How The Steel Was Tempered

Book: How The Steel Was Tempered

Genre: Novel

Language: Russian

Author: Nikolai Ostrovsky(1904–1936)
 

        Ostrovsky was a "Bolshevik Party" activist in the Russian Civil war. At the age of thirteen he became a "Bolshevik Party" activist and after an year he became a soldier in cavalry brigade. In 1923 he was appointed as a "Commissar" of the Red Army's Second Training Battalion and an year later he became the head of "Komsomol" district committee and in August 1924 he joined the Communist Party. While in his service in the cavalry brigade he was seriously wounded which takes him to the death at the age of 32. From the year of 1926 his health started declining and he became immobilized and blind. In 1930, he began the work on first novel, How the Steel Was Tempered which gave a place in the renowned Russian writers list and an unforgettable name in the Social Realistic Novelists. The novel deserves a special place in the literature other than a Social Realist Novel, because it was written by a person who was immobilized and blind. Ostrovasky was in progress with his second Novel "Born of the Storm" which is incomplete by his death.

 About the Book:

        The novel "How The Steel was Tempered" is a socialist realist novel (Will focus on the roles of the poor in the society and leaves a message that they are not there to be suppressed by the upper class). The protagonist in the novel is Pavel Korchagin who is none other than the novelist himself. So the novel  is a fictionalized (not heavily fictionalized or the dramatization is removed by the publishers conformed to the rules of socialist realism) autobiography of the novelist but it could show us the social environment in Russia at the time of Civil war up to a certain level. Since the Novel portrays the life of the central character its focused on so many aspects of social life in Russia and it's  progress towards socialism/communism from 1912 to 1930s. Personally my only complaint about the novel lies there, Since the novel treats so many areas I felt it failed to make a 'classic' impression/feeling in the area of reading. Yes off-course it's my interpretation and may be it's because I am comparing this Novel with the legendary Russian writer's works in the area of literature. I expected more emotionally narrated content from the lower class social life in the beginning of the novel which takes the reader to demand a social change when the novel moves to the start of Russian civil war(May be term 'realist' takes this content away from the Novel)

       When we see the term 'Socialist realist novel' we may often tempt to think the novel just shows the real life of common people and announces the need for a system change, But it's not!! The novel is really motivational for a reader who doesn't care about the socialism or Russian civil war or never care about the thoughts which lead to the biggest revolutionary social life change in the human history. The novel was written by a novelist who is immobilized and blinded at the time of writing, which makes you to take this novel and give a special place in your library. We can feel the positive nature of the novelist which is the most prominent by the charisma spread by the protagonist Pavel Korchagin in the novel.The protagonist in the novel is a born fighter who never think of the term 'rest' or impossible.

Summary:

     The novel portrays the life of the protagonist Pavel Korchagin and there by gives a beautifully narrated life of the Russian society from 1913 - 1930. The novel start with the childhood life of the Pavel Korchagin and then moves to his life as a soldier in Red Army where he will be deadly wounded and which slowly haunt him in the later stages of his life and takes his life away.The later part of the novel reveals his life as a "Komsomol" worker and shows many incidents of the Russian Civil war. The last part of the novel narrates the life of Korchagin after he immobilized and blinded. The novel ends when Korchagin completes the novel and gets approval from the publisher. There is not many characters who travels with his life to plot as heroine or antagonist. The antagonist of the novel is off-course his illness. It's said that the original version of the Novel which published in the form of a serial had the tense atmosphere of Pavel's home, his suffering and, the deterioration of his relationship with his wife, and their separation. All of this disappeared in the novel published in 1936 and there by the later editions. (So may the heavily edited version that conformed to the rules of socialist realism takes away the content I criticized above). At any time the novel is a very good read which takes you to touch with Russian history, motivates you with Korchagin's will power, reminds of the sufferings of our forefathers who fight for the freedom or social equality we enjoy today,  and maybe makes you to think about a new world..

The book is translated to most of the world languages and there are many English translations available on internet.

Revolution 2020

  Before writing about this novel I checked the previous books and authors, then I got a thought "should I write about this book?" It may not posses the literature value, it may not last more than a decade,  but when it can entertain millions of people then why should I say No to it. (I don't believe a complex language and lengthy passages makes a better novel but!!!!!) 

Book: Revolution 2020

Genre: Novel-Fiction

Language: English

Author:Chetan Bhagat

Chetan Bhagat is the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history. He started his carrier with the novel Five Point Someone in 2004 which was an instant success. His language is so simple, the way he portrays the characters are real to life and the sense of humor in his novel gave his a lot of readers and making his works most successful in the recent times.

