Vol. 5(3), pp.

67-70, May, 2014

DOI: 10.5897/IJ EL12.043
ISSN 2141-2626
Copyright 2014
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http:/ / www.academicjournals.org/IJ EL
International Journal of English and Literature






Review

Landscape: Psychological, geographical and
cultural nexuses

Sadia Riaz Sehole

Abadi Moman Pura near telephone exchange G. T. Road Lahore, Pakistan.

Received 30 March 2012; Accepted 16 J uly 2012

Through the different forms of landscape, the writers of South Asia render their texts with an
indigenous flavour as well as a universal one. This paper aims to unearth the South Asian novels, Noor
and Ladies Coupe with reference to the geographical, psychological and cultural landscape in these
works of fiction. The paper will explore the psychological nexuses of landscape with reference to
Sorayya Khans novel, Noor, while accounting impinges of geographical landscape on the psyche of
the characters. Finally, the cultural landscape will be discussed with reference to Anita Nairs Ladies
Coupe. Through an exploration of these three forms of landscape an attempt will be made to see how
landscape works as an important cohesive device that adds to the psychological, geographical and
cultural make-up of a literary text.

Key words: Landscape, indigenous, amorphous memories, diaspora, claustrophobic.


INTRODUCTION

Each day I live in a glass room unless I break it with the
thrusting of my senses and pass through the splintered
walls to the great landscape. (Peake Mervyn, 2009).

According to the oxford dictionary, landscape is a piece
of inland scenery. (Ostler, George 1930, 457) The
various defining features of a scenery thus, contribute
and represent the landscape of the area. Landscape in
Literature has become an important part of narrative at
the hands of the writer. Through his creativity, the writer
often uses descriptions of the landscape to
compliment/add to the plot or the characters of his literary
text. Christopher Salter and William J . Lloyd write about
landscape saying that it is what lies between our minds
and our horizon. (21) The writer thus establishes a
relationship between the mind and the horizon by
creatively relating the abstractness of the characters
emotion with the concreteness of the geographical or
physical landscape that surrounds him/her. Thus,
landscape in literature comes into close contact with the
development of a plot, theme or the characterization of a
character, thereby complimenting not only the
geographical but also the psychological and cultural
aspects of a literary text.
In South Asian fiction, the concept of landscape
becomes a means through which the writer gives his text
both an aboriginal tinge as well as all encompassing. This
paper attempts to explore the South Asian novels, Noor

E-mail: sadisehole@gmail.com, Tel: 03215605848

Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License 4.0 International License

68 Int. J . English Lit.






and Ladies Coupe with reference to the environmental,
psychosomatic and cultural landscape that function
visibly in these works of fiction. Herein, these nexuses
are explored turn by turn by developing a linkage of
textually and intertexuality of these texts to substantiate
the stance.
Sorayya Khans novel Noor operates on a
psychological level, where the abnormal daughter named
Noor facilitates in bringing out the suppressed past of the
characters through depictions of her innocent sketches,
drawings and paintings. Whereas Noors abnormality is
initially considered as a hindrance by the society and
even by her own father, Noor ultimately proves herself to
be a special child, who is in fact a connection between
the characters and their hidden past. Her mother Sajida
depicts the beauty of her childs talent stating that Noors
drawings werewindows into another world, far away
and distant, which might have ceased to exist without
Noor.

(Sorayya Khan, 140) Indeed, a past that they had

buried within them in a wall-sized cabinet of drawers that
(had been) nailed closed (Khan, 75) is pried open by
Noor.
Noors drawings are initially pages and pages filled in
with the colour blue. For Sajida this blue was movement
and each page revealed a different pulse (Khan, 43).
Her depiction of the water and symbolically of the Bay of
Bengal adds to the symbolic significance of the recurrent
image of water that runs throughout the novel. It
becomes an image signifying both destruction as well as
redemption. Noor not only colours the pages blue but is
also calmed by the continuous flow of water, thereby
pressing the need of the characters to confront their
suppressed guilt in order to seek the redemptive power of
facing their memories and thus filling the empty void
within themselves. Water, in the novel also specifically
denotes the destructive cyclone that hit East Pakistan
and took with it millions of lives, including Sajidas real
family. Thus, the blue coloured pages reminded Sajida of
her past life, and the wall of water (Khan, 29) that ripped
her apart from her family.
Water also comes to signify the dreaded monsoon
season which agitates Ali, for it reminds him of his murky
past during the war. Noor frequently draws scenes from
Alis memory of the war and also draws him in his soldier
suit, reminding him of the man he once was, and the
memories he now suppresses. However, the novel
reaches its climax with Alis agitation, when Noor re-
creates his memory where he supervised the burial of the
dead. The sudden rainstorm that transformed their pit into
a filthy pond, (Khan, 243) symbolically represents the
filthy, murky and marshy memories that Ali must confront.
It is the recounting of this memory by Ali to Sajida, that
finally lays Ali at rest and also clarifies the obscure and
hazy memories of Sajida. Though Noors drawing

Khan, Sorayya. Noor. Islamabad: Alhamra Puvlishing, 2003.

