Narrative techniques in Ravinder Singh's can love happen twice? and your dreams are mine nowpar James KIENAGONZWE Asamboa Université de Kisangani - Licence 2019 |
II.2.A Literary Analysis of Ravinder Singh's Two NovelsA. Can Love Happen Twice? II.1 Title Ravinder Singh intitled his second novel: «Can Love Happen Twice?».This novel comes in the second position after publishing his first one intitled: I Too Had a Love Story in which he brought to life his dead girlfriend who died just before they exchange their wedding rings. To undrerstant this, let's consider what is said in the prologue of this book: What can you say about a guy who lost his girlfriend the time the two of them were to exchange their engagement rings? That he plunged into the deepest ocean trauma? That, for whatever happened, he lost his faith in God? That he was so madly immersed in the love of his mortal girlfriend that, after she was gone, forever, he wrote an immortal love story in her memory? Or maybe that, after a long interval time, one day, love knocked at his door once again? (CLHT, prologue). Ravinder thought that people fall in love just once in the life. After the death of his beloved girlfriend Khushi, he had no idea of falling in love once more in his life. This lost made him atheist. In order to forget things and to change his life style, he was encouraged to leave India for Belgium where by surprise love knocked for the second time in his life, at his heart door. It is because of this second love feeling that he was confused and troubled, yes, for his Khushi was still existing in his heart. His troubles and confusions sent him to ask this question which is the title of the book: Can Love Happen Twice? 38 For this book, Ravinder himself wrote: So this book again is my true story? I believe that every fiction is inspired by a true story. Maybe this is my story, maybe not, maybe it is only partly my story, maybe not, maybe it is an amalgation of several stories that my readers write to me, maybe not. I don't want to reveal how much fact and how much fiction there is in my story. Rather, I want you to discover it with your own imagination. But I will leave you with this one truth, and believe me when I say this: it is our generation's true story. This is the prime reason I have dedicated this book to my reasons (CLHT, Before You Read Further...). II.2 Plot or Story The plot is the series of events which forms the story of novel, play, film/movies ect. (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 6th edition). In the novel under study, the story starts by the arrival of Amardeep in Chandigarh airport where he had to meet with his two friends Happy and Manpreet with whom they have been invited in Valentine's Day's special show on Superhits 93.5 RED FM, the number-one FM station, at 9 p.m to talk about their friend Ravin first book in which they are characters too. Few seconds later, he made a call and very soon his friends Happy and Manpreet arrived with a car to pick him up. This meeting was very exciting and nostalgic for them to meet each other after five years back they met in USA during their first reunion. The car took the direction of Radio station where they have been waited for the evening show with their best friend Ravin, but before their arrival, Happy stopped the car and went to send an email into the internetcafe near, though he came back in less than five minutes and drove the car to their destination. 39 Thirty minutes before the show starts, they finally arrived and parked the vehicle in the radio station's parking. When they met the security guard, he directed them to the receptionist, who her turn, asked if they are there for the Raat, Baaki, Baat Baaki show. After a yes from Happy, she politely tell them to take the corridor on their right and go straight in room 3 where they were waited by Shambhavi. It was their first time to be at a radio station, the three friends were quite observing the environment they were in, characterized by the formal silence persisting in the radio station. In front of the door 3 they stopped. Happy pushed the door. His two friends followed him in, they met Shambhavi, a girl with beautiful voice, the host and RJ for the show waiting for them. Shambavi noticed the absence of Ravin. She asked `where is Ravin?' This simple question brought a moment of panicked silence with the three guests momentarily looking at each other. And before Happy replied, Shantanu rush to announce Shambhavi that she just has 30 second to start. Without hearing the reason of Ravin absence or if he will come later, she quickly gathered the spilled-over papers on the table beside her and walked inside the audio room with commending Shantanu to take care of the guest and telling them: «excuse-me-I-have-to-rush-see-you-inside look». When Shantanu noticed that Ravin will not be with them, he panicked and went in the audio room quickly to make Shambavi know. Contrary to what he suggest the annulment of it, Shambhavi decided to handle the show even without Ravin. `Now you would need to carry on the show without Ravin. Isn't it?' `Aaa... yes' the words came haltingly out of his mouth, followed by `But...' And Shantanu's so-called `but' remained incomplete when Shambavi ignored Shantanu's reasoning and, instead, asked him to send the three of them in. `I will handle it. Let the producer know that Ravin is not in and we are going without him' (CLHT: 6). 