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LITERARY TERMS (SHORT STORY AND
NOVEL) PART I
Unit Structure
1.0Objectives
1.1Introduction to Naturalism
1.2Features of Naturalistic Fiction
1.3Prominent American Naturalist Writers
1.3.1 Frank Norris
1.3.2 Theodore Dreiser
1.3.3 Jack London
1.4 The Lost Generation
1.4.1 Introduction
1.4.2 The Features of the Works of th e Lost Generation Writers
1.4.3. Prominent Writers of the Lost Generation
1.5 African American Literature
1.5.1. Introduction
1.5.2. Prominent African American Novelists
1.6 Let us Sum Up
1.7 Questions
1.8 Suggested Reading
1.0 OBJECTIVES
By studying this unit, the learners will be introduced to three
important movements and influences on modern American literature
namely, Naturalism, the Lost Generation writers and African American
literature. S/he will be able to describe the features of each movement and
give a brief survey of the major writers and their works.
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO NATURALISM
Naturalism as a literary movement took place approximately
between 1865 and 1900. The concept of literary Naturalism was first
propounded by the F rench author Emile Zola. Naturalists believed that the
human character was shaped by social conditions, heredity, and
environment; thus, human behavior is a product of these influences. Zola
described characters as “human beasts” and emphasized the need to
understand human beings in the context of their environment.munotes.in
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2Naturalist writers adopt a scientific and detached outlook for
understanding human beings. They were deeply influenced by Charles
Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Naturalism is opposed to romanticism and it aims to present reality
without idealism. The harsh aspects of reality like poverty, vices, violence,
taboos are objectively portrayed by naturalists. They do not employ
spiritual, fantasy or supernatural element s. Naturalism is often seen as an
exaggerated form of realism. Naturalist fiction is also influenced by
determinism, the belief that an individual's fate is predetermined, by forces
beyond human control; thus, the notion of free will does not exist.
Frank Norris introduced Naturalism into American fiction. The
other important naturalist writers are Ernest Hemingway, Jack London,
Theodore Dreiser, and Stephen Crane. Dreiser, Crane, and Norris were
also journalists, which helped them maintain their stance of detached
observation of human nature.
1.2. FEATURES OF NATURALISTIC FICTION
Now, let us discuss the key features of naturalism in literature.
Naturalism, like realism, focuses on facts and logic, rather than
imagination and symbolism. There is no attempt to idealise or romanticise
reality, rather to present it in accurate detail. The naturalist writers did not
avoid the dark aspects of reality like poverty, prostitution, corruption, vice,
disease e tc.
Due to the influence of determinism, they portrayed human beings
as being helpless in the face of powerful forces like heredity, environment,
chance and social conditions that shape their fate. Free will and choice are
revealed as illusions. Yet, the characters often possess a redeeming
humanistic aspect.
The naturalist writers treated the novel as an experiment, whereby
they could determine the forces that shaped behaviour, primarily heredity
and the environment. They presented a detached observatio n of their
characters without attempting to moralise. The tone was objective and it
focused more on what happened to the character rather than the character
itself.
The focus of the novels was mainly lower -middle class or middle -
class individuals and thei r problems. The novels detail the commonplace
routine existence of the characters interwoven with violence, passion,
sexual adventures and death. They did not hesitate to depict themes that
were considered sordid by contemporary society and depicted sexual ity
frankly.
Walcutt identifies survival, violence, determinism and taboo as key
themes in naturalistic fiction. The novels depict “the brute within” eachmunotes.in
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3character, the greed, lust, desire for control and search for pleasure. The
characters struggle to survive in a world that is amoral and hostile or
indifferent.
These writers opposed the typical notions of realist novels about
middle -class life, which focused on bourgeois individualism. Instead, they
attempted to explore the animal or the irrational forces underlying human
behaviour, including sexuality and violence.
The naturalists were criticized for their pessimistic view of reality.
They emphasized the harsh aspects of reality and presented human beings
as powerless to escape their circumstances. Nature was depicted as a
powerful force, indifferent to human sufferi ng.
1.3 PROMINENT AMERICAN NATURALIST WRITERS
Let us now proceed to a brief survey of the works of the important
American naturalist writers.
1.3.1 Frank Norris
Frank Norris aka Benjamin Franklin Norris (1870 -1902) was the
first important American nat uralist writer. He worked as a news
correspondent and a war correspondent and is known for his important
novels ‘Mc Teague’, ‘A Deal in Wheat’, ‘The Octopus’, ‘The Pit’ and
‘The Epic of the Wheat’.
‘Mc Teague’, a novel set in San Francisco, details the s tory of a
slow-witted dentist who brutally murders his stingy wife. He flees through
Death Valley to finally encounter his own death. It is regarded as one of
the first portraits of the acquisitiveness that characterises American
society. ‘The Octopus’ is the first work in a trilogy by Norris; only two
novels were actually published, while the third remained unwritten at the
time of his early death. ‘The Octopus’ deals with the conflict between the
wheat farmers in Chicago and the monopolistic railway compa ny.
Considered Norris’ masterpiece, the novel explores the socio -economic
forces that control the production, distribution and consumption of wheat.
‘The Pit’, the second novel in the trilogy focussed on the Chicago Board
of Trade and their speculation on wheat.
Norris is known for his realistic detail and his exploration of how
heredity and environment shape human life. He viewed novels as tools for
the betterment of society. His novels capture a vivid and minutely detailed
picture of life in California towards the end of the 19th Century.
1.3.2 Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Dreiser (1871 -1945) is a leading figure among American
naturalist novelists. Dreiser’s childhood was characterised by poverty; the
yearning for wealth and success becomes a preoccupati on in his novels.
Dreiser worked as a newspaper reporter.munotes.in
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4His first novel, ‘Sister Carrie’ is considered one of the landmarks
in American fiction. It depicts a pretty young girl from a small town who
comes to the big city to fulfill her dreams. She is expl oited by men and
eventually learns to exploit them. She achieves her dream of success by
becoming a popular actress on Broadway. The novel became controversial
for its depiction of a ‘kept’ woman who breaks the norms of conventional
sexual morality without facing dire consequences.
Dreiser’s longest novel ‘An American Tragedy’ depicts the rise
and fall of Clyde Griffiths, an anti -hero. Clyde’s background is bleak, he
rises to success and is ultimately arrested, tried and executed for murder.
The novel is a questioning of the American dream and the materialistic
obsession of American society.
Dreiser’s other important works are ‘The Financier’, ‘Jennie
Gerhardt’, ‘The Bulwark’, ‘The Genius’, ‘The Stoic’ and ‘The Titan’ He is
known for his stark, amoral presentation of society as an unequal conflict
between the strong and the weak. His novels captured the social problems
that were created due to rapid industrialisation.
1.3.3 Jack London
Jack London is a pseudonym adopted by John Griffith Chaney
(1876 -1916). He is renowned for his naturalistic works ‘The Call of the
Wild’ and ‘White Fang’ that depict the struggle for survival. His other
important works are ‘To Build a Fire’, ‘The Iron Heel’, ‘Martin Eden’,
‘The Sea -Wolf’, ‘The Cruise of the Shark’ and ‘B urning Daylight’.
‘The Call of the Wild’ tells the story of Buck, a dog who is a
pampered pet. Buck is kidnapped and sold and ends up working as a sled
dog, where he is beaten and abused. Buck is forced to adapt to the wild,
with its violence and his prim itive instincts resurface. He faces various
adventures, wins a struggle for supremacy and experiences a growing
desire for the wild. He kills the Native Americans who killed the man he
loved and moves into the forest to become the leader of a wolf pack. Th e
novel depicts the Darwinian notion of ‘survival of the fittest’.
‘The Sea -Wolf’ combines naturalism with romantic adventure. The
novel traces the development of a castaway named Van Weyden who
finds employment on a ship. He comes into conflict with the brutal and
self-destructive Wolf Larsen as he attempts to protect a fellow castaway
named Maud Brewster.
Jack London was one of the most extensively translated American
authors of his time.
1.4. THE LOST GENERATION
1.4.1. Introduction
The horrific experiences of World War I (then known as ‘the Great
War’) left an indelible mark on the collective psyche of the youth. Themunotes.in
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5millions of deaths, the dehumanising, disease -ridden life in the trenches
and the impact of chemical warfare led to the questioning of traditional
notions of patriotism and heroism.
The young generation that witnessed the after -effects of the war
was known as the "Lost Generation." They were the generation born
between 1883 and 1900 which reached adulthood during or immediately
after World War I.
It is said that Gertrude Stein overheard the owner of a garage
saying to a young mechanic that their generation was ‘ une generation
perdue’ -a lost generation. She coined the term which came to describe a
group of writers and poets includ ing herself, Ernest Hemingway, Francis
Scott Key Fitzgerald, John Dos Passos and T.S. Eliot. Many of these
American writers migrated to Europe. Ernest Hemingway used the phrase
as an epigraph to his novel The Sun Also Rises (1926): "You are all a lost
generation."
The term ‘lost’ referred to the disillusionment and the lack of
purpose experienced by the youth who had lived through the horrors of the
war. They lost faith in the traditional values that their parents had taught
them, like courage, innocence, patriotism and fidelity. When the war
veterans returned home, they became disillusioned with the government.
This generation was uninspired by abstract ideals and values, and turned to
materialism instead.
The Lost Generation writers lived and wrote in t he decade known
as ‘The Roaring Twenties’, with its predominance of hedonism, alcohol
and gangsters. This mood of reckless indulgence ended with the stock
market crash of 1929 that marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
1.4.2. Features of the Works of the Lost Generation Writers
The works of the Lost Generation writers were characterised by a
sense of aimlessness or lack of purpose. The end of World War I had left
the youth disillusioned with authority. The values they had believed in
were no longer relevant in the new, post -war society. The war left them
spiritually alienated and emotionally barren.
They replaced traditional moral values with excesses of
materialism and even decadence. The war had made America prosperous,
fuelling this materialism even further. Many of the novels depicted the
shallow, frivolous lifestyles and mindless pleasure -seeking of the rich
youth.
The Lost Generation writers revealed the deception of the
American dream with its ideal of economic success and happiness. The
dream became a corrupted version of itself; the focus was no longer on
creating self -sufficiency but on becoming unbelievably rich through any
available means. They also depicted the barrenness of excessive
materialism.munotes.in
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6As part of the rebellion against conve ntional social norms, the
writers explored themes like alienation, alcoholism, divorce, sex and
questioning of gender roles. Impotence becomes a key theme for these
writers. They reflected the shattering of traditional definitions of
masculinity by the you ng men who had witnessed the slaughter of war.
The novels reflect a belief in an impossible future as the writers
were unable to come to terms with the bleak present. They present an
unrealistic hope for an idealized future while continuing to be
disillus ioned with the present. ‘The Great Gatsby’ describes “the green
light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us.”
This disillusionment led to many of the Lost Generation writers
migrating to Europe from America. Paris, in particular, becam e a refuge
for these artists. Some led a nomadic lifestyle in pursuit of pleasure.
1.4.3. Prominent Writers of the Lost Generation
1.4.3.1 Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (1899 -1961) is one of the most influential
writers of the 20th Century. He is kno wn for his succinct and lucid prose
and his significant works include ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, ‘For Whom
the Bell Tolls’, ‘A Farewell to Arms’, ‘The Sun Also Rises’, ‘The Short
Happy Life of Francis Macomber’, ‘A Clean, Well -lighted Place’, ‘The
Snows of Kilimanjaro’ and ‘Islands in the Stream’.
Hemingway worked as a reporter and then as an ambulance driver
for the American Red Cross in World War I. He was injured in war and
decorated for heroism. He won the Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer Prize.
His nove l ‘The Sun Also Rises’ is set in the 1920s or ‘the Roaring
Twenties’. It depicts a group of expatriates in France and Spain who lead
aimless lives. Lady Brett Ashley and Jake Barnes represent the cynicism
and disillusionment of the Lost Generation. Lady Br ett loves Jake but he
has become impotent due to a war wound. She indulges in a number of
affairs. The novel captures the culture in the aftermath of war, losing itself
in alcohol and indulgence. Robert Cohn represents the romantic hero, now
irrelevant and absurd.
‘Hills Like White Elephants’ is a short story known for its irony,
symbolism and repetition. Through an American couple waiting for a
train, the story explores themes of abortion, lack of commitment and loss
of innocence.
A unique aspect of Hemingway’s style is his use of language. He
uses short, simple sentences, devoid of flair or emotion. The sentences are
primarily nouns and verbs, with few adjectives or adverbs. The resulting
effect is terse, yet resonant. It creates irony through unders tatement.munotes.in
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71.4.3.2 Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896 -1940) is renowned as a
representative of the Lost Generation. His important novels are ‘The
Great Gatsby’, ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’, ‘Tender is the Night’,
‘The Beautiful and the Damned’, ‘The Last Tycoon’, ‘Tales of the Jazz
Age’, and ‘This Side of Paradise’.
‘The Great Gatsby’ portrays the moral vacuum of post -war
American society. The narrator, Nick Carraway, visits his rich cousin
Daisy and rents a home at We st Egg, across the bay from her home. He
meets his neighbour, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a fabulously wealthy man
who is self -made. He throws lavish hedonistic parties using wealth gained
from criminal activities. Nick learns about how Daisy had betrayed G atsby
in the past to marry Tom, who is now unfaithful to her. Nick brings Daisy
to meet Gatsby and she is dazzled by his wealth but Tom becomes jealous
of Gatsby. Ultimately, Gatsby is destroyed by his own unattainable
dreams, a product of the American soc iety obsessed with materialism.
‘The Great Gatsby’ is regarded as a masterpiece in American fiction for its
portrayal of a society steeped in mindless greed and hedonism.
‘The Beautiful and the Damned’ revolves around Anthony Patch,
who succeeds in courti ng and marrying the beautiful Gloria Gilbert. They
live on his income which is limited, with the prospect of his inheriting a
large fortune when his grandfather dies. Their lives deteriorate into a whirl
of wild parties and mindless alcoholism. On witnessi ng this, Anthony’s
grandfather disinherits him and after his death, Anthony is forced to fight
a legal battle for his inheritance. After a long struggle, he wins the
inheritance, but by then, his relationship with Gloria has deteriorated and
the inheritanc e does not mean anything to them.
Fitzgerald is best known for his classic novel ‘The Great Gatsby’
and his sensitive portrayal of American life during ‘The Roaring
Twenties’ or ‘The Jazz Age’.
1.4.3.3.John Dos Passos
John Roderigo Dos Passos (1896 -1970) is known as an important
social historian and critic of American society. The novels ‘USA’, ‘1919’,
‘The 42nd Parallel’, ‘The Big Money’, ‘Manhattan Transfer’ and ‘District
of Columbia’ are his notable works.
Like Hemingway, Dos Passos volunteered as an ambulance driver
in World War I. Later, he worked as a journalist, which is reflected in the
objective realism of his later work. His greatest work is the trilogy ‘USA’.
It was inspired by the execution of the anarchists Nicola Sacco and
Bartolomeo Vanzet ti in 1972. He understood America as made up of two
nations: one comprising the rich and powerful, the other, poor and
powerless. ‘USA’ attempts to capture both these nations. ‘The 42nd
Parallel’ deals with the period from 1900 till the war, ‘1919’ depicts the
war and the Treaty of Versailles and ‘The Big Money’ captures the boom
of the 1920s to the Great Depression of the 1930s.munotes.in
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8Dos Passos infuses his fictional characters with a semblance of real
history. He interweaves newsreels, montages of actual newspa per
headlines and popular songs into his narrative. He also interweaves the
biographies of representatives of both the USAs such as Henry Ford,
Thomas Edison and President Woodrow Wilson along with the socialist
Eugene V.Debs, labourorganiser Joe Hill and the Unknown Soldier of
World War I.
‘Manhattan Transfer’ is a view of the metropolis through the eyes
of a rapid -transit commuter. Dos Passos uses impressionism to present the
lives of more than a dozen characters through a narrative that moves back
andforth.
1.5. AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
1.5.1. Introduction
African American literature can be defined as literature written by
Americans of African descent. African American literature encompasses a
broad variety of works viz. Fiction, poetry, drama, songs, letters, slave
narratives, speeches, sermons and journali stic writing. It offers insight into
the issues of identity, race and acceptance into American society.
African American literature has its beginnings in the oral tradition,
with the songs, legends and plays performed by the slaves as a respite
from thei r horrid existence. The first important published work is ‘Poems
on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral’ by Phyllis Wheatley in 1773.
This work asserted that Negroes were equivalent to the whites in spiritual
matters. Wheatley’s collection includes poems in a variety of classical
forms. This book became a powerful argument against the belief that
African Americans were intellectually inferior and thus unable to produce
meaningful literature. Another important work is the autobiography ‘The
Interesting Nar rative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; or, Gustavus Vassa,
the African, Written by Himself’. Equiano pioneered the slave narrative
which became a first -hand literary testimony against slavery. ‘The Life
and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee’ was the first spiritual
autobiography written by an African American woman. ‘Incidents in the
Life of a Slave Girl’ (1861) by Harriet Jacobs was the first autobiography
by an enslaved African American woman that described her experience of
being a victim of oppression through sexual exploitation.
‘Clotel or the President’s Daughter’ (1853) by William Wells
Brown was the first black American novel. Brown also published the first
African American play, ‘The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom’.
The end of the Civil War and Emancipation brought a new sense of
freedom for the African Americans. The spread of education among the
African Americans led to the rise of a new African American middle class
with literary aspirations. The writers had to negotiate the genteel style of
contemporary literature with the expression of the socio -political issues of
their community.munotes.in
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9Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first professional African American
writer. His poems, collected as ‘Oak and Ivy’ were written in the African
American dialect. He als o wrote poems in standard English and also wrote
novels including ‘The Sport of the Gods’.
The novel became an important tool for social change. It exposed
the prejudices and stereotypes of the whites and depicted the bleak social
conditions of the Afric an Americans. Booker T. Washington’s
autobiography ‘Up from Slavery’ inspired the African Americans to strive
for dignity through economic self -sufficiency. W.E.B. Du Bois, in his
‘The Souls of Black Folk’ advocated the need for voting and civil rights to
ensure social equality.
The Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s was a flowering of African
American literature and art, sometimes called The New Negro Movement.
This movement included talented poets like Countee Cullen, Langston
Hughes, and Claude McKay and t he novelists Rudolph Fisher, Zora Neale
Hurston, and Jean Toomer.
These writers questioned the traditional ‘white’ aesthetic standards
used for evaluating African American literature. They used literature to
assert their racial pride, and as a means for self-expression. The Harlem
Renaissance also gave an impetus to drama.
Ralph Ellison and James Baldwin, writing after the Great Depression,
brought in a new and incisive social consciousness through their writing.
The impact of the women’s movement in th e 1970s led to a literary
renaissance of African American women writers. Toni Morrison, Alice
Walker and Maya Angelou’s works explore the complex interactions of
race with patriarchy.
1.5.2. Prominent African American Novelists
1.5.2.1 Ralph Ellison
Ralph Waldo Ellison (1914 -1994) was encouraged to write by
Richard Wright. He was part of the Federal Writers’ Project from 1938 to
1942 and also served in World War II. His novel ‘Invisible Man’ won the
National Book Award for Fiction in 1953. The novel is a bildungsroman
about an idealistic African American youth, who significantly remains
nameless. He moves to Harlem and joins the protests against white
oppression. He remains ‘invisible’ because the people he meets see only
his surroundings or figments of t heir imagination. Ultimately, he is
ignored not only by the whites but also by his fellow African Americans.
He retreats into a hole in the ground and attempts to seek his identity.
Through stylistic innovations, Ellison attempted to provide a
unique construction of the African American identity. The novel captures
the modern African American speech and culture.munotes.in
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10‘The Invisible Man’ was Ellison’s only novel. He published two
collections of essays ‘Shadow and Act’ and ‘Going to the Territory’. His
secon d novel, unfinished at his death was later published as ‘Juneteenth’.
1.5.2.2 Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison aka Chloe Anthony Wofford (1931 -)i sa nA f r i c a n
American writer who has won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993 and
the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. He r works explore the African American
female experience. Morrison has worked as an academic and an editor.
Her important works are ‘Beloved’, ‘The Bluest Eye’, ‘Sula’, ‘God Help
the Child’, ‘The Book about Mean People’, ‘Paradise’, ‘Love’, ‘Home’,
‘A Mercy’ , and ‘Song of Solomon’.
‘Beloved’ deals with the destructive aftermath of slavery on a
black woman named Sethe. Sethe is freed from slavery but is traumatised
by the memories of her life as a slave. The novel is based on a true story.
The story begins wi th Sethe’s house being haunted by the ghost of the girl
child that she killed. Through flashbacks, we learn that Sethe was
passionately devoted to her children and taking them, fled from her
abusive owner. They were later caught. In helpless desperation, s he tried
to kill her children to protect them from slavery. Her two -year old
daughter died and the owner decided not to take Sethe back. She got the
word ‘Beloved’ inscribed on her daughter’s tombstone.The novel further
explores Sethe’s relationships with her daughter Denver, a freed slave
named Paul D. and a young woman who calls herself Beloved. The novel
is experimental, using multiple narrative voices that create ambiguity.
‘The Bluest Eye’ traces the fatal desire of an African American girl
to attain the white ideals of beauty. It exposes the subtle forms of racist
bias in American society. Pecola Breedlove is seen as ugly by her family,
neighbours and school friends. She desires ‘the bluest eye’ in an attempt to
become acceptable to society. The nove l deals with the interaction of
gender, race and economics in destroying the innocent protagonist. It
critiques the imposition of white masculine culture on the black female
body. The structure of the novel is complex and the point of view changes
constant ly.
1.5.2.3 Alice Walker
Alice Malsenior Walker (1944 -) is known for her novels that focus
on African American women. Her important works are ‘The Color
Purple’, ‘The Third Life of Grange Copeland’, ‘The Chicken Chronicles’,
‘Revolutionary Petunias and O ther Poems’ and ‘Meridian’.
‘The Color Purple’ is an epistolary novel. It is a feminist work that
centres around Celie, an uneducated African American woman who is a
victim of abuse. Her own father rapes her repeatedly and she becomes
pregnant twice. He t akes away both her babies and marries her off to an
abusive man. Celie narrates her life story through letters written to God.munotes.in
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11The novel traces Celie’s journey towards empowerment and self -
realisation. She builds relationships with other African American women
who are fighting against oppression. The novel scandalised critics with its
explicit language and sexual content; it depicts rape, incest, bisexuality
and lesbianism. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1983.
‘The Third Life of Grange Copeland’ is an epic novel. It tells the
story of three generations of a Southern African American family.
1.6. LET US SUM UP
Naturalism is a style that brought scientific objectivity into fiction,
taking it beyond realistic representation. The Lost Generation Writers
depict the socio -cultural milieu of the inter -war period (between the two
World Wars). African American literature depicts the voice of the newly -
independent African Americans attempting to gain equal rights and equal
respect in the face of racial discrimi nation.
1.7.QUESTIONS
1.What is naturalism? Describe the features of American naturalistic
fiction.
2.Explain naturalism and describe the contribution of the important
American naturalistic novelists.
3.Who are the writers of “The Lost Generation”? Explain th e
contribution of the important writers with reference to their works.
4.How do the novels by the Lost Generation writers reflect the
aimlessness and decadence of the inter -war period? Explain in detail.
5.Give a brief survey of the development of African Amer ican literature.
6.Describe the contribution of the important African American novelists
with reference to their works.
