Faiz Shaikh's Blog, page 3

The Unfortunate Indians

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“This article is not directed towards the central theme of the blog. It is just something that needed to be said”

 

We live in a society. Over the course of development, we believe we have earned the right to be called a civilized society. A civilized society works as an organism, where each member is expected to perform his or her duty for the betterment of the society. The society in turn offers its members with the security and resources generated buy its constituent population. This simple philosophy can be extended to the idea behind any nation. Citizens are expected to perform their duties in exchange of their rights. With a utopian mindset, all these aspects would fulfil all requirements of a great nation. But enough of fantasy, we have seen this is far from the truth.

We come from ancestors who idolized the female form, intellect, and abilities. We have enthralled by tales of courage and forethought of many great female stalwarts of our history. But somewhere along the line, we started singling out and highlighting the more homely aspects of these stories. The courage that we used to associate with the female mind gradually transferred to stories of adherence to duty. There have been many roads and bylanes that have bought us to the present. Somewhere we, as a society, changed our opinion of what is ‘expected’ of the women in our world. The society effectively chose a set of characteristics and traits that it deemed ‘ideal’ and ‘modest’ for its women members. The women who incidentally had these traits were termed as virtuous and the rest were ignored as less worthy. It again seems relevant to point out that our ancestors celebrated the women of their age as individuals, as they were. They even associated the sexual union of the men and women with beauty and divinity. One can study the early literature to find direct instances of mutual consent in all sexual encounters. The Kamasutra is an ideal example, as it shows, not just mutual consent, but also a respect for the female desires. Now if we bring ourselves to the world around us and the various acts of molestation, harassment, and rape that we come across, we can see that the collective mindset has turned very hostile towards women.

The laws within a society always reflect the mindset of its members. The judiciary and parliament are interrelated in their creation and amendment of laws. The ministers in the parliament who suggest the bills and amendments are members of the same society that we exist in. They bear the same mindset that many of us carry with ourselves. The same might be said about the judiciary. It is not wise to suggest that education would eliminate all prejudices that the society has put in the minds of the lawyers and judges in the courts. Even if we believe that the law and the constitution are strictly adhered to in our courts, these laws aren’t created by these esteemed individuals. There have been many instances where certain judges have suggested amendments in the constitution but to no avail. The citizens are bound by these laws by the virtue of being a ‘citizen’.

As of now we have seen three defining elements within a society; its mindset, its law, and its judiciary. Let’s assume for our discussion that the judiciary follows the constitution to the fullest. The constitution in itself offers women equal rights and adequate representation. It offers them protection under The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION and REDRESSAL) Act, 2013, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of 1961) (Amended in 1986), and others. {Ref: http://ncw.nic.in/frmllawsrelatedtowomen.aspx}.

Let’s assume that we exist in a civilized society. To think that a civilized society would require so many laws to protect its female members is astounding. The counter point would be that a utopian civilized society wouldn’t require any laws whatsoever. So even if we drop the civilized part from our society, still the laws seem to assume that, left alone, the society would instances of harassment, dowry, domestic violence, rape, etc. against women. The counter point again would be that even other crimes exist in society. If we consider all crime to be based on some or the other motive we can attempt to categorize them. If we consider murder or harm to any individual, we are inclined to find some motive there. This is not to suggest that this crime is not heinous. It is simply to point out that there ideally would be a motive. What a motive does is that it essentially isolates the victim as the intended victim. This means that the danger associated with murder, including the motive, subsided with the act itself. In case where the murder is random and without any motive, it can be categorized as serial killing. Here the danger doesn’t end with the victim. The danger, in itself, is that any person can be a victim. The safe zone for everyone in the society goes down. If we make a motive scale and put premeditated murder on one side, the other side would definitely have terrorism and serial killing where there is no real motive other than causing harm to random people. Crime against women like rape, harassment, and molestation fall in the same category. The act of rape is not directed towards the individual; rather it just uses the victim to fulfil the perpetrators’ desire. This essentially means that, without motive, this is random selection, and anyone could fall victim to this. The ‘safe zone’ diminishes across society. Each violent crime against women makes the society less safe.

