ABSTRACT
In this article, the writer Joginder Paul emphasises the need to exercise compassion but cautions against pronouncing judgements unless one is able to align oneself with the punishment given to the culprit, after the judgement has been pronounced. This holds true for a literary critic who needs to have the humility of a reader first and foremost. The critic helps to unfold the layered nuances of a story. A literary masterpiece becomes a classic after the deliberations of hundreds of readers. Premchand’s Godaan, for instance, has acquired that status thanks to this very process. What remains important is a free and smooth exchange of ideas amongst the readers. The writer resents the fact that the model of business management gets used today to assess literary works. Dependence on the machine confounds this further. The insensitive media projection of violence creates a tragic farce for all to view. Commenting on the use of language, the writer stresses the need to be conscious of the content rather than its mere expression. The ‘story-ness’ of fiction has a lot to do with the demands of the narrative. Criticism too needs to be a creative art. The writer lives his stories while the critic has to ‘do’ the story, not judge it.