40 When the three get in the audio room, Shambhavi gave them instructions on what to do and what to not do and a list of few question she will be asking during the show. Soon all of them were seated around the big circular table before Shambhavi broadcasted the beginning of show in which she announced to the listeners that she is in the studio with the real-life characters of the love story and true love tale I Too Had a Love Story. Then, she introduced Happy, Manpreet and Amardeep to the listeners. Outside the radio station, Shambhavi's voice was reaching almost every listener. This 9 o'clock show had been a big hit in the city, especially among the youngesters. But that night this show turned more special, for it was dedicated to this city's bestselling author whose debut novel people had multiple times. For over a week there had been advertisements on this radio station for this show (CLHT: 9). Just after asking them the very first question, Shambhavi gave the phone number so that any listener who wishes to ask them a question may call through. The first listener to call was Ritika, a BSc. student who was enjoying dinner with her boyfriend during this Valentine evening. shewanted to ask her question to Ravin himself however, after commenting on the book she called her favourite book I Too Had a Love Story which, she had since then gifted to many people; she just asked Ravin friends: «but then what happened to Ravin?... I mean, did he ever come out of the tragedy? Where is he now, what is he doing? , ect.» Her only question about Ravin came to reveal the secret of his absence. The sad news was that Ravin was in an unstable state of mind and not doing well. He was suffering from MDD- Major Depressive Disorder. He has been admitted into a rehabilitation center. This made people think that he is in such condition just because of the sad story they knew years ago, then Amardeep explained that after Ravin succeded to pen down his love story with Khushi, many years latter, love 41 nocked at his door for the second time. It was a very sad news for all listeners who didn't stop themselves of speading breaking news all over India the same minutes through messages and social networks. When Amardeep said that they have with them the manuscript of that second story written by Ravin himself, Shambhavi who was already angry and lost confidence now announces it to listeners and promised to allow the readingof that after the music. This made that evening show more special and attractive. The next time when they went on air Shambhavi updated all the listeners that the show that night would continue for an indefinite time and that it was going to be the very first time in their history that a show would run for unspecified duration. In the world outside the radio station, Ravinder's fans were very much willing to listen to Ravin's story irrespective of how the broadcast would last. Happy started reading Ravin's second book-Can Love Happen Twice? (CLHT: 17). After he lost his Khushi, Ravin passed a long time of pain and mourning within his life, in the search of change, he wished to even leave India so that he tries to forget other things that still made him unhappy. It was a year and half later her death that he had an opportunity to go in Belgium for a project. This chance made him happy for it is what he much-needed. He left India for Belgium where he spent his first week in one of Brussels' best hotels. He enjoyed walking in corridors, feeling the magic of the weather outside even if the temperature was -2 degrees Celsius. His collegue who phoned him for the first time in Belgium was Sanchit. He was the only Indian whom Ravin knew in Belgium. When the both idians met in the train going at Sanchit's place, this last updated him with various facts about Belgium. 42 A year and a half had passed since the tragic incident had taken place. Unable to cope with the misery, I was looking for a big chance. Fortunately, on-side opportunity for a project in Belgium gave a ray of hope to that much-needed change. I availed that opportunity (CLHT: 18). The next day after working, Ravin and Sanchit joined Antony who is one of various clients' contact for them, for lunch. Antony brought them to the restaurent by his car. Then, after eating and when they got in the car for going back to their offices, Ravin's eyes looked back and noticed a girl, he saw just her back because of her last position in the sandwich shop's entry queue. While still gazing at her and trying to guess if she could be Indian, the car started, so he lost his chance. The weekend of his arrival, Ravin managed to find himself a house to rent. He succeededto get an apartment building. Nearby that place there was no even a single Indian. Most of the people who lived in the same building spoke either French or Dutch. His friend Sanchit was not only living far but also his wife has already joined him from India. Hence they couldn't visit eachother all times. I lived alone, I cooked alone and I ate alone. There wasn't anyone to talk to because of the language barrier. Yet I did manage to cope with life's interesting challenges in Belgium (CLHT: 24). In his second week in Belgium, he went to run on the treadmill in the gymn. Soon he noticed a face. A girl's face. She was a good looking Indian girl who also came in hurry to run for she had to pass her term exam the next day as she was student of second year in MBA. She had to wait until Ravin finished his turn even though the minites he himself gave to her was not respected. When he finished, the young girl quickly filled the vacancy on the treadmill and run with great enthusiasm. 