Paper no - 13 The New Literature

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Prepared by: Megha Trivedi

Roll No: 17

Paper – 13: The New Literature

M.A: Sem – 4

Enrollment No: 2069108420170030

Batch: 2016 – 18

Email: meghatrivedi666@gmail.com

Submitted to: Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English MK Bhavnagar University

Topic :  Globalization in One Night @ the Call Center and The White Tiger

Abstract:-

The present study analyses the impact of Globalization on Indian Literature and culture with reference to Chetan Bhagat’s  One Night @ the Call Center and  Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger. The effects of Globalization can be seen in the Indian Literature. Indian fiction finds reflections of various globalization themes. Globalization has assisted in the creation of an American atmosphere in India. Indian culture is no exception to this transformation process. With the emergence of globalization in India, our age old traditions and customs have loosened up their hold. (Sharma)

Key Words:-

Globalization, One Night @ the Call Center, The White Tiger

What is Globalization?

Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nation, a process driving by international trade and investment and aided by information technology”.

The term ‘Globalization’ is derived from the word ‘globalize’, which refers to the emergence of an international network of economic systems.

Impact of Globalization on Indian culture:-

Globalization has change our social condition and it’s impact more on Indian people. Globalization has wide role to change the current situation of India. Globalization put’s his footprint in every field. Globalization has not only led to in the westernization of India, but on the contrary, the Indian culture has also spread its impact globally. India has great heritage of culture but now a days this culture time and again change, because of effect on it. Now in India we find various branches of MacDonald’s and Pizza Huts and we also celebrate various festivals of western culture though we don’t have need like Father’s Day, Mother’s Day etc. So this how Globalization effects of Indian culture, economics and society.

Impact of Globalization on Indian Literature:-

The effects of Globalization can be seen in the Literature of the World too. From the 20^th century a good deal has been written on globalization and responses to globalization. Literature is the X-ray image of society, so the impact of globalization captured well in literature. So most of the literature captured globalization as a theme in the various literary works. It shows their political, social, economical and cultural effects of both positive as well as negative side. The impact of Globalization can be seen in Indian Literature too. The contemporary Indian novel in English has now moved to capture the new tremors caused by the overwhelming influx of the global capital and policies of free trade after 1991, which are restructuring every aspect of the Indian life with increasing intensity. The drastic economic changes and policies brought about by the Globalization in India have created two countries: the India of Light and the India of Darkness. Let’s see discuss the theme of Globalization in two great novels likes  One Night @ the Call Center by Chetan Bhagat and The White Tigre by Arvind Adiga that how beautifully writer captured the Zeitgeist of Indian time . (Sharma, The impact of globalization on Indian culture and literature: Aravind Adiga's The White Tigrer)

Globalization in One Night @ the Call Center:- 

                       

One Night @ the Call Center is the novel written by Chetan Bhagat. The novel published in 2005. In this novel Bhagat talks about the call center where there are six character are working, At call center, Gurgaon, Haryana in the novel.  Through the use of Call Center writer shows the various dark side of Globalization for example - Indians  that who working in call center they just get good salary but it not give it a opportunity to do something else or for their skills  and creativity . Chetan Bhagat try to present   youth’s problems and struggle in the age of Globalization.

On the other side because of Globalization the privatization also in cress and that’s why the issue of Bossism increase. In this novel also writer portrayed the character of Bakshi as a evil Boss, he treated his employers or workers as a object not as a human being. And Because of more impact of westernization he also calls his employers with different name, so here question on real identity also increase. Workers forced to change their names to Western one e.g. likes,

                  Shyam Mehra – Sam Mercy

                  Varun Malhotra  - Victor

                  Radhika Jha – Regima Jones

                  Esha singh – Elina 

The novel One Night @ the Call Center we can connect with the Friedman’s  idea of flatteners.    One Night @ the Call Center connect with 3^rd flattener      “Workflow software” where he talks about the technology and tells that world is become flat. In this book he talks about a new era of 21^st century, world become very small. (Parmar)

“Globalization is the integration of capital, technology and information across national borders, in away that is creating a single global market, and to some degree, a global market”.  - By  Thomas L. Friedman “The World Is Flat”.

In this novel Chetan Bhgat shows that how BPO sector rapidly developed in urban India and could create more  jobs by the mid of first decade of  21st century .All six major characters works very robotic-ally  in the 'Connexions Call Center'.

Through the character of Esha writer shows that how the young generation of India try to be a model and they suffer a lot. For that She maintains herself in figure and outlook, their life style, food, clothes all are similar with westerner. On the other side Priyanka’s mother also has dark crave for the NRI son in lows, so it’s shows the high impact of westernization on Indian mind.

Consumerism: With the ever growing global scene, among various offshoots of globalization, 'Consumerism' came out as one of the major sprawling things. In Bhagat's Call Center novel consumerism is criticized as an unjustifiable behavior: a kind of craze to get hold of things, when you don't even need them. To inject and promote this behavior sometimes ad vertisement agencies sell all kind of nonsense ideas. The subtle observation of the writer at one point definitely makes us to reflect on the nonsense fair that we have been wandering in. The six characters in the story, in order to relieve themselves of troublesome and painful l night experience, visit a night club. On the return journey as Vroom feels like vomiting, gets down along with Shaym, where they see several advertising hoardings along the road:

".... showing all kinds of people: a couple all smiles because they had just bought a toothbrush; a group of friends giggling over their mobile phones; a family happily feeding their kid junk food; a young graduate jumping with joy, clutching a credit card; a girl holding seven shopping bags and beaming. All the ads had one thing in common. Everyone looked incredibly happy" Upon it Vroom says,

"What the hell are they so happy about? .... Look at that toothbrush couple.

