Abstract

The study of Hanif's historic novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008), involves interpreting history in the light of new realities and reflecting on the cultural context. Hanif effectively portrays the authentic historical context of Pakistani society, allowing for a more insightful and creative interpretation of history. This study examines the historical fiction "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008) by Hanif, employing the New Historicism theory. The objective of the study is to analyze and evaluate literary texts in a critical manner, allowing students to have a comprehensive understanding of the text. The study is a qualitative analysis that applies Greenblatt's theory of "New Historicism" (1980) to examine a text within its socio-cultural and historical framework, including the cultural setting. The study found that understanding a work within the context of socio-cultural factors leads to the creation of more imaginative literary interpretations as a whole.

Key Words

Text Interpretation, Historicism, History, Cultural Context

Introduction

The literary work can be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on the sender and recipient's circumstances (Combrink, 1984). Both the sender and the recipient are aware of the varying perspectives on how to read a document, as well as how the context of historical, social, political, and cultural events affects how the text is understood and covers its meaning. According to Glasersfeld (1983), interpretation is limited to literary studies. Text interpretation is an experiment aimed at improving comprehension of the literary text as a whole. It is also an experience for uncovering hidden meanings within the text. Similarly, the work of Ghasemi et al. (2011) claimed that there are three steps to interpretation: understanding and observing the text itself, interpreting the text as a whole, and interpreting appropriate knowledge and perception. Additionally, it bridges the gap between what is said and understood by the speaker and the recipient.

In his book, Iqbal (2015) asserts that Hanif's article offers a critical perspective on General Zia, a prominent Pakistani leader who manipulated the country's foundation and administrative framework under the guise of Islamization, ultimately exerting control and causing its downfall. Hanif's novel depicts Zia as a deceitful and untrustworthy leader, exposing the harsh facts of his regime's oppressive rule. Hanif's novel delves into the intricate dynamics of a state caught in the oppressive control of the intermediate category and the dominant influence of metropolitan power. It also explores the post-colonial presence of the Army in Pakistan, the enduring impact of a historical agreement, and the complex dialogue between the government of a developing nation and those of more advanced countries. The nation is under the control of completely new leaders, and the idea of the government is non-religious. Zia's current dissatisfaction with the state of the world can be attributed to his developed perspective that humanity is disheartened. In addition, the novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008) depicted a new uprising that delayed Zia's inclination towards exploitation during the early stages of his regime. In "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (p. 4), Hanif (2008) asserts that Zia's avarice and the dominant middle class in Pakistan bear responsibility. Hanif's novel is noteworthy due to its portrayal of Pakistan's "neo-colonial" history and its exploration of color uniformity, all while maintaining a balanced approach that avoids excessive emotional manipulation of the reader.

The goal of the current study was to understand the cultural background of the text and to encourage the reader to consider and interpret the historical narrative in light of the text. The investigation of the text's interpretation in the context of culture and history was the goal of the study. This work examines the novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008) critically using Greenblatt's idea of "Historicism." The study used is based on qualitative method and the researcher did a textual analysis to examine the novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes."

Problem Statement

The aim of the present study is to interpret the novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008) in its socio-political and historical context. The study investigated methods for interpreting literary texts and comprehending their overall significance.

Research Questions

What is the role of context of culture in A Case of Exploding Mangoes?

Significance of the study

The relevance of the study is to comprehend the context of culture and the study will urge the reader to think critically. The study will also allow the learner to grasp how the text can be read, observed, and assessed as a whole.

Literature Review

Hassan (2016) explored that "A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Hanif (2008)" is a present exemplar of English language narration. Moreover, he examined important facets of Pakistan's history, where the individual and collective awareness of people is hidden and obscured, and the English language serves as a tool that encompasses civic, literary, governmental, and global dimensions. In addition, he stated that Hanif's writing style in English imbued his text with a distinct Pakistani emotional impetus, and he adeptly employs the English language in his own unique manner, given his mastery of it. Furthermore, he successfully incorporates wit, humor, and satire into his writing. Awais (2014) supports this perspective by arguing that "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" by Hanif portrays General Zia's peculiar death from a postmodernist perspective, incorporating elements of dark humor, satire, authorship, novelistic techniques, and mystic naturalism.

