NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN CIIETAN BIIAGA...
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NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN CIIETAN BIIAGA T'S NOVELS Narrative is a story and it can be conveyed through pictures, songs, poetry, specch, fiction and non-fiction as well. Narrative techniques are the methods that authors usc to tell their stories, When in the \vriting mode, its telling is relegated to a special person; it becomes a technique used by that pcrson. This pcrson who is consigned the duty of narration is the narrator and his perspective serves as a prism through whie h ideas are transmitted to the readers. A narrator detains the past, holds the present and prepares the reader for the future. With the emergence of Henry James and Joseph Conard on the literary scene, the novel has become an aesthetic enterprise. Earl icr, until the mid-twentieth century, the mimetic and moral functions were considered most important. In the mid-twenties, the great emphasis was laid on the technique pal"! of the novel as it helped the author a great deal in presenting his subject-matter and the theme convincingly and etfectively. Emphasizing the importance of technique in modern fiction, Mark Scharer remarks, "When we speak of technique. then we spcak of nearly everything. for technique id the means by which the writer's expcricnce which is his subject-matter. compels him to attend to it; technique is the only means he has of discovering, exploring, developing his subject, of conveying its mC8l1ing, and finally, of evaluating it." (67) Thus, it simply implies the use of the correct technique by the author in presenting his theme comprehensively. The value of narrative technique in fiction has been recognized by novelists as well as critics. It is considered to be an imp0l1ant tool ill presentation, interpretation and evaluation of the novel. Scholars have mcntioneci a number of ways of narration or modes of narration ranging from t\\'O 10 hyperbolic figure a million. Henry James expresses the extreme view on the number of modes of narration as million. "The hOllse of fiction has not one window, but a million. There are in fact five million ways to tell a story, each of the justified if it provides a cenler for the work." (22) llenry James by indicating the hyperbolic figure of five million. simply implies that there are several modes of narration which vary from one author 172
Transcript of NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN CIIETAN BIIAGA...
CHAPTER-~
NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN CIIETAN BIIAGA T'S NOVELS
Narrative is a story and it can be conveyed through pictures, songs, poetry, specch,
fiction and non-fiction as well. Narrative techniques are the methods that authors usc
to tell their stories, When in the \vriting mode, its telling is relegated to a special
person; it becomes a technique used by that pcrson. This pcrson who is consigned the
duty of narration is the narrator and his perspective serves as a prism through whie h
ideas are transmitted to the readers. A narrator detains the past, holds the present and
prepares the reader for the future. With the emergence of Henry James and Joseph
Conard on the literary scene, the novel has become an aesthetic enterprise. Earl icr,
until the mid-twentieth century, the mimetic and moral functions were considered
most important. In the mid-twenties, the great emphasis was laid on the technique pal"!
of the novel as it helped the author a great deal in presenting his subject-matter and
the theme convincingly and etfectively. Emphasizing the importance of technique in
modern fiction, Mark Scharer remarks, "When we speak of technique. then we spcak
of nearly everything. for technique id the means by which the writer's expcricnce
which is his subject-matter. compels him to attend to it; technique is the only means
he has of discovering, exploring, developing his subject, of conveying its mC8l1ing,
and finally, of evaluating it." (67)
Thus, it simply implies the use of the correct technique by the author in presenting his
theme comprehensively. The value of narrative technique in fiction has been
recognized by novelists as well as critics. It is considered to be an imp0l1ant tool ill
presentation, interpretation and evaluation of the novel. Scholars have mcntioneci a
number of ways of narration or modes of narration ranging from t\\'O 10 hyperbolic
figure a million. Henry James expresses the extreme view on the number of modes of
narration as million. "The hOllse of fiction has not one window, but a million. There
are in fact five million ways to tell a story, each of the justified if it provides a cenler
for the work." (22) llenry James by indicating the hyperbolic figure of five million.
simply implies that there are several modes of narration which vary from one author
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to another. To put it, some of narrative devices are point of VICW, flashback.
foreshadowing, tone, dialogue, shift in time, symbolism, theme, setting, stream or
consciousness, interior monologue etc. Point of view is the perspective from which 8n
author chooses to tell the story. It determines which characters' thoughts and feelings
arc accessible to the reader. There are three points of view to present a narrative: lirst
person point of view when the narrator is one of the characters: he participates in the
action and also comments on the events, third person point of view when the narrator
narrates the story in an objective manner narrating the mental states of muny
characters and omniscient point of view where the narrator is God like and can also
make his presence felt with authorial intrusions. Flashback is another imponant
narrative device employed by the novelist. A flashback revcals something about the
story or characters that the reader doesn't know. Flashbacks often set up events that
will occur in the story or explain a character's motives based on past behavior. It can
provide important background infonnntion that can both clarify and move the story
fonvard. as long as they do not confuse the reader. foreshadowing is the Ilext
important narrative technique used to hint at things to come. The purpose is to create
tension within the reader by insinuating possible scenarios for later use in the story.
Foreshadowing can be a useful technique to suggest situations for later resolution.
Tone is the way in which a \\Titer expresses himself in a story, using diction or word
choice and imagery. Often authors convey tone through the style of their writing.
Tone helps the author communicate his feelings toward particular issues and
regarding certain characters. This in (urn helps the reader determine how to feel abuut
the subject matter. Dialogue is another device that authors use to tell their stories.
Dialogue is direct speech bet\veen two characters. Authors often signify dialogue with
quotation marks and a dialogue tag like l1he said" or "she whispered." Through
dialogue, authors arc able to create scenes in which characters speak to one another
and voice their thoughts and feelings. Authors also use shifts in time within novels as
a narrative technique by using flashback and foreshadowing. Authors might also use a
frame story, a secondary story that is not the main story of the novel but through
which the main story is told. A frame StOl), may, as in Joseph Conrad's lie",.! ()f"
Darkness, be a character in the future remembering what has happened in the past. A
frame story may also be, as in Emily Bronte's WUIi1ering Heigh/s. a character learning
of the main story as the reader does. Another important narrative techniq LlC' is
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symbolism. A symbol is a thing that signifies something elsc. Symbols in novels arc
often ambiguous. For instance. in The Grea! Galsby. much of the action takes place
beneath the eyes of an advel1iscment. One could argue that these eyes symbolize
many things: They might be the cyes of God or the eyes of the reader or the eyes of
Nick. the story's narrator. Some readers have even interpreted the eyes as a symbol of
consumer culture. Themes are ideas that commonly recur throughout the story.
Writers often want to convey an overall message in literature, v.chich is contained in
the theme. The theme is conveyed through events in the story and symbols. Setting
contains elements such as culture. historical period, geography and hour. I'lot is
shaped with the help of a proper setting. Setting is where and when a story takes
place. The term IIsettingli is often used 10 refer to the social milieu in which the events
of a novel occur. While analyzing a novel, it is important to identify these techniques
in order to shed light on the ways in \Vhich they function in the story. The choice of
the narrative technique depends upon the kind and quality of expcricncc the novelist
wishes to communicate and the thematic, artistic and psychological effects h~ wants
to produce. Its judicious employment, therefore, goes a long way in determinillg the
success 0 f a novel.
The title Indian English Fiction grabs our attention to a kind of fiction which is
diffcrent from English fiction itself. Indian English fiction has been struggling ror its
clear conception since its time of inception. No doubt, today it is assimilated ill the
rubric of Post Colonial Literature. Postcolonial criticism involves analysis or literary
texts produced in countries and cultures that have come under the control of Eumpeall
colonial powers at some point in history. Post colonialism recounts the experience or the people of the third world. This is about the people whom Gayatri Spivak
addressed as subalterns. After decolonization the colonized people so far swept to the
periphery and trifled and denigrated by the colonizing West as uncivilized alld
barbaric, began to fight their way back to the centre. The strategies adopted by the
postcolonial writers to 'write back 10 the Empire" were many and varied. Dismantlillg
narratives by polyphony, re-inscribing historiography, reinstating indigenous wisdom,
rejuvenating the rich cultural heritage of the past were some of the methods
introduced by the writers of the period to assert their individuality and create national
identity.
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As a part of establishing the regained self or identity, attempts have been made to
rev·/rite Eurocentric historiography by means of intuitive insights and observations or
the East. Recasting and reinterpreting m)1hs and legends become a prevalent practice
among writers in order to make their works locally situated rather than globally
relevant. The traditional monologie method of narration followed by the major
European writers in their grand narratives gives way to polyphonic narration with
multiple voices of narrators. Chronologically ordered narration is replaced by
fragmented and non-linear presentation. The stream of consciousness technique "hich
enables the writer to delineate the fLInning thoughts of the characters and the workings
of their mindscape is supplemented by ultra-modern innovative techniques by
exploring the possibility of the cyber world. The postmodern tcndency ofabanlioning
omniscient authorship becomes visible in the novels of the period. The omnipresent
narrator who pretends to know everything and who makes judgment upon characters
gives way to polyphonic or multi-voiced narratives because no one can kno\v the
workings of the mind of others. As thought process is non-linear. fragmented
narration is followed to give a realistic portrayal of the mindset of people. It was quite
paradoxical for the Indian writers who chose language of their colonizers to express
their innate sensibilities, cultural experiences and thoughts. But Indian novelists
adopted, nurtured and made English language their own. As Prof. K.R.S. Iyengar
observes, "English has become ours: it is not less ours for being primarily the
Englishman's or the American's; and Indo-Anglian literature too is our literature, the
literature, which, with all its limitations, still taught us to be a new nation and <1 ncw
people" (8)
A good number of novels published between 1930 and 1965 reveal the intluellce oC
western tradition of the long prose narrative. M.K. Anand through his subtle style ami
delicate sense of form brought the western technique and form to perCection ill his
fiction. He employs dramatic method of stol)telling. The surrealism of his Ilovels
makes it impossible for him to introduce well constructed plots. His novels have 110
organic unity. They arc full of detachable episodes and characters who serve 110
purpose in furthering the plot. His Untouchable (1935) almost reminds us of Joyce's
Ulysses, with its stream of consciousness technique. Unlike Anand, R. K. Narayan's
narrative style usually follows the traditional pattern. His narration is generally Cree
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from jumpiness or contriving. His occasional use of symbolism is generally direct and
unadorned. But his capacity for innovation is evident from The Guide (1965) where
he handles the modern fictional techniques such as flashback, interior monologue, and
stream of consciollsness. Raja Rao's narrative techniques arc entirely different from
that of Narayan and Anand. Indian locution, idioms and usages arc directly rendered
into English. He infused his language with a technique which was to stay on in Indian
English Literature. Long before Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy he created an
English idiom for India. Khushwanti Singh who has written handful of novels such as
Train to Pakistan (1956) and J Shall not Hear the Nightingale (1959) has used direct
and unadorned narrative. Bhabhani Bhattacharya employs a wholly different narrative
idiom and techniques. Though telling a single story he subdivides it into several
subplots complementing each other. Manohar Malgonkar like Bhattacharya has a
talent for lively narrative. In telling stories of Distant Drum (1962). A Bend ill the
Ganges (1964) and Combat of Shadows (1962) he displays a sense of economy in
detail and phrasing. He writes in a strikingly British Indian and admired narrative
gusto, neat plots often with historical background. Anita Desai narrates the disturbed
lives of middle class women in an effectively poetic and evocative language. Later
Shashi Deshpade also wrote movingly of the domestic personal lives of middleclass
women. In 1981 the publication of Rush die's Midnight Children brought a signiliclilt
change in the way Indian English fiction came to be written. It destroyed the stable
fonn of Indian English Novel. Midnight Children is written with a rare yerbal verve
and employs an astonishing variety of linguistic and narrative traditions. This novel
broke taboos and inhibitions encouraging Indians to experiment with a neVY' forlll allli
content of fiction. The Golden Gate (1986) by Vikram Shcth proved to be a!l(ltiler
literary miracle in Indian writing in English after Rushdie's Midnight Children. Its
uniqueness lies in the fact that it is the first novel in verse by an Indian author. Seth is
a juggler of words with immense control over them. Amitav Ghosh began to take a
mature view of Indian reality and handled new themes with greater clarity "illi
confidence by experimenting new methods to express novel ideas. The most
outstanding quality of Ghosh's writings is the absorbing play of space and tillle. lie
adroitly moves back and fOlih in time and space, while depicting life in both liction
and non-fiction. The richness and diversity of the new Indian writing is witnessed in
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the fictions of V.S. Naipol, Bharathi Mukherji, Bapsi Sidhwa, Rohinton Mistry,
Shobha De and others.
Indian English Literature before Bhagat's emergence in the Indian literary scene was
wcalthy in terms of content and structure. However, in asserting their idcnti!y in
postcolonial time, the authors turned to be complicated in their content and narration.
