English, August (novel)
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| English, August | |
| Author | Upamanyu Chatterjee |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
| Publication date | January, 1988 |
| Pages | 296 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-14-027811-7 |
| Followed by | The Last Burden |
English August: An Indian Story is a novel by Indian author Upamanyu Chatterjee written in English. It was adapted for a film of the same name in 1994.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
The book chronicles one year in the life of a trainee civil servant, Agastya Sen, on his first posting-cum-training session to Madna, a 'tiny dot' in the vast Indian hinterland. "English, August" was made into a movie by Dev Benegal, starring Rahul Bose in the role of Agastya Sen.
[edit] Plot summary
The posting starts off as a tremendous culture shock for Agastya, a city boy. However, it eventually becomes one long philosophical journey and a process of self discovery. Written by a civil servant, the novel manages to capture the essence of an entire generation of Indians, whose urban realities jar in sharp contrast to that of the villages i.e., the real India.
Agastya Sen's sense of dislocation is only compounded by his extreme lack of interest in the bizarre ways of government and administration. while his mind is dominated by marijuana, masturbation and the meditations of Marcus Aurelius,images from his previous profoundly urban life. His work in Madna would ideally require him to be a devoted servant of the people.
[edit] Characters in "English, August"
- Agastya Sen – the protagonist
