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Hard Times to magic realism: Friendship owed to literature
She helped me understand what literature truly has to offer, which for many was otherwise just a conventional degree programme.
How do you turn a timid and solitary person into someone vibrant, colourful, and brimming with love for every little thing? It happens when she finds a friend, someone far more than just a BFF or a social media story prop in these Instagram-driven times.
Those were my graduation days. She spotted me in the hostel, glued to my copy of Hard Times by Charles Dickens, while everyone else was busy chatting, dressing up, or planning a night out. In those days, Delhi University felt like a daunting dream spot for small-town girls like me. My world was suddenly rejuvenated when this girl, then just another hostel mate, now my best friend, approached me with comforting words.
Since Diwali was around the corner, she appeared out of nowhere with a box full of chocolates. At the time, late-night readings of the History of English Literature were enough to drain the zeal from even the most dedicated students. Yet, she, a fellow English Honours student, seemed so calm and poised that I was convinced to give Dickens a break and head out into the quintessential era of college life with a redefined perspective.
From laughing at Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal to being blown away by Gabriel García Márquez’s magic realism, we enjoyed every bit of the unprecedented world of art and literature as it unfolded. Literature offers an elixir of life; it keeps one enchanted—in a trance, if you will. The Canterbury Tales kept us hooked, while Greek mythology trivia became the very thing we craved.
She helped me understand what literature truly has to offer, which for many was otherwise just a conventional degree programme. Because of the scepticism many relatives raised regarding my chosen course, I had been cornered by self-doubt. I had no prior experience in deciphering complex literary texts; what I needed was a guide to help me find the light at the end of the tunnel, especially when faced with heavy, hardbound volumes like Middlemarch and Tom Jones.
It is fascinating how a person can reboot your perspective, reinvigorating a subject altogether. From delving into Biblical allusions to visiting the aesthetically rich Akshara Theatre in Delhi to experience a live Shakespearean play, we built a spectrum of otherworldly memories. Even when one of us couldn’t make it to an event, the other would keep the tradition alive, attending alone and returning to narrate the episode with unmatched thrill.
This reminds me of the time I went to Ambedkar University to watch Márquez’s The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and Her Heartless Grandmother being staged. The evening ended with the launching of many lanterns into the sky, driving away the darkness the play embodied.
There was so much enlightenment in those five years of studying literature. It has churned out moments for a lifetime—throbbing, pulsating memories that shape the everyday flight we all aspire to take, unapologetically, unconditionally, and unhesitatingly.
Such is a friendship owed to literature. alpana193@gmail.com
The writer is an assistant professor in English at Government College, Jatauli Haily Mandi, Gurugram.
