Fasting Feasting

794 Words2 Pages

1. “A career. Leaving home. Living alone.”

In this passage, Uma, the protagonist is thinking of further possibilities, which could enrich her life. These three short sentences start the passage. Due to them all only containing two words, further emphasis is given to them. These short sentences have a very strong diction and therefor create a feeling of a provocative and strong thought. Furthermore does Desai hereby achieve to convey the seriousness of Uma’s situation. Right at the start, the sentence “A career” is used. By being this vague, the author accentuates how Uma is unsure/uncertain about such thoughts. The following two sentences “Leaving home. Living alone.” Prove that Uma is well aware of the consequences of “A career”, which are leaving home and living alone. This further conveys that Uma is not really searching for a career, in order to work, but rather to flee/escape from the constant oppression of her parents. This is further proved by the fact that Uma is the main character in the book and the author's symbol for the grossly subservient role of women, especially in Indian society.

2. “Her vision of escape, a refuge”

This passage further displays Uma’s wish for freedom. This passage conveys that “A career” is an escape from her oppressing parents. Towards the beginning of the book, Uma would have never dared to think such thoughts, but at this point, due to the influence of different characters, Uma has seeds of change planted in her. She no longer wants to be in her terrible situation. The author, whilst using the word “escape” especially emphasizes this. Comparable words could have been used, but the author had to convey this want and desire for freedom. Furthermore does Desai aggrandize the meaning of “An c...

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...ize the characters and people connected to Uma. This phrase also resembles an important point in the novel, as now Mama and Papa can not tell her who she is meant to be with, due to them also following the culture and religion. Furthermore does this phrase connect with the role of Women in India. Within the two cultures, Indian and American, the author paints portraits of women with vastly different appearances, educations, and opportunities; but they are alike in their inherent lack of self esteem and repressed dreams.
The culture is built on making girls ready for marriage, sublimating education except for the very few. Due to this, many girls are prepared to marry at a young age, and due to Uma not being perfect and being married of very late, Uma is a sad example of the needs of daughters being minimized for the good of the family, especially the male members.

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