Carinadust’s Weblog

Explain the significance of the story of the old beggar woman (15 June)+ the difference between the response to the dying beggar woman

The narrator observes a beggar woman who she has seen before, now lying motionless next to a dump. She is afraid that she is dead and so she asks Inder Lal to look at her, but then she senses the instinctive Hindu fear of pollution through contact with something „unclean“. After bathing, the narrator goes to the hospital to seek help. On her way back home after the denial of the doctor because of a lack in staff, she passes Maji´s hut and tells her the story. Maji runs off to find the woman. Maji takes the old woman´s head in her lap until  she dies.

In this very short episode differin attitudes are contrasted:

The narrator reacts to the sight of the dyinf woman in a „Western“ way, feeling that something must be done to help her if possible. But when she comes away from the conversation with the doctor, she has already adopted an „Indian“ attitude. the old woman is „dispensable“, her life is no more important than her life was before.

But Maji embodies a selfless motherloy love; through her intervention, the old woman´s death is given a kind og dignity as the completion of a long life´s journey.

Explain what happens, and why, at Barba Firdaus´grove( 20 June)

The narrator goes with Inder Lal to Barba Firdaus´grove for a picnic. In spite of the intense heat, she is entranced by the stillness and solitude of the grove. They go to the shrine and each tie a thread to the window lattice while making a wish. Inder Lal repeatedly tries to get the narrator to confess what she has wished for; instead of telling him, she places her hand on his, and they make love.

Maybe she has wished for making love with Inder Lal and like I said before-instead of telling him she places her hand on his one!

Arguments: Did the narrator change?

• con: she reacts in a Western way- feeling that something must be done to save the woman´s life if possible p. 106, l.21ff.

• pro: after the conversation with Dr. Gopal she thinks that the old woman is „dispensable“- her death is no more important than her life was before p.106, l.32
• she says that she is changing, becoming more like everyone else p.106-107, l.28ff.
• she understands the fear of the Hindus to get dirty-at home she promptly bathes and rinses herself, she felt the fear Hindus feel p.104, l.28ff.