Literary Constructs of the Self: Socio-cultural Contexts

Book Details

• Author: Santosh Gupta

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2010

• ISBN: 9788131603086

• Cover: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 240

• Package Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches

About The Book

Literary Constructs of the Self: Socio-Cultural Contexts is a collection of 19 insightful essays that offer a critical examination of how the self is represented and constructed in literature. The book is divided into two sections: in the first, creative writers like U.R. Ananthamurthy, Rajee Seth, Mridula Garg, Lakshmi Kannan, and Uma Parameswaran explore the multiple forms of narration that shape the self in literary texts. These writers delve into the complexities of language and its influence on the persona within the narrative.

The second section comprises critical essays by eminent scholars such as Jasbir Jain, Harish Narang, Sudha Rai, Sudha Shastri, Urmil Talwar, and Mini Nanda, who examine the impact of translations between languages, as well as the forms and mediums through which literary constructions of the self are created. These essays consider the influence of history, nation, region, and diaspora on writers and their narratives. The critics analyze texts, autobiographies, and films in their socio-cultural, aesthetic, and psychological contexts, emphasizing how different cultural frameworks shape the human imagination and creative expression.

This work offers a profound understanding of the various ways in which literature and culture shape the conception of the self, including explorations in poetry, drama, fiction, and film. It is an essential read for anyone interested in modern fiction, literary theory, and the complexities of identity in socio-cultural settings.

About the Author/Editor

Santosh Gupta, former Professor of English at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, specializes in modern fiction, with particular focus on British, American, and Indian literature. She has also completed a significant UGC project on Modern Prison Narratives. Mini Nanda, Associate Professor in English at the University of Rajasthan, has a keen interest in British studies, Canadian literature, feminist studies, and partition novels and films, particularly focusing on Muslim women writers.