MALAYALAM
Spanish novel
K. Kunhikrishnan
JEEVITHATHILE ORU DIVASAM — Novel: Manlio Argueta; Raghunathan Parali & K. P. Rajesh — Tr. in Malayalam; Green Books Pvt. Ltd., Ayyanthole, Thrissur-680003. Rs. 110.
THIS IS the Malayalam translation of the Spanish novel “Un dia en la vida”. The author belonged to the “Generacion Comprometida” committed to social, cultural and political activism in El Salvador.
The novel depicts a typical day in the life of a peasant family in Chalalate, a small rural town, caught up in the terror, corruption and miseries of a civil war. It is told from the perspective of Lupe, the resilient grandmother of Guardado family.
The story is about the day when the young granddaughter Adolfina is searched by the civil guards for interrogation. Lupe relates her personal experience and observations and of her friends and relatives to portray the brutalities inflicted by the army.
The narration is dramatic and an inspiring and disturbing account of the harsh realities of peasant life. It also depicts the relationship of the peasants with the state and the church.
Religion was used to oppress the masses. They were never allowed to be aware of their rights; one character states that it is the soul of the people that lives here on the Earth.
The day is representative and typical of the days of misery and oppression in the lives of the rural peasants, without hope.
Some explanation of certain words would have enhanced the readability of the translation.
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