The Politics of Spatial Representations in Alahayude Penmakkal, Madhuratheruvu and Eri

Abstract

Both theoreticians and critics have acknowledged the various ramifications of time in literary creations. However, until recently, space has remained an unexplored entity in literary discourse. The active role that space plays in the process of historical evolution has been overlooked by those who prioritize time as an active and dynamic agent of social change. Nevertheless, thanks to the insights of thinkers like Michel Foucault, Frederic Jameson, Henri Lefebvre, David Harvey, Edward Soja, and others, a “spatial turn” has occurred, prioritizing space over time in theoretical deliberations. Space has begun to be seen as a vital agent for social changes and historical events. The idea of physical space has given way to the notion of social space, where people and space are engaged in a constant dialogue to produce new meanings. Negotiating space as an organic form that plays crucial roles in people’s lives and histories has deep implications for the study of literature. This paper seeks to unravel how space acts as a matrix of meaning and memories in the production of social relations, functioning as a catalyst for the simultaneous production of power and resistance in the Malayalam novels, Alahayude Penmakkal (Sara Joseph), Madhuratheruvu (NadeemNowshad), and Eri (Pradeepan Pampirikkunnu).