Heteroglossia and Polyvocal Situation in Mistry’s Story Collection Tales from Firozsha Baag

Abstract

This research is an enquiry into heteroglossia, polyvocality and democratic novelistic features in Rohinton Mistry’sTales from Firozsha Baagand the valorizationofBakhtinian notion of culture that is communal, popular and carival- like. Some of the major stories oftheanthology are studied to see how the authoritarian, monologic perspectives of the characters are cancelled and no dominating, authoritarian, heroic voice rules the stories. The dominant cultural voices of dustoor, the Parsee priest are cancelled in stories like “One Sunday” and “Condolence Visit” by the relatively feeble voices of Rustomji and Daulat respectively. The ethical and cultural correctness ofNajamai’s voice that blames poor boy named Francis as a thief and beats him in “One Sunday” are tested and doubted in “Of White Hair and Cricket” and “Condolence Visit.” The unitary voices are unsettled throughout the anthology letting room for the play of multiple voices. Grotesque and carnival are valorized in the stories like “The Collectors” and “The Ghost of Firozsha Baag” in which the Eric satisfies his bodily desire making Jehangir masturbate him and Pesi chases Vera and Dolly to see their sexual organs respectively. The Parsee phrases like ‘dustoor’, ‘baap re!’establish the language- culture nexus and valorize the folk, popular culture as Bakhtin advocates. Heteroglossic, novel-like, democratic situation prevails throughout Mistry’s anthology.