His works may not possess the definition of a novel or it may miss the literature part of it but it is capable of entertain you in-fact, if you are an Indian it makes you to think about the system and people around you.

About the Book:

        Chetan's first work I read was 'One Night at Call Center' which impressed me very much. His style of writing in that book was promising. There was some signs in his early works which showed a writer who can contribute to the literature. But later especially when his works adapted as Bollywood movies he became a screenplay witter for "Bollywood Masala" movies. His latest novel "Revolution 2020" is the perfect example for this. This book resembles more like a script than a novel it has full of conversations between people (I guess which makes it easy for Novel- Script conversion). I suspect that the Management student in him is working now "You write novel which can turn in to movies and make money"

        Revolution 2020  is Chetan Bhagat's fifth novel, it deals with the current system which is affected by corruption in the country. He conveys his message by making triangular love story (!!!) where the 2 boys love the same girl and one fight against the corruption and one gives in to it. Both of them chooses their own ways to make her impressed. This novel will be really a fun read if you are stressed at your work. The novel will make you laugh,think and feel. So read it when you are bored, or if you like to watch it on screen then wait for few more months.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

  "Special thanks to Priya who helped me for proof reading this content"

Book: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Genre: Novel

Language: English

Author: James Joyce (James Augustine Aloysius Joyce)

I have added a summary of Autobiography of James Joyce here since the novel ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’ portrays the early childhood to young adulthood of the life of James Joyce itself. So this will help us to relate the incidents in the novel to his life.

James Joyce was born on February 2, 1882, just south of Dublin in Ireland. Joyce was the eldest of ten children. The Joyce family was initially well off. John Joyce, was a fierce Irish Catholic patriot with bloodlines that connected them to old Irish nobility in the country. The wealth of the Joyce family started going down due to his father’s drinking and spending habits. Even then the Joyce family sent James to the renowned Jesuit institution Clongowes School and Belvedere, then at University College Dublin. At this point in his life, it seemed evident that Joyce was to enter the priesthood, a decision that would have pleased his parents. As James Joyce made contact with various members of the "Irish Literary Renaissance," his interest in the priesthood waned. Indeed, Joyce became increasingly critical of Ireland and its conservative elements, especially the Church.

In opposition to his mother's wishes, Joyce left Ireland in 1902 to pursue a medical education in Paris, and did not return to Ireland until the following year upon news of his mother's debilitation and imminent death. After barely spending a year in Dublin, Joyce returned to the Continent, drifting in and out of medical school in Paris before taking up residence in Zurich. It was during this period that Joyce began writing professionally

In 1905, Joyce completed a collection of eight stories, entitled Dubliners, though it was not until 1913 that the volume was actually printed. Joyce heavily relied upon the emotional support of Nora Barnacle, his unmarried Irish lover, as well as the financial support of his younger brother, Stanislaus Joyce. Joyce and Barnacle had two children, a son named Giorgio and a daughter named Lucia.

Joyce's next major work, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, appeared in serialized form in 1914 and 1915 but the complete text was printed in New York in 1916, and in London in 1917. It is notable that Previous to the publication of Portrait, Joyce had published several stories under the pseudonym "Stephen Dedalus.” In 1922 Joyce’s best work Ulysses was published in Paris in 1922 with his inventive narrative style and multiple philosophical themes, Joyce had established himself as a leading Modernist in 20^th century English novelists. His final novel entitled Finnegan's Wake was a critical failure. On January 13, 1941, James Joyce died of a stomach ulcer at the age of 58, and was buried in Zurich's Fluntern Cemetery.

About the Book

“Joyce’s A portrait of an Artist as a young man’ remain a permanent part of English literature,” -- Ezra Pound

"By far the most important living and convincing picture that exists of an Irish Catholic upbringing." -- H.G. Wells

The most beautiful self portrait I have ever seen. A portrait posses it’s soul when the artist himself was imprinted on the canvas. In the novel ‘A portrait of an Artist as a young man’ James Joyce did the same thing. He could successfully translate the experiences, thoughts and feelings (In literature it is referred as Consciousness) of young man as an artist to the canvas; he could transfer his soul in to this portrait. The novel exactly narrates the life of a student of 20^th century who is highly influence by the Catholic Church. The novel also reveals the influence of the Catholic Church in the life of child who is from the orthodox catholic family.

Somewhere the novel reminds me of my life as member of Catholic family (As many of us). As a kid you like to go to church, attend Sunday catechism classes and be an Altar boy but as the time passes the principles of Christianity will try to stop you from the temptations of the world. Terrifying your mind by the “Judgment Day” where the God punish you for all your sins. (In Catholic Church the concept of Loving God and Punishing God is always debated).

