Discussion Topic
The themes present in Midnight's Children
Summary:
The prominent themes in Midnight's Children include the intersection of personal and national identity, the impact of historical events on individual lives, and the complexities of cultural and political change. The novel also explores memory, storytelling, and the nature of truth, reflecting the tumultuous history of post-colonial India.
What is the theme of Midnight's Children?
One of the themes of Midnight's Children is the mythologizing of historical narrative. As we read the story, we have no choice but to accept Saleem's account of this momentous chapter in Indian history. Yet he himself frankly acknowledges his own unreliability as a narrator in respect to certain historical facts and details. Moreover, he freely draws upon elements of Hindu mythology in telling his tale, according a major role to deities such as Parvati and Shiva in the unfolding historical drama.
On this account, India's rebirth as an independent nation isn't just another historical event; it has deep cosmic significance that cannot be told by more conventional methods of historical narrative. This interweaving of history and mythology places Indian independence in a transcendent context. In achieving independence from the British, the Indian people haven't just secured the right to determine their own political future, they've also reconnected in a...
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much deeper way to the rich tradition of native mythology which gives their lives meaning and depth and which has hitherto been suppressed and marginalized under British colonial rule.
In Salman Rushdie's story, Midnight's Children, there are several themes.
One of the main themes is identity. The main character of this story is Saleem Sinai who begins telling stories to Padma, and it is with the final tale that we see the conclusion of a long series of his life's tales that bring him to the present day. The purpose in this exercise is to find some sense of who he is. His life has been unusual: both interesting and tragic. He is one of Midnight's Children, an honor—along with his supernatural powers—but he has also seen loss, death and disappointment as well. There is a feeling that he has found a personal sense of peace and satisfaction, in life's small things, by the story's end.
How is the theme of revenge present in Midnight's Children?
One way in which the theme of revenge is evident in the story is how Shiva seeks control through violence. Already a bully, when Shiva becomes aware of the Midnight's Children Conference, he wants control of it for his own agenda. He wants control of the conference because of the belief that the life that Saleem has led is one that he, himself, should have led. Whereas Saleem seeks to build community and develop a sense of solidarity, Shiva advocates individual self- interest and uses revenge towards this end. His leadership role in the bulldozing and neutralizing of the Magician's Ghetto is an example of how political power can be used to fulfill the individual desire for revenge. The manner in which Saleem envisioned Shiva's death at the hands of one of the many women he impregnated is another example of how revenge is a part of his identity.
In another sense, I think that Indira Gandhi is shown to be a political creature of revenge. The "Black Widow"'s desire to consolidate her own control over the political factions that called for her ouster is what drives the Emergency. The suspension of individual rights and establishment of martial law are examples of political revenge. Angered by the voices calling for her removal, she enacts Emergency rule in order to make sure that there can be no challenges to her power, punishing those who did. The campaign of forced sterilization, something that Saleem succumbs to, is another example of this. She, along with Shiva leading the charge, want to take revenge against the Midnight's Children and those who called out for change. In being able to silence these voices through political power, Rushdie's depiction of Indira Gandhi is another example of how the theme of revenge is seen.