Balance Of Fragile Things By Olivia Chadha

In the novel “Balance of Fragile Things” by Olivia Chadha, the author portrays the growth and transformation in different directions of a couple of characters within a family, in order to illustrate how adversity can either separate or bond a family into a more cohesive household. In the beginning of the novel, the characters go through harsh moments, which allow the characters’ traits to evolve, making the individuals stronger. As the novel progresses, due to the harsh moments, the family relationships also become more close-knit and connected. Chadha makes it easy to distinguish the Singh family’s growth and transformation as well as their rebuilt relationships. In addition, Chadha illustrates the different directions the characters take

as they change their personalities and attitudes. Due to adversity, the characters go through change and metamorphosis in different directions, however in the end a balance is reached; this balance allows a more united and cohesive family to emerge.
In the beginning, the Singh family portrays a disconnection and lack of communication between family members; through this, the character’s initial personalities are shown. During a dinner scene, the tension can almost be cut with a knife as the mother, Maija, bothers the father, Paul, about some letters he had been ignoring written by Paul’s father, Papaji. On the third time Maija asks Paul if he had read the letters,
Paul growled, stood, pushed the chair behind him to the floor, and walked out of the room. He returned with the tall stack of letters, which he threw on the table, tripping the salt and pepper shakers. He tore open the envelopes one by one, occasionally tearing the letter inside. He read, took large draughts of beer, grunted, and stabbed his wife with kirpan-sharp glares. (47)
This section of the dinner scene portrays Paul’s initial personality towards his family and father as well as the relationship with Maija. Through Paul’s actions, it is concluded Paul has a strong character with a powerful voice, which makes it hard to get across to and communicate. Paul and Maija are not fully communicating their problems and leaving things hidden. Instead of talking things through and conversing as a family, Paul tries to avoid sharing the topic of the letters, which illustrates the lack of communication within the family. This lack of communication affects the stability of a family; tension and arguments arise hurting the relationships between family members. The reason Paul avoids the letters from his father in the first place, is due to the guilt of the death of his brother Kamal during his childhood. Kamal died of a snake bite, which Paul could not save him from.
Where is it? Papaji aimed his shotgun at the ground around them, but Kamal said it had gone back into the thicket. Papaji smacked Paul across his cheek and told him he should have killed the snake so it would not bite again. Or do you want it to come out of the earth and bite you too, na? What good are you, puttar? (45)
Since the tragedy, Paul felt guilty for his brother’s death and Papaji’s resentment towards him exacerbated the situation. Papaji’s personality towards Paul is unforgiving, making their relationship distant, which illustrates how death has the power to separate the unity of a family; in this case the guilt and resentment being the strongest factors. These emotions carry on into Paul’s relationship with Vic.
The guilt and rejection Paul feels influences the relationship between him and his son, Vic. Initially, Vic lacks the confidence to stand up for himself. At the beginning of the novel, Vic gets beat up by a bully, “Joe Balestrieri”, who “landed a solid right on Vic Singh’s nose” (4). The accident shows Vic’s personality at an early stage in the novel, which allows the audience to compare Vic before and after and easily note Vic’s transformation. Paul sees his son’s weaknesses and dedicates plenty of time to make Vic stronger and able to defend himself. Vic is also very obedient towards his father. During the same previous dinner scene, the obedience towards Vic’s father is illustrated when Maija confronts Paul about the rough exercises he implements on Vic, while Vic just “drops his head” and doesn’t say a word against his father (43). Vic does feel overworked but knows Paul has the last word in the family. Their relationship is not well communicated and extremely strict. It almost feels like Paul is pushing Vic to become stronger so Vic does not go through what he went through as a child. Chadha employs symbolism in her novel as Paul takes out a “knife” and gives it to Vic while saying ‘sometimes the only way to protect yourself is to make others fear you first…tonight I will make you stronger…I will show you how to fight’ (16-17). Here, the knife symbolizes strength and braveness, which Paul so passionately tries to pass down to Vic, as well as the duties and responsibilities required to take Paul’s position, the head of the family. Overall, the relationship between Paul and Maija, Paul and Papaji, and Paul and Vic reinforce the lack of communication and unity between the Singh family, which weakens the relationship and creates a distance between the family members, due to tragic events. However, through all the adversity, the characters Vic, Paul, and Papaji start to grow as individuals.
During the tragic events, the characters go through metamorphosis, changing in different directions until reaching a balance with their inner selves and with their family. Previously, Vic is portrayed as an unconfident and obedient teen however as the novel progresses, Vic finds his inner self and takes control of situations. Vic gets the opportunity to put the bully, Joe Balestrieri, who initially broke his nose, back in his place.
So, without pause, he curled his fist and slammed it into Joe’s jaw as hard as he could…Vic went in for another punch and made contact with Joe’s nose. “Leave”. Vic rubbed his hand, already sore from the punches. Retribution was his, but he didn’t fill good for the blood that spilled. (277)
Vic fights back and gets justice. His actions allow the audience to acknowledge his inner transformation, from prey to the predator. Vic is not the quiet, vulnerable boy anymore, the attack at school along with his father’s guidance made him stronger. Also, Vic gains the courage to speak back to his father; something he would have never done before.
His father’s eyebrows rose, like a drawbridge, as high as they could reach, then slammed down around his eyes, shadowing his cheekbones. “For an appetizer, fine, but for your main dish you will have meat.” … “I wont eat meat even if you make me order it. So, logically, if you want me to eat meat, you’ll let me order what I want.” He turned to the waitress. “Veggie patty, mushroom, Swiss, side salad.” The words were directive… Was this what being a man was like? He wondered. (158)
Vic shows a rebellious attitude, which illustrates the change in personality towards his father Paul. The change goes against his father, which illustrates the direction of change in Vic’s case in negative, since he is contradicting his family’s beliefs. Vic continues to change throughout the novel, however Vic changes in a different direction when he takes the responsibilities of his injured father, Paul, and keeps his family safe. Paul took a “strike against his skull” and was severely damaged (246). Therefore, Vic took control of the family, as his father rested at the hospital. Papaji tells Vic, “You are the man of the house temporarily. So it’s important that you do the things that your father did for you” (255). Vic now supports his family and is their protector. This time, Vic changes in a positive direction, which now balances out Vic’s overall transformation. At first, Vic went against his family and now he is fully supportive. Vic also takes the “heavy, cold, and well worn knife” (274) from his father, which previously symbolized the strength and duties required to be head of family, as his weapon. Since Vic holds the knife, he now holds the responsibilities of the head of the family and the strength to protect them. Other important symbols are the butterflies, which Vic is so obsessed with. Obviously, butterflies represent inner and outer change and transformation, which Vic greatly reflects. Out of all the characters, Vic experiences the most changes, mentally and physically. In the end, Vic’s full transformation reaches a balance, which brings the family back to normality. In addition to Vic, Paul also transforms throughout the novel.
As for Paul, initially, he was the strong, powerful voice in the family, especially during the dinner scene, however when he was lying in the hospital bed in a “coma”, he was at his weakest state, immobile, fragile, and powerless (286). Paul’s transformation took a negative direction, unlike Vic, Paul became weaker and lost power. The fact that Paul was super powerful and now very vulnerable illustrates the balance reached for Paul. As he recovered, he was left in a stable state, not extremely powerful and not too weak, just normal. In addition to Paul, Papaji also goes through metamorphosis in the novel.
Initially, Papaji felt resentment towards Paul and “he’d hated what his son represented for so long that he’d forgotten what it was like to see him as a person” (122).