1.8 SUGGESTED READING
Abrams, M.H.: A Glossary of Literary Terms (Eleventh Edition, 2015,
Cengage Learning)
Bradbury, Malcolm: From Puritanism to Postmodernism: A History of
American Literature ( UK, 1992, Penguin)
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LITERARY TERMS (SHORT STORY AND
NOVEL) PART II
Unit Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Diasporic Literature
2.2 Jewish American Fiction
2.2.1 Jewish American Writers
2.3 Literature of the Chinese American Diaspora
2.3.1. Prominent Chinese American Writers
2.4 Literature of the Indian Diaspora in America
2.4.1. Prominent Indian American Writers
2.5 Let Us Sum Up
2.6 Questions
2.7 Suggested Reading
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By studying this unit, the learner will be introduced to the concept
of diaspora and diasporic literature. S/he will be able to describe three
important groups of diasporic writers in America viz. Jewish American
Writers, Chinese American Writers and Indian American Writers. S/he
will be able to give a brief survey of the major writers in each group and
their works.
2.1 Diasporic Literature
The term ‘Diaspora’ refers to populations, that originated from a
common place but dispersed to different locations. The word diaspora is
derived from an ancient Greek phra se referring to ‘the scattering of seeds.’
Diaspora originally referred to the Greeks in the Hellenic era and the Jews
after the fall of Jerusalem in the 6th century BCE. In the second half of the
twentieth century, it was applied to the African diaspora i n America, and
the use of the term has been extended further in the following decades.
Populations migrate due to a variety of reasons including
economic, social, political and religious. They move to other places as
laborers, convicts, soldiers, as refug ees, exiles (forced or voluntary).
Several people go to other countries looking for better opportunities and a
higher standard of living.munotes.in
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13The literature of the diaspora comprises of the literary works by
writers living outside their native country and writ ing about their native
culture and background. It attempts to capture the immigrant experience of
loss and alienation, resulting from the separation with the homeland. The
diasporics share a sense of being uprooted; they suffer the pain of being
far away f rom their homelands. However, they continue to relate to the
homeland in various ways through social norms, cultural values, shared
memories and spiritual bonding.
The literature of diaspora depicts the feeling of dislocation as well
as the identity cris is that afflicts the diaspora population. Alienation from
the homeland results in a loss of the old identity and they are forced to
negotiate a new identity in a new culture.
The diasporic people face a strange dilemma. On the one hand,
they have a des ire to assimilate into their host country. On the other hand,
they are reluctant to let go of their original culture and identity. They
attempt to retain a connection with the homeland through various devices
like language, art, music, food, clothing and r eligion. They make
conscious efforts to preserve their native traditions and pass them on to
future generations.
Uma Parameswaran has defined the phases of diasporic literature
as follows: “…first is one of nostalgia for the homeland left behind
mingled w ith fear in a strange land. The second is a phase in which one is
busy adjusting to the new environment that there is little creative output.
The third phase is the shaping of diaspora existence by involving
themselves ethnocultural issues. The fourth is w hen they have ‘arrived’
and start participating in the larger world of politics and national issues.”
The attempt to integrate with the host culture while also preserving
their native identity often results in a dual identity, which is sometimes
described as a hyphenated identity. The tensions between the two cultures
and the resulting feeling of marginality becomes a key theme in the
literature of the diasporic writers.
Other important themes for diasporic writers are memory and
nostalgia. The memory of the homeland is marked by a sense of nostalgia
and the writers often re -invent the homeland through this vision. Their
works are often characterised by a longing to return home; home is an
‘imaginary homeland’ which is a blend of the real and the imagined.
The concepts of ‘nation’ and ‘borders’ are key concerns in
diasporic literature. The diaspora struggle with issues of identification and
assimilation. Their works question the notion of borders as being absolute
and often bring out the fluidity of identi ty or multi -layered identities.
The first generation of diaspora is concerned with the issues of preserving
their cultural identity. The second generation, which has been born and
raised in the host country, deals with more complex issues of cultural
assimilation.munotes.in
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14Diasporic women writers deal with the issues of patriarchy
intertwined with the tensions of a dualidentity. Diasporic literature deals
with themes like cross -cultural interaction, loneliness, fractured identity,
nostalgia for the homeland, ma rginalization, racial discrimination, gender
issues, generational differences, disintegration of family relationships.
2.2 JEWISH AMERICAN FICTION
The beginnings of Jewish American Literature can be traced to the
memoirs and petitions written by th e Sephardic immigrants who came to
America in the mid -17th century. Jewish American writers explore the
conflicting pulls of secular values and the Jewish tradition. They examine
the stereotypes of Jewishness as seen by Americans and often use humour
and s atire to deflate these notions. Assimilation into mainstream American
society and cultural rediscovery become key themes in their works.
Zionism, Israel, anti -semitism and its revival in the form of new anti -
semitism are depicted by the modern Jewish Ameri can writers. They
examine the Holocaust as a shaping factor of the modern Jewish American
identity.Jewish American fiction thus attempts to portray the struggles of
the Jewish American experience.
2.2.1Prominent Jewish American Writers
2.2.1.1 Saul Bello w
Saul Bellow (1915 -2005) is a prominent Jewish American novelist
who has been awarded the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize and
the Nobel Prize. His notable works are ‘Humboldt’s Gift’, ‘Herzog’, ‘Mr.
Sammler’s Planet’, ‘Henderson the Rain King’, ‘S eize the Day’, ‘The
Adventures of Augie March’, ‘The Victim’, ‘Dangling Man’ and
‘Ravelstein’.
‘The Adventures of Augie March’ is a picaresque novel as well as
a bildungsroman. The protagonist is a poor Jewish young man from
Chicago. The novel traces his attempts, often comic, to come to terms with
the world around him. It depicts Augie’s progress from boyhood to
manhood and the relationships and encounters that shape him. Through
this book, Bellow dispels the traditional idea of the American hero. Augie
hails from a disadvantaged background but does not rise to dizzying
success, unlike the stories that capture the American dream. He drifts from
one situation to another -homes, jobs, women and education. Augie is a
serious reader and develops his own philo sophy of life.
‘Mr. Sammler’s Planet’ is set in New York city in the 1960s amid
political turbulence. The protagonist, Mr. Sammler, is a Polish intellectual.
He is a Holocaust survivor and is physically and psychologically
traumatised by the experience. H e has lost vision in one eye and he
experiences emotional alienation. This gives him a unique dual vision.
With the good eye, he sees the world around him. With the blind eye, he
analyses the events around him historically and philosophically.munotes.in
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152. 2.1.2 B ernard Malamud
Bernard Malamud (1914 -1986) is a Jewish American novelist and
short -story writer known for his parables about the lives of Jewish
immigrants. ‘The Fixer’, ‘The Natural’, ‘The Assistant’, ‘The Magic
Barrel’, ‘A New Life’ and ‘Idiots First’ ar e his important works. He has
been awarded the Pulitzer Prize as well as the National Book Award.
‘The Assistant’ portrays the complex relationship between Morris
Bober and Frank Alpine. The Italian -American Alpine robs Bober, who is
a grocer and wounds h im. He then tries to help Bober, becomes his
assistant and falls in love with Bober’s daughter, Helen. Religion is the
stumbling block for Alpine’s love for Helen and Bober fires Alpine. After
Morris dies, Alpine returns to the store and converts to Judais m. The plot
contains parallels to the life of St. Francis of Assisi and the legend of the
Holy Grail.
The protagonist of ‘The Fixer’ is Yakov Bok, a Jewish handyman
also called a fixer. He discovers the nature of human cruelty and the
constant vigilance n eeded to cherish freedom. Yakov moves to Kiev to
escape his broken marriage and make a fortune. He claims to be able to fix
everything except the heart. His attempts to help others often result in
misfortune; Bok is arrested and put on trial for a murder t hat he did not
commit. The novel ends with Bok dreaming of fixing his nation. He
realises that the world itself is broken and probably cannot be repaired.
The Magic Barrel’ is a collection of 13 short stories. Many of the stories
feature the poor Jewish re sidents of New York City. They mirror the
rhythm and style of Yiddish folktales. Malamud uses irony and humour to
depict the bleakness of life.
2.2.1.3 Philip Roth
Philip Roth (1933 -2018) is a Jewish American novelist best known
for his works like ‘ Portnoy’s Complaint’, ‘Nemesis’, ‘The Humbling’,
‘Goodbye Columbus’, ‘American Pastoral’, ‘The Dying Animal’, ‘The
Ghost Writer’, ‘Zuckerman Unbound’, ‘Zuckerman Bound’, and
‘Indignation’.
His works have been honoured with the National Book Award, the
Pulitzer Prize and the Man Booker International Prize.
Roth’s novels focus on the life of middle -class Jews, exploring
their family and sexual relationships. His works show a strong
preoccupation with mortality and the aging of the body and the mind.
The t itle story in ‘Goodbye Columbus’ portrays the crass
materialism of a rich Jewish suburban family. ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’ is a
comic novel, considered a classic of Jewish American Literature. The plot
is revealed through Alexander Portnoy’s confession to a p sychiatrist.
Portnoy was dominated by his overly possessive mother, Sophie, and
became obsessed with masturbation in teenage. The novel attracted
controversy due to its explicit descriptions of sexuality. The novel alsomunotes.in
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16uses intimate, shameful detail and c oarse, abusive language. The
‘complaint’ in the title refers to the negative impact of the culture that
shaped him. Portnoy is successful but is ridden with a constant sense of
guilt.
‘The Dying Animal’ tells the story of David Kepesh, a professor of
literature. Kepesh is obsessed with a young and beautiful student,
Consuela Castillo, and gets into an erotic relationship with her. He also
continues an affair with a former lover, who is now divorced. Kepesh is
threatened by the idea of revealing the nature of the relationship to
Consuela’s family and therefore avoids going beyond the physical in their
relationship. Kepesh is ultimately destroyed by his indecision, lust and
jealousy.
2.3. LITERATURE OF THE CHINESE AMERICAN
DIASPORA
Literature of the Chine se American Diaspora refers to the writings
by authors of Chinese descent living in America. Their writings began in
the 19th Century and have grown and flourished in the 20th and early 21st
Centuries. Most of the Chinese American writers in the 19th Centu ry
wrote in Chinese; their works are now being translated and studied.
Autobiographies of the first -generation immigrants form an important
aspect of this literature. ‘My Life in China and America’ (1909), the
autobiography of the first Chinese student to graduate from Yale is a
notable example. Writing by Chinese American authors flourished after
the lifting of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
American Chinese women authors have depicted the sexism and
patriarchy of Chinese culture. The growing popularity of Ch inese
American fiction has led to the reshaping of how the Americans view the
Chinese Americans.
One of the key themes of Chinese American fiction is racial
discrimination. The difficulties of assimilation, both spatial and cultural
are also important th emes. The gap between the first -generation Chinese
immigrants to American and the second generation which was born in
America is portrayed in the novels.
The stark differences in Chinese and American cultures lead to a
crisis of identity which is reflecte d in the fiction. Parents are faced with
the dilemma of whether their children should be brought up to assimilate
with the mainstream white American culture or to stay faithful to the
traditional Chinese values.
2.3.1Prominent Chinese American Writers
2.3.1.1 Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Hong Kingston (1940 -) is a first -generation Chinese
American writer. Her important works include ‘Hawaii One Summer’,munotes.in
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17‘The Fifth Book of Peace’, ‘To Be the Poet’, ‘Tripmaster Monkey: His
Fake Book’, ‘China Men’, and ‘ Woman Warrior:Memoirs of a Girlhood
among Ghosts’.
‘China Men’ draws upon the experiences of the men in Kingston’s
own family to tell the story of Chinese immigration. She traces their slave
labour, the isolation and discrimination that they faced in Amer ica. ‘China
Men’ won the American Book Award for non -fiction.
Whittman Ah Sing, the central character of ‘Tripmaster Monkey:
His Fake Book’ is named after Walt Whitman. The novel resembles a
modern Odyssey. It combines the eastern and western traditions.
2.3.1.2 Amy Tan
Amy Ruth Tan (1952 -) is a Chinese -born American novelist, best
known for her novel ‘The Joy Luck Club’. Her other novels are ‘The
Kitchen God’s Wife’, ‘The Hundred Secret Senses’, ‘Saving Fish From
Drowning’, ‘The Valley of Amazement’ and ‘The Bonesetter’s Daughter’.
The idea of ‘The Joy Luck Club’ was partly inspired by Tan taking her
mother back on a visit to China and meeting her two half -sisters for the
first time. The novel explores the disparity between the Chinese and
American cultu res and the generation gap. It tells the stories of four
Chinese American families who struggle to reconcile these tensions. The
story is narrated by the mothers and daughters over the mahjong game and
the novel itself has a structure like the mahjong game . Each woman
narrates a story about her life.
‘The Kitchen God’s Wife’ centers around the relationship between
a Chinese mother, Winnie Lou, and her completely Americanized
daughter Pearl. The Sino -American female identity is the central issue in
the nov el. The story is set in California in the 1990s and China during
World War II. The novel also describes the lives of Chinese women
during the occupation of China by Japan and the brutalities that they were
subjected to by the occupying forces.
‘The Bones etter’s Daughter’ also deals with the mother -daughter
relationship, where the daughter cares for her mother who is suffering
from Alzheimer’s Disease.
2.3.1.3 Celeste Ng
Celeste Ng (1980 -) is a Chinese American novelist. Her first novel
‘Everything I Neve r Told You’ is a literary thriller set in the 1970s. It
depicts a mixed -race Chinese American family, whose middle daughter
Lydia Lee goes missing and is later found to have been drowned in the
local lake. As the police investigate the case, Lydia’s parent s learn how
different her life was from their beliefs and expectations. The story
explores the lives of her parents before and after the tragedy. The novel is
based on her own experiences of racism. The novel has been translated
into 15 languages.munotes.in
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18‘Little Fires Everywhere’ tells the story of the interrelationship of
two families in Ohio. Ng has won the Pushcart Prize for her story ‘Girls at
Play’.
2.3.1.4 Anchee Min
Anchee Min (1957 -) is a Chinese American author who wrote two
memoirs ( Red Azalea andTheCooked Seed: A Memoir )and six historical
novels. She is known for portraying strong women characters. Her Red
Azalea , often compared to Anne Frank’s Dairy, is based on her childhood
days in Communist China.
2.4.LITERATURE OF THE INDIAN DIASPORA IN
AMERIC A
Indians are among the largest groups who have migrated to
America. The Indian diaspora in America has not lost contact with the
homeland and its culture. They have attempted to remain in touch with
their cultural roots while aspiring to assimilation into American society.
The writings of the Indian diaspora reflect the conflict between the
two cultures and the tensions of attempting to bridge the gap. There is a
question of identity and t he portrayal of the pain of being the ‘outsider’ in
the native as well as the host community. The problem of emotional
displacement is compounded by racial prejudices and discrimination.
The Indian American writers have not faced the problem of
language a s acutely as the Chinese Americans. This is because most
Indians are bilingual and a majority of the writers were either educated in
English or had learned English as a second language.
The works of Indian American diaspora reflect the vast linguistic,
cultural and social variety of India itself. The novels encompass a variety
of themes like alienation, nostalgia, the longing to return home, the failure
of the American Dream and the question of identity. The second -
generation diasporic writers have dealt with the theme of fluid identities
and captured the lives of the immigrants.
2.4.1. Prominent Indian American Writers
2.4.1.1 Bharati Mukherjee
Bharati Mukherjee (1940 -2017) is an Indian -born American
novelist and short -story writer. Her works capture th e cultural changes and
alienation faced by the migrants. Her important novels are ‘The Tiger’s
Daughter’, ‘Desirable Daughters’, ‘The Holder of the World’, ‘Wife’ and
‘Darkness’. She has won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1988.
Her work is reco gnisable for its sharply -delineated characters and their
intricate interrelationships. Mukherjee’s first novel ‘The Tiger’s Daughter’
centres around Tara, a sheltered Indian woman who is born in Calcutta,
educated in New York and is married to an American man. She suffers amunotes.in
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19culture shock on encountering American culture. Ironically, on her return
to India, she finds that Calcutta has also changed. The novel also examines
the politics of West Bengal.
‘Wife’ depicts the story of Dimple Dasgupta, a woman who is torn
between the cultural expectations of her homeland and the demands of her
new home in New York. She enters into an arranged marriage, and
experiences cultural alienation and loneliness until she ultimately descends
into madness. The novel ends with the murder of her husband Amit.
‘Jasmine’, a novel of emigration and assimilation, depicts a Punjabi
woman living in Florida. The story is narrated in the first person and uses
flashbacks and time shifts to merge Jasmine’s past with her present. She
under goes multiple identity changes while searching for happiness and
acceptance. The novel is characterised by violence. ‘The Holder of the
World’ depicts a contemporary American woman fascinated by the history
of an ancestor who eloped with a Raja.
2.4.1.2 Chitra Banerjee -Divakaruni
Chitra Banerjee -Divakaruni (1956 -) is a professor of creative
writing and an author of fiction as well as non -fiction. She was born in
Calcutta and migrated to the United States for higher education. Her
novels are set in India a nd the United States. They depict the issues of
immigrants. Her writings span numerous genres like poetry, realistic
fiction, historical fiction, mythology, magical realism, young adult fiction
and fantasy. Her works have been translated into 29 languages.
Divakaruni’s significant works are ‘The Mistress of Spices’,
‘Sister of my Heart’, ‘Queen of Dreams’, ‘Palace of Illusions’, ‘Oleander
Girls’ and ‘Before We Visit the Goddess’.
Tilo, the protagonist of ‘The Mistress of Spices’ is an Indian -born
shopkeeper who helps customers to fulfil their dreams using the mystical
powers of her spices. She falls in love with an American man and
consequently breaks the rules of her training. The spices punish her and
her loved ones. She leaves her American lover in order to protect him
from the punishment of the spices. Her store is destroyed in an earthquake;
however, she survives and plans to rebuild the city with the help of her
reconciled lover.
‘Palace of Illusions’ is a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabha rata
from the perspective of Draupadi, who is a strong woman living in a
patriarchal world. Draupadi’s marriage to the five Pandavas, her secret
love for Karna, her disrobement which perpetuates the war and her
relationship with Krishna form the focus of t he novel.
Divakaruni’s ‘Arranged Marriage’ won the American Book Award
in 1995. It is her debut collection of short stories which feature the stories
of Indian immigrants who are caught between two worlds and who are
striving to carve out an identity of t heir own.munotes.in
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202.4.1.3 Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri aka Nilanjana Sudeshna Lahiri (1957 -) was born in
Calcutta. Her parents migrated to America when she was a young child.
Her important works are ‘Interpreter of Maladies’, ‘The Namesake’ and
‘Unaccustomed Earth ’.
‘Interpreter of Maladies’ is a collection of short stories, which are
set in Calcutta and America. They deal with themes like arranged
marriage, alienation and cultural loss. They show deep insight into the
lives of the people of Calcutta as well as o f the immigrants to America.
This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2000 PEN/
Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction.
‘The Namesake’ is a novel that depicts immigration and its impact
in the form of conflicts in identity. It explores the nuances of individuals
torn between two conflicting cultures in terms of religious, social and
ideological differences. The novel follows the lives of a Bengali family in
America. Ashoke and Ashima move to America from Calcutta. Ashima
gives birth to a son while f acing linguistic and cultural barriers. They
name their son Gogol as a reference to a life -changing event experienced
by Ashoke. They attempt to get Gogol to use the name Nikhil at school
but Gogol resents it. Gogol attempts to become more American than
Bengali and becomes distanced from his parents.
Following an accident, Ashoke reveals to his son the story behind
his name. Gogol gets married and his wife has an affair with another man.
Gogol, who is now alone, finally accepts his name.
‘Unaccustomed Ea rth’ is a collection of short stories that deal with
the problem of assimilation. The title story depicts the interrelationships
between three generations: a father, his daughter and her son. The story
explores gender roles and the conflict between Bengali and American
cultures.
2.5. LET US SUM UP
The literature of the diaspora captures the complex experiences of
immigrant communities like the Jewish Americans, the Chinese
Americans and the Indian Americans. The works of these writers dwell
upon the theme s of displacement, search for identity, need for
assimilation, cultural pride, breakdown of family structure and
relationships, the failure of the American dream and the generation gap.
They celebrate the unique culture of their communities while also
asserting their Americanness.
2.6. QUESTIONS
i) What is literature of the diaspora? Describe the works of important
Jewish American novelists.munotes.in
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21ii) Explain the literature of the diaspora and describe the contribution of
the important Chinese American novelists.
iii) Who are the important Indian American diasporic writers? Explain
their contribution to fiction with reference to their works.
iv) How do the novels by the Jewish American writers reflect the issues of
alienation and discrimination. Explain in detail.
v) Give a brief survey of the development of Chinese American literature.
vi) Describe the contribution of the important Indian American novelists
with reference to their works.
2.7 SUGGESTED READING
Abrams, M.H.: A Glossary of Literary Terms (Eleventh Edition, 2015,
Cengage Learning)
Bradbury, Malcolm: From Puritanism to Postmodernism: A History of
American Literature ( UK, 1992, Penguin)
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223
A CRITICAL STUDY OF TONI
MORRISON’S SULA PART I
Unit Structure
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Setting
3.3 Plot
3.4 Themes
3.5 Let Us Sum Up
3.6 Questions
3.7 Suggested Reading
3.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit aims to study Toni Morrison’s Sula as a text that speaks
not just about racial discrimination but the treatment of women by the
African American society and the behaviour that was expected out of
them. This is a book that shows a bond of friendship and sisterhood, even
in the most trying t imes, is stronger and is above all other relationships.
After studying this unit, the learners will be able to understand plot,
setting, and major themes of Sula.
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Toni Morrison’s Sulawas first published in the year 1973, explores
the ind ividualism of a Black woman in contrast to the submission of other
Black women to the norms and expectations of the society. Sula is
Morrison’s second book, the first being The Bluest Eye . She wrote this
book at a time when Morrison herself and most women around her,
struggled as single parents –juggling between their jobs, raising their
children and keeping a household running.Morrison realized, at this time
that they had to be there for themselves, to look after themselves and be
their own best friends. There was no one to stop them. It is that this time
that Morrison conceived of the concept of Sula and the variety of women
it held –Sula, Nel, Helene, Hannah and Eva.
3.2 SETTING
The setting of the novel is a place called the Bottom which is a hilly
area above the valley town of Medallion, Ohio . The Bottom is said to havemunotes.in
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23a weirdly funny but unfair history. Frame narrative is used in the story
ofSula which is placed between 1919 and 1965. The novel begins in the
year 1965 and ends in the same year as well.Sula’s story is told in the ten
chapters in the middle which takes place in the years between 1919 and
1940.
The Bottom is inhabited by the Black community whereas the
white landowners live in the valley. The story, which became a significant
local lore, behind the settlement of the Bottom, was that a slave owner
promised his slave freedom and a piece of rich bot tomland in exchange for
some difficult work in the previous century. He did the work and got his
freedom but the white slave -owner tricked himwhen it was time to give his
slave the land. He gave the freed slave a piece of land on the top of a hill
where pl anting was difficult, the soil would get washed away, and the
wind blew hard, instead of giving him the rich bottomland which is good
for farming. He told the slave the hill was the Bottom of Heaven, closer to
God. The slavefelt lucky to have it at first, but soon learned the truth of
this cruel trick. But in spite of the hardship, the Bottom soon developed
into a lovely town with a close -knit community that inhabited the place.
Ironically, the small black town is levelled in the year 1965 in
order to buil d a golf course and fancy houses for the rich white neighbours
forcing the Blacks to move into the valley. Because the rich white
neighbours in the valley decide that they liked the Bottom better than their
valley.
3.3 PLOT
The plot of Sula is set withi n a frame narrative and has two parts to
it. It opens around 1965 with a prologue and after the first section; it goes
back in time to the year 1919. It is from that point onwards, the plot moves
forward chronologically until the very end of the novel, whi ch is again set
in 1965. In between the frame narrative at the beginning and end, each
chapter, is titled by a year. Although the book spans a lifetime, it is not
difficult to follow the plot because of the time labels.