43 It was the next afternoon after their meeting in gynm that Ravin met again this lady, called Simar, in minibus-eatery which sold sandwiches. Because Anthony and Sanchit were busy that day in a long conference call, Ravin went alone. And when he was on a long queue of people waiting, Simar cames outside and directed herself trainght to him. They talked, made acquaintacy and went back together. Duning Ravin's birthday, after the departure of all invited Indian friends in his place, Simar came late along with her banchmate Tuna. He welcomed them in his house. Few seconds later Tuna's phone rung and excused herself by going outside. Ravin and Simar remained alone. They sat in the balcony talking each other while gazing at dark night's stars. Later when Tuna arived after almost an hour, it was already late and they left. I was enjoying her presence. I don't know why but I felt different. It all felt nice. Maybe because it had been so long since I had been with a girl in the privacy of my house at this late hour. Perhaps that's why the air around us felt so stimulating--as if it was charged with some sort of mysterious, invigorating vibes. We kept talking, after which we made some coffee and, along with the leftover cake, shifted to the balcony CLHT: 34). That whole night, Ravin chatted with Simar throuth messages in playing the game of Truth and Dare created for them by Tuna's secret message to Ravin in Simar's phone. This message conversation let them deeply know each other. When she asked him to tell her about his first lovelife, Ravin promised to explain everything face to face since it is a long story. That game of Truth and Dare had given rise to something beautiful between us--this fact was quite apparent. For the first time in years I slept with a smile on my face (CLHT: 42). 44 The next day, after their SMS night talk, they met for lunch late in the afternoon. It was during that time that Ravin discovered within his heart that he loves Simar. But even though he feels that love, he still was confused since his first girlfriend was present in his thoughts and could not let him accept to involve in Love Ocean once again after facing the passed tragedy. I accepted that I was no longer the same Ravin I used to be. Gradually, with the passage of each day, I senced that I was changing. I accepted that I love Simar's company. I got all excited when I was to see her at lunch. I would feel low if she wouldn't turn up for some reason. Most of the time her name would appear on my cellphone's last dialed contact. But despite whatever was happening to me, I must confess that there also was something that was stopping me from sailing in the oceans of my heart (CLHT: 43). In the weekend, Simar went to Ravin place in order to get all details on his first girlfriend. In this situation, Ravin gave her the book her wrote about his love story with Khushi. Simar took the book: I too Had a Love Story, went back with it after reading some few pages. Early in the morning when she called him after reading the whole book, Simar was still crying for the story touched too much her heart. Just after reading your life's story Ravin, I'm still crying. Last few pages of the book have been spoiled with patches of my tears falling on them. Your love for Khushi is so sacred and priceless (CLHT: 46). After Simar had read Ravin's love story, their love grew up in the sence that they could meet end see every day, spend whole afternoon together, walkind and eating together why not passing night together like it happened one night. Each one enjoyed the company of another 45 one. This made Ravin think of Marring Simar who he found caring and loving. Our love story progressed with the Belgian summer. We would see each other almost every day, mostly in the evenings. If it was a weekend and Simar didn't have an exam coming up, she would get her study material and spend two to three hours studying, while I completed the miscellaneous household tasks for the day (CLHT: 71). There came on December 25, something which created an unhappy mood for both RAvin and Simar. It was an afternoon after they enjoy things together, that, Ravin received an email sent by their account manager in India. It read: Dear Sanchit and Ravin, The Belgium project will now be fully operated from India. The client has agreed to double the workforce as we wanted and has extended the project for 2 more years. This is great news for us. The management here wants both of you to come back, transfer the knowledge to offshore folks and lead your respective teams from offshore. Plan your travel back to India before the New Year (CLHT:72). The last moment for them to be together was the evening of December. Ravin and Simar passed whole night together talking and planning about their future life. In the coming morning, Ravin made his lagguagewhile Simar stayed quite looking at him. A few moment later, it came the hard time for them to say goodbye. Ravin went back in Chandigarh, in India. The distance didn't separate them. Thanks to the development of technology,both Ravin and Simar made either video or vocal calls during which their lovely moment could be recalled as soon as possible. 