All his life, Papaji blamed Paul for Kamal’s death, however as Paul recovers from the coma, Papaji realizes the importance of recovering his relationship with his son and releases the grudge he has carried for so long. Papaji states, “I failed everyone, but you especially. My fear paralyzed me, and Kamal’s death was my fault. I should have worked the fields. You were too young… Paul, you are my son…you are my son” (285). Papaji transformed in a positive direction; he accepted and left the past behind in order to build a strong foundation for a future with his son. Papaji’s growth broke down the barrier between father and son, and allowed them to fully connect. Papaji reached a balance with his inner self and therefore stabilized his relationship with Paul. Furthermore, as Vic, Paul, and Papaji transformed and reached a balance, so did their relationships; a stable and strong-bonded family emerged.

Since the characters transformed, reaching a balance, the relationships within the Singh family also reached a balance and strengthened; a more cohesive family emerged. At first, Vic and Paul’s relationship was distant, unconnected. However, after Paul’s attack, Paul becomes warmer towards Vic and trades Vic’s previous knife for an even more significant

dagger.
I have something better for you. Paul went to his drawer and took out a larger, more ornamental dagger.
Wow, that’s a bug knife.
This is the kirpan that Papaji gave me … and now it’s yours. Vic you’re grown up. (295)
Paul is proud of his son and realizes his son’s transformation from the weak beat up boy to the strong man today. The passing of the dagger from Papaji to Paul to Vic symbolizes the passing of beliefs and ideas from generation to generation. Also, the fact that Paul gave Vic the dagger officially symbolizes the maturity of Vic and the transition to adulthood. Paul knows his son is ready to protect his own family on day and from here on, the father and son connection is fully established. Paul and Vic’s relationship truly reached a balance and everything fell into place. Not only did Vic and Paul’s relationship strengthened but Paul and Papaji’s as well.
Paul and Papaji’s relationship transformed and became more united. Initially, there was almost a barrier between Papaji and Paul, which kept them from expressing their love for one another. Papaji could not let go of Kamal’s death, which blocked Paul’s love for his father. However, as soon as Papaji released his resent towards Paul and realized the blame was his, automatically the tension was gone. Once again, just like Paul and Vic, the father and son connection was established between Papaji and Paul. When Paul returned home from the hospital, Papaji entered his room and apologized for his hateful attitude. Papaji then “leaned closer to Paul and touched his shoulder with his hand” (285). Papaji lets down his wall and shows his love for his son, which now unites them as father and son. Papaji and Paul’s relationship definitely transformed; the glares and insults turned into warm pats on the shoulder and apologies. All in all, the Singh family relationships were strengthened and connected. Due to the reinforced relationships, the Singh family became more cohesive. Papaji and Paul have now come to terms with their past and Vic and Paul have established a connection, showing their long over due affection for one another.
Adversity had the power to break apart but also had the power to unite the Singh family. During the tragic events, Vic, Paul, and Papaji transformed in different directions, reaching a balance with themselves and their family. Not just did they transform as individuals, but their relationships strengthened and stabilized as well. Due to the stronger relationships, the Singh family became even more cohesive. A disconnected and distant family became a strong-bonded and communicated family.