Provincial Patterns of Alice Munro and Ruskin Bonds Select Short Stories A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Literature, in forms like novels, short stories, essays, and dramas, reflects human newlineexperiences, forging a connection through emotions. The short story genre, originating from various narrative forms, follows a structure of exposition, complication, climax, and resolution, but its modern interpretation includes broader elements like plot, characters, setting, and theme. Canadian short fiction provides a distinct perspective on global issues, often exploring identity, diversity, and the Canadian landscape. Alice Munro, a renowned newlineCanadian author, delves into universal truths, transforming ordinary occurrences into extraordinary tales, with her unique approach to characters, setting, language, style, and themes. Similarly, Indian short fiction highlights tradition, culture, and nature, emphasizing the country s landscapes. Ruskin Bond s stories, set in the Indian Himalayas, resonate deeply, characterized by distinctive elements of character, setting, language, style, and theme, carving out a significant place in Indian literature. newlineThis research examines the application of Comparative Literature and the newlineTransactional Model s Aesthetic Reading Theory, drawing from Susan Basnett s newlineComparative Literature: A Critical Introduction and Dr. S. Chellaiah s Comparative Literature: Its Theory and Practice, as well as Ihab Hassan s Parallelism theory. It integrates Louise M. Rosenblatt s transactional model from The Reader, The Text, The Poem: The Transactional Theory of the Literary Work, focusing on Aesthetic Reading, to analyse selected short stories. Twenty-nine short stories from collections by Alice Munro and Ruskin Bond serve as primary texts. The research aims to analyse the depiction of provincial life in Munro and Bond s works, comparing Canadian and Indian contexts. It also aims to identify and study similarities in their writing styles regarding provincial life portrayal.