Amina Hasan

Essay

Comparative

Title: War brings out the worst in humanity- compare and contrast ways in which your chosen writers present war and its Impacts on their characters. The subject of war is much addressed in many works of literature and this is a theme of focus for both novels; Funny boy by Shyam Selvadurai and Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. In both novels the effect of war is very clear- devastating and disrupting. However, the novels also show the opposite side of war, the positives it introduces into communities. This leads to a string of arguments in whether theses bildungsroman novels can actually provide a fair argument, In fact many critics argue that theyre Inadequate narrators which further highlights that both narrators are quite young protagonists whose opinion is varied and Influenced by other characters in the novels, a technique used by both Selvadurai and Jones . The authors utilize the childhood of the protagonist, enabling a feeling of raw destruction and loss of innocence. This is a key device used by both authors to highlight that war brings out extreme experiences for the human condition such as; guilt, loss devastation and pain are just some of the experiences highlighted in both novels. This can be found within Mister Pip because we see how Matilda is engulfed within the War between (Bougainville and Redskins) and her experiences of this, how this becomes a reality for her and how her trauma is evident in her articulation of events. Both authors reflect in their novels how war affects everyone that is involved in a negative way by highlighting; the struggle and brutality it inflicts in communities as well as the Impact it has on childhood within both texts. Furthermore, we witness how (argie) struggles with the impact of war and the social tension that is subsequently brought about while he is growing up in sir lank; This underlying conflict further stirs up tension, widening the gulf between the ethnic communities. The different response of the characters through either Escapism or through personal relationships gives us a sense of War within both works and its various impacts whether positive or negative. Jones structures the novel in a compact way: he describes the personality of each character then portrays their actions which in theory is linked to their description; and especially draws strongly on the Imagery and language used to anticipate the characters actions. This allows the reader to gain an overview of the effect of war on relationships. For example during the blockade where the redskins and rebels butcher one another matilda states even though I lay next to her, in the dark my silence placed me at a distance she could not reach. However, Jones is using distance to show the strained relationship between matilda and her mother, empathizing the word by using it alongside silence both are words used to describe unease and alienation. This could be the Impact of slipping into others skin as stated by the character of Matilda when describing her awe of great expectationspip. This leads to the fundamental argument that war does bring ideas and new revelations however these ideas that come afresh with war can be negative as it separates generations making them alien towards one another. The journalist John peck described this as difficult and controversial at times as it this aspect is often found in post colonial nonfiction. The accuracy of this statement is

borne out by the innocence of the narrator as she tries to escape the tentative realism that her village faces in war without trying to alter herself.

Paramount is the family relationship found in the first few chapters of funny boy; when argie describes the whole familys excitement of spend the days as un miss able. Selvadurai does this to create the illusion of a perfect life before the turmoil of the war, perhaps drawing on his own childhood memories as this novel is similar to his own childhood. He uses an oxymoron on family relations in the first and last chapter of the novel, creating a feeling of raw destruction and loss of Innocence for the reader, as well as showing the transition of bildungsroman novel in its climax. However, as the novel unravels the reader can understand a sense of loss of innocence for argie as the protagonist starts to disbelieve on fairytale loves and starts understanding the tentative reality. This is one similarity that is found in both mister pip and funny boy both protagonists have to face the restrictions placed on them by their families and community. In funny boy Argie loses trust in his mom as he discovers that she was using him in her scheme to be with Daryl uncle. I understood what he was doing here . This can show us the negative Impacts of war because of the war argies dad had to go to England therefore straining the relationship between his parents. Therefore it can be argued that war does bring out the worst in humanity because it causes people to cheat and loss each other trust. Catastrophe of losing a loved one in war is colossal, and emotions such as guilt and loneliness start to form. Theses emotions can be found in both Funny boy and mister pip, at the death of their guardians. Both authors make the Impact of this clear. War causes the death of innocent civilians and can therefore be though as the worst, this deaths affect the family of the deceased to often react in a surprising and abrupt manner.an Example of this can be found in funny boy when matilda decides to go away from Bougainville after the death of her mother and hunt for pip her savour. It is also show in funny boy by the death of his grandma triggering the fleeing of his parents to Canada therefore changing the course of argie life forever.

bildungsromanMister pip; the mother is killed by Redskins, War caused this.

Detrimental, killings. Mr Watts is killed he is British this is linked to colonialism. Displacement: Funny boy-the Tamils are displaced, the family go to Canada, Mister pip, the father leaves for Australia, Matilda also. Talk about the reasons for this. Diaspora. The Colonial past is one of the reasons for this ongoing strife, caused by the British. Looking at critiques