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पुस्तक समीक्षा: कथाकी पात्र

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On July 20, 2021

In Nepali, Book Review

सोनुले आफ्नो कोठामा रहेको किताबहरूको सेल्फ देखाएकी थिइन् । सुबिन भट्टराईका “मनसुन” बाहेकका सबै किताब माथि नै थिए । “मनसुन” खासै मन परेको थिएन । सुबिन भट्टराईको किताब पढिहाल्न खासै मन थिएन तर पहिलोपल्ट ससुराली गएको, काम पनि केही थिएन । अल्छी लागिरहेको थियो । मोबाइल चलाएर बस्नुभन्दा किताब पढ्नै ठीक लाग्यो । राम्रो नराम्रो जेसुकै होस्, पढ्छु भनेर “कथाकी पात्र” उठाएँ । सङ्ग्रहका १९ मध्ये पहिले शीर्ष कथा छाने । मन छोयो । अघिपछि गर्दै सबै कथा पढेँ । प्रत्येक कथाको चर्चा (कथासङ्ग्रहमा रहेको क्रमानुसार) छोटकरीमा गरेको छु ।

औडाहा: कथाको पुरुष “म” पात्रले आफ्नो बिहेकै रात आफ्नी श्रीमतीको पहिले अरू नै सँग प्रेम रहेको थाहा पाउँछ । त्यसपछि उत्पन्न छटपटीको यो कथाले पुरुष र पितृसत्तात्मक मानसिकतालाई  एकदम राम्रोसँग देखाएको छ ।

औडाहा–२: औडाहाकै कथा हो यो । तर “म” पात्र महिला छे । आफ्नो पहिलेको प्रेम सम्बन्धका बारेमा भन्नु हुन्थ्यो या हुँदैनथ्यो भन्ने द्वन्द्वमा ऊ फसेकी छे ।

यी दुवै कथा राम्रो लाग्यो तर समस्या लिएर गुम्सिनुको साटो समाधानला उपाय खोजेको भए हुन्थ्यो भन्ने लागिरह्यो ।

मन परेको साथी: 2nd person narrative कथाहरूमा खासै प्रयोग हुँदैन । तर यस्ता कथाहरू मलाई मनपर्छन् । “तिमी” सम्बोधन गर्दै कथावाचकले आफ्नी प्रिय साथीलाई मनका कुराहरू लेखेको छ । यो प्रेम कथा मन छुने चिठीझैँ छ ।

अन्तराल: “म” पात्रले आफ्नो बाल्यकाल र किशोरावस्थाको कथा यसमा भन्दछ । ऊ दाजु सुमनबाट सानोमा प्रभावित भएको थियो । त्यसैगरी भान्जा प्रज्ञान “म” पात्रले जे गर्‍यो त्यही पछ्याउँछ । तर वर्षौँपछि भेट हुँदा प्रज्ञानले नराम्रो घटनामात्रै सम्झिरहेको हुन्छ । मामाभान्जाको सम्बन्धमा केन्द्रित सुन्दर कथा हो यो, सङ्ग्रहको उत्कृष्टमध्येको एक ।

अर्काकी स्वास्नी: बद्रीकी श्रीमती अङ्गुरी लक्ष्मणसँग भाग्छे । तर बद्री बिरामी छ भन्ने खबर पाएपछि फर्किन्छे । उसलाई फर्काउने जिम्मा “म” पात्रले पाएको छ । तथापि बद्रीसँग उसको केही दुश्मनी छ । बदलाको यो कहानी रोचक छ । अन्तिममा उसले भनेको कुरा साँचो हो या हैन भन्ने कुराले अझै पनि मलाई पोलिरहेको छ ।

तिमी मलाई किन प्रेम गर्छौ ? : “म” पात्रकी प्रेमिकाले “स्वार्थ नभएको कोही छैन” भन्दै यो प्रश्न सोध्छे । “म” पात्रले जवाफ दिन नसकेपछि उसकी प्रेमिकाले दिएको जवाफ एकदम चित्तबुझ्दो लाग्यो । यो जहिले पनि याद आइरहने कथा हो ।

बिहेको निम्तोमा : “म” पात्रकी छिमेकी साथीको बिहे छ । तर अचानक उसलाई अर्को प्रिय साथीको मलामी जानुपर्छ । बिहेमा ढिलो गरी पुगेको उसको हुलिया र अनुहार हेरेर छिमेकीहरू उसलाई हौवामा “देवदास” बनाइदिन्छन् । यो कथामा सामाजिक मनोविज्ञान निकै राम्रोसँग प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ ।

“मान्छे, आफू कहाँ हो ?” : फोन सेक्स (डिटेल्ड हैन) समेटिएको कथा हो यो । केटाहरूको मनोविज्ञान देखाइएको छ । तर सङ्ग्रहको सबैभन्दा कमजोर कथा हो यो ।

भ्रम या सत्य ? : “म” पात्रले नेपाल यातायातमा एउटी राम्री केटी देख्छ । केटीले पनि उसलाई बारम्बार हेर्छे । पहिले कतै चिनेको हो कि जस्तो लाग्छ । केटीसँग आँट गरेर सोध्छ । केटीले “महिला सिटमा बस्नुभएको रहेछ, छोड्नुहुन्छ कि भनेर हेरेको । छोड्भएन ।” भनिदिन्छे । यद्यपि महिला सिटमा बसेको कुरा पहिल्यै आइसकेकाले यो क्षणमा जुन पन्च मुखैमा लाग्नुपर्थ्यो, हावामा बत्तिन्छ । अनि कथाले बल्ड्याङ खान्छ । यसर्थ यो पनि एउटा कमजोर कथा हो ।

बर्बादी : “म” पात्र आफूभन्दा बढी उमेरकी पात्रसँग शारीरिक सम्बन्ध राख्छ । यसमा ड्रामा त छ तर एउटा साथीबाहेक अरू गाउँलेलाई थाहै नहुनु चैं त्यति पत्यारिलो लागेन ।

तीन कथा : तीन मिल्ने केटाहरू निमेष, साकार र किशोर (न्यारेटर) सपनासँग पालैपालो प्रेममा पर्छन् । वर्षौँपछी भेट हुँदा अरूसँग बिहे गरेर गएकी सपनाको बारेमा कुरा चल्छ । यी तीन पात्रहरूमा समयसँगै आएको परिवर्तनले राम्रै झट्का दिएको थियो ।