However, the authors before Bhagat couldn't relate the average Indian youths as the
common Indian youth has never been an enthusiastic reader and Indian authors were
considered to be too classy to be understood by the common youth. But one person,
with his first novel titled Five Point SOll1eol1e. single handedly brought forth a
revolutionary change in the entire scenario. Chetan I3hagat has actualizcd something
all these highly named authors were not able to. His lucid narrative style and simple
language got today's mall-going, bear drinking, so called traditional-Indian-v<lluc
breaking young Indians to buy paperback novels and read them. Previous authors use
to deal with overly serious subject with a classic style which could be digested by 10\1"
competent readers typically bookworms. Bhagat started writing refreshing type of
novel: comparatively short, written in simple narrative and easy-ta-read language,
about everyday life and problems of to day's young people.
Bhagat scorns at the hcavy prize-winning Indian novels and rescnts for the elite
critic's condcmnation for his novels when Krish. the narrator of the novel in 2 Slalcs
feels the smell of mustard. curry leaves and onions in the room and he writes, "ll"this
was one of those prize-winning Indian novels, I'd spend two pages on how wonderful
those smells were." (121) By saying this, I3hagat also hints his own simple style ill
contradiction with that of so-called elite writers' complicated narrative. Bhag"t has
clearly announced his narrative manifesto in three of his novels. For instance Ilari, the
narrator of Five Point Someone makes a disclaimer before he starts his story, ..... it is
my story, I am the one writing it and I get to tell it the way I want it." (I) It is the cleal"
indication of Chetan Bhaga!"s distinguished style and non-conformity with the
traditional literary style of writing a novel. Further, his aim to be the writer when he
lVas at liMA is clearly mentioned in the book 2 Siales. Whcn Ananya asks him which
kind of writer he wants to be, Krish's reply clearly reflects Bhaga!"s OWIl style.
"Someone who tells stories that are fun but bring about change too." (17) Bhag"t has
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declared his literary manifesto in above lines of Krish. In Revolution 2020 Bhagat
again has declared his literary manifesto through Raghav's intension and style of
writing. Though Raghav is an engineer from lIT, he pursues his passion of writing. In
the launch of his college magazine called BHUkamp, he arranges a grand dance shmv.
Gopal's doubt on the seriousness of this magazine symbolizes the critics' doubt about
literariness in Bhagat's novels when he says, "Is this a magazine launch or a dance
show?"' (98) Aarti explains Raghav's idea when she says, "Entertain thcm first, grab
their attention and then say what you want to say." (98) Bhagars literary manifesto is
what Aarti says about Raghav's intention, "'That's what Raghav says -entertain and
change." (98) Unlike traditional Indian English novels, Bhagat's narratives are simple
which make his novels page-turners.
Bhagat is a gifted story teller. He has written in the preface of his non-fiction book
ff1wt Young India Wants, "'I also liked entertaining people. Since childhood, l11y
uncles and aunts used to ask me to tell jokes at parties." (Bhagat, 4) Ilis purpose is to
entertain the readers by telling them an interesting story. I Ie instructs the reader in a
mild general way. Most of his stories are first person narratives. Like the traditional
story teller Bhagat has an easy flow of words. Though Bhagat has used flashback
technique in all his novels, the narration seems clearer than the chronological
sequence. His novels capture the reader of every class in an incomparable way. Ilis
simplicity of language, easy narration and humour make his novels readable for every
class of people. As a good storyteller, Bhagat structures his novel with proper
beginning, middle and end. In the end there is a solution of the problem which sets the
events into motion. In his plot there is a mixture of comic and serious, the real and the
fantastic. His dealing with serious issue in comic way makes his writing unique. Ilis
protagonists tend to be named after avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, like Hari in nrc
Point Someone, Shyam in One Night althe Call Center, Govind in Three Misliikes 0/
My Life, Krish in 2 States and Gopal in Revolution 2020. His professional background
of investment banking helps him to use numbers the title of his books. All his novels
have numbers in their titles. For instance '5' in Five Point Someone, '\' One l"lighl ul
the Call Center, '3' in Three Mistakes a/My Life, '2' in 2 States and '2020' in his
last book Revolution 2020. This chapter deals with the narrative strategies employed
by Bhagat in each of his fiction.
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III Five Point Someone
Chetan Bhagat employs his narrative strategies right from the acknowledgement.
Chetan Bhagat begins his book Five Point Someolle by acknowledging those who
contributed in this book. But in the acknowledgement. he makes himself vulncl'Clblc
by saying, "Well, to say this is my book would be totally untrue. At best. this was my
dream. There arc people in this world, some of them so wonderful, that made Ihis
dream become a product that you are holding in your hand." (Aeknow[edgement) [Ie
tries to create an impression of a passionate writer by considering this book his Urca1l1.
Five Point Someone is his first attempt of writing novel and he tries to make himself
vulnerable by thanking "Shinie Antony - mentor, guru and li·iend. who taught me 1i1c
basics ofte[ling a slory and stayed with me right till the end. If she hadn't enenuraged
me and harassed me all the way, I would have left," (Acknow[edgements) His
acknowledging many of his friends "who read tbe manuscripts and gave honest
comments. All of them stayed with me in the process and handled me am[ my
sometimes out-of-control emotions" is a smart way of identifying himself with thc
ordinary youth. He establishes rapport with his young readers by making him-se[i' one
[ike them. As it is said that to share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; 10
make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.
Like most of his subsequent books, Blmgat has revealed his autobiographiea[ accounts
by thanking his wife "Anusha Bhagat - a wife who was once a classmate, and \\';]$ thc
first reader of the draft." I [e further says to make himself vulnerable, '"Apart fi'om
being shocked by some of the incidents in the book, she kcpt her calm as she had to
face the tough job of improving the product and not upsetting her husband."
(Acknowledgements) He makes his acknowledgements unique by thanking Mr. 13i[[
Gates and Microsoft Corp for thc power of MSWord, "from grammar chccks to
replace-ails. It is simple - without this software, this book would not be wrillell."
(Acknowledgcments)
13hagat begins his book with mysterious prologue in which the narrator and Ryan ore
in ambulance with A[ok who has got thirteen fractures. The narrator writes, "[ [is
limbs were motionless, just like his father's right side, the right knee bent in a \\'a)-'
that would make you think A[ok was bone[ess."(PI'O[ogue) The readers are not
informed anything about the narrator, A[ok or Ryan. Prologue [eaves the readers with
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so many questions like who is the narrator; who is Alok and Ryan; what is narntor's
relation with Alok; what happened to Alok that he is injured heavily and what has
happened to Alok's father that his right side is motionless, These qucstions \\'het
readers' appetite to read more, This is how Chetan Bhagat uses the tcchnique or crafting gripping Prologue,
Bhagat has also used the technique of flash back in almost all his novel. In Five Poillt
SOIllCOl1e, the story moves into flash back immediately after prologue "hen llari and
Ryan are in ambulance carrying Alok who has attempted suicide, The first 20 clmpters
after prologue tell a story ofthrce friends, their lives in liT, the acadcmic pressure and
their fun, The story tells how they plan to steal question papers and how they end up
being suspended for the whole semester. This leads Alok to attempt suicide, To
establish a connection between Prologue and 21 st chapter, the 21 st chapter again
starts with what narrator has written in Prologue,
Chetan Bhagat borrows the technique of Disclaimer in the novel from the movies, The
narrator writes:
BEFORE I REALLY BEGIN THIS BOOK, LET ME FIRST
TELL you what this book is not. It is not a guide on how to
live through college. On the contrary, it is probably an
example of how scrc\vcd up your college years can get if you
don't think straight. But this is my take on it, you are free to
agree or disagree ... Also let me tell you one more thing this
book is certainly not. This book will not help you get into
IIT. r think half the tree in the world are felled to make up
the liT entrance exam guidcs. Most of them arc crap, but
they might help JOli more than this one \vill...I think I have
made my disclaimers, and it is time for me to commence. (\-
2)
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Here again in disclaimers, he makes his book vulnerable by saying that guides Illr liT
entrance exams will be more helpful than this book.
8hagat tells his story in a very simple way in which narrator directly addresses the
readers as if he is telling his story to the group of listeners. 8hagat follows the oral
tradition of ancient India. lIis informal way of telling a story is evident when he says.
"Well I have to start somewhere and what better than the day I joined the Inti ian
Institute of Technology and met Alok and Ryan for the lirst time ..... (2) At other
point the narrator uses the direct address by employing the second person pronoun
when he describes the Gulf war, "So, what the hell did this have to do with the three
of us at liT, you'd think."(4S) The direct address to the readers is li'equent as it
happens in the typical oral story telling. When Neha starts laughing on a silly maller,
lIari writes directly addressing the readers, "I told you, didn't I, she can be a bit loony
at times." (69)
Shagat has a unique way of introducing his characters. He introduces the characters
by weaving the information in an incident. For instance in Five Poi}]! SOJlleone
readers are not given any idea about the narrator of the story unti I the ragging scene
on the 3rd page of the book. Readers get to know the narrator's name when scniors
ask for introductions to freshers and the narrator replies, "I am llari Kumar sir,
Mechanical Engineering student, All India Rank 326"(3) The entry of Prof. Cheri an is
typically that ofa villain in movies. His strict approach to students and his dominance
as a head is described before his actual appearance. Readers hear the name of I'rllf
Cherian for the lirst time on page number II when Prof. Dubey says. "Remembcr. as
your head of the department Prof Cherian says, the tough workload is by design, to
keep you on your toes." (II) Readers are again informed about his strict approach on
page number 43 when Neha says, "My dad is really strict about me talking to boys
and he will totally flip out if he hears I am friends with a student" (43) On page
number 58, she sea leis Hari for calling her at home as her father is strict about getting
calls from boys. The forecasting of the coming trouble with the entry of Prof Cheri an
is made when Ryan says, "Though I have heard the worst one is yet to come, .. Prof
Cherian ... They say he is a real terror. Like he is the head of the depal1ment, and is
this total control li'eak with other prols and students." (78-79) The strict character of
Prof Cherian is portrayed even before his real appearance on the scene. The mention
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of his strict nature is kept on repeating from the beginning though hc actually appcars
on page number 139 when he conducts class in the third year. But his cntry IS
deliberately made anxious before his appearance.
Bhagat has used the intoxicated state of Ryan to express his hidden feelings.
Normally, Ryan doesn't express his feelings. He had a verbal fight with Alok as he
left the room blaming Ryan for his low grads in the first semester. lIe hasn't spoken
to Alok either. But deep down his heart he knows that Alok did the right thing by
separating Irom him. But he doesn't mention the name of Alok for the whole year
after his depaI1Ure. However Bhagat has used the drunkard state of Ryan to express
his feeling which otherwise would be illogical to mention after a year or their
departure. After getting drunk on the insti roof, suddenly Ryan talks about Alok, "YOll
know Hari, Alok did thc right thing". No I am serious. You should have len me tuo."
(82)
The element of mystery is also found in Bhagat's novel. Samir dies in an accident
with train \vhile he was jogging on railway track. However, Samir's death becomes a
matter of mystery in the novel with Ryan's sharp intelligence. It is Ryan who aSKS.
"".think about it, ten in the morning in May. I think it is close to 10111' degrees and
crap hot. Who goes jogging on a May morning?" (148) His question raises a doubt in
readers mind whether his death was a suicide. This matter remains a mystery till the
end when Neha shares Samirls suicide note \",jtll I Iari. There is another mystery ahout
Ryan's envelops in the novel. Ryan seems to bc unconcerned about his parents. The)'
write him letter every month but Ryan never replies a single time. Bhagat creates a
mystery when Hari finds hundreds ofenvelops in Ryan's room. When Hari asks abuut
it, Ryan ignores the question and says to Hari, "And listen, just don't' tell Alok about
the envelops" (lSI) It creates a curiosity in reader's mind about the mystery or
envelop. The mystery is resolved at the end.
Bhagat in most of his novels weaves the history of the contemporary time. In Fi,,,' Po;,ll Someone he has woven the history of the gulf\var between USA and Iraq for oil
resources. The novel \\leaves the way sky of Bagdad was lit up \vith the air raid by
America. From the answer of a soldier to CNN TV rcporter, readers get an idea about
America's plan to explode a godown and to take power station that gave electricity to
Bagdad. The brutality of America during war is given in Hari's following words: 182
America pounded Bagdad non-stop, and Saddam hid himsel f
deep in one of his oil wells I think. tvlany times American hit
civilian targets and people died and everything, and that \,vas
crap ... how can you justify bombing kids? But then Saddam
was kind of this loser General anyway, and apparently shot
his own people when he was grumpy." (52)
The novel covers the reason and the result of the war.
The story of Five Point Someone is told from the first person narrator, Hari. However.
there are some passages written by A 10k, Ryan and Neha. Bhagat changes the narrator
as pcr the demand of the plot. Alok leaves the room because he gets the low grades in
the final exam and considers Ryan responsible for his low grades. Aner getting
separated readers get to know the reactions of Ryan and liari through the narrator,
Hari. However 13hagat changes the narrator to let the readers know what Alok feels in
the chapter 7 entitled 'Alok Speaks'. The chapter is in the fonTI of letter Alok writes
to Ilari. 13hagat gives Alok a space to vent out his concerns wherein he justifies his
decision of leaving the room. He tells the long sad story of himself and his family and
validates his need to study and earn more. This long story and his justification would
otherwise have been quite difficult to narrate in a conversation form.
