhavnagar  University.

         Style and Structure of the novel ‘A House for Mr. Biswas’

                                               ‘A House for Mr. Biswas’ is written in third person past tense, told from the point of view of an omniscient third parson narrator, who knows everything including the thoughts and feelings of many characters. The point of view stays relatively close to Mr. Biswas, the protagonist. Few scenes fail to include him. Mr. Biswas's innermost thoughts are frequently revealed, as are those of his son, Anand. The thoughts and feelings of female characters are totally excluded, leading some to accuse Naipaul - or his narrator - of sexism. The story is retrospective, told by a narrator who is familiar with the outcome, at some point after Mr. Biswas's death. The voice of the unidentified narrator, presumably Mr. Biswas's only son Anand, is paramount to the novel. The narrator is highly literate, well-educated and completely immersed in the Indo-Trinidadian culture.

                                        The Novel is divided into two parts, enclosed by a prologue and an Epilogue. The plot Structure is part of a long British novelistic tradition as represented by Charles Dickens (1812-70) with its concentration on the life history of a single protagonist and the tracing of his fortunes from birth to death, wit the accompanying search for Self – fulfillment and recognition. The novel also traces the rise and fall of the Tulsi Family, and the changes in society over a period of fifty years. It is difficult to date the events in the novel precisely, but it seems to cover the period between 1905 and 1951, so including the two major world’s wars – the second of which does impinge on the novel with its economic effects and the growing American influence. Naipaul, however, does not wholly conform to the model defined above. The hero’s death, for instance, is reported in the prologue and throughout the novel there is a subtle series of cross-references and recurring images.

                                    The most striking characteristic of Naipaul’s Style is his power of observation. He shows preasion and clarity, as well as a close attention to detail and ability to create mood and atmosphere in a realistic and evocative way. This sense of control comes partly from the material he is handling, which enables him to avoid falsely romanticizing his subject and makes the material seem realistic and credible. An example of this is the careful detailing of Mr. Biswas’s breakdown at Green Vale. By reporting this process in an unemotional tone, usually in the form of statements, he gives the writing great power and dramatic effect. When Mr. Biswas moves into his incomplete house he becomes obsessed with the asphalt on the roof which melts and looks like a number of snakes, when this horror occurs. It is reported in a matter of fact way which serves to intensify the horror far more than a more melodramatic description could have done. ‘A snake had fallen on him very thin and not long.’ When they looked up they saw the parent snake, waiting to release some more. This restraint in the writing is a difficult achievement for any writer, and is one of Naipaul’s great strengths. We experience the sufferings of Mr. Biswas more intensely because of this careful and delicate contrast between the awfulness of a particular event and the contained way in which it is described. A further example is the destruction of the Doll’s house which Mr. Biswas has given his daughter, one of the most traumatic experiences which he has in the novel. Once again however, the event is described in a simple style which allows the reader to imagine the emotions involved vividly. Mr. Biswas discovers the Doll’s house thrown against a fence in the yard at Hanuman House: A broken door, a ruined window, a staved - in wall or even roof – he had expected that but not this. The Doll’s house did not exist. He saw only a bundle of firewood. None of its parts was whole. Its delicate joints were exposed and useless.