AEC 201. Fifteen Years (2) 26,
Fifteen Years by R.K. Narayan
R. K. Narayan (1906-2001) was born and grown up in a period when English education was already institutionalised in the Indian Sub-continent. Like other Indian writers in English then, such as Raja Rao and Mulk Raj Anand, he received English education and used to write in English from the beginning of his literary career up to the end. However, he is seen to have used the English language and literary form to scrutinise colonialism and depict the Indian society continually under change due to the colonial rule and post colonial times.
Fifteen Years is a humorous essay by Narayan who which is blended with wit and thoughts. In the essay, he points out humorously how it is not possible to banish English from India. He presents his arguments in the form of a dialogue between two characters. One is English language personified as a woman and the other is a judge who opposes English language and wants to banish English from India. In this essay the author points out many practical and emotional reasons why English cannot be banished from this country. On the other hand, he proves that English is not a foreign language but an integral part of India because this language has been spoken by Indians for the last three hundred years.
The prose piece depicts a courtroom trial where English defends its place in Indian culture. The essay highlights the challenges of replacing English with Indian languages and emphasizes the importance of multilingualism and cultural coexistence. Narayan predicts that English will remain in India for another fifteen years, advocating for a balanced view of tradition and modernity. His attitude towards the English language is a postcolonial posture and a utilitarian gesture.
Narayan speaks about the status of English in India before and after Independence. Before Independence, people in India used to say as a matter of prestige that she speaks perfect English and she would get a better job. Everyone was proud of English language and tried to learn it. Knowing English language was a matter of prestige and status symbol in Indian society. To write a letter in English was considered as the best qualification for a bride at that time. But after independence, regional languages began to be developed and narrow minded regionalism and patriotism forced people to reject English language. Now it has become a prestige to cry for the abolition of English in the name of patriotism.
R.K. Narayan says that in spite of all the narrow minded oppositions from a section of people, English language has become an integral part of India. It is the medium of instruction in schools and colleges. It is the official language and used in all law courts and administrative offices. The language has a “siren-like charm and a lot of persistence.”. The author uses some personifications in the essay. English is personified as a prisoner and woman in a law court and those who oppose English is personified as a judge. In 'Fifteen Years,' R.K. Narayan humorously critiques the debate surrounding the English language in post-Independence India through a dialogue between a judge and personified English. The judge attempts to banish English as a symbol of colonial oppression, yet the essay reveals English's integral role in communication across diverse regional languages.
The use of personification in the essay is written in the form a conversation between a judge and the English language that is personified as a woman. The judge treats the personified English language like a criminal in the courtroom.
Before 1947, the English Language was considered by Indians as the language of oppressors. Since it was the language of the ruling British government, the people of India showed a tendency to hate it. They felt that the British promoted only the English language and the growth of Hindi and other Indian languages was not supported. Many people foolishly believed that the English language will have no future in India once the country gets independence. But what really happened was just the opposite.
Narayan's witty approach highlights the contradictions in attitudes towards English emphasizing its continued significance in Indian society despite opposition. English even quoted a few lines from Shakespeare to justify her necessity of remaining in India. She tells the judge that, under the Indian constitution it has a fundamental right to know why she was being thrown out of the country. But the judge insists that the Indian constitution is applicable only to Indians. English Language even tries to influence the judge by saying that she is a devotee of Goddess Saraswathi. But the judge declares that even if she comes in a sari with kumkum on her forehead, she has to be sent out of the country in another fifteen years. He doesn’t want her to remain in India anymore after the independence. But the English Language insists on living in the country even if she is relegated to the rank of a second language or a third language.
There is a prisoner who asks the judge what she has done that the judge hates her so much. The judge does not answer because he has nothing to say against the language. Somehow he says that English is the language of British rulers who are the oppressors of India. India was enslaved by the British. But the judge spoke in English. Thus the author proves that even today Indians in every state communicate each other with the help of English, because there are many regional languages and a Malayali speaks to Tamilian in English. Bengali speaks to a man from Karnataka only in English because they don’t know regional languages. Thus even today, many years after independence, English is essential for communication between inter-states. No language including Hindi cannot take the place of English in communication between the states in India. More over English has become a global language.