Multiculturalism - Igcollege.org

Proceedings of National Seminar on Postmodern Literary Theory and Literature , Jan. 27-28, 2012, Nandedother forms of discourse such as religion,science, advertising within given culture.2] It analyses the social contexts in which agiven text written and under what conditionit was - and - is produced.3] This criticism seeks the works of art interms of their relationship to other works, toeconomic conditions, to broad socialdiscourses (about child birth, women’seducation and rural decay).Multiculturalism, as generallyunderstood, refers to ideology and policy inWestern nation - states, which previouslyhad an uncontested national identity. In1970s and 1980s, it became a significantforce in American Society, as African-Americans, Latins, other ethnic groups theirown history. It is also a political concept. Itmeans the equal rights accorded to distinctcultural groups or traditions by laws andgovernment practices.Multiculturalism is the onlyheading under which all immigrants peoplecan come together and lead. Further manynations have adopted multiculturalism astheir national policy.1] Multiculturalism recognizes multiplecitizenship. [The multiple citizenship itselfusually result from the nationality laws ofanother country.]2] Multiculturalism promotes freedom fornewspaper, television and radio in minoritylanguages and also support for minorityfestivals, holidays and celebration.3] It gives freedom for music and art fromminority group.4] It prefers program from minority groupand encourages minority people forrepresentation in politics.V. S. Naipaul i. e. VidhadharSurajprasad Naipaul, has been called theWorld’s Writer. Naipaul is a British citizenwho writes in English. He was born inChageranas, a small town on the Carribbeanisland of Trinidad in August 1932. He wasthe grandson of Hindu Immigrants from EastIndia. He went to Oxford University,England. He earned a degree in Englishliterature in 1954 and remained in Englandto pursue a writing career. He supportedhimself by working as free lance written andEditor for the British BroadcastingCorporation Radio program ‘CarribbeanVoices’ which was broadcasted to the WestIndies. He currently resides in WillshireEngland. All elements lend themselves toimaginary him as almost Cozy BritishWriter happily enclosed with British society.He first married in 1955 with Petricia AnnHale. In 1996, he married with NadiraKhannum Alv, with whom he is currentlyliving.The Mimic Men [1967] isNaipaul’s sixth novel. This novel is aboutRalph Singh He is a displaced East IndianWest Indian from the Caribbean island ofIsabella. He is a disillusioned politician,now an exile in London, writing hismemoirs in a London hotel. It is anautobiographical work, using a flash-backtechnique constantly interweaving Singh’spast memories as a student in London, hismarriage to the English girl Sandra andreturn to Isabella. In the process, it alsobecomes a socio-political novelinterweaving pictures of the colonialeducation-system in Isabella, of thecorruption and disintegration of the mimicmen under neo-colonialism. The yearningfor a personal space remains at the heart ofthe novel. Against the background of racial,cultural arid political disorder, Ralph Singhtries to order his own disjointed andfragmented experience through the writingof this autobiography. Writing becomesidentity and rescues him from sterility. AsRai says, “The writing of his story, becomesthe very means to endure the terror,“shipwreck’ abandonment, and loneliness ofhis situation.” [Rai. 1982 : 126] For everyone of these mimic men, the past has beencut away. Like the water hyacinths, cut offfrom their moorings, a significant image,they seem to be adrift. Singh writes his autocritiqueprecisely to face his own situationand overcome the fear of a peripheralexistence. He starts leading a life of aresigned recluse, writing memoirs: ‘So thepresent reside/ice in London, which Isuppose can be called exile, has turned outto be the most fruitful.” [Naipaul, 1967 :248]467 PLTL-2012: ISBN 978-81-920120-0-1