Abstract
This essay examines the influence of canonical British literature, such as Regency era and nineteenth-century novels on fundamental stylistic (and related thematic) aspects of Pakistani author Bina Shah’s three most recent novels— The 786Cybercafé, Slum Child, and A Season for Martyrs. Shah’s work, like that of her noted forerunner Bapsi Sidhwa, was partly born out of an extensive study of canonical English classics as well as from the literary tradition that has impacted the pedagogical development and reading tastes of many South Asian writers. These influences have persisted in creative writing long after the departure of the British from the subcontinent. By highlighting these specific aspects of Shah’s endeavours and noting how recent critical assessments would have been considerably enhanced by an examination of them, the author’s central arguments implicitly help to demonstrate that the long-term survival of postmodern Commonwealth literature depends to a considerable extent on acknowledging the literary heritage that contributes towards shaping it. Dictated by political as opposed to intellectual and aesthetic concerns, postcolonial criticism has often failed to take into account this aspect of style; however, using Bina Shah’s work as a point of focus this essay attempts to underscore the importance of stylistic analysis when it comes to addressing the general position of Commonwealth literature relative to the canon.