The book "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" criticizes Zia's avarice and the middle class that rules Pakistan. Zia was not oriented to exercise restraint or to stretch the consciousness of the people in his nation, and the period of time he governed was not good for the media. According to Siddiqa (2007), "the journalists were whipped under sentences passed by the military courts," and the media crashed because Zia managed the country under the name of Islam, which is why the media crashed and underlay the military. According to Tanvir et al. (2014) research, there are multiple examples of General Zia's botulism in A Case of Exploding Mangoes. Furthermore, the text touches on Zia's character, and Zia as the chief of staff of the army or, subsequently, as the leader of state. Hanif's work is a genuine, helpful script that explains in detail the realities of Pakistani government policies, military matters, and interpersonal disputes. Author Mohammad Hanif, a Pakistani, is known for his masterful works that satirize the military. As a former "Air Force officer," he possesses extensive knowledge about the influence of soldiers. It is mysterious why he left the military to pursue his career as a journalist and then gained fame as a writer.

According to Bhat (2014), literary theory and criticism are as old as literature itself. Literary criticism is the cerebral process of approximating, classifying, assessing, comprehending, and appraising literary works. Additionally, critique is creative in that it can comprehend the work of a literary artist and then highlight pertinent points. In actuality, that was "meta-literature." The well-known literary figures are the world's most prominent critics and theorists. According to Kar (1995), new interpreters in the United States have brought about a number of significant changes to the technique of interpreting fictional texts. These interpreters use anthropology, significant events, and important matters to explain fictional texts and provide historical and literary suggestions. Historians and interpreters alike use the literary interpretation method to examine culture. Moreover, it has made significant contributions to emerging or post-colonial countries. Anticipating the failure of new critical analysis to break down and battle with the intricate base of the literary text, new historicism emerged. The new analysts believed that historical or well-planned opposition to literature existed. Consequently, place a high value on employment's self-sufficiency in order to guard against changes and progress in the external world.

The New Historicism theory was established by Stephen Greenblatt and was published in 1980. Greenblatt's theory places a strong emphasis on how historical events should be interpreted from historical documents. Additionally, the crucial approach of text interpretation represented by the new Historicism is strongly linked to Greenblatt's essay "Resonance and Wonder," in which he skillfully describes both the new Historicism and text interpretation. Understanding the text's context and the situations it depicts is another goal of text interpretation. The fundamental procedure for classifying, quantifying, and sequentially analyzing every literary work in literature is known as "new historicism." The history is brought back to relevance for the modern era. The primary goal is to show critical literature that has been published in the text and to disrupt the literary work in its historical context or at the center of attention on a socio-cultural event.  It concentrates on significant historical and biographical events while viewing the work as a whole within sociocultural traditions.

Research Methodology

Qualitative research methods are utilized in this study. Astalin (2013) states that one common method for performing qualitative research is the qualitative mode of inquiry. When it comes to structuring the research, qualitative research designs are quite versatile and flexible. Furthermore, Ospina (2004) contended that full counsel cannot be adequately provided by qualitative research designs due to the extensive review of frameworks that are required. Symbolic components, dynamic characters, and augmented elements centered on qualitative techniques are all part of it. It covers multiple layers of phenomena. When we do in-house qualitative research to probe the enduring complexity of leadership, we are engaging in the qualitative mode of inquiry.  In an effort to address pressing issues in modern research, this descriptive study set out to provide answers to several challenging problems. In this study, we look at the cultural context of Mohammad Hanif's 2008 book "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" and how Historicism relates to the text. The investigator gave her stamp of approval to both the inductive notion of the present investigation and the job's qualitative style of inquiry. The researcher analyzed the lines of Hanif's 2008 novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" according to the study's aims, drawing on Greenblatt's theory of New Historicism (1980). The data for the present study is derived from this work.

