Rudyard Kipling's Techniques

Abstract

This thesis investigates the techniques of Rudyard Kipling and his influence on my “novel of short stories”. How did Kipling advance the short story form over a half-century of experimentation? How did his approaches enliven the reader’s experience to such a degree that his greatest works have remained in print? Beginning in 1888 with Plain Tales From the Hills, Kipling utilized three innovative techniques: the accretion of unrelated stories into the substance of a novel; the use of tales with their fantastical dreamlike appeal (as opposed to standard fictional styles of realism or naturalism) to both salute and satirize characters in adult fiction; and the swift deployment of back story to enhance both the interwoven nature and tale-like feel of the collection. Several of Kipling’s later India tales are examined for their advancing sophistications; and memorable short stories from his later years are analyzed for further experimentations with form. In addition, Kipling’s turbulent disposition is investigated for possible clues to his varied approaches to fiction. Subsequent to these queries, my novel of short stories utilizes the three techniques – interweaving unrelated stories to congeal to a whole; allowing characters to see themselves as the center of a tale; and utilizing swift back story as a tacit comparison to the stark realities of the present – leaving room for my own experimentations.