Naipaul
In V.S. Naipaul's novel, Literary Occasions, he discusses how he came to be an author and what attracted him to this profession. As a result of choosing this occupation, he needed to find out more information on his heritage and his own personal identity. In the section "Prologue to an Autobiography," he recounts how he came to possess this knowledge, especially since his father's family was shrouded in mystery.In the very beginning of the book, in "Reading and Writing," Naipaul states that he wanted to be a writer ever since he was eleven (Literary Occasions 3). However, some may find this unusual considering Naipaul was never an avid reader. At this point, he hadn't developed a passion for writing either. Where did this literary interest come from? Naipaul attributes it to his father and says the involvement was "built up from the little things my father read to me from time to time (Literary Occasions 5)." Naipaul states later that he did not know his father well and the only time spent with him was during Naipaul's impressiona
He read many books at once, finishing none, looking not for the story or the argument in any book but for the special qualities or character of the writer. Perturbed by the shortage of information, he vowed to never do a similar story. He says:When I got to know my father- in Port of Spain, in 1938, when he was thirty-two and I was six- he was a journalist. This changed him, both personally and professionally. A number of years pass by during which he implores his father to write an autobiography as a source of new writing material . The boy tells him of an ailing woman and the next day, Naipaul goes to see the woman. Naipaul describes his reaction when he learns this information:She took the story back to her father's mother. He had never thought to ask about his father's past for his own personal knowledge and it seemed the opportunity passed him by until 1972, when by chance he met a young boy who claimed to be related. In one detail it was shocking; but it all came to me as a fairy story. The author recounts the manner in which his father read and how it later became his own style:He read in his own way. It finally gave him a sense of belonging in the world, and a feeling of who he was.
Common topics in this essay:
Literary Occasions,
Port Spain,
Prologue Autobiography,
Trinidad Realizing,
literary occasions,
Writing Naipaul,
VS Naipaul's,
family history,
father read,
occasions 5,
literary occasions 5,
read own,
own personal,
|
Acceptance Essays
