Exploring the Literary Worlds of Rushdie and Ghosh
Halesh H R
Research Scholar, Dept. of English, Davanagere University.
Keywords: Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, magical realism, historical imagination, postcolonial literature, narrative
strategies, interdisciplinary approaches
Abstract
This paper is studying the literary contribution of Salman Rushdie and Amitav Ghosh, mainly focusing on how they use magical realism and historical imagination in postcolonial writing. As we all know, many writers in our country mix history
and imagination to show deeper truths, and these two authors also do in a powerful way. By comparing selected novels like Midnight’s Children and The Shadow Lines, this study shows how both writers combine real historical events with unreal or
magical elements. Because of this, they are able to talk about important issues like identity, memory, and displacement,which is commonly seen in Indian people and their experiences. One important point I observed is that their storytelling
method is very unique, and magical realism is not just for style, but it also helps to question and understand personal and collective history. This paper also explains how their works made strong impact on literature, and how they changed the
normal way people see reality and postcolonial identity. Furthermore, the study suggests that future research can explore more postcolonial fiction, and also include new writers and interdisciplinary methods, which can give fresh ideas. By
studying magical realism and historical imagination in their novels, this research helps us understand how literature has the power to explain human life, social changes, and complex realities in a meaningful way.
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Published
01-03-2026