देहरादुन एक्स्प्रेस : “म” पात्र देहरादुनबाट गोरखपुर जाँदा रेलमा एउटी राम्री केटीलाई देख्छ । तर केटी यात्राभरी चुप बस्छे । संकोचले ऊ केटीको सुन्दरताका बारेमा भन्न सक्दैन । पछि अरू यात्रीबाट केटीको जिब्रो उसकी सौतेनी आमाले थुतिदिएको थाहा पाउँछ ।

यो कथाले मलाई ७-८ कक्षातिर गुलमोहरमा पढेको रस्किन बन्डको कथा “The Eyes are not Here/The Eyes Have It” सम्झाइदिएको थियो ।

अपसोस : हिन्दू “म” पात्र मुस्लिम केटीसँग प्रेम गर्न पुग्छ । तर प्रेम असफल रहन्छ । “म” पात्रले पाठकसँग कुराकानी गरेझैँ लाग्छ तर बीचमा यो शैली छुटेको हुँदा एकै शैलीमा लेखिएको हुन्थ्यो जस्तो लागेको थियो ।

घृणा : “म” पात्रको छिमेकमा एउटी बूढी आमै छिन् जसलाई ऊ पटक्कै मन पराउँदैन । तर जब तिनी बित्छिन् उसको मन शून्य हुन्छ ।

कथाकी पात्र : कथाकार “म” पात्र कथा लेख्न सकिरहेको छैन । Writer’s block ले पीडित ऊ आफ्नी श्रीमतीलाई हेर्छ अनि आफ्ना लागि उसले गरेका त्यागहरू सम्झिन्छ । अन्ततः श्रीमतीलाई ऊ आफ्नो कथाकी मुख्य पात्र बनाउँछ । यो कथा राम्रो लागेकैले गर्दा सङ्ग्रहका अरू कथा पढ्न उत्साहित भएको थिएँ ।

बूढो र पिज्जा : एउटा बूढोलाई पिज्जा खान मन लाग्छ तर सबैले उसलाई गिज्याउँछ्न् । जब बल्लतल्ल खान पाउँछ, उसलाई मन पर्दैन । बूढा मानिसको इच्छा र त्यसले निम्त्याउँने द्वन्द्व निकै रोचक लागेको थियो ।

भगाइहरू : “म” पात्र आफ्नो बिहेबाट भाग्छ । उसले यसो ठीक गर्यो कि गरेन भन्ने प्रश्न आइरहन्छ ।

मन नपरेको साथी : “म” पात्रलाई केशव मनपर्दैन तर उनीहरू घरिघरि ठोक्किइरहन्छ्न् । बेइमान साथीहरू सम्झाउँछ यो कथाले ।

नदीकिनारको प्रेम : “म” पात्र निरुसँग प्रेम गर्न थाल्छ तर आफ्नो “चेला” गोविन्दसँग उसले प्रेम गर्न थाल्छे । नदीकिनारका दृश्यहरू सुन्दर छन् । तराईको याद दिलाएको थियो ।

“कथाकी पात्र” सुबिन भट्टराईको पहिलो प्रकाशित कृति भए पनि पछिल्ला किताबभन्दा सशक्त देखिन्छन् । एकाध कथाबाहेक उनको प्रस्तुति मीठो छ । कतैकतै जटिल शब्दहरूको अनावश्यक र अपत्यारिलो प्रयोगबाहेक सरल भाषाशैली अपनाएका छन् ।

[नोट: “कथाकी पात्र” पढेपछि “समर लभ” पढ्न मन लागेको थियो । फेरि ससुराली जाँदा पढेँ । तर “समर लभ” मलाई मन परेन । सुरुदेखि नै यसमा समस्या छन् । कथाको प्लट पनि कहीँ पुग्दैन । चाँडै नै यसका बारेमा छुट्टै चर्चा गर्नेछु ।]

घनचक्कर: भुल्भुलैया र भविस्यवाणी

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On February 26, 2021

In Blogging, Book Review, Nepali, नेपाली

“घनचक्कर” उपन्यास विशाल मिलन केन्द्र, चण्डोलले आयोजना गरेको एउटा प्रतियोगितामा पुरस्कारका रूपमा पाएको थिएँ । पन्ध्र वर्षको उमेर, उपन्यास पढ्ने तीव्र हुटहुटी ! नयाँ किताब समाएपछि बिहानदेखि साँझसम्म नबिसाई पढिसकेको थिएँ । सकिँदासम्म उपन्यासको ‘म’ पात्र सँगसँगै आफू पनि पागल त भइनँ जस्तो लागेको थियो । उपन्यासका राजनीतिक विषय केही बुझे पनि गहिराईमा चाहिँ पुग्न सकेको थिइनँ ।

त्यस यता एसएलसी, बाह्र र ब्याचलर पास गरिसकेपछि “घनचक्कर” पढेको थिएँ । प्रत्येक चोटि नयाँ अनुभव भएको थियो । नयाँ रहस्य खुलेका थिए । देशका घनचक्करहरू अलि बढी बुझ्दै गएर होला ।
मास्टर्स पढ्न कीर्तिपुर भर्ना भएदेखि नै “घनचक्कर” फेरि पढ्ने अनि समीक्षा लेख्ने इच्छा थियो । दरबारमार्ग, शहीदगेट, कालीमाटी, बल्खु हुँदै कीर्तिपुर पुग्दा कयौंपटक उपन्यासका दृश्यहरू आँखामा नाच्थे । बाटामा पुलिसहरू देख्दा घनचक्करको ‘म’ पात्र जस्तै कति पटक झस्केको छु । विश्वविद्यालय र देशको राजनीतिका भुलभुलैयामा रुमल्लिएको अनुभव गरेको छु । त्यसैले होला पढ्ने इच्छा भए पनि यो उपन्यास पढ्न भने डर लाग्थ्यो ।

यसपालि “घनचक्कर”पढ्दा केही भविष्यवाणीलाई ध्यान दिएँ । टावरहरूको पतन र उत्थानको प्रसङ्ग पहिले पनि याद गरेको हो । सत्तामा रहनेले टावरको निर्माणलाई अतिशय महत्त्व दिएको भएर त होला पहाडका टाकुरा र तराईका फाँटमा भ्यू टावर बनाउने ट्रेन्ड चलेको, नयाँ बनेको धरहरालाई ऐतिहासिक भीमसेन स्तम्भ नै पुनःनिर्माण गरेझैं प्रचार भएको ।
टावरहरू जबजब निरङ्कुशताका प्रतीक बनेका छन् तबतब कोही नायक जन्मिएको छ ती टावर ढाल्न । तथापि ती नायक कतै गुमनाम भएका छन् या त प्याजका डल्लामा परिणत भएका छ्न् । यिनमा मानवीय संवेदना नै छैन । आशा गरेका नेताहरूले निराश बनाएका छन् । निरङ्कुशतन्त्रको विरोध गर्नेहरू आफैं निरङ्कुश बनेका छन्, गुच्चा खेलेझैं राजनीति गरेका छन्, शक्ति संघर्षको घनचक्करमा नराम्ररी फसेका छन्, जनतालाई भ्रमको जालोमा फसाएका छन् । यस्तो संघर्षको बीचमा हर कोही धेरथोर पागल भएको छैन र ?

