Book Review : The girl in room 105

    Book Review : The girl in room 105

The girl in room 105 is novel  written by popular Indian writer Chetan Bhagat. He specially known for his English  Indian novels which focus on the problem of young middle class people. Apart from youth this novel focuses on social and political issues of India. It's a story of IIT coaching class tutor. Who goes to wish his ex- girlfriend zara on her birthday and finds her murdered. The rest of the story is about his journey to find the murderer of his ex-girlfriend and give her justice. 

● Narrative style : 

 chetan Bhagat 's novel has different narrative style including  Prologue and Epilogue. But this novel has missing epilogue. It opens  with prologue in which writer is travelling from Hydrabad to Delhi . During his travelling  he meets keshav. After some talk storyteller keshav told his story to writer. This story is different from other stories of writer. It is unlove story.  It  is a murder mystery and suspense thriller story. Writer has used very simple language . Sometimes writer has used some Hindi words to make his story more realistic. In the last part keshav and writer has exchange their number to know what happens at the end. After in the climax  story goes on and ended normally. 

● Education system :

Chetan Bhagat trying to highlight corrupt education system in India through the coaching sector named ' Chandan classes'. It shows that Education become a medium of business. 

' Business drops,your salary drops.'

‘Get out, everyone! This time it is a pay-cut. If the numbers don’t improve next quarter, I will fire people. Every faculty member must get ten new students in every quarter. It’s a must.'

Chandan the owner of chandan classes forcing his employers to find more students for his classes. He threatened his employers that if they could not able to find more students they will be fired. He also started to cut the salary of his employers. Like business , they are marketing themselves to get more students. They don't care about the future of students. The child who doesn't want to go for IIT , instead of explaining the child's  parents they misleading them for the sake of their profit. 

● Problems of Youth :  

The novel focuses on the problems of youth.Keshav works as tutor at 'chandan  classes'.He hates his job. His friend and fellow employee saurabh never wanted to become engineer. He becomes because his parents wanted him to be. He is not passionate about his job. Like this in the chandan classes parents are pushing their children to get into IIT.  Keshav convince  one student to quit IIT coaching class and follow his dream. It also highlights the youth problems like breakup, drinking ,complexity in the relationship, extra martial affairs. Youth like Sikandar joins terrorist group in the lack of proper guidance and love from family.  

● Religion :   

In the novel keshav the protagonist is from orthodox Hindu family. He has a girlfriend Zara. She is from kashmir Muslim family. Both love each other but when keshav told his parents about zara they denied to give permission for marriage because she is Muslim.  His parents emotionally forced him to break all the relation from her. On the other side Zara 's father is ready to  accept their relationship on the one condition that Keshav has to change his religion. Keshav has denied to accept his condition for the sake  of his parents. So the difference between  their religion forced them to broke their relationship. It shows the typical stereotype of Indians. 

 After the murder of Zara Lone his father denied to give permission for postmoterm because of religious beliefs. For Raghu the religion becomes saviour.Nobody has doubt on him that he has murdered Zara. 

"I almost got away with it, though. With so many Muslim suspects around, nobody even considers the Tam Brahm. Prejudices, I tell you, can be used wonderfully sometimes."

● Kashmir issue / political issue : 

  ‘India is not our country. India doesn’t care for us.’

   In this novel highlight the condition and mindset of kashmiri people. They never consider themselves as Indian. They call themselves kashmiri. It's become a political issue. Politician use kashmiri issue as weapon to get power. It also shows their hatred towards army. When the story moves to Kashmir the writer does voice the locals’ opinion. He clearly states that the people of Kashmir are not  happy with the army.  They say we don’t want to be in India,we would love either to go to Pakistan or better we have a separate Kashmir.

‘We are a problem nobody wants to solve. We are only useful as a political tool.’

 Chetan Bhagat has spent some of his childhood days in Kashmir as his father was in the Army. He wants to make people  understand  that not everybody in Kashmir has strong political views. A lot of Kashmiri people are interested in getting jobs and better education and Internet  They have no movie theaters their. It considers the thoughts of normal youth of kashmir. Not every kashmir people are terrorist many of them wish to live normal life. 

     ‘It’s a full state. Millions of people live there.’

' All terrorists.’ 