The plot is developed in a traditio nal pattern, opening with an
introduction to the Bottom which is the setting for the whole novel. It
introduces the key characters, starting with Shadrack, a shell -shocked
veteran from World War I and his National Suicide Day on January 3. He
often marches through the town encouraging citizens to plan the day of
their death to defy the horrible suddenness of dying naturally. This closely
knit community of the Bottom which is civil and conventional in nature
dares to treat Shadrack with familiarity and toler ance.
Helene Wright is one of the upright and outstanding members of
the Bottom. She had to move to Medallion from New Orleans, where she
was raised by her grandmother because her mother was a prostitute.
Helene gets married to a respectable man, establishes her self in themunotes.in
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24community as the picture of propriety in an effort to escape the past of her
family which was of ill repute. She raises her daughter, Nel, to be like her,
and teaches her to live a life free from shame and immorality. This turns
Nel in to a goo d, obedient and traditional daughter. It is only when Helene
takes Nel to New Orleans for her grandmother’s funeral that Nel witnesses
and experiences racism for the first time and is shocked by this. She is also
shocked to learn about her mother’s insecur ities. She returns home to the
Bottom determined to be an individual and vowing never to be like her
mother.
Sula is introduced in the third section, and the rest of the book
focuses on her and her friendship with Nel, which is the rising action of
the pl ot.Sula Peace is Nel’s friend, even though they are very different in
personality and background and Nel’s mother opposes their friendship.
Sula lives in a house with her grandmother -Eva is a strong -willed
matriarch who had to cut off her own leg to col lect insurance money to
raise her three children, Sula’s mother -Hannah, and several stray
boarders, including a white alcoholic named Tar Baby and three young
boys all named “Dewey.” Eva's son, Plum, returns from the war, a
changed man who is a drug addi ct, who steals and lies. Eva cannot bear to
see her son in this state of suffering from his addiction as he had always
been her favourite, therefore, one night, when she goes into his room and
finds him in a state of stupor, she holds Plum tenderly lights him on fire
after pouring kerosene after saying goodbye to him. Eva chooses never to
go downstairs again after this incident and runs the entire household and
her family from her makeshift wheelchair in the upstairs room.
Sula’s mother, Hannah, is a very sensual woman who shies away
from any commitment and sleeps with all the men in the Bottom. In spite
of herbeing flirtatious and sleeping around with other men, the women in
the community like Hannah as they don’t see her as a threat because she
only wants to sleep with their husbands and possess them. Sula, however,
does not feel close to her mother and is detached to her. Instead, she is
attached to Nel and shares all of her thoughts and emotions with her so
much so that they even share a dark secret toge ther–of being the cause of
Chicken Little’s death in the stream. It is this dark secret that changes Sula
and haunts both the friends for the rest of their lives. Right after this
incident, Sula’s mother Hannah catches fire in the yard and dies while
Sula only stands and watches this instead of running to save her.
In the seventh chapter, Nel marries Jude, a young boy anxious to
prove he is a man . After Nel marries Jude, Sula leaves the Bottom for ten
years. When Nel sees Sula leaving, she feels that she had lost her friend to
Jude. Thus, Part One of the novel ends with Sula’s departure.
When Sula returns to Medallion, Part Two begins, and the plot
resumes and moves rapidly toward Sula’s death. When Sula returns to the
Bottom after ten years, she appears to have changed -she seems more
worldly and harsh. Much to the shock of everyone in town, Sulamunotes.in
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25immediately puts Eva in a nursing home, as the people in the Bottom
believed that one shouldn’t treat their grandmother in this manner.
However, Sula is very g lad to see Nel and for a while they seem to be
close friends until Nel catches Sula having sex with Jude. Jude leaves Nel
and their three children out of shame which shatters Nel over the loss of
her husband. Since Nel does not truly display her emotions, her grief takes
its own shape and form, and because of which she feels lost.
Sula is blamed for all the evil that happens in the Bottom. Thus,
even if someone chokes, it is blamed on Sula, if a child falls on her steps
Sula is blamed for it. Thus, Sula be comes a symbol of evil for the
community at the Bottom against whom they bond in order to oppose
her.There are even rumours about her that begin to circulate. According to
which she never ages, loses a tooth, and never belches. The community
even whispers that she sleeps with white men. However, in her reaction to
these rumours, Sula becomes proud and alone. She starts believing that
Nel is just like the rest of the critical community and refers to old friend as
small -minded, vicious and inflexible.
In th e midst of her loneliness and misery, Sula has an affair with
Ajax, and Sula falls in love with him. For the first time she has ever
experienced such emotions.Sula, who never believed in commitments,
now longs for it. Something, she had never thought she w ould ever want.
But her attachment terrifies Ajax, as a result of which he leaves her. Sula
is never able to fully recover from this loss and awfully misses him.
Nel forces herself to visit her old friend Sula,who was dying of an
unknown disease, out of a sense of duty. The visit soon turns into an
argument when Sula explains her idea of life which Nel questions. Nel
questions her as to why did Sula take Jude away from her to which Sula
replies that she did not "take" him and that no one can "possess"
anotherperson. Sula warns Nel not to pride herself over her own moral
superiority. This angers Nel and she leaves but unable to forget Sula’s
warning. Sula descends into pain and dies shortly after Nel visited her. Her
death is considered to be good news by th e people of the town. Very few
people attend her funeral and those that do are barely able to sing at her
graveside. Neither do Nel nor does Eva attend Sula’s funeral.
The townspeople expect some good fortune to their community
after Sula dies, but they a re proved wrong because the events that follow
only bring about disaster to the community. A harsh winter arrives early.
Since the winter is very harsh, people are unable to work in the cold and
ice, therefore, there is no money. Everything gets back to th ew a yi tw a s
when Sula was not around. The community that had once bonded against
Sula, have no one to blame everything on, so they begin to treat each other
as badly as they used to. People would hardly celebrate Thanksgiving and
Christmas. The weather ha d just started to warm, and people changed in to
a strange and crazy mood, by the time Suicide Day came around. For
once, they laughed, danced and followed Shadrack in his Suicide Daymunotes.in
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26Parade. This weird parade continued through the Bottom towards the river
tunnel until people turnso crazy with pent -up frustration that they riot in
front of the tunnel and destroy the work of the white men. As they made
their way inside the tunnel, some mud and rocks come loose because of
the recent thaw resulting in a flood of water quickly drowning most of the
people. When this is happening, Shadrack stands above them on the bank,
sadly ringing his bell.
The plot then moves to twenty -four years later, in 1965, the
Bottom is immensely different. The community changes so much that
neighbours barely speak to each other. Nel does not know many people,
any longer. As a member of an organization that visits old people in rest
homes, Nel, one day meets Eva, whom she had not seen in thirty years.
Eva is a little crazy, and seems to recognize Nel only sometimes. Eva
reminds Nel of the death of Chicken Little and questions her on his death.
Nel dismisses it by saying that she only watched his death. Eva makes a
very strong statement of this –she tells Nel that there was no difference
between Sula and Nel. This upsets Nel.
While walking back home, Nel sees the cemetery and stops to look
at all the graves of the Peace family, including Sula’s grave. She started
thinking of how Sula was treated badly by everyone including herself.She
regrets that no one tried to understand her, instead everyone hurled
accusations at her for being evil. Nel also realizes how wrong she wa si n
watching Chicken Little die and although all her life she thought of herself
to be innocent when she was actually evil. Nel now starts to realize and
regret that though Chicken Little’s death was caused by Sula, it was only a
mistake and should have r eassured her that it wasn’t her fault when she
felt guilty.
Realization now dawns upon her that she, who always believed
herself to be good and Sula to be evil but it was the contrary. She meets
Shadrack who is passing in the other direction who doesn’t r emember her
much and the details related to the incident. She walks with him, sadly
remembering Sula, whom she treated badly. Her eyes well up with tears at
her thought and her heart sinks with grief at the loss and the missed
opportunities. Nel acknowledg es that Sula was the best thing that
happened to her even more than motherhood or marriage.
3.4 THEMES
3.4.1. Good versus Evil
This is the major theme of Sula. Sula and Nel had their lives shaped
by their beliefs in good and evil, right and wrong. Since, the accidental
death of Chicken Little in their childhood, Sula always believed that she
was evil whereas Nel believed she was innocent and good. The rest of
their lives were shaped by these beliefs. Where on one hand Nel believed
herself to be good, she becomes the picture of goodness and propriety and
on the other hand Sula who believes herself to be evil, lives a wild andmunotes.in
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27unconventional life. But it is actually the contrary, Nel realizes after Sula’s
death that it was Nel who was actually evil because she has enjoyed seeing
Chicken Little being drowned whereas Sula felt terrible about his death.
Even the community in the Bottom labels Sula as evil because she is
unconventional and wild in her behaviour.
3.4.2. Friendship
The entire story of Sula is based on the friendship of two friends,
Sula and Nel. Their friendship is the most important relationship in their
lives, even more than their own families. In their childhood, the girls
bonded really well, in spite of having vastly different family
backgrounds.But as they grow up their friendship is affected as they are
not honest with each other. Added to that, Sula sleeps with Jude, Nel’s
husband. This really angers Nel and their friendship breaks. Jude leaves
Nel and their kids because he is embarras sed, which Nel blames on Sula.
On the other hand, Nel never tells Sula that Chicken Little’s death was a
mistake and she shouldn’t blame herself for it. She allows her to feel
terrible all her life. Thus, the friends who were so close right from
childhood turn to betray each other. Although, Nel realizes her mistakes
after Sula’s death and it dawns upon her that friendship was the best thing
that happened to her and she regrets the loss of her dear friend.
3.4.3. Family
Family is another important theme th at plays an important role in
the lives of the characters of Sula. Nel is raised by her mother Helene to be
a righteous woman and lead a good life by getting married, having
children and settling down with a respectable family life. The reason that
Nel’s m other is so strict with Nel about being righteous and leading a
respectable life right from Nel’s childhood, is that Nel’s grandmother was
prostitute. Helene was ashamed of this aspect of life and did not want her
life to be like her mother’s life in any w ay. Therefore, she never spoke of
her past and lead a good and pure life with her husband and daughter in
the Medallion.
Sula, on the other hand, was never attached to her mother. Her
mother, Hannah, was a sensuous woman who slept with every other man
without any sense of attachment. Sula doesn’t feel anything when she sees
her mother dying from the fire in the yard and stands watching her die.
Ironically, Sula grows up to be like her mother. She has no sense of
attachment with the men she sleeps with. Thu s, she leads a wild life. Sula
does not like her grandmother either, as she favours Sula’s brother more
than her. This is the reason why she has no sense of attachment with her
grandmother, Evaas well and sends her to an old age home when she
returns after ten years to the Bottom.
The only family that Sula truly has is her friend Nel. But she even
destroys that friendship by sleeping with Nel’s husband Jude.munotes.in
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283.4.4. Racism
Racism is an underlying theme in Sula, where Morrison doesn’t
very loudly portray it. Rather, it is very subtly present. The very history of
the Bottom is etched in racism –a Black slave fooled by his White master
in to doing some work for him and rewarding the Black slave a piece of
land that he had promised him. Only, the land given to him is on the hill
where farming is very difficult and commuting is not easy either. The
slave is fooled into believing that the Bottom is actually the bottom of the
Heaven. Thus, the Whites settle in the valley where the land is fertile and
easy to cul tivate and giving the hilly terrain of the Bottom to the Blacks
where farming and cultivation is tough.
The New River Road project is used as an excuse to keep the
Black community chasing a goal that never ends. The Whites do not give
them basic facilitie s like health care and pretend to care about them by
luring them projects like the New River Road that do not exist.
The minds of the Black community at the Bottom is so influenced
by the Whites that whiteness is their only standard for beauty, they have
no other standard for beauty other than this. Due to these standards, many
of them try to straighten their hair and noses to resemble the whites. Many
of them dream to be part of the White community. In this attempt, some of
them become rich and powerful e nough to live in the White
neighbourhood but the Whites leave that neighbourhood and move away.
Racism is so etched in the minds of the Black community in the Bottom
that they begin to hate each other, their community and think of
themselves as second -grade citizens.
Thus, racism plays a strong role in this novel in shaping the lives
and thinking of its characters.
3.4.5. Treatment of Women
The novel reflects how racism makes them think lowly of each
other but worse than this is the treatment of the women by the Bottom
community. According to them, freedom to do anything is with a man.
Therefore, women are degraded further more. They are supp osed to follow
a code of behaviour in the society and the ones who don’t, are looked
down upon -just like Sula. A man can be forgiven any mistake but not a
woman, according to the thinking of the women of the Bottom. This is the
reason why everybody dislik es Sula and labels her as evil. Since she’s a
woman who does what she likes and does not conform to the standards of
their society.
3.5 LET US SUM UP
Toni Morrison’s Sula is about the challenges in the lives and
friendship of Sula and Nel, the family values that shape their personalities
and the circumstances that change them. Morrison has clearly depicted
what it was like to be a Black woman in between 1919 to 1965, how B lackmunotes.in
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29women were not expected to do what they liked and were expected to
follow the conventions of the society. The unconventional ones like Sula,
were labelled as ‘evil’.
3.6 QUESTIONS
1.Describe the significance of the setting of the novel Sula by Toni
Morrison.
2.Discuss the themes in Toni Morrison’s novel Sula.
3.Trace the life of Sula and the changes in her personality from her
childhood until her death.
3.7 SUGGESTED READING
Bakerman, Jane S., Review of Sula,i nAmerican Literature , March
1980, pp. 87 -100.
Bell, Roseann P. “Review of Sula.”Critical Essays on Toni Morrison .
Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1988.
Bloom, Harold, ed. Toni Morrison . Philadelphia: Chelsea House,
2005.
Harding, Wendy, and Jacky Martin. A World of Difference: An Inter -
Cultural Study of Toni Morrison’s Novels . Westport, CT: Greenwood
Press, 1994.
Smith, Barbara. “Beautiful, Needed, Mysterious.” Critical Essays on
Toni Morrison . Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1988.
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304
A CRITICAL STUDY OF TONI
MORRISON’S SULA PART II
UnitStructure
4.0 Objectives
4.1Character Analysis
4.2 Nel and Sula Relationship
4.3 Independent Female Characters
4.4 Let Us Sum Up
4.5 Questions
4.6 Suggested Reading
4.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit aims to study Toni Morrison’s Sula as a text that depicts
the individualism of the Black women and their bonds of friendship and
love with each other. It also compares and contrasts between women who
chose to be independent as compared to those who chose to conform to the
standards of the society. After studying this unit, the learners will be able
to understand characterisation as well as analyse the characters and human
relationship and friendship of Toni Morrison’s Sula.
4.1 CHARACTER ANALYSIS
4.1.1 Sula Peace
Morrison has portrayed Sula to be a multi -faceted character. She
can be called a tragic heroine and having said that she is not devoid of
flaws but that’s the beauty of her character –she wears her flaws like a
medal, she flaunts it. Her character is painted with grey shades. S he’s
good and bad –both at the same time. But the people of Bottom term her
as ‘evil’ and blame her for every bad things that happens to people in the
Bottom. Sula thinks of the community in the Bottom to be small -minded
and she appears to be right becaus e the community does not just term her
as ‘evil’ but even spreads mythical rumours about her.
Sula becomes of what people around her and circumstances make
her. She comes across as detached because her mother does not seem to
have any emotional attachment with her. Added to that, she even
overhears her mother saying that she did not really like her daughter. This
sticks to Sula’s mind forever and when her mother catches the fire in the
yard and is dying, she just stands and watches her burn without anymunotes.in
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31feeling. Thus, it can be said that as a result of her mother’s lack of
affection with her own daughter, Sula becomes emotionally detached
herself. This emotional detachment can be seen even when she returns to
the Medallion after ten years. The first thing th at she does is to put her
grandmother, Eva, in a nursing home. The people in the town talk badly
about her for doing this but she remains unaffected. The people in the
town always thought of her as weird because she was very different from
them.
Due to he r unusual relationship with her mother, Sula had only one
saving grace and that was Nel. They were so close that they came across
as one. Sula shared all her secrets with her, even the secret of Chicken
Little’s death. Chicken Little’s accidental death lea ves a mark on Sula for
the rest of her life. She could never get over it and always thought of
herself as evil. This belief that she is evil makes her live in that manner. A
few years after this incident, Nel decides to marry Jude. Sula leaves the
town aft er this and returns after ten years.
The ten years away from the town change Sula as a person. She
returns as a tougher person, more open -minded and unconventional in her
thoughts. She turns into a wild woman who does what she likes. But this
does not go down well with the closed -minded people of the town. Their
problem was –how can a woman do what she likes because according to
them that is a man’s right.
After her return, when she tries to strike up her old friendship with
Nel, she messes it up by betraying her. The negative shades in her
character are more apparent at this stage in the novel. The betrayal comes
in the form of Sula sleeping with Nel’s husb and, Jude. This ends their
relationship. The only explanation for Sula’s behaviour is that Sula
becomes what her mother was. She sleeps around with men without
having any sense of attachment with them. In her defense to Nel, she tells
her that she only sle pt with Jude she did not try to possess him.
Since Sula does not believe in commitments she indulged with
many men. But the ultimate heartbreak happens when she gets involved
with Ajax and falls in love with him. Ajax, like her, does not like
commitment. He, therefore, gets paranoid of Sula’s feelings and leaves
her. This shatters her heart completely. Shortly after this Sula falls ill and
dies at the age of thirty. It is only after her death that Nel realizes that her
friendship with Sula was the only rel ationship that meant the most to her
and that after her death she has suffered a great loss.
Sula’s character is one that is shaped to represent a non -
conformist, unconventional, wild and independent Black woman in a
Black society where woman were regarde d at the lowest level of the
society. These traits in her make her unacceptable and evil to the people
even to her own family and her best friend, Nel.munotes.in
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32Sula has emotions and is a sensitive woman a heart, contrary to
what other people in the community thin k of her. One of the examples of
this is the death of Chicken Little –when she accidently drops him and he
starts drowning, she runs to the cabin of Shadrack to ask for help. She
feels responsible for Chicken Little’s death and terrible about it for the r est
of her life. The second example is when she falls in love with Ajax.
Though she always portrays that she is unattached and does not believe in
commitments, she starts caring for Ajax, falls in love with him and
behaves possessively with him. Ajax, who does not believe in attachment
and commitment himself panics at this and leaves her. This breaks Sula’s
heart and she never recovers from it. Thus, Morrison has made Sula to be
human and not some perfect heroine, someone who has flaws but also has
positive qualities. This makes Sula to be a complete person.
4.1.2 Nel Wright
Nel, who befriends Sula and they become best friends to the extent
that they become one. Nel’s mother, Helene does not approve of Sula
because she finds her family to be very improper. Nel, for the most part, is
controlled by her mother who wants to make Nel to be a ‘good’ girl and
settle down in life and have a respectable life with her family. Contrary to
Sula, Nel is a very obedient girl. She is looked upon as a good girl by
everyone in the community. This indicates that she is a conformist and
doesn’t dare to deviate from the societal norms.
Nel’s personality goes about a change after she takes the trip to
visit Helene’ s grandmother. She learns various truths about her mother
which changes her as a person and her perspective to life. She learns that
her mother is not as confident as she appears to be, she learns about
racism, she also learns about her own grandmother who was a prostitute.
On her way back to Medallion, Nel promises herself that she won’t be like
her mother and that is the first reflection of individuality in her. This self
realization in Nel makes her ignore her mother’s dislike for Sula and she
continues to be friends with her. Her mother ultimately gives in and quits
stopping her.
There is so much order in Nel’s life that likes the chaos in Sula’s
house. Their closeness grows and they grow up to be best of friends.
Nel gets married to Jude and has a f amily with him. Then years
later, when Sula returns to the Bottom, she betrays Nel by sleeping with
her husband. Jude leaves Nel and their children because he is ashamed of
what he has done. But Nel blames Sula for everything. She is so
traditional and clo se-minded that she tells Sula that she had no right to do
what she wanted because that is a man’s right not a woman’s.
Nel always believed that she was good and innocent whereas on
the inside there was evil in her. She had enjoyed watching Chicken Little
drown but she never once tried to console Sula who felt guilty and terrible
for causing his death. It is only years after Sula’s death that she realizedmunotes.in
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33that she could have told Sula that it wasn’t her fault but instead she just let
her suffer and believe that she was the cause of his death.
Nel, who always felt a sense of loss thought it was because of
Jude. But years after Sula’s death she realizes that sense of loss was not
because of him but because of losing her best friend Sula. She finally
realizes that Sula was the best thing that ever happened to her in her entire
life, even better than marriage and motherhood.
Nel’s personality is one that hides behind the mask of ‘goodness’
whereas there’s actually evil in her. She is selfish and self -centered as she
does not try to understand her friend’s perspectives. When the people in
the Bottom treat Sula badly and spread false rumours about her, she does
not stand up for her even once. On the contrary she becomes one of them
too. The only reason she visit s Sula before her death is because she feels
she should out of ‘goodness’. The worse thing about her hypocrisy is that
even she portrays of her as ‘good’, she does not even attend Sula’s funeral.
However, a few years later, realization dawns upon her and s he regrets her
actions and her loss of her best friend.
4.1.3 Helene Wright
Helene Wright, Nel Wright’ s mother, comes across as a very
proper, traditional and uptight woman. She is well settled with her
husband and her daughter in the Medallion. She is very strict with Nel and
exercises a lot of control over her life in an attempt to make her like
herself. The truth is that Helene is actually the daughter of a Creole
prostitute. She was raised by her grandmother and is ashamed of her past.
She is very reluctant to visit her grandmother in New Orleans but has to do
so out of respect for her wish because she’ s the one who raises her. Helene
who comes across as a very confident woman has many insecurities. She
is not as confident as she comes across. This truth is discovered by Nel
when she is visiting her great grandmother.
4.1.4 Hannah Peace
Hannah is Sula’ s mother. She has a very different approach to life.
She lost her husband at a very young age but did not remarry. She
however, gets involved with a lot of men. She does not believe in
commitments and that is why women in the Bottom like her as she only
sleeps with their husbands and does not possess them. She is an
unattached mother, especially to Sula which affects Sula’s mind in a big
way. Sula, one day, overhears her saying that she does not like her
daughter. This really hurts her and stays in her mind forever. This is the
reason why Sula stands watching her die in the yard fire and does nothing
to save her mother. Hannah has a huge impact on the personality and the
thinking of Sula. It is because of Hannah that Sula becomes an unattached
person and doe s not believe in commitment. Although, the mother and
daughter were unattached but Sula was surely influenced by her mother
and that changed her life and her relationships.munotes.in
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344.1.5. Eva
Eva is Hannah Peace’s mother and Sula’s grandmother. Eva is
portrayed as a strong, independent woman who loves her children and
does not allow life to put her down. Eva’s husband leaves her and her
children but she does not allow that to defeat her nor does she indulge in
self-pity. On the contrary, she takes matters in her own hands. She leaves
her children with the neighbours for a while and comes back with only one
leg. It always remains a mystery as to what happened to her. But it is
assumed that she cut her leg off to get the insurance money so that she can
get financial independence and look after her kids well.
The town looks up at her with great respect. For further financial
gains, she turns her house into lodging. Losing one leg and crippling
herself actually elevates her status in the community. She’s the most
impo rtant character in the novel and the most experienced woman. Her
love for her children is indicated in the instance when her daughter catches
fire in the yard which makes her jump from her balcony to save her. But
her love is very strange, she herself pour s kerosene on her son who
becomes a drug addict after he returns from the war. Killing him was to
save him from further deterioration. Eva is such a strong personality in the
community that no one questions her son’s death.
