Family Matters : Book Review

 

Rohinton Mistry in his novel ‘Family Matters’ (2002) takes us through the discordant family of Nariman Vakeel, a 79 years old retd English professor. Nariman lives with his step children Coomy and Jal who  harbours incessant anger against their stepfather as they consider him responsible for their mother’s suffering and untimely tragic death.  At an early stage of Parkinson, Nariman fractured his foot after which restricts him to the bed. Coomy and Jal ensure that Nariman’s responsibility is shifted to  Roxana, their half sister. Roxana who lives with her husband Yezda and two children  in a small two room apartment is thrusted with the responsibility of her father.  With Yezda, beseeched with financial worries Roxana is now torn between her father's responsibility and husband who is absolutely unhappy with the additional responsibility. 

All characters are deftly written but the unfolding of Yezda’s character was a treat to read. Initially when Nariman came to his flat, he had refused to help Roxana but eventually he volunteered for Nariman’s shaving, cutting nails or even giving him bed pan. This evolution of Yezda’s character made me reflect on the meaning of life.  One can add meaning to life by being ‘human’ towards other fellow humans. Also, his transition from being non religious to religious fanatic towards the end of the novel evokes pathos.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and it has enriched me in manifold ways. By taking us through the wasteland of Nariman Vakeel’s family and their inmates, he makes us wiser and reminds us what actually ‘matters’. Would recommend everyone to read this work... Mistry is a wordsmith who spins engaging tales.

A Story of Machal Lalung

 A Story of Machal Lalung 

Machal Lalung's story is a perfect example of what can happen if the fundamental rights given to us by the Constitution of India are not available in practice. 

Machal Lalung, a resident of Assam, was only 23 years old when he was arrested. He was alleged of causing serious injuries. If found guilty, the maximum penalty under this provision is 10 years in prison. However, Machal was sent to jail where he was found mentally unstable to stand trail and was therefore sent to a mental hospital in Tejpur for treatment. 

He was treated successfully and the doctors wrote twice to the jail authorities to initiate the trial. However, nobody paid any attention. He was finally released in July 2005. He was then 77 years of age. he had spent 54 years in jail and his case had never come up for hearing. He was freed when a team appointed by the National Human Rights Commission intervened, on a bail for Re 1. 

Machal Lalung died two years later. Who is responsible for this? 

Aneisha Sharma, a filmmaker who made the film 'Freedom at the Edge' on Lalung's life, remarks " It was a strange life that our system forced upon this innocent man."

To kill a mocking bird

Just finished reading Harper Lee’s ‘To kill a mocking bird’. Published in 1960s, a Pulitzer Prize winning piece of literature is a story revolving round Finch family of Maycomb Country. Its a story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer in fifties, who takes up the case of Tom Robinson, a Negro.

I instantly fell in love with Atticus, who is not a ‘conventional’ hero. A doting father of Jem and Scout, a well read lawyer and above all a gem of human being, the character of Atticus will always remained ingrained in my mind and serve as an anchor in today’s muddled life. – I would love to meet ‘Atticus’ in real life 

The Two Popes 

Watched the movie 'The Two Popes' today. Its a story about journey of two men of faith and the friendship that blossomed between them. Largely in the form of dialogue between the two with different ideology. It makes us realise how we all are humans and can err. It points out that religion must adapt itself to times and address the changing context in order to keep itself relevant.

Its beautifully crafted and each frame keeps us glued. Most of the film is shot in all close up shots of Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins whose performance is simply flawless. Must watch for a serious audience.

American Beauty

Recently watched Sam Mendes 1999 film, 'American Beauty'. Each character in the film accurately reflects a slice of America - with its beauty and hope as well as its desolation, anger, sadness, loneliness, and frustration. Lester Burnham, an unsuccessful person in his professional and personal life both as husband and father, Jane, his teenage daughter who abhors her parents and is saving for breast implantation, Carolyn, his wife who has very superficial idea of success and happiness, Angela, Jane's friend who Lester began to fantasize symbolises an American teenage girl who need to fake about her sexual adventures to make her appear coool, Jane's boyfriend Ricky who appears to be psycho as the one who is excessively capturing everything in camera to capture its beauty and Rick's father Frank who is strict disciplinarian. Each character is brought to life and the motif of rose is used throughout intelligently. The movie truly depict hollowness as well as beauty in American life. Do watch.

