Nectar in a Sieve is a work of literature written in the mid 1900s. This work describes the effect that modernization and industrialization had on the farming families of India. During this time many traditional values had to be overturned by the people in order to keep up with the changing times. Many farmers lost their land and many people died of starvation due to bad harvests and inflating prices on goods. This novel specifically describes the life of a woman, Rukmani, and how her family was affected and the activities she and her family had to perform in order to survive. This work is very good in describing the life of a woman at this time and it will make you realize the hardships that these people had.
There are several traditional values that are handed down to an Indian couple that are expected to be followed and continued. First of all the biggest tradition is that the parents choose whom their children will marry. Upon discussion with another child's parents they choose who is going to get married to one another. In the novel, Rukmani's and Nathan's parents decided they were good for each other so they set them up to get married.
After marriage, more of these values are expected to be carried on is the way the family decisions are made and the ways things are done. The male is known as the authority figure in the family. An Indian woman has to abide be what the men say and basically allow him to run the show. This does not say that he has no responsibilities, because that is wrong be all means. He has a responsibility to support the family and show the children how to work the fields and support the family.
It is essential for a woman to have male children to continue these traditions. The males are needed to work on the farms to help support the family and even more importantly, to maintain and keep the farms up and running. In Rukmani and Nathan's case, Rukmani had a baby girl name Ira. This did not meet the standards of a typical Indian family so she continued to try and have another baby but failed. For the next few years she was unable to have a child. When she realized nothing was working, she secretly went and visited a doctor by the name of Kenny.
In the novel, Nectar in a Sieve, the author, Kamala Markandaya creates various themes. One theme from the book is that tensions can be caused by modernization and industrial progress. This theme is highly prevalent throughout the story and broadens the reader’s outlook on modernization. Markandaya writes of a primitive village that is going through a severe change. Her ability to form a plethora of characters with different opinions, yet to share one main culture, helps highlight the tensions in the village.
In a scene the film Ravi goes to a wedding in India where a family member is being wedded. Ravi asked if he was happily marrying his wife, in love, and not having second doubts, all his family member expressed was no remorse, but it seemed as if it was something casual for him, it was necessary to marry, and that the bride he had chosen was approved from his parents, and the community of Patels. It seemed that throughout the film arrange marriage is viewed as normal in India, they don’t seem to ask their children if they’re happy about being arrangbeds into a marriage, it something that when you come of age you have to do. However in Indians living in America are challenging their parents and their cultures religion of arranged marriage. In America they are looking at the diverse cultures and falling love with people outside their culture, and making work, while others are still in the biodata and probably decided to marry into a Patel or other Indian name, yet still experienced dating other men before deciding. What was weird is that some Indian women don’t date until later in their college years when they are away because of the strict household their parents had and from fear of disappointing their family, and being
“Arranging a Marriage in India” by Serena Nanda is a well written, informative article aimed at sharing the view of the Indian culture on arranged marriages and also showing how much effort is put into the process of arranging a marriage. Our own culture has evolved into accepting the fact that we are all independent individuals who could not imagine having someone else make such a significant decision for us. Serena Nanda does an excellent job of using her sources within the society as evidence of the acceptance of the arranged marriage aspect of their culture.
In Kamala Markandaya’s Nectar in a Sieve, Ruku’s cultural surroundings play a big role in developing her character by helping her grow in understanding and improving her mentality towards other beliefs and cultures. In the beginning of the story, the emergence of other cultures in the story cause a clash in Ruku’s previous beliefs, however, as the novel progresses they allow for growth as Ruku is able to be more accepting of others’ differences.
Three different Western marriage customs have influenced the characters in the story "Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. It is about a Nnaemeke and Nene. Nnaemeke was an Igbo but Nene was from a different part of the country. They fell in love and Nnameke proposed. Then Nnaemeke got a letter from his father telling him about an arranged marriage that is being planned. Very disappointed, Nnaemeke comes home and tells his father that he will not get married to anybody, except Nene. Nnaemeke was kicked out from his father's house and wasn’t wanted there anymore. Happily married, Nnaemeke and Nene, had two sons. They wanted to see their grandpa and wouldn’t stop asking to visit him. When Nnaemeke's father read the letter about his grandsons he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about them. At last he was beginning to open his heart for his son, daughter-in-law, and his grandsons. The first custom was that the parents arranged marriages for their children. Nnaemeka's father had arranged a wedding for him with a girl from his culture. The second custom was that love was not part of the marriages. All that mattered was that she had to be a good Christian and had the potential to become a good wife. The third custom is that the woman had to be raised from the same culture. Women from other cultures were not welcomed in Igbo culture and families. These three customs had a huge affect on Nene's and Nnaemeka's lives.
