When Subtext Takes Over Text

A good fiction novel not only gives you comfort, but it also uplifts you emotionally. The reason I gravitate towards fiction – my favourite genre – is because it transports me to a world I have never seen before. It will take me to the landscapes of Afghanistan, the bustling streets of Abuja or the bylanes of 1960s Tehran.

What really makes for a great fiction novel depends on the reader, hence an excellent subtext makes me love fiction. Yes, you heard it right, it’s the covert theme of the novel more than the overt narrative.

This distinct layer to a novel makes it worth a read and even a re-read.

While I have thoroughly devoured Elif Shafak’s novels, it is the subtext in those novels that stood out for me.

Her novel Honour isn’t just a story about a son facing a jail sentence because he killed his mother; it talks about Turkish society and its patriarchal overtones. It sheds light on the condition of women in a society that is ruled by men. These women neither have a voice nor agency over their lives. The dexterity with which these societies are portrayed in the narrative and how these communities suffocate the very existence of a woman make them stand apart.

Besides women, the other marginalised sections of society are also depicted in a sublime fashion.

I remember reading Bastard of Istanbul by Shafak, a few years ago, and getting to know a piece of history. The book dabbles with the sensitive issue of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Empire.

History is not my choice of subject to read, but to be able to read modern history wrapped in an engaging story is my favourite way to learn about the world.

Iranian writer Marjan Kamali’s The Stationary Shop of Tehran will transport you to Iran of the 1950s, grappling with political turmoil, besides being a gripping tale of love and longing.

Also Read: Finding My Way Back to Fiction

The love story set in the backdrop of political upheaval maintains a fine balance between fact and fiction without diluting the love story that will leave you asking for more in the end.

Major political events mark the existence of countries on this planet, and the African continent continues to intrigue the world with its diverse culture and significant history.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun is renowned for its depiction of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). The way Adichie shapes the story is a reflection of her art and the Nigerian society’s hierarchy.

Another masterpiece by Adichie, according to me, will be Americanah. The novel is as much a story of a young Nigerian woman navigating life in America as it is about the subtle difference between Nigerians who migrated to the US and the second generation born in that country.

The nuanced portrayal of these two types of Nigerians is a testimony to Adichie’s craft.

Back home, Vivek Shanbaug, another exemplary writer from South India, solidifies his work with a superlative subtext. Both his books, Ghachar Ghochar and Sakina’s Kiss, are simple slice-of-life novels, on the surface, but they carry deeper connotations.

These writers have only deepened my love for subtext through their writings, and as a reader, I can’t help but ask for more.