यस बाहेक आफ्नो जीवीकाका लागि गर्नुपर्ने दु:ख, काम र आरामका विरोधाभासमा परेर पनि मानिस घनचक्करमा परेको छ । प्रजातन्त्र र स्वतन्त्रताका आन्दोलन, आन्दोलनका उद्देश्य विपरितका गतिविधि, निरङ्कुशता अनि फेरि प्रजातन्त्रका लागि हुने संघर्ष एउटा यस्तो चक्कर हो जसबाट उम्कन प्रत्येक नागरिक प्रत्येक पल सचेत हुन जरुरी छ । घनचक्करसँग जुध्नु नै यसबाट उम्कने मुख्य उपाय हो भनेर आशावादी विचारमा उपन्यास सकिएको छ ।

यद्यपि देशमा शक्ति संघर्षका घनचक्कर चलिरहेकै छ । सञ्जीव उप्रेती सर उपन्यासको म पात्रझैं आशावादी भएर लोकतन्त्र र निरन्तर पक्षमा उभिनुभएको छ । मलाई नेपाली राजनीति बुझ्न सहयोग गरेको “घनचक्कर” आज पनि उत्तिकै सान्दर्भिक छ । कहिलेकाहीँ लाग्छ, यसमा भएका भविस्यवाणी असत्य भइदिए ! तर शक्ति संघर्ष मानवीय गुण नै हो । त्यसै यो घनचक्कर कहाँ अन्त्य हुन्छ र ?

पुस्तक समीक्षा: सेतो गुलाब

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On January 21, 2021

In Book Review, Literature, Love, Nepali

परिचय

अनिश थापाको “सेतो गुलाब” पढ्न थाल्दा उपन्यास ठूलो अपेक्षा थिएन । “सेतो गुलाब”को धेरथोर चर्चा सुनेरै घरमा किनेर ल्याएको थिएँ । किनेको झन्डै एक वर्षपछि बल्ल पढ्ने मौका मिल्यो । किन एक वर्ष लाग्यो मलाई यो किताब उठाएर पढ्न ? “पाठकले पुस्तक हैन, पुस्तकले पाठक रोज्छ” भनेझैं भएको हो कि ? थाहा छैन ।

“सेतो धरती”मा अमर न्यौपाने सेतो रङ्गलाई उजाड र रङ्गहीन जीवनको प्रतीक बनाउँछन् । समाजले श्रीमान् गुमाएका नारीलाई दिने सेतो रङ्ग दु:खको प्रतीक हो । त्यसको विपरित “सेतो गुलाब”मा अनिश थापा सेतो रङ्गलाई सुन्दरता र पवित्र प्रेमको प्रतीक मान्छन् । हुन पनि सात रङ्गको मिश्रणले सेतो रङ्ग बन्दछ । सेतो प्रकाशलाई कतैकतै पवित्रताको प्रतीक मानिन्छ । त्यस्तै सेतो गुलाबलाई समर्पणको बिम्बका रूपमा पनि हेरिन्छ ।

“सेतो गुलाब”मा प्रेम, मित्रता र समर्पणका कथा आएका छन् । किशोर अवस्थाका पात्रहरूको सरल शब्दमा लेखिएको कहानी छ । स्कुले दिनहरू रमाइलोसँग आएका छन् । सँगै आएका छन् कलिलो उमेरको प्रेमका समस्या, करिअरको चिन्ता अनि उत्प्रेरणा जगाउने प्रसङ्गहरू ।

मुख्य पात्रहरू

अभिजित जसको डायरीबाट मूल कथा आएको छ, सजीव छ । अभिजितलाई निकै राम्रोसँग चित्रण गरेका छन् उपन्यासकारले ।

उसको साथी नीर प्रायः उत्प्रेरकको भूमिका निर्वाह गर्छ । यद्यपि उसमा थोरै भए पनि चञ्चलता छ ।

सुयोना अभिजितजस्तै दु:खी पात्र हो, भलै उसको दृष्टिकोणबाट कथा नबुनिएको होस् । तथापि उसले अभिजितलाई गरेको व्यवहार चित्त बुझ्दो भने लागेन । उसको केसले अभिजितलाई पहिलेदेखि नै प्रेरित गरेको भए कथा अझ राम्रो हुने थियो ।

सद्दाम बाहिर हेर्दा हाउडे भए पनि मनको सफा छ । यद्यपि उसको पात्रता अलि कमजोर भएको हो कि जस्तो लाग्यो ।

समस्याहरू

उपन्यासको संरचनामा थोरै कमजोरी छ । पहिलो दृश्य जसमा सुयोनाले अभिजितको डायरी पढ्न थाल्छे, त्यसलाई प्रोलग बनाउन सकिन्थ्यो । फरक न्यारेटर र टाइमलाइन भएको भाग छुट्टै राख्दा उपन्यासको कथानक बुझ्न अझ सजिलो हुन्छ । त्यस्तै अन्तिमका दृश्यहरू इपिलगका रूपमा आएको भए हुन्थ्यो । अभिजितको डायरीको पहिलो कथा (प्लेन दुर्घटना हुन बाट बचेको) पछि फेरि दोहोरिन्छ । यो भागलाई पछि नै राखेको भए पनि हुन्थ्यो जस्तो लाग्यो ।

कतैकतै नामका हिज्जेमा द्विविधा देखिन्छ । धेरैजसो अभिजित लेखिएको भए पनि कतैकतै अभिजीत भएको छ । केही प्रसङ्ग फरक शब्दमा भए पनि दोहोरिएका छन् ।

सबल पक्षहरू

उपन्यास सरल भाषामा लेखिएको छ । slang हरूको प्रयोग राम्रो छ । संरचनामा कमजोरी जस्तो लागे पनि कथा सलल बगेको छ । पात्रहरू प्रायः राम्रोसँग ह्याण्डल गरिएको छ । विद्यार्थी जीवनका विभिन्न आयाम अटाएका छन् । उपन्यासले फिलोसोफी र साइन्स फिक्सन पनि समेटेको छ ।

अन्त्यमा,
“सेतो गुलाब” अलिअलि फिल्मी लागे पनि पात्रहरूको मिलन, बिछोड र सम्झना समेटिएको मीठो उपन्यास हो ।

Was Gregor Samsa a Monster?: An Analysis of Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’

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On November 12, 2020

In Blogging, Book Review, Review, Story

In the third act of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the three paying guests living with the Samsas, ask Grete (the sister) to play the violin in their room. While the three boarders are disinterested shortly, and the parents and the sister struggle to impress them, Gregor is “seduced” by the music, and with a desire to protect his sister, moves towards her. At this moment, Kafka throws a question:

“Was he a beast if music could move him so?” (Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Act III)

In my first reading, I told myself, “No, Gregor Samsa is not a monster. He has been a victim of a misfortune, and he has suffered more than he can bear.”

