Dusk

Re: # 35

Sul

Your interact most staggeringly hits the very pulse of my inner-most feelings to the fore. Your take on “machiavellian machinations of today’s actors” on the socio-political stage is poignantly well orchestrated amongst the “ruling minority” that they shrewdly take the whole audience for a royal ride ! Their contrived script has managed to fool the popolace of a sub-continent for over 56 years.

More so you type “The paradox created by the vivid description of colour that evokes images of a resplendent, multi-textured world juxtaposed by reference to time and the fading light is excellent”.

You intricately dissect the symbolism I envisaged harnessing in ``Dusk``. I did indeed try fashioning a “multi-textured world” by differentiating ``the actors`` from ``the audience``, highlighting the various complexities of a discerning yet deprived beggar (audience) to the antics of the pseudo-intellectual wise-wits (mere actors).

Sul your keen eye to detail on “fading light” is subliminally profound as I tried to climax this piece to a thundering crescendo from daylight to dawn and from dawn to pitch darkness. Sul you accentuate

“readers take the ``girl`` so literally”. This indeed is typical of those who do not read between the lines. Lest we forget that many ``mockingbirds`` are mindless rovers strolling life with no bit of purpose. Forget the “hymn sheet” these guys would not know a “chorus” if it was neon-lit staring them in the beady eye.

Sul lastly your suggestion “but don`t transpose your own insecurities to his literature. Its too revealing!” Well I must confess here again that so many readers on this e-forum unadulteratedly lash out their inner demons in a most whimsical and out-of-context manner.

Sul yours is the best interact I have read thus far. I thank you for these thoughtful comments and insights. And hope to get many more of its ilk.

That perhaps remains wishful thinking given the general callibre of most.

bravo ozer! well written - it does truly seem that your inspirations have been drawn from the stated authors! however, this seems to be in a world of its own!

Re: # 27

Aimie

Thanks. It would be glad to hear your interpretation ?

Indeed the divisions between gender, class, and opportunity provide a not-so-subtle commentary on the fissures that run through contemporaneous society. Tellingly, a historical/cultural fragment about the internecine wars of morality are fought on battle grounds beyond the reach of the ``meandering mass majority`` of people, in air-conditioned sanctuaries of ritzy endroits. India and Pakistan are poignant epitomes.

We are all, like Emperor Shah Jahan (builder of the Taj Mahal):
imprisoned in our own ``Agras``, receiving as gifts the ``heads`` of

innocent civilians, raped victims, genocide

Though the largest Coffin on our Conscience

``Poverty and Ignorance``

Dear Readers:

Undeniably a posse of prodigious authors have graced our pages: exploding onto the scene: Albert Camus, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Jean Paul-Sartre and the inimitable Mohsin Hamid. It is gladdening to see comparisons being made. Yet endless debates by certain participants on Chowk as to whether ``Dusk`` conformeth to a Kaka-esque Camus-Esque or Sartrian/Marxist genre should not bear gravitas.

For it conformeth to all. Yet conformeth to none. It takes a body and shape of its own.

Mind-numbing theoretical neatness as to whether this typology of writing fits into one particular brand: existentialist, neo-realist, marxist is irrelevant. Why the sudden fever of categorisation ? Certain works of art, be they paintings, architecture etc... are non-conformist, non-discript, or perhaps a luminously cocktail blend of ``genre-defying``.

Like a lion in his den : This debate can theoretically and frantically roar, rage and fume, though these exercises dilute the core and underlying message behind ``Dusk``

So many other authors have influenced me: Francis Fanon, Arundhati Roy, Voltaire, Anita Desai, Rohinton Mistry, Vikram Seth, Bharati Mukherjee--the list is legion.

All Im saying is that it is too ``Western`` a tendency to grope towards some understanding of the turbulence in our post-modern universe through theoretical prisms. It is only natural that, along with the histories and the political analyses, we turn to literature. Yet rattling our ``intellectual `` sabers, offers us confining entrees and categorisations which we, as mind-using humans must dispell.

A frustration of the less fortunate in a kingdom where a rampant ``Blingocracy cosmetic ruling`` class live in Ivory Towers is disconcerting to any one with a modicum of conscience.

An economic divide has be-devilled us all: where the moneyed suits can insulate themselves from the rules that bind the rest of society.

A visceral pride felt by them of painting the earth a sickly shade of pink

When lands are littered with diabolical blood-red.

Ozerkhalid

Though ``dusk`` is flawless I notice an integrity issues with you: a contradiction in your work. In a previous article entitled ``UK General Elections 2005`` you praise tony blair on his triumph at 10 downing street yet in ``dusk`` you note:

She” listens to Blair holler, bark, entranced by his showmanship, craftsmanship and delivery: reminiscent of bowlers during the Ashes. “She” absorbs the ‘All hail’ speech, breathing in his words like Himalayan air-

Seems like you are criticising him here ? What is your stance on blair ? do you support him or not ? stop sitting on the fence ? what happened to journalistic integrity ?