Let’s revisit the concept of society. The society is made up of its members. The perpetrators of such violent crimes against women come from the society as of the victim. This stems from a collective devaluation of the status of women in our society. As stated before, the society has degraded its mindset to a point that we associate a few virtues to be ideal for women. Anyone digressing from this is deemed immoral. Many such violent crimes are often blamed on the attire and the personal characteristics of the female victim. What is more worrying is that women are then further restricted in the name of protection. This turns into vicious cycle where women are reduced to objects that can de directed to function as the society pleases. The society places their beauty and ‘approved’ abilities to showcase its inclusiveness, and then places them back in seclusion. This takes us back to the earlier discussion about the correlation of rights and duties in a ‘civilized’ society. Women are expected to perform their duties, which the society dictates appropriate, but are not given the proportional rights. The same vicious cycle which we saw before ends up with women suffering within their houses. There are many instances of dowry, domestic violence, and marital rape prevalent in the average households.

If we add all up the instances of injustice, harassment, and violence against women, we would come to figure that only a fraction of them are ever reported to the authorities. There might not be any statistic to suggest the truth behind the previous statement, but we should ask ourselves how long we want to live in denial. It is true.

Up till now we have established that there are many instances of crimes against women. Let’s get back to the efforts of the society to protect its female members. In the recent past, there have been many fast track courts set up to settle issues relating to such crimes. This has come with success and relief to the liberals of the society. But it sadly is too little. There is another factor that determines the efficacy of the judiciary; the investigators. Most of the investigation and collection of proof is done by the local police. The police again have the same flaw as any other; they come from the same societal mindset. They might have their own bias towards what they consider as the ideal representation of women. This might affect their judgement while performing the investigation. Further, for some reason any kind of sexual activity in society has become ethical for its own good. It is true that marriage is a wonderful union, but it is not a necessary union. It is a union for love and companionship, not a prerequisite for sexual activity. The constitution has come to even recognize live in relationship but society has still not caught up. Sexual activity is still seen as something exclusive to marriage, and any such activity outside marriage is instantly rejected and shamed as impure. So strong are these biases that at many times innocent victims of violent crimes like rape have to live with a stigma. This apparent social stigma might affect the following of proper medical and investigative procedures by the local authorities. So in the end, even the courts of law might be left inept without proper proof, and the victims might have to live without proper justice.

Tighter legislation is not enough to protect women. We need a collective shift in our mindset as a society.

The intended point of this article is not to assign blame to any single entity. Every single person in the society has to share equal blame. We are all guilty of ‘tolerating’ all injustice against women. Somewhere we have come to accept the unsaid social laws of our society which compels us to ask ourselves, “What would the society say?” We should accept our own inadequacies and initiate a change within ourselves. We should ask ourselves, “I am the society. What would I say?” This might not seem much, but gradually enough people would believe in it and give rise to a new generation of law makers and enforces with the ‘right’ mindset.

Alas! We all have a tendency to get riled up about an issue and vow to do something about it, but to eventually let it go and get on with the daily ignorant grind of our lives. The writer of the article is as guilty of this as any reader. Here is hoping we find someone who would prove to be a difference. The only simple way to do this is to share your own opinion about this topic with at least one other person. Who knows, that one person might end up making the difference in some person’s life.

Best of Luck!

 

Image credit for central image: Unknown. Unassumingly appropriate, it seems.

Fiction

Reality and fiction follow the uncertainty principle. The moment you think about reality your thoughts and prejudices alter it and it becomes fiction.

Are You Crazy?

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Genius has its limits. Crazy transcends them all. I guess to be crazy is basically to be not aware (or not care) of your limits. This is a general idea relating to all fields of study. To excel in something you have to be a little ‘crazy’.

In the world around us, the concept of conformity has grown to unprecedented levels. Sometimes we even conform to the idea of rebellion. I know many individuals who consider themselves as anarchists. To be an anarchist is also a form of conformity. It’s playing a role that a person believes is necessary for the sustenance of society. There is some truth to that, but yet, I won’t categorize it as crazy.

So what is crazy?