As the book is written in the first person narrative by Hari, Neha's unexpressed
emotions cannot be narrated. Therefore, Bhagat has used the epistolary technique in
the novel to reveal Neha's feelings. She writes a letter to her dead brother Samir. It is
through this letter the readers get an idea ofNeha's hidden emotions for Ilari. In the
novel readers get insights about Neha through Hari's words. But Ilari is unable to
explore her true mind. Bhagat has revealed her mind through her letter to Samir where
she writes, "Anyway, let me tell you about this boy I met. You could call Ilari my
boyfriend, though I don't. .. there was something about him that drew me from Ihe
very beginning ... Not very good looking, nor super smart but there he was, this silly
bumbler." (133) As it is written in first person where lIari is the narrator, readers do
not get chance to peep in to Neha's mind and what she thinks of Hari. But her Iclter
further reveals that she knows about Hari's interest in sexual act. 1I0wever, llhagat
183
gives an idea about her desire through the letter. "I feel this guy is only interested in
getting physical. Other girls who have boyfriends tell me all boys are same, want the
same thing. But can I tell you something? Even I want the same ... every now 'lild
then I get curious, start imagining what Hari would do if I let him." (134) Though she
refuses to get into physical every time, deep down her mind she is excited and curious
about it. Her traditional brought up stops her from indulging in physical realtion while
her heart is inclined to it. Readers also get to know about her future plan with Ilari
and her opinion on him, "My plan is the day Ilari gets a job, I will introduce him to
Dad ... Right now, he is little bit ofa loser if you ask me," (135)
The mystery of Samir's death is also revealed through the letter written by Samir to
Neha which later on is read by Hari. It is through letter readers are informed that
Samir's death is not an accident but a suicide. The letter reveals the reasons for his
death. It reads:
I have tried three times to get into lIT, and each time I have
disappointed Dad. He canllot get over the fact that his son
cannot handle physics, chemistry and maths. I cannot do it
Neha, no matter how hard I try to, no matter how many years
I study or how many books I read. I cannot get into liT and I
cannot bear to see Dad's eyes ... He has not spoken to me for
two months ... What can I do? Keep trying until I die? Or
simply die? (167)
Bhagat also spares a space for Ryan to speak out his version of story in the Chapter
no. 22 entitled 'Ryan Speaks' wherein he expresses his view on Alok and Hari. lie
writes, "You arc reading Hari's version. How can he be the bad guy, right?" (214)
Ryan narrates that Hari exposed him a lot but has not uncovered many of his own
personal matter in the book. Ryan narrates many things which Ilari has not told about
himself. "Like he will never bring up his parents. Or if you think he will reveal the
big bad story about why his viva get screwed up .. , No he won't go into all that."
(216) Ryan expresses his views and feeling for Alak saying, "You know what despite
what you might thing, 1 like Alok. Yes, we fight, we argue and sometimes I hate his
184
mugger-whiner guts. But at the end of tile day, tile guy lives a seilless lile. lie doesn't
really want to get that high average in the quiz. Damn, he doesn't even want to bl' an
IITian. It is something he does for his folks back home, day after day atkr day:' (215)
Ryan reveals those aspects of I bri's life which Ilari doesn't want to talK about in th"
book. lie writes:
But Hari? Ilil11 1 want to ask a few questions. Like what's
with your parents Ilari? Is there gl)ing to be no chapter
covering that? What about your Dad - the colonel in the
army? What is the rule in the house - no TV. no music, no
laughing loud? Is it all for discipline, right? ... \\'hat about the
belt your father hangs in the closet. Do you still dream of that
sometimes. Hari? lie told you not to answcr back. If yotl
ans\ .... er your superiors back. you \ .... ill be punished, Sc\'crc1y.
Is it \'iva~time? Docs it still hurt, Hari? (216)
I3hagat has employed the stream of consciousness in almost all his novels though not
abundantly. The narrator in the novel gets lost into his thoughts sometimes. Sa)-: (C\1'
instance, in the novel when llari, Alok and Ryan are caught stealing for quc:-;tio!1
paper "nel wait for the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, Ilari's mind gives a
way to the stream oftboughts:
Jlow did J get here? I \-vas a topper in my school all Ill)' life.
That is how I got into liT, right? But then \\lhy am I now a
low-performer, ti\'e~point something cheat sitting on the insti
roof at midnight. unsure of my future? .... I looked at my
friends. friends? What the he!! is that anyway? Who is this
A 10k? And \\lhat the fuck do I care that his father is hal f~dead
and his sister can'L be married \\lithoUL cash? Thcn r turned to
look at Ryan. Yes the stylish, Slllart and confident Ryan ...
Now what exactly is the point of that? Doesn't seem like all
185
his ideas are quite so smal1 after all. \Vhy do I listen to him
and not Alok" And why is everybody so quite now? (206)
At another incident when Hari is attend ing a lecture of Prof. Saxena and peon comes
to deliver a message that Prof. Cherian is looking for Hari and is asking Hari to meet
him in his cabin, the chain of thoughts flow in Ilari's mind, "I tried to be calm, but m)'
heart was beating fast like it had a mind of its own. Could it be the end of the lube
project? Will Cherian hold another Disco? Will he hand me over to the police for
buying Neha an ice-cream? Did he realize I paid for his bricks as well" (2H)
Irrelevant thoughts dart back and forth until he reaches Cherian's office. When
Cherian offers him help by saying that he can get an extra credit if he sanctions, again
the !low stmis in Hari's mind, "Now what was that supposed to mean - 'il' I
sanction"? \Vas Cherianjust reminding me of how much he controlled Illy fate. I lell, I
know that sir. I am just excited to have a clean grade sheet for now. May bc one day
after several years I might get ajob. Can I go now?" (247)
\2\ One Night at the Call Center
Bhagat's second book Ol1e Nighl @ The Call Cel1ler establishes that Chetan Shagat is
one of best stor)1ellers of the contemporary fiction writing. The nearly 300 page book
is extremely racy and also engaging. It is more interesting because the novel is
centered on the contemporary world of India's new generation. The novel revolves
around a group of six call center employees - Shyam, Vroom, Priyanka, Eshel.
Radhika and Military Uncle - working in Connexions call center in Gurgalln,
Haryana. The actions in the novel take place during the span of one night. in which all
of the leading characters confront some aspect of themselves or their lives they would
like to change. Bhagat has given a dramatic and decisive turn to the story by
employing the technique of deliS ex machina when the characters get a phone c~dl
Irom God. The main story covers the span of only one night. However. impur!ant
information that shapes this event occurs months and years earlier.
The preface includes a train journey by Chetan Bhagat from lIT Kanpur to I)elhi
\vhere he meets a beautiful girl who narrates him this story provided he makes the
story, his second book. Claimed to be based on a true story, the author chooses Shyam
186
I
~ Mehra (alias Sam Marcy) as the narrator and protagonist, who is one among the six
call center employees. It is a story of almost lost love. thwarted ambitions. absence of
family affection, pressures of a patriarchal set up. and the work cnVirOllllll:llt of a
globalized office. Shyam loves but has lost Priyanka, \\'ho is now planning an
arranged marriage \vith another; Vroom loves Esha. Esha wants to be a model,
Radhika fells stuck lip in an unhappy marriage with a demanding mother-in-law. and
military uncle wants to talk to his grandson. The happenings of the night carry the
romance and break up interludes of Shyam and Priyanka as flash back. J:ach character
has a story to complain about. But, the narration runs interestingly becHuse it has the
natural now and the high sense of humor (at times black) of Chetan Bhagat. Apart
from the problems with the callers. they also had a terrible boss - Bakshi . Shyam and
Vroom had designed a new website for the firm and they submitted the report to
l3akshi. Shyam was expecting to be promoted as the team leader while Ilakshi
submitted the report to 130ston with his name in it. Thus. Bakshi not only anectcd
Shyam's work lire but that had impact on his personal life as \\ell.
Three-Fourth of the book goes at a good pace describing the lives of the six people.
The twist comes when the lives of the six pouple dramatically get alTccted on the
same day and they leave in a Qualis at 2.00 a.m. They end up in getting the Qualis
skid of the road into a construction site where they battle for life. It turns out that
Shyam gets a phone call Ihen. a phone call from God. The call is also heard by the
others and God tells them the reason for their misery and how they can overcome it.
The story then speeds up with Shyam & Vroom threatening Bakshi, saving the jobs of
the colleagues and then improving their own lives as well. They have plans of starting
their O\\ln web designing firm. and Shyam get backs his love- PriY<lnka, The story
makes an abrupt change alier the phone call of God.
Like all his novels. llhagat makes him-self vulnerable in the acknowledgelllent by
saying, "Just hang on a minute here, in case if you are thinking this is just my book, It
is never one person's book anole, and in my case, so many people supported me," (~i)
lie addresses his readers and says. "Still if you nnd me lacking in sOllle aspects.
please consider me as another normal, imperfect human being and rorgive me:' (\i)
lie projects his own image ora crazy man in the minds of reader.
187
Like his other novels, he comes up with his autobiographical accounts when he
acknowledges his "one particular ex·boss. My life when I worked for him was living
hell, and was probably the worst phase of my life. I "sed to wonder why this was
happening to me. Now I know \vithout that experience I could not Illlve dOI1l: this
book. Thank you Mr. Ex-boss." (ix) He also hints his interest in women and his
rejection by many women when he acknowledges, "I want to thank all the wnmen
who rejected me (too many to name here). Without them, I would not have known the
pain of rejection." (si)
Chetan !3hagat links One Nighl allhe Call Cenler with his previous bnok Fi,·c /'"i/ll
Someone while he is in conversation with a pretty girl on a night tr3in ride. The girl
makes him upset by commenting on his previous book. "So you write a book on liT.
A place where so fev./ people get to go. You think that represents the entire youth? ...
I am just saying it hardly rcpresents the Indian youth." (4) She further exrlains her
point by saying:
If you want to write about the youth, shouldn't you talk
about young peoplc \vho really face challenges? I rnean yes,
IlTians face challenges, but what about the hundred:; and
thousands of others? ... Just look around YOli. What is the
biggest segmcnt of youth facing challenges in modern
India? ... Get out of the student-campus of your tirst book
now. (5)
She makes !3hagat think about his second novel but he says that he hasn't tho light Ill(
the subject matter. She offers to tell him a story of a call center for his second book.
She insists him to write a book on the challenges faced by 300.000 young boys and
girls working generally in the night shifts at call centers. She otTers to tell him a story
on one condition that he has to make it his second book. After a lot of hesitation. the
author agrees. Iler story of six call center agents turns out to be Bhagat's second novel
i.e. (Jlle !'light at the Call ee11ler. This is how Bhagat justifies the genesis of his honk
One Nigh! at the Call Cell 11.'1' which resulted from his conversation Oil his previous
book Five Point Someune. He tries to make his books in connecting series to ()Ill:
188
another. Chetan Bhagat, in the prologue, has described the whole making of the hook
when she suggests, "Like it's your own story. In the first person - just like in your
first book. 1"11 give the contacts of the people in the story. You can meet them, do
your research, whatever it takes, but make it your second book." (7) Bhagat thinks not
to listen to the story because of the odd condition of converting the story into a book.
But he insists her to say what the story is all about if not the whole story. She tclls
what the story is about, "it is a story of six people in a call center on one night... it
was not any other nigh!. .. it was the night there was a phone call from God" (8) I ieI'
words make him spring to attention. It makes Bhagat curious to listen to the funher
story but the condition becomes a barrier. The phrases 'six people - one night - call
center - call from God' keeps repeating in his mind for an hour. Finally, he cannot
stop himself from asking her to tell full story but there was a strange condition. He
takes up the risk of spending two years to make the story his second novel to s"tisl)
his curiosity. Here, by creating a situation of his being curiolls about the story, he is
trying to arise readers' curiosity. What readers get is enough to wet their appetite.
This conversation and girl's glimpse of the story makes the novel griping.
As in other novels, Bhagat himself is the listener of the story in the novel. Aner
listening to the story from the girl on a night train ride, Bhagat decides to tell the story
in first person but from Shyam's eyes as he himself has never been the part of the
story and third person can never be very intimate and personal. Ilowcvcr, according to
him, he chose to tell the story from Shyam's mouth because, "atier I met him, I I()unci
him the most similar to me as a person. The rest of the people and what happened that
night - well, I will let Shyam tell you that." (9)
The book is divided into three parts - Prologue, Chapter I to 38 and Epilogue. Aner
prologue, he starts with the 29'h chapter, rather being conventional to stalt with I"
chapter. However he doesn't write the complete 29'h chapter at the beginning but
starts with only that much portion that \vets readers' appetite. It describes a SCCIl~
where readers hear from Vroom that they are in a dangerous situation and they ll1~y
die. Readers get another clue that characters are somewhere in a desel1ed place whell
Vroom says to Esha, "what if no one finds us even after we die." (10) The scene gives
a way to readers' curiosity. Who arc Vroom and Esha? Where are they? What
happened with them that they may die? Such questions tickle readers' minds aner
189
reading the little portion of 29th chapter. These questions push the readers to lurn Ihe
further pages. This is how Bhagat crafts his novel a page-turner. I S\ to 281h chapters
are the explanation of these questions.