Re: # 20

thunder you quote ``Seems like you are criticising him here ? What is your stance on blair ? do you support him or not ? stop sitting on the fence ? what happened to journalistic integrity ?

listen do not digress from the subject-matter. ``dusk`` has nothing to do with the UK General Elections. Get over it. That topic is done and dusted.

Learn how to move on. Stop nit-picking everything the author says.

ozerkhalid

prolific piece ! dusk draws gravitas from the fact that it exudes contemporary lingo such as
“Usher-ishly caught up” ``playas pimp chrome hydraulics`` and ``A Nokia is answered. A Louis Vuitton is shouldered`` these are all accompaniments of a J-LO P/dIDDY heralded ``blingocracy``, and by using such catchphrases you are appealing to a younger, wider and broader audience with an underlying serious message/s

these contemporary catch-phrases may sound urban, jazzy and sexy but the message is so buried under them that a distracted reader may start glamorizing the very lingo you are using sarcastically

The author leaves an audience opaquely captivated: is ``Dusk`` about an intriguing love affair about to explode into oblivion ? Or a society mandated with norms that ostracize morality. my opinion would incline: Ozerkhalid is interestingly trying to herald both dimensions into one caption: a micro element (entanglement with the lady) and macro element ( affliction with environment).

the constant flux between micro and macro is like a Tarantino plot, forwarding and rewinding. heralding both dimensions brilliantly is this piece`s chief signature.almost cinematic !

Re: # 15
kulsumbeig

interesting to note that p almodovar also espouses a similar tarantino-esque genre to his film-making

Ozer

Your piece reeks of Albert Camus-type existentialism. It seems that the narrator is caught by the surroundings. Is it auto-biographical or pure fiction ?

Husna you say ``It reveals a soul trapped in the confines of modernity trying to emerge out of its flames``. But surely modernity is not under fire in this article ? Rather it is stoking the flames... Is it not ?

Re: # 7
Kulsumbeig

But surely modernity is not under fire in this article ? Rather it is stoking the flames... Is it not ? Analyze global events around you from 9/11, to Abu Ghreib, from the bombings in Madrid, Istanbul, Bali and Tel Aviv. Are these not signs of modernity being under fire !

Stoking the flames ? What are you on about. Terrorism stokes the flames if anything. The dictats of propoganda-based Madrassas are responsible for that, along with Western display of muscle in foreign policy. Why would modernity ever stoke its own fire ?

Re: # 11

Moazam

An interesting twist of ``semantics``

Re: # 11

moazammudasar,

could you please define a few terms (in your following comment) for us: ``Terrorism stokes the flames if anything. The dictats of propoganda-based Madrassas are responsible for that, along with Western display of muscle in foreign policy. Why would modernity ever stoke its own fire?``

1. Terrorism
2. Madarssas
3. Modernity

Thanks

Re: # 23
NT Syed

1. Terrorism: loonie Bins hiding in caves. Using unnessesary violence/force against innocent civilians to further their own cause. Any network/organization seeking to use pressure-tactics to justify ideological/religious/political ends.

2. Madrassas: breeding grounds for terrorists.

3. Modernity: globalisation. capitalism. internet age.

Re: # 24

moazammudasar,

1. Terrorism: loonie Bins hiding in caves. Using unnessesary violence/force against innocent civilians to further their own cause. Any network/organization seeking to use pressure-tactics to justify ideological/religious/political ends.

Then what are IRA, Juan Carlos, ETA/Basque, D Koresh, Tim McVeigh?

While you contend that any ``network/organization`` that uses ``pressure tactics to justify ideological/religious/political ends`` is terrorist, do you think Governments - namely US, European, Eastern European, Australian, Pakistani, Indian, Eastern Pacific countries, MENA, or any - have the right to do the same without being labelled terrorists? If not, then why does it happen there and what should be done about it? If yes, then why shouldn`t they be labelled as terrorists too?

2. Madrassas: breeding grounds for terrorists.

Do the operatives of the aforementioned groups and the soldiers of the aforementioned governments go to madrassas too? Then how could they be so unbalanced and callous in use of force?

3. Modernity: globalisation. capitalism. internet age.

Dear boy, do you even comprehend the terms you`ve listed? lol

Please don`t answer with questions.....let`s see how well you can educate us.

tahmed, hamidm2, HP, temporal... congratulations on addition to your dwindling family of headline-fed and buzz-word fueled ignoramuses.

Another case of ``tankiyan bhernay lageen to tootiyan behnay lageen`` lol :-)~~