Mapping Narrative Space and Memory in Rohinton Mistry’s “Swimming Lessons”

The Criterion: An International Journal in English
ISSN: 0976-8165 | Impact Factor: 8.67 | Peer-Reviewed | Open Access
Indian Literature

Mapping Narrative Space and Memory in Rohinton Mistry's "Swimming Lessons"

Dr. D. Nagarani
Vol. 17, Issue 1February 2026Pages 253-265Article ID: 2026V17N1074

Abstract

Narrative space has always played a pivotal role in the arena of Indian English Literature. It includes the shaping of stories and characters, as well as fictional and real spaces, through a web of narrative patterns. In this context, this paper reflects on the role played by narrative space through a rereading of Rohinton Mistry’s short story “Swimming Lessons.” Firstly, it examines the concept of a “travel through memory” and explores how memory functions as a significant component of narrative. Secondly, it discusses the hidden dual cultural spaces that remain metaphorically dormant within the narrative. Finally, the paper analyses Mistry’s narrative endeavour to map Parsi cultural space and the painful recollections of the immigrant experience.

Keywords

Narrative, Space, Memory, Travel

How to Cite

Dr. D. Nagarani. “Mapping Narrative Space and Memory in Rohinton Mistry's "Swimming Lessons".” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 253-265. ISSN: 0976-8165.

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