Narrative Technique Used in Revolution 2020 by
Chetan Bhagat
Name:
Divya Parmar
Paper no: 207
Contemporary Literatures in English
Roll no:
05
Enrollment no:
4069206420210024
Email id:
divyaparmaro7o12@gmail.com
Batch:
2021-23 M.A. sem: 4
Submitted to:
S. B. Gardi Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Points to Ponder:
Introduction of Assignment Topic
Introduction of Revolution 2020
Introduction of Chetan Bhagat
Narrative Technique in Revolution 2020
Conclusion
Citation
Introduction of Assignment Topic
This assignment focuses on the novel "Revolution 2020" by Chetan Bhagat. The book is a captivating story that delves into the themes of love, corruption, and ambition. In this assignment, we will be exploring the narrative technique employed by the author in the novel, with a focus on Gerald Genette's narrative theory.
Chetan Bhagat is a renowned Indian author, columnist, and motivational speaker who has written several best-selling books. He is widely known for his ability to address social issues in his writings and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the literary world. Revolution 2020 is one of his most popular works and has been praised for its insightful portrayal of Indian society. Gerald Genette's narrative theory is a useful tool in analysing the novel's narrative technique. It involves identifying the different narrative components such as the narrator, story, characters, and plot, and how they interact to create the overall narrative. In this assignment, we will be exploring how Bhagat uses these narrative components to tell a compelling story in Revolution 2020.
This assignment will provide an in-depth analysis of the novel Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat, with a focus on the narrative technique used by the author. Through the application of Gerald Genette's narrative theory, we will examine how the various narrative components are employed to create a compelling story that addresses social issues prevalent in Indian society.
Introduction of Revolution 2020
"Revolution 2020" is a popular novel written by Indian author Chetan Bhagat. The book was published in 2011 and has since become a bestseller in India. The story is set in the fictional city of Varanasi, India, and revolves around the lives of three main characters: Gopal, Aarti, and Raghav.
Gopal is a poor boy who lives in Varanasi and is best friends with Raghav. Gopal's father is a teacher who struggles to make ends meet, and Gopal is determined to make something of himself so that he can help his family. Raghav, on the other hand, comes from a wealthy family and is very intelligent. He is determined to make a difference in society and dreams of becoming a journalist.
Aarti is the third main character in the book. She is a beautiful girl who both Gopal and Raghav fall in love with. Aarti comes from a middle-class family, and her father is a government employee. Despite being pursued by both Gopal and Raghav, Aarti is determined to make her own decisions and follow her own path in life.
The story begins with Gopal and Raghav studying at the same school in Varanasi. Gopal is in love with Aarti, but she only sees him as a friend. Raghav, who is also in love with Aarti, encourages Gopal to pursue his dreams and become successful. Gopal then decides to start a business selling exam papers to students.
The business is successful, and Gopal becomes wealthy. However, he also becomes involved in corruption and starts bribing government officials to ensure that his business remains successful. Raghav, on the other hand, becomes a journalist and starts exposing corruption in society.
As the story progresses, both Gopal and Raghav continue to pursue Aarti. Aarti is torn between the two of them, and she eventually decides to marry Gopal. However, their marriage is unhappy, and Gopal continues to be involved in corrupt practices. Aarti becomes disillusioned with Gopal and starts to fall in love with Raghav.
In the end, Gopal is arrested for his corrupt practices, and Aarti and Raghav get married. The book ends with the message that true love can conquer all and that people should strive to make a positive difference in society.
"Revolution 2020" is a thought-provoking novel that explores the themes of love, corruption, and the pursuit of success. The book highlights the challenges faced by young people in India and the difficult choices they have to make to achieve their dreams. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is engaging, making it a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Indian literature.
Introduction of Chetan Bhagat
After working in the corporate sector for several years, Bhagat decided to pursue his passion for writing. In 2004, he published his first novel, "Five Point Someone," which became an instant bestseller in India. The book was a coming-of-age story set in the backdrop of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and explored the lives of three friends struggling to survive the academic pressure of the institution. The book's success catapulted Bhagat to fame and established him as a leading author in the Indian literary scene.
