Exploring the mindscape and human psyche

Man is born to live, not to prepare for life.-Boris Pasternak (1890 - 1960), Doctor Zhivago, 1958

In this week’s column, we examine the contemporary Sinhala novel Situvara Puvata (The Count of the Aristocrat) by gifted Sinhala writer Rupasriyani Ekanayake which won the last year’s Svarnapustaka award. In essence, the novel explores the magnificent character of Pandula, the count and the protagonist of the novel. Though the novel centered on the protagonist Pandula, it also caricatures dramatic personae in a period of socio-economic transformation which dictates and conditions their social behaviour.

The author not only codifies the milieu but also pangs and agonies of the characters and emotional status at diverse instances. What is most striking is the ease with which the author caricatures the mindscape and human psyche which is in a way indefinable.

One of the principal literary techniques that the author employs is intertexuality (A story within a story). What is interesting is that through the portrayal of the count, the author revisits the Sri Lankan aristocracy and the feudal era and the uneasy passage of transition from feudalism to capitalism. The period described in the novel is the tail-end of feudalism. The author, in no uncertain terms, suggests though the commercial and social status of landed gentry was waning, it, nevertheless, is a force to be reckoned with.

Portrayal of mindscape

Portrayal of life is the most difficult task that a fiction writer would attempt at. In a way, however, it is the principal task of a fiction writer.

Although one may encounter the same kinds of emotions and conflicts in life, the socio-economic backdrop against which they take place may differ from one society to another and one country to another. Situvara Puvata (The Count of the Aristocrat) is such an attempt to portray life in its myriad forms and how the plight of the dramatic personae changes not only according to their divergent social status but also due to circumstances beyond their control.

Period in transition

The novel is set against the backdrop of a period of socio-economic transformation. The narrators of the story are two main characters Pandula and Sarala. Pandula is a wealthy aristocrat who lives in his property Degeli Kanda and Sarala is a beauty who is a first cousin of Pandula. Panduala, who is in love with Sarala, has met with a vehicular accident which rendered him invalid for life. The story is narrated in the form of diary entries of Pandula and Sarala revealing how they react to the unfolding events in their lives which throw them into diverse trajectories. Following the tragic end of Pandula and Sarala’s lives, the diary is read out to the readers by Sarala’s only son, Pramod who is the heir to estate Degala Kanda. The story commences on January 1, 1970. The diary entries not only reveal the personal histories of the main characters but also codify the milieu against which the story unfolds.

One of the significant aspects of the plot is that author has effectively used the protagonist Pandula and the rest of the characters such as Sumitta who married Sarala. Pandula’s servants Mathupala and Punsara to analyse the human psyche. The principal modus operandi to reveal the mindscape of the characters is the literary technique stream of consciousness. It is the characters themselves who reveals their emotions. Through the creation of complex characters such as those of Pandula and Sarala, the author drives home the fact that the reactions of human mind is extremely unpredictable and depends on myriads of factors such as personality and social status.

Complex characters

A fact which differs Situvara Puvata from many other contemporary literary productions is the portrayal of complex characters. Most of the characters in the novel are complex characters. For instance, the author portrays main female character Sarala and her mindscape in a skilful manner.

Although Sarala subconsciously longs for a physical relationship and for a contented family life which leads her to marry Sumitta, her love for Pandula continues throughout her life. It is this love which compels her to compare and contrast Sumitta with Pandula. Love for Pandula on Sarala’s part contributes to make her marriage sour, leading to a separation following the birth of her son, Pramod. Following the separation, Sarala seeks refuge in Degali Kanda estate where she leads the rest of her life.

Cinematic quality

One of the prominent features of the novel Situvara Puvata (The Count of the Aristocrat) is its sheer cinematic quality. Throughout the novel, the author creates dramatic situations and incidents and even the monologues in the diary entries which can be turned into vividly realised images. For instance, the scene of Pandula’s body being taken to the cemetery evokes strong visual images associated with the life of Pandula. The larger than life character of Pandula is symbolised in a way by his vast wealth and the estate of Digala Kanda and mansion. One incident which sums up the sheer loyalty of servants to the family is when Punsara, now an old woman, tore off the deed of gift as it was given to her, according to the last will, by Pramod.

The author has used a first person narrative and a simple diction interspersed with dialogues, flashbacks and monologues particularly to reveal emotional turbulent in the minds of the characters.

The novel is noted for its clarity of expression and contextual clarity. The diverse threads of the narrative have been well integrated into the plot making it a wholesome experience, a feature rarely encountered among contemporary Sinhala fiction. The novel is a successful attempt of the writer to unfathom the almost indefinable depths of human psyche.

What is significant is that the novel has, among other things, demonstrated that fiction in general and novel in particular is a complex medium which does not confine to story-telling. Though some literary theories such as postmodernism and post-structuralism have become a fashionable jargon among contemporary Sinhala writers, primarily, with the intention of glorifying substandard literature (in postmodernist criticism, critics do not consider such hierarchical order in literary productions) , it is obvious such rigid formulae cannot be universally applicable in analysing a work of literature. In a way, some works of literature demand their own criteria and fresh perspectives.