Categories can be constricting but they also aid us in understanding strands in the Indo-American encounter. Based on the major strands, the American fiction set in India can be further categorized into the following eight sub-categories.
Novels of Anglo-India
Experiences of British and American people during the British colonial occupation of India are the focus of the novels of Anglo-India. They resemble the better-know Anglo-Indian Fiction written by British writers. Some examples of this category are: Francis Marion Crawford’s Mr Isaacs, Eleanor Wylie’s Jennifer Lorn and Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains”. Interestingly, Rudyard Kipling is said to have been influenced by Crawford’s novel.
Novels of Missionary Experience
Mostly written by missionaries or by the children of missionaries these novels are stories of American missions in India. Social and religious critiques of India, glorification of missions as well as a critique of American missions are some of the themes of the novels belonging to this category. Some examples of this category are: Dorothy Clarke Wilsons’s House of Earth, Max Wylie’s Hindu Heaven and Stephen Alter’s Renuka.
Novels of Spiritual India
India as a place of enlightenment and rejuvenation are the focus of the novels of spiritual India. They reflect some of the attitudes of America’s fascination with aspects of Hinduism. The protagonists of some of these novels are in flight from their worlds and seek in India spiritual solace. Some examples of this category are: Harry Hervey’s The Veiled Fountain, John Berry’s Krishna Fluting and Pearl Buck’s Mandala.
Novels of Indian History
Indian history-real or imagined, are the focus of the novels of Indian history. Frederick Prokosch’s The Dark Dancer tells the story of Shah Jahan’s reign in India and Indu Sunderasan’s The Twentieth Wife is about Nur Jahan. Other novels like William Shirer’s The Consul’s Wife and Stanley Wolpert’s An Error of Judgment are set during the Indian independence movement. These novels reveal both an individual sympathetic response to India’s struggle for freedom as well as an official policy of British support or neutrality.
Novels of Crime, Political Intrigue and Adventure
India is an exotic backdrop in novels belonging to this category. These novels tell stories of romance, murder mysteries, big game hunting, bandits and CIA agents in India. Some examples of this category are: Edward Marhsall’s Darzee: The Girl of India, David C. Cook’s C/O American Embassy and Melvin Casberg’s Death Stalks the Punjab.
Novels of Anglo-Indians (Eurasians)
Anglo-Indians or children of British and Indian parents and their children have created a community of their own in India and this community is the focus of novels of Anglo-Indians. In David Rubin’s The Greater Darkness the Anglo-Indian character who grows up with her English aunt returns to England whereas the Anglo-Indian character in Stephen Alter’s Neglected Lives who grows up in India renews his connection with the Anglo-Indian community in India. The novels in this category tell stories of Anglo-Indians caught between two worlds with American experience in India as a sub-plot.
Novels of Indian Myth
Novels that exploit Indian myth belong to this category. Some examples are: David Stacton’s Kaliyuga, Gore Vidal’s Kalki and Dan Simmon’s Song of Kali. These novels glorify and attack Hindu mythology as well as cults that are involved with drugs and spurious spiritualism. In addition, myths are used in these novels to some extent to exemplify the human experience.
Novels of Immigrant Experience
Immigrant experience is the focus of more recent American novels which are largely written by Indian Americans. These novels have also been categorized as Indian American Literature, Asian American Literature or Indian English Literature. Some examples are: Chitra Divakaruni’s Sister of My Heart and Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake.
