Aarachaar as a Clarion Call for Individualism

Abstract

The relationship between word and what it stands for may be arbitrary. But it has been tested and proved time and again that word can be more powerful than the sharpest weapon on Earth. According to the Vedic rishis, using words with discrimination and propriety is equal to honing and sharpening a weapon. This is why even men who possessed nothing but strong language and powerful rhetoric were able to make changes, positive or negative, in the world. This is also the reason why a piece of literature, written in a powerful language, always captures the attention of critics and readers. As Longinus suggests, lofty language can take a reader to the state of ecstasy. This article discusses such a powerful work of literature, which won great critical acclaim for the ideas it conveyed through a powerful language - the Malayalam novel Aarachaarby the renowned writer K.R Meera and translated by J. Devika under the title Hangwoman. The article looks into the development of the protagonist from a vulnerable woman to an opinionated and resilient individual. It also explores how a strong plot with an exemplary narrative style, unparalleled language and sound thoughts can excite the readers and affect them into challenging and expanding their perspectives.