Vol16N32024

Climate Collapse and the Rise of the Posthuman: A Study on Karen Malpede’s Other Than We: A Cli-Fi Fable

Posthumanism/Postmodern/Vol16N32024

74 views

Supthita Pal^1* & Dhishna Pannikot²
¹Ph.D. Scholar in English, School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India. *Corresponding author.
²Associate Professor of English, School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.13g}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

As a reaction to the excessive human centrism of the Anthropocene era, posthumanism comes into force to redefine the age-old binaries of nature and culture, and the human and the nonhuman. Eco-conscious authors strive hard to register their responses to the issues of contemporary ecological crises and the anthropogenic ruptures of nature’s equilibrium. Considering the major role of ecological plays in addressing this current issue, the present paper undertakes a textual analysis of the contemporary American playwright-activist Karen Malpede’s ecological play, Other Than We (2019). The text tries to navigate how the technology-driven human narrows down the earth’s ecosystem to a dystopian dome. The playwright depicts how four nonconformists try to adapt to the prevailing adverse atmosphere by resorting to the age-old idea of turning back to nature. It is evident in the text that to restore the lost natural order of environment and social structure, the characters pin hope on their newly born, the Post-Homo Sapiens species, the eponymous “other-than-human” creatures. Using the text under consideration, the paper studies human-technology intervention and its impact on the women subjected to deplorable conditions in the dome. This article aims to analyze the author’s resort to the post-human perspective as a strategy to challenge prevailing anthropocentrism in the contemporary world.

Keywords:Anthropocene, ecological play, body, dystopia, Other-than-human.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 31 August 2024. Revised: 29 November 2024. Accepted: 29 November 2024. First published: 30 November 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Pal, S. & Pannikot, D. (2024). Climate Collapse and the Rise of the Posthuman: A Study on Karen Malpede’s Other Than We: A Cli-Fi Fable. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.13g

Examining Narrative Possibilities in Hyper-text Fiction: A Study Beyond the Territory of Print Fiction in Quibbling and Patchwork Girl

Digital Humanities/Electronic Literature/Vol16N32024

156 views

Pooja Bhuyan^1* & Rajashree Dutta²
^1,2 Asst. Professor, Sibsagar Girls’ College, Sivasagar, Assam, India. *Corresponding author.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.05}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to examine the narrative elements present in the hyper-fictions Quibbling by Carolyn Guyer and Patchwork Girl by Shelley Jackson. In doing so, it shall consider how the narrative functions through different nodes and links in hypertext fiction, an element varied from traditional print fiction. In the process of this examination, the theories that signify narrative fluidity are taken into consideration. The reading shall examine how the role of the author and the reader switch places in advancing the hypertext narratives. It is an attempt to show how hyper-fiction closes the gap between the theory of post-structuralism and its practice. The essay also shall focus on the etymological journey of hyper-fiction with reference to its technological advancements as well as the contribution of its print precursors in channelling its development as a full-fledged and novel narrative form. The paper shall not only be analytical of the narrative of hyper-fiction, but it shall also focus on opening up further discussions of the area.

Keywords: Hypertext, hyper-fiction, digital literature, narratives.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 01 September 2024. Revised: 28 November 2024. Accepted: 29 November 2024. First published: 30 November 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation:Bhuyan, P. & Dutta,R. (2024). Examining Narrative Possibilities in Hyper-text Fiction: A Study Beyond the Territory of Print Fiction in Quibbling and Patchwork Girl. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.05

The Afterlife of a ‘Sexual Revolution’: Revisiting Responses to Deepa Mehta’s Fire (1996)

Gender Studies/Vol16N32024

72 views

Ashmita Biswas
Research Scholar, Department of English, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, India.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.12g}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

