Week 3
Julia
mike.ing17
Passage Picker
POST 1
(Pg. 316) "Tonight, Sergeant Kesar had decided he was going to tolerate no nonsense, his job was getting harder by the day. gathering crowds for political rallies wasn't bad. Rounding up MISA suspects was also okay. But demolishing hut meant colonies, vendors' stalls, jhopadpattis was playing havoc with his peace of mind. And prior to his superiors' formulating this progressive new strategy for the beggary problem, he had had to dump pavement-dwellers in waste land outside the city."
-This passage explains past government actions, and the extremes to which they went to deal with beggars. What was their true purpose? What was the Prime Minister trying to accomplish with her state of Emergency, her political rallies, and now these roundups? Keep power? Gain favor? Improve reputation?
(Pg. 330) "But nobody ever forgot anything, not really, though sometimes they pretended, when it suited them. Memories were permanent. Sorrowful ones remained sad even with the passing of time, yet happy ones could never be re-created-not with the same joy. Remembering bred its own peculiar sorrow. It seemed so unfair: that time should render both sadness and happiness into a source of pain. So what was the point of possessing memory?"
-My question is actually asked in the passage, what is the point of possessing memory? This rant is clearly a more pessimistic view, but there is some truth, does memory only lead to sorrow? Would it be better to not remember anything and be blissfully ignorant? Or can memory be positive?
(Pg. 349) "In the afternoon she re-enacted the scene for Maneck, some sections twice at his urging. He enjoyed it most when she came to the slandered-woman bit...Their laughter acquired a touch of brave desperation after a while, like slicing a loaf very thin and pretending that bread was plentiful. Then the quiet in the room was sudden. The last crumb of fun had been yielded by the rent-collector's visit."
-The scene Dina describes is very amusing; she makes quite the fool of Ibrahim the rent collector, so that he quickly flees the flat full of apologies. Yet the laughter is soon tinged with desperation. Where does this sadness come from? Does it reflect their bitter situation, or the country? Is all happiness affected thus? And does Dina's maltreatment of Ibrahim apply to something greater? Is the scene a symbol of something larger in Indian society?
(Pg. 367) "A democratic omelette is not possible from eggs bearing democratic labels but laid by the tyrannical hen...'The important thing,' said Nusswan, 'is to consider the concrete achievements of the Emergency. Punctuality has been restored to the railway system. And as my director friend was saying, there's also a great improvement in industrial relations. Nowadays, he can call the police in just one seconds to take away the union troublemakers...My friend says production has improved tremendously.'"
-Above are two very different views on the Emergency in India, with Nusswan clearly in favor and Maneck less certain. What are your thoughts on this Emergency? Has it helped, and will it do more good than bad? Or is it a waste of time, the governments poor attempt to exert more control over the people?
POST 2
(Pg. 382) Deeply moved, she poured the tea while they were finishing up. They came into the kitchen to replace the cleaning things, and she handed two cups to Om. Noticing the red rose borders, he started to point out her error: 'The pink ones for us,' then stopped. Her face told him she was aware of it. 'What?' She asked, taking the pink cup for herself. 'Is something wrong?' 'Nothing,' his voice caught. He turned away, hoping she did not see the film of water glaze his eyes."
-By desegregating herself from the tailors with the teacups, Dina subtlety but powerfully closes the distance between her and the workers, showing surprising compassion. Will this kindness and generosity last in the coming chapters, with Dina finally accepting the two as friends? Or will she revert to her old, hard self-serving personality?
(Pg. 385-386) "The new scheme had been explained to Rajaram--it was no longer necessary to sign up individuals for the operation. Instead, they were to be offered a free medical checkup. And it wasn't to be viewed as lying, just a step towards helping people improve their lives. Once inside the clinic, isolated from the primitive influence of family and friends, they would quickly see the benefits of sterilization."
-The government's treachery is very clear in this excerpt, and it almost seems like they are forcing sterilization in the people. Why is this quota so important to the government, and why must the process be taken to such extremes? Is there a better way that the government could deal with the situation? Should they look for other means of dealing with overpopulation?
