Plotting the Story Part 4 30.05.2008

Describe the narrator´s feelings about being pregnant pp. 127-143

Maji tells the narrator that she noticed that she is pregnant. The narrator doesn´t believe her at first,  she can´t imagine that anyone could tell her that so early (p.127 ll.27-29). That´s interim the only readable reaction of the narrator. Maji tells her a lot about her life and family that she almost forgetst what Maji told her about herself. Maji reminds her by laying her hand on the narrator´s abdomen and asking her what she will do now (p.128 ll.30ff.). Maji says that she would help her and the narrator realizes that she means an abortion and that there are different ways of doing it which she has performed at one time (p.129 ll.1-7). The narrator is fascinated and forgets again all about her own case. On her way back home she thinks about it and- the next reaction- she starts skipping in and out puddles, laughing to herself when she does it and her sensations are mainly of amusement (p. 129 ll.12-15). In the diary entry of july the 31st her reactions are not very spectacular but more retained.

The diary entry of august the 15th is a bit more enlightening. She reveales that she thinks of her pregnancy  and she thinks of it as a part of Inder Lal but she hasn´t told him about it yet, she just tried to. It shows that she is doubtful but that´s traceable because Inder Lal is married and she is new in India etc.

Her real situation and condition concerning her feelings is a matter of interpretation: Inder Lal and the narrator walk through the British graveyard and the Saunder´s marble angel appears again. She says that „In its present condition indeed the angel no longer looks Italian but quite Indian“(p.131 ll.6-7). Since she is contemplating an abortion and does not tell Inder Lal about her pregnancy, the angel seems to symbolize the ambivalence of her situation: Will she decide in favour of death or birth? The marble angel, imported from Italy, also was a major symbol of Western Christianity but has become something Indian. It´s comparable with the narrator who changed and became more Indian (cf. the beggar woman text) 

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