But then, those who love music (and art in general) can also become monsters. Several artists have committed heinous crimes and so have the fans. So, when I went back to Kafka’s question, I found something in the succeeding sentences I had overlooked on my first reading, which completely altered my view. There were hints that showed me why Gregor was a monster–literally as well as figuratively.

I. Gregor and Grete

1. Gregor’s Desire

In the same paragraph where Gregor asks if he is a beast, he is “determined to reach the sister and tug on her skirt to suggest that she take her violin and come into his room, for no one here was as worthy of her playing as he would be. He would never let her leave his room, at least as long as he lived; for the first time, his horrifying appearance would work to his advantage: He would stand guard at all the doors simultaneously, hissing at the attackers; the sister, however, would not be forcibly detained but would stay with him of her own free will.” Had he not transformed, he would have declared on the Christmas that Grete was going to the Conservatory so that she could learn music. “After this declaration the sister would burst into emotional tears and Gregor would raise himself to her shoulder and kiss her neck, which she kept bare since she started working, wearing no ribbon or collar.”

I have no hesitation saying that Gregor has an incestuous desire towards his sister. I also found this article that supports my idea. It says that the desire for his sister (as well as his mother) was “forbidden as a man but not as a beast“.

2. The Secret Plan

But, Gregor had wanted Grete even before the transformation. In the second act, we know that “it was his secret plan that she, who unlike Gregor greatly loved music and played the violin movingly, should be sent to the Conservatory next year despite the considerable expense it was sure to incur, which would just have to be met in some other way.“

This “secret plan” sounds sinister. Although he had not declared it, everyone in the Samsa family already know that Gregor wants to send his sister to the Conservatory. So, what is the secret plan? Did he want to take her away from the family so that he could take advantage of her? Did his parents sense his sinister thoughts? I firmly believe that the parents refused the idea of sending Grete to the Conservatory because they thought Gregor was already a vermin in his mind.

3. Questionable “Other Way”

And, what was the “some other way” to cover the expenses? Was he going to get a better job? That did not seem to be happening soon. Their father’s pension would never be enough. So then, did he want her sister to get a job? Or did he want to push her into prostitution? Because Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment explicitly mentions people forcing young women of their own family into prostitution and living off it, I don’t think this is a wild supposition!

4. Grete’s reactions

However, what happens in Act I makes me think that Gregor was not limited to desire and secret plan, but he had actually assaulted her.

Gregor has already turned into a monstrous insect and is unable to get up from his bed. The head clerk knocks on Gregor’s door, and his parents call him out but Grete is crying in another room. Why didn’t she come to his door? “And why was she crying?” She didn’t know that Gregor had turned into a monster. Or did she? Did she cry not because Gregor was going to lose his job because but because she had seen him losing humanity and turning into a monster?

Her feelings towards Gregor is more pronounced in Act III after he scares the three boarders away. Grete says, “I refuse to pronounce my brother’s name in front of this monstrosity, and so I say: We have to try to get rid of it. We’ve done everything humanly possible to care for it and tolerate it; I don’t believe anyone could reproach us.”

5. Why is Grete cold?

On my first reading, she sounded cold-hearted to me, but now, I can hear her anger and pain. She must have been tired of feeding the monster. And if she had seen him turn into the beast, the pain must have been unbearable. But then, a question arises: Why did she feed him?

I think it was because of her parents. As Grete painfully says, her parents were attached to Gregor although he had metamorphosed into a monster. Sending her into Gregor’s room could be a sign for Grete to forgive her brother. I am reminded of several cases where girls are dismissed or told to forget what had happened and forgive the perpetrator. when they say they have been raped by their family member. The parents, to protect their son and to see if she gains at least some sympathy for him him, made their daughter give him food to Gregor. She gave him the food, but there was no love. She always feels uneasy around him. Gregor :

“concluded that the sight of him was still repulsive to her and was bound to remain repulsive, and that she must have exercised great self-control not to take flight at the sight of even the smallest portion of his body protruding from under the couch.” (Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Act II)

Grete was also sure that Gregor would never feel any remorse for what he had done and would never turn into human.

II. The Father’s fury after seeing Gregor as the monster for the first time

In Act I, after Gregor opens the door, his truth is revealed to the Head Clerk, the mother, and the father. The Head Clerk and the mother are shocked and scared, but the father is neither shocked, nor scared. “The father, furiously shaking his fists as if willing Gregor to go back in his room, looked uncertainly around the living room, covered his eyes in his hands, and sobbed with great heaves of his powerful chest.” (Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Act I)

While the sister is crying in another room, the father is angry and sad seeing the monster instead of his son. Because he is not shocked, I am inclined to believe that the father knew what Gregor had done and wanted to punish him. His anger and grief were also directed towards himself as he had not been able to stop Gregor from turning into a monster.

In Act III, after Grete tells they must “get rid of it”, the father is grieved. “If only he could understand us,” he says, meaning Gregor would never understand their love because he was a monster in his mind and body. (However, while reading for the first time, I felt that Gregor’s family was not even trying to understand him. The Metamorphosis has several layers with several valid interpretations which makes it a great story!)

III. The Apple

At the end of Act II, Gregor’s father sees Gregor out of his room. In fury, he begins an attack. He hurls apples at Gregor, one of which is stuck on Gregor’s body for the rest of his life. This, is a clear reference to the biblical story of the apple stuck on Adam’s throat and a symbol of Gregor’s sin.

Conclusion

In this analysis, I conclude Gregor was a monster. However, Kafka’s The Metamorphosis has many layers. Just as in my first reading, Gregor can be read as a victim of unpleasant situation and his family’s abuse of him. He can also be conceived as a depressed character who has struggled to keep up with the pace of the world and feels so helpless that he believes he is a worthless vermin. In that perspective, Gregor’s family appears as cold-hearted monsters, who never try to understand Gregor. It’s astonishing that the characters of The Metamorphosis can sometimes be white, sometimes black, and sometimes grey!

