Sikander Sultan works as a scientific staff
member in reproductive physiology in the
National Institute of Health, Islamabad.
For Sikander Sultan, reading is a passion
that he has inherited from his book loving
father and grandfather. As he started
reading at a very early age, Sikander
recollects his earliest memories of being a
book worm and says that Urdu magazines like
Naunehal, Bachon Ki Duniya and
Taleem-o-Tarbiat were his valued
companions. He says that for him reading is
synonymous to living. In Urdu literature his
favourite writer is Saadat Hassan Manto.
Next to reading he is extremely fond of
music.
"When I reached my teenage years, it was
then that I was introduced to the great
writers of English literature, and since
then I have read many of the 'classics'.
After reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles
by Thomas Hardy, Sikander feels that it
is one of the greatest novels ever written
in English. "The character of the heroine
Tess is fascinating and extremely powerful.
Hardy depicts her most lovingly and from
many diverse angles and I think it is
rightly said by critics that the character
of Tess had in fact become real to Hardy
himself."
This novel has been critically acclaimed by
many as being one of Hardy's finest works.
Dealing heavily with the passions of
seduction, love, betrayal and murder, the
tragic circumstances that befall Tess have
been known to evoke many emotions in the
readers.
"Fate, chance and coincidence play a virtual
role in shaping the story of Tess," adds
Sikander, "as Hardy's vision of human
tragedy in this novel is unique as compared
to other novels.
"In addition to the excellent story line and
drama that unfolds in the narrative, readers
are treated to superb descriptive passages
of all the natural scenes in the book," says
Sikander. "For example, the misty dawn at
Talbot is so beautifully and artistically
described. Furthermore, the harvesting
scenes, the dairy farm and all the
descriptions of agricultural life make a
person feel as though he is witnessing
everything unfolding before his eyes. I
think it is the powerful language that
succeeds in fully absorbing the reader into
Tess's world and allows one to relate to her
consequent sufferings. In actual fact, the
scenes of rural life are passionately vivid
and intense. Hardy does well in choosing
scenes and settings very carefully."
As Charles Dickens is Sikander's favourite
author, this interest led him to read
Great Expectations. "This is a realistic
novel by the master storyteller, where
social injustices are inflicted due to the
inequality of wealth and injustice by a
collective society where fellow human beings
are cruel to their weaker counterparts,"
says Sikander. "This novel is very touching
as various aspects of human suffering and
emotions play an important part in defining
the characters. Reconciliation and
forgiveness are key features of this novel,
which really appeals to me. Other
sentiments, which come to light, are the
feelings of compassion and also humility
portrayed in Pip's sympathetic feelings
towards the initially violent character of
Magwitch in the final pages of the novel." |
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