(Pg. 410) "The corollaries of stale,ate and draw were equally difficult...Again, Om understood when it was illustrated on the board; but the metaphor of kings and armies was not sustained to his satisfaction, and he refused to proceed beyond it. 'Makes no sense,' he argued...'The rules should always allow someone to win,'"
-For some reason, Om is confused with the concept of stalemate in chess. Could this misunderstanding be representative of something else in his life, his stubbornness or unwillingness? Where could his mindset stem from? Could it be related to his past?
(Pg. 425) "'The landlord needs an excuse, sister. These flats are worth a fortune, the Rent Act let's him charge only the old worthless rent, so he-' Ibrahim broke off and wiped his eyes. 'But you know all that, sister. It's not you alone, he is doing the same with other tenants, the ones who are weak and without influence.'"
-Ibrahim is talking about the horrid scene of cruelty and corruption that just transpired in Dina's flat, with the trashing and beating of her friends and new family. Why is the landlord so eager to vacate the people, and what do you think will happen in the future? Will Dina be forced to leave, or will Nusswan be able to sway the landlord with his diplomacy?
Julia
Summarizer- Post #1
As part of the government’s beautification
plans, Sergeant Kesar and the facilitator round up anyone how appears to be a
beggar on the streets. They find Om and Ishvar and immediately assume they are
beggars and shove them in the truck, despite the fact that Om and Ishvar repeatedly
tell them that they have jobs and are tailors. On the ride to the beggars’
destination, Om and Ishvar meet a beggar who has no hands, no feet, and no
legs. They start up a conversation regarding the beggar’s life. The beggar’s
name is Shankar, but everyone calls him Worm due to the way he transports
himself, through crawling. Every since Worm was a baby, he was a beggar. He would
go around the streets in other beggar’s arms hoping to evoke extra pity in
those who walk past them. The Beggarmaster would look after all the beggars,
helping them find locations to beg and new tactics to reel in more money. Most
importantly, the Beggarmaster would allow all the beggars to work without
harassment since he is paying the government for them to beg. Upon arrival at
the camp, the tailors are thrown into some laborious deeds, ones that they are
not quite capable of doing. As a result they get sick and are able to sit back,
as they try to persuade that foreman that they have jobs and do not belong
there. The foreman does not listen and places Ishvar in jobs that are created
for women. Finally, the Beggarmaster comes to the labor camp to buy beggars for
the streets. He purchases all the injured, including Worm. Worm shares this good
news with Om and Ishvar, recommending that they should speak to the
Beggarmaster to see if he could buy Om and Ishvar as well. Om and Ishvar
attempt to bargain with the Beggarmaster, but ended up settling for the very
high price of 50 rupees per week per tailor, for one year. Nevertheless, Om and
Ishvar are now able to return to their everyday lives.
Meanwhile, back in Dina’s apartment she is worried that she would not be able to deliver the dressed in time due to the tailors’ absence. Maneck goes out looking for them, but soon realizes that all beggars have cleared the street, and it is very likely that they have been taken away by the government. Maneck is mad that Dina did not allow them to previously stay on her Verandah, for if she did, the tailors wouldn’t have been in such trouble. Both Dina and Maneck are extremely frustrated at each other, but were ultimately able to apologize and focus on completing the dresses. Dina teaches Maneck how to sew on buttons, as she does the hemming. Together, they work persistently attempting to finish all the dresses. Dina is able to turn in the dresses to Mrs. Gupta on time, and tells her that her tailors will be absent for two-weeks due to illness. Mrs. Gupta does not believe that the tailors are sick, but allows Dina to take a break for two weeks. During these two weeks, Dina is looking for new tailors to help complete Mrs. Gupta’s task. She is very unsuccessful and has to turn to Nusswan as her last resort to borrow money to support herself and Maneck. Through these past weeks, Dina and Maneck have grown much closer through various events and flattering complements to one another. They have sewed dresses together, looked for tailors together, and shared many laughs with each other.