[Note: The quotes included in the article are from The Metamorphosis and Other Stories, (Trans. Donna Fried), Barnes and Noble Classic, 2003. Bold parts of quotes are for emphasis.]

पुस्तक समीक्षा: झोला

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On March 30, 2020

In Book Review, Blogging, Nepali, नेपाली

‘झोला’ कथासंग्रहमा प्रसिद्ध आख्यानकार कृष्ण धरावासीका बाह्रवटा कथा राखिएका छन् । यीमध्ये केही पछिसम्म सम्झन सकिने खालका छन् । सबै कथाहरूको छोटो चर्चा गर्दछु ।

पहिलो कथा ‘झोला’ सर्वप्रिय कथा हो । सतीप्रथाको विकराल दृश्य प्रस्तुत भएको यो कथा ‘श्रुति संवेग’मा प्रस्तुत भएको थियो । त्यसपछि नै एउटा अनलाइनमा भेटेको थिएँ अनि बाबाले पढेर सुनाउनुभएको थियो । यस कथामा आधारित चलचित्र पनि बनिसकेको छ जसलाई धेरै प्रशंसा गरिएको थियो । यो कथासंग्रह को सबैभन्दा उत्कृष्ट कथा पनि ‘झोला’ नै हो ।

‘ठेकुवाकी आमा’ पनि मन परेको अर्को कथा हो । ठेकुवाकी आमाले ठेकुवा (छोरा) लिएर राजेन्द्र साहुसँग पोइल गएपछि कथा सुरु भएको छ । उसको विगत बुझेपछि उसले लिएको कदम ठीकै लाग्छ । तर पछि उसले गरेको गल्तीले ल्याएको वियोगान्तले रुवायो ।

‘ती दिन कहिले आउलान ?’ लेखनको दृष्टिकोणले अनौठो छ । यस्तो किसिमको कथा पहिले पढेको थिइनँ । पात्रहरूको नाम नदिई संवाद मात्रै दिइएकोछ । कसले बोलेको भन्ने बुझ्न चाहिँ बुलेट पोइन्ट हेर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ । कुनै आन्दोलन या द्वन्द्वकालको अवस्था छ भन्ने बुझिन्छ यो कथाका संवादमा तर पात्रहरूसँग कनेक्सन नभएकाले खासै मन परेन ।

चौथो कथा ‘उनीहरूले कहिले गीत गाए?’ म पात्रले सानैमा गरेको सोही प्रश्न र उमेर ढल्किएपछि पाएको प्रश्नमा केन्द्रित छ । यसले सामान्य कुरा देखाएर गहिरो भाव बोकेको छ । अर्को कथा ‘साँघु काट्नु’ले क्रान्तिकारीहरूले साँघु (पुल) काटेको कुरालाई एउटा बच्चा ले कसरी बुझ्छ भन्ने कुरा देखाइएको छ ।

‘भो छाड्नुस् ती पुराना कुरा’ले एउटी महिलाका निर्णयहरू प्रस्तुत गरेको छ । यद्यपि पात्रहरूको विकास राम्ररी गरिएको छैन । घटनाहरू कथाकै लागि मात्र भएजस्ता लाग्छन् ।

‘इस्कुस’ कथाले अनौठो यौन मनोविज्ञान समेटेको छ । बिहे गरेको छ महिनापछि श्रीमतीसँग भेट्न हिंडेको ‘म’ पात्रले इस्कुसलाई ‘विशेष’ देखेको कुराले हास्या सिर्जना गरेको छ । ‘विश्वास’ कथाले भने वर्षौंदेखि सँगै रहेका जोडीले पनि कसरी एकअर्कालाई शंका गर्न सक्छन् भन्ने देखाएको छ । यो कथामा शंकाले लंका जलाउँदैन । यो कुरा मनपर्यो ।

जातीय भेदभाव सानै उमेरदेखि कसरी सुरु हुन सक्छ भन्ने कथा हो ‘एउटा सानो केटो’ । ‘म’ पात्रले एउटा ब्राहमण केटोलाई कसैलाई पनि भेदभाव गर्न हुन्न भनेर सिकाएको यो कथा ठीकै लाग्यो ।

‘मह’ कथाले सोझालाई बाठाले कसरी झुक्क्याउन सक्छन् भन्ने देखाएको छ । त्यस्तै माथिल्लो पदका कर्मचारीको मूर्खता र सफाई गर्न पनि तल्लो पदका कर्माचारी पर्खिनै पर्ने “बाध्यता”लाई व्यङ्ग्य गरेको छ ।

‘मास्टरबाबु’ पनि मन परेको कथा हो । यसमा बाहिर एउटा र भित्र अर्को रुप भएको एउटा पात्रको बयान छ । यसको आश्चर्यजनक अन्त्यले मास्टरबाबुप्रतिको हेराइ नै परिवर्तन हुन्छ ।

संग्रहको अन्तिम कथा ‘बसकी केटी’मा बस यात्राका दौरान ‘म’पात्र र उसकी छेउमा बसेकी एउटी केटीको बारेमा छ । ‘म’पात्रका मनमा खेल्ने कुराहरूमा पुरुष मनोविज्ञान देखिन्छ ।

समग्रमा, ३.५/५

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7 Days 7 Books

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On March 21, 2020

In Blogging, Book Review, Nepal, Nepali

7 Days 7 Books is a challenge on Facebook that has been running among Nepali book-lovers for a couple of years. The aim was to promote reading culture. This year, it got an extra agenda-“Make books tax free!”

The addition of tax on imported books and those printed in India/overseas should have affected the publishers and distributors, but it looks like they won’t be affected. Instead they would hike the price and make things difficult for parents and students (who are in compulsion to buy textbooks from abroad), and for book-lovers. “The total removal of tax in books would help a lot of students,” a lot of us argued. #Makebookstaxfree got into the internet, and there were campaigns against the taxes at several places, of which Patan was the first. I could not go there because the time clashed with my language classes but I gave my moral support.

The 7 Days 7 Books Challenge says, “Post a book’s cover everyday for 7 days without any review or explanation.” But when I was challenged by my friend Gauri Bomjan, I had a strong urge to at least explain why I chose those books. I thought, ‘Anyone can Google book covers and post them. If I don’t explain, people will not be attracted.’ But later I accepted the challenge as it was to see if I can be wrong. Since the challenge is completed, I now list the 7 books that I posted (all of which are Nepali) along with answers to “Why I chose them?”