Theoretical Framework

My study's theoretical sources are taken from "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" which is a book authored by Hanif. This inquiry uses Greenblatt's New Historicism ideas to study the book "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" as a thesis and the content analysis 1980. They believe to enable individuals to learn from texts to examine them in terms of the past, events, society, politics, and culture one needs to reinterpret the past. A few examples from the novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" reveal some evidence in support of their past. To answer my these study questions, I conduct a textual or thematic analysis of my data following Greenblatt’s New Historicism 1980 framework. Analogous to New Criticism, New Historicism's principles date back to 1980. As the theory has it, every historical work includes socio-cultural occasions, context-dependent data about occurrences, and fundamental concepts required for a holistic analysis of literature. The 2008 novel entitled A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Hanif is one of the most powerful examples of how conception allows for reimagining facts. Serialized novels like A Case of Exploding Mangoes inspire one to see cultural environments and times as the underlying, incorporated moments of the pre-modern theory. Greenblatt's theory of historicism suggests that a central feature of historicism is the text being studied in its socio-cultural and historical context. In various ways, this enables generating knowledge of the past and offering new interpretations by moving the text from one context to another. This view has been appropriately used in this study when analyzing "A Case of Exploding Mangoes," a novel published in 2008.

Textual Analysis

The aim of the current study is to investigate the representation of culture, history, and politics in the "Case of Exploding Mangoes. The narrative is delivered through the fictional character Ali Shigri, who tells the story of the untrustworthy leader General Zia-ul-Haq. Zia-ul-Haq manipulated his people in the name of Islam, using it as a means to maintain his political power. However, he was more concerned with his own image and personal interests rather than being genuinely religious. He would read the Holy book for the purpose of preaching, rather than seeking a true understanding of the Quran and its teachings. Hanif analyzes the previous incident involving the Army Chief General and the President of Pakistan.

The analyst conducts content analysis on the data and interprets the structure of Hanif's (2008) novel. Specific lines of the novel are selected that are closely related to the theme of history, society, and culture, demonstrating the impact of cultural context on the literary works.

"Does he genuinely believe that using profanity towards one's mother, even when expressed with great intensity, retains any significance when you are several weeks away from the President's yearly evaluation and attaining the rank of commissioned officer?" (p.18)

The subsequent excerpt pertains to Shigri's statement. He employed colloquial language. The non-literary text conveys the underlying meaning of the text, even though it does not prioritize formal language. Hanif (2008) introduced these words to provide context, and readers have since been utilizing them to interpret the text more efficiently.

“The recitation of the Quran and the performance of the national song had concluded.” (p.09)

Cultural and historical contexts are relevant to the lines that have been mentioned. At the start of each day, our culture and society put our sociocultural practices on display through the recitation of the national anthem and the Holy Book. Hanif (2008) depicts Asian culture and historical events in his co-text, and we still follow historical customs like reciting the Quran and the national anthem.

"The room was minimally furnished with a standard wooden army-issue double bed. On one side of the bed, there was a stack of morning newspapers, and on the other side, there was a glass of milk covered with an embroidered napkin.” (p.35)

 This comment pertains to the decor of General Zia-ul-Haq's personal quarters, which serves as a manifestation of his self-fashioning and untrustworthy leadership. The writer depicts Zia's opulent lifestyle during his time as a leader, highlighting his religious persona as a deliberate act of self-presentation. The writer also portrays the General of the Army's private bedroom decor, revealing the hypocrisy of a leader who lives luxuriously while his people endure poverty.

"Are you familiar with Sun Tzu's famous quote?" By exercising patience and waiting for your enemy, you have already achieved victory in half of the battle.” (p.53)

The following lines contain code words that represent the previous world. These code words indicate that something significant has occurred, suggesting that you have already achieved a significant portion of your objective. Bannon's statement to Shigri implies that he possesses knowledge that can resolve half of Shigri's problem. Words that reflect the past can have an impact on the present and can bring about changes in the world. It implies that there are still remnants of the past that have an impact on the present.