1. 1. Have you ever been liable or blamed for a certain event happening, that was not entirely in your control?
2. 2. Would you pay more than half of your annual income to escape a labor camp to return to your everyday life?
3. 3. Would you ever go to a family member or a really close friend to borrow a large sum of cash? Would you feel ashamed or embarrassed?
Julia
Summarizer- Post #2
Om and Ishvar are able to convince Dina to
allow them to stay at her place in the Verandah. If began with Dina allowing
them to sleep in her apartment for one night. However, quickly Dina allowed
them to stay until they found a legal apartment of their own. The relationship
between Dina, Maneck, Ishvar, and Om was able to strengthen through their
dinners together. Similar to the apartment situation, Dina dinner for Om and
Ishvar out of kindness after giving Om a not so pleasant lice treatment, but this
soon developed into a habit, where every night the four of them will collaborate
to make a meal. The wall that was once between Dina and the tailors is falling because
neither Dina nor the tailors are in a rush to move out into an apartment of
their own.
The rent-collector has caught onto the illegal stays of the tailors, but Dina quickly saved herself by pronouncing Ishvar as her husband and Maneck and Om as their sons. We quickly learn that the rent-collector, Ibrahim did not believe Dina’s lie since he arrived at Dina’s apartment a few days later with two men. They accuse Dina of having an illegal business in her apartment and she must leave in 48 hours. Immediately, the two men walk into her apartment and begin breaking and damaging the sewing machines, dresses and fabric. They then move on to the furniture, slashing pillows, mattresses and tables. Maneck is infuriated as he tries to fight the two men, but Maneck only gets a bloody nose and a cut above his lip. Dina is extremely mad at Ibrahim for causing such a disaster. Ibrahim then breaks down crying, apologizing for the damage he has caused and then explaining his terrible position in life. Despite Ibrahim’s sincere apology, the landlord is requiring Dina to leave in 48 hours.
It just so happens that the Beggarmaster comes the day after Ibrahim paid a visit to Dina. After seeing what has been done to the apartment, he promises that he can not only let the landlord allow Dina to live in her apartment, but also pay back all damage that has been done. Dina is in complete disbelief, but has no other option that will ensure her apartment. In two days, the Beggarmaster returns with a wad of money for Dina and news that she is allowed to stay in her apartment.
The Beggarmaster informs Om and Ishvar that two of his beggars have been murdered. However, none of their belongings have been taken, just their long luscious hair. Om and Ishvar immediately put together the pieces, confirming that is must have been Rajaram who did this crime. After hearing about the crime, Om and Ishvar make a conscious effort to disassociate themselves with Rajaram. However, they are worried that they will get in trouble with the police because Dina was the one who gave Rajaram the shears.
The Beggarmaster comes back a couple months later to share some surprising news. He discovers that one of the beggars that beg for him is his step-mother and that Worm is his step-brother. Worm is not aware of any of these facts, and the Beggarmaster plans to reveal these facts to him little by little. In the meantime, the Beggarmaster is attempting to treat Worm with as much kindness and luxury as possible.
1. Did you ever have to conform to the commands of another person, without thinking what harm it will cause?
2. Did you ever put all your faith in someone, hoping that they will be able to save you from your conflict?
3. How would you react to the news that the Beggarmaster told Dina, if you were Worm?
achangj
POST 1
1. Do you think Beggarmaster is exploiting Shankar, or is Shankar also gaining mutual benefit from their relationship?
2. Why do you think Sergeant Kesar ignored Ishvar and Om's cries for vindication, perhaps out of support for the governmental protocol?
3. Throughout these chapters, why do you think Om and Maneck keep on talking about their sexual encounters, regardless of their sometimes apocryphal claims?
4. How do you think the labor camp changed Om and Ishvar?
5. How would you characterize Nusswan's behavior during his meeting with Dina and Maneck? What do his actions and words say about his personality?
6. How has corruption altered the way of life in the city? Why would some people like the governments new beautification laws, and others not?
