LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 16:8 August 2016
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Autobiographical Elements in the Novel Five Point Someone
by Chetan Bhagat

Dr. K. Thayalamoorthy and M. Ratchagar

Abstract

With an oeuvre that defies genres, contemporary Indian English fiction has attempted to combine ethnic and modern elements. Novelists are always looking towards breaking new ground in fiction, acquire more freedom and scope to be creative while they come up with refreshing themes. Chetan Bhagat is one of the many successful novelists in Indian fiction today. Bhagat has written five novels, namely, Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The Three Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States: The Story of My Marriage (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011), What Young India wants (2012), Half Girlfriend (2014) and Making India Awesome (2015).

An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using auto fiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fiction elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of something being fiction. Because an autobiographical novel is partially fiction, the author does not ask the reader to expect the text to fulfill the "autobiographical pact” names and locations are often changed and events are recreated to make them more dramatic but the story still bears a close resemblance to that of the author's life. While the events of the author's life are recounted, there is no pretense of exact truth. Events may be exaggerated or altered for artistic or thematic purposes.

Many novels about intense, private experiences such as war, family conflict or sex, are written as autobiographical novels. Some works openly refer to themselves as 'nonfiction novels.' The definition of such works remains vague. The term was first widely used in reference to the non-autobiographical In Cold Blood by Truman Capote but has since become associated with a range of works drawing openly from autobiography. The emphasis is on the creation of a work that is essentially true, often in the context of an investigation into values or some other aspect of reality. The books Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig and The Tao of Muhammad Ali by Davis Miller open with statements admitting to some fictionalizing of events, but state they are true 'in essence.'

Keywords: autobiographical novels, semi-autobiographical novels, non-fiction novels, auto fiction techniques, Chetan Bhagat, college campus life, Five Point Someone

Autobiographical Novel

The term autobiographical novel is difficult to define. Novels that portray settings and situations with which the author is familiar are not necessarily autobiographical. To be considered an autobiographical novel by most standards, there must be a protagonist modelled after the author and a central plotline that mirrors events in his or her life. Novels that do not fully meet these requirements are further distanced from true events and are sometimes called semi-autobiographical novels.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. K. Thayalamoorthy
Assistant Professor of English
Thiruvalluvar University College of Arts and Science
Thiruvennainallur 607 203
Taminadu
India
thayajoy@gmail.com

M. Ratchagar
Assistant Professor of English
CK College of Engineering & Technology
Jayaram Nagar, Chellangkuppam
Cuddalore 607003
Tamilnadu
India
m.ratchagar@gmail.com
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