Bhagat makes his story look natural rather crafted one. The tirst chapter begins wilh
Shyam's dream that is ended by the alarm for him to wake for job. He doesn't havc
time to analyze the dream as he is getting late for the job. He thinks of the quails that
will come within twenty minutes to pick him up for job. Suddenly he inlroduccs
himself by using the sentence, "By the way, hi. I am Shyam Mehra" (II) as if the
speaker starts speaking without introducing himself and suddenly he remembers to
introduce himself. After giving his long introduction and description of lack of
required skills in him, he goes back to the story by saying, "For now, let us go back 10
the story. If you remember, I had just woken up at my home," (12)
The novel covers the time span of only one night. The story starts at 8:32 p.m. when
Shyam's dream is interrupted by an alann. And the novel ends at around 7.00 am. The
whole novel covers the time span of nearly twelve hours. It bccomes dinicult lell" an
author to convert twelve hours of events into a novel without giving background
information. In the beginning of the novel, readers find that Shyam was in love wilh
Priyanka but they broke up four months before this night. In the twelve hours lime
span of the night, Shyam is seen to be still pining for her attcr break up. To ma].;e the
craving more intense, readers must know about their love story. However. the tWill or
a call from God at call center happens in one night only. To accommodate the love
story between Shyam and Priyanka, Bhagat has used the stream of consciousness
technique in the novel. Bhagat designs a situation where Shyam has to train thc new
recruits for accent against his wish and Vroom tries to tease him by saying, "Go train
train, lose your brain." (38) Vroom's words "train-train" echoes in Shyam's mind and
reminds him of another kind of train altogether. It brings back memories of the Rail
Museum where he had a date with Priynaka. His thoughts drag the story a year back
rather than focusing on one night. His chain of thoughts leads to another ch:lplcr
whieh narrates Shyam's past relation with Priyanka, Priyanka's bitter relation wilh her
mother and Vroom's nature of changing girlfriend frequently. All these information
which are inseparable from main plot would not have been narrated without the
stream of consciollsness technique. However, his chain of thoughts ami mcmories is
190
broken by Esha's scream and the story is brought back to present leading to the
chapter number six. Shyam's thoughts again go back in his past date with Priyanka at
the end of chapter nine, when Esha and Radhika talk aboot Bakshi that he looked like
he was doing CUI investigation. The word CBI investigation reminds him the way
Priyanka acted like a CBI officer to take a stand for a woman in a restaurant who \\'as
being harassed and tortured by her mother-in-law and her husband for giving birth to
two girls. The memories of his date with Priyanka in a restaurant and Priyanka's stand
for the woman before nine months forms a whole chapter which gives a lot or past
information to understand Priyanka's character and her further actions. Rc~dcrs gct
more information about Priyanka's rebellious nature, her courage to fight for others,
her bitter relation with her mother and her mother's insistence to get her married with
someone settled from the 10th chapter which results from Shyam's train of thooghts
that started with the word 'CBI' used by Esha. 13hagat has used stream of
consciousness to accommodate all these details which are required for understanding
further actions. Shyam's day dream is broken when Radhika throws her mobik on her
desk and the plot shifts again in present. Further, when Priyanka at the end of eleventh
chapter says, "I just sit and work in a confined space" (87), the last two \\'ords make
Shyam skip a beat as the 'Confined space' reminds him of the night he has spellt at
Milestone Disco with Priyanka. The thoughts of that night pul1 the story seven months
back into past and forms a whole chapter that narrates important event of their visit til
a Disco where Vroom and Esha also joined. It also narrates how Shyam and i'riY'lIlka
become alone in car and enjoys sex in a confined space of car. Ho\vever, the loud ring
of telephone brings him back from disco party and the story starts moving in present
with chapter number thirteen. This is how the story keeps on moving back ami t()I'th.
The flashback chapters, presented with stream of consciousness technique, covcr one
year of time before the night. Readers get to knoll' the whole story about their love
and break up through the story moving back and forth. But readers are still not
informed about how they met for the first time. The information about their IIrst
meeting comes almost at the end of the novel in the chapter number twenty-eight in
which their friends ask them how they met. This time Priyanka becomes the 11~ITJtor
to tel1 a story of campus fair where they met for the first time.
8hagat general1y ends his chapter with some mysterious lines which tickles readers'
interest and pushes them to read the next chapter. Say for instance, in the first chapter. 191
readers get to know about Shyam's dream which is interrupted by the alarm; his need
to go for job and his introduction. Readers also get to know why he len the website
job and joined Connexions call center. And suddenly he gives reason for joining
COJ1nc\ions, '''Connexions was also the natural choice for me, as Priyanka worked
there. Of course the reason was no longer relevant" (15) These lines get the rcadcrs to
guess who Priyanka is and why Connexions is a natural choice for him dLie to
Priyanka and why this rcason is no longer relevant. He doesn't clarify anything
regarding Priyanka in the chapter. It maintains reader's interest in the book.
I3hagat has a distinguished way of introducing his characters. The character of 13"kshi
is unfolded typically like that of a villain in a movie. Readers are constantly informeci
about the torturous attitude of Bakshi who is the boss at Connexion even betore he
actually appears on the scene. In the first chapter, Shyam dreams of him in IIhich
l3akshi tries to sink him into Indian Ocean and he helplessly, hopelcssly ancl
meaninglessly splashes his hands and legs in water. Readers come to know th"t
Bakshi controls Shyam's promotion to the position of team leader and l3akshi wants
Shyam to bring "leadership skills up to the speed" (29) in the third chapter IIhen
Shyam talks to She[,li about his hope of promotion. Readers are also informed "bOLII
l3akshi's secretive nature when Shyam writes, "l3askhi was super-secretive - all he
said was there were some confidential management priorities." (30) Readers get the
indirect information about Bakshi's too lllllch use of management jargons. Readers
are fed with the information about Bakshi from the beginning. lie actually appears in
the scene on page number forty-six. l3ut when he speaks, acts or responds, the
information about him given in earlier pages influences readers' response and
reconstructs the meaning of his words in a certain way.
131 Three Mistakes of My Life
Chetan Bhagat's choreographed narrative strategies are conspicuous III the list or
ackoowledgements before the actual novel begins. In Three Mislakes of AI\' Li/e, he
starts his acknowledgement by addressing his readers and says:
192
"My readers, you that is, to whom lowe all my success and
motivation. l'\.'[y life belongs to you now, and serving you is
the 1110St meaningful thing I can do with my life. I want to
share something with you. 1 am very ambitious in my writing:
goals. I don't want to be India's most admired writer. I just
want to be India's most loved writer. Admiration passes, love
endures," (ix)
This is how he builds an immediate rapport with the readers, He projects his image or an accessible and friendly writer. \-Ie considers that he lives for readers. That servicing
attitude is the part of his marketing method, Shagat by acknowledging his li'iends in
film industries "'who have given me a new platform to tell my stories from, and who
teach me new things everyday, in particular Atul agnihotri, Raju Hirani, Alvira Kh~lI1,
Sharman Joshi, Yipul Shah, Imtiaz A Ii, Shirish Kunder, Farah Khan ancl Salman
Khan" (x), he indirectly proclaims about his novels being converted into films,
It is also interesting as to how Shagat makes each of his books quite persollQl. If it
was his own experiences at the lIT in Five P()int Someone, it was his rendezvous with
a pretty, young girl on an overnight train that starts One Nighl allhe Cal! Ceill/'e. In
Three Mislakes oj AIy Life, it is an email from an unknown guy li'om Ahmedabad
named Govind Patel who has popped up excessive sleeping pills is the genesis 01' the
novel. The email reads, "This email is a combined suicide note and a cOllj~ssiull
letter .. , You don't know me, I am an ordinary boy in Ahmedabad \\'ho read your
books, And somehow I felt I could write to you after that. I can't tell anyone what I
am doing to myself: which is taking sleeping pill every time I end a sentence- so I
thought I would tell you," (Prologue, xi)
Chetan Shagat seems to be trying to highlight his own popUlarity and his mpport with
his readers. A reader who reads his novel considers Chetan Bhagat so genuille nnd
trustworthy person that he writes his last suicide note to him, Chetan Shagat tries to
build his own image as a popular writer.
Gripping prologue is a tread mark of Bhagat's novels, In the Prologue or T/II"(,C
Nlistakes ofAly Life, Bhagat receives a mail from a businessman who commits suicidl.' 193
I
r by swallowing nineteen sleeping pills. The suicide note simply gives us the hint that
some businessman committees suicide because he made three mistakes. I Ie doesn't
"want to go into details." Readers also find the name Vidya whom he would have
wanted to talk but it doesn't seem like a good idea. It docs not tell ckarly IIhy he
wants to end his life. It arises readers' interest to know more about the rcason for his
suicide. We have the name Vidya but no further reference about her is gi\en. That
makes readers curious about the reason for his suicide attempt. It creates doubt in
readers' mind whether she was the reason for his suicide. That curiosity \cads the
readers to read the further pages of the novel.
Typically Bhagat appears as a character in almost nil his novels. mostly as a liSli:I112r
of the story told by particular narrator. Howe vcr. to add more realism, in Three
.\Iistakes of Aly Li(e, 13hagat also includes his wife Anusha who appears ill the
prologue and meditates on the mail he has recl..!ivcd. \Vhile thinking all a mail. ;\nllsha
says "We met ill Ahmedabad, remember?" This is how he reveals his personal
information that Chetan Bhagat and Anusha were class mate in 11M, Ahmedabad. I \c
gives the autobiographical account of his life and considers that his wire is s1l1arkr
than himself. He has Llsed other autobiograrhical characters like pror. Hasan!. hi:=;
teacher at llM-A who helps him to find out Mr. Govind Patel who has popped up
nineteen sleeping pills. Again we find the autobiogrnphical account ofllis coll~g0 lill'
when Prof. Basant says, "Ilow is Anusha? You guys blinked my classes I'DI' datl.?s and
now forget me." (xv) lie also supports Bhagat's notion by saying, "I always kit she
was smarter than you." (xv) Readers also get the glimpses of Bhagat's boss ~liehcl1.
nhagat's professional life and work pressure in the prologue.
Aner knowing the authenticity of Govind Patel and his suicide attempt. [lhasat
cancels his schedule and arrives in Ahmedabad Irom Singapore. Chetan !lhagat
creates his 0\\/11 image of being vcry sensitive to an unknown boy who tried suicide.
lie travels frolll Singapore to Ahmedabad simply to meet the person who has
attempted suicide. This is his choreographed narrative technique to project his il1l~gc
of a v.Titer who is sensitive to the problems of youth. He seems to be asserting. his
rights 01) Govind and says "Shut up. There is nothing heroic in this. Cm··:ards pop
pills" (xviii)
i94
•
To make his readers eager to know the story ofGovind and the reason for his suicide
attempt, Bhagat employs a conversation between himself and Govind where he asks
Govind to tell story and Govind denies initially. 1I0wever typically he becomes rcady
to tell in the end. Govind tells him his own story and in the epilogue, Bhagat cieel"res,
'"Your story, it neecis to be shared ... Exactly (like) a book. My third book." (256) In
epilogue he connects the dots with Prologue to explain how his book come into
existence.
Told fi'om the lirst person narrative, Govind Patel, the story recounts the life of three
youths, Omi, Ishaan and Govind trying to make a life staying in small-town Gujarat.
Story-line runs in 3 tracks: Govind Patel is a young Guajarati boy who has scored
centum in Mathematics and aspires to be a great business man. He sets up a sporlS
goods shop with his friend and partner Isll and Omi. Ish is a cricket fanatic, a district
level player turned coach. Omi is from a priest family but not interested in becoming a
priest. Track-One is how Govind aspires big, manages to grow his business and goes
through its ups and downs. Gujarat e1ll1hquake ruining his over I lakh investment Illi'
a shop in a newly built mall is termed mistake number I.
Govind also gives maths tuitions to cam money and he is asked to give tuition to bh's
sister. Vidya needs some help understanding maths and Govind becomes her private
tutor. Track 2 is how their private tuition progresses to Ji'iendship, love and more .
before finally getting caught by Ish resulting in collapse of their friendship ami
Govind branded as a traitor. Govind violating an unwritten protocol and falling in
love with his best friend's sister is termed mistake Number 2.
Ish spots a young Muslim boy named Ali who due to superl'lst refie, able to make
mental calculations at unbelievable speeds using which he can hit sixes of cvcry ball.
The third track of the story line is as to how they struggle to make this gilied boy a
superstar, by coaching him, taking him to Australia and protecting him during
comlllunal riots. A split second delay by Govind in making a specific move which
could have saved Ali from a hit is termed mistake number 3.
