The Problems of the Elderly that the Novel “Ilaiyuthikaalam (Autumn)” conveys

Abstract

The Tamil language is full of sweetness and brilliance. The Tamil language has innumerable literary avenues. Novels transcribe and display biographical cues. ‘Ilaiyuthirkaalam’ is written with the problems of the elderly as the plot. Author Neela Padmanabhan has written the novel ‘Ilaiyuthirkaalam’ with an understanding and absorption of the problems of the elderly. The Ilaiyuthikaalam novel depicts the burden of the elderly who have dedicated themselves to the cause of the relationship. The novel Ilaiyuthikaalam highlights that old age, which is described as “Second Childhood”, is not a state of happiness but a state of misery. The problems faced by the elderly in old age homes and the environment in which they live explain the problems of the elderly. Ilaiyuthikaalam novel addresses the problems of the elderly in the century when old age homes are overflowing. Ilaiyuthikaalam novel brings out the problems faced by the body and mind as one gets older. From this novel, it can be seen that elderly people who need to be cared for like children are suffering from a lack of care.