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[Focus on Books]
A wife’s diary as a narrative
Professor Sunanda MAHENDRA
Title: Pathiniyakage Dinapotha (A Diary of a Wife)
Author: Shantha Wickramaarachchi
Publishers: Malpiyali publishers Dankotuwa, Sri Lanka, 2008
Page count: 248
Price: Rs. 150
This book which is written in the form of a series of diary entries
is the maiden effort of writer Shantha Wickramaarachchi, who had gained
experience via feminine Sinhala journals and newspapers of varying
types.
 According to the writer, the most intimate form of creativity is to
express thoughts, feelings and experiences through diary entries.
A reader of this series of diary entries may come across the
struggles in the life of a wife of a soldier torn between two worlds,
and children of their marriage, who gradually slip the common
opportunities of other children who are being constantly loved by the
parents.
What the reader feel is the gradual separation of Anuttara and
Lalitha, where no one can specify the reasons. But according to the
diary entries it is seen that the soldier finds himself rather aloof
from his home front and gradually attracted by another woman, who in
terms of love is shown as far more intimate and care taking. Both of
them are shown as wounded.
Wounded perhaps more due to their simple misunderstandings that grow
up culminating in a divorce. But the diary continues with both of other
happenings like the consolation on the part of other females, and even
interested males, who so wish to seek companionship with Anuttara. But
as it normally happens in many sentimental novels, the dialogues that
ensue are fused with verbal intimacies than actual physical aversions.
There are moments where the diary entries are utilised as minor
dictums wise cracks and sermons for the sake of self realisation. This I
feel is a factor borrowed from the local narrative seen commonly seen in
glossy newspapers, serialised weekly. The suspense and intimacy are the
key points underlines in these popular narratives. The writer looks
unescapable from their area.
The novel could be regarded as a suspense packed series of diary
entries linked once in a while by an authorial commentary to state the
lapse of time.
The writer desires to write a lot of things as happenings around the
protagonist’s life. But the reader may feel that it is a thin layer of
family disturbance, partly mental and partly physical, partly likings
and partly dislikings.
There is no in depth study of any character as for example the
soldier concerned is a captain whose functions or the functions as seen
by his wife never emerge as complex human experiences. Instead they are
shadowy reflections of positions, which may or may not win the sympathy
of the reader. When another male named Malinga enters Anuttara’s life,
the diary entries become packed with repeated emotions as a woman cannot
decide what one should do.
But Anuttara’s diary entries fail to record the human subtitles in
correct perspectives, as they fall into banality.
The two female characters, those of the mother and the sister emerge
as far fetched projections, that doe snot throw sufficient light and
shade to the creation.
The key factor that Shantha attempts to pinpoint in the end is the
positive and vigilant pattern of living, which alone is the sole
guidance to a tragedy. As such she wants to trigger off with a business,
for which she needs the blessings of even the separated husband and the
children. The narrative dispossesses a focal point.
As a result of discursive adventure, the reader sees that quite a lot
of dogmatism had crept into the central mode of expression. Although a
family reunion is hinted, the reader may not know exactly what it means.
In the narrative context. As such I try to draw a conclusion:
The attempt of utilizing a narrative technique through heartening,
the content nevertheless may not be so humane as a fused entity. When a
cluster of things as experiences are enveloped in diary form there is
tendency to see a clutter. This I presume is the creative mishap of the
new writer.
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