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| Sunday, 8 January 2006 |
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Book reviews The Maze - R.D.K. Jayawardena: Seeing life through Sama's eyes Reviewed by Ransiri Menike Silva. "I've got you under my skin...." crooned Frank Sinatra almost half a century ago. If Sama was alive today she would probably sing the same song - but with a difference. Sinatra, I believe, sang it to his sweetheart, but Sama would be singing it, not to her lover, but to her creator. Who is Sama ? and who is her creator ? The answer to these are in "The Maze", a novel by R.D.K. Jayawardena, winner of several literary awards, the last of which was the National Literary Award in 2003 for his drama " Beyond The Mirror Wall." Sama is the heroine of "The Maze" and Jayawardena, her creator. When the story begins she is a lively 18 year old, just out of school and haloed by memories of funfilled days in the school hostel. The story is entirely hers and is told in Sama's own words. It is amazing how a world wise member of the Public Service of 84 years has crept under the skin of an 18-year-old girl and established himself there firmly. He sees life through her eyes; conjures up thoughts with her mind and comments upon them in her own words. All this he does so convincingly that the impression created on the reader is that the writer is a young woman with memories of her adolescence still fresh in her mind. That, I feel, is his greatest achievement. To create characters, situations and the background to a story is an essential attribute to creative writing, yet to present them convincingly and with authencity is no easy task. Many well-known writers in Sri Lanka, presenting original and interesting story lines often fail to create characters that are convincing. They remain what they are - mere characters. A good story should have people drawn from real life. Many of these writers fail in this aspect as they draw only from their imagination. The reasons for this, I feel, is their lack of exposure to life at grassroots level. Most of our writers in English are city people - born, bred and circulating within the narrow confines of an elite literary and social structure. To write convincingly, so essential for a story, requires investigation and real life participation, to get the "feel" of the environment in which the story is set, and the various characters, however minor, who weave themselves into it. Only a writer of the calibre of R.K. Narayan could accomplish such a task with impunity and it must be admitted that we do not have anyone like him anywhere on our horizon at present. Sama took me along with her back to my youth. I walked hand in hand through "The Maze" - re-living the idle days in school, the girlish chatter, the ready laughter. - untroubled by the realities of life and dwelling in romantic dreams built upon Princess Charming and lives lived happily ever after. It did not happen that way for Sama, nor for any of those young girls who shared her dreams and hopes with her. Her world of dreams is shattered when she is thrust suddenly into a marriage of convenience arranged by her parents. - The circumstances surrounding which she realises only later. Both parties to this contract, are unsuited to each other and Sama finds herself controlled by the restrictions imposed upon her by her much older husband George. She finds herself trapped - socially and emotionally and puts down her frustration in her diary in the form of a poem - " The Parrot Imprisoned" - which George discovers on one of his visits home from the army barracks in Trincomalee and dismisses sneeringly. Sama's life is not totally barren for she finds love eventually - with the right man but at the wrong time. The period of the story is Ceylon in the 1940s during World War II when there was agitation for National Independence. At the same time the growing influence of the emerging Marxist intellectuals was also gathering momentum _ a movement that was to bring about rapid social and political changes. Shane opens up for her this new world and she, like the other intelligent - young women of the time is drawn towards their dynamic dream. She comes into her own then, the culmination of a maturing process that has been taking place unnoticed since her marriage and finally makes a decision from which there can be no turning back. She takes her life into her own hands and sets her sights on the future she has targeted for herself. But that is not how things work out for Sama. Life is never that simple for any of us. To reveal more of the story would not be fair by the reader and deprive him / her of a relaxing evening with "The Maze." The book is easy reading, well designed and attractively presented. One wanders through the pages leisurely to what one presumes will be its inevitable end. But the twist at the end of the tale is an eye-opener and leaves the reader with his / her thoughts turned inwards and a mind receptive to a deeper perception of life. At the end of the story one wonders as Sama did, "Is this how everything ends? " and realises that it will be inevitably.... be so for all of us, as it was for her. The author R.D.K. Jayawardena is a well-known public figure ; a writer of fiction ; a playwright and director of plays. He is also a sculptor and painter - the cover picture being one of his own paintings. This book was published to mark his 84th birthday - a stirring example to be followed by all those "Golden Oldies" who tend to sit on their bums and grumble! Greatness of a teacher... Jeevana Vindana This book written by the late Premachandra Wijesinghe released posthumously deals with the spell of his ten years as a teacher. When you read this work you find that Premachandra Wijesinghe was not just a teacher in the traditional sense of the term but a noble sage who was committed to the overall advancement of his pupils. He has never resorted to give tuition outside his official duties. Instead he has used his off hours to make the students well equipped in all the aspects that would make their life a success. In page 47 of the book he has stated that he did not want to limit the knowledge of his pupils only to the subjects taught in the class-room. In directing students for extra-curricular activities, he has initiated the Scout movement in the Kuliyapitiya Central School. Although he was not a trained Scout, he has steered the Scout movement in the school to an astounding success. Another venture of his was the Sharamadana movement which he organised for the upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden. He has engaged the students for Shramadana activities with the assistance of Grama Sanvardana officials like D. A. Abeysekara to raise the standard of people in villages like Manava and Kanatholuwa that were subject to caste oppression. When you speak of Shramadana you are reminded of Sarvodaya, the great Shramadana movement founded by no less a person than Dr. A. T. Ariyaratna. However when you read this book, you find that Premachandra Wijesinghe had been the forerunner of Dr. A. T. Ariyaratna in Shramadana activities. It is revealed in page 69 of this book, that Dr. A. T. Ariyaratna, then a teacher at Nalanda Vidyalaya, had come to meet Premachandra Wijesinghe in 1957 and got his assistance to organise a shramadana campaign at Hettipola. Premachandra wijesinghe has not only used his leisure time but even his private income to make his pupils good citizens who would be an asset to the society. There may be so many other teachers like him who have done immense service to humanity but they are not given due recognition. This book that highlights the greatness and achievements of Premachandra Wijesinghe could be considered as a tribute to other unheard and unsung great teachers of the like of him as well. This book is so fascinating that it could be enjoyed as if one is reading a novel. Book Buzz series features UK Performance Poet Zena Edwards The Book Buzz series which is an initiative of the British Council has yet again offered its audiences the opportunity to get a taste of the best contemporary UK talent. On january 9 the British Council garden will come alive with the powerful vocals of Zena Edwards - a UK 'Performance Poet'. Zena is much more than a mere poet as she uses techniques like song, music and dance to perform her poetry as against merely reading it. Zena is also a musician and workshop leader who works in schools and arts colleges across the World facilitating self-devised workshops in creative writing, performance poetry and singing. Zena's workshops and performances provide a platform for creative self-expression and encourage the development of style and originality providing performance skills for young people who wish to explore and improve their own creative flair. Zena finds inspiration through personal experiences and/or using external resources such as music and instruments, images, debate, the use of literary and multimedia materials (painting, sculptures, photographs etc.) She also encourages children and adults to be confident about their performance, teaching them about rhythm, tone tension, release projection, dynamics etc. Zena will be the first artist to be featured in the Book Buzz series for the year 2006 and will perform in the British Council garden at 5.30 p.m. on January 9. This event is open to all kids and adults on a first-come-first-served basis. |
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