Chetan I3hagat has nicely interwoven the history of the contemporary age In Ihe
narrative. The novel begins with the mail received by Chetan Bhagat from Govind
Patel on 28'" December, 2005 at 11.40 pm. However the novel is set in early 20UOs
195
I
~
and Govind's story begins on 17th March, 2000 when 4th One Day Intcrnational
Cricket Match bctween India and South Africa was scheduled. The story begins ",ith
the three friends watching the match. Bhagat has given the detailed description 01" thc
excitement of the match leading to India's victory. They opcn a cricket shop on 29'10
April, 2000 the time span when India has won the scries with South AI"rica anu craze
of cricket went on the peak. The narration of the novel runs through the terrible
earthquake and its disastrous consequences Gujarat faced on 26th January, 2001. Tile
description of how Govind realizes about the earthquake is typically of evcryone's
cxperience who has secn the eal1hquake and has faced its result. He writes:
26 January is a happy day for all Indians. Whether or not you
feel patriotic, it is a guaranteed holiday in the first month of
the year. .. The night before Republic Day, I lay in bed with
my thoughts. I had invested a hundred and ten thousand
rupees. My business had already rcached lakhs. Should we
do a turf carpet throughout? Now that would he cool for a
sports shop.! dreamed afmy chain of stores the whole night.
'SlOP shaking me mom, I want to sleep,' I screamed. Can't the
world let a businessman sleep on a rare holiday.
But 1110111 didn't shake me. I moved on my own. I opened Illy
eyes. My bed \\"cnt back and forth (00. I looked a( (he \\"all
clock. It had fallen on the floor. The room furniture, fan and
windows vibrated violcntly.
I rubbed my eyes, what was this? Nightmares?
I stood up and went to the window. People on thc street ran
haphazardly in random directions.
196
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'Govind,' my mother screamed from the other room, 'hide
under the table. It is an earthquake.'
'What?' I said and ducked under the side table kept by the
window in reflex. I could see the havoc outside. Three TV
antennas horn the opposite building fdl down. A telephone
role broke and collapsed on the ground.
The tremors lasted for forty·five seconds, the most
destructive and longest forty-five seconds of my life ...
.. .1 came out to the living room. Everything 011 the wall
calendars, paintings and Jampshades, lay on the floor. (1 O-l--
105)
Bhagat has given the minute detail about the ealihquake and its disaslrolls
consequences. Here Govind's loss is presented in the microcosm of the loss faced by
people of Gujarat during earthquake. After earthquake, when he reaches at his nelV
shop in Navarangpura, he saw devastation in the new area like Satellite. Those
buildings that were under construction had crumbled to rubble. He finds his own shop
turned into concrete heap. Ilis agony for the loss of his shop which was his dream
reminds the readers of the miseries of thousands of people who lost their homes,
business and family member in the earthquake of 26th January. He writes:
My stomach }lUrt. J grabbed it ,vith my left hand and sat on a
broken bench to keep my consci ousncss.
The police pulled out a labourer. \\"ith bruises all over.
Cement hags had fallen on him and crushed his legs. The
sight of blood made me vomit. No one in the erowd noticed
me. One Iakh and ten thousand, the number spun in my
head ... My body trembl cd with violent intensity. (107)
197
"----------
The victims' voice of complaint to God and their disbelief in God atier the eaI1h'luake
is echoed in Govind's following reply to a stranger's words 'Don't worry. God will
protect us', "Oh really, then who the hell sent it in the first place." (107) His intensity
of agony and grievance towards God is witnessed in following words:
Two years of scrimping and saving, twenty years of dreams -
all wiped away in hvcnty seconds. The 'Navrangpura Mall's'
neon sign, once placed at the top of the six floor building,
now licked the ground. Maybe this was God's way of saying
something - that we shouldn't have these malls. We were
destined to remain a small town and we shouldn't even try to
be like the big cities. I don't know why I thought of God. I
was agnostic. But who else do you blame earlhquakes on?
(108)
!-Ie has never wept in his life even in the toughest situations. But when he lo:;;es hi::;
shop, he crics as if he has lost his child. His extreme pain is seen when he says to
Ishaan, "We are cursed man. I saved, and I saved and I fucking saved. And we took
loans. But then, this? .. People must have thought I had lost a child. But when a
businessman loses his business, it is similar. It is one thing when you take a business
risk and suffer a loss, but this was unfair. Someone out there needed to realise this
was fucking unfair." (109)
I3hagat has interwoven the wretchedness of the victims in the earthquake oj" 200 I.
Readers get to know that "over thirty thousand people lost their lives ... In I3huj, ninety
percent of homes were destroyed. Schools and hospitals were tlattened to the ground.
Overall in Gujarat, the quake damaged a million structures." (109)
After the earthquake on 26th January, 2001, the cricket test match between India and
Australia was scheduled trom 11th March to 15th March, 2001 at Kolkata. Chetan
Bhagat has faithfully taken into the account that historical match in which India
facing follow-on won the match against Australia. He has described the match with
the exact dates and places. The scores in the match arc faithfully narrated to give his
198
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novel a realistic touch. The usage of the real names of the cricketers like 13 h<ljji,
Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid, Steve Waugh, Srinath, Panting, and the exact places like
the ground of Eden Garden remind the readers orthat real exciting match.
Further, Shagat also weaves the incident of terrorist-attack on the World Trade Ccntre
(USA) on II th September, 200 I by Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda. The three fricnds
along with Bittoa Mama watch news and the repol1er says, "Two planes crashed into
the World Trade Center Twin Towers located in New York." (187) Govind IlaIT'ltcs
the news video, "The live visual was incrcdible even by sci-fi movie standards. The
hundred-storey tall twin towers had deep incisions in the middle, likc someone had
cut through loaves of bread." (188) The novel also keeps the account of ho\V the
attack was planned and who took the responsibility of the attack. Govind narr<ltes,
"Later at night, pictures of the first suspects were released. Four Muslim bo)'s had
joined a flying school a few months back. They had hijacked the plane using oniee
box cutter knives and caused one of the most spectacular man-Illade dis<lsters or the
world. A stick-thin old man called Bin Laden released an amateur video, claiming it
was all his big idea." (I 88)
The novel faithfully keeps the track of the issue of Ayodhya Temple and its leading
consequences of Godhara Train Attack which in turn results in the Communal war in
Gujarat in 200 1. While waiting for tile train which contained kar sevak including
Dhiraj (Mama's Son), they get the news, ""At least tiny people died and more tilan a
dozen injured when miscreants set tire to a bogie of the Sabannati Express neal' thc
Godhra station in Gujarat on Wednesday morning" (214) Govind elaborates, ""From
what the channels knew at that point, a mob stoned a bogie of the Sabannati Express.
The bogie contained ka/' sevaks returning from Ayodhya. The passengers shut tile
metal windows to protect themselves from the stones. The mob tilrew petrol on the
bogie and set it on fire." (214) However, the issue gcts revealed completely whclltile
tea vendor specifies, ""The mob had Muslims. They had an argument with the Hindu
kar sevaks and burnt everyone - women, children" (215) The anger of Ilindus against
Muslims gets expresscd in the conversation between floweriest and Mithai simp
owner in which florist says, '"Thcy burn little kids, see what kind of a community is
this ... They struck America in broad dayligilt too. Now the fuckers have re"ciled
Gujarat. And Delhi will suck thcir dieks" (215)
199
Bhagat has portrayed the realism of communal conflict after the Godhara issue. The
trouble starts within few hours of the news of Godhara issue in the city. ami hears
that a mob burnt two buses down in Jamalpur. After few minutes, Ishaan gets
information about Hindu mob setting the Muslim's house at tire in their area. The
horrifying scenario of riots is faithfully portrayed by Bhagat when three hiends
witness the Hindu mob invading the Muslim house with loud chants in Sanskrit allli
calling Shiva and Rama combined with drumbeats. Hindus' sense of revcnge is
echoed in Mama's scream for losing his son in the train burnt by Muslims:
Don't cry. Nobody will cry today, ... we Hindus have only
cried. While these mother flickers come and keep killing us
over the centuries. In a Hindu country, in a Hindu state, the
flickers can come and burn our kids in broad daylight. And
we don't do anything. \\iejust cry. Come rape us, loot us and
burn us. They think they can terrorise the whole fucking
world but we wi!! have no guts to do anything. (222)
Hindus' anger ventilates in his further words, "But the bastards mude a big mistake.
They tried to rape Gujarat today. Mother fuckers thought these vegetarian people.
what will they do? Come let's show them what we can do" (223) Flhagat has
authentically narrated the inhumanity of the rioters when Mama wants to kill Ali, a
small kid who doesn't have even the idea about his religion. Mama demands, "I IVant
the boy. I want that Muslim boy ... Eye for an eye. I'll slaughter him right here. Then I
will cry for my son. Get the fucking boy." (233) Later readers get to know that M"IllCI
has already killed Ali's father and Illother.
Bhagat has exposed the opportunist politicians by revealing Parekh-ji's real character
at the time of communal riots. Politicians divide the people in the name of religion.
They create the rift to fulfill their own seltish end. All these lead to communal riots.
The conversation between Govind and Parekh-ji proves that real cause tl)r the
communal tension and communal riots is the politics and ctlnning politicians and nut
any religion. When Govind asks Parekh-ji to stop his people li'OJn killing a lillie boy
Ali, he says, "Today, the cooker needs a whistle to release the pressure ... Doesn't
200
matter. Whatever it takes to quench the hurt feelings. Peoplc in pain want to fcc I
better. .. This will last a day or two, but if we stifle it, it could explode into a huge civil
war. .. We arc making people feel better. They will elect us again and again. YOLI wait
and see."' (227)
The politicians' involvement and police's inaction in the Gujarat communal riots 01"
2001 dependably gets expressed in the novel. When Mama and his followcrs attack tn
take Ali's life, Ishaan tries to call police. But nobody receives the call at police
station. The height of communalist's hatred lor the opponent community is menl iOlled
in Mama's words when he is about to kill Ishaan but he doesn't. "1 can finish you
now. Thank your stars you were born ina lIindu house" (247)
This is how Bhagat has artistically intcrwoven the history of contemporary tillle ill Ihe
novel by including the real incidents like Gujarat eaJ1hquake, 9/11 attack, Ayodhya
issue leading to Godhra sabotage, communal riots and some cricket matches. Crickct.
in fact, forms a major ingredient of the novel and the author takes full libel"!y III
exploring the insatiable passion which runs in the veins of small town dwellers In
regard to this holy game. Bhagat inserts a dramatic description of the epic 200 I India
Australia test series and weaves it eflortlessly with the three characters and their
fluctuating f0l1unes. Politics also plays a key subject in the premise with Omi's uncle
(,Mama') portraying a key political character and bringing in the various good & ugly
traits of a politician. The political subplot. though subtle illitially. takes the driver's
scat towards the end building up for an action-packed climax. Bhagat borrows hecvily
fi'om the Godhra Riot and the Ayodhya issue. The Hindu-Muslim agitalinn, tile
ubiquitous loathing (and respect) for the Australian cricketers and the polilieal
backstabbing arc issues which arc lifted directly from the real 'India'. Thus, I3hcgat,
to quite an extent, blurs the line between fiction and reality.
The episode of Vidya and Govind's controversial affair adds the clement of !"Omance
in the narration. The story is told through the eyes of Govind who is the protagonist
and also happens to be lover-boy. Being the maths topper of the town, his best liiencl
Ishaan requests him to provide tuition to his sister Vidya, who is to appear rur her
medical entrance exam. "',lhat starts off as an innocent I-hour mathematics lesson
soon turns into forbidden territories of friendship, affection. love and even
promiscuity. The Govind-Vidya romance is the ultimate case of illicit love, tile 201
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tabooed relationship and the forbidden apple which once Adam, and later Govind,
chose to taste,
All the major issues in the novel like business, cricket, earthquake, religion, politics,
Ayodhya issue, terrorist attack, Godhara issue, communal riots and the episode of
Vidya-Govind romance are artistically interwoven in the one thread of the narration.
Bhagat presents a blend of romance and politics, cricket and business with his Three
Mistakes afmy Life. The novel has all the characteristics ofa typical Chetan Bhagat's
novel with the flashback storytelling style, one of author's most prominent
trademarks. The Narrative of the book seems quite similar to his first novel Fh'e Point
Someolle. Say for instance, like the fanner book, Three Mistakes qf My Life is a story
of three friends who are simply glued to each other through their lives lipS and
downs. They face opposition from each other, at times their friendship is on the verge
of collapse and then again something happens that makes them cling to each other.
Just as episode of Neha and Hari adds romance in the Five Point Someone, it is
Vidya-Govind episode in Three Mistakes of My Life that offers the similar charm.
Above all, it is that 'All is well that ends well' theme of Bhagat that one or the
striking features in Bhaga!'s narratives.
Bhagat's indirect way of introducing character is also witnessed in 171ree Mislokes oj'
AIy Life. Say for instance, Ishaan's heated temperament is introduced in the beginning
when a rich dad's son comes and circles around his house for his sister, Vidyn. I k
picks up his bat smashes the headlight of the silver Esteem car. Ish grabs the boy's
head from behind and smashes into the bonnet. He grabs the collar and gives six non
stop slaps across his face. On this incident we are introduced to the character of Om i
as an imitator of Ishaan. When Ishaan gets into fight, Omi picks up the bat "ntl
smashes the windscreen. Chetan Bhagat has nicely introduced the character or tile
hero, Govind, as coward through his inaction when his best friends were lighting with
a boy who has been troubling his friend's sister. This incident has notlling to clo with
the main plot of the novel. However, Chetan Bhagat nicely made use of this cvent to
introduce the mindsets of his main characters.