Crazy is a belief. A belief in an idea, which for logical reasons, would not work. Belief, and in extension, ‘Crazy’ is firing a photon torpedo through a small shaft to take down the mighty Death Star. But we all have seen Luke Skywalker do it with ease. What was so different in him that made him trust his own instincts over the barrage of information pilled in front of him? Belief. He believed he could do it. Was he crazy? You bet he was.

We are fall faced with situations where all logical alternatives are exhausted and we find ourselves stuck within reason. That is when we have to open up our minds to possibilities. That one instinctual action would solve everything. Your instinct would triumph all odds, only if you believe in it.

Alas! Majority of people have stopped looking at their instinct. Logic is based on common sense, and common sense is based on a collection of prejudices, as quoted by the craziest individual of the new world, Einstein. No matter how brilliant your logical deductions would be it would always essentially be dependent on a preconceived assumption of the laws of reality. In simpler terms, your logic will only let you see what can be construed in world of structured causality. But we all know that is not always the case. There are always situations which act as ‘singularities’ where all laws and logic go for a toss. What would do then? Then you have to go crazy. Take a leap of faith, and trust your inner force. And the force will be with you.

Now how does relate to the art of writing. Well, it relates to the art of storytelling. A story is kind of a time capsule for your reader where possibilities are endless. You have to pepper your work with enough crazy to get them hooked. A well structured logical story is a good read, but it might not be inspirational. To make the readers believe in your story, you have to give them something to believe in. Then you have to create odds within the flow of the story in a way that all logical outcomes are nearly or totally exhausted. It is then that you unleash your crazy plot dynamics that would eventually overcome all odds. Hence, crazy is a very important part of your story.

I would like to point out that in this scenario; you had already created your character before the crazy turn. You see, it is the crazy that lifts a normal character from anonymity to adulation. And in some cases, notoriety… Remember Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker?

Image in post is from a scene in the iconic movie The Dark Knight, directed by Chritopher Nolan, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Writers Curse, Poetry by Ganzart

Reblogged on WordPress.com

The Writers Curse by Ganzart

The writers curse

Tagging around like a lady’s purse

Set to always sail on the seas of fiction

continuously sipping of self-deception

Alone is the crew on the ship of imagination

Hands chained by the illusions of his mind

Bound to always fall for the “one of a kind”

Yet in his pocket lies the key to the solution he never finds

In his greatest fear lies his wealth n treasure

The power of his words he still can’t measure

And their inevitable outcomes pain or pleasure

sinking deeply in the beauty of art

If wishes were horses , carved on the walls of his heart .

You can’t help the tearing apart

When the pen and paper have to part.

The sweet seas of fantasy

were all just a mistress

That sour cold reality

Is the jealous wife in he kisses.

The writers curse

Another blessing in disguise

Read between the lines

And look through water aiming for the skies

And find God present in his verse.

The writers curse , impossible to reverse

Ganzart

Source: The Writers Curse, Poetry by Ganzart

Visualize, Define, Evolve.

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A character… is a fictionalization of your innocence and honesty. You can never make a dishonest character. Honesty, here, means the clarity of thought with which you approach an idea. If your character is evil, then it is evil… it’s clear in your head. A character which tries to do everything often ends up as a caricature rather than reality.

A character has to be defined within its own boundaries. For this you have to create these boundaries. Now, these boundaries can be as big as a ball park or as small as a self help kiosk at a mall. Your character’s boundaries are the naturally occurring possible reactions and actions that the idea or fictionalized person would undertake in a situation. Let’s say, your character is a person who has been teaching a kindergarten class all his or her life. It won’t be realistic if you depict this person doing somersaults off a helicopter on to the top edge of the Empire State Building. Then you would have to justify that with a rich back story, that is, restructure the boundaries. The basic idea is that the actions and reactions of your character should be realistic. The realism in the story would ultimately create the suspense, emotion, and connect of your story. You have to play with your characters elements within the implied boundaries. This creates the foundation of an engrossing story.

