REPRESENTATION OF CHILDREN IN SELECT STORIES OF RUSKIN BOND

Abstract

Ruskin Bond secures an outstanding and a unique place among the array of children’s writers. He is crowned as the pioneer of modern children’s literature in India. Bond has conjured up magical literary landscape where inquisitive, energetic and precocious children have an important role to play. He delineates his child protagonists with the deftness of a psychologist and mesmerizing story telling techniques. He weaves the fabric of his children’s world thread by thread, using his engrossing and evocative narrative technique, with the sole purpose to enthrall his young readers. His exceptional knowledge of children and his own childhood helps him in authenticating his writing for children. Ignoring the popular didactic mode of writing, he pays attention to the psychological and emotional needs of children. The children are not treated as the ‘other’ but as matured and wiser. They are created with an awareness of self. Bond goes deep and deeper into the hidden and mysterious world of children to understand their peculiar sensibility