Day 1: मोती र गुलाफ (My Translation: Pearls and Roses) by Shivahari Adhikari

I received this book when I was in Class 1 as a prize in a poem recitation contest. This book has 6 folk tales from 6 countries. This book is close to my heart, and since it came back to me after remaining at one of my neighbours for several years, my mother did not allow anyone to take it away.

Day 2: बनारसमा बेचिएकी बहिनी (My Translation: A Sister sold in Benaras)–Nagendra

We did not have book-shelves as there was no space in our house. (We still don’t have much space but we got our first book-shelf last week, thanks to my parents.) So, those days, books were stored in an old carton box. I used to extract books and magazines from it time and again. I found this book in that box when I was in Class 8 while we were shifting to our neighbour’s on rent (we were building a bigger house where our old small house was). Before reading this book, I thought essays were always factual with very little chance of bringing in fiction or personal opinions. This book changed my thought.

I have a deep respect for this book as a Guru for my essays and blogs. It has inspired the way I evaluate situations and people, and I have no shame in saying that Nagendra’s writing style has inspired some of my writings.

Day 3: धुवाँ (Translation: Smoke) by Atma Ram Sharma

My father got this book from his friend (the author). I read this book several times during my vacations during my childhood. I had forgotten it completely until I found it while looking for books to post for the challenge. The story collection has several stories of sorrow. I have never read it as an adult. So, the challenge has reminded me that I should read it again.

Day 4: एउटा कथा भन्नु न हजूरआमा (My Translation: Grandma, Please tell a story) by Ramesh Bikal

Ramesh Bikal is a writer who has written stories for all age groups. This books for children are noteworthy for their mythical and magical elements. My mother gave this book when I was in 15. I fell in love with the stories instantly. But as I haven’t read it for a long time, I have forgotten them. Another book in the to-read-again list.

Day 5: जंगबहादुर (Junga Bahadur) by Shree Krishna Shrestha

I read parts of this book in Sadhana Magazine. I read it last year in free times during my trip to Japan and wrote a review in Nepali. I looked for information on the author but could not find him then. After I posted this photo for the challenge, my teacher Nir Shakya wrote that Late Mr Shree Krishna Shrestha was a chemist and was also the Head of Water Resources Department. I had a mixture of emotions as I got some real info about the author after so many years, but after his demise.

Day 6: घनचक्कर (Ghanachakkar) by Sanjeev Upreti

Ghanachakkar is a crazy ride with one of the craziest narrators of all time. Set during the insurgency period Kathmandu, this novel is a psychological experience. I got this book as a prize in Class 9. I finished the book within five hours the day I got it, leaving me in hallucinations and confusion. I have read it several times since and each time I have found something new.

Day 7: लिखे (Likhe) by Sharad Poudel

I read some chapters of this book in Nawa Yuwa magazines of the late nineties. As with Junga Bahadur, I bought it immediately when I saw it in a book store. This novel shows real struggles of the so-called “untouchables” in a small village in the Western District of Baglung. The dialect, the life-style and the social problems have been captured so well that Likhe’s struggles in his young age can make one cry.

At the end, I realized that it is possible to attract readers to books by just showing the photos. So, why a long post as this? Because, (1) I can’t find peace until I write this and (2) I hope I can attract more readers through this article.

७ दिन ७ पुस्तक

By

On March 21, 2020

In Blogging, Book Review, Nepali, नेपाली

फेसबुकमा केही वर्षदेखि नै ७ दिन ७ पुस्तक च्यालेन्ज देखेकाे थिएँ । नेपाली पुस्तकप्रेमीहरूले पठन संस्कृतिकाे प्राेत्साहनका लागि ७ दिनसम्म ७ वटा पुस्तक कुनै पनि व्याख्या वा समीक्षाविना पाेस्ट गरिरहेका थिए । समीक्षासहितकाे चुनाैति पनि देखेकाे हुँदा केही नलेखी फाेटाे मात्र राख्दा कसैले ‘ढर्रा पारेकाे’ भन्ने हाे कि भन्ने शंका जाग्थ्याे । गुगलबाट खाेजेर किताबकाे फाेटाे राख्न पनि गाह्राे छैन । व्याख्या वा समीक्षाविना पाेस्ट गरिरहँदा अरूलाई पठनप्रति आकर्षण गर्न सकिन्छ र ? भन्ने प्रश्न पनि मनमा थियाे ।

साथी गौरी बम्जनको च्यालेन्ज स्वीकार गर्नुअघि माथी उठेका प्रश्नहरू बारे सोचेँ । व्याख्या गर्न मन हुँदा पनि नगरेर फोटोहरू हालेँ । ती पुस्तकहरू यहाँ प्रस्तुत गरेको छु । अनि ती पुस्तक किन छानेँ भन्ने कुरा पनि समेटेको छु (च्यालेन्ज दौरान नलेखे पनि) ।

१. मोती र गुलाफ (लोककथा सङ्ग्रह)- शिवहरि अधिकारी

कक्षा १ मा छँदै पुरस्कार स्वरूप पाएको यो किताब धेरै नै प्रिय छ । यसमा भएका ६ वटा कथाले मन छुन्छन् अनि केही नैतिक शिक्षा पनि दिन्छन् । धेरै वर्ष छिमेकमा बसेर फिर्ता आएकोले गर्दा पनि यो किताबप्रती आशक्ति अलि बढी छ ।

२. बनारसमा बेचिएकी बहिनी (निबन्ध सङ्ग्रह)– नगेन्द्र

आठ कक्षामा छँदा किताब र पत्रिका राखेको बक्सामा एकदिन यो पुस्तक भेटेको थिएँ । टङ्कनमा धेरै गल्ती भए पनि यसले सुरुमै आकर्षित गर्‍यो । यी निबन्धहरूले निबन्धप्रतिको दृष्टिकोण नै परिवर्तन गरे । मेरा कतिपय ब्लग पनि यी निबन्धबाट प्रभावित छन् ।

३. धुवाँ (कथा सङ्ग्रह)–आत्माराम शर्मा

बाबाले ल्याउनुभएको यो किताब ५ कक्षादेखिका धेरै बिदाहरूमा पढेको थिएँ । सामान्य मान्छेका असामान्य कथाहरूले रुवाउँथे । नपढेको धेरै भएको हुँदा धेरै कुरा याद छैनन् । फेरि छिट्टै पढ्नुपर्ने पुस्तक हो यो ।

४. एउटा कथा भन्नु न हजूरआमा (बालकथा सङ्ग्रह)- रमेश विकल

रमेश विकलका कथा र उपन्यासहरू विभिन्न उमेर समूह लक्षित छ्न् । बालबालिकाका लेखिएका यस सङ्ग्रहका कथाहरूले कल्पनाको संसारमा पुर्‍याउँछ्न् ।

