Postcolonial Indian English Fiction: Decentering the Nation

Book Details

• Author: M. Rajagopalachary

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2016

• ISBN: 9788131607589

• Pages: 222

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches

About the Book

Since the 1980s, Indian novelists writing in English have been actively re-visiting and re-contextualizing the idea of India, offering vibrant and plural narratives that reflect the country’s social and cultural complexities. India, as a vast construct, embraces plurality, allowing marginalized voices to find authentic expression and recognition in postcolonial literature. These narratives from the margins—representing class, community, religion, and gender—have become integral to Indian English fiction, with writers like Salman Rushdie, I. Allan Sealy, Amitav Ghosh, Dina Mehta, Githa Hariharan, and Arundhati Roy creating a rich corpus that gives voice and visibility to these groups.

This anthology, comprising twenty-six insightful articles, examines the postcolonial perspectives of Indian fiction writers who consistently re-view history, resist hegemonic structures (both colonial and domestic), and project a spirit of liberation. It delves into themes such as minority histories, nationalism, communalism, Dalit and women’s narratives, and reinterpretations of India’s freedom struggle.

By highlighting these resistance narratives and their parallels with Indian regional literatures as well as African English classics, the volume provides a nuanced understanding of the evolving Indian literary landscape. This collection will be invaluable for scholars, students, and readers interested in literary criticism, postcolonial studies, and Indian English fiction.