During a short interval, the image of General Zia's face is seen in the video clip, serving as the final recollection of a much-photographed individual. The central split in his hair shimmers in the sunlight, his remarkably white teeth gleam, and his mustache perform its usual subtle movements for the camera, however as the camera zooms out, it becomes evident that he is not displaying a smile. By observing attentively, one can discern that he is experiencing a certain level of discomfort. He is walking in a manner that resembles that of a constipated man. The user's text is a single-page document.

Hanif (2008) portrays the past by reimagining significant moments, such as General Zia's last moments of distress and agitation. Although these moments actually occurred in the past, the writer creatively reimagines them, depicting Zia's mustache performing a small dance for the camera while he is in a state of upset. Additionally, the writer describes Zia walking with a troubled mind, comparing his movements to those of a constipated man. This obviously demonstrates that the writer is skillfully recreating historical events in the current time period through the use of innovative settings and creative techniques. These sentences embody the philosophy by recontextualizing and introducing new perspectives to the historical narrative.

"Ensure that the hundred-rupee bills are in pristine condition." The elderly women have a strong affinity for the aroma of newly printed money. The Ministry of Social Welfare was instructed to prepare three hundred widows who were appropriately attired for the event." (p.146)

General Zia's donations to poor widows were motivated by political considerations rather than a genuine religious perspective. Throughout history, leaders like Zia have often provided assistance to widows and orphans as a means to maintain their leadership and political conditions, rather than out of modesty and kindness. This indicates that Zia's actions were not driven by a sincere commitment to his people, but rather by a desire to secure his political position. Firstly, he stated that a donation of one hundred rupees was to be made to assist widows. Second, he brought up the fact that the gift amount was brand new as if to say that low-income widows would find the hundred rupee note neat and original. His betrayal and disloyalty are plainly shown here. The third point is that he wanted the widows to look nice, even though most widows are poor and can't afford nice clothes. If Zia truly intends to donate to the poor, it is unnecessary for them to be well dressed, as the purpose of the donation is not to benefit those who are fashionably attired. The following sentences align with the opinion that the historical text is renowned for its depiction of the natural political circumstances, which Hanif also employs in his writing to portray Zia as a disloyal individual who prioritizes maintaining his political status rather than being considerate and compassionate towards his impoverished citizens.

“Eleven years ago, shortly before leading his men in Operation Fairplay, which removed Prime Minister Bhutto and installed him as the country's leader, he happened to come across the verse "He it is who hath made you regents in the earth" while reading the Quran. After two years, while facing pleas from world leaders to spare Bhutto from being executed and signing the order for his murder, Zia sought guidance from the sacred scripture and came upon the verse: "And the guilty behold the fire and know that they are about to fall therein, and they find no way of escape." (p.34)

Hanif (2008) successfully re-contextualizes the historical events of Zia and Bhutto, showcasing his ingenuity in depicting the past. In the past, during Zia's regime, Bhutto was ordered to be hanged. Hanif, in his description of the past, presents it in a realistic manner but also creatively reimagines it. He first represents the actual reality and then presents a new reality by recontextualizing it. According to Hanif, before the decision to hang Bhutto, Zia read the Holy Quran and found the verse that supported his decision. Zia believed that Bhutto posed a threat to his leadership, and therefore it was preferable to hang him. Two years prior, Zia had found a clue in the holy book indicating that Bhutto had granted him authority, and two years later, he found another clue suggesting that the same person who had caused his rise to power was now the cause of his downfall. The author employs this statement to contextualize the past in accordance with the theory.

