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“Critiquing Om Prakash Valmiki's Joothan through the Prism of Logotherapeutic Techniques”


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Category
Articles
Publisher
Langlit And Research Center
Publishing Date
01-Mar-2023
volume
Volume-9
Issue
Special Issue
Pages
pp 196-205

ABSTRACT: Although the answer to the most profound question of human existence- “Who am I?” is determined by a set of hegemonic norms of the Caste system in India. Today, in all their struggle, Dalits can now choose the answer to “What should they do?” or “How shall they thrive?” in post-independent India. However, in the past, even the freedom of deciding “What should they do?” or “How shall they thrive?” was not available to them due to the hegemonic laws of the Caste system. Similarly, considering the tragic exterminations of Jews in Germany during the Holocaust, Dr. Viktor Frankl (1905-1997), a Jew psychiatrist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor propounded his Logotherapeutic techniques in his personal narrative- “Man's Search for Meaning” which soon became a classic of existentialist literature. This presents the premise of his revolutionary idea that man’s primary motivational force is the striving to find meaning in his life. The study attempts to apply Dr. Frankl’s therapeutic ideas to Om Prakash Valmiki’s personal writing, Joothan: A Dalit?s Life (Joothan in Hindi and translated into English by Arun Prabha Mukherjee in 2003) and unravel how Valmiki used his capacity to cope up with unavoidable suf ering to rise above his circumstances in a meaningful way. Dalit writers’ personal writings present their ‘life-af irming’ and ‘realistic’ issues of lived experiences covering themes of humanitarianism, pain, suf ering, and social transformation based on the modern egalitarian values - ‘Equality‘, ‘Liberty‘, ‘Fraternity‘ and ‘Justice’. Despite personal adversities, their demand for an inclusive society could be an empowering factor for all. Logotherapy has positive implications in human life, which stresses one's ability to tolerate adversity, to build resilience and hope in the wake of stressful and traumatic experiences. The study aims at indicating how a therapeutic reading of Dalit personal writing inspires readers to be more humane.

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