The name of Ali, an important character, is heard many a time before his "ctllal
presence in the novel. Readers get to know abollt Ali and his talent in cricket ji)r the
first time from the conversation between Ishaan and Tapan on the page number 202
twenty-nine when Tapan says, "It is he nightmare Ali. Ball keeps getting lost with liis
shot." (29) Again on the page number thirty-six, readers get some information aboLlt
Ali when Ishaan says, "I want to see this Ali kid. Three customers have mcntioned
him" (36) He fUl1her says, "They say he has excellcnt timing" (36) Readers arc
informed that his most common shot is a six. However he actually appears in the
novel very late on the page number fifty-one. But before he actually comes in the
scene, readers have enough idea about his talent in cricket, his craze for marble and
his lack of stamina.
Parekhji's characters in the novel is also introduced indirectly by the conversation
among Bi1100 Mama, Omi. Govind and Ishaan. Readers already know a lot about
Parekllji's personality before he actually appears in the novel. Chetan Shagat has
given indirect hint of Parekhji's character when Bittoa Mama says, "Parekhji is a
senior Hindu party leader. And he heads the biggest temple trust in Baroda." lie
further says, "Parekhji not only knows CM, but also talks to him twice a day." (33)
Vidya's character is also introduced indirectly. Readers get an implied idea of lier
beauty and charm on the third page of the novellshaan beats rich dad's son because
he follows Vidya. Her name is later on referred on page number thirty-eight when
[shaan asks Govind to teach her Maths for the medical entrance exam. It is the t illle
\vhen \ve come to know about her age and that she has finished her J 2th Science.
Thus, before Vidya's actual appearance on the page number forty-four, readers have
enough idea about her character.
Chetan Bhagat has used the ditTerent responses of ditTerent characters in a certain
incident to reveal the passion of the character. For example when all the threc friends
witnessed Ali's incredible four consequent sixes in Ishaan's four balls. each ot' the
threc friends responds differently. Their responses reveal their basic passion. Ishaan's
passion for cricket and his hidden desire to be the cricketer which he envisions in the
career of Ali is reflected when he says, "[ have never seen anyone play like that, I
want to coach him." (56) Omi's communalism and hatred for Muslims is rellected
when he reacts to [shaan's decision of coaching Ali, "What? You will teach that
mullah kid""(56) While Govind's calculative nature is reflected when he tells Ishaan
that you should coach him as long as he pays. It shows that Govind is neither
203
concerned with the religion nor with cricket. His prime focus III life is money and
business.
Chetan Bhagat has used the intoxicated state of Ishaan to express his deepest feelings
which otherwise would seem illogical. Ishaan has a deep regret for not getting
selected in the state level selection in cricket. However, he normally does not express
it. But when he gets drunk, his deepest desire eomes on the surface. Through the
technique of drunkard state, Chetan Bhagat has described Ishaan's hidden desire
which he later on wants to fulfil through the career of Ali.
Bhagat, somewhere, has also llsed the stream of consciousness technique IJl Three
Mistakes of My Life. When Govind is at a Bondi beach in Australia thousanels olmile
away from Vidya, his random thoughts about her give the readers an idea about the
development of love in his heart. The plot develops with his random thought:
Random thoughts circulated in my head, like oiled fingers in
hair. Wouldn't it be nice if Vidya was here? Isn't this what
she longed for most? Freedom above all else? Didn't she
have the Bondi spirit, even though I'd have kiJled her if she
walked around in a bikini. Wait a minute, I'd kill her or her
brother Ish would kill her? Why should I care? But I did say
I would kill her" And why am I thinking of her when there
arc so many beautiful topless \yomen to distract me right
now? And \ .... hy do I think of her every night before I go to
bed? And v'lhy does my mind not stop asking stupid
questions" (166)
141 Two States
2 Stales: The StolY of Aly Marriage commonly known as 2 States is said 10 be
inspired from the real life story of the author and his wife Anusha Sur)'a Narayanan
204
i
I
~
l_
who arc from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, respectively, This is the seeolld Chewll 131",~al
book based largely on his life, with the other being his first book Fire ruinl SOllieune,
The narrative runs into four different phases. The narrative pnlfcrIl can hL'
synchronized with the theme of the novel which is described all the back cover of Ihe
book wherein I3hagat writes:
A boy loves a girL a girl loves a boy and they gt.:l married.
But in India. there are few more steps.
A Boy loves a girl and a girl loves a boy.
Boy has to love girl's parents,
Girl has to love boy's parcnts.
Girl's parents have to Jove hoy's parenrs, boy's parents have
to love girl's parents.
BO~.i and girl still love each other and they get married.
Ilere each step discussed for Indian marriage forms a narrative phase in the tllH'cl.
The first step i.e. 'A Bo)-' Joves (J girl and u girl/()ves u hoy' forms the first phase of
the story where Krish, a I'unjabi boy from Delhi sights a beautiful girl, Ananya, a
Tamilian from Chennai, quarreling with the mess staff about the food. Ananya \\"<1S
tagged as the 'l3est girl of the fresher batch', They become friends within a few days
and decide to study together every night. In mean time, they become romantically
involved. They both get jobs, and have serious plans for their wedding, Life is haven
until their parents meet each other. It becomes difficult for them to convince th~ir
parents for their marriage. The second step i.e .. Boy has to /m'c girl's porems' forms
the second phase of the narrative where Krish tries to convince his girlfriend Ananya's
parents and at last convinces them by helping Ananya's father to do his tirst
PowerPoint Presentation, her brother. Manju. by giving him tuition and bkr
convinces her m0111 by asking her to sing in a conccI1 organized by Krish's office. i.c.
Citibank. She was convinced as she had her biggest dream of singing ill a big conct?rt
20S
comes to be true. She sang along with S. P. Ilalasubrahmaniam and Ilariharan. The
third step i.e. 'Girl has to /en'e boy's parents' forms third phase orthe story where it is
Ananya's turn to prove herself and convince Krish's mother. But the problem "as
relatives of Kissh's mother who didn"t like Krish's marriage with a f'v1admsi girl but
ends lip agreeing with them when Ananya tries to help one of Krish's cousins to gL'l
married and succeeds to do so. The fourth step i.e. "Girl's paren/s hlll'C I() IOi't! hoy's
parents, hoy's jwrems have to love girl's parents.' forms the fourth phase of the 110\"(:1
where they now try to make their parents meet each other to know each as they Ime
convinced both their parents. They go to Goa. But this dream of theirs ends as
Ananya's parents tinds something fishy between Krish's mom and him. }\n~l11ya's
family end up deciding that Krish and Anan)'a will not marry each other. But at last
Krish's father who was like an enem), for Krish helps Krish ancl Anan)'a \0 get
married as he convinces Ananya's family well. The last step i.c. 'Bo)' and girl slill
IOl'e each olher and they get married' forms the last phase \-vhieh O<llT<lles ho\\: f--:ris})
and Ananya doesn't lose lovc and hope during the hard time of cOllvincing e:lch
other's parents and hOIl they finally make it. The novel ends lIith Ananya giving birth
to twin boys. They say that the babies belong to a state called 'India'; with a thought \0
end inequality. It is narrated in a tirst person point ofvie\-v in a humorous tone, Oltcll
taking digs at both Tamil ano PUI~abi cultures.
Like his all other novels, 8hagat tries to build a rapport with his readers by
ackno\vlcdging them first "I would like to thank my readers, you that is. have made
me what I am. Last time I mentioned that I wanted to be India's most loved IIriter
and you gave me that. Thank you. Please continue with your suppol1, and ifpossibk.
give me a tiny but permancnt place in your heart.!'(vii) Ilis frequent gratitude to
readers and his popularity among readers arc the evidences of his reader-oriented
wriling. He writes according to llw taste of the readers.
Like his earlier novels, Bhagat makes a disclaimer before the novel in a boll)'\\ood
style:
I also want to make a couple or disclaimers. This story is
inspired by my own family and experiences. Ilowcver, this
book should be seen as a \\lark of fictioll. Also for 206
authenticity, I have used names of some real places. people
and institutions as they represent cuitur<ll icons of today and
aid in storytelling. There is no intention to imply aJl}thing
else. I'd like to tell all South Indians I live thel11. ~Iy better
half will vouch for that. . I have taken the liberty to have
some fun v,'irh you just like I have \. ... ith Punjabis -only
because I see you as my own. You only make digs at people
you care for. (Prologue, vii)
2 SIGles is an autobiographical lietion by Chetan 13hagat as subtitle the story 01" Ill)
marriage suggests. He himself declares in acknowledgement. "This story is inspired
by my own family and experiences. However, this book should be seen as a work of
fiction." (vii) Like Bhagat and Anusha. Krish and Ananya. studying at liMA. arc from
PUI~ab and Tamil Nadu respectively. The educational background of [(rish is that of
13hagat in real life. Krish. like 13hagat. has gone to lIT. Delhi and 11M, Ahmedabad.
Like Bhagat, Krish has a passion for writing. In Epilogue, Ananya asks Krish how his
book is going. at the time of delivery to distract her attemion from the pain. And he
replies. "Well. the finh publisher has rejected it yesterday."(268) Chelan Bhagat's
first book Fil'c 1'0il11 SOll1eol1e was rejected by many publisher and he published his
first book only atter the birth of twin baby boys. In the novel. Al10nya gives birth to
twin baby boys. The autobiographical undertone in Krish's sore relation with his
t~lther and the disharmony among Krish's parents are evident from one of Bhagat's
interview where he says:
I don't like abuse of pm .... er and somewhere down the line. I
felt he \\'as not fair to my mother. She did a lot for him. the
family, the in-laws, but she never got her due and it was a
life livedjllst like a lot of Indian women who do that. When I
was very young, I didn't realise it but by the time I \vas a
teenager, I stal1cd realising and resented it. I was alwa)'s a
rebel. T\ly father being in the army was twthoritariun and 207
would deny her simple things like meeting her family_ as it
would make her happy. May'he, it was a result of his own
inner frustrations, but he would not give her freedom and I
had to write 2 States a) to understand where my father was
coming from and b) to forgive him. It was difficult for me to
forgive him, but 2 States helped me forgive my father.
(Bhagat. Chetan Bhagat: Writing 2 states helped me fnrgivc
my father)
Actually, in other four books by Bhagat, the relationship between the protagonist and
the father is dysfunctional. In Five Point Someone, Ryan guy doesn't like his parents.
Alok has a paralyzed father and the Hari has a strict father. In 011" Nighl ullli" Cull
Celller, Shyam is undcrconfidcnt and has problem with his parerlls. In Three J/isl<ikC.1
o( My Ule, Govind's father has desel1ed him and even Ishaan carries biller relation
with his jill her. In Revoluliol1 20]0, Gopal has sick father who forces him reappear tor
the lIT entrance exam even though Gopal is not competent enough. \\/hen Gopal I:lils
in the second attempt, his father slaps him and stops talking 10 him. f3hagat's biller
relation with his father gets rcflected in almost all his books. But the episode of son
father relation in 2 Stales is the most autobiographical.
!3hagat has used the technique of interlinking his novels like movie series. Most of
8hagaCs novels are interconnected in some way or the other. Say for instanc~. ::
Slales hegins where Fit'e Point Someone ends. Aller his adventures at the IlT - where
he loves and loses the professor's daughter - Krish goes to liMA to pursue his
management studies. In 2 Slales, Bhagat links Krish's previous life wilh that of llari
in Five Paim Someone. In Fh'e Point Someune, Hari has a girlli'icnd who is
professor's daughter. At the end of boo~ readers are nOltold any cel1ain end of their
relationship, Readers arc not told what happens with them at the end. The question
whether they \vi!! marry remains unanswered ill th~ novel. Bhagat uses a nice
tcchniquc of connecting Ilari's life with that of Krish and begins with a new story. In
2 States, readers are revived with Krish's past with Ilari's story. lIari's life in iii'"
Puint Someone becomes Krish's past in 2 States. \Vhen }\nanya asks him whether he
208
had a girlfriend in liT, Krish says, "I had a girlfriend", I don't want to talk about it.
It's over. It ended when I le11 college two years ago." (27) The unfinished story of
Ilari, having an affair with Professor Chcrian's daughter Neha finds its end in ::
Slules when Krish says, "I sort of had a deal with her father."he let me have m)'
degree on time. Because of which I am here. But the implicit deal was, don't push it.
Don't dream of being family. There was no future, so it died ... " (27) lie further
informs about Neha and Cherian, "Father went to the US to senior faulty post in MIT.
