Ethnic Tolerance and Nepali Nationalism in D.B. Gurung'sBreaking Twilight
Date
2016
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Central Department of English
Abstract
This dissertation explores the issue of ethnic tolerance and Nepali nationalism
that D. B. Gurung raises in his collection of short storiesBreaking Twilight. If Gurung
not only praises the ethnic tolerance feeling of his characters for their unity,but also
critiques nationalism; especially Nepali nationalism for not being inclusive. The
problem of nationalism in Nepal context is that, it does notpromotecultural diversity,
inclusiveness and heterogeneity butinspiresexclusiveness and nativism or at least
majoritarianism and coming close to racism. D. B. Gurung depictsthese problems of
nationalism in his novel through the technique of story telling and forwards the
concept of multi nationalism bygoing beyondsthe rudimentary concept of
nationalism which is more inclusive and democratic. InBreaking Twilighthis
characters; Major Himal Ale, Kopila, Pashmina suffer a lot from the Nepali elitist,
hierarchical nationalism because of its tendency of excluding the people in terms of
race, religion, gender and ethnicity. Presenting the scholars views on Breaking
Twilight and its presentation of social harmony D.B. Gurung expresses his vision of
ethnic tolerance while presenting the tolerance and blurring the hierarchy between
different problems. Gurung has justified his vision.
Description
Keywords
nationalism, Democratic Writer