The Essence of the Notion of ‘Father’: A short review of Piyasara Gedara by Liyanage Amarakeerthi
By Ashanthi Ekanayake There has been a trend in social media in inquiring of its users what their favourite literary works are and I took some time to explore which poem I might single out as the best of its kind written in English which is of personal significance. I immediately thought of the poem […]
In the poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath, the notion of the father is explored through the act of parricide, which is a strong metaphor found in many literary works and etiological myths of various peoples. The author, Piyasara Gedara, examines the role of the father through the use of various fathers, including a shadowy and unnamed character referred to as "sir," and the introduction of fathers who are not quite fathers.
This exploration is mirrored in the novel's title, Piyasara Gedara, which uses the metaphor of the father to question social norms and accepted values. The narrative of the novel encourages the reader to question the accepted notion of the patriarch and the role of the father/father figure, as seen in the absence of one father encouraging a character to become vigilante-like.
The use of metaphors, cinematic quality, and onomatopoeia in the novel makes it a powerful and engaging read, exploring themes such as anxiety of influence, the importance of the father in shaping one's identity, and the stigma surrounding bastardy.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