         "The fort in the historic city of Lahore holds great historical significance." The construction was undertaken by the Mughal King Shahjahan, who also built the Taj Mahal. His own son, acting with cruelty, put him in prison, resulting in an early retirement. I have not personally visited the fort, but I have observed it in a shampoo advertisement." (p.95)

Lahore has a rich history, with numerous ancient Mughal buildings constructed by King Shahjahan. It is renowned as a prominent historical outpost in Pakistan, and the presence of these monuments has earned Lahore the title of a historical city. King Shahjahan, a renowned Mughal monarch, was imprisoned by his own son. The lines depict Lahore, a historical city, and its rich history under the rule of King Shahjahan, a Mughal king. In his novel, Hanif (2008) presents the past as it was, but also reimagines and recontextualizes the historical events. The novel portrays Lahore as a city with a historic fort, built by Shahjahan, which is now featured in a commercial shampoo advertisement on television. Additionally, the novel includes the imprisonment of King Shahjahan for premature withdrawal, a narrative element that aligns with Greenblatt's (1980) theory of representing the past with both accuracy and creativity.

"Life is Like That" has a brief narrative consisting of five lines about an individual.” (p.51)

The interpretation of the tale in Hanif's text is both powerful and captivating, presenting a combination of comic and tragic elements. The narrative is deeply symbolic and engages the reader, depicting life as a five-line tale within a historical context. The text effectively represents the past, with its strong dramatic elements.

"Life is under the control of Allah." (p.69)

The text explores the historical context and the writer's interpretation of it. The writer employs powerful and dramatic language to depict the significance of the past context. These words carry profound meaning in the text, emphasizing the inevitability of certain facts such as death and life, which are under the control of a higher power. The decisions regarding the granting of life and the occurrence of death lie solely in the hands of God, and no one has the power to alter these immutable truths.

"A change or for a change." (p.49)

In the second OIC statement regarding Colonel Shigri's death/suicide, it is suggested that his demise might lead to some form of transformation or that his death itself represents a transformation. When you encounter a situation where you are unable to accomplish something, it implies the need for a modification. However, if you are unable to make that modification, you may opt for a drastic transformation. This transformation requires sacrificing oneself in order to bring about the desired change. This statement reflects the political dynamics of the time represented in the novel.

"Evolution occurs rapidly in desert environments." (p.35)

General Zia made a humorous remark to his wife, suggesting that infertile things develop rapidly. This implies that the First Lady quickly adjusted to her new role as the president's wife, resulting in changes to her life and lifestyle. This statement reflects the theory that strong comic and sensational tragic elements are crucial in historical novels, as they captivate the reader.

“Subsequently, forensic specialists employed by Lockheed will reconstruct the fragments of the wrecked aircraft and conduct simulations in an effort to unravel the enigma surrounding the sudden descent of a highly capable C130 aircraft, which occurred a mere four minutes after it had taken off.” (p.02)

The analysis of the incident involving the C130 aircraft, which crashed shortly after take-off, aims to determine the cause of the crash. The plane was carrying several high-profile individuals, including General Zia, the President of Pakistan, the US ambassador, and others. The investigation will determine whether the crash was accidental or an act of assassination. The forensic specialist aimed to unravel the enigmatic crash of the C130 aircraft. In his 2008 work, Hanif provides an analysis of a historical event involving a military aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff. Hanif aims to uncover the truth behind this accident and presents his interpretation to the readers. This interpretation aligns with the main principle of Historicism, which involves examining the interpretations of historians regarding mysterious events in history.

"The First Lady performed a few poems, gently blew on the milk, and placed it on his side table, fully aware that he had no intention of consuming it. "She would say, 'May you have a long life.'" (p.35)

 The cultural context in the following lines highlights the desire of every woman to ensure the longevity of her husband's life. As a typical woman, she engages in the practice of reciting verses on water or milk for her life partner, with the intention of safeguarding him from any difficulties. She fervently prays to Allah for the resolution of all his troubles and protection from his adversaries. Similar to the First Lady, who, despite being the wife of the president, remains rooted in her cultural beliefs and seeks the long life of her life partner. She is aware of an unusual occurrence affecting her husband, prompting her to recite these verses on his milk, in the hope that they will serve as a means for God to safeguard him from enemies and troubles. This demonstrates the Pakistani socio-cultural context in history, particularly in relation to the political climate, which aligns with Greenblatt's theory (1980).

