VOL 1 No 2, 2024 Research Article
Tamilmani. K.T.1 , Sridheepika. V.S 2
1Vice Principal, Associate Professor and Head, Department of English, Nehru Memorial College, Puthanampatti, India.
2Full-Time Research Scholar in English, Nehru Memorial College, Puthanampatti, India.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/jsae/v1n2/v1n214
[Article History: Received: 21 Mar 2024. Revised: 24 Jun 2024. Accepted: 04 Sep 2024. Published: 12 Dec 2024]
Abstract
Within the labyrinthine corridors of contemporary fiction, Amitav Ghosh’s The Calcutta Chromosome and Stephen King’s The Shining stand as a testament to the genre-blending potential of horror and science fiction. Despite their seemingly disparate narratives, both novels grapple with the monstrous not through spectral apparitions, but through the insidious workings of human nature and the lingering shadows of historical trauma. In The Calcutta Chromosome Ghosh weaves a tapestry of historical trauma and political allegory, where the monstrous manifests in the lingering specters of colonialism and political violence. King in The Shining, on the other hand, speaks about Jack Torrance’s descent into madness and exposes the monstrous potential within seemingly ordinary individuals, a chilling exploration of the psyche’s abyss. This shared thematic core transcends genre boundaries, forging a bridge between the psychological chills of horror and the unsettling realities of science fiction. However, their narrative approaches diverge dramatically. Ghosh, in fact, shatters linearity, employing a fragmented, multi-temporal narrative infused with magical realism. Whereas King’s The Shining adheres to a classic horror structure, employing suspenseful pacing, Gothic tropes, and archetypal characters to evoke claustrophobic dread. This narrative divergence reflects their distinct artistic visions; Ghosh’s sprawling critique of socio-historical forces versus King’s focused exploration of the individual psyche. One can gain a deeper appreciation for the genre-blending potential of contemporary fiction by examining these contrasting approaches. Horror and science fiction, often perceived as distinct, can be potent tools for exploring the monstrous, both within and beyond the individual comprehension. Ghosh and King, through their masterful manipulations of genre conventions, offer unique perspectives on the enduring power of these genres to unsettle, challenge, and illuminate the darkest regions of the human experience.
Keywords: Contemporary fiction, Genre-blending, magical realism, Gothic tropes, Colonialism.