She found a geeky guy of the same community. Engaged in six months. Illarried in :1
year. Rest I don't know ... It took me a long time to get over her, but I am not
involved with her. And I feel sick I didn't have the courage to fight her "nher." t:~7)
Further, when interviewer asks Krish a reason for poor grades at liT, he thinks, "A
girlfriend, fun-loving friends, alcohol, grass and crap profs happeneci, I wanted to
say." (35) These were the reasons for Ilari's poor performance at liT in Vil'e }'()ill(
Someone. Readers arc revised v,/ith the information of Hari's dismissal in DIll..'
semester in Five Point Someone when the interviewer points alit the missed semester
in Krish's lIT mark-sheet. At the time of convocation, Krish reminds the readers the
way l-Iari missed convocation at liT in Fiv/! Point Someone by saY'ing. "I wns horribly
late. I had missed my last convocation as 1 had overslept. I didn't want to miss this
time." (48) Sitting with Anan)'a's !ather in a car reminds Krish of his earlier
experience of sitting with Neha's father when he wns caught driving her f~lther's car
and wearing her father's shirt in Fire Point Someone. Krish is asked tn sta) at
Ananya's home by her father to make a presentation that he has to submit in his BanK
of Baroda. Her father gives him his own night clothes to wear. It reminds him or his
past experience of wearing shil1 of Nella's father in Five Point Sumeone. Fh'c J10 illl
SUlileulle ends with the four years of Ilari's studies at liT. It doesn't talk about what
happens with Neha and Ilari. Readers arc not informed \vhethcr they get married. 2
States begin with Krish's love relation with Ananya at liMA. 13hagnt has well
connected the story by giving the reason why lIari (Krish in 2 Stales) couldn't marry
Neha in Five Point Someone. \Vhen Guruji at Pondichery Aashram asks Krish abnut
his reason for sleepless night. he tells a story or an incident from \\hen he has stopped
taking to his father. After finishing his studies atilT, Krish returns hOllle and asks his
father to talk to Neha's father about their marriage. He says, "The girl's fatller i,
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taking her abroad, They'll get her engaged to someone else," (\65) Readers get to
know that Neha's father didn't approve their marriage. He begs his father, "Dad.
please, I want your cooperation. I f you meet her fatiler, he Illay reconsider, .. Because
I love her. And I don't want her to go away." (165) But his father doesn't cooperate
and says, "You are distracted, not in love." (165) He beats Krish for arguing and also
beats his mother for defending Krish. Krish cannot marry the girl due to incorporatioo
from his parents. Krish's cOllversation with Guruji at Pondich~ry Wishram tills the
gap bet\\'cen two novels. In fact the above information makes Fi\'e Poinl Someone and
:1 Slales a connecting series \Vher~in the protagonist was in Jove \vitil professor"s
daughter but could not marry at tile end of one book and falls in love with another girl
and tells he the story of his lirst girlfriend in the beginning of the other book.
I3hagat has also used the background of One Nighl al Ihe Call Cenler when Krish's
life is at the cross-road. He has been rejected by tive companies on the lirst day of
placement and has not get the answer from Citibank which pays the best. It is the
times he prays God and God appears before him like in One Nighl allhe Call Celller.
God gives practical advice rather than doing any miracle. lIe asks him to do the right
thing to clarifying Ananya of her future first.
Bhagal's unique way of introducing character is seen in the way the character of
Krish's bther is unfolded. Readers get to know about the sore relation between Krish
and his f~lther on the page number II when he avoids lalking ahout his f~llhcr with
Ananya and avoids talking to his father on phone when he calls home. Later on
readers are further given clue on page Ilumber 27 when Krish says, "t\,'1y ex-gir1tj·icnd
and my lather are oll~limit topics." (27) Readers also get to know that his t,lther
doesn't come to attend Krish's convocation at liMA when Krish writes, "Which
father needs invitation from his to attend his convocation? Screw him." (41) Readers
keep on hearing about his father's strict nature and his sore relation wilh Kri::;h many a
time belllre his actual appearance on page number 59. When he appears all the scene,
his strict behavior is obviously expected by the remlers.
Like all his novels, he makes 2 .)'tates gripping from the very beginning. The lIo"el
begins \vith a patient seeming to have the symptoms of nervous brcakdo\\:n to a
psychiatrist, Dr. Neeta Iyer. The patient who has nervous breakdown has cut-off
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human contacts, has sleep-deprivation and has Google-searched on best ways to
commit suicide. Readers also get to know that the reason for his mental sleekness is
his break-up with a girl called Ananya who stays in Mylapore. The prologue raises
many questions in readers mind like, who is the patient'? Who is AnanyaO What's
wrong with their relationship? What leads him to nervous breakdown') The prologue
makes the readers curious about the love story that the patient starts telling to the
psychiatrist It whets readcrs' appetite to turn Illrther pages.
Bhagat has used the flash-back technique in most of his novel where someone is the
listener of the narrator's story. In 2 Siale.\', the prologue begins wilh Krish's
appointment with a psychotherapist Dr. Neeta Iyer. Readers come to kll(1\Y that Krish
has the signs of early nervous break-down because of his break up with a South
Indian girL Readers also get to know that he has Google-searehed dilTercnt ways or
committing suicide. And Krish starts telling his story to Dr. Nceta lyre as a pari or
therapy. The most of the book is in flashback in the lorm of star), he kllsto Dr. lyre.
The narrative jumps into the present on page number 239 when Krish finishes his
story up to break up and his nervous breakdown. This is how the story is linked to the
prologue.
Bhagat has a tendency to keep something mysterious. In 2 Slales, 13hagat arises
readers' curiosity to know about Krish's father as Krish generally avoids the topic of
his father. Readers get almost all the inlormation about Krish, his education, interest
and family, except his father. When Ananya asks him about his !Cither, he avoids the
topic. Again when he calls home, he cuts the call as it is received by his father. When
Ananya a.sks tor the rcason, he avoids it again by saying, "Long slory. Not for thi.s
night Or any night I'd like to keep it to myself." (17) That gives the clue about his
sore relation with his father. When he calls home, he doesn't talk with his "lIher and
cuts the calL Even on the convocation day, he avoids talking with Ananya about his
father and the reason for sore relation with him. lie behaves rudely with his 1'1Iher
when he calls him to congratulate him for his 1irs( salary. In response [0 (]H1(, his
father starts ranting about how Krish has let him down as 5011. He gets upset rcading
his father's letter. It raises certain questions in reader's mind like -what is likely to be
the problem between father and son? Why Krish doesn't talk to his own t"ther? What
makes him avoid the topic of his tilther? All these questions remain onanswered until
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he meets GUfuji in Pondicherry aQshram. Guruji makes him feel transported to
another wmld and asks him to remove the heavy load of his father's chapter that
keeps him awake at night. It is this time Krish tells the story about his sore relation
with his lather. 13hagat uses a technique of story-within-a-story to resolve the mystery
of son-father relation. Krish narrates the whole incident of his desire to marry her pa,t
girl friend, his request to his tilt her to meet girl's father who was taking her to abroad
and his father's unwillingness to help Krish. When his mother tries to defend Krish,
his father starts slapping her. Krish breaks in the room and therefore his father tries to
slap him. lie writes, "My f'lIher lined his hand to hit me. Automatically, I grabbed his
wrist tight." (167) He slaps his \'lIher back in anger, I slapped his t'ICe once. twice.
then I rolled my hand into a list and punched his faee."(167) The mystery of' his sore
relation with father that continues till halfofthe novel is resolved on the page nllmber
167 when Krish writes:
:\1y father \vent into a state of shock, he couldlft fight back.
lie didn't expect this: all my childhood I'd merely suffered
his dominance. Today, it wasn't just about the broken glass.
It wasn't only that the girl I loved would be gone. It was a
reaction to two decades of abuse. Or t]wt's how J defended it
to myself. For how else do you justify hitting your own
father? At that moment I couldn't stop. I punched his head
until he collapsed on the floor. I couldn't remember the last
time I reveled in violence like this. r was a studious child
v.ho stayed with his books all his life. Today, r was lucky
there wasn't a gun at home. (167)
He further writes,
lIe salon (he floor, and massaged (lie arm I had tw;";rcJ. I Ie
stared at my mother, with a 'see, I told you' expression. :\1y
mother sat on the bed. lighting back her emotions. We
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looked at each other. \\' c were a family, but pretty screwed
up as they come. I took a broom and swept the broken glass
into a newspaper sheet. I looked at my father and vowed
never to speak 10 him again. (167)
Bhagat has used the technique of narrative jump in 2 States. The story takes a fe\\
narrative leaps in the novel. Krish and Ananya study management. a t\VO years course
at liMA. They get along well with each other on the first week of the college itself.
They start studying together. eating together, and living together like a couple. Within
a few weeks their love grows completely. But the course they study lasts for t\\'o
years. The story is not about their love only but the major focus of the story is on the
dif1iculties they face in persuading parents for their selection of a partner. Once they
get along with each other well in the few moths 01' their admission at liMA. the slory
has to deal with the major portion of persuading their parents. So rhe narrative ta"-cs a
jump of one~and-a-halr years later narrating directly the placement ~cenario when
they arc about to linish their study.
Like Five Poinl Some()ne, Bhagat has used epistolary technique in 2 Slales. The story
or Krish and Anan)'a is nnrrated by Krish. When the)' are togelher in Ahmedabad.
readers get to know Ananya's thoughts. feelings and actions through her conversation
with Krish. But when they get separated aftcr college, readers get only one~sided
information from Krish, his situation at home and his mother's response at his
decision to marry Ananya. I3hagat cannot give the information about Ananya and the
response of her tlHni!y at her decision of marrying Krish because the n~lrralor Kri:.;h is
in Delhi and Ananya is in Chennai. To give the information about ;\nanya's sid..:-.
I3hagat has used epistolary technique wherein Ananya writes a letter to Krish. The
letter fulfills the gap and fills the story with required infoMllation. Readers get lO
know the \vay she lovcs him intensely and the way she misses evcl")1hing about Krish:
I miss our cuddles, I miss our walks in campus. I miss
studying together and thl!n going for midnight chai, I miss
running w my dorm every morning 10 brush my teeth. 1 mi.~s
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eating pao-bhaji on the char rasta \vith you, I miss playing
footsie in the library, I miss the glances we stoic in the class,
I miss my bad grades and the tears afterwards that you
wiped, I miss how you used to watch me put eye-liner,
miss ..... oh, you get the drift, I miss you like hell. (73)
Readers get to know the situation at her home after declaration of her desire to Illarry
Krish. Ananya says:
My mother is at her neurotic best, my father is quiet as usual
and my brother always has a book that says Physics,
Chemistry or Maths all the cover. In other words, things are
normal. I mentioned you again to my mother. She called a
priest home who gave me a pendant to make me forger you.
\Vow, I never thought they'd react to you like this. Well, it is
going to take lllorC than a pendant to forget you, but for good
mcasure J tossed it into the Bay of BcngaJ on Marina Beach.
I haven't mentioned you since, because I know you will
come to Chennai and charm them yourself - just as you
charmed me. (73)
Before Krish's arrival in Chcnnai, Ananya drops a letter for hilll that again hints the
trouble at home. Readers get to know that Ananya has to give false excuses to eOllle
out, "Hey Chcnnai boy, I came to see you, but you hadn't arrived in the afternoon as
you told me. Anyways, I can't wait any longer as mom thinks 1 am with friends at the
Radha Silks Shop, 1 have to be back, Anyway there is a bit of drama at home but I
don't want to get into that now." (81)
His animated and passionate story telling comes through everywhere whether it is his
delightfully familiar descriptions of an Indian city with its usual clements like autos,
packed public buses, hassled traffic cops and tiny shops that sold groceries or
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contlicting emotions between the land of paranthas and paneer and the land of idlis
and dosas. His humor is at its best in exposing the stuck-up attitude of Indians
regarding their o'tvn culture through Krish and Annnya's folks and also his caustic dig
at the corporate world of "overpaid clerks" who try and sound clever and intelligent
only to fool people.
151 Hcvolution 2020
The narration of Rel'Oillliol1 2020 is put across as the story of lite and times of three
childhood friends i.e. Gopal Raghav and Aarti. Like typical Shagat's liction the story
is told by the tirst person narrator, Gopal Mishra, the 26-year-old director of
GangaTeeh Institute of Technology, Varanasi, and the chief protagonist of the story.