‘That’s incorrect, sir,’

● Use of social media :

In the novel chetan Bhagat shows the current modern India. People are addicted to social media. It is reflecte through the use of social media like tinder, what's app , instagram , YouTube ,twitter , LinkedIn in  youth. These all become a important key features in solving the murder mystery of Zara.  It also shows that how suicide note become  hi-tech. Sikandar has committed suicide. He has left an envelope in which he has wrote a Web link. It is private YouTube video in which sikandar has recorded his reason of suicide and upload the video and create the link before he shot himself. Chetan Bhagat uses social media for marketing his work. He has made one short book trailer  based on this novel to do publicity of his book.

●  Role of Media and police : 

In the novel explain two major power authorities Media and police. Instead of find the truth media is only interested in  blaming  others. Their debate is known as subzi mandi debate. They have a power to bring truth in front of society but they are only interested in useless talks. Like this police has power. Inspector Rana has arrested watchman Lakshman. Instead of find true  culprit he has arrested poor man for the sake of his promotion. Keshav has find true culprit instead of giving him credit Inspector praise himself in front of media. It shows that these authorities have  power to change the society but rather than do this thing they are only interested to misuse their power by threating innocent people. 

  

Assignment of The New Literature : Themes in One Night at the call center

Assignment of The New Literature :Themes in ,

To Evaluate My Assignment Click Here  

Paper : 13:  The New Literature

Prepared by : Gohil Jyotiba M.

Roll No : 16

Assignment  Topic :  Themes in One Night at the call center 

M.A (English) : Semester  -4

Enrolment No: 2069108420180016

Batch : 2017-19

Email  ID: jyotibagohil96@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi , Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

Themes in One Night at the call center:

● Introduction :

One night at the call center is novel written by Chetan Bhagat. He is the most popular writer in India. He wrote the novel about the problems of Youth. Youth is at the center in his all the novels. This can be seen as a reason behind his popularity among the youth.

His Works:

1. Five point some one
2.  The 3 mistakes of my life
3.  2 states
4.  One Night @ the Call Center
5.  Revolution 2020
6.  What young India Wants
7.  Half girlfriend

One Night at The Call Center is a novel  which focuses on  the lives of six call center employees working for Connections a call center located in the Gurgaon. In the beginning of the story the readers are presented with a frame story describing a train journey during which the author meets a girl who desires to tell him a story. However she put  one condition that he had to write a book on it if he wanted to hear the story. This condition stated that he had to base his second book on the story.

                     The novel talks about how the employees receive a phone call from God during their work timings in the call center. The characters in this novel  Radhika, Esha, Shyam, Priyanka, Varun, and Military Uncle. These six characters are deeply disturbed in the events taking place in their own lives and choose to focus on their problems rather than trying to find a way out of them.

                      In this book, chetan Bhagat trying to throw the light on the lives of the individuals in present day India.who are consist in the metro cities. The language utilized by the author is simple and contains witty remarks on civil culture and relationships. The author makes use of words that are combine with that region in the country thereby increasing the readability of this book.

Major Themes in One Night at the call center:

1) God’s Call :

                     

The call from  God is one of the major theme  in the novel. In this novel writer has presented God as a friendly figure rather than a boss. God is presented in a modern way and shown as freely figure  rather than the stereo‐typical pure English or the Latin that one commonly encounter.

The call from the God can be considered as plot mover.In the novel each characters  frustrated  from their personal problems. when they are in difficult situation they get phone call from God. When they all go outside from call center at the night go get fresh air.  After that when  they are coming back to the call center at that time their car Qualis crashes into a construction site hanging over a mesh of iron construction road.

 They are unable to phone call for anyone because there is no mobile network at that place. At that time suddenly  shyam’s mobile phone starts up ringing. All are Surprised at that time because  The phone call is from God. God talks with everyone and listen their problems and gives them suggestions to improve in their life. The conversation with God motivates all  the characters to such an extent that they get ready to face their problems with almost determination and motivation. The story takes a dramatic and critical turn through a deux ex machina when the characters receive a phone call from God.

2) Deux ex machina :

                                    

Deux ex machina is claque from Greek meaning “God from the machina”

It  is the term which has evolved to mean a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and all of sudden resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new subject, ability, characters and event . It can be intended to move the story forward when the writer has “painted himself into a corner” and sees no other way out to surprise the audience.

Chetan Bhagat also use God as plot mover. It can be considered as plot resolveance.  Deus Ex Machina is used in this novel by Chetan Bhagat when all characters met an accident and no any source are there to save their lives. So at that time God’s phone call become the plot mover.  The call from the God changed the life of all six people. The  God call save them with many messages for life. After that they all restart their lives from God's advice of living life happily and They all tried a lot of solve their problems from their lives. So the happy ending is here from God’s call. Chetan Bhagat used call of God when  characters are in trouble situation at that time he uses a call from God to resolve a plot.