Since then, Bhagat has published several other best-selling novels, including "One Night @ the Call Center," "The 3 Mistakes of My Life," "2 States: The Story of My Marriage," "Half Girlfriend," and "One Indian Girl." His books are known for their contemporary themes, easy-to-read language, and relatable characters.
Apart from his career as an author, Bhagat is also a columnist and has written for several leading Indian newspapers, including The Times of India and The Hindu. He writes on a variety of topics, including politics, social issues, and current affairs. Bhagat's columns are known for their unique perspective and often generate a lot of debate and discussion.
In addition to his writing career, Bhagat has also ventured into the world of screenwriting. He has written the screenplay for several popular Bollywood movies, including "Kai Po Che," "2 States," "Half Girlfriend," and "Hello," among others. Bhagat's screenplays are known for their relatable characters and their ability to connect with the youth of India.
Bhagat is also a motivational speaker and has delivered several talks on a variety of topics, including leadership, entrepreneurship, and creativity. His talks are known for their unique style and humour and have inspired many young people in India.
However, Bhagat's work has not been without controversy. He has been criticised for his simplistic writing style and for promoting stereotypes. Many critics have accused him of being an author who caters to the masses, rather than a serious literary figure.
Despite the criticism, Bhagat has continued to be a prominent figure in the Indian literary scene. His books have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been translated into several languages. He has won several awards for his writing, including the Society Young Achievers Award for Literature in 2004 and the Publisher's Recognition Award in 2014.
Chetan Bhagat is a prominent Indian author, columnist, screenwriter, and motivational speaker who has made a significant impact on the Indian literary scene. While his work has been both praised and criticised, there is no denying his popularity among the youth of India. His unique style and ability to connect with his readers have made him a household name in India and a prominent figure in the Indian literary landscape.
Narrative Technique in Revolution 2020
Setting of the Novel: Varanasi, Kota
Time: 1996 to 2011
(It narrates Gopal’s story from 10-year school kid to 26-year young director of Ganga Tech College)
The most important of the structural narratologists, Gerard Genette, has argued for the autonomous nature of the literary text. Genette’s work has been of particular use to literary critics for his attempts to develop models of reading texts in a rigorously analytical manner.
Narrative Time: This is the time indicated by the tense (of the verb) in the narrative. The narrative instance also indicates the time of narration with respect to the events narrated. For example, the narrative may be about a future event, where the narrative time is prophetic. Or, in certain novels the time of the event is the time of the narrative itself, where the event is narrated as it happens. In third person narratives there is no such time of narration, because the events are recounted from a perspective outside the narrative itself. Thus narrative time refers to the time of the narrative.
Narrative Levels: This refers to the relation of the acts narrated to the act of narration itself. For example, is the narrative a story within a story?, for instance. The narrator may tell us about the events which lead to his narrating to us the story of a character
Order: The sequence of events in relation to the order of narration. An event may have taken place before the actual narration (analepsis, or flashback); it may not yet have taken place, and is merely anticipated/indicated/predicted by the narrative (prolepsis); discordance between “story” narrated and “plot” (actual order of events as they occurred and not the order in which they are narrated: anachrony); or there may be a movement between one narrative level and another (metalepsis).
protagonist is already rich person when he narrates his life events – flashback to childhood, struggle to clear AIEEE & JEE, life at Kota, poverty, father’s ill-health & death, nexus with MLA Shukla-ji, starting Ganga Tech College, ups-downs in relations with Aarti and Raghav.
Frequency: The separation between an event and its narration allows several possibilities.
An event can occur once and be narrated once (singular).
An event can occur n times and be narrated once (iterative).
3. An event can occur once and be narrated n times (repetitive).
4. An event can occur n times and be narrated n times (multiple).
[Events: JEE/AIEEE, father’s death, poor life, starting a private college etc]
Duration:
Narrative time: One Single Day – around 24 hours
Discourse time: Approximately from the age of 10 years to the age to 26 years of Gopal: 16 years of discourse time
Voice:
Where is the narration from?
Intradiegetic: inside the text.
