Plurality and the resistance of boundaries in Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and The Moor's Last Sigh

Abstract

In Midnight's Children and The Moor's Last Sigh Rushdie, conveys a spirit of 'plurality'. This is reflected in the way the texts express a clear preference for heterogeneity and multiplicity. At the same time, this 'plurality' contrasts with some of the critical treatment of the novels. Thus, chapter 1 focuses on the way Rushdie's texts have often been taken to task for not fulfilling certain preconceived ideological positions. This has therefore resulted in a number of critical contributions that appear to be fairly restricted and in consequence incomplete. By contrast, Rushdie's 'plurality' appears through the presentation of an ironic revisitation of the past. Chapter 2 highlights the fact that the texts are grounded in the history of contemporary India. Thus, the novels question the process whereby the past is 'known'. Such an interrogation involves a subversive mode that undermines the official historical accounts which are endorsed by British Imperialism and Indian politicians, such as Indira Gandhi. Rather than these monolithic representations, Rushdie presents the alternative, multiple voices of India. The official versions are also juxtaposed to the magical perspective in the novels. ln this way, chapter 3 foregrounds the fact that by drawing upon the world of magic, folklore and myth, Rushdie's texts question the status of historical 'fact' and display alternative interpretations of reality. Through these alternative versions, Rushdie highlights a hidden reality that is often conveniently omitted in some accounts.