Rajan Prasad Pokhrel's Beyond the life lines: A critique of Nepalese Socio-Cultural Paradigm

Abstract

This study analyzes and explores the novel Beyond the life lines written by Rajan Prasad Pokhrel as a socio-cultural paradigm that aims to present an analysis of the novels plot-characters to show how the novel brings out with socio-cultural problems of the Nepalese society and presents a slice of its history. The main issue of this study is to refer social and cultural problems prevailed in the then Nepalese society with an inadequacy of the political independence for the marginalized people. The study uses the political-cultural theories to analyze the text. Within and around the political-cultural aspects, the study uses the concept of class struggle, exploitation,dehumanization, oppression and humiliation to analyze the issue in the study. The novel begins with a short introduction of the writer and his background, introducing the political-cultural aspects, and then presenting an in-depth analysis of the novel's plot and characters to show how it is a critique of the Nepalese society. The study finds that Pokhrel reflects the social problems of the then society through his novel.The concepts of high caste and low caste, the touchability and untouchability, and the aristocrats and the ordinary people are based on the amounts of power being used. Insecurity, indeterminacy, uncertainty, humiliation and political short sightedness, lack of commitments and unfair practices and a number of discrepancies in almost all areas have caused serious frustration and fugitive tendencies in the people.Nepal experienced a large amount of bloodsheds in the recent years, but the people's expectations of the progressive transformations in the social and political systems have been badly betrayed by the political leaders.The sufferings of the punishments of the poor, helpless and deserted women on the false charges of witch and witch-crafts are still alarmingly formidable in the backward areas. This research concludes that progress and reformation are very important for the people of all walks of life which is possible only through dynamic and revolutionary thoughts.