Critiquing Creative Writing in Sri Lanka
The shortlist for this year’s Gratiaen Prize has been announced and the readership of Colombo eagerly awaits the final decision come March 24th.
As such it would indeed be a good time to examine the state of creative writing in Sri Lanka at present.
The fact that SL has a flourishing publishing industry is painstakingly obvious. One merely needs to browse through the book racks of Vijitha Yapa to note the growing number of relatively little known writers among the likes of Carl Muller, Yasmine Gooneratne and Nihal De Silva to name a few.
While appreciating the growing industry, it is important that Sri Lankans do not forget that creative writing requires certain standards and talent. Having read Lal Maddawattegedera’s The Window Cleaner’s Soul which was shortlisted for the Gratiaen a few years back has left this writer to seriously question the ability of the Gratiaen Prize to set the right kind of benchmark for Sri Lankan literature.
Having gone through the horror of a couple of really putrid books by authors I have thankfully forgotten it is indeed with a deep sense of regret that I wonder why Creative Writing in Sri Lanka has never really been able to attain a greater global audience. If one leaves out Michael Ondaatje, Romesh Gunesekera and Shyam Selvadurai, simply for the fact that they are more “foreign” writers, Sri Lankan literature looks rather bare.
This is not to say that Sri Lanka is incapable of producing writers of the caliber of Kiran Desai or Arundhati Roy. Nihal De Silva and Carl Muller as well as Jean Arasanayagam have all been great proponents of Sri Lankan Creative Writing in English.
My point however is that homegrown writing in English is woefully below standard at present.
This is why the Gratiaen Prize becomes imperative to the future development of creative writing in Sri Lanka. It serves to set a benchmark for what should be achieved and in that sense it should do its best to attain a high standard. Perhaps even going so far as to not award the prize if there is no work that should be awarded a prize.
This writer also firmly believes that there is an urgent need for the educational authorities to institute creative writing as part of the curriculum in secondary and tertiary education. The ability of writers need to be developed in a more formal environment as well. This is not to suggest that structures and theories be imposed on students but rather that in a formal educational environment space for creativity be provided for those seeking such guidance. It could take the form of the informal Inklings of Oxford lest this writer be accused of being pedantic.
Furthermore the staging of such events as the Galle Literary Festival is a step in the right direction. However, the benefits accrued by the Sri Lankan readership needs to filter down to the writer as well. While exposure to the writers of international standards are useful and workshops at the festival no doubt come in handy is there any possible means of sustaining that good work throughout the year?
This writer does not wish to seems as though he has all the answers. However it is time that Creative English writing in Sri Lanka get the boost it has long been in need of. Yes lets encourage young writers and yes lets give them the publicity they deserve. But never never let us compromise on quality.
Which is why this year’s Gratiaen Prize will be eagerly looked forward to. So it is hoped that the Gratiaen prize will do its best to set a benchmark for the future of Sri Lankan writing in English. I have not had the opportunity to read any of the books shortlisted for the prize. But it is my hope that when I do I will be encouraged to continue looking forward to the arrival of the next Michael Ondaatje who is Sri Lankan in every sense of the word.
Sophist said,
March 16, 2007 at 11:44 am
Spot on mate. There is some horrible rubbish that gets churned out. Not to say of course that there haven’t been worthy winners. Putrid is being very kind.
Negligible Minoritist said,
March 16, 2007 at 11:54 am
Thanks for the comment Sophist.
I meant the post to be a starting point for discussion on what more can be done to improve the standard of writing in Sri Lanka.
Any views on that would be much appreciated.
Regards,
N said,
March 16, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I find the classification of Selvedurai and Gunasekara ‘more foreign’ intriguing, how does one define that? Both write about Sri Lankan situations even though they aren’t technically ‘resident’..comes back to that blurry question of identity I guess (but thats a whole other discussion).
Yes there is some awful tripe out there thats been published recently, ‘while good men slept’ by shirley de silva and ‘monsoon dreams’ by nilani de fonseka are examples of books that simply should not have been published.
The problem wiht improving the standard of writing in SL is that the general standard of English in schools is so poor. Writing semi standard English literature is generally limited to the ‘elite’ so to speak. Sinhala and Tamil literature are probably of a higher standard but then cannot by definition get wider exposure. I think until the basic English training issues are fixed we won’t see much change in writing standards.
That said I think Romesh Gunasekera kicks Arundhati Roy’s ass big time! Of course the fact that Reef is my favourite book of all time may make me a tad biased
Negligible Minoritist said,
March 16, 2007 at 12:59 pm
N,
My basis for classification is the fact that their talent was cultivated mainly away from Sri Lanka. But again it is a question of identity and I remember reading about the problems facing the Asian version of the Booker Prize in defining Asian Writers (in the Sunday Times some time back).
