35 pages • 1 hour read
Kanthapura
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Symbols & Motifs
Mahatma Gandhi
Although he is never seen in the book, the famous Indian independence leader is arguably the novel’s most significant symbol. His feats are closely followed by everyone in Kanthapura, and Moorthy faithfully adheres to Gandhi’s philosophy. The events of Moorthy’s campaign and Rangamma’s later evolution parallels Gandhi’s famous salt march. Gandhi is seen here not as a person, but as a larger-than-life figure who inspires people across all of India. Ghandi's written works are notable as well, including Hind Swaraj (1909), The Story of My Experiments With the Truth (1927), and his famous series of speeches, collected under the title Quit India (1942).
Kanthapura
The village of Kanthapura is a symbol in itself, a living microcosm of India’s colonial system and political climate. Divided into quarters, the caste system is represented by the village’s layout. The colonial government is represented in the character of Bhatta and his use of official power to exert his control. The more benevolent side of British rule—in the form of Patel Range Gowda—is swept away when the village begins to rebel. Bade Khan’s intrusion represents the outside world creeping its way into Kanthapura for the first time.
Skeffington Coffee Estates
Positioned next to Kanthapura, Skeffington represents the other side of British colonial rule, the ruthless yet efficient oversight that exploits the locals and treats them as less than human. The conflict between Kanthapura and Skeffington represents the ultimate flashpoint of the conflict between Gandhi and the imperial government. Although the Sahib is never seen, he represents the many British officials who took advantage of the status quo and turned countless Indians into their servants.
Khadi
These traditional Indian clothes serve two purposes. First, and more practically, they represent the standard currency of Gandhi’s loyalists, who weave them by hand to fund their activities. More importantly, they symbolize the Gandhian rejection of British ways and the embrace of a simpler, traditional way of living. By shedding his city attire and embracing the humble khadi, Moorthy cuts ties with his past and becomes something new.
Police Lathi
The primary method the police use to disperse the protests is their lathi, or baton. Although non-fatal, the assaults are brutal, and the language often describes a “rain” of batons rather than the individual blows. In this way, the police violence is depersonalized and seen not as an individual attack, but an institutional movement designed to suppress and demoralize. When the lathis disappear and the soldiers bring out the guns, it symbolizes that the conflict has worsened.
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