3) Nationalism :

“Nationalism involves national identity, by contrast with the related construct of patriotism, which involves the social conditioning and personal behaviours that support a state’s decisions and actions”(Nationalism)

One night at the call center is also about Nationalism. The character of Vroom is Anti – American. He always criticise Americans. In the Novel Vroom insulted by Americans. He is anti -American. He says ,

“Americans suck the life blood out of our country’s most productive generation”

There is motif behind to  give jobs to Young people because Young people Waste their life to give information or solve the problems of Americans. It destroying the future of Individual. 

‘‘That I should not have taken up a job just for money. Call centers pay

more, but only because the exchange rate is in the favor of Americans. They

toss their loose change at us. It seems like a lot in rupees. But jobs that pay

less could be better. There could be jobs that define me, make me learn of

help my country. I justified it by saying money is progress. But it is not true.

Progress is building something lasting for the future.”

This lines spoken by Vroom during the conversation with God. He says that he wants to help country. He has not join call center for money. For him,  Progress is not all about money but it’s like building which is lasting for the future.

“A  thirty-five-year-old

American’s brain and IQ is the same as a ten-years-old Indian  brain.”

Vroom said this lines about Americans. They invented new things but many of are not able to know how to use that things. They need the help of Indians. In India this all inventions are not coming in use though they able to guide Americans. So from that Vroom says that thirty five year old American IQ is same as ten year old child in India. India is smarter in compare to America.

4) Globalization :

“Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology” (Globalization)

The effect of Globalization  also describe in the novel through  the struggle of each  character‘s life. The Globalization is an  economical movement. The title of the novel itself tells about the effect of globalization in call center. Thee Novel is based on the working people in Call Centre.

In the call center every workers name are changed Varun Malhotra called as Victor  , Shayam Mehra as Sam Mercy , Radhika as Ragima Jones, Esha Singh as Eliza.  These people have to change their names for American.

Through this  Bhagat wants to give message to the Indians that who working in call center they just get good salary but it not give the  opportunity to do something else or show  their skills and creativity into their work.  In the novel due to slack in software industry the call center wanted to cut down the number of employees. Its effects on the people who are working in the call center it brings all the people under burden. literally this novel  talks about the anxieties, fears, and stress of call center employees. So in the novel shows the positive and negative effects of Globalization on people’s life.

5) Modernization :

The Novel deals with the issues of young people. It is  including questions about career, inadequacy, marriage, family conflicts in a changing India. It talks about the  relationship of the young Indian middle class to both executive and ordinary clients whom they serve in the US.

In this novel chetan Bhagat’s main aim is to convey a message to the people of India through situation of the characters like the the situation of women in India. Esha  wants to become a model for that she forced to slept with forty years old designer and it represents the dark side of the India.The situation of working girl Radhika who always struggle for her identity. She is trying to justify her duty. She is faithful wife but later on betrayed by her husband who has affair with another girl. Also she is struggling with her Mother In law who never understands her. It shows the situation of Married working girl.

   In the novel Chetan Bhagat portrayed young people who drinks and smoke when they felt anxiety, suffering in their life. In the novel Chetan portrayed Women freely drinks wines and roaming outside at the night.

6) Marriage and Love :

 Marriage and love are important theme of the novel. The novel is all about young people and their sufferings. Like this Marriage and love plays vital role in changing the relationship of the character. The idea of marriage is highly criticised through the charter of Radhika. She faces many struggle in her marriage life . She manages everything her marriage life and professional life but somehow she fails into keep balance between this. Her husband has affair with another girl. It show the condition of married women struggling for her identify and love.

Chetan Bhagat portrayed the real situation of Young people. He shows the complexity in the relationship of Shyam and Priyanka and Vroom and Esha. He shows the break up of the relationship of young people. It shows the lack of understanding in the relationship which becomes the reason of broken relationship. Military uncle also loves his grandson but somehow the lack of understanding happens between Military uncle and his Son.

Conclusion :

Thus novel shows the different themes . It  shows the  different problems of the youth and gives the ideas  their solutions. Here Chetan Bhagat shows the reality of India. It shows the current problems of youth and Nation.  Through the characters it shows the problems in the relationship , Globalisation and it’s effect on the Nation , Condition of women in India. So it highlights the problems and trying to give the solution at the end of the novel.

