PTET ory Broad Questions conflict in Funny Boy. yam Selvadurai’s Furiny Boy leads the reader through a narrative : f the Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka, which first erupted in the early ‘80s, Even though the novel is very much about the personal growth of the - protagonist, Arjie, each individual episode in some way highlights the growing unrest occurring in the nation. Arjie’s own journey, then, can be read as the journey of the nation, moving towards the social upheaval and violence that the book eventually culminates in. Over the course of the book a through-line emerges which tells the story of the escalating conflict, first foreshadowing it lightly, but ultimately bringing it to the forefront of the narrative when the riots begin. All significant relationships in the text are dictated by this conflict, and almost every pivotal event that can be linked to the impending riots. When the conflict finally comes to a head and becomes the primary subject of the narrative rather thana link between the events, the linear form breaks down. Since the Sinhala! Tamil tension is the cohesive glue of the novel, the lens through which the reader can view all events, when it is highlighted the narrative 00 a has i on to hae back to. As such, the final chapter is a choppy and disjointed journal entry, often omitti i > attention to the nies iting events and calla : Tnorder to elucidate the conflict’s growth in the narrative, culmit a in the disjointed final chapter, let u: i y evel ‘ iS exam ba better understand the arc, In “Pi, a ok ancribes the picture as one made‘ ,fall that was associated with them,” and efers to the e Other than these events, the first chapter remains blis “the conflict. Arjie is young, and not yet aware of ‘the prob! So too does his awareness of his country. However, as he grows, nflict itself. : Jn“Radha Auntie” the tension begins to enter more significantly into “the narrative. Anil and Radha Auntie’s relationship cannot exist, given - theirethnic differences. However the couple attempts to give it a chance F until violence intervenes. After Radha Auntie’s direct experience of the - violence, she no longer has an open mind with regard to her love for a Sinhalese man. She reflects the view of her extended family, in transferring _ thefeelings of hatred towards her attackers onto Anil. Ammachi and Kanthi Auntie’s feelings when they say, “’Haven’t you people done enough?’ ‘Please go... You are not wanted here,”” are indicative of Radha Auntie’s transformation as she does not stop them or intervene in time. Arjie’s Opinion is altered as well. Whereas once he romanticized weddings and hoped fervently for Radha Auntie’s, when the time finally arises he.is not Pleased, as he has been altered by the tension and violence around him, From this point on the conflict pushes further towards the surface. Sfthenovel. In “See No Evil, Hear No Evil? we are introduced to Daryl ele, and with him the government’s role in the conflict and “The vention of Terrorism Act.” We have moved from the personal to the Pele, The reader is also aware of the growing stakes sumppnding the ai interactions with the tension. In “Radha Auntie there: a ; tee and tragedy, but in “See No Evil, Hear No Evil fe Les ae S 8 also the first time that violence directly affects Arjie, shocking ie ae accusing Amma and destroying his idolatry of her. By the end Vignette Arjie’s perception of his life has been forever altered. Passage he describes “little clay lamps” Amma has li = They provided the only light, and in their! ckering ‘Seanad wth CanSeanne“The Best School of All” Arjie is able to formulate his own bout the conflict, and even as he is beginning a relationship wit a Sinhalese boy, he is made more aware of the hostility around — .-He opts not to “choose sides” but asks instead, of the distinction q een Black Tie and Mr. Lokubandara, “Was one better than the other? didn’t think so. Although I did not like what Mr. Lokubandara stood for, it the same time I felt that Black Tie was no better”. Finally, in “Riot Journal: An Epilogue” both in the narrative structure no longer be the thread that h fext breaks down. The journ tapid succession, soon begi relationship to the Tots. Hi ‘1@pses, events that have occ: given the attention to Novel. Because the con: details together, and | Arjie’s life. the conflict culminates, and Arjie’s own life. Since the tension can olds the story together, the linearity of the 5 al is disjointed and entries, which begin in 3 n to come farther apart, representing Arjie’s fe is not able to write for days, and as time urred are told in brief; Passing synopses, rather, detail that has thus far been characteristic of flict has come to fruition it can no longer! can no longer function as the adhesive fo ‘Seannad wh CanSeanne