Sula does not like her grandmot her because she dislikes the control
she has over their lives. She, therefore, puts her in a nursing home when
she returns to the Bottom after ten years. But Eva, in spite of spending so
many years in the nursing home and becoming forgetful, somehow knows
that Nel was also responsible for Chicken Little as she just stood there and
watched it happen and did nothing about it. It is after this conversation that
Nel realizes her truth and her faults.
4.1.6 Shadrack
Shadrack is a shell -shocked resident of the Bottom who has
returned from the war and has alcohol for company. He is an important
character because the actual story starts and ends with him. The novel
starts with Shadrack celebrating the National Suicide Day created by him.
This day becomes important in the story of the Bottom. Shadrack’s
interaction with Sula is only once in the novel. This interaction happens
when Sula runs to his cabin for help when Chicken Little is drowning in
the river. The only thing he says to her in his state of drunkenness i s
“always” which Sula takes as a threat but he actually says that in kindness.
Sula is the only person who enters his cabin and therefore, thinks of her as
his friend. He believes that Sula has given some meaning to his life. He
cares for her but she leave s this world unaware of it. He does not find any
enthusiasm in celebrating the National Suicide Day after Sula’s death.munotes.in
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354.2 NEL AND SULA RELATIONSHIP
Sula and Nel, two girls from the Bottom, with completely different
backgrounds, are two friends have a strong influence over each other’s
lives. Nel befriends Sula in spite of her mother’s dislike of her and her
family background. On one hand where Nel com es from a very balanced,
well-settled and respectable family, on the other hand, Sula has a chaotic
family with all sorts of men coming to her house. Sula’s mother is a flirt
and sleeps around with every other man. Eva, her grandmother, is a
powerful, inde pendent and controlling woman of the town.
Nel likes the disorder in Sula’s house as compared to the quiet in
her house. Sula, an unattached girl yearning for love, finds an attachment
in Nel. She shares everything with her. They even share their darkest
secret –the death of Chicken Little.This incident reveals a lot about them
during and later in the story. Chicken Little’s death impacts Sula forever,
she feels guilty for it and never forgives herself. Nel, who portrays herself
to be innocent, actually i s revealed to be evil on the inside as she admits to
herself that she had enjoyed watching him drown. She also never comforts
Sula that it was an accident and not her fault and allows herself to live and
finally die in her misery.
As these two friends gro w up together, they come across as one.
They grow apart only when Nel decides to marry Jude. Sula leaves the
town after Nel’s marriage and comes back after ten years. They try to
unite as friends again until Sula betrays Nel by sleeping with her husband,
Jude. Added to that, Jude leaves Nel out of embarrassment. Nel blames
Sula for breaking her home and destroying her life. Their friendship is
over after this.
Nel meets Sula again only when she’s very sick and goes to meet
her out of her own “goodness” but nothing comes out of the meeting.
Instead of putting the past behind, Nel leaves Sula’s house in a state of
anger as Sula is unapologetic about her actions. Sula dies shortly after this.
Nel does not forgive her even after her death. She does not attend
her funeral. But years later realizes that she was wrong and that she was
the “evil” one. She also realizes that Sula was the best thing that happened
to her, even more than marriage and motherhood. On this realization she
feels a sense of loss. The truth is Nel had this feeling of loss in her entire
life not because Jude had left her but because she did not have Sula in her
life. Towards the end of the novel Nel realizes this truth.
4.3 INDEPENDENT FEMALE CHARACTERS
Morrison has depicted very strong fema le characters in Sula. Sula,
Nel, Helene, Hannah and Eva are the strong female characters aroundmunotes.in
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36whom Morrison weaves this story. All women had female characters that
inspired them.
Helene shapes the life of her daughter so that her own past does
not aff ect her life. She wants Nel lead a respectable life. Though filled
with insecurities herself, she emits confidence and command. She takes
control of her life to make it better and has a grandmother to thank for.
Helene grew up without a father as her mothe r was prostitute and she was
raised by her grandmother.
Hannah loses her husband at a very young age but brings up her
children with a lot of courage. She does not have any man to support her –
emotionally or financially. But despite this, she manages to raise her
children and has her own mother, Eva, as a very strong support system.
Eva, Sula’s grandmother, has to raise her kids by herself because
her husband abandons her and her children. She faces this challenge, loses
her leg to get insurance so that she can raise her children without any
dependence on any one. She also starts loading people in her house to lead
a comfortable life with a steady financial income.
Nel has very strong female c haracters that she is inspired by. First
it is her own mother who teaches her to lead a morally righteous life. Then
it is Sula, who fills her life with meaning and love. She is also inspired by
Sula’s grandmother, who is a very powerful lady, herself. She , herself,
raises her children alone when her husband abandons her after cheating on
her.
Sula, though has a lot of strong women to be inspired from, is an
inspiration herself. She has her own mind and does not conform to the
beliefs of her community. She ’s open -minded and though people consider
her to be evil, she is innocent at heart. She’s not pretentious as she does
what she believes in.
All these female characters in Morrison’s novel Sula have a one
thing in common –their lives are inspired by women and they make a
mark without men having to support them. They do not need the
validation of men to make them into strong personalities. On the contrary,
the absence of men in their lives makes them strong and independent.
Each of them has their own indivi duality which they discover through
their experiences with each other. There isn’t one strong male character in
this story which indicates that women do not need a man to support them
to realize their potential and to establish themselves as individual bei ngs.
4.4 LET US SUM UP
Toni Morrison’s Sula is a novel with inspirational female
characters that brave the difficulties of life and make their presence felt.
These women have no men to support them. The strongest character ismunotes.in
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37particularly that of Sula th at defies the community to live her life
according to her beliefs. In addition, Toni Morrison also portrays a strong
and irreplaceable bond that women have with each other and no other
relationship can replace that bond.
4.5 QUESTIONS
1.Analyse the charact er of Sula in Toni Morrison’s novel Sula.
2.Discuss the relationship between Sula and Nel in Toni Morrison’s
novel Sula.
3.How does Toni Morrison represent the traits of freedom and
individuality in her female characters in her novel Sula?
4.6 SUGGESTED READING
Bakerman, Jane S. “Failures of Love: Female Initiation in the Novels
of Toni Morrison.” American Literature 52 (January, 1981): 541 -563.
Bryant, Cedric Gael. “The Orderliness of Disorder: Madness and Evil
in Toni Morrison’s Sula.”Black American Literature Forum 24
(Winter, 1990): 731 -745.
Peterson, Nancy J., ed. Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical
Approaches . Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997.
Stepto, Robert B. “’Intimate Things in Place’: A Conversation with
Toni Morrison.” Massachusetts Review 18 (Autumn, 1977): 473 -489.
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385
A CRITICAL STUDY OF ERNEST
HEMINGWAY’S THE OLD MAN AND THE
SEAPART I
Unit Structure
5.0. Objectives
5.1. About the Author
5.2. Introduction to the Novel
5.3. Introduction to Plot
5.4. Plot Overview
5.5. Let Us Sum Up
5.6 Questions
5.7. Suggested Reading
5.0.OBJECTIVES
The aim of this unit is to make the learners acquainted with
American novelist Ernest Hemingway, his literary writing and plot
summary of his novel, The Old Man and the Sea.
5.1. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ernest Miller Hemingway (1899 -1961) born in Oak Park, the
United States of America, is an American novelist and a short story writer
and was one of the most influential modern writers of the group of the
‘Lost Generation’ American writers who had relocated to Europe after
World War I.
Theimpact of his experience as a journalist could be seen in his
style of writing. His journalistic style of writing is his great contribution
to the 20thcentury fiction.
As he witnessed two World Wars, the liberation of Paris, the 1945
schism within Cub an communist party and also to many deaths and
hardships, the elements of depression, rebellion against patriotism and
emptine ss strongly dominate his work. Hemingway’s work finds similarity
toUlysses andThe Great Gatsby which show toughness and hardship of
the human condition and the pity thereby.munotes.in
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39His personal experiences during his visits or stay at various unique
places like Cuba (where he spent twenty years of his life) and his active
participation in various escapad e such as hunting, fishing, boxing and
bullfighting reflecting mythic breed of masculinity are beautifully depicted
in his work.
His ‘On the Blue Water: A Gulf Stream Letter’, for Esquire, an
account of a Cuban fisherman’s struggle has inspired him t o write his last
major work, The Old Man and the Sea (a literary fiction, published in
1952), which made him a Nobel Laureate in 1954 and a Pulitzer Prize
winner for fiction in 1953.
5.2.INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL
The Old Man and the Sea , a modern classic no vella (a short novel)
about bravery and gallantry, is thematically biographical story which
shows the writer’s jagged, masculine approach towards life/universe and
also his love for adventure which led him to participate actively in bull
fighting, deep sea fishing and Spanish Civil War. The writer’s fishing
experience in Gulf Stream and the Caribbean has provided this novel with
the necessary background.
The novel, which is a blend of facts and fiction, deals with the
main theme: grace under pressure . The sub -themes which are discussed
here are determination, honor, friendship, defeat and death, endurance and
struggle, and love for Nature. The theme focused here helps us to
understand man’s position in this world.
The novel narrates a very heart -breaking story of the struggle
between the jinxed old man and the marlin. Santiago, who is an old
experienced poor Cuban (Spanish) fisherman, in his attempt to end his
hard luck, ventures to go beyond the boundaries and hooks a large fish
after a long strug gle just to get it ravaged by sharks. However, though
defeated, he is not a loser because despite his age he is exuberant and
confident about his capabilities. His confrontation with a worthy opponent
rather elevates him irrespective of he wins or loses.
5.3. INTRODUCTION TO PLOT
The story is neatly woven and its plot develops systematically
through the below given structure:
1.Issue : Santiago’s misfortune haunts him as he cannot catch fish for
eighty -four days. Even his assistant, Manolin as per hi s parents’
instructions has to leave him to join more successful fishermen due to the
old man’s bad luck.munotes.in
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402.Call toAction : Santiago determines to reverse his bad luck and so he
ventures into the deep sea to get a good catch.
3. Climax : Santiago hooks a large marlin but fails to pull it in his boat.
Instead, the marlin pulls his boat in opposite direction. Here the adventure
begins and the climax takes place when he kills the marlin after three
days’ struggle and when he has to fight the second battle wi th a swarm of
sharks to save the marlin.
4.Falling Action : On his way back, the old man fights a futile battle with
sharks. All his attempts to take home the giant fish meet with no success
as the sharks destroy the marlin completely and leave only its skeleton and
head.
5.Perseverance Both the old man and Manolin plan to be partner for
fishing again.
The novel is a simple story of luckless Santiago who fails to catch
fish for eighty -four days. Like other fishermen, this old man also sets out
to sea everyday but has to return empty handed. So, some of his fellow
fishermen those, who are aware of his talent, feel sorry for his situation
while others ridic ule him and call him ‘SALAO’ which means tough luck.
But the old man does not bother about all this. However, he gets disturbed
when his assistant Manolin, a young boy is forced by his parents to leave
him to join more leading fishermen. This saddens b oth of them since they
love each other and have developed father -son relation. But the boy
against his parents’ will, continues to run small errands for him.
For the old man, facing such a bad luck in fishing career is not at
all a new experience. Since h e has a profound knowledge about the sea
and ability to catch fish, he is quite optimistic and confident about his
success. Therefore, he does not want to give up so easily and hence
decides to take a risk of going into the deep sea to try his luck.
Accord ingly, on the eighty fifth day in the wee hours of the morning, he
sails into the Gulf Stream in the high sea far beyond the shallow waters.
All these show his bravery, determination, self -confidence, forbearance,
and dedication.
Being sensitive, he love s not only human beings but also
Nature/sea and its creatures/animals. In tune with the natural world around
him, he understands Nature’s hints easily.
At about noon on the first day, he expertly hooks a large marlin
(fish), but he can’ t pull it in. On the contrary the fish starts pulling the boat
in the opposite direction against the current as it knows to stay away from
the shore, where it can be easily caught.
Here the ferocious struggle between the two begins. This physical
aswell as psychological battle which he fights all alone against a giant,munotes.in
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41lasts for three days as both of them are not ready to give up easily. In this
process, though the old man gets all bruised, wounded and fatigued, he
ignores all his tiredness and the p ain. He also sympathises with the marlin
and is impressed with its size, beau ty, strength and amour propre. Yet
finally he decides to kill the fish as it is a must for his survival. Certainly,
the very idea of the marlin’s fetching him a good price pleas es him, but
the thought of people, who are unworthy of such a marvellous creature,
eating it, disturbs him. This deadly struggle ends on the third day, when
Santiago successfully spears the marlin. But his misfortune doesn’t end
here. It persists. On his way back to home, the marlin’s blood trails attract
sharks and here he gets involved in the second encounter to defend his
catch. It is, however, a losing battle as the scavengers devour the marlin
completely. By the time the old man reaches his destinatio n, he is left only
with its carcass skeleton and head. Thus, both are ruined. Sad and in pain,
he reaches home, and goes off to sleep.
The next morning his fellow fishermen find the old man half -
delirious and surround the boat carrying the carcass of the fish and get
impressed with its gigantic size and feel pity for the old man as his sincere
efforts meet with no success. The tourists, totally ignorant of the old
man’s struggle, just observe the marlin and mistake it for a shark.
Manolin, who is worrie d about the old man, is happy to see him
back. When Santiago wakes up, the boy kindly fetches him coffee and
brings the newspaper. Then against his parents’ will, Manolin assures the
old man that he will, henceforth, be his partner when he goes fishing.
With this promise, the old man again goes off to sleep and dreams of lions
on the African beach.
At the surface level, this novel seems to be deceptively simple.
This is a tragedy of a hero, Santiago who sincerely works towards the
cause but is not reward ed as sharks ruin his giant catch which he gets after
a long struggle. But at the deeper level, it is very puzzling as it can be
interpreted symbolically. In all this long struggle, Santiago proves himself
to be a real hero who has really won a victory ove r the sea (life) and
overcome all barriers (sharks) in his life and thus, brings out his ability to
fight/ survive/ win even in the adverse situation. His humility, grace,
determination, strength are proved here. No matter he gets destroyed in
the strugg le, yet he remains undefeated. Since the old man is physically
and psychologically strong, he survives successfully. So, he comes out as
a hero at the end.
The author has developed the plot by dividing Santiago’s struggle
with the marlin into the three stages: 1. The time before Santiago knows
his rival 2. The time when he realizes the strength of the adversary 3. The
time when the old man kills the marlin. To unify with the plot even his
second battle with sharks is developed into the three stages.munotes.in
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42The first half of the book describes the beautiful form of Nature
like calmness of the sea, Santiago’s love for Nature and the marlin. But
the second half of the book depicts the destructive form of Nature:
hurricane, attack of the shovel -nosed sharks. The a uthor has described the
old man’s potentials such as courage, determination, modesty also his
sufferings, and his love for Nature to bind the story.
5.4. PLOT OVERVIEW
The novel is all about a struggle between Santiago and a giant
marlin (fish ). Like other fishermen, Santiago also wakes up at sunrise
every day and sails towards the sea in his old small traditional boat to
catch fish. On one particular day he comes back empty -handed. Instead
of this being the case one day, this spell of bad lu ck persists, and he fails
to catch fish for another eighty -four consecutive days. Hence his fellow
fishermen criticise him for his failure and call him the unluckiest. His
problem gets aggravated when his young assistant, Manolin as per his
parents’ inst ructions leaves him to join other more successful boats. Yet
out of respect and love for the old man, the boy keeps going to him every
night, and helping him by bringing him food, hauling his fishing gear
back, discussing baseball and the player -Di Maggio . One day his strong
desire to e nd his bad luck makes him to cross the boundaries and reach the
deep sea in the Gulf for fishing all alone. This time he succeeds in
catching a large marlin. But he is not able to drag it in the boat. Instead,
the marlin ea sily drags Santiago’s boat into the deep sea. This Tug -of-war
lasts for three days. Finally, he has to kill the marlin for his survival. But
on his way back, a swarm of sharks attacks the marlin. Santiago kills
several of these predators to save the ma rlin’s precious flesh. But his
efforts meet with no success as sharks eat away the marlin completely.
Totally exhausted, wounded and bruised, he reaches home only with the
marlin’s head and skeleton and goes off to sleep and dreams of lions on a
beach of Africa. He blames himself for going far away into the sea and
ended up sacrificing his great adversary. Thus, both of them are destroyed.
Though the old man loses, he cannot be called a loser. In fact, at the end,
he comes out as a hero who can fight and survive even in unfavourable
conditions. It demonstrates his victory over the sea and sharks. His grace,
determination strength are rather proved here.
Throughout the text, Santiago is referred to as ‘the old man’ and
the young boy Manolin as ‘the boy’.
5.5. LET’S SUM UP
American writer, Hemingway, the Nobel Laureate, is one of the
influential writers of Lost Generation. He is remembered for his ‘Theories
of Omission’ and ‘Code Hero’ which you are going to study in the next
unit. The present novel narr ates a very heart -breaking story of the struggle
between the jinxed old man and the marlin. Santiago, who is an oldmunotes.in
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43experienced poor Cuban (Spanish) fisherman, in his attempt to end his
hard luck, ventures to go beyond the boundaries and hooks a large fis h
after a long struggle just to get it ravaged by sharks. However, though
defeated, he is not a loser because despite his age he is exuberant and
confident about his capabilities. His confrontation with a worthy opponent
rather elevates him irrespective of he wins or loses.
5.6. QUESTIONS
1.Discuss the literary contributions of Ernest Hemingway.
2.Write an introductory note on the novel, The Old Man and the Sea.
3.Discuss the plot structure of The Old Man and the Sea.
4.Give the overview of the novel in your own words.
5.7. SUGGESTED READING
1.A biography of Hemingway
http://longman.awl.com/kennedy/hemingway/biography.html
2.Melling, Philip. Cultural Imperialism, Afro -Cuban Religion, and
Santiago’s Failure in Hemingway’sThe Old Man and the Sea .
Hemingway Review 26.1 (2006): 6 -24.
3.Burhans Clinton S. The Old Man and the Sea :Hemingway’s Tragic
Vision of Man.American Literature 31.4 (1960): 446.
4.Baskett, Sam S. Toward a Fifth Dimension in The Old Man and the
Sea. The Centennial Review 19.4 (1975): 269 -286.
5.Essay s, UK. (November 2018). ‘Analysis of Hemingway’s The Old
Man and the Sea’. Retrieved from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/english -litera ture/analysis -of-
hemingways -the-old-man-and-the-sea.php?vref=1
6.Brenner, Gerry. The Old Man and the Sea: Story of a Common Man .
New York: Twayne, 1991.
7.Hussaini, Sanobar. American Literature. Mumbai: Sheth Publishers,
2018.
8.Joshi, Archana etal. Engli sh American Literature. Pune: Nirali
Prakashan, 2018.
9.Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea . Middlesex, England:
Penguin Books, 1969.
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446
A CRITICAL STUDY OF ERNEST
HEMINGWAY’S THE OLD MAN AND THE
SEAPART II
Unit Structure
6.0. Objectives
6.1. Key Literary Elements
6.1.1. Style and Mood
6.1.2. Setting
6.1.3. Symbols
6.2. Character Analysis
6.3 Code Hero
6.4. Let Us Sum Up
6.5. Questions
6.6. Suggested Reading
6.0. OBJECTIVES
The learners will be familiarised with various themes, points of
view, setting, symbols of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
Further, the unit will make the learners acquainted w ith character analysis
and Hemingway’s ‘Code Hero’. They will learn how to analyse the text
considering different perspectives. This unit will also facilitate their
reading/writing comprehension and encourage logical thinking, and
language competence.
6.1. KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS
6.1.1. Theme
Hemingway’s writing deals with popular themes of American
Literature such as war, love, wilderness and loss.
His predominant theme discussed in this novel is “grace under
pressure” which has also dominated the writer ’s own life. The other sub -
themes such as determination, honour, friendship, defeat and death,
endurance and struggle are explained through a depiction of splendid story
of the novel.
6.1.1.1. Theme of Grace under Pressure
The story of Santiago, the old fisherman brings out the theme of
grace under pressure that is the nobility of human endeavour inmunotes.in
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45extremely odd conditions. He has been passing through difficulties such as
old age, misfortune, ill -fed, loneliness etc. Since he is refused help due to
his bad luck, he has to fish by himself. But he fails to catch fish for
consecutive eighty -four days. Still being very strong and confident, he
does not accept his defeat and decides to sail beyond the boundaries into
the deep sea to catch the biggest fish and thus reverse his misfortune.
Finally, he succeeds in catching a marlin after three days struggle. In the
process he is badly wounded, injured and tired. Yet he praises the marlin
as a worthy opponent. This shows his nobility. But he kills the fish
against all odds. However, sharks destroy the marlin and the old man’s
battle against sharks proves to be futile. In spite of all these problems, his
confidence and courage do not allow him to give up.
This theme of grace under pressure is also described through the
scene where the bullfighters when enter t he ring risk their lives.
6.1.1.2 Theme of Perseverance and Persistence
The story also brings out the theme: “A man can be destroyed but
not defeated”. Since both possess qualities such as honor, pride and valour
they are not ready to give up easily. Th e eternal law of ‘kill or be killed’
rules them. Santiago being firm on his opinion that man cannot be
defeated, determines to face the marlin who is equally strong. However,
though a rival, he loves and respects the marlin due to its endurance,
struggle and beauty. Hence, he repents when he has to sacrifice his great
opponent. But at the same time destroying such a worthy opponent brings
honour, dignity and shows bravery. At the end, both are ruined when
sharks devour the marlin totally. Yet the old man wins as he exhibits his
strength, capability, patience, courage, and determination. Santiago’s
qualities make him a hero who is destroyed but is never defeated.
6.1.1.3 Theme of Pride and Determination
The story depicts how pride and determination can cause greatness.
Like the ancient classic heroes, even Santiago possesses heroic qualities
such as strength, bravery and morality but also has a tragic flaw -his
pride which though a strong motivator also causes his downfall. He is
well aware of it. His pride ruins both him and the marlin. He blames
himself for this and repeatedly apologises to the marlin.
Pride proves to be a source of strength, a strong motivator which
encourages him to reach the deep sea to catch fish. Here he enters into the
epic struggle with the marlin who is killed due to the old man’s pride
which also motivates him to fight off sharks. Though he returns home only
with the marlin’s skeleton, he is not a loser because he is determined to
fight, and act and not to give up. Hi s determination and pride stimulate
him to fight off these battles which bring him glory and respect. His award
is the pride he feels in completing his work.
6.1.1.4 Theme of Friendship
The story is also about friendship .Santiago loves Manolin, the
young boy who is his assistant. Even Manolin has high regards for himmunotes.in
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46and keeps admiring his fishing skills. His love for the old man is
expressed through his actions. He begs and steals money for him. Though
his parents force him to leave the old ma n to join more successful
fishermen, he continues helping him. Without his support the old man
would have starved to death. At the end the boy decides to be the old
man’s partner in fishery against his parents’ will. The author has thus
given the importanc e of friendship in our life.
6.1.1.5 Theme of Love and Respect for Nature
The novel also describes Santiago’s love and respect for Nature.
He has strong bonding, love and feeling of brotherhood for Nature, the sea
and its creatures, birds, fish. He loves the marlin who is both his friend
and enemy (opponent).
6.1.2. Point of View
A third person omniscient fictional narrator, who is not a character
from the novel, but an outsider narrates the story. The narrator considers
characters and also the events in the novel objectively. Santiago’s
thoughts, struggle, deep feelings, dreams and external events are
considered/narrated.
The first section of the novel has a small Cuban fishing village of
September, 1950 as the setting. Here the point of view is an omn iscient
narrator. Mainly Santiago’s character and his actions and sometimes
Manolin’s character are considered here. This enhances our understanding
of Santiago’s thoughts.