Works Cited

http://parmarjinal161315.blogspot.com/2015/03/one-night-call-center.html?m=1

Book Review : One night at the call center

Review of the Book : One night at the call center 

The novel on@cc is written by Chetan Bhagat. He  consider as a popular writer in India. He specially known for his Indian English novels about young urban middle class people in India. The reason behind his popularity is Simple English language  because of it many people started reading English. Second he writes about problems related Youth.

    The novel opened in very interesting way. The writer put one activity to gave 3 answer before reading the novel.

1) One thing I fear
2) One thing that makes me angry
3) One thing I do not like about my self.

This activity helping us in identifying our strength and weakness. By doing this type of mental process it help us to overcome from  our weakness. It is very innovative way to enter in the novel. It is  very well connected with the novel. 

Chetan Bhagat makes very good use of prologue and epilogue in his novel. In prologue, writer himself came as character and talked with the lady who told the story on the condition that he has to write a book on it. The writer presented in prologue and told that how they got inspiration. After heard the story he collected deep information about call center employees.  In epilogue described the alternative reading. The lady gave alternative reading of the novel by replacing God lines with Military uncle. The writer has lack of Historical sense ,  social and philosophical sense as well as Mythical sense. He was not able to justified his narrative.

One night at the call center also consider as Popular Literature.Popular literature means those writings intended for the Masses and favour with large audiences. It is different from artistic literature. It only designed for the entertainment. Popular literature has ,

1) Lack of deep philosophy

2) Lack of deep spirituality

3) Not deals with abstract problems

4) Lack of morality / humanity

5) Not challenges the belief of people

6) unacceptable solutions

7) Lack of intellectualism 

   So popular literature has this kind of structure of the works. In the one night at the call center shows the solutions of the problems through character of God. It has not intellectual solution of problems. The call from God is not deeply connected anywhere. The solution of problems not acceptable in social formation. It not challenges people to  think upon their believes. The solution of problems goes like drama. It is  not  giving  deep philosophy and intellectual solution. Virginia woolf 's novel has deep intellectual and philosophical ideals. It shows the intellectual growth of writer while here writer still not go deeply in the novel. The solution of problems are like makeover not real intellectual  growth of people.  Chetan Bhagat consider as the popular writer because he deals with problems of common people. He using very simple English language because of it many people can start reading English novels. It makes him popular writer. 

In the novel describes various use of technology. The novel is consider as Cyberpunk novel. Cyberpunk is the post modern scientific genre. It is connected with science and technology, hackers ,  cybernetics and information. In the novel characters deals with email ,  bug , radio, Ms word . In the novel corporate world controls the job of workers. Vroom and shyam used bug in MS office as virus attack for terrified American people. It increased the calls in call center and save the jobs of workers. Vroom used mail to  blackmail his boss bakshi. So with the help of teachnology everything was solved. Technology become the resolving  force in the novel. Thus the novel can be categorised as cyberpunk novel. 

 In the novel also talked about the complexity in the relationship. Also it talked about the condition of woman in the society through the characters of Isha , Priyanka and Radhika. They were mistreated and cheated by men. This novel also focus on the problems on the Youth. 

   In the novel talked about Globalisation. This whole story is deals with effect of globalisation. All the characters works in the call center. They have to deal with foreigner client. They have to slove their problems. In the global world economy is at  the center. These employees insulted by foreigner though they have to speak sugar-coated language. It shows the effect of globalisation that sake of  profit and money people could do anything.  So this novel focus on many things which happens in popular time. 

One night at the call center also consider as Self help book. A self help book is one that is written with the intention to interact it's readers on slowing personal problems. It based on teaching moral lessons and build on philosophy.  In this book Chetan Bhagat focus on the real life problems. Shyam Protegonist almost lost his self confident and love, Military uncle who wants to talk with his grandson , Radhika cheated by her husband and demadable mother in law. All are fed up with  their boss. They all most lost everything in their life. 

The call from God can be considered as, "Inner voice ". The call from God helps characters to know their problems and find out their solutions by themselves. God's call just help them to find the problems and their solutions by showing right path. It's like guidance. All have problems in their lives but the right guidance gives them confident to fight with it. Like this , the call from God gave confident to characters to fight with their problems.

