Reflection about a Book A Tale of Two Indians - Essay Example

Having been born in India, he underwent different cultural experiences during his childhood that saw him through to his campus life. This section brings to the attention of the reader the rich family backgrounds of the author. After departing India when he was still young, his parents moved to England where he spent most of his childhood years. He undertook the British educational system in elementary education. After a pronounced stay in the United Kingdom, his family then moved again into the United States.

Here is where his teenage life began. During his high school education coupled with college and university life, he underwent harsh realities in new environments. Consequently, he was caught up in great confusion, dilemma and inability to make further progress. This section, however, presents the challenges that face many people in life. Some of them become unwilling to continue with life while others, like the author continue to find the slightest implication of solution to continue surviving.

On the same note, Patel continues to narrate on how the realities were difficult when a new education system does not provide the appropriate channel for success in educational life. Great confusions in addition to hardships in campus make it a great trial in life. After he was expelled from Duke University for cheating, he underwent desperation and, thus, almost succumbed to suicidal thoughts. At the moments of near-death, he recalled a small village in India where he used to make frequent visits as a child during his stay in India.

He sought for a reconnection to the past. When he makes the visit to his country of origin, some big differences that include demographical, economical, social and political emerge. These events bring in a contrast of two generations separated miles apart and with different reaction tendencies. His worst scenarios involve his university education where he was considered unfit for long-term stay after allegations of exhibition of dishonesty in his studies. Although he remarkably instills that the American perception of immigrant Americans was not welcoming, his life in America was also not appealing.

This view is, however, not reflective of conventional perception of American citizens. This, therefore, becomes a line of defense for his challenged life. Events that lead to a recall of the past. The author chronologically narrates about the events that lead the main character to make a decision to visit his ancestral home. After Patel faced so many challenges in his life (since this book is taken as a recount of the past) some of which he could not handle, depression crept in. Among the challenges included his expulsion from Duke University and continual solitude that resulted to reduced levels of motivation.

After continual stress and depression, he experienced trivial life challenges that led him to a land of the lost. He became indulging and sunk into substance abuse. His decision to engage in drugs and alcoholism did not seem to make any situation better. Instead, things continued to worsen. After several failed attempts, his final thoughts of committing suicide almost convinced him to take his own life. Just before committing suicide, he recalled one of his close relatives back in India who as he remembers was tough and faced reality with stiffness.

Memories convinced him that perhaps sharing a word with this old man would lead to better