The vast majority of the population is Hindu religion and its organization and its operation is based on the centuries-old tradition and intangible principles. Among these traditions and rules, marriage is central because it is the cornerstone of the harmonious development of the Hindu society. Marriage is primarily a union between two same-class families to sustain the economic continuity and maintain the Hindu Society 's balance.
The characters in the book Nectar in a Sieve had to deal with Western imperialism and they had to adapt to the changing ideas associated with Western imperialism. Throughout the book Rukmani had to struggle with her beliefs and how to cope with these changes. From the beginning Rukmani coped with these changes, from culture to her way of life, until the end of the book where even then her life was not through being changed.
only can it be defined as the biological differences between men and women, but it also concludes to those differences affecting the place a person takes based on their gender. Gender equity alludes to the unfair treatment caused by bias toward an individual's gender that will lead to social and economic inequality toward women. The gender inequality toward women has been expressed in a variety of ways, one example could be the wage gap. Kamala Markandaya's “Nectar in a Sieve” gives readers somewhat of an understanding of gender inequality in India, with the use of allegory. Women in India, along with around the globe are treated unfairly in comparison to men. Women are not valued as much, and they are paid far worse. A woman’s job may be as good as a mans, or
Every culture has several similarities and differences that impact the way they do things. Several of these cultures have distinct traits and traditions that make them differently from other cultures. I believe these differences make each culture different and unique. The two cultures that I have chosen to compare and contrast with each other is Kenya and India. In this paper I will discuss the similarities and differences in each of the culture’s families in context, marital relationships, and families and aging. These are important aspects of these cultures and to examine them will give me a better knowledge of both of these cultures.
Nowadays, everyone is working hard either men or women to support their life. Therefore, women want a men to share the family responsibilities with them to balance. With modern life, it is not only men can work and bring money to the family. Women have to work hard too. The independent in economics so, taking care of the children is not only the wives duty. Some times they want husband taking care of children when they are busy such as they are at work or doing housework. On the other hand, the husband might helps their wife in the kitchen instead of stand around and do nothing while wife cooking or doing something. It is not only wife can bring the family be happy and all members in the family have a good life, but also husband responsibility. For example, the good husband usually care about what his wife and his family need to support it. It can be money or solving problem. They should have a great idea to deal with
Marriage is a complicated topic and even more complicated when it ends in divorce. When entering a sacred union, such as a marriage, the person is entering uncharted water that can end up in happiness or divorce. For females in the 1900s, it became more of a chore than happiness. From an early age, the female mind has been trained, by their parents and society, to automatically take the role of a mother and a wife. Many married women understood that by marrying a man, they would have to understand the need of their husband as well as being the proper wife. However, married female did not expect their husbands to go to war in 1914 through 1918 and possibly again in 1939 through 1945. Due to the wars, some females became a widow and some marriages
As it turns out, most of the marriages that take place in India are arranged. Arranged marriages are a traditional practice in India, so you can find arranged marriages being practiced in all social classes. The parents of the individual play a big part in this tradition because they are the ones who choose a partner for the individual to marry. The parents must look into the family background of the future bride or groom to make sure that their sons/daughters marry into good families. Not only that, but they go beyond the family background and check the bachelors/bachelorettes out for themselves to make sure they make a good choice. Once a potential partner is chosen, the parents may or may not set up a quick meeting between the two individuals. In other extreme cases, the individuals do not meet at all before the wedding. It is also customary for the two families involved in the arranged marriage to exchange gifts.
Rukumani's parents are very old-fashioned in their ideas about marriage. The only one type of marriage which is accepted by them is the arranged marriage. Parents of the groom and the bride meet, talk about their background, status and materialistic things such as dowry and so on and then fix the marriage between their children.
Almost every culture around the world have the idea of bringing together households in marriage. In the United States, this a coupling of two people who will start a life on their own. In India, a marriage is more than two people falling and love and getting married. Family, religion and casts play a role for the future bride and groom. The Indian culture’s weddings have different traditions when it comes to proposals, ring traditions and ceremonies not only for the couple but for the families as well.
The expectation a man has on a women when married is believed to be, "... a wife who will keep my house clean.... will pick up after my children.... a wife who will pick up after me." (Judy 419). Women 's role as a wife, are viewed as ones that have to take care of men 's needs, but if men switch roles, they are deemed lazy by society. When men take the role of a women, which is viewed as feminine, one does it. Men and women of society, accustom themselves in an appropriate way to behave, in order to establish the expectations from