“There is enough space in this world for each one to heal and prosper if we truly, from the depths of our heart, want it to be so – a world that heals and not ruins. When the world realized this, a love was discovered big enough to accommodate a thousand dying souls within, and the light was found. The rare light that reached the very depths of the ocean.” – A phrase from Manjima Misra’s ‘The Ocean is Her Title’.
I wouldn’t mind saying that the above phrase can be stated as the most beautiful phrase, amongst many thought-provoking phrases I came across when I was reading this amazing novella ‘The Ocean is Her Title’. Though reading it might give some idea of where the author is leading her readers, it is not even close to unravelling what the text can offer.
Just like its name, the novella is an ocean of vast possibilities, feelings, and thoughts confined to a few pages, and the author, Manjima Misra, has done a great job of binding all of the thoughts and debates of one’s consciousness, one’s tussle between expectations and reality, manifestations, and dreams with a thread of a simple yet beautiful story.
Through the story, we get to know the struggles and inner turmoil that Poulomi, the protagonist of the story, goes through. The story unravels itself in such a beautiful way that it never gets boring. The readers might find something new at every other point in the novella. The author has intertwined her imagination, and the reality of so many youngsters and has provided a significant space for the fans of Marvel, Harry Potter and Taylor Swift. There are instances where the readers imagine particular songs played in a certain situation just like Poulomi imagines the situation to be. These references bring the audience closer to Poulomi’s feelings which are significantly visible in her opinionated and strong voice.
Characters like Ms Ocean and Ms Scientist, imaginary places like Riveria and the Red Wastelands seem to have symbolic meaning attached to them which are left open to interpretation by the author. The relationship between Poulomi and her father presents the readers with a parent figure who continuously tries to understand his daughter and gives her space to express herself. It becomes a safe space for Poulomi and hence, the readers are able to read good thought-provoking conversations between a father and a daughter at the dinner table which makes them think about the usual things in unusual ways.
The author has raised many social and ethical issues in the novella along with presenting a peep inside the human mind. Topics like women in the workplace, plagiarism in academic and professional fields, privacy on digital platforms etc are well discussed throughout the plot. Though issues such as digital privacy connect more with youth, the novella becomes the voice of every generation. Covering different aspects and issues of society and different phases in a girl’s life and weaving magic through words is what the author has been able to do commendably.
A perfect blend of imagination, magical realism, dreams, beautiful and thought-provoking conversations with the self, father-daughter duo, and the beauty of simply sharing food and having conversations; the book talks about topics like mental health, religion and gender rights. If one is a literature enthusiast looking for a piece of writing that experiments with genre and themes and is biased for Kafka’s writing style, this is the book one should pick as the next read. Gaps between the lines will definitely let readers go on their own journey of imagination, unfolding a vast ocean of possibilities and it will offer each reader subjective yet diversified meanings.
The author is Assistant Professor, Lakshmi Bai College, University of Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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