God gave the message that four things need to become successful : 

1) Intelligence 

2) Imagination 

3) Self confidence 

4) Failure 

Thus the book deals with the real problems of the people. The call from God or Inner call gave self confidence and guidance to six people. It shows the right path. Everyone has this kind of problems in their life. By reading this book it help them to know their problem and find it's solution. Also it gives self confidence to people.

Thinking activity : One night at the call center by Chetan Bhagat

Thinking activity : One night at the call center by Chetan Bhagat 

 This blog is part of my academic activity. To open task link click here 

1) Comment on Narrative structure of the novel one night at the call center . Compare with that of Life of Pi.

The novel on@cc is written by Chetan Bhagat. In this novel lady told the story of six people who worked in the call center. She told the story to the writer by putting condition that he should write book on it. Life of pi has the same narrative structure Mr. Patel told the story. In both works God is the mysterious and interesting force. The Element of God make both the stories interesting as well as unreliable. There is no any intellectual solution of  the problems. Life of pi' s writer has deep philosophical sense,  Historical sense as well as Religion ( Mythical )  sense which make this work greater in compare to on@cc.  Each and every thing connected with each other in the life of pi. But in the on@cc there is lack of connectivity in the events. 

      Chetan Bhagat makes very good use of prologue and epilogue in his novel. In prologue, writer himself comes as character and talks with the reader. The same thing can  find in life of pi in which Yann Martel Canadian writer meet the person. Both writer present in prologue and told that how they got inspiration. In the both work they meet person who told them stories and after that they collect deep information about it before writing novel. In epilogue there is alternative reading. After hearing story of pi Japanese agents not belived on it at that time pie told another story in which animals replace by humans. In the same happens in on@cc lady gave alternative reading by replacing God lines with Military uncle. So like this both work has Same narrative structure. 

2) What is popular literature? Is on@tcc popular literature? Illustrate.

Popular literature means those writings intended for the. Masses and favour with large audiences. It is different from artistic literature. It only designed for the entertainment. Popular literature has ,

1) Lack of deep philosophy

2) Lack of deep spirituality

3) Not deals with abstract problems

4) Lack of morality / humanity

5) Not challenges the belief of people

6) unacceptable solutions

7) Lack of intellectualism 

   So popular literature has this kind of structure of the works. In the one night at the call center shows the solutions of the problems through character of God. It has not intellectual solution of problems. The call from God is not deeply connected anywhere. The solution of problems not acceptable in social formation. It not challenges people to  think upon their believes. The solution of problems goes like drama. It  not gave  deep philosophy and intellectual solution. Virginia woolf 's novel has deep intellectual and philosophical ideals. It shows the intellectual growth of writer while here writer still not go deeply in the novel. The solution of problems are like makeover not real intellectual  growth of people.  Chetan Bhagat consider as the popular writer because he deals with problems of common people. He using very simple English language because of it many people can start reading English novels. It makes him popular writer. 

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

A self help book is one that is written with the intention to interact it's readers on slowing personal problems. It based on teaching moral lessons and build on philosophy.  In this book Chetan Bhagat focus on the real life problems. Shyam Protegonist almost lost his self confident and love, Military uncle who wants to talk with his grandson , Radhika cheated by her husband and demadable mother in law. All are fed up with  their boss. They all most lost everything in their life. 

                   

The call from God can be considered as, "Inner voice ". The call from God helps characters to know their problems and find out their solutions by themselves. God's call just help them to find the problems and their solutions by showing right path. It's like guidance. All have problems in their lives but the right guidance gives them confident to fight with it. Like this , the call from God gave confident to characters to fight with their problems.

God gave the message that four things need to become successful : 

1) Intelligence 

2) Imagination 

3) Self confidence 

4) Failure 

Thus the book deal with the real problems of the people. The call from God or Inner call gave self confidence and guidance to six people. It shows the right path. Everyone has this kind of problems in their life. By reading this book it help them to know their problem and find it's solution. Also it gives self confidence to people. 

4) How far can this novel be categorized as cyberpunk?

Cyberpunk is the post modern scientific genre. It is connected with science and technology, hackers ,  cybernetics and information. In the novel characters deals with email ,  bug , radio, Ms word . In the novel corporate world controls the job of workers. Vroom and shyam used bug in MS office as virus attack for terrified American people. It increased the calls in call center and save the jobs of workers. Vroom used mail to  blackmail his boss bakshi. So with the help of teachnology everything was solved. Technology became the resolving  force in the novel. Thus the novel can be categorised as cyberpunk novel.