ENTROPY AND EQUIPOISE: SATIRE ON THE ELEMENTS OF SOCIETAL DISHARMONY IN KIRAN DESAI’S HULLABALOO IN THE GUAVA ORCHARD

Abstract

This paper unravels the satirical subtleties of Kiran Desai’s novel Hullabaloo in the Guava
Orchard. It analyzes the follies and vices of different characters and of society as a whole
form social, political, and religious point of views. Kiran Desai, in this debut novel of hers,
satirizes corrupt mindset and practices prevalent in the different domains of Indian contexts.
Special narrative techniques and literary style of Kiran Desai help her achieve the desired
effect in this novel. For analysis, this paper mainly relies on the methods of analysis based on
‘Discourse Structure and Point of View’ as suggested by Leech and Short (2007).
The substantiation of the theme(s), issues and characterization in a novel
largely depends on its analysis of narrative structure and different
viewpoints expressed in it. The patterning of a novel helps in ascertaining
the time and the space, and point of view forms the basis of a character’s
intention and potential. These contribute in getting a better understanding of
a novel. Though, the sustenance of a novel is viewed in terms of the issues
dealt in it, it is the particular narrative style which paves the way these
issues are to be understood and ascertained. Readability of a novel and
reliability of its characters’ intention, attitudes and their viewpoints
regarding a particular aspect become easier to comprehend if the narrative
technique used in the novel is compatible with its narration.
In the light of the above discussion, the present paper analyses the narrative
technique(s) Kiran Desai has adopted in Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard,
and tries to infer different ideological, sociological and psychological
viewpoints to examine and evaluate the elements of satire in the novel.