REFLECTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY AND NEW HISTORICISM IN THE WORKS OF SUDHA MURTHY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.6312Keywords:
Children’s Literature, Cultural Heritage, Traditions, New Historicism, National Identity.Abstract [English]
Indian children’s literature has a prolonged history of rich traditions and oral storytelling, filled with myths and folklore. Sudha Murthy's simple yet relatable storytelling is drawn mostly from her real-life experience spicing it up with Indian folklore. She integrates cultural heritage with modern relevance and helps young readers understand their roots. By drawing on New Historicist strategies - like reading the text alongside its historical background, examining the text’s engagement with dominant cultural ideologies, and examining the operation of power and identity through storytelling - children’s literature can be viewed in a new light and not just as innocent or neutral storytelling. This paper examines Sudha Murthy’s contribution to children’s literature and their role in constructing national identity from a New Historicist perspective. Her use of different symbolic tools to portray the Indian rural culture and the traditions followed and practised by the people can be seen throughout her work.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Ningombam Tonikabe Devi, Mutum Rameshwor Singh
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