Father Figures Arabian Asian Literature
Father Figures: Arabic / Asian Literature
Father figures all across the world embody a phenomenon which encompasses all attributes of a role model. They are meant to stand for discipline, caution, protection, guidance, and of course, love. The perfect amalgamation of all these can be found in the patriarch of any household, or any culture, for that matter. As such, the perfect patriarchal example is nothing short of a literary archetype. From Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" to Puzo's "The Godfather" we can find numerous examples of father figures establishing the age-old belief in fatherly conduct.
It is true, that the general conception of father figures is more or less the same in all areas of literature. However, one must pay heed to the fact that just like miscellaneous traditions; the perception towards father figures varies from culture to culture. Needless to say, the significance of this role is ever pertinent to any society. As far as Arabic or Asian culture is concerned, one should have the capacity to estimate that the father occupies the role of a character's conscience. The amount of respect allotted to a fatherly person is so great that denying it would be nothing short of sacrilege. A father or guardian is expected to know what is best and to find the best way around it. Such weight is not only amounted due to custom, but also due to religious obligation. The father upholds a strong and undying sense of derivation: forever reminiscent of one's roots. Father figures in Arabic or Asian literature, therefore, display that strong source of staying grounded and holding fast to the rope of one's original belonging. Fathers, as such, are largely meant to embody a moral compass, and hence it is very stimulating to see things through an Arab or Asian eye, whence examining their literature.
For instance, the poem "Self-Portrait" by A.K. Ramanujan is a poem that despite its short size is a goldmine of wisdom. It pays homage to all fathers; in fact it pays tribute to recognizing one's pedigree as a whole. It can be therefore, regarded as the ultimate advice from a staunch functionalist: the sum of parts is greater than the individual fragment. The poem designates great reverence to the writer's father. Ramanujan intelligently explains his feelings towards his father, when saying, "I resemble everyone but myself" (Ramanujan). This line is the true essence of the entire poem, for it describes how the writer perceives himself in connection to his ancestors. He seems to realize that he bears resemblance to everyone around him and before him, in a manner that suggests that he is a lone fragment in the solution of mankind. He lacks any sense of individual identity whatsoever. It is interesting to note that an individual identity is what any man would take pride in, but not Ramanujan. Instead he seems to be of the opinion that to find your place in the realms of one's origin is worth much more than individualism.
Ramanujan then goes on to explain how his sense of rationality is shaken when it comes to who he really represents. He dwells on how he sees "the portrait of a stranger" when looking upon his own reflection. He drives his point home by emphasizing that this belief is directly in contradiction to the "the laws of optics." But he believes it with a conviction which can confront any scientific law. What he really means to convey is that when he reflects upon himself, he finds another person altogether, a person who is far greater than what he imagines his own self to be. And no amount of logic can alter this faith. To look upon you and find traces of a role model is the world's greatest yet rarest pleasure. And that is what the poet articulates in a beautifully succinct manner.
In the last two lines of the poem, the great mystery of the writer's identity is finally unveiled. He reveals that he sees "The portrait of a stranger, date unknown, often signed in a corner, by my father" (Ramanujan). He comes to the ground breaking conclusion that he is but a mere
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