"Modern short story comprises seven elements viz 'Plot,' 'Setting,' 'Atmosphere,' 'Theme,' 'Characterisation,' 'Point of View' and 'Figurative Language and Literary Devices.' Story telling includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution and denouement. Setting in a story points to the location and time frame in which the action of a narrative takes place.
Sripada Subrahmanya Sastry's Margadarsi follows the Greek tradition of conversation or deliberation in delineating events in the story. Like all renowned ancient texts of stories, events and stories within main narrative are strung cohesively, meaningfully in an alluring pattern to extend appeal to narrative technique and to sustain inquisitiveness of audience as the story unfolds. This reminds one of Arabian Nights, Kasimajilikathalu and Panchatantra stories.
The Trailblazer motivates youth to "work hard and prosper well."... "Go ahead with courage. Lead the people lagging behind you. Earn money with hard work, without spoiling others. Earn and enjoy your wealth. That is the ultimate purpose of this life."
The story follows a unique pattern. It is a long speech given by the protagonist, Cheburu Shambhu Shastry, on the skills of survival in changed times. It is replete with the speaker's experiences and events in his past life, and the formulations he deduced from them. The core of the speech revolves around the story of his struggles and his diligence that helped him find a way through difficult times. The narration is in conversation tone, rather a monologue mode with a silent listener as his audience whom he addresses frequently in the process of giving life-lessons.
Though written in 1930s, the story as-long-lecture with its emphasis on convert-adversity-into- advantage motto reads like a modern Management module. True to Sripada's style, the narrative is interspersed with his inimitable, gentle wit, sarcasm and humor.
The story foregrounds the core values of a modern capitalist society-initiative, enterprise, commerce, profit, success and fulfilment when these were unheard of in our tradition-bound society in 1920s and 30s.
In this respect, Sripada, the story teller was far ahead of his times in building a story, an argument, an edifice that would enable a future society to see its own reflection.
Sripada Subrahmanya Sastry (1891-1961) was a Telugu writer. His predominant works include short stories, novels, literary essays. He also performed Avadhanam. He is called Adhunika Katha Chakravarthy (King of modern short stories) because of his contributions to Telugu literature. He translated entire Valmiki Ramayana into Telugu prose. He ran a magazine called Prabuddha Andhra for 9 years.
His other works include Anubhavalu Jnapakalunu, Vadla Ginjalu, Pullampeta Jaree cheera, Veeraanganalu (1924), Arikaalla kinda mantalu, Veera Puja.
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