You can define a character in many ways. Just begin at the source, which in the case of your character is your mind. Visualize. Always visualize. If you can’t visualize your character, your reader would not be able to do that either. Think of your story, think of the situation, think of the circumstances, and a simple question. Which kinds of people are most and likely to be in the situation (of the story)? Based on the nature and tone of your story, you can choose one from most or least likely person. Both have their own benefits. The most likely character to be in the story would lead to a start where your audience desires an ‘overcoming difficult situations’. The least likely character in the story would lead to your audience to expect a ‘overcoming inhibitions’ start. Where your story goes from there, however, would not much change in both cases. When you have the vague picture of your character, put the character in a pseudo simulation of the story in your mind. What would this person say in that particular situation? How would this person react to a particular impetus? It is always, when you begin your writing career, to base the core ideals of your character on yourself. It then becomes easier to visualize the characters idiosyncrasies. As you gain confidence, try to move out of your comfort zone and write about characters that are based on people around you. Eventually you would be able to characterize or humanize anyone or anything. This exercise, I should point out, is also a very effective social interaction tool. You might know what you think and feel, but it is difficult to understand the mind of another person. As a writer, you would eventually develop a sense to analyze another person’s mind and how to interpret their behavior. This might help you greatly in your day to day life. It has definitely helped me.

This brings us to the final stage of characterization, transition. The transition in your character might be the core of your story, or it might just be bonus feature. Either way, you would have to utilize your character in some or the other way in your story. The transition, here, doesn’t mean a change or shift in the core beliefs of the character even though that might be the case in many stories. It basically suggests that the character should evolve or unveil itself along the course of the story. The reader would identify your characters when you define them; by the time you are through with your story, your reader should have a better understanding of your character. More often than not, the reader would remember the character more than the plot. More often than not, it would be the character that makes the reader ‘connect’ with the story. It is a tall task to expect your reader to love your character, but it is possible. You just have to basically allow your reader to accept your character as real, even if your characters are three talking chipmunks in an upstate barn.

To summarize, I will lay down the character design process in three words: Visualize, Define, Evolve.

 

Image in post is from a scene in the iconic movie Good, Bad, and Ugly, directed by Sergio Leone, licensed under public domain.

Republic Day of India

We celebrate the Republic day of India on the 26th of Jan. This is the 68th year of India’s republic. On this occasion I would like to talk about writing socially relevant stories.

The trick with writing socially relevant stories is telling people something they already know in a way that seems fresh and intriguing. This is simple, very simple. But it isn’t easy. Simplicity would be the salt, the ingredients, and the garnishing of your story. Imagine your story as a gift on your birthday. Now you would expect a gift, but still the unwrapping should build the excitement. If the wrapping is unduly complicated and convoluted you would feel a twinge of agitation. You see when you expect a gift, unnecessary craftwork is a pain. The wrapping has to be inviting and a bit of a tease but, nevertheless, simple. This is very important while writing a socially relevant story. The wrapping is the body and structure, and the gift is the message. As you saw in my previous post, let’s divide the story into three parts; the set-up; the body; and the conclusion.

The Set-up

The set-up in a socially relevant story can be in two ways; direct or indirect. Direct set-up is when you just jump into the obvious concept of the story. Let’s see an example with the backdrop of the Republic day.

That morning…

            “It was a cold morning that day, I remember, and I sat on the floor snuggled in a blanket. I had taken up this position in front of my television, eagerly awaiting the live coverage of the Republic day parade. It had been a long weekend and my cousins had stayed over at my house. They were already playing and chasing each other. It didn’t bother me. I remember thinking to myself, ‘This is not like everyday, its special’.”

 

As you see here, in the first few lines, you can decipher the body of the story. You know the basic concept of the story deals with the parade on the Republic day. A reader can expect an easy and simple perspective of an innocent child. You can use this to put the reader at ease. This way you can control the pace of the story effectively and the reader would, probably, follow you. In a direct set-up, all the essential elements of the main story line are shown outright. This is also effective while writing a historical piece where the reader is already expected to know the major details of the events being covered. For example, if you choose to write about Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and his efforts while leading the development of the constitution, you can expect the reader to already know the major facts. The trick here then would be to create a sense of belonging by humanizing all aspects of the struggle and make it relatable.

The indirect set-up, as it is obvious by now, would involve creating an elaborate introduction without giving away the concept. Let’s see the same example (That morning) with an indirect set-up.

