Monday, 28 January 2019

Thinking Activity on "One Night @ the Call Centre"

This blog is part of my academic activity. To know more about it click here.


1) Does the novel have social realism? If yes, illustrate. If no, what did you expect as social realism which is absent here.

The realistic depiction in art of contemporary life as a means of social or political comment called the social realism. So, yes, the novel do have social realism. Chetan Bhagat has taken the side of young people and may be because of that, some people believe that the novel don’t has social realism but it do has. For example, when everyone are taking call centres in positive way, Chetan Bhagat takes the side of youth, understands their problems and he said that call centres are sweat shops.  Then break-ups, divorces, extra marital affairs and harassment of employee or job seekers. These all are happening in our society and that is what Bhagat has shown in his novel. Love and break-up of Priyanka and Shyam, Divorce of Radhika, Extra marital affair of Anuj, Bakshi’s harassment of Shyam and Vroom and also Esha’s molestation by some producer. By looking at all these things we can say that yes this novel do has social realism.

2) Comment on Narrative structure of the novel. Compare with that of "Life of Pi".


We can found many similarities between Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” and Chetan Bhagat’s “One Night @ the Call Centre”. Both the novel has prologues and epilogues. Both has central theme of God. But there are differences also. Bhagat’s novel has shallowness and because of that it becomes popular literature. While Martel’s novel has become Real literature. We can see Bhagat’s shallowness in his characterization. On the other hand Martel has built his characters very strongly. For example we can take difference in both of the novel about faith in God. Martel has shown his character believe in God because from the childhood he has brought up with different religions. But Bhagat has not shown anywhere his characters praying then even when call of God comes they easily believe in it. This shows Bhagat’s lack of characterization. This way both have similar narratives but comparatively Bhagat lacks the sincerity.

3) What do you understand by self-help book. Is on@tcc self-help book? Illustrate


The self help books are one which instruct readers to solve their personal problems. One Night @ the Call Centre also falls under the category of self help books. There are many reasons behind it. The first one is at the beginning it has the worksheet. The book asks readers to fill the worksheet before starting the reading of story. It talks with readers. The questions are meaningful, though the purpose was not told before. But while the story reaches to its climax and leading towards the end, we got the answers of our questions or rather solutions of our problems. When God calls in the story, he asked to do things on their own. He instructs them, rather than spoon feeding. It also provides basic motivation to those who are at the beginning. That motivation helps readers to push themselves in starting. At the end the solutions of problems, which are asked before starting the story was given. Thus, we can say that One Night @ the Call Centre is self help book.

4) Is this novel anti-America? Illustrate it in context of theme of nationalism.


Yes, this novel is anti-America. In call centres, instructors are teaching to the trainee that Americans are dumb. The 35 year old have same IQ as the 10 year old Indian child. Further God in his call says that America is most frightened nation. Because any nation which is constantly at war with other nations can not be great. In terms of nationalism, Bhagat has criticise the way of teaching American accents to Indians for getting jobs in Call Centres. He has also criticised the system of giving American names to the employers. Bhagat has criticised whole Call Centre culture. He has called call centres as sweat shops, which are ruining our best and productive generations. As the call centres jobs are coming from America, by satirising it, Bhagat is satirising America. This is how we can say that this novel is anti-America. 

Thank you.

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