7. Has Maneck's relationship with Om changed his personality? Vice versa?
8. Dina seems to have changed throughout the story. Is anyone surprised by her actions?
9. Does Dina feel remorseful over the way she treated the two workers? Is she trying to gain anything?
10. Are Om and Ishvar surprised about Dina's sudden kindness? Why would they be?
POST 2
1. Compare and contrast the idea of marriage from Dina's perspective, Om's perspective, and Ishvar's perspective.
2. Why could Maneck be characterized as the one in the house who mediates all interactions?
3. Why was Maneck so outraged about Om's plan to spy on Dina through the bathroom hole, considering he had no problems with staring at the woman at Jeevan's store?
4. Is Ibrahim remorseful over how his boss's henchmen treated Dina and her furniture? Why?
5. Why would Maneck attempt to harm the henchmen with the umbrella? What motives does he have? What does he have to gain?
6. Does Maneck miss his home? How have his feelings about college life changed after moving in with Dina?
7. What is the most surprising thing about the Beggarmaster's revelation? Is it ironic?
8. What do the kittens symbolize? the new litter of kittens?
9. Compare and contrast the attitudes of Maneck with that of Dina regarding the new kittens.
10. How much or how little is actually known about Beggarmaster? Why does he have so much power? Is he a shady figure?
stephie1296
Reference researcher:
Post 1:
Matka numbers (pg. 315): Matka is a type of gambling based on numbers and originates from Mumbai, India. The word "matka" is synonymous to gambling. Ishvar and Om, become very accustomed to this and other night sounds on the streets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matka_gambling
Alayti-palayti (pg. 332): This is a Parsi delicacy, made out of spicy, flavorful chicken livers and gizzards. Maneck brings this home and shares it with Dina. It exemplifies the extent of cultural differences that exist between our society and theirs.
http://www.bookdrum.com/books/a-fine-balance/9780571230587/glossary.html
M. F. Husain ( pg. 352): very famous Indian artist of the 20th century, Husain was associated with the modernist movement, painting in many different genres. He is also recognized as a photographer, filmmaker, and printmaker. The foreman mentions him as an example of someone who doesn't wear shoes when Ishvar and Om complain about losing theirs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._F._Husain
Jhopadpattis (pg. 365): these are settlements of slums. As Nusswan mentions, these will be eradicated as part of the Beautification Program.
http://sacredgames.typepad.com/glossary/2006/08/jhopadpaddi.html
Beautification program (pg. 365): as part of the emergency, prime minister Indira Ganhi declared many beautification projects, whose aim was to make the cities of India more aesthetically pleasing by razing all of the slums and leaving the undesirable with no homes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_(India)
stephie1296
Reference researcher:
Post 2:
Napusakta (pg. 386): Rajaram uses this word to Collin to Ishvar and Om about the terrible things he was called. One of the names was a dispenser of napuskta, which means male impotency. Since having children is so valued in this culture, this would bring great shame.
http://eco.cueb.edu.cn/contents/page/html.php?id=20120710234102AAv6lfK
Hanging gardens (pg. 407): terraced on top of a hill, they give a great of the Arabian Sea and breathtaking sunsets. Dina encourages Maneck to become a tourist and go sightseeing, when she mentions this location.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging_Gardens_of_Mumbai
Mughal-e-Azam (pg. 409): Maneck mentions this movie through his recollection of the weapons in it as he admires the armor collection.
Translated as "the Greatest of the Mughals," it is a famous movie from 1960. It features a Mughal prince who falls in love with a court dancer, which is disapproved by his father. They soon start a massive war, where the son loses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal-e-Azam
Bilkool (pg. 444): Ishvar says this as he agrees with Dina that Om needs a wife. This word is used to mean "completely correct"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090902065459AAFgN4j
Physiognomy (pg. 448): this word is used to describe the disfigured face of Nosey. It means the general appearance of a person, or the assessment of someone's character or personality by Inez's appearance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiognomy