imported>Missvain at 22:55, 2 June 2021

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{{more sources|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{infobox person
|name = K. P. Appan
|image = {{#statements:P18}}

|birth_name = Karthikayil Padmanabhan Appan
|birth_date = {{birth date|1936|8|25}}
|birth_place = Alappuzha, Kerala
|death_date = {{death date and age|2008|12|14|1936|8|25}}
|occupation = literary critic
|parents = Poonthoppil Padmanabhan, Karthiyani
|death_place = Kayamkulam, Kerala
}}
'''Karthikayil Padmanabhan Appan''' (25 August 1936 – 14 December 2008), better known as '''K. P. Appan''', was a renowned [[literary critic]] in [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]. Born in [[Alappuzha]] (Alleppey), [[Kerala]], Appan worked as a Professor of [[Malayalam literature]] at SN College, Kollam, Kerala.

==Biography==
Karthikayil Padmanabhan Appan was born to Poonthoppil Padmanabhan and Karthiyani in [[Alappuzha]] on 25 August 1936.<ref name="Santōṣkumār2013">{{cite book|author=Ṭi. Ke Santōṣkumār|title=K.P. Appan: life story|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LxRungEACAAJ|year=2013|publisher=Kēraḷa Bhāṣā Inst̲it̲t̲ūṭṭ|isbn=978-81-7638-310-3}}</ref> He had his schooling at Sanadana Dharma Vidyalaya there and graduation at [[Sanatana Dharma College|SD College]], Alappuzha. He took his post-graduation from [[Maharaja's College, Ernakulam|Maharaja's College]], [[Ernakulam]].<ref name="സാഹിത്യ നിരൂപകന്‍ കെ.പി അപ്പന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു">{{Cite web |url=https://malayalam.oneindia.com/news/2008/12/15/kerala-literary-critic-kp-appan-obit.html |title=സാഹിത്യ നിരൂപകന്‍ കെ.പി അപ്പന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു |last=Staff |date=2008-12-15 |website=malayalam.oneindia.com |language=ml |access-date=2019-04-14}}</ref> Appan began his career as a high school teacher and then joined [[Union Christian College, Aluva|UC College]], [[Aluva]], as a lecturer in Malayalam. Later he joined [[List of Sree Narayana Institutions|SN College]], [[Cherthala]], and then got transferred to SN College, [[Kollam]], in 1972. He retired from there in 1992.<ref name="K P Appan - Malayalam writer Literay critic">{{Cite web |url=http://www.alappuzhaonline.com/kpAppan.htm |title=K P Appan - Malayalam writer Literay critic |website=www.alappuzhaonline.com |access-date=2019-04-14}}</ref>

K. P. Appan died at a private hospital in [[Kayamkulam]] on 14 December 2008. He had been battling with cancer for almost three years.<ref name="Santōṣkumār2013" />

==Writing==
Appan started his writing while [[Malayalam literature]] was slowly transiting from neo-classic socialist [[realism (literature)|realism]] to [[Modernist literature|modernism]]. New writings of [[O. V. Vijayan]], [[M. Mukundan]], [[Kakkanadan]] etc., which focus on the alienation of the individual and related anguish was unsettling to conventional critics like [[Joseph Mundassery]], [[Kuttikrishna Marar]] etc. Their ageing literary sensibilities failed to take note of and evaluate the writings of younger generation leading to some sort of stagnation in literary criticism. Appan's entry into the Malayalam literary world at this juncture was like fresh air to a closed room. Appan pointed out that the new generation writers are impatient with existing reality as they considered writing to be an attempt to create new realities. Appan justified the liberal use of myths and metaphors by the new writers. His first book ''Kshobhikkunnavarude Suvisesham'' (Gospel of the Angry) opened a new vista in Malayalam literary criticism. Soon he became the messiah of new writing in Malayalam. Liberal values and existentialist philosophy as expounded by [[Immanuel Kant]], [[Søren Kierkegaard]], [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], [[Albert Camus]] etc. found its expression in Malayalam through the genius of K. P. Appan.

Appan had written over 20 books and most of them had turned out to be subjects of interesting debate. He was one who proved to the literary world that literary criticism was by itself a form of delightful literature. He is widely seen as the one who launched the trend of new criticism in [[Malayalam literature]]. He introduced modern European and Eastern literary visions in Malayalam literary criticism.<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996">{{cite book|author1=Nalini Natarajan|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA202|year=1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7|pages=202–}}</ref> Some of his works were Kshobhikkunnavarude Suvisesham (1972), Thiraskaram (1978), Kalahavum Viswasavum (1984), Marunna Malayala Novel (1988), Kalapam, Vivadam, Vilayiruthal (1992) Malayala Bhavana Mullyangalum Sangharshangalum (1992), Bible Velichathinte Kavacham (1994), Penayude Samaramukhangal (1995), Samayapravahavum Sahithyakalayum (1996), Abhimukha Sambashanangal (1997), UtharadhunikathaVarthamanavum Vamsavaliyum (1997).

