In Sanskrit poetics, "Sabdalankara" refers to the use of various figures of speech or rhetorical devices related to words and language to enhance the beauty and expressiveness of poetry and literature. There are several types of Sabdalankara, each serving a distinct purpose in literary composition. Here are some common types: 1. **Upama (Simile):** Upama involves comparing one thing to another using "like" or "as" to create a vivid and imaginative image. For example, "Her smile was as bright as the sun." 2. **Rupaka (Metaphor):** Rupaka is similar to Upama but doesn't use "like" or "as." It directly equates one thing to another, often symbolically. For example, "He is a lion on the battlefield." 3. **Utpreksha (Hyperbole):** Utpreksha involves exaggeration or overstatement for emphasis. It amplifies the qualities of the subject to create a stronger impact. For example, "I've told you a million times....
"Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey" is a short story written by Haruki Murakami, known for his unique blend of magical realism and everyday life. The story is narrated by a monkey that lives near a hot spring in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Here's a brief summary: The monkey in the story is a self-aware, articulate creature that has the ability to communicate with humans. It spends its days observing people who visit the hot spring and listening to their stories. The monkey has a deep sense of loneliness and isolation because it's unable to truly connect with the human world, despite its ability to speak. Throughout the story, the monkey encounters various people, including a young couple on a date, a salaryman, and a homeless man. Each encounter leads to a different conversation and reflection on the nature of human existence and connection. The monkey longs for a sense of belonging and understanding in the human world but ultimately realizes that it is, in fact, a monkey and c...
Readerly & Writerly Texts The Readerly Text Barthes argues that most texts are readerly texts. Such texts are associated with classic texts that are presented in a familiar, linear, traditional manner, adhering to the status quo in style and content. Meaning is fixed and pre-determined so that the reader is a site merely to receive information. These texts attempt, through the use of standard representations and dominant signifying practices, to hide any elements that would open up the text to multiple meaning. Readerly texts support the commercialized values of the literary establishment and uphold the view of texts as disposable commodities. The Writerly Text By contrast, writerly texts reveal those elements that the readerly attempts to conceal. The reader, now in a position of control, takes an active role in the construction of meaning. The stable meaning, or metanarratives, of readerly texts is replaced by a proliferation of meanings and a disregard of narrative structure. Th...