Gods too have feet of clay....

1926:  Rabindranath Tagore meets Benito Mussolini and was so captivated by Mussolini’s colourful personality and vigour that he said, ‘His Excellence Mussolini seems modeled body and soul by the Chisel of Michelangelo…’ He also praised Mussolini as ‘the most slandered man in the world’.

1931: Mahatma Gandhi meets Mussolini. According to Gandhi, ‘Mussolini is an enigma to me. Many of his reforms he has made attract me. He seems to have done a great deal for the peasantry… what strikes me is that behind Mussolini’s ruthlessness is the motive of serving people. Even behind his bombastic speeches there is a ring of sincerity and love of his people. It seems to me that the bulk of the Italians like Mussolini’s iron rule…”

1936: Pandit Nehru was in Rome and Mussolini sent his chief of protocol to the airport, inviting Nehru to meet him. Jawaharlal Nehru and the chief of protocol argued for an hour. A telephone message was sent to the Duce’s palace that Nehru could not come.

Story of Seema and Meena . . .

I met Seema few years back when we both were working in an NGO. She worked as a receptionist there.  And like every other receptionist – Seema was beautiful, cheerful, enthusiastic, confident and efficient.  I always admired her independent nature.

As our interactions grew we started sharing personal issues. From our interactions I understood that she had lost her father early and her mother brought her up by doing odd jobs.  As soon as she completed her XII grade, she took up a pre primary teacher’s job. She handled her job so well that everyone was impressed with her personality. With getting a teacher’s job financially she took large part of responsibility of her family. Eventually she got married in a family who were distantly related. Her husband was a part of family business.  

One day I was praising her. I said she has come a long way as coming from humble background today she is independent and confident lady who is in complete charge of her life. Suddenly she burst crying and I was unable to control her. I was flabbergasted.  After settling down, she said, ‘Sumati, I have created this façade of being independent and strong lady but in real life I am neither independent nor confident.’ I waited for her to explain. 

She explained that immediately after marriage she conceived. When the good news was shared with the family, they did not see it as ‘good news’.  They did not know how to react to this. Both, mother and father in law decided that it was not a right time for the couple to have a child so they should go for abortion. The husband did not utter a word. Seema underwent an abortion.  Tears in her eyes Seema said, ‘so you see, I am neither independent nor confident.’  I was stunned. I did not know how to react.

That whole day I kept thinking about Seema and the incident she narrated. Her face crying with pain kept coming in front of my eyes.  I kept thinking how a girl who emerged strong from such struggle against circumstances could not stand the pressure of in laws. I was convinced of the adage - truth is stranger than fiction!

Same day evening I met Meena. She had called me and said she wanted to share something. Meena coming from a small village, humble background, with ‘average looks’, was a student in university. She used artificial limb. She was very meek, docile and hardly talked with anybody. In Indian society marriage of handicap girls is a big challenge. Parents often compromise and end up giving huge dowry so that their daughter is married off.  So Meena’s marriage was a big issue and was being discussed often at her home and even in university by her well wishers.

Meena started. She said Ravi sir had called her and suggested to meet a possible groom. The boy suggested was from same caste and came from a well to do family. Meena was open to the idea.  So she, Ravi sir, the boy and his parents met.  The boy she realized was hardly educated, 15 years elder and also an handicap. The parents of the boy explained, ‘Meena if you are convinced of our son, I assure you both don’t have to bother to earn. We have saved enough money and have a home of our own.’ 

She looked straight in my eyes and said without mincing words – ‘Sumati, I don’t consider myself a handicap. I hate the sympathy which I get for being handicap. I am handicap but I won’t compromise on basic qualities I look in my partner.  I want my partner to be earning his living and I will be living mine. I don’t mind living in humble circumstances but I want to live with self respect. I might end up marrying a handicap person tomorrow but I will make a choice. I will decide what I want to in my life.

On one hand there was Seema who appeared so confident, independent, with metropolitan background could not stand for herself and on the other hand there was Meena, from a rural village with 'average looks' and who appeared ‘unconfident’ girl stood for herself.  Meena stood for herself. It was a day of enlightenment for me. Never judge a person on outward appearances.