The novel Clear Light of Day has several different themes with one of the underlying tones being hurt. The setting of the novel is in a time when India was going through a time of change which caused rioting and the death of many young people. Because of this it can be said that the entire nation of India was in pain. This can again be seen when Gandhi was murdered. Raja, who was sick at the time, became so outraged that Bim has to tell him to calm down before his condition became worst.
The most obvious cases of hurt in the book however, focus on the main characters; Bim, Raja and Tara; the children of the Das family. As the book progresses one is able to see the ways in which the siblings hurt each other, whether on purpose or un-knowingly.
One of the most focused upon incedent of hurt in the book is what Raja did to bim and her persapective on it. Raja and Bim, as young children had always had a close relationship. As they got older however, Raja seeks "freedom" from the "dead house" which he has been confined to all his life. He eventually leaves Old Dehli in search of the Hider Ali's who had moved because of the rioting. Bim however, sees his decision as a direct insult to her and also sees it as him abandoning her after she had looked after him during his long sickness. After a while, Raja eventually marries Hider Ali's daughter and because of this he become Hider Ali's son. Raja then becomes Bim's land-lord and rather than telling her that she no longer has to pay rent because of their family bond, he tells her that the rent will remain the same. Bim is again insulted and hurt.
Another incident of hurt in the book involves Bim and Tara. When Tara was young, she had very low self esteem and confidence. She thought that if her long hair had a bit of curl to it she would be more beautiful. Bim, upon hearing Tara express her desire for curly hair to their aunt, then tells Tara that if she were to cut her hair it would grow back with curls. This was of course a lie. Bim then takes her up to the roof and proceeded to cut all of Tara's long hair. Tara, after being informed that when her hair did grow back, it would be exactly the same, breaks down and cries realizing what a crule thing Bim had done to her. Tara decides that she would never forgive Bim.
Towords the end of the book, we are able to see once again that Bim feels hurt and abandoned. Both her siblings have long been married and moved out. She had been left in the "dead house" had not and was now left to take care of Baba the rest of her life. She feels betrayed at being left behind. Raja never visits and the now refined and seemingly self confident Tara, only visits evry three years. Because of this, Bim may feel that she has been cheated and dealt an unfair hand by life.
We are able to see that all the siblings have in some way hirt each other; Raja, by "abandoning Bim, Bim by cutting Tara's hair, and Tara by abandoning Bim as well.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Baba's significance within Clear Light of Day
In the book Clear Light of Day by Aniita Desai, Baba is the youngest child of the Das family. He was born when the mother seemed to be aged, because of this he was born with disabilities and mental developmant problems. While growing up, Baba took a long time to learn to walk and he never quite learned to speak. It was their aunt,Mira, who took an intrest in him as a child because his mother thought of him as a distraction from her "bridge" games. Aunt Mira thought him how to dress himself and become somewhat independant. she gave him some pebbles as toys when he was young as toys and Baba still had them, and still played with them even when he was a grown man.
Although Baba is very quite in the book, his presence is always felt. His playing with the pebbles, by scattering them and gathering them up again, was a constant sound within the book. It was stated on page 62 that "Everyone in the household knew the sound they (the pebbles) as he scattered them across the tiles. . . It was the sound of the house, as much as the contented muttering of the pigeons on the veranda. it gave time a continuity and regularity that the ticking of a clock in the hall might convey in other homes". Here we are able to see that Baba's presence is indeed felt as it is part of the make-up of the Das family's home.
We are again able to see Baba's quite role when Bim is waiting up for Tara to return from one of the outings with the Misra sisters. Bim is waiting on the veranda and Baba is there with her, playing with his pebbles. Baba serves as a type of companionship or friend for Bim in this scene.
Baba is also significant in that he has taken over his fathers role at the office upon his death. The role was originally intended for Raja, but he adamantly refused to walk in his fathers footsteps. Raja then suggest that Baba deal with the paper-work. Upon hearing this, Bim ridicules Raja for even suggestiing such a thing knowing Baba's state. The clerks who worked under the father however stated that Baba would not really need to come to the office because the father rarely did anything but sign papers. all the work was left up to the clerks. Baba is significant here because, in a sense, he has taken over his fathers role as provider for the family, although he is not really aware of this fact.
Baba's presence is also impertant as a source of comfort for Bim. This is seen when Baba plays music on his record player at a very loud volume. she seems to prefer the noise to the quite of the house. It serves as a distraction from all her worries.
We are able to see Baba's significance in the book because he serves as a source of distraction for bim and a comforting presence. He is a very big part of their lives because his presence and little noises are a part of the make up of the house. Baba is also needed because he has stepped in, albeit, unknowingly, into his fathers role at the office and, in my view, family provider.
Although Baba is very quite in the book, his presence is always felt. His playing with the pebbles, by scattering them and gathering them up again, was a constant sound within the book. It was stated on page 62 that "Everyone in the household knew the sound they (the pebbles) as he scattered them across the tiles. . . It was the sound of the house, as much as the contented muttering of the pigeons on the veranda. it gave time a continuity and regularity that the ticking of a clock in the hall might convey in other homes". Here we are able to see that Baba's presence is indeed felt as it is part of the make-up of the Das family's home.
We are again able to see Baba's quite role when Bim is waiting up for Tara to return from one of the outings with the Misra sisters. Bim is waiting on the veranda and Baba is there with her, playing with his pebbles. Baba serves as a type of companionship or friend for Bim in this scene.
Baba is also significant in that he has taken over his fathers role at the office upon his death. The role was originally intended for Raja, but he adamantly refused to walk in his fathers footsteps. Raja then suggest that Baba deal with the paper-work. Upon hearing this, Bim ridicules Raja for even suggestiing such a thing knowing Baba's state. The clerks who worked under the father however stated that Baba would not really need to come to the office because the father rarely did anything but sign papers. all the work was left up to the clerks. Baba is significant here because, in a sense, he has taken over his fathers role as provider for the family, although he is not really aware of this fact.
Baba's presence is also impertant as a source of comfort for Bim. This is seen when Baba plays music on his record player at a very loud volume. she seems to prefer the noise to the quite of the house. It serves as a distraction from all her worries.
We are able to see Baba's significance in the book because he serves as a source of distraction for bim and a comforting presence. He is a very big part of their lives because his presence and little noises are a part of the make up of the house. Baba is also needed because he has stepped in, albeit, unknowingly, into his fathers role at the office and, in my view, family provider.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
