Of Identity And Self: An Explication Of Portrayal Of Children Protagonists In Ruskin Bond’s “Chachi’s Funeral” And “Panther’s Moon”

Abstract

When it comes to comprehending attributes of intricacies pertaining to one’s identity and associated selfhood, existential conditions become of paramount importance. Contemporary world of manifold theoretical paradigmatic philosophical foundations has reiterated a rapid rise in diversified philosophical ideas- at times, almost in layered presentations. Of different rising concerns, a concretized position of an individual in a society while encountering different entanglements of culture, and spatiality of physical conditions, remains foremost. Literary writings, wrapped up in ramifications of various theoretical pronouncements, vividly showcase how young children tend to echo larger societal tendencies through their caricatures. Considering writers who have made attempts to delve deep into psychic reiterations of children, the notable stalwart in the field of short-story writing, Ruskin Bond, needs no second mention. An erudite scholar in his own right, Bond, in his numerous short stories have tried to encapsulate even minutest of details related to children, making their characterization one of his strongest suite. Hinging on the critical idea of “social subject” put forward by notable cultural theorist, Stuart Hall, this research critically attempts to understand how portrayal of children characters in, “Chachi’s Funeral” and “Panther’s Moon,” Bond, in turn, leads to presentation of their identity- one that is so deeply rooted in their societal characteristic traits. Doing so, this research also attempts at comprehending different intricately intertwined nuances related to identity as a critical concept, explicating its inherent tendencies in light of post-modernist ideas. The research employs a qualitative methodology, in that, it makes a critical evaluation of the stories using different literary and theoretical terminologies of research related to humanities.