46 A few months later, Simar was back in Gurgaon her home town in India and directly planned to make Ravin meet her parents. With the excitement of seeing his beloved again after so long a time, Ravin didn't hesitate of leaving Chandigarh for Delhi Shatabdi and then took a metro from Delhi to Gurgaon. He finally arrived and met her parents. After spending the whole afternoon with them, Ravin went back in the evening. Near about noon I reached her place. I had been talking to her over the phone to find the directions to her house. As I reached my final destination for the day, I saw her from a distance standing at the main gate of her house (CLHT: 79). There came a time that Simar on holiday went to visit Chandigarh for a day, Ravin strongly persuaded her to go and visit his mother, but it seems that Simar wasn't in the mood to do that even thought she finally accepted. After picking her up from railway station, the both drove to where Ravin and her mother were living in a renting apartment. After that visit, while making a tour in the town, Simar's mood looked strange when she has started asking questions that Ravin consired as already discussed in Belgium. She wanted to know if there are going to stay in India after their marriage. Simar said that she does want to marry just after her graduation because she needs one year of work before that,`I thought we will settle down in Belgium, I dreamt of getting a fabulous job in Belgium (...)' all these ways of thinking made Ravin curious to know really what was the true matter. When Simar returned to Belgium, their love start having a lot of misundersting. They could discuss each time just about the matter concerning their settling down in Belgium. Raving called Simar's father to make him understand what was going between them. It is thanks to that call that Ravin has been clarified in the intentions of his beloved. Her father told him that Simar wisheshim-Ravin-to join her family in Belgium, left his job for Simar father's company that would move soon from India 47 to Belgium. She loved only Ravin and wanted to live only with him in the house of her father and motherfor she was the only child of this very rich family, sorry for she didn't love Ravin's family then, Ravin had to leave his parents, family and country for Simar. With this clarification on the matter Ravin asked himself many questions. The entire conversation I had that evening with Simar's father left me wondering. In the first go, I wantedto call Simar, but then later I decided against doing so. I thought it was better to prepare myself before I go to hear from Simar whether all that I had heard was right (CLHT: 91). Their talk on the phone was not good as usual. Simar insisted that Ravin accepted to live in Belgium and join her father's business. Seing that Ravin didn't like to lost Simar remembering what he faced with Khushi, he finally agreed to plan for staying in Belgium and will do all is best to convice his parents to go because he is the only one who could take care of them since his young brother had applied for American Green Card. Simar in her turn didn't want him plan to travel with his family. Ravin aceepted that, but could plan visits to his parents each time. Simar then showed her bright point of view that she wants to pass all her times with Ravin. That is to say, she could never accept her husband going to visite his parents. She then added if how she could live with a non-vegetarian, an atheist (...) when after her graduation she goes in Canada for a contract of three months which lasted two five months, Simar wrote to Ravin that her main purpose was to be know all over the world as the second love of this guy the same way he made Khushi known through his first novel I Too Had a Love Story, she wished to be alike in the second broken heart love story of Ravin. She ended by saying how busy she became for her PhD studies came in her mind as priority. Ravin could not become slave of this love even though he did all his best to make it true. Since a boy could not give up his parents for a wife, 48 since Simar loved herself, her dreams and thought no even to change a simple comma on her embution's long list; Ravin's patience arrived at the end. The problem with being in love is that you find it difficult to survive without the other person. No matter how many times you decide not to succumb to it, you eventually land up trying one more time. Things would have been simpler for humans if we were born with only a brain. The addition of heart has brought in all the complexities in my case (CLHT: 98). With these words, Amardeep finished to read the manuscript of the book on the microphone that evening show which made listeners understand what happened to Ravin for the second time and why his condition was not going well since then. Those final words of Amardeep brought everyone back to the present. He went numb. No one said anything for some time. After five and half hours of live reading, a dead silence took over everyone (CLHT: 100). 