==Awards and honors==
In 2008, K. P. Appan won the [[Sahitya Akademi Award|Kendra Sahithya Academy Award]] for his collection of essays in Malayalam, ''Madhuram Ninte Jeevitham''. The award was announced after his death.<ref>{{cite news|title = Sahitya Akademi awards for 7 novelists|url = http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/24/stories/2008122461351300.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090125003410/http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/24/stories/2008122461351300.htm|url-status = dead|archive-date = 25 January 2009|date = 24 December 2008|newspaper = [[The Hindu]]|access-date = 24 December 2008}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Title
! Title in Malayalam
|-
!1
|''Kshobhikkunnavarude Suvisesham'' ||''ക്ഷോഭിക്കുന്നവരുടെ സുവിശേഷം ''
|-
! 2
|''Kalahavum Viswasavum'' || ''കലഹവും വിശ്വവും ''
|-
! 3
|''Malayala Bhavana: Mullyangalum Sangharshangalum'' || ''മലയാള ഭാവന - മൂല്യങ്ങളും സംഘർഷങ്ങളും ''
|-
! 4
|''Varakalum Varnangalum'' ||''വരകളും വർണങ്ങളും ''
|-
! 5
|''Bible: Velichathinte Kavacham'' ||''ബൈബിൾ - വെളിച്ചത്തിന്റെ കവചം ''
|-
! 6
|''Kalapam, Vivadam, Vilayiruthal'' ||''കലാപം , വിവാദം, വിലയിരുത്തലുകൾ ''
|-
! 7
|''Samayapravahavum Sahithyakalayum'' ||''സമയപ്രവാഹവും സാഹിത്യകലയും''
|-
! 8
|''Katha: Akhyanavum Anubhava Sathayum'' ||''കഥ: ആഖ്യാനവും അനുഭവ സത്യവും ''
|-
! 9
|''Utharadhunikatha: Varthamanavum Vamsavaliyum'' ||''ഉത്തരാധുനികത: വർത്തമാനവും വംശാവലിയും ''
|-
! 10
|''Innalekalile Anveshanaparishodanakal'' ||''ഇന്നലെകളിലെ അന്വേഷണപരിശോധനകൾ''
|-
! 11
|''Vivekashaliyaya Vayanakkara'' || ''വിവേകശാലിയായ വായനക്കാരാ''
|-
! 12
|''Rogavum Sahithyabhavanayum'' || ''രോഗവും സാഹിത്യഭാവനയും''
|-
! 13
|''Charithrathe Aghadahamakkiya Guru'' || ''ചരിത്രത്തിലെ അഗാധമാക്കിയ ഗുരു ''
|-
! 14
|''Swargam theernnu pokunnu narakam nilanilkunnu'' || ''സ്വർഗം തീർന്നു പോകുന്നു നരകം നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു ''
|-
! 15
|''Thiraskaram'' || ''തിരസ്കരണം ''
|-
! 16
|''Marunna Malayalam Novel'' || ''മാറുന്ന മലയാളം നോവൽ''
|-
! 17
|''Penayude Samaramukhangal'' || ''പേനയുടെ സമരമുഖങ്ങൾ''
|-
! 18
|''Maduram Ninte jeevitham'' || ''മധുരം നിന്റെ ജീവിതം ''
|-
! 19
|''Abhimuka Sambhashanakal'' || ''അഭിമുഖ സംഭാഷണങ്ങൾ ''
|-
! 20
|''Charithrathe Ningalkoppam Kootuka'' || ''ചരിത്രത്തെ നിങ്ങൾക്കൊപ്പം കൂട്ടുക''
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite journal |title=Remembering K.P. Appan: The Critic as Cultural Hero |journal = Indian Literature|volume = 53|issue = 2 (250)|last=Rajakrishnan |first=V. |date=2009 |pages=186–190 |jstor = 23348056}}
* {{Cite journal |hdl=10603/147694 |title=Modernism in malayalam criticism a study with special reference to K P Appan V Rajakrishnan R Narendraprasad |last=Sivaprasad Ponnan |date=2012}}

== External links ==
* {{Cite journal |title=K.P. Appan: Readable Criticism at a Premium |journal = Indian Literature|volume = 53|issue = 2 (250)|last=Kutty |first=K M Ajir |date=2009 |pages=191–193 |jstor = 23348057}}

{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Appan, K. P.}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:Indian literary critics]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Alappuzha]]
[[Category:Malayalam literary critics]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam]]
[[Category:Maharaja's College, Ernakulam alumni]]
[[Category:Malayalam novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]

K. P. Appan - Revision history

imported>Missvain at 22:55, 2 June 2021