Compact essays on diverse subjects
Vignettes of Life
Author: R.S. Karunaratne
Publisher: Stamford Lake publishers
Reviewed by Somapala Arandara
RS Karunaratne's Vignettes of Life re-awakened in me the title of an
autobiographical work, Vignettes of Ceylon Civil Service from 1948-1957
by M. Chandrasoma who recounted the decline of the independence of the
then civil administration under foolhardy ministers.
Next, RS's collection of essays aroused my memory of having read
Great Ideas for Personal Growth compiled by Virginia Mozly Smith where I
met writers of repute such as Mark Twain, Seneca, Albert Camus, Albert
Schweitzer, Plato, C.P. Snow, Henry David Thoreau for the first time.
 Thereafter, I read A Book of English Essays by W.E. Williams. On
reading this book, I came into contact with essayists such Francis
Bacon, Joseph Addison and Charles Lamb.
Essays
Later, I got hold of a copy of William Hazlitt's Essays. They were
really enticing and enlightening.
A few days ago, I came across a R.S.'s Vignettes of Life. Fortified
with my familiarity with the above authors I was rejoiced to go through
his essays. When I went through its first few essays, I felt as if I
plunged into the divine hall of Valhalla with fascinating
personages.Some people do not seem to know what an essay really is. Many
ordinary people view it as a sort of composition as required for GCE
(Ordinary Level) examination.
But from A/L, the essay proper begins to emerge. And it earns the
epithets of dissertation and thesis at higher echelons of tertiary
education. In a way, administrative reports too are a type of essay.
Enjoyable art
Writing essays is an enjoyable art, for the writer and the reader. It
is one of the ways in which we can express our sense of richness in a
wide range of activities.
Imaginative skill prods a writer forward. And if he can keep his eyes
open and his imagination busy in ordinary life, he can find ample
material for essays.
In W.E. Williams’ words, “The English Essay has a multitude of forms
and manners and scarcely any rules and regulations. A minimum definition
would be to say that the Essay is a piece of prose, usually on the short
side, which is not devoted to narrative.”
Sir Francis Bacon, the father of the English Essay is famous for his
compact, laconic style and most of his sayings are epigrams.
RS's authoritative manner of presenting guidelines in his essays can
be likened to that of Joseph Addison. In the opening essay, he coaxes
the downhearted to buck up. He shrewdly catches hold of the pensioners’
backward temperament.
Lesson
The second essay, “Blueprint for writing,” is initially a lesson for
the budding writer on how to write articles to newspapers and magazines.
“Bringing up children, the right way” is very useful to parents and
teachers.
Here, the Plato's idea of the formation of a child's character during
the teenage haunts the background.
Besides being a writer, RS is fit to be a public lecturer. In
promoting a positive attitude, his knowledge of psychology gives him a
powerful push. I would like to quote from RS's essay, “Develop Instant
Confidence,”: “They have enough confidence to wait and see.” That means
one has to be consistent in one's affairs to gain victory.
Way back in the 1960s when I was reading Alexander Dumas’ tough tome,
The Count of Monte Christo, my attention was drawn to the saying, “There
are two words in human wisdom: wait and see,” which I jotted down in my
book of quotations. At indecisive moment, these words come very handy.
In “Face Reading is fun,” the author deals with various aspects of
people's faces that tell us a lot of details about them just as
palm-reading.
This essay brings to my mind the late sixties when I had a pastime on
spending my leisure while at work by watching people walking on the
pavement. I was particularly interested in observing the different
styles of walking. It proved to be quite a delightful diversion.
Essayist
RS has become such an adept essayist that he touches on various
fields of action intellectual as well as manual with diverse features of
human behaviour.
And I find many moods, themes, styles and sizes in his essays which
are all of public interest and true to life experiences. Those who wish
to master the mechanics of good English may emulate his elegant, supple
and coloured manner of writing essays.
“Know your interview etiquette” is a very helpful piece of guidance
for the callous youth who has to face interviews some time or other. In
his essay, titled “Learn how to fail,” RS tries to dispel any dismay
from the mind of the depressed and to encourage them to egg on towards
success bearing in mind the proverb, “Failures are the pillars of
success.”
“Listen and learn” focuses on concentration of mind and paying
attention to what you hear, particularly in your studies. And eye
contact is of paramount importance to a learner.
“Lost art of doing nothing” reminds me two lines of a poem by T.H.
Davies”
“What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?”
Civilisation
The essay, “Man enslaved by civilisation, is a pointer to the
negative effects of technological advances that undermine the spiritual
qualities of human beings. Pundit Javaharlal Nehru's 'Discovery of
India’ is a fine eye-opener in this regard.
William Hazlitt's idea of death quoted in RS's essay, “Neutralise the
pangs of death,” is a stark truth of life.
If the reader has time, he could further improve his wisdom by
studying the Buddhist view of life which is a knowledge of the
mutability of life.
RS's essays are informative, instructive, imaginative and
inspirational. Bacon and Shakespeare are quoted to wind up my review:
“Crafty men continue studies,
Average men admire them,
And wise men use them.” - Francis Bacon
“So long as man can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this work and this gives life to thee.”
Shakespeare fans may pardon me for the modification.
The writer is a former English Instructor at the Gampaha
Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Vidyalaya,
Yakkala. |