Yes I do agree with you about the issue of the standard of English in SL. But to address that would require an entirely new post which I will get down to soon. But yes I appreciate your point. On the “elite” who are able to contribute to creative writing in English would you not agree with my assertion that too little has been done (beyond publication of every Dick, Tom and Harry by every Harry, Tom and Dick) to develop any potential writers the SL does possess?
Well I don’t want to argue about which book is better because thats not the point of this discussion. However based on that the point I would like to make is that the definition of a “good book” is mostly subjective and which is why I again stress the importance of the Gratiaen Prize in bringing objectivity to that standard.
Anyway thanks for the comment and I do hope that there is more discussion as a result.
Regards,
Amelie said,
March 20, 2007 at 10:22 am
Was reading your comments on the Gratiaen. Come on, I read The Window Cleaner’s Soul too, and I found the stories to be interesting parables on life in the lower rungs of Sri Lankan society. Even though there’s room for improvement, I definitely think that the little book is far from being putrid. Believe me I have read worse. David Blacker’s ” Cause Untrue was shortlisted, for crying out loud!
Negligible Minoritist said,
March 20, 2007 at 10:34 am
Hi Amelie,
Well I don’t want to get in to an arguement with you about The Window Cleaner’s Soul as it would be pointless as taste is subjective(the point I make with N) . I know of some people who do not like God of Small Things for example and others who swear by it.
The point however is, (and from your comment as well it seems clear) that so far the Gratiaen has not really done its best to provide a benchmark for Creative writing in Sri Lanka whatever the book or whoever the author may be.
So while each book will have its detractors and enthusiasts the point is that the post points out that the objective standard or criteria for this determination should be set by a prize like the Gratiaen.
Thanks for your comment though.
Regards,
Amelie said,
March 20, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Hi, yeah, point taken NM. Thanks. Hey btw, you do admit that judging and evaluating literature is more often than not, subjective. I agree. Objectivity can be brought out by means of criteria, for sure. However, even within that ‘objective’ criteria, judges finally would be subjective to some extent. This time too, I read about the criteria that the Gratiaen Panel had come up with and announced at the shortlist. Does this mean that they are trying to be objective, as many other panels have tried? Tell me what you think…. And thanks for this valuable forum and your writing.
Negligible Minoritist said,
March 20, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Amelie:
Yes I do agree that there will be some degree of subjectivity involved in the judging process.
However, as a panel of “experts” (and I use that word hesitatingly) the hope, I believe is that that subjectivity would be colored to a great extent by a certain standard of excellence due to their exposure to “good” creative writing.
How a lay person defines good writing and say a Professor or Writer defines good writing may be different due to either greater exposure or greater understanding than the average reader. Thus while there is that element of subjectivity my personal belief is that in any judging panel that element would to a great extent be a result of a broader understanding of literature as a whole.
I could be wrong in this assessment though… What do you think? Perhaps there should be a more reader inclusive selection process at least for the long list.
As to your later point about the attempt to be objective… I think many of the previous panels have done exactly the same thing i.e being open about the judging process. But doesn’t that lend itself more to transparency than objectivity?
On this note my question to you then is what do you think should be part of the criteria for selection? Through a discussion of that nature we may come closer to a common understanding of what defines ‘good literature”.
Thanks for the comments… keep in touch.
Regards,
Amelie said,
March 24, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Hi
a story, novel, poetry or drama that is not only interesting to read / view but also which transcends its own setting / time and can ultimately be applicable in a universal sense, to the human condition… a work of creative writing that makes you stop and think and re-think your position or stance on some issue, or idea, something that you remember long after you have closed the book or left the theatre… something that you experience and it somehow touches your life in a very real way….. Ok…that’s it…
yeah, sorry for the delay in responding… definitely more exposure and some kind of ‘training’ in the evaluation of literature from around the world would greatly help objectivity. I believe that is the rationale of the Gr. Trust’s choice of judges each year… one representing a writer, an informed reader and an academic, often someone who has studied English lit at university upto a masters or phd level. I’m gonna make a feeble attempt at judging ‘good’ literature….
nice talking to you
Amelie said,
March 24, 2007 at 3:23 pm
PS…. Are you gonna be at the Event tonight? I am….
Gratiaen Prize 2006 awarded - Any thoughts on the Winners? « Negligible Minoritist said,
March 26, 2007 at 10:58 am
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