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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood in Midnight's Children is one of surprise and frequent upset, due to the combination of magical realism and meta-narrative writing. Magical realist literature naturally performs the function of upsetting readers—not because it is always emotionally disturbing, but because it takes familiar objects and cultural narratives and makes them unfamiliar or fantastical.
Rushdie's choice to write a meta-narrative, in which the narrator, Saleem, comments on the writing process of the narrative he exists within, also furthers this mood of upset and turmoil. Readers are generally used to standard narrative structure. Any deviation from convention will be notable and will have the potential to affect the reader's mood as they traverse the story.
Notably, this general mood of disturbance and upset reflects on the broad themes of Midnight's Children. The characters in this novel suffer a wide range of disturbances and changes in their lives, many due to the violent actions of the oppressive British colonial regime. Colonialism is the major disrupting force in the novel, traumatizing central characters and complicating their perception of time and memory. Traumatized people sometimes lose their memories in response to the inciting event or experience flashbacks that pull them out of the present and into the past at a moment's notice. Through stylistic and genre elements that promote a mood of upset and turmoil, readers experience those temporal displacements that accompany trauma alongside the characters.
Related Themes:
