1.Tell us a bit about the essay you wrote for JNT.
The essay I’ve written for JNT expands the narrative concept of focalization, which answers to the question of ‘who sees’ instead of ‘who speaks’. It analyses two novels that have received international praise for their portrayal of caste and the representation of lower caste characters. As a departure, my essay explores how focalization by Dalit characters is suppressed in both novels, whether by making the characters ventriloquize upper caste perceptions of them or by leaving their subjectivities undeveloped. The consequence of suppressed focalization is that readers cannot identify the agents of racial oppression and can only be prompted to see the humanity of Dalits if they are exiled from or sacrificed in the plot. Hence, the essay proposes a method of Dalit reading (much like a Feminist reading) informed by the lower caste history and experiences of discrimination.
2. What inspired you to research this topic?
I was introduced to Narratology in a PhD course offered by Dr Divya Dwivedi in 2016 in IIT Delhi in India. Despite five years of training in critically reading written texts in my undergrad and postgrad, I felt there was so much to explore in going back to the basic elements of narrative. I remember at the time being frustrated by how English literature syllabi were structured in universities in India. Despite lower caste people forming 90% of the Indian population, the ‘Indian Writing in English’ that Indian (and international) universities cared about was written, taught, and studied by upper castes– case in point being Samskara and God of Small Things. I wrote this essay to challenge their pedagogical place in Indian academia and research, and another essay on ‘Dalit Writing in English’ (published by the journal Ariel) to explain the history of Dalit writing and why it must be studied by those interested in the history of the Indian subcontinent.
3. What was the most exciting thing about this project for you?
This essay is a crucial part of a project where, from an anti-caste perspective, I evaluate canonical upper caste writings and how they influence Indian academia, pedagogical practices, and research. The editorial process was also a delight– Professor Neufeld strengthened my essay with her insights and sharpened my articulation. I hope this essay is a valuable asset to students and researchers interested in South Asian literature and the politics of caste, and encourages existing specialists of Indian literature to adopt a more critical and anti-caste engagement with such texts.
4. Did you get exclusive access to any new or hard to find sources?
I think the beauty of this project was that everything I needed was available in plain sight. All you need is a new lens to see it.
5. Has your research on this topic changed the way you see the world today?
Yes, absolutely. This is just the beginning of revisiting canonical texts from a blended narratological and anti-caste perspective. I hope it helps young scholars think deeply about what is in their syllabi, why it is there, and who stands to gain from its presence.
6. What’s next for you?
I am continuing my work on the two tracks mentioned above: the first is a Dalit reading of upper caste novels and research paradigms, and the second is building a canon of Dalit writings in English that can be accessible to students and researchers all over the world.
