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| Wednesday, 18 January 2004 |
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Pleasant novel with socio-political backdrop Punchi Sir Punchi Sir portrays the social struggle and selfless commitment teachers make in the Sri Lankan society in order to create an environment for the establishment of a just social order which would be beneficial to all members of the community. This fact was stated by unfolding the life story of Ranga Jayasinghe, who made a living as a devoted teacher and a social star. In Punchi Sir we see an analysis of the flow of the social life of our people pertaining to the period of 1970 - 1990. In doing this, Saman Dissanayake confirms his place as one of our most important writers of popular fiction. Ranga Jayasinghe alias Punchi Sir started his life as a young man with shattered hopes and disappointment. His father lost his job and his family income dried up. As such Ranga had to play the role of the bread- winner to help his parents. Thanks to the support and help given by the priest he started a career as a private school teacher and created an institution tutory by himself. This helped him to lead a life without getting into debt. Further to this he helped his brother to complete his studies as a medical student. His first marriage was short lived. His son was given up to his brother for adoption following the death of his wife. He re-married. His second wife, a nurse, and took care of him whilst he was in hospital. She herself was an orphan. This second marriage was successful, with a lovely daughter and son. As time passed he became a respected and desired person by all, including the Member of Parliament. The MP depended on Ranga's guidance and advice. He experienced several unpleasant episodes as a result of the corrupt political and social system. Yet he kept his head above water and maintained his dignity and honesty as a teacher. He passed away under tragic circumstances and it was an enormous loss to his young daughter and son. They struggled their way through to continue with their lives. Eventually Punchi Sir's son of his first marriage, who went to USA with his brother Rangana, returned to Sri Lanka and rescued them from poverty, following which they all began to lead a contended life. This is the summary of the story of "Punchi Sir". In presenting this story to the readers, Saman Dissanayake has connected various incidents in a clever and masterful manner, for us to feel that they were true statements of life. As an individual "Punchi Sir" was a pious man. It is certainly correct to many that he was a noble human-being. His lifestyle was democratic and socialistic. This is the reason why he always had the guts to question certain actions of the government and People's Liberation Front. True, he was a member of United National Party with capitalist policies, but he never functioned as a slave of the party. His services were available to all, yet suffered heavily in the hands of the followers of other parties. This is the destiny of many "People-oriented" individuals. Corrupt Society "Punchi Sir" signifies how difficult it is to lead a just life in a politically, socially and commercially corrupt society. I guess we have a fairly standard image of the Sri Lankan society in the 1970s and 1990s. Needless to say, the despotism and violence were the order of the day for along time during that period. Saman through "Punchi Sir" questions whether there is a need for the citizens of a country to continue with experiencing violence, bloodshed and uncertainty of life. Truly all citizens should have freedom to enjoy their lives with no fear. This should be modelled based on the social and human characteristics of Punchi Sir. In this sense, Saman is passing his socio-political philosophy onto the community as a social reformer and thinker. Quite often in our society we see many individuals with several behavioral patterns. These behavioral patterns are connected to the time and day-to-day happening to rule our life. Punchi Sir was a rare person who did not allow social incidents - how much unpleasant they were, to sink his life. Loss of his father, loss of his wife, political transfers and so on he faced with courage and confidence and continued to lead an exemplary life. Thus if we can instil such noble qualities in ourselves to build our lives, society in which we live will certainly be a peaceful, harmonious and just place. This is the social order "Punchi Sir" and many other teachers envisage to build in Sri Lanka. This is why characters in "Punchi Sir" are socially politically and religionwise, tolerant and cohesive. Language Punchi Sir is well written. In doing so, Saman has used the language in an appropriate manner to make the readers' imagination realistic. It was Sacic Bellow, a well-known fiction critic, who once said: "There are two ways for fiction to go - one is to use uncharged language which subordinates itself to the story and characters entirely and the other is to use charged language." Saman Dissanayake somehow does both, story-teller and stylist, his often simpler, yet lyrical prose here achieves a nerveless hypnotic clarity. Saman has used the right words and idioms of the Sinhala language in a crafty manner. His style of writing makes Punchi Sir irresistible in its appeal. Punchi Sir is a pleasant novel to read with interest and commitment. It leaves the reader with enough thoughts to chew. Saman should be congratulated for presenting a story of human interest with a social-political backdrop familiar for us to dwell and ponder upon. Dr. Medis L. Piyosoma J.P., 4, Galah Close, St. Clair 2759, Australia. **** Back **** |
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