What does the coloring of the text mean? It is the emulation of the “nuance” of writing on the “nuance” of reading. Although the color described with a word belongs to the narrative (not the color-related!) receptive yokes around the neck of the reader, it spontaneously covers the visible at the expense of the assumed, and becomes a pure old Greek “chroma”. Of saffron, for example:
specifically red with precisely determined dose of yellow in it, such a dose so as not to make it orange, but to let it remain saffron-red;
- specifically red as spilled, somewhat dried blood;
- specifically red as too quickly lighted and too soon extinguished passion;
- specifically red as war, as love, as justice and as injustice…
This narrative technique that encourages double coloring of the text (by the writer and by the reader) is a small secret cord with which even the most selective reader can entangle him/herself into the text. The technique (and the cord) can be called chromatic narration or narrative chromatics. Since the reception of the color (just as the reception of the text) is a process that takes place at the same time in the eye and in the brain, many novels remain in our memory as a precisely determined color; as if they took place on a precisely determined background, on precisely determined color tone. The new novel of Arundhati Roy is a novel of the color of saffron. Of course, nothing in the novels, and especially in the novels of Roy, is accidental. Therefore the saffron is the nuance, taste, symbolism and essence of what the author wants to narrate to us, to implant in our heart. Precisely the heart, because, out of all organs of the reader, this literary text prefers and attacks directly the heart. Not the brain, not the reason, not the intelligence, not the education, not the literary expertise… only and only the heart.
- The saffron is the most expensive spice in the world – Roy’s novel is of the most expensive literary discourses that you either find or do not ever find in your life as a reader.
- The saffron has an intensive smell and aroma of honey, sweetly bitter taste and irresistibly resembles Hindu sauces – the novel of Roy is a rare literary food, precious literary perfume.
- The saffron is at the same time a medicament, proved boost for the immunity, sedative and stimulant, but also aphrodisiac – Roy’s novel strengthens you, calms you and wondrously sensually revives you.
- The quality of the saffron is determined by its ability to color the food and everything else around it – the quality of Roy’s novel is determined by its ability to impose itself above the books that one has read or will read.