Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai - Essay Example

? Inheritance of Loss ‘’The Inheritance of loss’’ by Kiran Desai is a novel set in the Himalayas in the mid 1980’s. The novel discusses about estrangement, belonging, homecoming, exile, unrest and betrayals. Throughout the novel, we are told how various characters face various troubles and instances of unrest in their lives. Gyan and Sai are an Indian-Nepalese couple, and the author tells of their romance and how unrest, betrayals and violence culminates in their eventual separation. Other characters like the Cook, the judge, Lola, Noni, Father Booty and Bindu also have their equal share of troubles and various forms of unrest. What is interesting is that, all these troubles that various characters experience are related to problems of statehood of India (Desai, 2009). The author tells of the conflict that exists between India and Nepal. Nepalese immigrants are not happy with the xenophobic treatment they receive in Indian villages. Another important aspect that the author brings out is that troubles that characters face are related to hatreds that do not seem to be ending. Therefore, the author has succeeded in addressing thematic concerns as a result of describing the plight and lives of various characters. Desai takes the reader to northeastern Himalayas at the foot of Mt. Kanchenjunga, where an old judge lives in a humble abode order to retire in a peaceful manner. The house, Cho Oyu, where the judge lives has no sign to his former glory, but he does not mind this. He lives with his orphaned granddaughter, Sai his cook and their dog, Mutt. The old judge is really disturbed with his past. From his perspective, the author brings out the first aspect of unrest. The judge hopes that, by retreating to this humble abode in Cho Oyu, he would forget about his past. This characterizes his mental unrest (Desai, 2009). We get to learn of the cause for the judge’s unrest. Opportunities had evaded him all through his life, and this is very frustrating for him. He was the expected breadwinner for his family as they all pinned his hopes on him. Therefore, this was the genesis of his unrest. He was really under pressure to succeed so that he would not disappoint his family. For starters, he left India and went to England to pursue education. This to many, was seen as a sign of great things to come. Away in England, there was more unrest for him since he was subjected to widespread prejudice, which unsettled his leaning and settling in England. His color, religion and language all made him the subject of prejudicial treatment. The judge was really disturbed by these ordeals, and these made him really upset and frustrated. He began to question his roots and identity, and his connection to India while in England (Desai, 2009). All these were various factors that contributed to his unrest in his earlier years. Upon returning home, the judge vents his angers and frustrations towards those surrounding him. The one who is most subjected to these frustrations is his wife, who really has to deal with his anger and unrest daily. This is a really harsh treatment since his wife was not part of his frustrations while in England. The judge is unaware that his wife had borne him a son while he was away. When Sai arrives at his home, the judge starts to confront his own suffering while in England as a result of colonialism and racial prejudice. He also starts to confront his own feelings concerning the harsh treatment that he had subjected his wife to, upon his return from oversees. This sums up his unrest, troubles and tribulations. Sai was brought to the old judge after her parents passed on in Russia. At the time of their death, Sai barely knew them, and their death adds to the mental unrest and disturbance that the old judge is undergoing. The author describes how Sai has grown to be a young beautiful lady who has now fallen in love with her college tutor in science, Gyan (Desai, 2009). Sai undergoes unrest and problems in her life from a very tender age. We are introduced to Sai when she loses her relatives in Russia at a very tender age. As she lived in a convent, her parents lived abroad; hence, she really knew nothing much about them. When her parents die, she is taken to live with the judge in his humble abode. The girl undergoes unrest in her life very early, but from the moment she is taken to live with the judge, she forgets her problems in the past. Sai is a very young girl at this time; hence, she does not dwell in the past. She lives in the present, which assists her to get read of the unrest that had characterized her earlier years. Sai is romantically involved with a handsome Nepalese young man, Gyan, and as much as the two are inj love, their relationship is buried in serious problems. As a result of her nature of living in the present moment, Sai is able to overlook problems that existed in their relationship. Cultural differences are the greatest cause of unrest in their relationship. Sai is an Indian who hails from a wealthy family that had a western way of thinking. Even when her parents die, the new Indian family that takes her up is that of the judge, who himself was schooled in the west, hence, also had a western way of thinking. Sai is unaffected by problems occurring in India, and she does not allow herself to be entangled in her problems of statehood (Desai, 2009). This nature of Sai sharply contrasts with Gyan’s. Gyan’s identity and relationship to his state of origin is very different to that of Sai. Gyan is Nepalese, and his Nepalese family is very poor, but they still try their best and provide him with excellent education. A Nepalese insurgency in the mountains threatens their new-sprung romantic relationship due to their different cultures and family backgrounds. Unlike Sai who keeps her distance from the skirmishes and furor, Gyan gets entangled in the ensuing fracas. As a result of this, their lives are forced to descend into chaos; hence, these two lovers are forced to address their colliding interests, culminating in their break-up (Desai, 2009). As the author describes these characters, we are introduced to problems of statehood that the country faces. At the time, nationality, loyalty and identity have all been questioned by the author. The author discusses the Indian-Nepal insurgency which has erupted in the mountain region that the judge lives in. Gyan and Sai’s friends are questioning the xenophobia and inequality that exists in the Indian society. At first, they do this peacefully, but later they resolve to violence, and it is this violence that leads to the breakup. Gyan is caught up in the midst of this furor, and it makes him clash with Sai. This eventual violence separates the couple. The author also talks about Biju and his father Nandu, the cook. The cook, Nandu, is really disturbed about the state of his son, Biju who keeps hopscotching from one restaurant in New York to another. The cook is really disturbed because all his hopes had been pinned on his son, whom he had sent to the land of opportunity, AmericaThe two are very obsessed with the west and it is this obsession that causes problems and unrest for them. As the cook hopes for good things for his son, the son continues suffering in America, where he leads a very weary lifestyle. His tale is one of an illegal and poor resident who has been condemned to hard labor and difficult living conditions. Biju really longs for home, which sums his unrest while in America (Desai, 2009). All these characters have brought out themes of unrest, betrayal and personal problems, and these problems mimic those of statehood. The author shows that the state of India mirrors the state of the character’s lives, and she has used the main characters Sai and Gyan to show how these statehood problems ruin personal relationships. References Desai, K. (2009). The Inheritance of Loss. New York: Penguin. Read More