Recent books on my shelf

It is after three months I stepped into the literature section of my college library. The books I am quoting here are few among the long list of books that I was hunting for.

Ice-candy man by Bapsi Sidhwa.
Even after watching the movie '1947 Earth', I was not inclined to read the book based on which the movie was taken. It was only my unsatisfied need to watch the movie 'Water' by Deepa Mehta, got me acquainted with Bapsi Sidhwa's writing. I could see the characters performing in front of my eyes when I read her work. This made me to hunt for her books. The list continued with 'Crow Eaters' and now 'Ice Candy man', the book based on which the move '1947 Earth' was taken. According to me, this is a rambunctious novel that portrayed the partition of India and Pakistan along with a beautiful story line. The book unveils the characters, their opinions, conventional thinking etc through the eyes of the Polio attacked girl-Venny. A simple story line but beautifully blended with politics and violence. One of lines like; 'one day everybody is themselves - and the next day they are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian' forces the minds of the readers to think beyond what is written. Though this book reminded me of many other books like Freedom at Midnight , Riot etc, but this touches the reality in a unique way. Genocide, Political clash between Hindu, Muslim & Sikh, etc that surround the partition were put in words in a flawless and a unfussy style. Kudos to Bapsi Sidhwa for creating her throng of characters which literally paints the microcosm of a Pakistani society for the readers. The naked human emotions that this book touched is quite adorable. And this book is a cherishable one...

In cold blood by Truman Capote
Capote is another legend who created a special audience for himself. Through very few works of his', he attracted the rational minds towards his work. This is my fifth book of Copote after 'Breakfast at Tiffany', 'Complete short stories of Capote', 'Music for Chameleons' and 'A Christmas memory'. In this non fiction 'In Cold Blood', Capote narrates the multiple murder of a family in Kansas in 1959. Though the finale of the case is made known in the very first page, the author has succeeded in making the flow with a gripping suspense. Astonishingly, this book creates a sympathy for the murderers even after giving the intricate details of the gruesome murders. The unique look at the crime and the convincing writing instigated me to pose various questions on Crime, Punishment, Good, Evil to myself. The intimacy that the author have attempted to create between the readers and the murderers Perry & Dick brings in sympathy. Furthermore, the interwoven themes like abandonment, homosexuality, loneliness and reversal of child / adult roles etc is a typical Capote's style. In short this book is slow but dense in reading.

The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer
This is the one of the very few compulsive reading of a contribution to the society. This book is a bold and a persuasive work that compels the readers towards various aspects of sexual life. The very beginning explanation the author gives for the 'Eunuch' word is not as 'castrated male' rather it is the women who is castrated. The terms like "Cherchez la femme", the expression used in the search for a female scapegoat, were put in an extremely striking way. The line like 'Sex for many has become a sorry business', is an audacious statement but a fact few will dispute. The aspects like sexual disabilities, monogamy, polygamy, homosexuality etc, that the author talks about are stimulating. Usually, books that are narrative like this talk only on ideologies but always lack gripping. But the author have attempted to make the same interesting in a cohesive and an uninterrupted way like a novel. Even in the mocking statements like 'Psychologists cannot fix the world so they fix women', the author invigorates the minds.
Though it took a hell lot of time to complete this book, I am extremely elated for the thoughts that it had invoked in my mind. No wonder when one the comments about the book read as "... brilliantly written, quirky and sensible, full of bile and insight".

LETS TALK (on) RASHOMON

I recently saw an old Japanese movie Rashomon and I've attempted to ink my thoughts about the movie here. I was astonished to see such a novel idea behind the movie that too in 1958 - the primitive age of Japanese cinema.

The one line story of the movie was that four people recount different version of the story of a man’s murder and the rape of his wife. The first appreciable thing was that the conventional practices were not followed. For instance, the unreal part of the story usually will not be enacted by the actors on screen but may be stated as a narration by any character. It was amazing that this convention was broken. Though I can’t stop myself from appreciating this but I also feel that it would have befuddled some of the viewers. The next appreciable thing was that, on hearing the storyline, whatever conjecture the viewer thinks could be possible regarding the crime, was handled in the story. Wasn't that good enough to claim this one as a masterpiece?