49 a) Plot Diagramme. Climax Ravin falls in love with Simar Simar visits Ravin on his birthday. Ravin and Simar met again in sandich shop Ravin met Simar in gymn Ravin went to Belgium Ravin struggled to forget the rememberance of his first girlfried, Khushi Ravin goes back in India Simar went in India during vacation and Ravin did all his best to convice Simar but she refused to change. Ravin and Simar break up. Simar wants Ravin to join her family and abandon her parents after they marry. DENOUEMENT EXPOSITION 50 II.3 Characters and Characterization 3.1 Characters A character is a person or an animal who takes part in the action of a story, play or other literary works. Most often a character is an ordinary human being. (Wiston:682). Character can be classified as follows: Main Vs. Minor Main characters in a Novel, play or film are the most important characters around whom, the whole story turns. Minor characters are those that help the heros of the story from the resolution, rising action of the story, to reach climax and accompagn them in falling action until they reach denouement. - Round Vs. Flat In his bookAspects of the Novel, E.M Forster defined two basic types of characters, their qualities, functions and importance for the development of the novel: flat characters and round characters. Flat characters are two-dimensional, in that they are relatively uncomplicated. By contrast, round characters are complex figures with many different characteristics that undergo development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise the reader. - Dynamic Vs. static Dynamic characters are those that change over the course of the story. While staticcharacters remain the same throughout. 51 - Protagonist, Antagonist and Tritagonist A protagonist is the hero of the story, whereas antagonist is the opponent of the protagonist. But tritagonist is character who sympathizes with the hero. - Regular, recurring and Guest Characters In television, a regular, main or ongoing character is a character who appears in all a majority of episodes, or in a significant chain of episodes of the series. Regular character may be both core and secondary. Reculing characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main focus. A guest character is one which acts only in a few episodes or scenes. 3.2 Characterization By characterization we mean, the process of revealing the personality of a character in a story (Winston: 682). It is also a way in which somebodyor something is described or defined in a work of art by taking into account the place and the event (Bolemba, L2 LCA: 201120012). A writer can reveal a character in the ways which follow: - By letting the reader hear the character's inner thoughts and feelings; - By letting the readere listen the character speak; - By describing how the character looks and dresses; - By revealing what other people in the story think or say about the characters; - By showing the reader what the character does, how he or she acts; - By telling the reader directly what the character's personality is like (Cruel, kind, sneak, brave and so forth) (Winston: 682). 52 3.1.1 Main Characters In the novel Can Love Happen Twice?main characters are: 1. Ravin (Ptotagonist or the hero of story). An Indian business guy who had lost his beloved girlfriend just few days before they marry. To cope with this situation was still tough, though he wished to leave India for abroad in order to forget some memories. His luck was that he got an opportunity to go in Belgium for a work contract. In Belgium he met Simar who was a young Indian girl studying her MBA-Master in Business Administration with whom they fall in a crazy love. His Characterization ? Loving and Caring From his first book until this second under study, Ravin is discribed like someone who seriously love and care about his love. His purpose in this matter is not to play with girl's feelings or pleasure, he loves with whole his heart and plan in all occasion to marry Simar. After Simar readsI Too Had a Love Story, which, he penned out in the memory of his first girlfriend whose death separated them, she wrote: ...I'm happy that with this tribute to Khushi, you brought her back in this world and defeated God. Every girl would yearn for a soulmate like you (CLHT: 46). ? Serious Ravin is a serious guy. His seriosity is seen through the text in all his way of behaving as responsible, the way of speaking, the way of reacting to a given situation and the way of treating others wether his friends or his girlfriend and her friends. 53 `Having known you personally and then through your book, I wish I could have a guy like you in my life' (CLHT: 46). ? Brave Ravin's courage is seen in the whole book when he acts. Firstly he preferred to leave his home country for going abroad, something which is not easy to decide; next he didn't hesitate of visiting Simar's parents when she planned so and when things became complicated he didn't stop himself of calling Simar's father to know what was the real matter with Simar. `I found you to be a nice guy, Ravin,' her father said I looked up to his face as he continued (CLHT: 80). ? Solitary When he arrived in Belgium before meeting with Simar, Ravin had no one to talk with since the only Indian he knew there was living far and also because around him no one could speak English for Belgian do only speak either French or Dutch. I lived alone, I cooked alone and I ate alone. There was not anyone to talk to because of the language barrier (CLHT: 24). ? Disappointed Even though Ravin did all his best for not losting Simar as it happened to him with Khushi his first girlfriend, finally he was disappointed when Simar created many things that could not allow him to marry her. By the time Simar actually came back to India after her consulting assignment, things has boiled down to a yes or no decision (CLHT, 98). 