५. जंगबहादुर (ऐतिहासिक उपन्यास)–श्रीकृष्ण श्रेष्ठ

साधना मासिकमा जङ्गबहादुर उपन्यासका अंश पढ्दा आङ सिरिङ्ग हुन्थ्यो । सानोमा धेरै पटक यी अंश पढेको थिएँ । पूरा उपन्यास पढ्न भने पोहोर साल मात्र जुर्‍यो, त्यो पनि जापान टुरको दौरान । यस उपन्यासको समीक्षा पोहोर साल लेखिसकेको छु ।

६. घनचक्कर (उपन्यास)–सञ्जीव उप्रेती

७. लिखे (उपन्यास)–शरद पौडेल

पागलपनको कथा बोकेको घनचक्कर पहिलो चोटि पढ्दा कायल भएको थिएँ । कक्षा ९ मा एउटा प्रतियोगितामा पुरस्कारको रूपमा पाएको दिन करिब ५ घण्टामा पढिसकेको थिएँ । त्यसपछिका वर्षहरूमा पढ्दा हरेक पल्ट नयाँ कथा र सोच भेटेको छु । पढेका नेपाली उपन्यासमध्ये सबैभन्दा माथिल्लो तहमा घनचक्करलाई राख्ने गरेको छु ।

नवयुवा मासिकमा लिखेका केही अंश पढेको थिएँ । “जङ्गबहादुर”झैँ यो किताब पनि देख्नेबित्तिकै किनेको थिएँ । बाग्लुङको सानो गाउँमा अछुत भनेर ठूला जात भनाउँदाले दिएका दु:ख र लिखेले सानै उमेरमा गर्नुपरेको संघर्षले मुटु कुँड्याउँछ ।

अन्त्यमा, मेरा प्रश्नका जवाफ पाएँ । व्याख्या नै नगरे पनि पुस्तकप्रति आकर्षित गराउन सकिँदो रहेछ । त्यसो भए यति लामो लेख किन ? किनकी यो नलेखी चित्त बुझाउनै सकिनँ । अनि यो लेखमार्फत अझै धेरैलाई आकर्षित गर्न सक्छु कि भन्ने सानो प्रयास (आश) हो ।

रणहार: अन्तिम मल्ल राजाको मनोदशाको कथा

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On February 10, 2020

In Blogging, Book Review, Nepali

रणहार [Ranahar]रणहार [Ranahar] by Yogesh Raj
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“रणहार” मल्लकालिन ‘सो नगरहरू’ (कान्तिपुर, पाटन र भक्तपुर)को कलह, र तीनै राज्यका आन्तरिक कलहले गर्दा गोर्खा राज्यसँग पराजित अन्तिम मल्ल राजा रणजित मल्लको कथा हो । उपन्यासले रणजित मल्लको मानसिकता पर्गेल्न खोजेको छ र केही हदसम्म यसमा सफल छ ।

उपन्यासमा तात्कालिक नेवा: राज्यको सजीव चित्र छ । ‘जुजु’का क्रियाकलापदेखि जनताका दिनचर्यासम्म अटेका छन् । भक्तपुर दरबार, चाँगुनारायण नारायण र न्यातपोलको बारेमा धेरै थाहा नभएका कुरा उपन्यासमा पढ्न पाएँ । भक्तपुर दरबारका अनगिन्ति चोकहरुको बारेमा सबैलाई थाहा नभएको र भित्रबाट कसैले सहयोग नगरेसम्म भेद्न असम्भव भएबाट विश्वासघात भित्र बाटै भएको थियो भन्ने सङ्केत गर्दछ । पृथ्वीनारायण शाहलाई कुमरीमाजुले कमलको फूल दिएको इतिहास पहिले पढेको थिएँ । यसमा आउँदा खुशी भएँ । पछि पृथ्वीलाई गोर्खाका राजा भनेर पटकपटक भनिएको छ । मितछोरा भए पनि उनले गरेको छल देखाउन प्रयोग गरिएको सम्बोधन लेखकको चातुर्य हो । युद्धमा हारेपछि रणजीत मल्लको जुन वर्णन छ, त्यसले स्थीतप्रज्ञको आभास दिन्छ ।

रणजीत मल्लको रणहारको कथा जसरी प्रस्तुत भएको होला भनेर सुरु गरेको थिएँ, त्यस्तो पाइनँ । प्रस्तुतिको शैली अलि अल्छिलाग्दो लाग्यो । कुनै पनि संवाद उद्दरणभित्र छैन, जसले अल्मल्याउँछ । नेपाल भाषाका सबै शब्दहरूको अर्थ दिइएको छैन । तिनलाई पछाडि राख्नुभन्दा फुटनोट बनाएको भए हुन्थ्यो । रणजीतको अपहरणको प्रसङ्ग अधुरो छ । यसले सम्पादनको कमी देखाउँछ । कथा क्रमबद्ध नभएकाले कतैकतै अलमलिएँ । विचारप्रधान उपन्यास भए पनि मदन पुरस्कार पाउन लायक चैं लागेन ।

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Book Review: Dr Sanduk Ruit’s biography could have been brilliant but it lacks lustre

By

On January 24, 2020

In Humans and Humanity, Book Review, Nepal, Nepali

The first time I had heard the name of Dr Sanduk Ruit was in 2006 when he was awarded with the Magsaysay Prize. As uncommon his name sounded to me, the determination to help the poor by treating their eye diseases at an affordable price was also uncommon.

Despite his revolutionary work in treating cataracts and establishment of the famous Tilganga Hospital, Dr Sanduk Ruit is not as famous as he should be. This is probably due to his low-profile attitude, his appreciation for his team, and insufficient media coverage from Nepal. This is a book that helps one understand Ruit and appreciate his hard work in helping the helpless. It gives insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the beloved doctor. It tells about his family, his beliefs and his passion. These factors make the book valuable.

The book is interesting at first. The early life of Ruit engaged me. The hardships of his and his parents’ lives tells a lot about the struggles the blind have to go through in the rural Himalayas. However, their journey to Darjeeling, Dhankuta and later to Kathmandu makes them more privileged than most people in the area. The book has not emphasized this, however, which seemed quite odd to me.

Dr Ruit’s greatest achievement lies in the establishment of a cheap and efficient method of cataract surgery, and the book does wonderful work in capturing that. His work in the Upper Mustang is the best because the team had suffered a lot to reach there and establish a camp. In spite of all the hardships, they were able to restore sights of hundreds. This and several other camps are inspiring.