“Five more minutes, I thought to myself. I might have said it aloud as I felt my mother shaking me up. I sat up from my bed, still drowsy and obviously unsatisfied. It wasn’t fair, I thought, and it was quite apparent on my face. My father guessed by discomfort and sat beside me. He put his arm around me as I tried to snuggle back to sleep. It was a holiday, incidentally a nice long weekend, and I just wanted to crawl back into bed. It was a cold morning, I still remember.”

 

In the first few sentences here, the reader would not be able to figure out the path the story would take. Then when it actually becomes apparent, it may come as a surprise. This is an interesting tool, but has to be used judicially. You should manage the expectations of the reader, and not take them for granted. You should divulge just enough to keep the reader hooked. The indirect set-up is effective when you have to showcase a known fact in a fresh perspective. If you were to tell a person that he or she should respect the Republic day, they would just reply by saying, ‘That’s obvious’ and probably ask you to get off your high horse. A reader doesn’t like to be patronized. You can, however, present the same concept by making the reader feel random emotions before revealing your main message. This sudden change would create the illusion of freshness and the reader would consider your ‘often-stated’ fact as a reassuring and original suggestion. It doesn’t matter if it has all been done before; you can still be different and unique.

The Body

The body of your story would capture and exhibit most of your concept. You have to increase the pace of your story in this area, irrespective of how you started. A reader can understand your message either in terms of logic or in terms of emotion. I always prefer the later. The actual socially relevant message would, generally, be something that the reader has come across many times. The reader would even agree with and believe in that message. In such a case, catering to the logic of the reader might seem banal. As a writer, I would rather create a relatable situation to create an emotional high, or at least an emotional surge. I would try to get some of the adrenaline flowing. It is not enough to give a socially relevant message. It is, at times, more important to remind the reader, why he or she believes or should believe in the message. Let’s see the example of the story mentioned above with the direct set-up. Let’s continue with its message.

“My aunt, who was also with us, picked up the remote and changed the channel. I had heard a lot about the parade from my teachers and I didn’t want to miss it. I tried to cajole her into switching it back to the parade. She smiled in a way that seemed distant and all-knowing. She said that there was nothing new in the parade. According to her, if you have seen one, you have seen them all. It’s just a bunch of people showing off, and then you never see them all year. At that age, it was a little above my pay-grade in terms of experience and knowledge. I got bugged and said out loud that it was my first parade. My mother came in from nowhere and reprimanded me for talking to my aunt like that. It was a little funny how no one even bothered to hear me out. My aunt did, however, switch the channel back to the parade. Everyone around me then began discussing the perils of the country.”

 

The body given here is not so unusual or unrelatable. It is something that you might see in any average household. Every citizen has an opinion about their country and the freedom of speech entitles them to express it. You can initiate a discussion with such experienced and knowledgeable people and you will have a conversation filled with ‘but’, ‘only if’, or ‘I hope’. Everyone has the right to discontent. I have created a scene where there is apparent discontent, but I have a fresh mind in the middle, as the incenter. So it all becomes suddenly a perspective story. You can always state a contradictory argument to your concept within your story; this goes a long way in making your story seem realistic. Of course, then you have to create a compelling counter argument to reinstate your message. This leads us to the conclusion.

The Conclusion

Let’s just jump into the story where we just left it.

“The ‘elders’ gathered around me voicing their concerns right from the country’s governance to the smog. It was more information than I could digest. I don’t remember much that was said but I do remember the statement, ‘Forget it, it’s pointless’. Just then I caught sight of the flag onscreen. The flag was being hoisted by the Prime Minister. I dumped my blanket and jumped up to stand straight. Perhaps the elders were a little surprised and confused, but I didn’t notice much as my eyes were stuck on the flag. I heard giggles which grew into laughter. My cousins began calling me names. I felt a little twinge of sadness. Then it began. The national anthem. My father decreased the volume and asked me to settle down. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and I knew they were right before, so I said to myself, ‘Forget it, it’s pointless’. I raised my hand slowly and took it to forehead in a salute. I stood as erect as I could. And I began singing the national anthem. People looked at each other stunned. I went on, I didn’t care anymore. All I cared about was the flag. My cousins came beside me and sang with me. They too raised their hands in a salute. I think it was my aunt who stood up next, and then before I knew it, I heard all of their collective voices behind me. We all sang together, stood together, all as one. When it was all done, my father hugged me. I remember that day more than any other day. Maybe because that led me to grow up with one thought, it’s never pointless.”