54 > Sad Disappointment gave birth to sadness in Ravin's heart. The problem with being in love is that you find it difficult to survive without the other person (CLHT: 98). > Atheist After Ravin lost his beloved girlfriend Khushi who he described in his first novel, he lost also his faith in God. He became atheist for accounding to him, God is either the responsible of this death or if not him, why didn't he stop that before this arives since he is the one who knows all things. `How could God be so cruel to take away an angel like Khushi from you?' (CLHT, 46). `You are an atheis whereas I wanted my life patner to believe in God (CLHT, 97). 2. Simar (Antagonist) An Indian beautiful young girl of about 24 years old from a very rich family. Her father was a businessman who was running some telecom business in Indian and her mother a lawyer. She was the only daughter of this prosperious family. She left Gurgaon and went to Belgium for purshueing her Master studies in Business Administration where she met with Ravin who had just arrived in Belgium, it was her second year of studies. Her characterization > Beautiful Like all other Indian girls in the world, Simar was so cute, attractive, gorgeous, lovely and beautiful. The first time Ravin saw her just on the back, I was troubled. 55 She looked beautiful; more beautiful than the pretty Belgian girls in the queue (CLHT, 27). ? Loving and caring After readin Ravin's love story book, Simar loved him with whole her heart and cares about that love days and night from the day they loved until their last moment together in airport before Ravin returned in India. `You are my sweetest heart, Ravin. I want to hug you' (CLHT, 47). ? Rich Because her father was a well known business man in India and her mother a lawyer, Simar grew up without lacking anything sshe desired. Since there are many Universities where she could deal with Master level, she preferred only to go in Europe far from her parents and in expensive life style without mentioning cost of living in European countries. She took me inside her house and it was something to be admired. It was luxurious, spacious and well d!esigned with nice interiors (CLHT, 79). ? Embitious Unlike what Ravin was waiting to her (to graduate) for they marry, getting a Master degree was not all Simar wished. She was always dreaming of great things like staying abroad whole her life, having a big house with luxurious, getting a fabulous job in Belgium, travelling around the world and dealing with PhD studies. So, her list was very long and in her plans she wanted none of her dreams to fail or to be changed. `She doesn't want to live with your family, but just you' (CLHT, 91). 56 3.2 Minor characters
She was a lawyer. The mother of only one child or daughter, Simar. 8. Ravin's Mother 57 A modest women full of love and respect. She had two sons: Ravin and his brother. She welcomed Ravin's girlfriend at home where they (Her and Ravin) were renting. (a) Diagram of Character's Relationship SENDER Object : (Marriage) PROTAGONIST e (Ravin) d ADDRESSEE (Simar) Antagonist (Simar) TRITAGONIST Assisted (Simar'sFather) II.4 Se ttings Opposed There is no true detail about the year in which this story happened dispites 2007 which is the date this novel was published. It is noticed We speak of setting to mean the time and the place in which the events of the work of literature take place (Winston: 689). II.4.1 Spatial Setting This novel has been written in India. The scene started in Indian after Ravin lost his first girlfriend, went to Belgium where he loved Simar, an Indian girl student in MBA program. Later Ravin's company called him back in India where the story reached the falling action until the both broke up. II.4.2 Temporal Setting 58 while reading that the whole story is not a less than one year matter, for Ravin loved Simar when she was in the second year of her Master studies maybe at the end of the first semester; next when she finished her degree Simar went in Canada for five months more. II.5 Style Style is a way that something is done, built etc. (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary). It is also how the author says something, the choice of words and the use of language, sentence, construction, imagery, tone, figures of speech, point of view and appropriation or borrowings. These facts add significance and impact to the author's writing ( www.shoop.com/wring/style). Some author's point of view about Style