Like all his previous novels, Bhagat himself is the listener of the story. Typically, the
narration of Revolution 2()20 starts with the 'Prologue' which introduct.:s to the
background of the story and how the story originated. and ends with the ·Epilogue·.
which provides apt closure. Of the three central characters i.e. Gopal, Raghav and
Aarti, the author has selected the right person's narration. Had the author gone for
Raghav's narration. the book would have tllrned into a full-fledged anti-corrupt inn
book and would have hardly had any takers and would have hampered Chetan
Bhagat's positioning because Raghav is the topper: smart. intelligent, multi ta!L'nted
and above all wants to change the cOlUltry by making it corruption-llTc. Had thL'
author gone for Aarti's narration, it would have turned out to be a chick-book (similar
to chick-Ilick) as Aarti is pretty girl from the rich family, not particularly interesteu in
studies and like any other small to\VI1 girl dreams of becoming an air-hostess and
wants to find a safe nest in life. Gopal's narration provides a down-tv-ear!h. avcragL'
boys outlook on life. studies, ambitions. love and the situations which trap him il1to
being what he eventually turned out to be. Gopal Mishra is the strictly average gll>
with average skills and average grades. He wants to make it big in life and marry
Aarti by becoming an engineer, but can't ('ven crack AIEEE and/or JEE. J !ailing from
a lower middle class family, he gets the shon end of life's stick with a dead mother.
perennially sick father, no income and treacherous relatives. And he takes his travails
to hC3I1 and develops a mnjor inferiority comp!ex. r Ie is a loser. a typical or [3hagat's
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protagonist. Chetan Bhagat has vividly explained the competition in the education
sector. prevailing corruption in education, mushrooming of coaching classes, dirty
politics, journalism and love triangle,
All Bhaga!'s novels begin with some serious issue that makes the novel gripping li'olll
the beginning. Say for instance, Five Point Someone begins with two friends in an
ambulance taking Alok to the hospital as he has attempted suicide. Iliree JIislakes oj
My Life begins with Bhagat receiving a mail from one of his unknown fans named
Govind \vbo has swallO\ved nineteen sleeping pills to commit suicide. One Nighl 0/
the Call Center begins with Bhagat's night train-ride where a woman offers him to
tell a story of six frustrated call center agents and a call from God. 2 States begins
with a patient, seeming to have the symptoms of nervous breakdown because of
break-up, talking to a psychiatrist, Dr. Neeta Iyer. Revulution 2020 too begins with a
serious issue that makes the novel attention-grabbing. Chetan Bhagat is invited by
Gopal as a motivational speaker for his college. Gopal drives I3hagat his home for a
drink. Bhagat's mention of am1i in the temp Ie makes Gopal stressed and the overdose
of drink makes him fainted. Bhagat's mention of aarti at one of Varanasi Ghats
reminds Gopal of his lady love named Aarti. Ilis stress and the pain intrigues I3hagat
to know more about his love story. Bhagat takes Gopal to the hospital and seems
curious to listen a his story. Bhaga!'s curiosity implies the readers' curiosilY to knm\'
more aboul Gopal's love story.
I3hagat links his novel with his previous novel as he has linked his 2 Siaies and Olle
Night at the Cali Center with Five Point Someone. But this time in Revolution 2021!
Shagat links his motivational lectures that he has delivered at Symbiosis. Pune on
July 24, 2008. The novel Revolution 2020 begins with the last words of Uhaga!'s
speech given at the orientation program for the new batch of MBA students at
Symbiosis:
And I hope not just you, but my whole cOllntry will keep that
spark alive. as we really need it now more than any moment
in history. And there is something cool about saying-l come
from the land of a billion sparks.
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Thank You." (llhagal)
Bhagat gives realistic touch to thl.! story by including above given words from his rcal
speech.
The setting of the novel is Varanasi. I3hagat has been invited by Gopal as a
motivational speaker for students. After completion of a speech. Bhagat mentions the
morning aarti at ghats. "Isn't Varanasi's aarti beautiful?" (Prologue, I) That makes
Gopal frown. Gopal invites l1hagat his home for drink. Gopal gets overdose of wine
and faints. He is taken to the hospital. In his conversation with Gopal Bhagat again
mentions, "It is almost time for morning aarti." (Prologue. 7) Finally Uopa\ c\presses
what he has been delaying since long. "That's her name." (Prologue, 7) Readers get to
know that he loved someone called a3l1i, "Like is not the word, Chelan-ji ... Imagine
every sadlllf and priest in Yaranasi. Morc than all their devotion put together. that's
how much I loved her." (Prologue, 7) When Bhagat inquires him whether she also
loved him, Goral says, "'This is not an interview. Chetan-ji. Either you sit down and
listen to this stupid man's wl10le story or you leave." (Prologue, 7) I3hagat gets curios
about his story. Actually. readers envision their curiosity in l3hagat's. Readers get
curious to know about the love story of an uneducated young director of a cOllcge.
Bhagat writes, "I lis charcoal eyes met mine. Something about the young direclor
intrigued me. Ilis unusual achievements, his cockiness, his tortured voice or may be
this strange holy city made me want to know more about him." (Prologue, 7) Bhaga!'s
speech in the college, Gopal's invitation for a drink, the setting ofYaranasi, Bhagat's
mentions of morning aarli, Goral overdose of drink, again Bhagat's ll1~ntion of
'morning aarti' which provokes Gopal and the coincidence of 'aartj' being GopaJ's
lover lead the prologue to the main story.
The technique of interlinking the novels is evident in Rem/lllioll 2020 too. G(l!,,,1
mentions the incident of raiding director's bungalow by three friends from Five I'()inl
Someone in his conversation with Chetan Bhagat. Goral says, "It's the bungalow of
an engineering college director. You and your friends raidcd one, right? .. Eveyollc
knows. We've read the book. Seen the movie." (Prologue, 2) Gopal's hangover
reminds Bhagat of his college days that he has mentioned in F'ive Poinl Someune. fie
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writes, "Ilowever, I,ere tile director had iJinged on alcohol, not a studen!." (Prologue.
3)
Bhagat is the writer of modern day youths, All his characters arc modern young Illi.?n
and women. Therefore, he has used the technique ai' online chatting and S~lS instead
of traditional epistolary style. Technology plays vital role in the narrative or his
novcJs. When his characters are far from each other, online chatting and Si\1S hl!lp
them to connect with each other and this is how the plot of the novel moves. Say ti)J'
instance, when Gopal goes to Kota away rrom Aat1i lor the preparation or III
entrance exam. the plot of the novel moves through their online conversation. GopaJ
comes to kno\v about Aarti's relation with Raghav while chatting \vith her onlin\?
Gopal gets this information only because of online conversation which otherwise is
dillicuit to get through letter or phone. Gopal's agony has exceeded the lilllitation or
his control. Plus he has a temper problem. When he starts chatting with her, he
already knows that Aarti has lied to him about his relation with Raghav. She has
ditched him last Sunday on chat and he wants to a!ik him why she went to liT Kallpur
with Raghav. Ilis temper problem would have stopped the eonYersation if it is Oil
phone. The good thing about chatting on internet is that he can control his illlpuises.
On phone, otherwise, his tone or pitch will have expressed his cmotions. But internet
allows the further conversation as he places strategic smiley to hide his intense
curiosity and anger. lie overdoes the smileys just to make her more cOl1lfortabl~ \\ hile
sharing her attachment with Raghav.
Like 2 S'a'es. the narrative in the novel jumps several times. It is a story of three
childhood friends Aarti, Raghav and Gopal. The story starts with their childhood
when they study in 5th standard. The first two chapters deal with their childhood
incidents that set the story into motion. These two chapters introduce the characters.
their attitudes. ambitions and social background. llowevcr it is not a chilJr~n's story.
The two chapters of their childhood are deliberately discussed to set the story. These
two chapters deal with only two or three incidents of their lives. After th~11 th<...·
narrative jumps directly from 5th standard to 12th standard with t hiI'd chapter. Th,'
narrative again takes quick jump at the end of 17th chapter when Gopal has failed in
liT entrance, loses his father, loses his girlli'iend, gets the suppurt of MLA Shukla 10
build the college. At the end of 17th chapter, Gopal has staned his project of building
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a college. Ilowever. it is supposed to take three years to complete the project. Mean
time, Aarti is in relationship with Raghav. Goral gets busy in his college project. lie
doesn't find any upside being in her contact. So he starts avoiding her calls. Soon sill:
too drifts away. So nothing important is supposed to happen in the coming three
)'cars. Therefore. the narrative takes another jump directly when Gopa! finishes hi:"
project alter three years and meets Aarti when Raghav is not able to find time for her.
The gap of three years are supposed to be the time when Gopal completes his project
of establislling a college, Raghav gets his B. Tech de,,'fee and Aal1i gets tired with
Raghav in three years because of his editing of college magazine and participation in
college politics.
Chetan Bhagat includes the name of the ma,imum possible number of cities in this
book. Raipur, [lhopal, Luknow, Varanasi, Indore, Kota. Allahabad and the names of
other cities corne every now and then in the rages of the novel. It may be i.1 kind of
marketing strategy on the part of Bhagat because a reader from a particular plal'l.?
loves to come across with the name of his native city. And the sale or the nov~l mllst
have increased multiple times with the inclusion of the name and description of the
Kala city as almost every students in India studying in class 10th must have ponul'r~d
over going to Kota and thousand of students physically stay there to crack Medicinal
and Engineering entrance exam, As fv1r. Bhagal docs not do anything without
commercial consideration the inclusion of the names like Bansal, Career point.
Resonance along with Kota may have helped the writer in making some Illone:', It is
like that of using a certain brand of potato chips by a popular l3ollylVllod heroine in
some scenes of a movie, thereby helping the financial calise of the producer of 111..
movie. lIowever, the description of the psyche of an aspirant in Kota by Bhagat is a
very pleasant c'perience to read. The life of a student in Kota may have brought the
thought of cilanging the entrance examination paUcrn in the mind of Iloll'ble J IRIJ
minister. Chetan Bhagat writes about a day in the life of an aspiring student in Kota:
I could call myself a true KOla. It's a month into moving
there like thousands of other students; my life nO\\, had a
rhythm. Career Path resembled a school but \,,'ithout the fun
bits. 1\obody made noise in class, played pranks 011 one
219
another or thought of bunking classes. Aftcr all c\'eryone had
come here by choice and had paid a big price to be here. We
had three to four classes a day, \vhich startcd in the
afternoon, in theory, this allowed the current class XII
students to attend school in the morning; in reality the cla.<;s
XII students never went to school. Career Path had an
agreement with a cooperative CBSE school, which had a
flexiblc attendance policy, It was rumored that the C[3SE
School received a handsome kickback from Career Path.
I hated the brutal Career Path schedule at first lectures started
at 1\,,'0 in the afternoon and went on until ninc in the c\'ening.
Aller that the students rushed home to cat dinner. and do the
""daily practices sheets" a set of ten problems based on the
current lesson. usually finished by midnight atter a few
hours of sleep would wake up and prepare for the next
day's classes. In between, r did household chores, sllch as
washing clothes and shopping for essentials. I went along
with the madness. not so much because of the zcal to
prepare, but more because I wanted to keep myself busy. I
did not want Kota's loneliness to kill me. (36)
Thus, the conspicllous narrative strategy in all his fictions is simplicity of narration
and ease of language. To intensify the thrill and the charm of the story told, I3hagat's
narratives often tend towards the dramatic. The dramatic ekment is conspiclious. ,.IS
Bhagat chooses to begin his tales with "Prologues" which either contains the dramatic
tell-ails as in the 2 Stutes and Rem/lition 2020 or constitute the most dramatic cpisodc'
of the book as in One Night at the Call Celll!'e. IIi5 Acknowledgements are no less
dramatic. They often indicate his frantic attempt of highlighting his "product" 35 a
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ncwcr and bettcr brand. for example, he claims in the "Acknowleugcmcnts" to Three
Mislakes of Illy Lile that he docs not "want to be India's most admired writer", he
"wants to bc India's l110st loved writer", (ix) Again. his chapters in the lictiolls arc
called "Acts" and his endings "Epilogues." Not only the dramatic. llhagat abundantly
draws his techniques from thc cinematic form as well.
His narrative swings effortlessly back and forth using the 'flash-back' technique.
Bhagat's language. too. that is largely in S)l1C with fast narrative pattern. addresses the
changing pattern of the culiure industry. His narrative is full of what is called
"chutnified' expressions. inter-language code-switching which is common all the
internet circuit. Use of phrases like "scre\v you", "testosteronc-churgcu men", four
lettered warus instantly make the American diction-affected generation identify the
tone. He has made the use of Indian English when a semi-educated Indian speaks. The
incorrect structure of sentence is used when an uneducatcd character I ike 3UtO-
rickshaw driver or mess worker speaks in his novels. A close survey of narrative
techniques employed by llhagat in all his novels show that he has been able to
communicate his ideas sllccessfully and convincingly.
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Work Cited:
Shagat, Chetan. Chelan Blwgal: lVi'ilillg 2 srales helped II/e ling ire Illy fiilh£!/" "riya Gupta.12 April 2014. Web.
Shagat, Chetan. Five i'oinl SUllleolle. New Delhi: Rupa & Co, 2004.
Shagat, Chetan. Olle Nighl 'a~ The Cal! Center. New Delhi: Rupa & Co, 2005.
Shagat, Chetan. Revo/ulion2020. New Delhi: Rupa & Co. 2011.
Bhagat, Chetan. The Three Mislakes ~r,\fy Lire. New Delhi: Rupa & Co. 200R.
Bhagat. Chetan. 2 Slales. New Delhi: Rupa & Co, 2009.
Iyengar, K.R.S. "Introduction", Indian writing in English.
Schorer, Mark. "Technique as Discovery" The !fudso/1 Rerie\\", Vol. I. Spring 19.j~,
Henery James's letter to Mrs. Ilumphcry Ward dated July 25. IS99, ()uoted by
Wayne C. Booth in his book The Rheluric or Fictioll (Chicago: The University or Chicago Press. 1961)
222