 

This conclusion has a very simple message. But it is wrapped in a situation that would create interest and sustain it. More importantly, it creates an image in the mind of the reader. Delivering a compelling message is important but it’s only half the work. You have to create a false memory in the mind of the reader. A false memory is something that didn’t actually happen but still seems like an actual memory. The idea is that when your message, or scene, occupies this space, the reader is likely to remember it far longer. You can always play around with how you showcase your message. You just have to make sure that it gets ample attention. Your message, in a socially relevant story, is the star of the show. It should get center stage. You want the reader to recall the story when they think of the message.

I want to deliver my own message through this post. When you celebrate the Republic day, remember that it’s never pointless. Enjoy it.

Image in post by Antônio Milena, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported.

The Journey of a Story

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What is a story? A story is essentially a journey. A journey from point A to point B in our mind. While reading a story the reader might be sitting in one place but might travel a great distance. This journey generates emotions in the mind of the reader. This journey in itself transverses through a longer timeline than what the reader takes to experience it.

A journey is a beautiful thing as it is an experience and an event bundled into one thing and its end begins a new chapter at its destination. A journey is a commitment towards an end. A story does the same for the reader.

Let’s break down the structure of the story in terms of an enthralling journey.

You begin a journey. It requires the belief that the journey would lead you somewhere and that is why you follow its path. The same way a good story has to draw the reader across a desirable path in order to stir up interest. The story has to seem inviting with a promise of better things to come. It is an art to enthrall the reader in the first few sentences, to make the reader look forward to something. This is what happens at the beginning of a journey; a journey can have a torrid or an amazing start. A torrid start would dampen the expectations from the journey and the travel might feel compelled to be critical along the rest of the way. You have to hook the reader in the first few paragraphs. Try to make your start relevant and absorbing without giving too much while creating a mist of mystery around the succeeding content. If you begin on a high, the reader would be warm and accepting towards the rest of your story.

The second and the major part of your journey, is the journey itself, the fact that you are moving from your source to your outcome. A story set-up builds into the body of the story. This is where ‘something’ happens. This ‘something’ can be any event of significance. Significance is a very manipulative concept. Any particular person can award varying degrees of significance to a situation while another person would dole out a totally different set of significance standards to that same situation. Significance, then, is in the eyes of the beholder. And there in lies your greatest tool as a writer. You can create significance over the most uneventful of circumstances. Maybe a traveler saw a passenger swatting away flies which made the traveler realize that he or she had forgotten to pack insect repellent. Not having insect repellent might change the entire experience factor of the traveler’s destination. This is a very practical and straightforward example. Within the body of the story, the journey, you can relate to any event or situation and signify its necessity in the pace of the proceedings. You guide the reader through your work all the while directing them to the various significant events in the story. You create experience stations and an action wagon in your journey. You can control the pace of the story as you want, but beware, if the journey is slower/faster than expected the traveler/reader would get bored/disoriented.

And finally, the destination. If you think about the term ‘destination’, it is only relevant because of the journey. Only a journey can have a destination. When you arrive at a place, you are there in the present and it is no longer your destination. It becomes your source. A destination is made significant only by the journey. The set-up and body of the story has to, ideally, lead to a logical convergence and conclusion. You have to make sure that the directions you let your reader take, has led to a fitting, expected or unexpected, destination. To put it simply, your story has to be compatible with its ending, don’t just go in for shock and awe and loose the plot; the plot has to be justifiable at all points. The emotions of a traveler after a good journey are bittersweet. The traveler is happy to have reached the destination but is still somber as the journey has ended. A journey, and a story, has to end, that is its nature, and what makes it relatable to life. The end would always be expected, how you as a writer deliver it, would make the reader remember you. The set-up defines the reader, the body defines the story, and the conclusion defines the writer.

Image in post is from a scene in the iconic movie Strangers on a Train, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and distributed by Warner Bros., licensed under public domain.