withheld a dark secret of Alis past, which he is finally
instigated to reveal, it is important to note that it is
through these instigations to confront their memories that
the characters are able to lay their agitated minds at rest.
While Sajida and Ali, take great interest in Noors
drawings, her father Hussain turns a blind eye towards
them. He fails to approach them with the same pride as
of his wife. For him, her drawings are a reminder of what
his daughter lacked: He believed the drawings reflected
his daughters mind, amorphous and unformed, so much
so that the ugliness of what shed spilled onto paper was
the very essence of what she was. (Khan, 44) Sorayya
Khan, however infuses a hint of irony in this statement,
for Noor does not display the ugliness of her unformed
mind, but brings out the amorphous memories of her
family which they had long suppressed. Through her
drawing of the Italian shoe, Noor reminds her father of
the duty towards his family that he had turned his back
upon. The Italian shoe reminds him of the secret
meetings he used to have with Sajida prior to his
marriage. The romantic relationship that he reflects upon
is mingled with the betrayal of this relationship in the
present. It is then that Hussain is gripped with a strong
sense of guilt and he finally begins to make amends with
his daughter and his wife. Through Noors drawings,
Hussain realizes the beauty of his daughters talent. He
begins to see, what he had initially considered as faults
and weaknesses in his daughter, as her greatest
strengths.
Thus, Noors drawings become a means of portraying
the psychological landscape of the characters. She
brings to the forefront what the characters themselves
had tried hard to hide and suppress within their minds.
She becomes a connection to their past and thus helps
them come to terms with their memories. In fact Noors
drawings can also be seen more as an initiative and an
impetus to provoke the characters to reflect within
themselves. Eudora Weltys assessment of Katherine
Ann Porters style is in fact reflective of Noors character
and the drawings she depicts. She says that Katherine
shows us that we do not have to see a story unfolding to
know what is taking place. For all we are to know, she is
not looking at it happen herself when she writes it; for her
eyes are always looking through the gauze of the passing
scene, not distracted by the immediate and transitory; her
vision is reflective.(Aggie) Thus, Noors drawings too are
suggestions that trigger the characters to see beyond her
portrayals and to reflect on their memories of the past.
Ellen Piffer also writes:

Th(e) suggestive relationship between outer surface and
inner experience, th(e) psychological-or psychologized-
landscape, mediates between the outer, objective world
and the inner, subjective world; it elicits a sympathetic
response to the characters while providing the possibility
for their objective assessment. (Pifer 1973, 274).





DISCUSSION

The geographical landscape of Noor also adds to the
psyche, setting and the theme of the novel. The new
house that Ali builds for his family speaks, as Nanijan
suspects, to the dark secrets all men of war shared.
(Khan, 53) The house has its back to the beautiful
Margalla Hills, and even the bathroom windows that
offered the view of the mountains are enclosed in iron
cages which impinged on the views of the Margalla Hills.
(Khan, 54 to 55) These strong fortresses built by Ali
portray his desire to fortify himself against the memories
of war. Whereas for Nanijan, the mountains have an
aesthetic appeal, for Ali they are merely reminders of the
war.
Moreover, it is also significant to note the destruction of
the geographical landscape. In Noor Ali comments on
the beauty and the fertility of East Pakistans land. But
with the outcome of war, this fertile land is infringed upon
and reduced to a war torn area that is characterized by
the graves of the dead. The fertile land of East Pakistan
is therefore transformed into a barren land of death. A
similar idea is also portrayed in Chandani Lokuges
Turtle Nest, where Mala, on being pregnant with
Mohans baby retches under the J ak tree and also tears
out the entrails of a ripe jak fruit. This J ak tree, is
characteristic of the Srilankan landscape and Malas
vomit underneath this tree symbolically signifies a
diseased and infected birth. It comments upon the fertility
of the character and the land that has been taken away.
On one level it hints at the colonial infiltration that has
robbed the native residents of their land. On another
level, it also hints at the diasporic identity of Aruni, who
fails to belong in Srilanka. J ust as Mala tears out the
entrails of the fruit, similarly Aruni too becomes a ripped
entrail of her mothers progeny.
Another important aspect of landscape dominant in
literary texts is the cultural landscape, which gives the
readers an insight into the way of life led by a particular
society. Anita Nairs Ladies Coupe, can be analysed in
this term. The novel gives the readers an insight into the
values, norms and the style of life that governs the
people of Bangalore. It emphasizes upon the power of
the male gender over that of the female and establishes
the society as one that is based on patriarchal power.
The novel thus, takes the readers on a journey of the
various experiences that women are made to go through
under the cultural landscape of patriarchal domination.
Anita Nair begins by providing her readers and the
protagonist of the novel, Akhila, with a narrative given by
the old woman, J anaki. Through her, Nair establishes the
age old tradition of male superiority and demonstrates
how the tradition has carried on till the modern times as
well. J anaki recounts her story and relates how she was
kept under ignorance of the entire concept of marriage.
Besides being taught the arts of cooking and cleaning,
Sehole 69



sewing and packing she was told that she must bend
herself to the will of her husband and accept whatever he
does