"General Zia perceives the aircraft descending, unfastens his seatbelt, and rises to a standing position. He suddenly realizes that the time has come to assert his authority and show the buggers who are in control. He believes it has been eleven years. Is it possible to govern Allah's followers for a duration of eleven years without the support of Allah?" (p.358)

The text explores the circumstances leading up to the plane crash involving General Zia and Hanif's imaginative reconstruction of the events. Hanif envisions General Zia reflecting on his past and the realization that his leadership was sustained through his own efforts rather than divine intervention. The writer exposes the truth about General Zia's lack of true religious devotion, suggesting a reinterpretation of historical events with altered realities. The writer also analyzes the historical events and the interpretations provided by historians in order to uncover new insights about significant previous occurrences.

“General Zia ul-Haq retrieved the photocopied article labeled New York Times from the pile of his morning newspapers and signed it. Once more, Blind Zaniab appeared, with her head and face covered by a white dupatta, and her eyes concealed behind a low-cost pair of plastic sunglasses.” (p.169)

The lines exemplify the principles of Historicism, with the initial aspect being the cultural setting. Furthermore, the writer analyzes the historical occurrences, and additionally, the political circumstances of the culture in which the blind girl adorns a dupatta on her head and conceals her face, aligning with the customary Pakistani culture. This interpretation has been published in a globally recognized publication. Hanif subsequently examines the historical circumstances encompassing the blind girl and the repercussions of this view. General Zia, in reaction to the article published in the international magazine, responds to the situation of the blind girl with the intention of portraying himself as a loyal leader and preserving his political standing. Zia manipulates the case of the blind girl, Zaniab, to further his political agenda instead of pursuing justice on her behalf.

“The arrival was sufficiently covert that even the air traffic controller, accustomed to the entrance of American military aircraft at unconventional times, was unaware that he was communicating with a flight of high importance. As the pilot received respectful orders, he cynically anticipated the arrival of another aircraft carrying alcoholic beverages and pork products for the American spies stationed at the US Embassy.” (p.88)

General Zia said that he rules Pakistan in the name of Islam and pretended himself a religious person, who followed the doctrines of Islam, then why did he show so much inclination towards the US ambassador and Bill Casey? Why the Bill is so important to Zia even though he pretends himself a religious person, then why does he shower so much importance on the non-Muslims? This is probably due to his position as a political leader and if he did not give them a response, things would become difficult for him to sustain his position. This unveils Zia's hypocrisy he was wearing a mask of religion for his own benefit. Some detractors describe General Zia as a hypocrite, portraying him as a religious person in public but behaving differently in private. These statements unequivocally exemplified the principles of Historicism. 

Findings and Discussion

The study examined the aim of the research through the textual analysis of Hanif's novel "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008). Furthermore, I examined the cultural milieu in relation to the idea of historicism (1980), which posits that the interpretation of a literary work is shaped by its sociocultural and historical circumstances, as well as the reader's prior knowledge. Comprehending the literary text is unattainable without prior knowledge of the text's background. The background understanding of the text involved revisiting and reimagining history. The writer depicted various socio-cultural aspects of Pakistani society, including the recitation of the Quran and the National anthem. Additionally, the text incorporated other historical cultural practices, such as the First Lady reciting Quranic verses in milk to ensure her husband's longevity and protection.

Zaniab's photo in the international article depicted the societal and historical backdrop through her act of covering her head with a dupatta. Hanif effectively conveyed the

 

the historical and cultural context of the book and skillfully demonstrated the use of the Historicism thesis (1980). Hanif's text provides an account of the traditional context, detailing the initial discussion between Qadi and General Zia regarding a governmental issue with restrictions. It also highlights General Zia's argumentation in the blind Zaniab case with the Saudi Qadi, outlining his actions and the socio-political challenges that emerged during his leadership. Although Hanif did not prioritize formal language, he employed specific terms in his work to vividly depict Pakistani culture. For instance, in Ali Shigri's line, "fuck your fucking mother," Hanif utilized non-literary language strategically to enhance the interpretation of the text. The figurative language used in "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" (2008) effectively depicted the cultural background and socio-historical events. The book also stresses the significant cultural context of the burqa and the purdah system, which are emblematic of both traditional and Islamic culture among Pakistani women. Nevertheless, in contemporary society, these elements are being implemented through the dismantling of cultural conventions and traditions.