The second section has sea as the setting. Here the novel’s central
action th at is the struggle between the old man and the marlin which lasts
for three days and the related dramatic moments take place. Santiago’s
struggle can be viewed collectively or it can be discussed according to the
perspectives of his three main rivals: the marlin, the mako sharks and
shovel -nosed sharks.
In this section there are frequent shifts from the omniscient narrator to
Santiago’s viewpoint. Therefore, different narrative modes are used. The
devices such as Santiago’ s speaking aloud to himself, his third person
narration of his thoughts, interior monologue etc are used here.
6.1.3. Style/Mood
The novel is written in a journalistic style which is marked by
economy, simplicity and understatement. It consists of sh ort sentences,
short paragraphs, minimum words, monologues, minimum figurative
language, vigorous language and a positive tone. All this makes it strong,
direct, simple, short and very effective. He avoids the use of clichés,
informal expressions, hyperboles, and flowery language.
The mood runs through the book is monotonous, stressful, and
depressing. This is enhanced by the setting which is mainly Santiago’s (a
weak old fisherman) small old, frail boat in the sea. A large marlin keepsmunotes.in
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47pulling the boat for three days. This monotony gets interrupted by killing
of the marlin and sharks’ attack. But the monotony also helps the old man
maintain his grace and thus doe sn’t allow the depression to affect him.
This tone, however, suits the situation as well as Santiago’s inner feelings
especially when he ventures into deep sea all alone.
6.1.4. Setting
The novel’s setting and timing (September, late 1940s) facilitate
the mood and tone of the novel and thus effectively support the
atmosphere creation of the novel.
Hemingway’s stay near Havana, Cuba for 20 years (1940 -1959)
has provided setting for this novel. The story begins in Spanish speaking
small fishing village on the Northern coast of Cuba, below the Tropic of
Cancer, near the capital city Havana on Tuesday evening, September 12,
and Wednesday morning, September 13, 1950. Cuba is an island in
Caribbean where fishing is the main industry.
The second section has s ea as the setting. Mostly it is set in Santiago’s
(the old Man’s) boat in North of Cuba in the Gulf stream which attracts
marlin in month of September/October. Here the novel’s central action
that is the struggle between the old man and the marlin which l asts for
three days and the related dramatic moments take place. The setting here
is quite symbolic.
6.1.5. Symbols
The author has used the iceberg theory: the reader has to analyse
the interpretation provided to him effectively. The novel is full of
symbolism which helps to develop plot and themes.
As the novel is a kind of Biblical parable, the Christian symbolism
is used here. Hence it shows more religious impact. The incidents and
characters given here are related in a sense, to the life of Jes us.
The writer considers Santiago as a metaphor and his struggle as an
extended metaphor for the human condition. How we have to struggle and
go through precariousness in the sea of the unknown.
The crucifixion imagery is used to compare Santiago to Ch rist. As
he possesses qualities of patience, humility and kindness he is similar to
Christ who converts defeat into victory, loss into gain and death into life.
Like Christ, he has to suffer terribly and fight the destructive forces. The
old man’s struggli ng with his mast on his shoulders is similar to Christ’s
march towards Calvary. His position on his bed with his bleeding arms
stretched out evokes the image of Christ on the cross.
Since the marlin also possesses Christian virtues such as
endurance, kind ness and determination, it symbolises Christianity.
Considering its grace and strength, the marlin represents fisherman’s
perfect opponent.munotes.in
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48Sharks symbolize natural rival for both Santiago and the marlin. In
fact, sharks are more interested in the marlin t han in Santiago. But they
have to handle the old man who fights off sharks to save the marlin.
The shovel -nosed sharks symbolically represent the deadly forces
of evil.
The numeric symbolism such as th ree, seven, and forty numbers
which have special importance in the Bible, helps to bring out the meaning
effectively and shows the religious influence throughout. For example,
the old man is without fish for forty days; his struggle lasts for three days;
three stages of the struggle; kills the fish on the seventh turn; seven sharks
etc.
Nature has been symbolically used. The major symbol is that of the
Sea which stands for life/universe. Santiago in his journey on the sea (life)
comes across many hurdles which he overcomes bravely. In this voyage,
he kills the marlin and gets treasure. He fights off the sharks (difficulties
in life) to defend the marlin. Santiago in all this comes out as a hero as
though he loses the treasure, he wins the sea battle (lif e)
Santiago’s dreams of lions on the beach of Africa suggest his
approach towards life, his love for Nature. He gets these dreams thrice: the
first one on the eve of his endeavour; the second one during the epic
struggle and the third one at the end of th e novel. The lions as cubs stand
for his youth, while as adults, they stand for his nobility and strength.
In his childhood, he used to see the lions while in the ship sailing
and fishing along the coast of Africa. Lions represent the destructive
forces of Nature and also Santiago’s lost youth, strength, courage and his
pride. Like the lions, the old man being courageous, dares to go into the
deep sea for fishing. Being old and weak, he cannot participate actively in
life and so he fulfils his desire t o see himself strong and adventurous
through these dreams of lions. After his long struggle with the marlin, he
returns home all exhausted, worn out and wounded. Yet he is not
defeated as he just does not give up. His love for both lions, his predators
and the marlin are similar. Though he loves the marlin, he kills it for his
survival. At the end, his dream of lions suggests that he is not defeated and
hence he feels revitalized.
Di-Maggio is another symbolic character here. He is partially
handica pped base baller who acts as an inspiration for the old man.
All these symbols used here try to bring out the theme effectively.
6.2. CHARACTER ANALYSIS
6.2.1. Santiago
The author’s approach to life is reflected in Santiago’ sc h a r a c t e r .
He cherishes the old man’s life style.munotes.in
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49Santiago, the protagonist in this novel, is the old, experienced
Cuban (Spanish) fisherman who is all alone. He is so poor that he cannot
even afford his own food and drink and hasavery frail and tradit ional
fishing boat. His physical appearance a wrinkled neck, bruised hands
reflect his age. But this bright, cheerful blue -eyed person is physically
tough. Also, this old man with young eyes has more positive approach
towards life.
This genius, skilled fisherman is so well versed with Nature that
he can easily read Nature’s signals. His prudent preparations, excellent
knowledge about the sea, its creatures, and his craft facilitate his
profession.
Since he is very brave, confident , cheerful, determined, and
optimistic, his inability to catch even a single fish for eighty -four days
does not discourage him. On the contrary, his sense of pride and
determination motivates him to reach the deep sea to get a good catch. He
has to face ma ny challenges in his life. The greatest one that he comes
across is his fight with a marlin in the deep sea. This epic struggle lasts
for a long time. Their endurance and strength are tested and proved here.
As both of them are worthy, they do not give up.In the process, he gets
badly bruised, wounded, and exhausted. Yet he admires the marlin’s
beauty, strength, patience, and greatness and addresses it as his worthy
rival. Finally, his intelligence and will wins him the battle. But when the
marlin is ruined by sharks, he feels ruined. He blames himself for this ruin
and apologises the marlin. His nobility, humility is seen here. Even though
he loses the marlin, he is not a loser as his pride helps him to be more
honest to himself and rather elevates h im as it brings him honour and
respect and also retains his precious friendship with Manolin.
Thus he is a perfect example of Hemingway’s ‘Code Hero’ who
fights against all odds and shows valour and maintains grace even in
unfavourable situation.
His d reams of the Lions on the African beach and a wrestling
match with a strong person and Great Di Maggio, a baseball player
suggest his lost youth, strength and ability. They act as strong
motivators and morale booster/source of inspiration for the old man in his
struggle.
Since Santiago follows the Christian values such as love, kindness,
patience, humility, he is compared to Christ. He represents Jesus Christ
who suffers a lot but yet remains undefeated as he gains spiritual victory
andthus trans forms death into life and defeat into triumph. During the
struggle, even the old man suffers terribly. In spite of his wounds and
bruises in the nature of Christ’s stigmata, he is not willing to give up and
is ready to sacrifice his life. Thus, he is a mart yr like Christ. Certainly, his
refusal to accept his defeat is also human nature.munotes.in
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50The old man admires his friendship with Manolin, a young boy
who keeps helping him though his parents due to Santiago’s bad luck, stop
him from going to the old man and a sk him to join more successful boats.
This saddens both of them as they have developed a rapport, father -son
relation.
Manolin prefers to be the old man’s staunch follower and considers
him as his mentor and teacher. So, at the end he promises him to be his
partner while going for fishing. Thus, the old man will continue to live
through Manolin.
6.2.2. Manolin
The young boy, Santiago’s helper, friend and companion stands for
Santiago’s youth and represents a new generation. The empowering
relation betwee n the old man and the boysymbolises the relation between
different generations.
This character appears only at the beginning and at the end of the
novel. Yet it helps us understand and cherish the old man’s efficacy as a
fisherman and as a person. Mano lin’s character becomes symbolic due to
his purity and singleness of purpose.
He first accompanies the old man at the age of five. Considering
his love and respect for the old man, he could be called a perfect
companion who has to leave the old man as per his parents’ will to join
more successful fishermen. This saddens him and so he continues to run
small errands for the old man. Since he possesses humane quality, he can
handle such difficult decision and proves to be the old man’s strong
physical and men tal support. As both love each other, they develop father
–son relation.
He considers the old man as his mentor and teacher. So, at the end
he admires him for his achievement and decides to be his partner in
fishing, and thus becomes his follower against his parents’ will. This
shows that the old man will exist even after his death through Manolin
who will continue spreading the teachings of the old man.
6.2.3. Rogelio
This is a young boy, a villager, who helps Santiago with his luggage –
fishnets. This c haracter is static and flat .
6.2.4. Perico
Perico too does not appear in the novel. He has bodega (a small
shop) in Santiago’s village. He plays an important role in the fisherman’ s
life. He provides him with the newspapers that report the baseball scores.
Since the old man is very much interested in this type of news, Perico is
seen as a kind man who helps and supports Santiago.munotes.in
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516.2.5. Pedrico
He is another fisherman in Santiag o’s village. He makes hooks and
fish traps for other fishermen and takes care of Santiago’s gear. This is a
symbolic character. He stands for Saint Peter, a great fisherman and Jesus’
closest apostle. As Peter helps Jesus to fish for souls, similarly Pedri co
extends his support to Manolin and Santiago by offering them fish for
food. Santiago gives the marlin’s head to Pedrico. This is symbolic and
suggestive of St Peter being the head of the Christian Church and the first
Pope.
6.2.6. Martin
This charac ter doesnot appear physically in the novel. He is
introduced through Manolin, the young boy. Martin is a café owner who
has a Terrace Restaurant in Santiago’s village. He supplies food free of
charge to the old man which Manolin fetches for him. The old ma n
appreciates his kindness.
6.2.7. Joe Di Maggio
Joe DiMaggio, one of the greatest base ballplayers of all time, does
not appear physically in the novel, yet plays a significant role throughout.
He remained a great famous American baseball player, best a ll-rounder
who was a centre fielder for the New York Yankees from 1936 to 1951.
Santiago loves baseball and especially Yankees and considers Joe
DiMaggio as the hero of the Yankee team. This character is used
symbolically in the novel as he acts as a rol e model of strength, hope, and
dedication, a morale booster for Santiago. As and when Santiago needs
to boost himself, he turns to Di Maggio for inspiration. He keeps
motivating Santiago especially during his sufferings and loneliness.
6.2.8. John J. McGraw
He is the coach and manager of the American baseball team. He
often visits Terrace restaurant in Santiago’s village.
6.2.9. Fishermen
These fishermen are more successful than Santiago as they use
modern techniques for fishing and also their boa ts are well equipped
whereas Santiago is still with traditional old stuff for fishing. But these
fishermen represent those people who are nasty, selfish and enjoy
criticising and discouraging others. Like sharks they snatch away things
from Santiago who is more like the marlin. They mock at Santiago on his
bringing the skeleton of the marlin.
6.2.10. Marlin
The giantmarlin is a large and heavy 18 -foot fish with a dark
purple head and lavender -striped back and sides, and with weight more
than 1500 pounds. It is a sharp contrast to sharks. While it represents a
beautiful constructive form of Nature, sharks stand for vicious side of
Nature.munotes.in
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52Being Santiago’s counterpart/alter -ego, the marlin represents him.
So, the old man sees it as male and old.
Though Santiago hooks a marlin, the strong fish pulls the boat in
the opposite direction and proves its strength, perseverance, power and
patience which make it a worthy strong foe. This epic grapple between
the two lasts for three days and three nights i n the middle of the sea. This
is a kind of tug of war which challenges Santiago fully. Both are not ready
to give up. Here Santiago wants to subjugate his wimpiness and also to
conquer the fish whereas the marlin’s purpose is to avoid death which is in
fact unavoidable for all living beings. Considering its size, beauty, and
courage, Santiago praises it and aptly calls it a noble strong adversary.
Rather he considers it nobler and stronger than he is. Struggle with such
a worthy rival certainly brings dignity as it reflects endurance, gallantry,
and love. Hence at the end, he honestly declares that though he loves it, he
has to kill it for survival. When sharks devour the fish totally, Santiago
also feels devastated and blames himself for ruining the marlin. But this
battle with the marlin resuscitates Santiago.
6.2.11. Sharks
Sharks are Santiago’s antagonists. Mako -a mackerel shark has
rows of large, sharp teeth and target their prey aggressively. The Shovel -
nosed sharks, scavengers, represent the destructive negative force of
Nature. They are a sharp contrast to the marlin. They are vicious -the evil
elements of the sea whereas the marlin is a majestic and noble companion
and a worthy rival to Santiago. Being scavengers, sharks are attracted to
the trails of the marlin’s blood and attack it to destroyit completely and
devastate the old man though he kills several of them. Sharks also
represent the people of Jerusalem whose jealousies and rivalries led to the
crucifixion of Jesus.
6.2.12. Harpoon
Harpoon plays a crucial role in the novel. This is a tool which
fishermen use on the sea to kill or fight off the sea creatures. Santiago
uses it to kill the marlin and fight off Sharks. But while fighting off sharks,
his harpoon is lost. This aggravates his problems. Its loss is suggestive of
Santiago being unarmed and is at the mercy of the powerful sea.
6.2.13. Nature
Nature has a prominent role to play here. It helps to create the
necessary ambience and thus facilitates the setting. Its symbolic use helps
to depict the story more effectively.
Santiago loves Nature and looks at it as his source of income and
guidance and hence its place in his life is of utmost importance. He has
been rather its integral part as he has developed a strong connection to
different elements of Nature. Even his destiny and tempers of his
environment are interconnected. This bonding with Nature/sea is
beautifully depicted through various incidence.munotes.in
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53He is so well -versed with Nature that he easily understands birds’
hints lo cating fish, understands guidance given by the fish, and depends on
stars which he considers his brothers for finding the way/ guidance. He
can easily sense the arrival of morning while it is still dark by the
trembling sound of flying fish while rowing. Since he treats the creatures
and animals of the sea as his friends, he has concern, affection, and
sympathy for them. This is seen through his conversation with a small
bird; his high regards for the marlin, his opponent: “I love you but have to
kill you”, his adoration of the marlin and addressing it as a worthy
combatant; addressing flying fish as his best friends on the ocean and his
empathy and love towards turtles and hawk -bills.
The novel portrays Nature as destructive as well as constructive
force. These two forces are closely linked. The description of the old
man’s physical appearance (he has brown blotches of skin cancer, deep –
creased scars, assailed skin, wrinkled neck) shows his long struggle with
Nature and also represents Nature’s cruelty. The depiction of Shovel -
nosed Sharks is another example of the negative destructive representation
of Nature. But his dreams of lions suggest his lost youth, strength, and
nobility. Lions act as st rong motivators for the old man.
The marlin, a strong, large fish, which is more like Santiago,
represents the beautiful form of Nature. Theepic struggle between the
duolasts for three days. Since both are not ready to give up, they have to
endure. The fi sh pulls the boat easily away from the shore and thus wants
to avoid death. But the old man is determined to kill it as it is a must for
his survival. In this situation also, the old man develops rapport with it
because he loves it. He praises its beauty, size and regards it as a worthy
rival. He is happy and excited at the good price he will get for the marlin.
But the very idea of unworthy people eating the great marlin disturbs him.
Here Santiago seems to identify himself with the marlin and other
creatures such as theflying fish, turtle, warbler, mako shark. All of them
possess the virtue of nobility. All of them are directly related to survival
and hence follow the principle of ‘survival the fittest’. In the natural
order, all will face devastation.
TheSea,the antagonist ,plays a strong role throughout the novel as
it facilitates the setting as well as the theme. The title of the novel includes
the word ‘Sea’ which is suggestive of its importance here. The sea, for
the old fishermen like Santiag o, is feminine —“la mar” —a Spanish word
which means mother of life. On the contrary, for young fishermen, the
sea is masculine. Also, its dangerous form makes it so.
The sea has occupied the maxi mum portion of the earth. As
compared to the land, which we consider as our home, the sea is always
scary, deep, profound and obscure. Being mighty, it evokes the feeling of
getting lostor being very much trivial.
Symbolically the sea stands for the Uni verse --life on which
mankind should sail and an individual’s role in life. Sea voyage indicatesmunotes.in
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54journey through life. In this voyage, we may come across precious
treasure or dangers. The undesirable forces must be defeated.
Both the ship and sea are suggestive of prolificacy as these are
sources of livelihood for fishermen/people. Boats/ship also stand for an
expedition, escapade or inquisition and represent real -life people who
may be active or passive participants. Inactive people due to their li mited
exposure will have less knowledge whereas people like the old man who
love to accept challenges in life, explore life, acquire knowledge and thus
become valiant. Fearless as he is, the old man shows guts in accepting the
challenge, and ventures int o the deep sea. Though he is defeated at the
end, he cannot be called a loser because as compared to other fishermen,
he acquires more strength and knowledge. His profound experience of the
sea helps him to establish a strong connection with the sea easily .
The sea has created a perfect background and mood for the story
here. The main event of the story that is the heroic tussle between Santiago
and the marlin, a large fish takes place in the sea. In this process, the old
man is all alone. This suggests his loneliness and also his abilities,
determination, strength and grace under pressure are proved here.
Thus, water and fish play a significant role here. They are related
to life and to Christianity.
Another characteristic feature of Nature/sea is its changelessness.
The sun rising/setting, the old man’s and the other fishermen’s routine of
going out to sea with the boats, catching their fish and then coming back –
all these are set and there is no change.
6.3. THE HEMINGWAY CODE HERO
‘Code’ means a s et of rules for behaviour/conduct. The term
‘Code hero’ is often used to describe the protagonist and his values in
Hemingway’s novels.
Hemingway Code Hero manifests certain approach towards the
surrounding world. He is an individualist who lives corre ctly and strictly
follows the ideals such as honour, valour, and resilience in life/world that
is sometimes full of immense disorder, distress, and tragedy. He thus
guards his emotions. Being brave and adventurous person, he likes to
participate actively in various manly activities such as travelling, bull -
hunting, fishing etc. Violence and disorder are the part and parcel of his
world. So, he should be prepared to repel even death. He should be so bold
and fearless that death should not scare him. He is expected to behave
honourably even though he is facing defeat/suffering and thus should
prove his masculinity, grace, and ability.
Santiago’s character described in The Old Ma n and the Sea is a
very good example of code hero who possesses all these ideals of honour,munotes.in
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55valour, and endurance. He has been going through hardship in his life. The
depiction of paradoxical values such as grandeur /nobility;
determination/incertitude; an d conquest/defeat explain his character very
well. Noble as he is, he doesn’t hate other fishermen even though they
ridicule him. In fact, he accepts the situation as his bad luck; admits his
flaws and thus avoids dispute. All this elevates him. His bitte r experience
with sea does not affect his love for it.At the end, his realisation and
acceptance of hisinability, insufficiency, and so resorting to prayers to
God –all this shows his modesty. A perfect blend of chastity and nobility
in Santiago’s charact er makes himan ideal code hero.
6.4.QUESTIONS
1.Discuss the importance of setting in this novel.
2.Write short notes on the following:
a.Style of Writing
b.Point of View
c.Mood/Tone
3.Elaborate the epic struggle between Santiago and the marlin.
4.What does Santiago do to revert his misfortune?
5.Discuss the main theme and subthemes of the novel.
6.“A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” Illustrate your answer
with a special reference to The Old Man and the Sea.
7.Write a detailed note on symbols used in this novel.
8.Discuss the plot of this novel.
9.“Santiago’s character is the best example of Hemingway’s Code
Hero”. Illustrate.
10.How does Nature/sea play a significant role in this novel?
11.Who is Manolin? What role does he play the old man’s life?
12.What is t he importance the lions in the novel?
13.Is Santiago a successful fisherman? Give reasons for your answer
14.Give the character analysis of the following:
a.marlin
b.Fishermen
c.Joe DiMaggio
d.Sharks
e.Perico
f.Pedrico
g.Harpoon
6.5.REFERENCES
1.A biography of Hemingway
http://longman.awl.com/kennedy/hemingway/biography.html
2.Melling, Philip. Cultural Imperialism, Afro -Cuban Religion, and
Santiago’s Failure in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea .
Hemingway Review 26.1 (2006): 6 -24.munotes.in
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563.Burhans Clinton S. The Old Man and the Se a:Hemingway’s Tragic
Vision of Man. American Literature 31.4 (1960): 446.
4.Baskett, Sam S. Toward a Fifth Dimension in The Old Man and the
Sea. The Centennial Review 19.4 (1975): 269 -286.
5.Essays, UK. (November 2018). ‘Analysis of Hemingway’s The Old
Man an d the Sea’. Retrieved from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/english -literature/analysis -of-
hemingways -the-old-man-and-the-sea.php?vref=1
6.Brenner, Gerry. The Old Man and the Sea: Story of a Common Man .
New York: Twayne, 1991.
7.Hussaini, Sanobar American Literature. Mumbai: Sheth Publishers,
2018.
8.Joshi, Archana etal. English American Literature. Pune:
NiraliPrakashan, 2018.
9.Hemingway, Ern est.The Old Man and the Sea . Middlesex, England:
Penguin Books, 1969.
munotes.in
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577
A CRITICAL STUDY OF JOHN
STEINBECK’S “THE
CHRYSANTHEMUMS” AND ALICE
WALKER’S “EVERYDAY USE”
Unit Structure
7.0. Objectives
7.1. John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”
7.1.1 Introduction
7.1.2. Plot
7.1.3. Themes
7.1.4. Symbols
7.1.5. Characters
7.1.6. Questions
7.1.7. Suggested Reading
7.2. Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”
7.2.1. Introduction
7.2.2. Plot
7.2.3. Themes
7.2.4. Symbols
7.2.5. Characters
7.2.6. Questions
7.2.7. Suggested Reading
7.0. OBJECTIVES
In this unit, learners will read two representative stories pointing
the failure of the American Dream. John Steinbeck’s “Chrysanthemums”
shows how individual happiness is marred because of fixed gender roles in
society and Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” presents the racial
discriminations leading to the Civil Rights in America. After studying this
unit, the learners will be able to understand two American short story
writers of the 20thcentury American Literature.
7.1. JOHN STEINBECK’S “THE CH RYSANTHEMUMS”
7.1.1. Introduction
The Chrysanthemums is one of the most popular stories by John
Steinbeck, the 1962 Nobel Laureate in literature. He was born in 1902, inmunotes.in
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58Salinas, California. Salinas was a prosperous farming valley then. The rich
soil, beauty and the people of the valley formed the sensibilities of
Steinbeck and therefore, most of his works such as “Mice and Men”
(1937) and the “East of Eden” (1952) are set in this valley. His first
success came with the “Tortilla Flat” (1935) and proved himself as a
classic writer of America with the Pulitzer Prize winning “Grapes of
Wrath” in 1939.
“Chrysanthemums” was first published in 1937 and was later
included in “Th e Long Valley” in 1938. The story is set in the Salinas
Valley in winter. The beauty of the valley and the agricultural activities
during this time comes alive to the reader. Many writers points to
biographical elements in the story saying that Elisa Allen could be
modelled on his wife Carol and story may reflect their difficult marriage.