Extradiegetic: outside the text.
Is the narrator a character in the story?
Heterodiegetic: the narrator is not a character in the story.
Homodiegetic: the narrator is a character in the story.
Mood :
distance, or the relationship of the narration to what it narrates. This distance may be diegetic, or a plain recounting of the story (the presentational level which is immediate as language or gesture), or mimetic, or representing the story (or character, situation, event)
Very near to the man (Gopal) who suffered, struggled and got successful.
perspective or what is commonly called “point of view” or focus. Focus determines the extent to which the narrator allows us to penetrate into the character or the event. Narrative focus alternates and shifts throughout the narrative and may be of two kinds (1)paralipse: where the narrator with-holds information from the reader which the reader ought to receive according to the prevailing focus; (2) paralepse: where the narrator presents information to the reader which the reader according to the prevailing focus ought not to receive.
Personal, one sided. Gopal’s perspective. (Loose stone / lacuna to deconstruct entire narrative for Deconstructionist reading)
Narrative Frame: Prologue and Epilogue – Writer Chetan Bhagat present as a listener of the story. This technique gives an air of reality to the fiction. One of the characters who encounters the writer in the prologue is the narrator of the story in first-person narration.
First-person Narration: Autobiographical; one-sided perspective rather than multi-dimensional; one can follow internal conflicts of one prominent character only; the motives and intentions behind the actions of narrator (for example, Gopal going to meet Raghav - motive was to show-off his success against Raghav’s failure; Gopal faking a show with call-girls when Aarti comes to meet - intention was to break relation with Aarti and make her marry Raghav).
Language: Simplistic - as if written for the beginners of English language; sentences are also simple rather than complex. It does not challenge readers to re-read to get under the skin of the words & expressions.
Humour: The overall tone is light humour. At times, it can be pathetic but never tragic.
Conclusion
In conclusion Chetan Bhagat's novel "Revolution 2020" employs the narrative technique of Gérard Genette to present a multi-layered story that explores various themes such as corruption, love, and societal expectations. In the author's introduction, Bhagat sets the tone for the novel by providing a brief overview of the story and introducing the main characters. He also acknowledges that the novel is partly inspired by real-life events, which adds a sense of authenticity to the story.
The introduction to "Revolution 2020" is particularly noteworthy as it uses Genette's technique of mise en abyme, which involves a story within a story. Through this technique, Bhagat introduces the protagonist, Gopal, as a storyteller who is narrating his life story to the readers. This creates a sense of intimacy between the reader and the character and allows for a deeper understanding of Gopal's motivations and emotions.
Bhagat's use of Genette's narrative technique is also evident in the way he structures the novel. He employs various narrative devices such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, and parallel narratives to create a multi-layered story that keeps the reader engaged. Additionally, the use of different narrators, including Gopal, his friend Raghav, and his love interest Aarti, adds to the complexity of the story and provides multiple perspectives on the events unfolding in the novel.
Chetan Bhagat's "Revolution 2020" is a prime example of how an author can use Gérard Genette's narrative technique to create a compelling and multi-layered story. By employing mise en abyme, flashbacks, foreshadowing, and parallel narratives, Bhagat provides a rich and nuanced portrayal of the characters and themes in the novel. The use of multiple narrators further enhances the complexity of the story and adds to the overall impact of the novel.
Word Count:2619
Image: 2
Citation:
Bhagat, Chetan. “Chetan Bhagat | Biography, Books and Facts.” FamousAuthors.org, https://www.famousauthors.org/chetan-bhagat. Accessed 6 March 2023.
Bhagat, Chetan. Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition. Rupa Publications India, 2011.
“International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE).” International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE), 20 December 2019, https://www.ijrte.org/wp-content/uploads/papers/v8i4s4/D10331284S419.pdf. Accessed 6 March 2023.
Mambrol, Narsullah. “Gerard Genette and Structural Narratology – Literary Theory and Criticism.” Literary Theory and Criticism, 3 December 2016, https://literariness.org/2016/12/03/gerard-genette-and-structural-narratology/. Accessed 6 March 2023.
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