Even after so many years, Deepa Mehta’s Indo-Canadian directorial Fire (1996) keeps resurfacing in literary circles with its multifaceted and inexhaustive appeal. The movie, centring around the same-sex desire between two women, Radha and Sita, was at the peak of its controversy during its release in India in 1998, and since then, the reactionary hate of the masses has come to embody the country’s intolerant stance towards homosexuality. Over the years, the public furore against the screening of Fire and criticism of the film’s content as anti-national and that it is a desecration of the very notion of the ‘Indian woman’ has drawn critics, again and again, to comment on the ways in which the film brought about a sexual revolution. Treating the litany of critical commentary on the film as afterlives of a ‘sexual revolution’, the paper will attempt to map some of the central issues addressed by critics over the years so as to re-situate Fire within the evolving discourses on gender, sexuality, and culture in the country. In doing so, the paper will underscore the importance of the role that 20th-century Indian cinema had to play in launching a conversation that sustains itself well into succeeding generations.

Keywords:Deepa Mehta, Fire, gender, sexuality, sexual revolution.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 11 August 2024. Revised: 28 November 2024. Accepted: 29 November 2024. First published: 30 November 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Biswas, A. (2024). The Afterlife of a ‘Sexual Revolution’: Revisiting Responses to Deepa Mehta’s Fire (1996). Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.12g

The #malayalambookstagram: Identity and Literacy in Shared Acts of Reading on Social Media

Cultural Studies/Vol16N32024

173 views

Gouthaman K J
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Hyderabad-500075, Telangana, India.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.10g}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

The paper analyzes select images from Instagram with the hashtag #malayalambookstagram. Reliant on the theory of visual grammar and social semiotic theories about selfies and hashtags, the study demonstrates that the hashtag is used with many images that do not represent books or reading. The hashtag is reanalyzed in social media to include other ‘values’ because the language name ‘Malayalam’ indexes the ‘Malayali’ linguistic identity and recontextualizes the book-related discourse to an identity-centric domain. The paper explores Malayali linguistic identity in connection with Kerala’s achievements in social development and the community’s attitude towards it. Literacy, reading and print culture, crucial to the formation and sustenance of Malayali subnationalism, have mediated the meanings ascribed to the linguistic identity. The paper concludes that the close relationship of Malayali identity with books and reading is vital for the recontextualization of book-reviewing discourse in social media to an identity-centric discourse.

Keywords: Social Media, Reading, Identity, Bookstagram, Literacy.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 01 August 2024. Revised: 28 October 2024. Accepted: 29 October 2024. First published: 30 October 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Gouthaman, K. J. (2024). The #malayalambookstagram: Identity and Literacy in Shared Acts of Reading on Social Media. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.10g

Role of AI on Creativity of Aspiring Writers in Bangladesh

Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Vol16N32024

273 views

Zakia Ahmad^1* , Saimum Rahman Prattay² , Wahid Kaiser³ , Sifatur Rahim⁴, Sumaia Jahan Shoshi⁵
^1,2,4,5Dept of English, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, Bangladesh. *Corresponding author.
³Lecturer, Dept of English, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.03}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative writing has sparked a global interest in how it might impact the creativity of aspiring writers. The Natural Language Generation (NLG) technology has enabled AI to generate written materials that imitate patterns and structures of human language. This paper aims to investigate the impact of generative AI tools on creative writing, with a focus on emerging Bangladeshi writers. It also underscores the crucial role of user responsibility when using AI tools for creative writing. For this study, six renowned Bangladeshi authors and academicians and fifteen aspiring writers shared their insights on whether AI is a transformative tool that amplifies the writer’s creativity and efficiency or if it poses a threat to the inventiveness of novice writers. The findings show that AI can facilitate idea generation, accelerate the writing process, provide feedback to developing structure, and improve the language skills of aspiring writers. However, it was observed that the responses provided by AI were generic and repetitive. The writers who use AI particularly mentioned its inability to create unique content with emotional depth and originality, which are distinguishing features of human creativity. Furthermore, the renowned authors emphasized the ethical concerns they have about the authorship and authenticity of the content produced with AI assistance. They also feared that over-reliance on AI tools might lead to homogenization in creative writing.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI), creative writing, aspiring writers, user responsibility, homogenization, ethics of AI.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 31 August 2024. Revised: 24 October 2024. Accepted: 26 October 2024. First published: 28 October 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Ahmad, Z., Prattay, S. R., Kaiser, W., Rahim, S. & Shoshi, S. J. (2024). Role of AI on Creativity of Aspiring Writers in Bangladesh. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.03