But since Steinbeck did not confirm anything directly, it is difficult to
prove.
7.1.2. Plot
After describing the Salinas valley in the winter and the
agricultural activi ties at this time of the year, the story spots on Elisa
working in her flower garden. She was in her gardening costume and was
cutting down the previous year’s chrysanthemum stalk. She was eagerly
looking every now and then at her husband who was talking t ot w om e ni n
business suits. They were standing by the tractor shed. This brings to light
her interest in the outside world. She is thirty -five years old with “lean and
strong” face, her eyes are “as clear as water”. She works with vigour and
her hand is “ over-eager, over powerful” -“The chrysanthemum stems
seemed too small and easy for her energy”. The reader becomes aware of
her underutilised potentialities and energies. Henry, her husband comes
and appreciates her strong new crop of chrysanthemums. He sa ys with
well-meant banter that he wished she could grow apples that big in the
orchards. Thrilled by the prospect, Elisa confidently says she could do it as
she knew a lot about crops. Henry rejects her offer with his conviction that
Elisa’s skill works on ly with flowers. She asks him about the two men he
was talking to. He replies that they bought his three years old steers and
got a good price. He offered her to go for dinner and a movie and then
goes out to arrange for some couple of horses. Elisa return s to her work
with her vigorous fingers but interrupted by the arrival of a strange
caravan drawn by a horse and a little burro. She notices the “big stubble
bearded man” who drives up to her house and asks for direction and work
to “mends pots and sharpen knives and scissors”. To her, he was “a very
big man” and although he had grey hair, he did not look old. Elisa and the
man involve into a flirty and boisterous conversation. He begs for work to
Elisa. Elisa refuses to have any work. He is clever enough to resort to
flattery. He appreciates Elisa’s flowers. Elisa feels excited and
passionately tells the man about her chrysanthemums and gives him some
sprouts. Elisa gets deeply interested in the man’s life. Elisa admires the
adventurous life of the Tinker . She asks him whether he sleeps in the
wagon itself she wished women could live the life he does. But the man
says that it will be scary and lonesome for a woman. Elisa speaks to himmunotes.in
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59from a kneeing position and in her excitement, almost reaches to touch
him. He leaves her soon and she notices the disappearing wagon. When he
leaves, she returns to her house and bathes and gets ready for the dinner
with her husband. Henry arrives home and gets ready too. As they head
for the town, she sees the chrysanthemum sprouts she had given to the
tinker lying by the side of the road. Soon after, their car passes the wagon.
Elisa does not look. Henry says she is different again. Elisa assures that
she is looking forward to the dinner. She asks Henry whether they can
have wine and Henry agrees. She asks about the fights and whether
women go to fights. Henry says that some women do ask jokingly whether
she would love to come to one. She declines and turns her face from
Henry with her coat collar and cries.
7.1.3. Themes
Gender disparity is the most obvious idea that persists the entire
story is the failure of the society to recognition a woman’s true
potentialities. Elisa is ambitious, powerful and strong and has planter’s
hand. But her husband fails to recognise her pot entialities as he cannot
rise above his deep -seated beliefs in stereotypical patriarchal values. She
unsatisfied as her energies are underused and her desire to enter the
outside world is thwarted. She remains suffocated in the “closed pot” of
her house an d garden. Although her husband, the two businessmen and the
tinker lack her spirit and imagination, they are able to live a much -fulfilled
life than hers.
Isolation is another theme of the story. Elisa s isolated -physically
as well as emotionally. She k eeps her feelings of isolation to herself.
Inhibitions and control is another theme. Elisa wants to unleash her
free spirit as we see in her appreciation of the life of the tinker but she
succumbs to the norms that society demands from her as a woman.
Inhibitions win at the end whenever she tries to loosen her restraints
whether it be the appre ciation of her naked body or watching a masculine
fight.
7.1.4 Symbols
The chrysanthemums may symbolise Elisa’s femininity and
sexuality which is strong, lovely and thriving but deemed powerless and
insignificant. It has only ornamental value. Elisa hers elf identifies with the
chrysanthemums. When tinker notices the flowers, she brightens as if he
noticed her instead. The tossed chrysanthemums devastates her. The
rejection of the flowers parallels the rejection a woman’s desire beyond
the boundaries defin ed by society.
The heavy clothes she is wearing in the beginning may represent
the restraints the society imposes on women.
The chrysanthemums may also symbolise Elisa’s children. The
way she nurtures and protects them from pests with her ‘terrier finge rs”
represents a mother’s engagement.munotes.in
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60The Salinas valley may symbolise Elisa’s emotional life. The
valley looks like a “closed pot” representing the emotional suffocation of
Elisa. There is no sunshine in the valley like there is no penetration of
light a nd hope in Elisa’s emotional and physical life.
7.1.5 Characters
Elisa Allen
Elisa Ellen is the tragic protagonist of the story. She is strong,
ambitious and passionate -very unlike a woman her husband imagines her
to be. She is seen working in her flower gardens when the story unfolds.
The reader is immediately made aware of her energy and interest. She is
described as a woman with “lean and strong” face with “eyes as clear as
water”. She works with vigour and “The chrysanthemum stems seemed
too small an d easy for her energy”. She has ‘terrier fingers” to destroy
pests. These descriptions make us aware of the underutilised potentialities
and energies. Elisa offers her husband to work in the ranches but is
rejected. Her desire to see and involve in the ou tside world is thwarted.
She does not have children and uses all her energy in maintaining her
house and her garden. The pride she takes in housekeeping is exaggerated
and pathetic. Her stifled and frustrating life makes her look for the tinker
for stimula ting conversation. She rarely gets a chance to express her real
feeling and emotions as her husband lacks the imagination to penetrate her
feelings and unconventional desires. We can see the witty and livelier side
of Elisa only when she talks to the tinke r. The tinker brings to light Elisa’s
thirst for adventure and romance in her life. In the tinker Elisa finds a man
whose energy matches hers. This brings a feminine aspect to her which
otherwise is missing in the story. Elisa seems to be trapped perennial ly in
the patriarchal mindset that refuses to delve beyond the boundaries.
Henry Allen
Henry Allen is Elisa’s husband. The author avoids direct
description of the man. Reader gets to know him only through his
interactions with Elisa. We can assume that he is hardworking and
successful as we are told that there is little work to be done in his ranch by
the foothill. He apparently seems to be loving and caring. We can see him
offering his wife to go out for dinner and movie, treating her with respect
and c are. But, at the same time we also see that he fails to understand his
wife’s deeper emotions. This failure ensues from his beliefs in the
patriarchal values. The banters he meant to share with his wife are based
on the conventional gender roles. We see t his in the very beginning when
he appreciates Eliza’s strong new crop of chrysanthemums and teasingly
offers her work at the apple orchards. He is unable to see the sparkle in
Elisa’s eyes at the offer. When she proposes do it, he refuses to believe in
herpower and admits that all her knowledge works well for flowers.
Towards the end, he further teases his wife whether she would like to go
for fights. He believes that a woman likes movies and dinner and a man
likes fight and ranching. Therefore, he seems t o be a total foil to Elisa who
is imaginative and transcends typical gender boundaries.munotes.in
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61The Tinker
The tinker is a “big stubble bearded man” who rides a “curious
vehicle” drawn by a horse and a little burro. He moves around places in
this caravan and “me nds pots and sharpen knives and scissors”. His visit
excites Elisa’s otherwise unromantic life. Elisa idealises the life of the
tinker to be adventurous and smart. She finds him physically attractive and
a match to her energy. He flirts and banters with El isa and is clever
enough. He becomes successful in convincing a sceptical Elisa to give him
work. He first begs for work and later resorts to flattery. The fact that he
tossed away the chrysanthemum shoots given by Elisa proves that he does
not have any bu siness with Elisa other than to sell his services. The brief
meeting with the Tinker brings forth to us the best in Elisa -she becomes
bright, expressive and her feminine, erotic potentiality is revealed.
7.1.6. Questions
1.Critically appreciate the story the Chrysanthemums
2.Write a note on the plot of the story the Chrysanthemums
3.Discuss the themes in the Chrysanthemums
4.Write a short note on the symbols in in the Chrysanthemums
5.Write a note on the characters of the story.
6.Write a note on the setting of the story.
7.1.7 Suggested Reading
1.Steinbeck Quarterly Pellow, C. Kenneth. “The Chrysanthemums
Revisited”
2.Busch, Christopher S. "Longing for the Lost Frontier: Steinbeck's
Vision of Cultural Decline in 'The White Quail' and 'Th e
Chrysanthemums'." Steinbeck Quarterly 26.03 -04 (Summer/Fall
1993): 81 -90.
3.Pellow, C. Kenneth. "'The Chrysanthemums' Revisited." Steinbeck
Quarterly 22.01 -02 (Winter/Spring 1989) :8-16.
4.Palmerino, Gregory J. "Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums." Explicator
62.3 (2004) : 164 -167.
5.Dickmann, Denise "John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums": A
Woman Bound by Society". In Kennedy, X.J.; Dana,
Gioia. Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and
writing (13 ed.). Boston: Person. pp. 237–244. ISBN 9780321971661 .
7.2. ALICE WALKER’S “EVERYDAY USE ”
7.2.1 Introduction
“Everyday Use” is one of the most illustrious stories by Alice
Walker. She is a prolific writer and an avowed activist for civil rights and
anti-warmovements. She advocates “feminism of colour” and coined the
term " womanist "in1983 to refer to a black feminist. She was born in 1944munotes.in
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62in Georgia and has been actively participating and writing for peace,
humanity and justice. Her signature novel –“The Col or Purple ”(1982),
won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction .
“Everyday Use” was first anthologized in 1973 in “Love and
Trouble”. The story is set during the Civil Rights Movement in America, a
movement that started in 1940s to end racial discrimination and to
establish equal rights for the black Americans. This was the time when
many African Americans tried to redefine their social, cultural, and
political identity in American society and to assess their own contribution
in the cult ure-scape of America. In the process, they delved into their own
African past and heritage to establish themselves as a visible and unified
group. Two groups -Black Panthers and Black Muslims -were formed to
resist the white dominated culture. Two of the characters of the story -Dee
and Hakim perhaps represents these two groups.
The story ironically criticizes the shallow understanding of these
values and ideals by some of the younger militant generation through the
characters of Dee and Hakim -a-barber. Both these characters talk
apparently about their involvement with the black cause and heritage but
fails to understand the deeper meaning of it. Both shun hard labour -Dee
rejects the knowledge of making a quilt for herself but wants to display it
on her wall as a mark of respect for black heritage. When Mama enquired
whether Hakim is one of those Muslims who lives down the road, leading
a busy life with feeding cattle, Hakim dismisses it immediately saying
“farmi ng and raising cattle is not my style”. Both Dee and Hakim are
unwilling to commit to the hard work of the cause and faith they claim to
embrace.
7.2.2. Plot
The story is narrated in the first person by Mama. It begins with
Mama’s decision to wait in the yard for her daughter Dee. She thinks over
her other daughter Maggie who will remain nervous till Dee stays in the
house because of her burn marks. Mama dreams of reuniting with Dee in a
TV show appearing exactly like Dee wants her to be –“a hundred poun ds
lighter”, fair and with a quick and witty tongue. But Mama knows even
before she wakes up that it is a mistake as she cannot think of looking a
white man in the eye. Dee is more assertive. Mama’s thoughts are
interrupted when Maggie arrives in the yard. She recalls the house fire
when she carried Maggie, badly burnt, out of the house. Dee was watching
the flames engulf the house.
Mama believed that Dee hated Maggie too like the house that
caught fire until she raised enough money with the help of the church to
send Dee to school in Augusta. Mama hated when Dee tried to impose
ideas and life -style of others onto her family when she came home. Mama
eagerly awaits Maggie’s marriage to John Thomas. Then only she can
relax and sing peacefully at home.munotes.in
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63Dee arrives and Mama stops Maggie from scuttling back into the
house. The arrival of Maggie with Hakim -e-barber is described critica lly
by Mama showing strong disapproval of the style and appearance of both
Dee and the strange man. Hakim -a-barber greets and tries to hug Maggie,
who retreats.
Dee brings her Polaroid camera and snaps pictures of Mama and
Maggie in front of their house. Then, she kisses Mama on the forehead.
Hakim awkwardly tries to shake Maggie’s hand. Dee corrects her mom
when Mama called her Dee that she has changed her name to Wangero
Leewanika Kemanjo as she could not bear it anymore to be named after
her oppressors. Mama informs Dee that she was in fact named after her
Aunt Dicie, who was named after Grandma Dee, who bore the name of
her mother as well.
Mama is unable to pronounce Dee’s new African name and
Hakim -e-barber. Mama also wonders whether Hakim -a-barber a nd Dee
are married. While eating Hakim -a-barber says that he does not eat collard
greens or pork. Dee enjoys her meal and is delighted to see the family
using the benches her father made. She then, jumps to the butter churn in
the corner and asks Mama for its top.
After Dinner, Dee searches the trunk at the foot of Mama’s bed
while Maggie worked in the kitchen. Dee comes with two quilts made by
her mother, aunt, and grandmother. Dee asks her mother for the quilts.
Mama hears Maggie dropping something in the kitchen and slamming the
door after that. Mama offers Dee some other quilts as she had promised
Maggie to give her the quilts. Dee is stung and argues that Maggie will put
the quilts for everyday use as she will not be able to appreciate the value
of it by preserving them. Mama replies that Maggie knows how to quilt
and can make more. Maggie comes and offers Dee the quilts. Mama is hit
by a strange feeling when she saw Maggie. She impulsively hugs Maggie
and pulls her into the room. She snatches the qu ilts out of Dee’s hands,
and places them in Maggie’s lap and tells Dee to take one or two of the
other quilts.
When Dee and Hakim -a-barber leave, Dee tells Mama that she
does not understand her own heritage. Kissing Maggie, Dee advises her to
try and imp rove herself. She says it’s a new day for black Americans but
the way she and Mama live their lives, they will never be able to know it.
Mama saw Maggie smiling and opined that it may be at the sunglasses but
it was a real smile. They then enjoyed sitting in the quiet of the yard until
bedtime.
7.2.3Themes
Heritage
The true meaning of heritage is the predominant theme of the
story. Dee has a very superficial understanding of the meaning of heritage
and has constructed a new heritage for herself rejecting the r eal one. Hermunotes.in
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64adoption of a new name suggests her failure to understand her own family
legacy. Besides, Dee is unable to see heritage as a living, ongoing
creation. She sees it as dead, a thing of the past, unable to see how her
own sister and mother is con tributing to keep it alive by “living” it.
The Divisive Power of Education
Education in the story comes as a disruptive power rather than a
valuable one. Mama send Dee to school with lot of struggles. Mama and
Maggie are barely educated. Whenever Dee come s back home, she
unsettles their simple happy domestic life by “forcing” strange ideas unto
them “without pity”.
The lofty ideals of education and the opportunities that came with
it, split Dee from her family. It also strips her of the sense of identity .D e e
comes home as a “threatening ambassador of a new world that has left
Maggie and Mama behind.”
7.2.4. Symbols
Quilts
Quilts symbolize the continued heritage of different generations.
They are fragments of living legacy and connects one generation with the
other. They document the stories of struggle and shared family life that
passes it on to the next generations. Mama and Maggie too are capable to
weave their own stories and pass it on to continue the legacy.
Yard
The yard symboli zes a free space. Mama meticulously prepares the
yard for Dee’s arrival in the beginning and sits peacefully when Dee
leaves the house. She praises the comforts of the yard and prefers it to the
confining house. The yard is a place where air passes freely perhaps
blowing away Mama’s mental agony and regrets. The yard seems to evoke
safety, a place where they can exert their own selves.
Sunglasses
The sunglasses that Dee wears may symbolize her ornamental
perspective -an artificial viewpoint she wears to adorn herself without
understanding the real and the deeper meaning. When Dee leaves at the
end, Mama notices Maggie smile, a realsmile and comments it might be
the sunglasses.
7.2.5. Characters
Mama
Mama is the narrator of the story. She voices that she is a “large,
big-boned woman with rough man working hands”. She describes her
strength with full power and conviction that she can ‘kill and clean a hog
as mercilessness as a man” and knocked a bull calf once. Her fat keeps her
warm in winter and she can work all day outside. There is no resentment
when she describes herself like that although she dreams of reuniting withmunotes.in
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65Dee on TV shows and appearing as her daughter wants her to be -lighter,
fairer and with quick wit. But she knows that all these a re a mistake and
the TV shows will not show the reality. She is frank and open and is not
deluded easily. Mama shows strong control and understanding of her life
and family legacy.
Maggie
Maggie is the total opposite to her flashy sister Dee. She is shy and
reticent and lives with Mama. She was burnt as a young girl when their
house caught fire. Maggie lacks confidence and lumbers when she walks.
She often runs and hangs in the background when th ere are other people
around. She is unable to make eye contact but is kind and dutiful. She is
willing to let Dee have the quilts that was promised to her as she can make
the quilts herself. Her lack of confidence also seems to arise from Dee’s
imposing id eas and criticism of her own sister.
Dee
Dee is Mama’s flashy and educated elder daughter. She arrives
home in a bright yellow -orange dress that hurt Mama’s eyes. She is
imposing and does not allow her desires to be thwarted. When Mama did
not let her have the quilts to display, she becomes furious claiming that
Mama and Maggie don’t understand their heritage.
Hakim -A-Barber
Hakim -A-Barber is a Black Muslim and adds humour to the story
with his superfluous style and mannerisms. He is short and stocky, and has
waist -length hair and bushy beard. Hakim -e-barber’s relation with Dee is
confusing to Mama. She does not knowwhether he is Dee’s boyfriend or
husband.
7.2.6. Questions
1.Critically appreciate the story ‘Everyday Use”
2.Write a note on the plot of the story ‘Everyday Use”
3.Discuss the themes in the story ‘Everyday Use”
4.Write a short note on the symbols.
5.Write a short note on the characters of the story.
6.Write a short note on the setting of the story.
7.2.7. Suggested Read ing
Christian, Barbara (1994 )."Everyday use" and the black power
movement. Pearson. pp. 492–494. ISBN 0-13-458638 -7.
Mullins, Matthew (2013) ."Antagonized by the Text, Or, It Takes Two
to Read Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use" .Journal of the Southern
Comparative Literature Association. 37: 37–53.munotes.in
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66Sarnowski, Joe (2012). "Destroying to Save: Idealism and Pragmatism
in Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use ".Papers on Language and
Literature: A Journal for Scholars and Critics of Language and
Literature. 48(3): 269 –286.
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." The Story and Its Writer .Ed. Anna
Charters. Compact 8th edn. Boston: Bedfor/St. Martin's, 2011. 852 –
858.
Whitsitt, Sam. "In Spite of It All: A Reading of Alice Walker's
'Everyday Use.'" African American Review 34.3 (2000): 443.
munotes.in
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678
A CRITICAL STUDY OF AMY TAN’S
‘TWO KINDS’ AND BERNARD
MALAMUD’S ‘THE GERMAN REFUGEE’
Unit Structure
8.0. Objectives
8.1. Amy Tan’s ‘Two Kinds’
8.1.1. Introduction to Amy Tan
8.1.2. Introduction to ‘Two Kinds’
8.1.3. Plot
8.1.4. Identity
8.1.5. Intergenerational and Intercultural Conflicts
8.1.6. Narrative Resolution
8.1.7. Symbol
8.1.8. Characterization
8.1.9. Questions
8.1.10. Suggested Reading
8.2. Bernard Malamud’ s ‘The German Refugee’
8.2.1. Introduction to Bernard Malamud
8.2.2. Plot
8.2.3. Themes
8.2.4. Setting
8.2.5. Symbols
8.2.6. Title
8.2.7. Questions
8.2.8. Suggested Reading
8.0. OBJECTIVES
In this unit, the learners will be able to understand two short stories
from the 20thcentury American Literature. Amy Tan’s short story explores
the filial relationship, while Malamud’s The German Refugee explore
social realism and ethnic identity. After studying this unit, the learners will
be able to critically examine Amy Tan’s Two Kinds and Bernard
Malamud’s The German Refugee .munotes.in
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688.1. AMY TAN’S TWO KINDS
8.1.1. Introduction to Amy Tan
Amy Tan is an Americ an writer whose works explore mother -
daughter relationships and the Chinese -American immigrant experience.
She was born in the U.S. immigrant parents from China. ‘Two Kinds’ is
part of her first novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) which became the
longest -runni ng New York Times bestseller for that year. When we read
this story as a chapter in "The Joy Luck Club", "Two Kinds" completes
Tan's collection of stories that are about hope and the way she looked at
the world (2010). Amy Tan’s other famous and acclaimed n ovels include
The Kitchen God's Wife (1991), The Hundred Secret Senses (1995), and
Saving Fish from Drowning (2005)
8.1.2. Introduction to ‘Two Kinds’
The story is set in San Francisco, America and are retrospectively
told to cover the period of the 1950s. In ‘Two Kinds,’ we find the theme
of hope, American dream, assimilation, andacceptance, success vs failure,
rebellion andacceptance, identity, responsibility, blame and independence.
8.1.3. Plot:
The story is apart of The Joy Luck Club. Itdescribes the lives of
four Asian women who fled China in the 1940s and their four very
Americanized daughters. The novel focuses on Jing -mei "June" Woo, a
thirty -six-year-old daughter, who, after her mother's death, takes her place
at the meetings of a so cial group called the Joy Luck Club. The old
woman starts with the stories of the old times and wishes her daughters
also experience the richness of the past. Jing -mei gets highly influenced by
these stories. The narrator is Suyuan Woo, the founder of th e Joy Luck
Club. She has experienced war-torn China when she had to escape China
but left her twin daughters behind. She has one American born daughter
Jing-mei who meets her twin half -sister after her mother’s death.
The title of this short story “Two Kinds” describes the theme of this
story. The mother had stated that there are only two types of daughters.
“Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind.” Jing-Mei
did not understand the truth or meaning beh ind that declaration until after
her mother’s death. She understands the importance of her stress over the
character building. Jing-Mei realized that her mother only meant that she
could be an obedient child by listening to her mother while at the same ti me
follow her own heart and want her own prodigy in life. The last paragraph
in this story also indicates the theme of two halves being equal to one.
“It was not the only disappointment my mother felt in me” (Tan
327). Growing up with a mother like mine , disappointment came very
easily. In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” the mother and daughter were always on
edge because the mother expected too much and the daughter could never
meet up to the standards that she had set. After thirty years went by after
their big falling out the mother gives the daughter a piano as a sign ofmunotes.in
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69forgiveness, but the daughter has a remaining feeling of guilt for a long
time. “In my story, my mother expected a lot from me, andmy big mistake
that changed our lives forever was forgiven, b ut I will carry that shame
forever. We had just celebrated the new year, a sign of new beginnings. The
past fall my mother and I had a fight and were only communicating on a
need to know. I had a boyfriend at the time, we had been dating for almost
two yea rs. I loved him and he loved me and I felt like nothing could ever go
wrong, boy was I wrong. It was a cold morning; I woke up feeling strange
but I could not quite figure out why. Jacob, my boyfriend, was the one who
put the idea in my head. A couple of hours later my life had gone from just
a normal nineteen -year-oldto being a nineteen -year-oldfacing being a
mother.”
In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” Jin -Mei mother had dreams as she was
coming to America. “My mother believed you could be anything you
wanted to be in America. You could open a restaurant . You could work for
the government and get a good retirement. You could buy a house with
almost no money down. You could become rich. You could become
instantly famous” (Tan 377). She is not alone. There are many people who
come to America to make all these dreams come true. They all come with
their children with the hope of finding a better life, to get away from the
insecurities in their countries. However, parents who immigrate to America
can put too much pressu re on their children to fulfill the parents’ dream, and
by putting too much pressure on their children it leads the children to live a
limited life with fewer choices.