My mom and dad, they are never that happy."(Bhagat 211)

It is a reality, as Vroom says further, that nobody cares for anything, The channels who say they are for today's youth, say so, "....because they want the damn Pizza Huts and Cokes and Pepsis of the world to come and give their ads of them ....we will be happy. Like young people don't have a fucking brain"(213). (Kshirsagar, Bonde and Shinde)

That is very harsh reality and that’s why Vroom very radically  ask various questions that in this global era various advertisements  represent the youth very happy and without any problems but in reality they have various obstacles and trouble in their real life.

On the other side some positive points are also there for growing Globalization and Urbanization it’s creates number of opportunity for women also. Man and Woman both works together with same rules and regulations. So it is beneficial for women empowerment. And youth also learn more that how to use technology in this modern era.

Globalization in The White Tigre :-

Aarvind Adiga wrote this novel in 2008 and he is the fifth writer who won the Man Booker Prize for this debut novel in 2008.  Adiga born in India but raised in Australia. In this novel through the character of Balram writer shows the reality of Indian poor people. Balram born and brought up in village in a very poor family. He worked on a Tea – Shop and then he worked as a taxi driver and then one day he killed his boss Mr.Ashok  and he finds a new successful life of entrepreneurship in the hub of India’s globalization- the city of Bangalore. So it is a story of “rags to reaches”.  And this whole story he tells to Mr.Jiabao through the letters. The major theme of the novel is to present the impact of globalization on Indian democracy.

Balram justifies his actions as the only resort for resistance left in his state of oppression. It was either to submit to servitude that society had destined for him, or to break out of the coop and embrace the global network, even if that includes murder. The rhetoric he uses is thus essentially one of binaries- old India vs. new India, the feudal oppression vs. the neoliberal liberation, the failed state vs. the successful market. The novel depicts that Globalization replaces the native culture by consumerist culture. Take for example, when Balram says, “I should explain to you, Mr Jiabao, that in this country we have two kinds of men: Indian liquor men and English liquor men. Indian liquor was for village boys like me - toddy, arrack, country hooch. English liquor naturally is for rich. Rum, whisky, beer, gin - anything the English left behind.”(The White Tiger 73) (Sharma, The impact of Globalization on Indian Culture and literature: Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger)

“you’ve got plenty of places to drink beer, dance, pick up girls, that sort of thing. A small bit of America in India” (173). So through this writer shows that how Pinky Madam and Mr.Ashok both had very influence of American culture. Delhi represent as a mini America. It shows the globalization. The reader can see just how embedded American culture is in the Indian society.

English language is also played a very vital role. English is represented as the language of master or superior in India. There are many examples in the novel which bring to light the superiority of English language. The opening of the novel itself suggests the dominance and supremacy of English. Balram writes to Jiabao, “Neither you nor I speak English but, there are some things that can only be said in English” (3). Another instance is “Ashok,’ she said. ‘Now hear this. Balram, what is it we’re eating?’ I knew it was a trap, but what could I do? – I answered. The two of them burst into giggles. ‘Say it again, Balram. They laughed again. ‘It’s not p iJJA. It’s pizza. Say it properly.’ ‘Wait – you’re mispronouncing it too. There’s a T in the middle. Peet.Zah” (154).

So, through these various examples we can understand that how writer shows that Globalization is there in every field.

Adiga also shows the poor and marginalized villages of India and the system of servitude also reflect well. Servitude and marginalization both directly shows the poverty and suffering of the poor. That’s why Adiga portrayed the "India of Darkness", represented by Balram Halawai of Laxmangarh, and the "India of Light", symbolized by Mr. Ashok of New Delhi.

As per Rano Ringo’s views in the article “ Aarvind Adiga’s The White Tiger: An Insight into the facts of a Globalized India” he satirized Indian society in various dimensions  like on Education system of India, In Corruption of India he said that “ Men with big Bellies and Men with small Bellies”( Adiga,2008,64)  and role of Religion  is also plays in modern day India. Martin Geoffrey describes the four major religious positions that are integral part of the Global Age in the following order: intransigent, conservative, pluralist and relativist. He criticized on Indian family and Indian traditional marriage also. (Ringo)

So, the main aspect of this globalization is “And only two destinies: eat or get eaten up”.

Conclusion:-

So, at the end we can say that both the novel are  try to open the real skeleton of India and impact of Globalization and shows the positive as well as negative side of Globalization.

Works Cited

Kshirsagar, Anil, R P Bonde and Suvarna T Shinde. "Globalization and the Changing Urban Realities in India in Chetan Bhagat's One Night @ The Call Center and 2 States." The Criterion, An International Journal in English (2012).

Parmar, Jinal. "Major themas in The One Night @ the Call Center."

Ringo, Rano. "Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger:An Insight into the Facets of a Globalived India." 2012.

Sharma, Richa. "The impact of Globalization on Indian Culture and literature: Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development (2017).

—. "The impact of globalization on Indian culture and literature: Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development (2017).

—. "The impact of globalization on Indian culture and literature: Aravind Adiga's The White Tigrer." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development (2017).