Literature Against Fundamentalism review: How stories bridge gaps, resist uniformity

Divided into five chapters, the book establishes a solid foundation by exploring what constitutes literature and its profound relationship with the quest for meaning. He highlights the importance of adopting an ‘agnostic’ reading of literature — that is, reading literature as literature. This approach, he argues, will ultimately prove to be an antidote to fundamentalism; it’s also extremely essential in contemporary times, even though it is often overlooked.

Going beyond the constraints of time

The first chapter, titled ‘What Literature Does Not Say’, explains how, despite the intrinsic connection between language and literature, literature cannot be reduced to language alone. Nor can it be confined to mere storytelling, as it aspires to transcend these boundaries. In fact, a truly exceptional piece of literature, Khair asserts, surpasses the limitations imposed by the socio-historical contexts of its language.

The next two chapters, titled ‘Literature, Gaps and Historicity’ and ‘Literature, Gaps and Ahistoricity,’ explore the concept of the ‘unsaid’ and how it is manifested in literature. Human experiences are diverse and not always articulated for an audience, making it essential to observe these so-called ‘gaps,’ as Khair terms them, and attempt to understand their significance.

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Using Shakespeare as an example, Khair illustrates what makes Shakespeare’s work timeless. It is not merely the constancy of his plays and sonnets across decades but their ability to appeal to human sensitivities regardless of the era. Their meanings evolve for audiences over time. This dynamic nature — filling the gaps in human understanding — ensures that literature like Shakespeare’s survives the test of time.

An important aspect of historicity discussed is the use of certain words that carry negative connotations due to their historical associations. While Khair argues that the casual usage of such words should be discouraged, he underscores that their inclusion in literature within the correct historical context accurately reflects the realities of the era they depict. To explain this point, Khair cites Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, where Twain uses the N-word to portray the social realities of pre-Civil War 19th-century America. Avoiding such language would dilute the authenticity of the historical narrative.

In the subsequent chapter, Khair discusses Shakespeare’s Hamlet to demonstrate how ahistorical readings of certain texts allow us to uncover meanings unrelated to their historical context. Such readings go beyond the temporal limitations of language, enabling readers to delve deeper into the gaps and listen to the silences within the text. This, Khair argues, is where literature truly shines — by going beyond the constraints of time to resonate universally.

The agnostic approach

The book concludes by addressing the obsession with arriving at a uniform understanding of religious texts rather than fostering debate and exploring diverse interpretations. To illustrate this, Khair highlights how Islamists discourage open discussions on the Quran, preferring to enforce a singular interpretation derived from a prescribed set of scholars. This is evident in the notable lack of contemporary commentaries on the Quran by Islamists. Khair argues that this issue extends beyond religion to other domains such as philosophy and politics, where rigidity in interpreting foundational texts often leads to the marginalisation and suppression of divergent opinions.

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When I first came across this book, I expected it to be a collection of stories or essays detailing how literature has historically opposed fundamentalism or how it can serve as a tool against it. Given the current climate in India, where religious fundamentalism has gained significant traction, this seemed like an obvious connection. However, as I read further, it revealed an entirely different perspective.

This petite yet thoroughly researched book is part of ‘The Literary Agenda’ series, which aims to showcase the relevance of literature and reading in contemporary times — especially now, when the act of reading books is often perceived as a declining habit. Khair, primarily known as a fiction writer, seamlessly integrates his creative talents with his academic expertise in this work. He effectively demonstrates how the study of arts and humanities evolves in response to diverse factors such as language and society, and how this fluidity empowers literature to stand against the rigid universality and uniformity fundamentalism seeks to impose.

Unlike those who claim to hold definitive answers, Khair advocates for an agnostic approach that embraces doubt and encourages dialogue rather than enforcing predetermined conclusions. In this era of ‘post-truth,’ Khair’s endorsement of inquiry and the pursuit of questions is not only refreshing but also necessary.