This story is about a mother and daughter who came to America to
find a bett er life. They moved from China .I nt h e story, the mother wants to
turn her daughter into a ‘prodigy’ so she can be famous. The mother works
as a housekeeper, and she “Believes you could be anything you wanted to
be in America” (Tan 377). In this quote one can see that the mother
believed, but just not for her; instead, she believed that her daughter will
have the American life.
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a heart -breaking story, it’s a powerful
example of conflicting personalities and needs that cause a stru ggle between
parent and child. In every family, parents have, at one point, imposed their
failures and expectations on their children and in worse cases have even
tried to live through their children. At times, it can be in the best interest of
the child t o have a parent motivate them in a specific direction, but as in this
story it can sometimes backfire, and the child can be left with feelings of
disapproval and questions of self -worth.
Jing-Mei is a complicated character who is battling with many
confl icts throughout the story on what she really wants to do. She can’t
decide whether to please her mother or herself... The mother seems to be a
bit controlling. But after researching on the Asian society, Ihave discovered
that is the norm. The climax of the story is a piano recital and the events that
unfold the day after. Her mother is so proud of Amy's musical talent; shemunotes.in
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70even invites Auntie Lindo and Waverly to Amy's first piano recital.
Although Amy slacked on her practicing during the rising action of t he
story, she actually feels confident about doing well at the recital. She is
overconfident, in fact, and her performance was a disaster. She disappoints
her mother, and makes a fool of her mother or herself? It is also clear that
she has disappointed her self, and she regrets not taking lessons more
seriously. The next day, Amy's stubborn mother expects her to practice
piano as if nothing has gone wrong. This is when Amy puts her foot down
and refuses. To get her mother to back off, she tells her mother th at she
wished she were dead.
An-mei Hsu grew up in the home of the wealthy merchant Wu
Tsing. She was without status because her mother was only the third wife.
After her mother's suicide, An -mei came to America, married, and had
seven children. Like Jin g-mei Woo, An -mei's daughter Rose is unsure of
herself. She is nearly prostrate with grief when her husband, Ted, demands
a divorce. After a breakdown, she finds her identity and learns to assert
herself.
Lindo Jong was betrothed at infancy to another bab y, Tyan -yu.
They married as preteens and lived in Tyan -yu's home. There, Lindo was
treated like a servant. She cleverly tricked the family, however, and gained
her freedom. She came to America, got a job in a fortune cookie factory,
met and married Tin Jon g. Her daughter, Waverly, was a chess prodigy
who became a successful tax accountant. Ying -Ying St. Clair grew up a
wild, rebellious girl in a wealthy family. After she married, her husband
deserted her, and Ying -Ying had an abortion and lived in povert yf o ra
decade. Then she married Clifford St. Clair and emigrated to America. Her
daughter, Lena, is on the verge of a divorce from her architect husband,
Harold Livotny. She established him in business and resents their unequal
division of finances.
‘Two Kinds’ by Amy Tan, we have the theme of hope, identity,
rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence, andacceptance. Narrated
in the first person by a woman called Jing -mei Woo the story is a memory
piece and after reading the story the reader realizes that Tan may be
exploring the theme of hope. Jing -mei’s mother has hopes for her
daughter. She wants her to be famous or at least to be a prodigy. She
devotes a lot of her energy in trying to make Jing -mei into something that
Jing-mei isn’t. Something whi ch would play on the theme of identity. It is
also interesting that Jing -mei’s mother believes that once you live in
America you can be anything. This may be important as Jing -mei’s mother
appears to be chasing the American dream. However, she is doing so
through Jing -mei. If anything, she is living her life vicariously. There is
also no doubting that Jing -mei’s mother is a hard -working woman
however she doesn’t seem to realize that not every child is a prodigy and
Jing-mei herself probably understands that she is not a prodigy. Though at
times she aspires to be one which may be the case for many children. To
have the aspirations that they too can be seen to be special or gifted ormunotes.in
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71different from their peers. What child would not like the focus to be placed
on them? Particularly if the spotlight placed on them is positive. Each and
every child likes to be thought of as special. However, the definition of
special is different for each parent.
Jing-mei’s mother also appears to be boastful about Jing -mei’s
talents. It is not so much that she is proud of Jing -mei’s achievements it is
more a case that she wishes to be better than others. Which is
understandable considering that she has had a hard life. Losing a husband
and children while in China. However, there d oes not seem to be any type
of reality check when it comes to Jing -mei’s mother. It is okay to have a
child of average ability, which Jing -mei is, however that is not good
enough for Jing -mei’s mother. It is as though she wants to distance herself
from the pain of her past and the only way, she knows how to do that is by
forcing Jing -mei into being something she is not. Which again plays on
the theme of identity. Jing -mei’s relationship with her mother is strained
due to her mother’s wishes that Jing -meiissomething that she either is not
or will never be.
It is inevitable that Jing -mei is going to rebel against her mother. It
is as though she is forced to after her efforts at the talent contest. Jing -mei
doesn’ t want to accept responsibility for her own actions and the fact that
she played badly. She wants her mother to give out to her. To start an
argument with her in order that Jing -mei can blame her mother. When the
reality is that Jing -mei set the bar too hi gh for herself just like her mother
has. It is also interesting that Old Chong is the only one that claps for Jing -
mei at the talent contest. His actions show loyalty regardless of how badly
Jing-mei played. If anything, the talent contest acts as the cata lyst for Jing -
mei to gain independence from her mother. She knows that she may not be
good enough to be a prodigy and the embarrassment that she felt at the
talent contest has in some ways shattered her confidence. It is easier for
Jing-mei to give up than pursue something that she may not necessarily hit
the mark for (a prodigy).
It is also interesting that Jing -mei doesn’t play the piano again. Not
till her mother dies. It is possible that her confidence took a sufficient
knock that playing the piano bec ame impossible to Jing -mei. It acts as a
constant reminder of her own failings. The end of the story is also
interesting as Tan appears to be exploring the theme of acceptance. By
having Jing -mei play the piano in her parent’s house Tan may be
suggesting t hat despite what had happened when she was a young girl
Jing-mei no longer has any ill will towards her mother. The two pieces she
plays at the end also act as symbolism. The first piece the ‘Pleading Child’
in many ways mirrors how Jing -mei felt as a chil d.Pressurized by her
mother to be something she wasn’t. While the second piece ‘Perfectly
Contented’ suggests exactly that. That Jing -mei is content in her life. She
may have had a childhood she did not wish for but she also appears to
have found acceptan ce. Jing -mei knows who she is. Jing -mei’s mother
wanted the best for her daughter. Though unfortunately for her Jing -meimunotes.in
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72was on a different path. Jing -mei was always going to disappoint her
mother no matter what she did as a child. In reality, the hopes an d
aspirations that Jing -mei’s mother had for Jing -mei were really her own
hopes and aspirations. She was living her life through Jing -mei.
Jing-Mei’s mother, Mrs. Woo has high hopes for her daughter and
wants her daughter to be a child prodigy. She is alw ays urging Jing-Meito
try new things and discover new talents. “My mother believed you could
be anything you wanted to be in America. […] America was where all my
mother’s hopes lay.” This reflects her chase of the American dream and
hope for her daughter’ s assimilation into the American culture. While the
mother may not exactly know where her daughter’s prodigal talents lie,
she is nevertheless adamant that her daughter is destined for greatness, by
virtue of having been born in America.
8.1.4. Identity
The tension arises when Mrs. Woo's belief in American dream
meets Jing -Mei's conscious reason; meaning Mrs. Woo thinks that her
daughter can perform as being a prodigy through hard work, while Jing -
Mei cannot show promise in her mother's chosen areas. We f ind Jing -Mei
striving to find her actual identity over the forced identity Mrs. Woo is
trying to impose upon her. Initially, she is as excited as her mother to find
the right prodigy. When she looks at herself in the mirror, Jing -Mei feels
strange to herse lf. Realizing her identity –understanding that “it would
always be this ordinary face,” she cries crazily; and tries to scratch out the
face reflected in the mirror . She then saw what seemed to be the prodigy
side of herself. She saw an angry powerful gir l that only wanted to use that
energy to resist her mother’s hopes for her. Jing-Mei continues to look at
the “ugly girl” she sees in the mirror, as anger and rebellion become
sources of her identity. She knows that she may not be good e nough to be
a prodig y and the embarrassment that she felt at the talent contest has in
some ways shattered her confidence. After the repeated “raised hopes and
failed expectations” , she feels that Mrs. Woo is trying to make Jing -Mei
into something that Jing -Mei isn’t. "You wan t me to be someone that I'm
not." Her mother seems to have set a very high bar for Jing -Mei and when
she cannot satisfy them, she feels inadequate, “I’ll never be the kind of
daughter you want me to be.” She always felt that she was disappointi ng
her mother. The constant comparison with Auntie Lindo’s daughters fuels
her inferiority complex. Jing -Mei wonders between her being and
becoming and when failed, she cries at her mother, “ Why don’t you like
me the way I am?”
8.1.5. Intergenerational an d intercultural conflict
“Two Kinds” successfully depicts the struggles that an immigrant
mother and her bicultural daughter go through, and bring awareness to this
particular mother -daughter dyad in America.The tension arises when Mrs.
Woo's belief in Ame rican dream meets Jing -Mei's conscious reason;
meaning Mrs. Woo thinks that her daughter can perform as being a
prodigy through hard work, while Jing -Mei cannot show promise in hermunotes.in
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73mother's chosen areas. The psychological interior of Mrs. Woo's self is
shaped by her belief in the discourse of the AmericanDream's promise of
success. On the other hand, since Jing -Mei’s thinking, born in modern
America, is structured by reason. “Unlike my mother, I did not believe I
could be anything I wanted to be. I could on ly be me”
In Tan’s words, “American circumstances and Chinese character.
How could I know these things do not mix?” It is Mrs. Woo’s character
that pushes Jing -Mei into American “circumstances.” By rebelling against
her mother –despite having internalized American values for her
daughter’s benefit –the girl is rejecting her mother’s dreams and asserting
an identity devoid of perfection. (Chinese character to be the best and
achieve something?)
After the embarrassing experience at the talent show, Jing -Mei
started to just fail and not try to do anything right hoping her mother
would give up .Only two days after the terrible recital, Mrs. Woo tells her
to practice the piano again. After yelling back and forth to each other, her
mother pulls Jing -Mei towards the piano and shoves her hard onto the
bench. A tear -streaked Jing -Mei replies: “You want me to be someone that
I’m not! […] I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!” Mrs.
Woo says, “Only two kinds of daughters […] Those who are obedient and
those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in
this house. Obedient daughter!”
It isn’t until this fight between the two that we see the mother’s
loss while fleeing China years before as being a contribu ting factor to the
relationship between Chinese -American Jing -Mei and her immigrant
mother. Up until now, Jing -Mei’s mother has tried to force American
talents on to her daughter. Not realizing that Jing -Mei’s mentality of
rebelling against parental rules is truly American, her mother is frustrated
by Jing -Mei’s resistance.
8.1.6. Narrative Resolution
At the end of the story, Tan appears to be exploring the theme of
acceptance. When Mrs. Woo offered Jing -Mei her piano on her thirtieth
birthday, she “ saw the offer as a sign of forgiveness, a tremendous burden
removed .”By having Jing -Mei play the piano in her parent’s house Tan
may be suggesting that despite what had happened when she was a young
girl Jing -Mei no longer has any ill will towards her mot her. At the end of
thestory, she had the piano tuned for sentimental reasons which show that
Amy really did care about her mother and the piano.
The two pieces she plays at the end also act as symbolism. The first
piece the ‘ Pleading Child’ in many ways mirrors how Jing -Mei felt as a
child. Pressurized by her mother to be something she wasn’t. While the
second piece ‘Perfectly Contented’ suggests exactly that Jing -Mei is now
content in her life. She may have had a childhood she did not wish for but
she also appears to have found acceptance. It isn’t until Jing -Mei playsmunotes.in
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74both pieces that she realizes just how deeply she remains connected to her
mother. These songs seemed to represent her life and the meaning behind
her and her mother’s attitude s and relationship with one another.
Thetitleof this short story “Two Kinds” describes the theme of this
story. The mother had stated that there are only two types of daughters.
“Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind.” Jing-Mei
did n ot understand the truth or meaning behind that declaration until after
her mother’s death. Jing-Mei realized that her mother only meant that she
could be an obedient child by listening to her mother while at the same
time follow her own heart and want her own prodigy in life.
The last paragraph in this story also indicates the theme of two
halves being equal to one. She realizes the pieces "were two halves of the
same song" just as she and her mother were. As the mother's character was
seemingly over -bearing, she and her mother wanted the same thing; both
wanted the best in life for Jing -Mei. Despite Jing-Mei and her mother’s
differences they were like the songs, they may dis agree but made one
stunning song. Her mother only wanted her to use the capability she knew
she had and wanted Jing -Mei to be her best.
8.1.7. Symbol
Piano piece (as discussed above)
Piano symbolizes the forgiveness
Piano symbolizes peace and acceptance
Piano symbolizes a moment of victory for the narrator, which was
a source of dissatisfaction and embarrassment as a child
8.1.8. Characterization
The learners may sketch the characters based on the traits and
qualities of the characters given below:
Mother
oHarassing
oPushy
oAggressive
oDemanding
oChinese
oFamily loss (two daughters and first husband)
oShe wants everything for her daughter (Loving); works extra in
order to get something for the child (Sacrifices)
oUnknowingly selfish at the same time? Living he r dream through
her daughter?
oHopeful; she sees America as her hope because of “so many
opportunities”munotes.in
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75Jing-Mei (narrator)
oBrave
oNervous
oWants to do “something” but is defeated once thinking that she
will not please her mother
oWants to please her mother
oDisrespectful –rebellious
oPreteen
8.1.9. Questions
1.Critically appreciate the short story ‘Two Kinds’ by Amy Tan.
2.Discuss the mother -daughter relationship in Tan’s short story, Two
Kinds.
3.Give the character sketches of mother and daughter as portrayed by
Amy Tan in her Two Kinds.
8.1.10. Suggested Reading
1.Bloom, Harold, ed. Amy Tan. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000.
2.Kramer, Barbara. Amy Tan, Author of The Joy Luck Club.
Springfield, NJ: Enslow, 1996.
3.Shields, Charles J. Amy Tan. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2002.
8.2. BERNARD MALAMUD’S ‘THE GERMAN
REFUGEE’
8.2.1. Introduction to Bernard Malamud
Malamud emerged as a talented artist, depicting the life of the
Jewish poor in New York. His creative works are appreciated for his
allegory and mastery in the art of storytelling. Malamud was the son of
Jewish grocers and he grew up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in
Brooklyn. Some argue that this was th e reason that he wrote stories "set in
small, prisonlike stores of various kinds"
Malamud explores the social realism and ethnic identity in most of
his short stories –‘The Jew Bird,’ ‘Black is my Favorite Color’ ,‘The
German Refugee’ . Malamud's fictiona l works also include themes of
compassion ,redemption ,new life ,thepotential of meaningful suffering
and self -sacrifice, all of which can be found in “The German Refugee”
"The German Refugee" concludes Bernard Malamud's second
collection of short stories ,Idiots First (1963). The setting is New York
City in the summer of 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II .
8.2.2. Plot
‘The German Refugee’ is a true to life story depicting the struggles
of many victims during and after the Second World War. T his particular
story takes place in the USA Broadway sometime during the Polishmunotes.in
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76Invasion in 1939. The main characters Oskar Gassner and Martin
Goldberg show just how difficult those times were for all the refugees and
what connection and strength it took to keep them have faith and start a
new life. This is one of the most popular stories of Bernard Malamud. The
narrator Martin Goldberg explains and descr ibes is efforts and it tends to
teach English to German refugee named Oskar Gassner. He required
giving a lecture in English about American poet Walt Whitman's
relationship to some German poets .
The plot of this short story runs into many distinct stories. The first
one is of Oskar’s frustration for a failure to learn English as well as the
irony and anguish of the narrator’s failure to understand why he is not able
to do so. When the narrator is teaching Oskar English language, the
German Army begins its s ummer training of 1939. The narrator is not able
to understand his student’s deep involvement inGermany's role in the
World War. The narrator is a senior in college he provides tutoring to
immigrants for English language learning to make some extra money.
Because of the poor economy and social condition of the period of the
great depression in America, many students were workingpart -time.
Oskar is much like the other student who is a refugee and wants to study
in America but he turns out to be a challenge for the tutor. He comes to
America as a lecturer in the college but the thought of delivering the
lecture in English makes him nervous. He has left his wife who was badly
affected by the depression; he is tired of his life and suffering a lot. It
changes into a beautiful friendship between the two men as they continued
theEnglish lesson. Even after Oskar had to give up on the lessons, the
American still visited Oskar it is placed and tries to help him correct his
lecture.
The language barrier is what c reates the emotion of alink between
Oskar and Martin. He had discussed disappointments, shame, and
depression in his own country because of the language barrier he cannot
completely talk about his feelings of fears to Martin. Living his gentle
wife-the d aughter of a virtual anti -Semitic mother behind, Oskar comes to
New York and tries to perfect is English so that he can deliver his lectures
to the American audience in Germany. The story is in the first person ’s
account of trying to help Oskar and of the friendship -the force between
them, as Oskar struggle with his pronunciation and the vagaries of
American English.
He tells Martin about his one failed attempt to commit suicide
during his initial weeks in America Martin is very kind and compassionate
and tries to help Oskar in many ways to write and translate his lectures.
Oskar develops a different habit and instead of writing the lecture on every
visit, both men sit in silence and experience the hot and sticky month of
July to understand each other. T he narrator decides to gift a fan for Oskar
and that shows the kind of personal Bond he has developed for this
refugee.munotes.in
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77Oskar had a very troubled life in America and he gets very
frequent undercurrent about despair and depression. Because of his mental
andphysical conditions, hehas nightmares about Nazi inflicting tortures on
him and sometimes forcing him to look upon causes of people. He also
keeps visiting his wife in his dreams where is directed to a cemetery. On
thetombstone, he reads another person' s name but her blood seeps out of
the shadow grave.
Despite his efforts to help Oskar master English so that he can
write and deliver a lecture on Walt Whitman in Germany, Martin begins to
feel that it is hopeless and a failure. In a last desperate attemp t to assist
him, Martin sends Oskar some notes he has taken on Leaves of Grass .B y
this time, the Germans have invaded Poland and the Second World War
has begun. He has changed and has come back to life but only to lose
everything. Two days after hearing t he lecture Martin goes up to Oskar’s
room and finds a big crowd over there and finds him dead having gassed
himself. A week after this tragic event when he was going through
Oskar’s belonging as his only friend, Martin finds an explanation for the
suicide in a letter from his anti -Semitic mother -in-law. His wife has
converted to Judaism and had been seized by the Brown shirts along with
other Jews in the apartment building, taken to a Polish border town and
shot in the head. She was then t oppled into anopen ditch with a naked
Jewish man and their wife and children who were Polish gypsies and
another countryman .
Barnard Malamud's story is a powerful account of the effect of the
Holocaust even on the common and those who manage to escape t he direct
onslaught of the enemies in Germany. Oskar affected fatally but Martin
who is an American and his friend and tutor is also terribly influenced by
the life events.
On the whole, this is a tragic story where both the characters show
how terribl e the War can be and how one comes to humanity as a healing
Force for all the refugees. Oskar has given up long ago in his life and his
faith has least the moment he became refugee he has planned to finish the
lecture and kill himself against all odds. Ul timately the language barrier,
disbelief inhumanity and lack of Faith are what have killed Oskar.
Not only is “The German Refugee” a personal story with a tragic
ending, but it is based on personal experience. Scraping to make a living
during the Depress ion, Malamud taught English to German -Jewish
refugees. Exposure to these now -unemployed, struggling intellectuals
made the young writer “suddenly [see] what being born Jewish might
mean in the dangerous world of the thirties. “ Sadly, the narrative is based
on Malamud’s fifty -five-year-old student, Dr. Friedrich Pinner, an
economist and past financial editor of the Berliner Tageblatt , who, all his
European clients gone, despaired of beginning again in a new country and
with his wife, committed suicide by tur ning on the gas. As the story’s
puzzled English tutor and narrator Martin Goldberg comments: “Notmunotes.in
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78everyone drowns in the ocean,” and Malamud’s Ocean is filled with
history.
8.2.3. Themes
Language barrier and Language –thebasis of self -identity
The narrator describes how he met the German refugee, Oskar
Gassner, in his “disordered cheap hotel room,” that was cluttered with
clothing, boxes of books, and some paintings. The narrator was sent by his
college to teach English to Oskar, a recently arri ved refugee in New York.
Oskar had found a new job in the Institute for Public Studies in New York
and was supposed to give a lecture on “The Literature of the Weimar
Republic” in English. As a critic and journalist in Berlin, he had never
taught and was t errified of having to speak publicly in English. The story
describes the challenges and frustration that Oskar experiences as he
struggles to learn English and forget German.It also describes the anguish
of a man in his mid -fifties who must completely star t over in another
country attempting to talk without an accent when giving lectures, a job
that is his only source of survival.
Oskar wants to dissociate himself from his roots by learning to
speak English and forgetting German.In his attempt to learn English
properly and to write a successful lecture Oskar constantly moves between
hope and despair. His frustration and hatred towar ds Germany reflected in
the narrator’s words: “He cursed the German language. He hated the
damned country and the damned people.”
The narrator explains the struggles that the loss of language felt
like to the refugees: “ Too many of these people, articulate as they were,
the great loss was the loss of language —that they could no longer say
what was in them to say. They could, of course, manage to communicate,
but just to communicate was frustrating.”
The narrator further quo tes the words of Karl Otto Alp: “I felt like a
child, or worse often like a moron. I am left with myself unexpressed. What
I know, indeed, what I am, becomes to bea burden. My tongue hangs
uselessly .”
The story subtlety stresses the degree to which an imm igrant’s very
identity and self -worth are tied up with the ability to communicate in a
foreign language. However, in the later part of the story, the narrator is
influenced by the student’ s optimism and positive thinking, so that at the
end he has almost become “another man” who believes that he has a
future. This also directs us to the development of “another” identity as
Oskar successfully progresses in polishing his English without an accent.
The narrator describes the difficulty he faced while tutoring the recent
refugees as a student, “I had my nerve associating with them, but that’s
what a world crisis does for people –they get educated.” Here, the termmunotes.in
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79‘educated’ emphasizes the imp ortance of English as a language to secure
social, cultural, and intellectual identity in America.
Faith and humanity
To survive in America, Oskar must have faith in his own ability to
learn and speak English and in his tutor’s ability to teach him. In f act, the
narrator stresses the difficulties that these acts of faith pose by describing
how difficult it was for a foreign refugee to deal with the loss of language.
Placing Whitman’s belief in humanity’s divine spirit in a story crowded
with humanity’s mo st savage acts certainly challenges one’s faith in God.
For Malamud, Whitman’s faith in humanity’s divine spirit and love is our
only escape from spiritual exile, that is, loss of faith in God.
While talking about what German poets had embraced from
Whitm an, the narrator listed down Whitman’s “love of death.” Thus,
provoked for a response from the narrator, Oskar reveals the ideal he
cherishes: humanity. ” Then he said, no, it wasn’t the love of death they
had got from Whitman –that ran through German poet ry–but it was
most of all his feelings for Brudermensch, his humanity.” At the same
time, he also states that this ideal no longer to be found in Germany. “But
this does not grow long on German earth,” he said, “and is soon
destroyed.” This statement ref lects the extent of Oskar’s frustration. He
seems to have come to believe that there is a contrast between “humanity”
and Germany. Based on his own exper iences, Oskar feels that Germany
and the Germans have failed him in regard to the idea of “Brudermensch”
–humanity.