Kothanodi: Visual Storytelling through World-building in Regional Literature

Film & Media Studies/Vol16N32024

163 views

Anannya Nath
^{Assistant Professor, Department of English, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya- Behali, India.}

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.02g}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

Visual storytelling is an ancient art. Television, radio, movies, and books fulfill a basic need of the human psyche- to make sense of the world around them. The sensorial experience of sight, which is also epistemologically significant to meaning-making finds newer modes of presentation with the turn of the twentieth century with the availability of newer technological modes of consumption. The pronounced shift within Media Studies towards a “world,” rather than the concerns of plot or character, reflects the increasing rise of trans-medial narratives as a norm. The upshot of an unprecedented rise of trans medial narrative has also made its presence felt in the Third World and within smaller regional cultures. These cultures, which have a rich panache of stories, mostly in their folktales, have exponential potential to utilise the same in creating successful trans-medial- narratives. One such significant production is the 2015 award-winning Assamese film, Kothanodi, which has, as its backdrop, four intertwining stories selected meticulously from the pantheon of Lakshminath Bezbaruah’s stock literature of folk tales retold. This paper studies the aspects of worldbuilding in the film vis-à-vis the literature that makes it. It entails that the movie is seen in juxtaposition to the stories. To this end, the paper demonstrates how the classic worldbuilding elements of setting, fantasy, visuals, and sounds are explored in both film and literature. In accessing the nuances, the study tries to see how regional languages can also produce successful story worlds from regional literature.

Keywords: Visual Storytelling, World-building, Folktales, Film.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 31 August 2024. Revised: 24 October 2024. Accepted: 25 October 2024. First published: 27 October 2024..
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Nath, A. (2024). Kothanodi: Visual Storytelling through World-building in Regional Literature. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.02g

“I Wish to Sing One Last Song for My Land”: Anuj Lugun’s Poetics of Resistance and Reclamation

Indigenous Studies/Vol16N32024

145 views

T. T. Mukherjee¹ & S. P. Satpathy²
¹Associate Professor, Dept of English, Bhatter College, Dantan, India.
²Associate Professor, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, Siksha O Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, India.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.01g}
^{Full-Text PDF Issue Access}

Abstract

This paper critically engages with Anuj Lugun’s poetics of resistance and reclamation by focusing on his representation of the civilization of water, forest, and land. Lugun, an emerging voice in contemporary indigenous literature in India, uses poetry to articulate the struggles and resilience of tribal communities in India to resist the forces of displacement and environmental degradation and reclaim cultural identity. Through a close reading of selected poems translated by Pragya Shukla, this study analyzes the way Lugun weaves a narrative that challenges dominant historical and cultural discourses. The analysis also explores how Lugun represents the ongoing fight for Indigenous rights and environmental and social justice through a unique blend of traditional oral storytelling with modern poetic forms. This paper links Lugun’s poetics with global Indigenous artistic practices by showing how Lugun’s poetry addresses the same concerns. It also reflects the spirit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on Gender Equality, Life on Land, Climate Action, and Reduced Inequalities.

Keywords: Indigenous poetry, Anuj Lugun, tribal philosophy, resistance, reclamation, SDGs.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 01 August, 2024. Revised: 20 September 2024. Accepted: 22 September, 2024. First published: 25 September 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Mukherjee, T. T. & Satpathy, S. P. (2024). “I Wish to Sing One Last Song for My Land”: Anuj Lugun’s Poetics of Resistance and Reclamation. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.01g

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