(Nair, 26). With this concept of the dutiful wife

drilled into her mind, J anaki narrates her eventual
dependence upon her husband that left her unable to live
without him. The young women, Margaret Shanti and
Prabha Devi also recount their experience of marriage,
where they too are expected to quietly submit themselves
to the wishes and desires of their husbands.
Through the narration of the experiences of these
women, Anita Nair points out the gaping wholes within
the cultural landscape that women were expected to
abide by. Prabha Devi, in submitting herself to the control
of her husband sadly realizes how a woman is not taught
to strike a balance in her marital relationship. If
submissive, the husband takes complete reign over her
life, and if independent, she loses the companionship she
might need in hard times. She comments:

Where is the middle path, the golden mean? ... I wish my
mother had told me what was the right thing to do. Or
perhaps the truth is, she didnt know either. (Nair 2003,
199)

Even the unmarried protagonist of the novel, Akhila is
brought up with these stereo typical concepts. Her
mother deliberately generated the myth about a tyrant
husband who was easily annoyed and could be placated
only by her complete devotion. (Nair 2003, 12) In fact the
role of the dutiful/submissive wife, as Nair points out
seeped into the smallest aspects of the life of a woman.
Even the kolam as Akhila mentions had to reflect who
you are: a good housewife (Nair, 53)
Within this cultural landscape Anita Nair situates the
protagonist of the novel, Akhila who is unmarried at forty-
five. Through her situation Nair points out the vanity of
the social and cultural landscape, upon which the entire
society functioned. Anita Nair points out how, despite
being unmarried, and being thrust upon with the role of
the man of the house, Akhila still fails to escape from the
cultural system. While Akhila is expected to shoulder the
burden of her entire family, and to fulfill their needs, she
is also expected to comply to the will of her younger
brothers for the fulfillment of her personal needs and
desires. Her independence thus becomes limited only to
the extent of providing for others and not to the extent of
providing for herself.
Anita Nair, also points out how the cultural landscape
limits Akhila in nourishing her personal desires. In
catering to the needs of her family, the subject of Akhilas
marriage shrinks into the background before
disappearing completely. However, with the appearance
of Hari in Akhilas life, Nair establishes the desires of
women who nourish dreams of being cherished, wanted

Nair, Anita. Ladies Coupe. London and New York:Vintage, 2003.

70 Int. J . English Lit.



and loved. Akhila falls in love with Hari, but it is her
cultural limitation that hinders her from continuing her
relationship with him. She realizes that her relationship
would be disapproved by her mother who lived in a world
where women never knew what it was to desire (Nair,
160) Also on a social level, Akhila realizes that she and
Hari were an anomaly (Nair, 161).
Moreover, Nair also points out how this claustrophobic
system continues to demand more and more from Akhila.
Her desire to live on her own and to break free from the
constraints of her family is tainted with the social repute
that she will have to endure. She is constantly reminded
of the reputation of her family and of herself that she
must protect:

Its improper for a woman to live alone. What will society
say? ...There will be a whole lot of questions that will pop
up about your reputation. (Nair 2003, 216-217).

Thus, the novel Ladies Coupe establishes the fick-
leness of the cultural system that limits the woman from
asserting herself as an individual. Anita Nair clearly
voices this perception through the character of
Karpagram, Akhilas friend who dares to defy the cultural
set-up that demands her to dress in white after the
demise of her husband. She states:

it is natural for a woman to want to be feminine. It
has nothing to do with whether she is married or not and
whether her husband is alive or dead. Who made these
laws anyway? Some man who couldnt bear the thought
that in spite of his death, his wife continued to be
attractive to other men. (Nair 2003, 213).


CONCLUSION

Landscape can therefore be seen as an important




cohesive device that adds to the psychological,
geographical and cultural make-up of a literary text.
Through the different forms of landscape, the writers of
South Asia render their texts with an indigenous flavour
as well as a universal one. Moreover, these concepts of
landscapes add to the creativity of a literary work.
Christopher Salter and William J . Lloyd state that The
strength of landscape in literature lies in its subtle human
qualities, (in) its potential for revealing the hidden
dimensions of human meanings, and not in its
objectivity.(22)


Conflict of Interests

The author(s) have not declared any conflict of interests


REFERENCES

Aggie (2009). Notes on Psychological Landscape. Well Read Donkey.
March, 3 2009. http://wellreaddonkey.blogspot.com/2009/03/notes-
on-psychological-landscape.html.
Nair A (2003). Ladies Coupe. London and New York:Vintage.
Ostler G (1930). The Little Oxford Dictionary of Current English.
London: Oxford University Press.
Peake M (2009). Landscape Quotes: Brainy Quote.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mervynpeak178085.ht
ml.
Pifer E (1973).Cexovs Psychological Landscape. Published by:
American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European
Languages. The Slavic East Eur. J . 17(3): 273-278.
Salter CL, Lloyd WJ (1977). Landscape in Literature. Washington: The
Association of American Geographers.


Citation

Khan SNI (2003). Turtles Nest. Alhamra Publishing, Lokuge, Chandani.
New Delhi: Baba Barkha Nath Printers.