Scion

Like his other novels, Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa’s SCION too is an aesthetic depiction of human living and emotions in a chosen spatio-temporal Indian setting [R1] so as to shed light on certain established values with a view to keep them from fading, to depict upheaval of values, and such. For protocol’s sake, the space is rural Karnataka, and the time is early twentieth century. Such is the universality of his works that the readers of the many pan-Indian translations of his novels have felt that the incidents in the story are native to those regions. The author has, in the introduction to another of his novels, rightly cautioned his readers not to jump to the pedantic [R2] conclusion that such spatio-temporal specificity is in repudiation of universality.

SCION is about life as witnessed by a dharmic person faithful to his traditional values; precisely his attempt at comprehending and adapting to an unusual familial development viz. his widowed and only daughter-in-law abandoning her parents-in-law and child, and remarrying.[R3]

SCION is an engrossing creative work by the renowned philosopher-historian-litterateur, and has stood the test of time. Infallible and immutable human emotions are uniform across space and time, and earnest delineation of the same has lent permanence to his creative works – precisely as with classical literature the world over – through the methodology [R4] of imparting aesthetic experience to the reader.