«The style is man himself». i.e: man portrays himself through his style.For the purpose of this dissertation, this part will be clearly developed in the last chapter of the work with is only focused on yhe narrative techniques. II.5.1 Subject Matters Vs. Theme 59 II.5.1.1 Subject Matters Those are ideas or information contained in a book, speech or painting (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary). Mongbolo, N. in Analysis of a Literary Genre defines subject matters as key motifs or recurring ideas around which the story is woven. This one is expressed by means of single words rather than a sentence as the case of theme. Examples: Poverty, Love, Corruption, War, Deception, Courage, etc. In Can Love Happen Twice?, the following subject matters are found: Voyage, determination, courage, isolation, suffering, relationship, friendship, love, separation,
misunderstanding, II.5.1.2 Theme A theme is an idea about life revealed in a work of literature. A theme is not the same as a subject, a subject can be a single word or two words while a theme is always expressed by the mean of sentence. To sustain the ideas above the following examples deserve to be given of course referring to the novel under study: In the subject «Love» we have the following themes: It is better to spend time with people you love, Love is blind, Love can make someone crazy, Someone you truly love will not love you truly, Once you love next they avoid you and One you avoid then they Love you, etc. A story can have several themes but one will often stand out from the others. Note that two readers of the same book cannot state in a subject two identical themes (Winston: 688). 60 A theme can be paraphrased as a central topic of a text or a book in order to bring the autho's moral lesson or message to the society. II.6 Tone Tone is the attitude that a writer takes towards the audience, a subject or a character. Tone is conveyed through the writer's choice of words and details. Tone can be serious, humorous, satirical passionate, sensitive, zealous, indifferent, ect. (Elements of Literature; p 690). In Can Love Happen Twice, Ravinder uses emotional and serious tones. Emotional tone is seen in the way he ends the story. Most of readers including myself let tears run down after reading for the first time this novel. Whereas in seious tone, Ravin expresses his seriosity in love which he didn't like to end with tears. II.7 Mood This novel is characterized by three different moods relative to each main part of the plot. In the resolution or the beginning of the story, the author is in solitude, his own mind asked him to stay speechless for he tries to forget some touching rememberance of Khushi his dead first girlfriend. When the story reaches the turning point or the climax, Ravinder describes Protagonist in a very happy mood created by the company of Simar in a very serious love relation. Whereas, in the denouement, the novel ends in mylancholic mood that is made possible by the breack up of Ravin and Simar. II.8 Intention While speaking of intention we deepen our thoughts to know why the author wrote this book. Contrairy to most 21stcentury writters who focuse on denouncing corruption, political games and so foth, Ravinver, in his two first novels, speaks only about love matters. To write Can Love Happen Twice, Ravinder wished to share his own life story about love in order to help reader understand that there exist people who truly love but life realities don't permit them to reach their 61 goals. In the very first pages of the book, the author expresses himself this way: The ever-incresing numbers of such emails made me comprehend that, these days, `Heartbreak' is a far more rampant disease than `Heart Attack'. And, unfortunately, insurance covers just the latter. This is the very reason behind writing this book (CLHT, Before You Read Further...). B. Your Dreams Are Mine Now II.1 Title The title of the second novel analysed in this dissertation is: Your Dreams are Mine Now. This title had been taken inside the text when the two main characters were talking about their future dreams. Rupali fell in love with a guy that she was hating too much since the very face time see saw him. The both involved in a matter which linked them together, then Rupali discovered that Arjun was not as worst as she used to think. She then appreciates his friendship and caring attitude which sent them to fall in love. When in one evening the both were sitting in isolate place to talk about their future dreams, Arjun said he doesn't have dreams since it may happen that things change with the time, in her side, Rupali expressed her dreams which was to marry and stay with Arjun alldays of her life. When he -Arjun- heared that, he respondes: your dreams are mine now. This sentence is which the title appeared in the first page of the novel called title. My dreams are quite simple, Arjun...' she paused for a moment and then continued, `I want to do well in academics, secure a good future for myself and fulfil responsibilities that I have towards my family. I want to continue to stand up for things I believe in. I wish to see happiness around me, and while all this happens, I want to...' she stopped 62 again, but only to resume after a second or two, `...I want to see you by my side. Arjun, I want to live the rest of my life with you' (...) `that's what my dream is'. (...) Can my dreams become a part of yours?' (...) He swallowed the lump in the back of his throat and when he felt he could talk he said, `Your dreams are mine now!' (YDAMN, 67-68). |
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