 (Refer the conversation between Stephen and Cranly just before Stephen determines to leave Ireland.

Cranly asked, “Because you are not sure of that too, because you feel that the host, too, may be the body and blood of the son of God and not a wafer of bread? And because you fear that it may be?”

—Yes, Stephen said quietly, I feel that and I also fear it.

)

The novel portrayed around few themes ‘The catholic church (Antagonist/Constraint), Aesthetics, Art and Freedom (escape). The Catholic Church is one of the major themes in the novel. The Church is perhaps the greatest constraint on Stephen, his sensitivity to beauty and the human body is not completely suitable to the rigid Catholicism in which he was raised. But the Church continues to exert some small hold on him. Although he eventually becomes an unbeliever, he continues to have some fear that the Catholic Church might be correct. Despite his fears, he eventually chooses to live independently and without constraint, even if that decision sends him to hell. So it is very clear that when he moves away from Church, is not because he is not believing or not against the church, it’s because he wanted to leave behind the constraints.

If someone asks me to summarize the novel thematically, then I would like to conclude this way, “The escape of Stephen Dedalus from his constraints and finds his life as an Artist” In fact Joyce took the name Dedalus (Greek Mythology -Daidalos) from the mythical inventor who escaped from his island prison by constructing wings and flying to his freedom. Stephen, too, will eventually escape from the constraints the Church, Family and Ireland.

The priest whose lengthy sermon on Hell reminds us the Virgil’s Underworld description in Aeneid. In-fact critics say Joyce was influenced by Virgil.

Other important thing which caught my attention was the language Joyce used in the novel, the level of complexity of the language is gradually increases as the protagonist ‘Stephen Dedalus’ grows. The novel starts with the simple language that we found in fables

“Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo.”

His father told him that story: his father looked at him through a glass: he had a hairy face.

He was baby tuckoo. The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt.

O, the wild rose blossoms
On the little green place.

But when move to the end of the novel, James uses a language which is much complex and mixed with quotes and poems which fills Stephen mind and a lot of philosophical notations. Stream of conscious is a narrative technique through which the author attempts to represent the fluid and eruptive nature of human thought,

Are you not weary of ardent ways,
Lure of the fallen seraphim?
Tell no more of enchanted days.

Your eyes have set man's heart ablaze
And you have had your will of him.
Are you not weary of ardent ways?

The book shows a wide range of narrative styles. There are lush and intricate passages, sections narrated in a direct style, and highly experimental sections. The close is very simply done, all in the form of Stephen's journal entries before leaving Ireland. The variety of styles is part of what makes Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man such an enjoyable read.

Summary:

Joyce portrays the state of mind of the protagonist ‘Stephen Dedalus’ and the subjective effect of the events of his life in the novel. The novel narrates from early childhood to young adulthood and his life-changing decision to leave Ireland to pursue the life of a poet and writer.

Stephen, the son of a religious mother and a financially inept father, the eldest of ten children and received his education at Jesuit schools. The book opens with stream of consciousness narrative filtered through a child's perspective; there is sensual imagery, and words approximating baby talk. Then the child Stephen sent to the boarding school at Clongowes where he is terribly homesick, un-athletic and socially awkward student but later Stephen shows different persona, when he unjustly hit by a prefect and showed the courage to complain to the rector about the perfect, winning the praises of his peers.

Stephen’s family moves to Dublin, once again because of financial difficulties. In Dublin he meets a girl named Emma Clere, who is to be the object of his adoration right up until the end of the book. Stephen then goes to Belvedere College, another institution run by the Jesuits. Stephen often feels quite isolated and continues to be a sensitive and imaginative young man, acting in school plays and winning essay contests.

Stephen involved with prostitutes during his teenage years and struggled with questions of faith. Stephen enters a period of spiritual confession and he considers his behavior sinful, but he feels oddly indifferent towards it. He cannot seem to stop going to prostitutes, nor does he want to stop. But during the annual spiritual retreat at Belvedere, he hears three fire sermons on the torments of hell. Stephen is terrified, and he repents of his old behavior. He becomes almost fanatically religious.

Later in his life Stephen becomes increasingly frustrated by Catholic doctrine. When a rector suggests that he consider becoming a priest, Stephen realizes that it is not the life for him. One day, while walking on the beach, he sees a beautiful girl. Her beauty hits him with the force of spiritual revelation, and he no longer feels ashamed of admiring the body. 

Stephen then becomes a student at University College Dublin. University has provided valuable structure and new ideas to Stephen. He became particularly attracted by the works of Aquinas and Aristotle on the subject of aesthetics. Stephen has developed his own theory of aesthetics. He is increasingly preoccupied with beauty and art. Stephen finally realizes that he must move away the constraints of nation, family, and religion. Stephen then leaves Ireland to pursue the life of a writer.