The non-linear narration gives the feel of watching a documentary. In some places, it is good but in many places, when the timeline shifts from one to another, I felt like I missed an important matter. The non-linearity also means that sentences, paragraphs, and at one instance, a case are repeated.

There are some issues in the book that disappointed me. One is the exaggeration of the caste issue. In the part where Ruit’s parents get married, class could have been an issue instead of caste. But it does not matter because it does not take the narrative anywhere. The wedding is accepted by both the families and there is no pride in them. In the chapters of his childhood in the school at Darjeeling, he is said to have been bullied and he was left alone because of his caste/race. A picture in the book itself, however, tells a different story.

When the doctors of Nepal Eye Hospital refused to follow Ruit’s method, caste system is blamed directly. The reasons are obvious: (1) Ruit’s method had not gone through a proper clinical trial, and (2) people are always sceptical about new technologies that have not appeared in peer-reviewed journals. To bring caste, in this case, was absolutely unnecessary.

This one part of Ruit’s life that made me sad and furious. Ruit pulled off a cheap Bollywood style stunt in order to make Nanda talk to him. This is the worst part, and the most uninspiring. The fact that Nanda, despite being great at nursing, left her job “to look after the family” is also uninspiring. She did what is traditionally expected of women in Nepal. But I felt they could have done so much more, had she and Ruit been together in all their camps.

I wish Nepalese journalists gave more emphasis on inspiring works of common people instead of conspiracy theories and political figures. It’s a wonder we did not have a Nepali book on Dr Ruit before this book came out. The translation of the book has also arrived, but Khagendra Sangraula has not been able to deliver an interesting retelling in Nepali. There is literal translation in most places, including titles, that put me off.

Summary

Book: The Barefoot Surgeon (Sanduk Ruit in Nepali Translation)

Author: Ali Gripper

Rating: 3/5

पुस्तक समीक्षा : जङ्गबहादुर

By

On April 18, 2019

In Blogging, Book Review, Nepali, Review

साधना मासिक सन् नब्बेको दशकको उत्कृष्ट म्यागजिन थियो । यस मासिकका धेरै अंकहरू बाबाले संग्रह गरेर राख्नु भएको थियो, जसमध्ये धेरैजसो डेरा र घर सर्दा हराए । अब केही मात्रै बाँकी छन् । “जङ्गबहादुर” उपन्यास धारावाहिक रुपमा प्रकाशन हुन्थ्यो । गगनसिंहलाई मार्न फत्तेजंग, अभिमानसिंह राना र जङ्गले लिएको सपथ अनि कोतपर्वको विवरण भएका दुई भिन्न अंकहरू अहिलेसम्म पनि सुरक्षित छन् । उपन्यासलाई आधार मानेर सामाजिक शिक्षाको परीक्षामा जङ्गबहादुरको उदयलाई अंग्रेजीमा लेख्ने गर्थें । यो विषयमा मैले पाठ्यपुस्तक कहिले पनि हेरिन । तर बजारमा उपन्यास भेटिंदैनथ्यो ।

यसपाली पुसमाघतिर विशालनगरमा यो उपन्यास अचानक देखेँ । सपनाजस्तो लाग्यो । केही दिनमा पैसा जुटाएर लिएँ तर पढ्ने फुर्सद थिएन । पाँचौँ संस्करण रहेछ । मार्च महिनाको सुरुवातमा जापान भ्रमण ताका सँगै लिएर गएँ अनि पढें पनि । तर थकान अनि किताबमा भेटिएका गल्तीका कारण पूरै पढ्न सकिनँ । फाइनल एक्जाम सकिएपछि चाहिं फेरी थालेँ र पढी भ्याएँ ।

सबल पक्ष

१. उपन्यासले जङ्गबहादुरलाई क्रुर मात्र देखाएको छैन, उनलाई कुन परिस्थितिले त्यस्तो बनायो भन्ने पनि प्रष्ट बताएको छ ।

२. त्यस समयमा भएका षडयन्त्रहरू र हत्याकाण्डहरू कहाली लाग्दा छन् । रानी लक्ष्मीदेवीको उन्माद र राजा राजेन्द्रको अकर्मण्यताले घटनाक्रमलाई अगाडि बढाउन मद्दत गरेका छन् ।

३. कोतपर्व र भण्डारखाल पर्वको चित्रण उत्कृष्ट छ । हत्याका दृश्यहरू सजीव छन् । यसले पारेको प्रभाव माथि पनि लेखिसकेका छु ।

४. जङ्गबहादूरको प्रेमिल पक्ष अनौठो र रमाइलो लाग्छ । यो त्यत्तिकै आएको छैन । जङ्गकी प्रेमिका (पछि पत्नी) पुतलीले जासूस र सलाहकारका रूपमा जङ्गलाई सहयोग गरेकी छिन् ।

५. जङ्ग र उनका भाइहरू बीचको सम्बन्ध राम्रोसँग देखाइएको छ अनि डायमन शमशेरको “सेतो बाघ”को अन्त्यमा भएका घटना (जङ्गका छोरा नातिको हत्या) को बीजारोपण पनि यहाँ गरिएको छ । तर सेतो बाघभन्दा बढी तथ्यपरक छ ।

दुर्बल पक्ष

१. सेतो बाघमा जस्तो लेखकको विचार नै त आउँदैन तर “यसो होला भन्ने कसैले सोचेको भए” भन्ने किसिमका वाक्यहरू दोहोरिइरहन्छन् । यसले कथावाचनलाई अलि कम्जोर बनाएको छ ।

२. चरित्र चित्रण गर्ने केही वाक्यहरू दोहोरिइरहन्छन् । यसले कथालाई छरितो बनाउनबाट रोकेको छ ।

३. अलौ पर्वसम्म विस्तारमा भनिएको कथा त्यसपछि भने सारांश बन्छ । जङ्गबहादुरको बेलायत भ्रमण, मुलुकी ऐनको घोषणा, नेपाल-तिब्बत युद्ध जस्ता विषय केही वाक्यमा समापन हुन्छन् ।

४. जङ्गले इष्ट इन्डिया कम्पनीलाई भारतको सैनिक विद्रोहमा सहयोग गरेको प्रसङ्ग आएकै छैन ।

५. उपन्यासमा प्रिन्ट एरर धेरै छन् । सम्पादनको कमी छ । र पुस्तकको ISBN नहुनु आश्चर्यको विषय हो ।

पुस्तक : जङ्गबहादुर

विधा : ऐतिहासिक उपन्यास

लेखक : श्रीकृष्ण श्रेष्ठ

पृष्ठ संख्या : ३०२

प्रकाशक : कामना पब्लिकेशनस्                      

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