The myriad themes and tales of 'Footprints'

Writer Neetha John talks about her debut novel and details her writing process and narrative style
Neetha John
Neetha John
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5 min read

Red is the colour of fire, passion, and rebellion burning beneath the surface. It demands attention, refuses to be ignored. On the cover of Footprints, the debut novel by writer Neetha John, red bursts forth — a bold, unmissable tulip-shaped dot at the centre of a swirl of yellow and orange, a sun in motion or perhaps a wound that refuses to close. Red is also the colour of Samantha, the novel’s protagonist. It’s in her hair, in the hoodie she pulls over herself like an armour, in the way Luke sees her — just for a moment — like Holden Caulfield’s lost twin. Red is also the colour of tulips — the kind that bloom defiantly, the kind that carry secrets in their petals. They stand tall in the novel and echo Sylvia Plath’s Ariel, where red is not just a colour but a galloping inevitability, a rush toward something both beautiful and terrifying. The cover of Footprints is not just an image — it’s a foreshadowing. It tells us that Samantha, like the red at its centre, is at the heart of the story.

Footprints delves into themes of mental health, intricate family dynamics, and the nuances and peculiarities of modern love. Neetha shares, “Since childhood, I wanted to write. That was the only dream. I really think I am not suitable for anything else.”

The genesis of Samantha, the novel’s central character, is rooted in Neetha’s own musings about morality and modernity. “When I read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, I was inspired by the character Hazel Grace’s aim to do no harm. It felt so contradictory to what I had learned so far. That felt really wonderful to me — the idea of living a small life by doing no harm to others. I began thinking about how it would be if someone lived by that principle in the modern world. That led to creating the character Samantha.”

The impact of dual perspectives

The narrative begins with a conversation between Samantha and Luke, drawing the reader into the connection between them. What makes this novel particularly unique is Neetha’s choice to alternate between their perspectives, offering readers a layered exploration of perception and reality. When asked about her decision to switch between the point of view of both characters and what idea had inspired that choice, the writer’s response reflects her desire to capture the duality of human relationships. “I have always thought that some people’s perception of us is a lot different than who we really are. Gossip Girl was a big influence in this regard,” she explains.

Screenwriter Kanika Dhillon once shared in an interview that the audience’s love for a female protagonist often hinges on how the male protagonists or other characters perceive her. Neetha explains that Luke’s appreciation of Samantha’s vulnerability and beauty plays a crucial role in shaping how we, as readers, come to see her. Samantha’s chapters are raw and unfiltered, while Luke’s are quieter, more introspective, adding a poignant contrast. The story flows seamlessly between conversation, dual points of view, to-do lists, and even poetry, each element adding a new dimension to the narrative. This creativity extends to Neetha’s use of typography, which brings an added layer of emotion to the text.

Samantha’s words are often emphasised through italicisation, as seen when she declares, “I can try to pick kind between us. But you see, it has always been right between us. I am kind to the rest of the world.” Here, the italicised kind and right underline the tension in Samantha’s relationships and her internal conflict. Similarly, when Samantha confesses her feelings with “I love you”, the typography gives the moment weight and intimacy, pulling readers deeper into her psyche.

The story is as much about its characters as it is about the cities they inhabit. Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad come alive through Neetha’s vivid descriptions, reflecting the chaos and rhythm of city life. Neetha shares, “Life in the cities contributes to it. I am from Kerala, and from a place that is very quiet. Literally nothing happens there. When I came to Chennai...it is very loud, filled with a lot of vehicles.”

This contrast between the quiet of rural Kerala and the noise of urban life serves as a metaphor for Samantha’s inner turmoil and search for belonging. Her creativity also extends to poetry, with Samantha’s poem ‘Boob Ballad’ offering a glimpse into her innermost thoughts. The book’s opening lines are, “I hate these tits of mine. They just hang on to me. I see my pyre lit.” Originally inspired by a Leonard Cohen song, Neetha crafted her own words to set the tone of the story. “Those lines also give a bit of foreshadowing about the book. I wanted to bring in some bodymorphism, helplessness, and set the tone of the book,” she shares.

Footprints
Footprints

Music, literature, and intertextuality

Music and intertextuality play significant roles in the book’s creation and content. “I used to listen to the soundtracks of La La Land and write. Songs and lyrics influence me a lot; I give a lot of importance to song lyrics.” Literary influences, from Sylvia Plath to The Catcher in the Rye, also find echoes in Samantha’s journey. “Samantha is somebody who feels a lot alienated. The main protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye also feels a lot alienated. Samantha might have gotten comfort from there.” Writing about violence and its impacts was another challenge Neetha tackled head-on. “I wanted to write the impacts of that violence, the harshness of it,” she says.

Journey of creation

The process of writing the book for Neetha began during the pandemic. “I enjoy writing and I was going through a really bad phase while writing the book, and if I hadn’t written this book, I wouldn’t have survived. This book was my only hope and purpose,” she confesses. It’s this unfiltered honesty that gives her work its undeniable depth and resonance. The road to publication was anything but smooth for the writer. “I moved to Belfast to do a Master’s in Creative Writing. It was a really nice course, and they taught us how to write synopses and how to approach publishers. I have written almost 1,000 synopses and have sent them to a lot of publishers and received many rejections.”

Despite these setbacks, Neetha persevered, eventually finding a home for her book with LitKanmani, a publishing house dedicated to young adult literature. “By the time I sent my manuscript, I had already edited it five times. For almost one year, through video calls, we worked on a few drafts. The characters strengthened over that period.” Both the publishing house and the author aim to shine a spotlight on the genre of Young Adult literature in India.

To young writers, Neetha advises, “You have to stick to your convictions. Artistes also take a lot of emotional energy. I believe feeling is ninety percent of the work, and writing is only ten percent.” She also quotes Lana Del Rey, who says, “I didn’t have to fake it till I made it, I only had to feel it.” This belief in the power of genuine emotion echoes through her work, where her characters come to life with palpable authenticity.

As Neetha reflects on her characters’ independence, she finds joy in their autonomy. “Now when I read the book again, even though I know what the next word is, it gives me a feeling of reading a book. I get happiness from knowing that they aren’t attached to me.” This sense of separation allows her characters to take on a life of their own. Red, the colour that threads through both the characters and the book’s cover, symbolises much more than defiance — it represents a beating heart. And this book undoubtedly has one.

To buy 'Footprints', visit https://litkanmani.com/products/footprints

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