Anil's Ghost

During my presentation in class I discussed the massive amounts of symbolism that seem to be very prominent in Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje, for this blog I plan on going into a little bit more detail over a few things that I found to be very symbolic. The issue that a reader can get into when discussing an author’s use of symbolism is that, (unless there is some sort of interview with the author discussing symbolism) it is all speculation. “Problem” may be too strong of a word to use because it seems like if readers were engaged enough in an author’s work to recognize symbolism, then the author would have done their job. However, what is the author supposed to think if students and scholars had analyzed their works incorrectly? Sorry that was just a side note that I think about every time I try and analyze the books we read. Ok, so the biggest piece of symbolism that I could pick up on was the title “Anil’s Ghost.” It seems to me that there are three possible meanings for this symbolism, or the author uses all three in to prove his overall point. The first meaning being that this “ghost” is Anil’s past. The author gives enough information to know that Anil is originally from Sri Lanka, but left at a very early age and was educated in the West. However, the longer she works in Sri Lanka the more attached she becomes to the people and she becomes much more empathetic to what is happening. At one point in the novel she even says “we” referring to her and the Sri Lankans as one. Another way this symbol could be interpreted is that this “ghost” is in fact the skeleton, Sailor, she finds and is investigating. The whole novel they are attempting to use this skeleton to find fault in the government, almost as if they are on a “ghost hunt.” Finally, the last bit of symbolism that could be interpreted from the title is that Anil’s “ghost” is actually Sarath. After all, Anil does owe her life to him, even though his methods and trustworthiness were often brought into question throughout the novel; in the end he appears to be the hero. The reason he could be qualified as this “ghost” is because for the rest of her life Anil will live knowing that Sarath saved her life, thus keeping Sarath alive in memory. Overall, this was my favorite book that we read in class. There are many reasons, but the main one is the glaring symbolism in almost every word. To me, it seems like it takes so much skill and accuracy in order to write this way and Ondaatje, does it to near perfection. 

Unruly Immigrants

In Das Gupta’s Unruly Immigrants, one point that I found extremely intriguing was this idea of how important a name can be to a group. On pages 168-171 she focuses on group of people to prove her point, this group is the gay and lesbian community. Gupta explains how names and labels are different depending on where the person being labeled lives, where they are from, or what they were brought up to think about certain ideas and terms. This is especially important in the gay community because of the diversity of people who consider themselves homosexual. As Gupta writes, not every gay and lesbian consider the idea of homosexual as what another gay or lesbian would. She explains how some consider the term to refer to their sexual life; some on how they perceive the world around them, and some do not consider themselves homosexual even if they have sexual relations with people of the same gender. Because of these glaring differences in opinion in the gay and lesbian community, it is very hard for a global group to pick a name that would encompass all the members to their liking. Even though the gay and lesbian community is considered a minority group that is seeking equal rights and other ideals they believe they deserve, it is hard for them to unite under one banner because of the vast amount differences they seem to have amongst them. These are the reasons it seems that Gupta is so interested in this group when it comes to the importance of a name to a minority group. She interviews a few members of different gay and lesbian groups that overall have many similarities but the differences keep them in separate groups. On this issue Gupta says “The issue of naming bears on a lively debate about the globalization of gay and lesbian identities. While some scholars argue that globalization has facilitated the currency in the South of originally Northern sexual identities (“gay” and “lesbian”) and has sparked sexuality-based liberation in that region, others contest the universalization of these categories to ask what they can encompass and what happens when sexual identities and politics flow in the reverse direction… (168)” In this excerpt Gupta tries to communicate her ideas on how others perceive the critical role a name and the globalization of that name play on the groups ability to attain the rights the people of that group desire. I have a very hard time agreeing with the idea that a name and a universality of a group can be detrimental to the goals of that group. It seems like throughout history there are countless examples of how people who are oppressed are able to set aside their differences and come together to fight for one common goal; and these examples are almost always of the groups that are successful at attaining what they had originally desired. Overall, it would be hypocritically or “selling out” to put a name on a group that would simply enhance numbers, however in the world we live in today it seems like numbers talk. Therefore, even though a name may not be completely culturally accurate or exactly what every member wants, if it helps achieve the ultimate goal, it is probably worth the sacrifice.

China Star Buffet

Church ended and my friends, grandparents, and I were left wondering what to do for lunch. Being that the group was quite large, finding a place that was tolerable for everyone was quite a task. However, about ten minutes into the conversation my Grandma suggested China Star Buffet. Most of the group were very fond of this idea, some were indifferent, i skeptical but in the mood to try something new. My previous Chinese food experience had been filled with poking, prodding, pointing, laughing, and many uneaten pieces of things that looked better than they actually tasted. On the way to the restaurant, I remembered this blog assignment and realized i could really take advantage of this multicultural experience. So i sat down, asked for chop sticks, and began to walk the aisles of the buffet with more of an open mind than usual. As much as i wanted to rush to the ice cream, mozzarella sticks, or other familiar foods; i fought the temptation and began piling a variety of different meats, vegetable, and noodles onto my plate. I ate, although difficult with the chopsticks, and tried everything i could. Even though i did not like many of what i tried, i was able to appreciate all the varieties and creativity of the different foods. As i recollected this experience to put on my blog, i can honestly say that i learned one thing; that being, that no matter how different something may be from what i am used to, it is always worth trying because you never know what you might discover.