Close Reading

I have to ask the question: how much am I being manipulated by the author? As English students, we exercise a more critical eye and analyze the text deeper than much of the novel's audience. That being said, I generally find that that particular light shines during class discussion, and I am completely at the author's whim on the first read through. In Adiga's case, the speed of the narrative, the mannerisms and humor of the narrator kept me on my toes enough that I took much of what he said at face value. The portrayals of landlords and family, Balram's entrepreneurship and the aesthetics of his India, appropriately I found it difficult to parse out the character that is actually there from the one Adiga wants me to see. Recognizing the author’s techniques in portraying Balram along with his themes and digressions is like a man seeing beauty in the world for the first time. It is akin to the realization of the ‘Rooster Coop’ in that there is much deeper technique at play than the pace of the narrative and likeability of the character. It’s taken awhile to regain the close reading skills one loses when out of practice for so long, but the analysis on this blog and in class brings those skills once more to the surface and it has been valuable with respect to the pace we will be picking up over the remaining texts.