Nevertheless, the study also looked at how Historicism relates to text interpretation in the book and how to understand various theoretical facets via the prism of the text. As a result, the study offers several examples from the book, such as Zia's account of Bhutto's passing, which also illustrates the idea that interpreting the past entails reinterpreting the past.  In his text, Hanif deconstructs history in a very inventive way. He interrupts previously significant events, such as the crash of General Zia's superfit C130, which occurred no more than four minutes after take off. The writer also skillfully shapes the cultural context to improve the interpretation of the text, since no literary work can be understood in the absence of background context.

Conclusion

All things considered, the study came to the conclusion that Hanif had expertly molded the cultural context of the text to improve and enhance the way in which the text can be interpreted. The historical events as presented in the text make it simple for readers to understand the context on which it is based. The text reading in its sociocultural and historical context also allows readers to revisit the past and analyze significant historical events. As a result, the study offers several examples from the book, such as Zia's account of Bhutto's passing, which also illustrates the idea that interpreting the past entails reinterpreting the past. New Historicism also claimed that while it represented history as it was, it also characterized the new realism in it by placing it in a different context. The primary characteristic of the new Historicism is its interpretation of significant historical events to enable more accurate readings of literary texts. Furthermore, the cultural context is crucial to understanding the book as a whole. In the 2008 book "A Case of Exploding Mangoes," Hanif skillfully structured the various facets of the text's cultural background to enable effective text interpretation. Historicism and Hanif have a strong link.

Recommendation

A Case of Exploding Mangoes, a Pakistani book released in 2008, offers numerous avenues for further investigation. The novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes can be studied by future scholars as a comparative analysis between South Asian and American novels. In addition, scholars in the future may examine the intriguing A Case of Exploding Mangoes from a religious standpoint. Additionally, the novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes (2008) and the self-supporting framework of society can be critically examined in the context of structuralism and orientalism, respectively.

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• Iqbal, M. A., Arif, M. S., & Jamil, A. (2015). An analysis of the role of comprador class: A neo-colonial study of a case of exploding mangoes by Hanif. British Journal of English Linguistic

• Kar, P. C. (1995). New historicism and the interpretation of the text. Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(1), 75-8. 

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  Tanvir, M. Y. (2014). Praetorianism in a case of exploding mangoes: A critical analysis. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(19), 95–102.

  Siddiqa

  Cite this article

  APA

  APA : Mengal, K., & Khanda, G. (2023). A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism". Global Language Review, VIII(IV), 9-19. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-IV).02

  CHICAGO

  CHICAGO : Mengal, Kiran, and Gul Khanda. 2023. "A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism"." Global Language Review, VIII (IV): 9-19 doi: 10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-IV).02

  HARVARD

  HARVARD : MENGAL, K. & KHANDA, G. 2023. A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism". Global Language Review, VIII, 9-19.

  MHRA

  MHRA : Mengal, Kiran, and Gul Khanda. 2023. "A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism"." Global Language Review, VIII: 9-19

  MLA

  MLA : Mengal, Kiran, and Gul Khanda. "A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism"." Global Language Review, VIII.IV (2023): 9-19 Print.

  OXFORD

  OXFORD : Mengal, Kiran and Khanda, Gul (2023), "A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism"", Global Language Review, VIII (IV), 9-19

  TURABIAN

  TURABIAN : Mengal, Kiran, and Gul Khanda. "A Critical Study of Text Interpretation in the Novel, "A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the Light of Historicism"." Global Language Review VIII, no. IV (2023): 9-19. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-IV).02