According to Oskar, German poets have adopted Whitman’s belief
in a unifying love between people. The narrator chooses one quote from
Whit man and states, “ Oskar reads it as though he believed it” By this
statement, he implies that Oskar no longer believes in those words
anymore. Yet, it seems that the narrator overestimates the support that
Whitman’s poetry gives Oskar. “Warsaw had fallen, b ut the verses were
somehow protective”
He is also astonished that Oskar had left all his possessions to him
–Martin Goldberg. Throughout the story, we can trace how the narrator
has developed close emotional ties with his student. His relationship with
Oskar goes beyond a teacher -student relationship: he takes a human
interest in his student and worries about him, to a point that he was
sometimes afraid that he was himself becoming melancholy. By leaving
his possessions to Martin Goldberg, Oskar wants to express his
gratefulness. It showed that he had realized that his young teacher had
shown a great deal of “brotherly love” towards him and had maintained an
undying faith in his capabilities. Moreover, the gift symbolizes that his
teacher had not failed.munotes.in
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808.2.4. Setting
The setting is New York City in the summer of 1939 , just before
the outbreak of World War II .The story very few changes of place and
they contribute to the symbolic effects of the story. To Malamud, the
central metaphor for Jewishness is imprisonment. This imprisonment in
Malamud's fictional world can be in the physical environment like a real
prison cell, a grocery store, or anyth ing he feels confined in. It can also lie
within one's self, being confined by one's incompetence, thus becoming a
victim of one's own self as it is seen in the Hebrew writings.
Metaphorically this prison becomes an acceptance of life's limitations and
responsibilities. The “disordered cheap hotel room” was cluttered with
clothing, boxes of books, and some paintings.
8.2.5. Symbols
Language is the most significant cultural symbol in "The German
Refugee."Parallel with history:Malamud works a careful paral lel between
historical time and Oskar’s experience in New York. Oskar's progress in
New York parallels the dramatic events in Europe inthe summer of 1939.
Initially, Oskar is paralyzed by his fear of a new life in America due to his
struggle with learning the English language, but Martin's support helps
him to get back his faith in the future. The refugee's spiritual rebirth is
symbolized by his successful lecture, the delivery of which coincides with
the fall of Warsaw, a coincidence that produces a powerf ul effect in the
story.
Seasons
Oskar and the narrator are held throughout the summer by a heat
wave that objectifies the refugees' boiling inner life. Spring is the welcome
season for Malamud's characters and it is conducive for them to
experience salvat ion and redemption from a spiritually empty life. Oskar
is able to complete his lecture and deliver it successfully. In September ,
"The weather had changed, and so, slowly, had he." The change of season
has changed Oskar’s mind, attitude, his efficiency an d thus one witness
the influence of seasons in his life.
The narrator also highlights the change in the health and
appearance of Oskar as he progresses through his initial days in the stuffy
hotel room, “He had difficulty breathing,” “His eyes, too, were heavy, a
clouded blue. . .” to the cool days of September when he completes writing
his lecture –“His blue eyes returned to life and he walked with quick steps,
as though to pick up a few for all that he hadn’t taken during those long,
hot, days he had lai n torpid in his room”
Dream
Malamud through the device of dream exposes the inner conflict of
Oskar, his agonies, failures, guilt and also examineshis deepest motives
and acts.munotes.in
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81One night Oskar dreams of his wife and this dream reveals his guilt
for deser ting her. Oskar’s dream reveals that he longs for his wife and
worries about his destiny. In his dream, she is buried with a strange name
–an identity he is not familiar with. When he finally learns about his
wife’s death, he has to accept with grief that he did not know her at all.
Through his mother -in law’s letter, he discovers that his wife converted
into Judaism after he had left her and was subsequently shot by the Nazis
along with other Jews.
In the light of her conversion and death, an old quote from a letter
she wrote becomes transparent. The quote, written in German, meant “I
have been faithful to you for twenty years” “Faithful” here, thus, reflects
her positive attitude towards her husband’s Jewish identity. While her
husband suspects her of h idden prejudices against Jews, she has actually
developed such close links to his Jewish heritage, that she decides to
embrace the Jewish community of fate. Additionally, Oskar has to cope
with the fact that it is he, who has possibly been the partner in t he
marriage who was prejudiced, and that he incorrectly suspected his wife of
anti-Jewish notion solely on the basis of her gentile identity. Oskar’s
failure to judge his wife correctly leads him to commit suicide as he
somehow realized that he was indirec tly responsible for her death. He
seems to be unable to cope with his personal moral failure as he thinks he
has not shown humanity to her wife by rejecting her and moving to
America.
Intheend, his originally non -Jewish wife who “sacrificed” herself
for him appears as the symbol of moral righteousness, whereas the refugee
himself comes forth as lacking compassion for other human beings.
8.2.6. Title
The symbolism of the title of the story makes it clear that the
German scholar has sought refuge not only from Hitler's Holocaust but
also from his human responsibility. The final discovery does not appear
until the last lines. The guilt -ridden Oskar commits suicide during the
fourth week of Septembe r, three weeks after the German troops had
broken down the rule of law by marching into the Free City of Danzig.
Malamud’s story illustrates how the fate of two people who meet
by chance can easily be intertwined. It also highlights how the Holocaust
affected even those who managed to escape the direct onslaught of the
Nazis (as did Oskar) as well as other people, who were far beyond the
direct impact of the Nazi violence. The narrator and the wife of the
protagonist illustrate the central philosophical idea of the story: the
brotherhood of men.munotes.in
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828.2.7 Questions
1.Give character sketches of Oskar and Martin Goldberg
2.The German Refugee is personal story with tragic ending. Explain
with suitable examples
3.Bring out various themes of the short story The German Refugee
4.Write a short note on the use of symbolism in The German Refugee
8.2.8. Suggested Reading
1.Bloom, Harold. Bernard Malamud (Modern Critical Views) . Chelsea
House Publications, 1986.
2.Davis, Philip. Bernard Malamud: A Writer’s Life . Oxford University
Press, USA, 2007.
3.Malamud, Bernard. The Stories of Bernard Malamud . Farrar, Straus
and Giroux, 1983.
munotes.in
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839
A CRITICAL STUDY OF JHUMPA
LAHIRI’S ‘UNACCUSTOMED EARTH’
UnitStructure
9.0Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Diasporic Elements
9.3 First Generation Immigrants -Ruma’s Parents
9.4 Second Generation Immigrants –Ruma and Her Brother
9.5 Ruma’s Relationship with Her Father
9.6 Ruma’s New Family Life
9.7 Nostalgia
9.8 Double Displacement
9.9 Loneliness
9.10 Ruma’s Conflict
9.11 Let Us Sum It Up
9.12 Questions
9.13 Suggested Reading
9.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit aims to study the diasporic elements in this short story
with respect to the effects of migration on the first generation, second
generation and third generation immigrants and their way of life, beliefs
and their relationships. Analysing, partic ularly, Ruma’s struggles with
herself, her family and her American life. It also brings to light the
apparent and hidden adjustments that her parents had to make with the
American life and their American -born children.
9.1 INTRODUCTION
Unaccustomed Eart his a collection of Jhumpa Lahiri’s short
stories which portrays, through various and distinct situations, the
struggles of the characters adjusting to the alien land, struggling to find
their identities, holding on to their culture and values (First Gene ration
immigrants), adjusting and accepting the culture and values of the foreign
land as the children of the immigrants (Second Generation immigrants),
loneliness, sense of loss, displacement, etc.munotes.in
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84The first short story of this collection is named after the title of the
collection ‘Unaccustomed Earth’. This story is a perfect depiction of the
struggles of a Bengali couple who have migrated from India to a foreign
land, the United States, the complicated relationship that they share with
their children who have assimilated with the American culture to the
extent that the daughter, Ruma marries an American, barely speaks
Bengali such that her three -year-old son Akash understands only a few
words and phrases in Bengali taught to him.
9.2 DIASPORIC ELEMENTS
Diaspora is a term used to describe the people who migrated from
their homeland to other parts of the world. It also refers to their future
generations .Quest for identity, uprooting and re -rooting, insider and
outsider syndrome, nostalgia, nagging sense of guilt, sense of loss,
dislocation, alienation, assimilation and loneliness are some of the
important features of diasporic writing.
Jhumpa Lahiri, a P ulitzer Prize winner, an Indian diasporic writer,
is herself a second generation immigrant. Since she is a product of
immigration, she very aptly portrays alienation, biculturalism, the loss of
identities, nostalgia, etc. in her characters in her fictional works, in this
case, her short story ‘Unaccustomed Earth’.
9.3 FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANTS -RUMA’S
PARENTS
The First -Generation Diaspora is all about preservation of the culture
and the identity of their native country. These first -generation migrants are
true to their culture and traditions in the foreign land. Ruma’s parents are
examples of the first -generati on immigrants -a Bengali couple, who
moved to a foreign land only for good career prospects for the husband,
i.e., Ruma’s father. His wife, who merely accompanied her husband, had
to deal with more, namely, staying away from her family, her culture, her
traditions, the local streets of Calcutta where she grew up, etc.
“.... her mother’s example –moving to a foreign place for the sake of
marriage, caring exclusively for children and a house hold -....”
Ruma’s mother, in a foreign land, tried to preserv e her culture as
much as possible. She spoke only in Bengali to her children, Ruma and
Romi,
“Her mother had been strict, so much so that Ruma had never
spoken to her in English.”munotes.in
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85Her mother could hardly adjust to the isolated life in an American
suburb, something she often complained of. Her father, on the other hand,
liked this isolation.
The reason for the stark difference between the couple was that
Ruma’s father had migrated t o America willingly, for his bright career,
whereas, her mother migrated only because her husband had migrated.
Thus, he didn’t miss home and his culture as much as his wife did, in fact,
it can be said that he hardly missed home. Ruma’s father had quite
comfortably adjusted to his life in another land. He didn’t mind conversing
in English instead of Bengali as well as adopting the lifestyle of the
Americans.
9.4 SECOND GENERATION IMMIGRANTS –RUMA
AND HER BROTHER
The Second -Generati on Diaspora is about cultural hybridity. They
are the children of the first -generation migrants who are torn between two
cultures. They are pressurised by their parents to follow their native
culture and traditions on one hand whereas on the other hand, th ey want to
blend in and be accepted by the culture that they are immigrants to and are
now a part of.
Rumi and Romi are both instances of Second -Generation
immigrants. Both of them become a version of individuals that their
mother did not quite approve –Ruma by marrying an American and Romi
by moving away to NewZealand.
“You are ashamed of yourself, of being an Indian, that is the
bottom line.”was her mother’s reaction when she learnt that Ruma had
decided to marry Adam, an American. It is with time tha t her mother
could accept Adam, not only as her son -in-law, but she started loving
Adam as a son -as a replacement for her son, Romi.
“Romi, who had crushed them by moving abroad and maintaining
only distant ties.”
Though, it is only after Ruma had her first child that her
relationship with her mother became “harmonious”,
“For the first time in her life Ruma felt forgiven for many
expectations she’d violated or shirked over the years.”
Even when Ruma’s father visited her for a week in Seattle, they
didnot bring up Romi -“They did not discuss about her mother, or about
Romi, the brother with whom she had always felt so little in common, in
spite of their absurdly matching names.”munotes.in
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86Although, Ruma and Romi, were siblings and both were Second -
Generation imm igrants, they did not share a bond that most Indian siblings
or rather siblings that grow up together share with each other.
Thus, it is very clear that both the children grew up to shirk their
culture and adopted the American culture as they iden tified t hemselves
with it. But Ruma, as she became a mother herself, became a lot like her
mother in many ways, after her mother’s death.
9.5 RUMA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER
The diasporic element of complicated family relationships is
reflected in Ruma’s cha racter. She shares a very distant, rather formal
relationship with her father. An example of this formal and distant
relationship is that he sent postcards to her from when he was on a trip to
Europe, and these postcards were usually very impersonal and us ually, the
correspondence was one -sided. “In her thirty -eight years he’d never had
any reason to write to her.”
Her father, in spite of being a first -generation immigrant, adopted
the American lifestyle very easily. In fact, he preferred it more than his
lifestyle of his homeland. Therefore, he was a man who preferred isolation
and quiet. He was career -oriented and that is why left the filial
responsibilities to his wife. In her years of growing up, Ruma had her
mother around for every stage of her life th at is why Ruma always thought
of the bond that she had with her mother, but not her father.
Her distant and complicated relationship with her father makes her
feel that his visit will be an extra burden on her as he is retired and has
distributed every possession that he had.Ruma was more American than
Indian, she was comfortable with the idea of nuclear familie s unlike Indian
families where parents live with their children by default. Thus, the very
idea that her father was going to visit her for a week made her very
uncomfortable. She had imagined that he would come in her way of her
everyday chores and her way of life. But despite this, she still felt the
obligation that she should ask her father to move in with her and her
family, especially after her mother’s death. During his stay with her, her
father proves anything but a burden or a hindrance to her. He he lps her in
the household chores, doesn’t come in her way, encourages her to go back
to her career and not be a housewife like her mother, strikes a bond with
Akash, which she herself could never build with her own father.
“But it was Akash who brought out a side of her father that
surprised Ruma most. ”So much so that Ruma finds it comforting to have
her father around. She saw a completely different side to him.“.... she
realized that for the first time in his life her father had fallen in love.”
She now feels that it would be nice for Akash to have him around
which is why she wants him to stay back to which he refuses and says hemunotes.in
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87prefers living his retired life as he was too old for the shift and that he
would visit her whenever she would want him after h aving her second
baby.
Their relationship is so distant that her father does not reveal about
his relationship with Mrs. Bagchi. When Ruma accidentally learns of this
relationship, she quietly accepts it without questioning and this can be
proved by Ruma posting the postcard to Mrs. Bagchi, which he had
intended to.
9.6 RUMA’S NEW FAMILY LIFE
Ruma’s example is of upward mobility. She is well -educated,
hardworking, becomes a lawyer in New York. She has an equally
successful family life: an American husban d, a three -year-old son, Akash,
one more pregnancy and a new residence on the west shore, in Seattle, the
place where the family shifts after Ruma’s husband gets another job. But
all of this does not make her happy. Her professional life comes to a
sudden halt; she quits most of the things she has accomplished so far: her
career and independence. She decides to take care solely of the family and
household. Ruma’s existence stuck between Indian and American culture
is a continuous reconciliation between them . Though, Ruma follows the
American way of clothing, has a flavour for American cuisine, she does
not make use of Bengali, her parents’ language but it is her mother’s death
that makes her identify strongly with the Indian heritage. Since she lives
engross ed in the memories of her departed mother, and even though it
goes against her American upbringing, she starts replicating her example.
She now assumes her position according to the Indian tradition: assisting
her husband -the way her mother always did it , being mainly a mother
and a homemaker and giving up her career and freedom in which she so
strongly believed and worked for most of her life. This decision is entirely
Ruma’s. Adam does not ask her to make a choice between her career and
family. He even asks her to hire help to look after Akash but she chooses
what her family, subconsciously following in her mother’s footsteps.
9.7 NOSTALGIA
Ruma is nostalgic for the emotional safety she had enjoyed with
her mother, and also remembers her childhood hom e. Thus, the element of
nostalgia is an integral part of the story. Ruma’s father thinking about her
mother and how Ruma resembles her also brings back old memories to
him. Despite being emotionally distant from each other and belonging to
the First and Se cond generation of immigrants, both Ruma’s father and
Ruma respectively cannot escape from nostalgia of the past. The western
modern life does not, in any way, help her to be busy enough to forget the
past and the childhood days. Ruma feels that she has gr own closer to her
mother after her death than she was when she was alive so much so thatmunotes.in
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88she starts replicating her mother’s life. This is the reason she gives up her
job and takes on the role of a fulltime mother for Akash.
“Growing up, her mother’s exa mple –moving to a foreign place
for the sake of marriage, caring exclusively for children and a household –
had served as a warning, a path to avoid. Yet this was Ruma’s life now.”
She’s upset about the fact that Akash does not remember her
mother and is even more upset that her next child won’t get to see her or
be with her at all.
“The new baby would know nothing of her mother at all, apart
from the sweaters she had knit for Akash, which he’s already outgrown
and which the new baby would eventually we ar.”She often reminds Akash
about how ‘Dida’ did things for him but the only thing that Akash knows
about his grandmother is that “she died”.
Ruma often thinks of the past, especially of her childhood. Since
her father always stayed away from filial duties and was a distant parent
who only focused on his career, it was her mother who played the active
role of a parent in her life. Therefore, she misses her in every situation
especially when she is about to have her second baby and she feels terribly
lonely since Adam is away for work most of the times.
It’s not just Ruma, her father missed his wife, too. He often
thought of their initial days of struggle when they moved from India, their
vacation to India to visit their parents and family, “...it had been an
unquestioned fact that visiting family in Calcutta was the only thing worth
boarding a plane for.” The filial responsibilities that she unde rtook
because of which he could focus solely on his studies and career. He
thinks of her in the smallest of things, “He associated the biscuits deeply
with his wife –the visible crystals of sugar, the faint coconut taste –their
kitchen cupboard always co ntained a box of them.”
He finds a strong resemblance between Ruma and his wife when
he comes to visit her for a week. The fact that Ruma had given up her
career to look after her son and family was something totally unacceptable
to him because he did not want his daughter to live a lonely life that his
wife had led.
9.8 DOUBLE DISPLACEMENT
Ruma is unable to identify with her Indian culture as well as with
the American culture, as she suffers from “double displacement”. She
suffers as a second -generatio n immigrant. Ruma’s example very clearly
depicts how the Second -generation immigrants neither match into their
Indian (Bengali) nor American cultures fully and feel the pang of
alienation and displacement. The leaning towards different value systems
have a lso resulted in the feeling of alienation. Thus, it was difficult formunotes.in
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89Ruma, to neither accept her parent’s native culture (language, food,
clothing, etc) nor was she able to accept the American values completely.
This caused her to be in a state of dilemma even when she willingly gave
up her job to take care of her family and household but wasn’t able to find
happiness and even when she felt the need to ask her father to stay at her
place (an obligation she felt as she had an Indian upbringing), although,
neither Adam nor her father pressurised her to do any of this. Even here
she felt uncomfortable thinking that her father would be a burden and
hindrance to her quiet life.
9.9 LONELINESS
In the ‘Unaccustomed Earth’, the element of unhappiness, despite
financial and economic success, somehow seem to be a constant element
in the lives of Ruma and her family. For her parents, it is the adjustment to
the new culture and loneliness that it brings as a part of it.On one hand,
where her father likes being alone, on the other hand, Ruma’s mother is
forced to this life of loneliness as she’s away from her homeland, parents,
family and the familiar surroundings. During their initial days of
immigration, her mother was lonely because her husband was first busy
with h er studies and later with his work. But even after Ruma and Romi
are born to her, her busy life still feels lonely, more so because her
children grow up to be American and distant from their parents. As the
children grow up, they’re even more engrossed in their professional and
personal lives. Romi moves away to New Zealand, breaking her heart.
Ruma, on the other hand, marries Adam, adding to her mother’s anxieties.
But later, she really takes to Adam, more like a son than a son -in-law.
Their daughter, Rum a, faces the same loneliness as her mother did
when she becomes a mother.Ruma, a second -generation expatriate and
familiar with the American lifestyle, is not an exception to the solitude of
life. Though she marries an American, is educated, career oriente d but
ultimately falls into the same pattern of life that her mother led. Though,
she is not asked to make a choice between her career and her son, Akash,
by her husband Adam. Yet, she chooses to initially work part time and
then finally quit her job to ta ke care of her son Adam since her husband is
away for work most of the time.
She shared a closer bond with her mother. Ruma, in this state of
loneliness and isolation, understood her mother’s loneliness and
displacement as a newly arrived immigrant. There were times Ruma felt
closer to her mother in death than she had in life as she thought of her so
often and always missed her. Her only brother is settled in New Zealand.
Thus, Akash is the only company that she has most of the time. This
feeling of loneli ness is also the reason she, later, wants her father to stay
with her, as she saw that he had a very positive influence on Akash. She
realized that Akash, too, wanted company. She, therefore, asks her father
to stay with her but he refuses saying that he’s too old for this shift. His
refusal comes because he loves isolation and prefers to travel and stay bymunotes.in
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90himself. Also, he has a personal life again since he became involved with
another Indian (Bengali) immigrant, Mrs. Bagchi, who also lives alone in
the U S.
Thus, loneliness in the lives of all the characters is a very strong
theme in this short story.
9.10 RUMA’S CONFLICT
Ruma is torn between the claims of the two cultures, the Bengali
culture that she inherited, and the American culture that she rebelliously
accepted. This brings about the element of loss of identity and assimilation
with the culture of the foreign land. B orn in America to Bengali parents,
Ruma’s life is marked by a permanent conflict between the culture
inherited by her parents and of her birthplace and homeland, America,
which results in bewilderment and failure to accept the American culture
completely.
She believes in the modern western family which is mostly
nuclear, and hence, isolates the elders; where everyone composes a family
for himself / herself. The effect of such Western family pattern puts Ruma
in a dilemma despite her Indian origin. Her fath er turns out to be a great
help, rather than a burden to her surprise and contrary to her expectations.
Her father’s living pattern of self -reliance and preferring to do everything
himself keep him busy even after retirement. This habit of her father
makes her son grow closer to him making her recall the past life and its
joys merely with the company of her father.
9.11 LET US SUM IT UP
The characteristics of Diaspora, thus, are very evident in the
selected short story ‘Unaccustomed Earth’ authored by Jh umpa Lahiri,
who very aptly represents the feelings of alienation, isolation,
displacement, guilt, nostalgia and unhappiness resulting out of them, in
her characters. Familial issues, complications in relationships, cultural
assimilation or the resistance to it, are also important elements portrayed
in Lahiri’s short story ‘Unaccustomed Earth’.
9.12 QUESTIONS
1. Discuss loneliness and double displacement as diasporic elements in
Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘Unaccustomed Earth’.
2. Analyse Ruma’s relationship with he r father in Jhumpa Lahiri’sshort
story ‘Unaccustomed Earth’.
3.Immigration and Isolation are the important themes in Jhumpa Lahiri’s
‘Unaccustomed Earth’. Discuss.munotes.in
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914. Explain Ruma’s struggle as a Second -Generation immigrant in Jhumpa
Lahiri’s short story ‘ Unaccustomed Earth’.
9.13 SUGGESTED READING
1.Das Nigamananda (Ed.) (2008). Jhumpa Lahiri: Critical perspectives .
New Delhi: Pencraft International.
2.Manohar, Murali D. Contemporary Indian Women Novelists in
English . New Delhi: Serials Publications, 2010.
3.Mukherjee, Shubha. From the Interpreter of Maladies to the
Unaccustomed Earth . On the Alien Shore -A Study of Jhumpa Lahiri
and Bharati Mukherjee. Jaydeep Sarangi (ed). Delhi, Gnosis, 2010.
4.Mukherjee, Shubhasshree. Cross -Cultural Differences and Cross –
border Relationships in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth . On the
Alien Shore -A Study of Jhumpa Lahiri and Bharati Mukherjee.
Jaydeep Sarangi (ed). Delhi, Gnosis, 2010.
5.Sahu, Nandini. The Ndinostalgic Note in their Flute: A Reading of
Arundhati Roy and Jhu mpa Lahiri , Indian Women’s Short Fiction.
Joel Kuortii, RajeshwarMitapalli (Eds). New Delhi, Atlantic
Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd.2007.
6.Sarangi, Jaydeep (Ed.). On the Alien Shore: A Study of Jhumpa Lahiri
and Bharati Mukherjee . New Delhi: Gnosis, 2 010.
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