This story reminds me of another film – Lets Talk by Boman Irani. This film handles a family problem in different perspectives. The story line goes like this......After few years of marriage; husband loses interest in his wife and behaves indifferently to her. This makes the lonely wife to have an affair with another guy. Now the wife unveils her affair to her husband. This was the situation that's handled in 7 or 8 different ways. Each view shows different emotions and reactions of the couple based on the circumstances. I am sure that everyone will react to this situation in any one of the stated views. This movie is a standing proof that with just two characters, wonders can be made on the screen.

In short, both the movies do have a similar crux, but handled in different ways. One handles the crime from other peoples' perspective while the other makes you to spot yourself among the stated characters. I enjoyed both.........................

Feminism and Me...

When I was reading a book few days back, a small paragraph twitched me towards quite a few things and things still rankle my minds with the antithesis of right and wrong. I am putting all of those and my personal opinions in black and white here.

It is true and unfortunate that certain women are still being oppressed in many aspects. The prevailing male chauvinism (I am not using this word loosely) drives me up the wall. Gang rapes, Domestic violence, unfair Islamic & Iranian laws, etc..etc.. This list never seem to end. But why? Can't women be treated in a way similiar to men? Is there any unsaid rule that 'Male are Superior' (I dont mean anything Physical here)? Is it because men were seen as the one who supports the family (blah blah...) this superiority ego prevails? Is chauvinism conforming sexism? I feel like stoning the person with these beliefs to death. (I cant help being harsh) Is this feminism? Am I a feminist? I dont have an answer for these two questions.

I really haven't understood the term Feminism or Feminist in totality. I believe in Women's equality and am strongly against discrimination & oppression of ANY SEX. If ONLY THIS means Feminism, then I am a feminist. I have also faced many questions like, 'Being a male, are you not ashamed to raise your voice against male chauvinism?'. The only answer to this question is, 'N-O. NO'. Patriarchial thinking brings in the aspect of 'women being treated as sex object' and having a feeling of possession over the object(women are considered as an object unfortunately). This thinking has to be the first thing to be driven out of the society.

But, Is feminism male bashing? What do anyone get in bashing the other. One may only get a sense of satisfaction in abusing the other(even happy for scolding the other for his/her unbearable opinion). But is it fruitful? I dont think so. I personally consider that feminism has got nothing to do with female power and doesn't call for superiority of female sex over men. Chauvinism cannot be fought with chauvinism.

Feminism is like a religion where you believe both sexes are equal and follow the same in practice. The need of the hour is not to prove who is more powerful or who can abuse the other more? It is a high time for a balance. Will Patriarchy, the one that had gathered so much mass till today, give way for this equality thinking? Other banal arguement include, 'Women are instrumental in holding their place in the society and have strength to fight back patriachy'. (I dont agree with this...) This closeted ideas have to be broken first and the patriarchial dictatorship have to be eradicated from the society.

Also being a feminist is not a one to boast? It is as if boasting that 'I am a normal person'. The tralatitious acceptance of male domination might make a feministic opinions different, but really not a one to boast.

By talking of women being treated as inferior and getting less for what they bargained for, stresses the point of inequality further. Talking of men suffering & women prevailing or women suffering & men prevailing all just add weights to the opinion you are arguing for. For every suffering sex, there are many silent suffering opponent sex individuals side by side. Women being illtreated and men bullying have to change and the strong acceptance that everyone is equal should be there. Discriminate a person for the brain he/she has and not by gender. It shows the weaker part of a human.

Law have also been discriminating... I understand that women were oppressed mostly than men, but what if a man is harassed by a female? Is there a legal remedy?

To the lighter side; 'Is disliking Hon. Prathiba Patel an act of male chauvinism?' If so, then I am a Male chauvinist. I dislike her not for the gender but :)