The Feast of the Goat

Book: Feast of the Goat
Genre: Novel
Language: Spanish
Author: Mario Vargas Llosa (1936-Present)

    One of the most renowned Latin-American writer after Marcase. Aunt Julia and the script writer, story teller, in praise of step mother, the real life of algendro maeytha are some popular flicks. Nobel price winner of the year 2010.

About the Book:

     The novel is based on true story, or more into the life and assassination of a dictator Rafael Trujillo who referred to in the novel as “El Jefe," “Generalissimo," and “Benefactor," who came to power in 1930 and ruled the Dominican Republic with unimaginable brutality over three decades before being assassinated in May 1961 by a group of disgruntled loyalists.

      I read the Novel just before the protests happened against the dictators in Egypt, Libya and other Middle East countries. When I was reading how the tyrants in those countries ruled, I was really shocked by the unbelievable resemblance with the Liosa’s “Goat” Trujillo Molina. The novel clearly reveals the ways tyranny seeps in and ingrains itself within a people and its culture.

     Eventhough the events Vargas-Liosa depicts are real, there are a lot more details which we cannot identify as fact and fiction (Cabral family, for instance, is completely fictional that’s what I read ). Liosa takes a special style in this novel which also worth mentioning and a different experience for a serious reader. The novel is scattered across the present, past and real-time. Liosa amuses us with his incredible skill of story telling.

The novel can be termed as a thriller, when we read chapters of Trujillo’s assignation. But while after his assassination the tortures done by his son is particularly brutal as well(You may need some kind of stone heart to go through it). The novel treats a lot of psychology especially the inconceivable reasons why some of the good people follow the Goat, and how and why the loyalists turned his assassins. In every aspect Feast of the Goat will give a good reading experience.

Summary:

Urania Cabral returns to Santo Domingo, after several years, and remembers the horrifying circumstances that altered her life forever when she was a teenager and her family's relationship to Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican dictator, and as well as the events surrounding his assassination.

The Aeneid

Book: The Aeneid

Genre: Poem

Language: Latin

Author: Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro) 70 -19 BC

     Virgil is considered as one of the Rome's greatest poets. His works have influenced Western literature in all times. To know about Virgil’s greatness, the ‘Sortes Virgiliance’ is the best example, it’s the form of bibliomancy (Predicting the future using any of the holy books). Romans used Aeneid for bibliomancy; they will randomly open the Aeneid and read few lines from the opened page then used it for predicting the future.

About The Book:

     The Aeneid can be considered as the Roman Epic, which had followed the literary model of Homer's epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. The epic poem consists of 12 books in hexameter verse the first six books were viewed as employing the Odyssey as a model while the last six were connected to the Iliad. The Aeneid is widely considered Virgil's finest work and one of the most important poems in the history of western literature. The Vedas, Ramayana and Mahabaharatha for Indians, Homer’s epics for Greeks, Bible for Christians and Aeneid for Romans this statement is enough to understand the importance of Aeneid. Aeneid was not completed by the time of Virgil's death. Augustus instructed Plotius Tucca and Varius Rufus to complete the Aeneid (It’s believed that Virgil wanted to burn the Aeneid).

       Aeneid is a story of a journey of Aeneas from Troy to Rome (Italy-Latinus), the poem describes about the struggles he face to find Rome. After the Trojan war Aeneas is escaping from the Troy in a ship with a group of Trojans to accomplish his prophetic duty to found Rome and establish the new imperial dynasty. Aeneas represents the Roman emperor Augustus  in many ways who re-created the new Roman Empire. We can see the Virgil’s thoughts about the qualities of a national leader in his hero Aeneas. Aeneas is a hero who is committed to complete his duties, for this he is ready to sacrifice anything (We can see a lot of such situations in the poem). Another highlight of the poem is Virgil’s description about the Underworld which shows the exceptional imagination and poetic signature of Virgil.

Summary:

      After the Trojan War Aeneas escapes from the Troy in a ship with a group of Trojans, In the journey they face lot of problems caused by goddess Juno and Cyclops (Refer- Odyssey) and other fancy creatures, finally they reaches Cartage. Cartage was ruled by the queen Dido and eventually she fell in love with Aeneas. But Aeneas reminded of his prophetic duty and forced to leave Dido and continued his journey. Aeneas reached Cumaean shore and found the Sybil with the help of her he travelled to the Underworld. Finally he reached the Latinus where he gets into a war with Turnus and defeats him and establish the Roman empire.

      Aeneid is a book you must read if you love classics/epics. You can read the English translation by John Dryden here. MIT The Internet classics archive