Q: 1 Discuss “A House for Mr. Biswas as a novel describing the protagonist’s painful quest of for identity. Or “A House for Mr. Biswas depicts a classical struggle of the personality against a society that denies it.” Discuss. Or Discuss “A house for Mr. Biswas a novel which blend a sense of human growth with feeling for it’s disintegration.
Introduction:-
Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (1932) has been a constant earner of host of international awards for literature including Booker Prize, Phoenix Trust award and Somerset Maugham Award and Nobel Prize too. In his novel, he explores the tensions of an individual trapped in the such a society through a series of powerful and evocative metaphors. In his novels, ‘The Suffrage of Elviva’, ‘The Mimic Men’ Mighel Street’ and ‘A house for Mr. Biswas’ all have the theme of personal failture. He finds himself disinherited from all traditions and living in a hostile world. It is a great problem for asserting his independence, identity of fulfillment. He says, Living in a borrowed culture, the West Indian needs writes to tell him who he is and where he stands.” In his interview with “Time magazine, Naipaul talks about three fold consciousness of the contemporary world, “an awaking to the natural world, curiosity about man’s presence in the world, taking nothing for granted. “ In the present work, the central character Biswas fate defines the limits of possibility. Naipaul sees in the best West Indian situation its positive and its negative extremities.
Two dominant themes:-
“A House for Mrs. Biswas deals with two dominant themes. (1) the development of the individual and of society (2) the theme of family disintegration or dissolution in the face of new forces and trends.
Besides this we also find a large account of adventures and experience of Mr. the novel describes the process by which the Tulsi family once united and now disintegrated under the influence of the western culture and of urban life. Thus the dissolution of the Tulsi family is also one of the leading themes of the novel. It has its root and relations with Mr. Biswas’s struggle in life. In fact, the novel is set on the solid foundation of the life story of Mr. Biswas, shows a self respecting individual’s rebellion against tyranny. Let us discuss these themes related to the protagonist’s struggle against society and self-development.
Mr. Biswas’ identity, resentment and frustration:-
Mr. Biswas rebellion against the system and his refusal to the code of conduct at Hanuman House lead to his expulsion from here. To him Hanuman House is a symbol of traditionalism, conservatism, and old Hindu culture. Mr. Biswas is now sent to “The Chase” house to run Tulsi’s food shop. But he finds himself ill-equipped to function as a shopkeeper. Under his wife Shama’s pressure, he has to hold a house blessing ceremony, which he could hardly afford. The chase described by Tulsi as ‘very nice little property’ cause a dissatisfaction for Mr. Biswas. He regards it as ‘Coal-barrel.’ He feels that he is loosing his self identity’ and inner sense of self respect in Tulsi-family relations and surroundings. So he protests against his first born child being named by Seth and Hari. He feels it insulting as he wasn’t even consulted so he represents the house affair considers himself as ‘a laborer’. Once again, at Green Vale, Mr. Biswas can not adjust himself to life in the Tulsi confinement. He thinks it necessary to build a house of his won. But he has no moment to buy a house or build a house. Then he desires for independence living in a neat house, he makes a project for this and gets failure. He knows house can not be completed so he has to live in one room house of his own. Here he feels the feeling of oppressed and loneliness.. Hence his desire for independence and for self assertion comes to nothing.
His Short – Live Independence at Shorthills:-
After the shock, set-back and illness, Mr. Biswas feels that it would be impossible for him to stay on at Hanuman House as a dependent of Mrs. Tulsi. He leaves Hanuman House and goes to Port of Spain to explore ‘Past new’. But now he has to live in the house of his sister Dehuti and her husband. Thus independence deprived him again. Here he obtains a job a new paper reporter. He is invited to live on rent by Mrs. Tulsi at her house in Port of Spain. He shifts his family there it is a life a partial independence. Mrs., Tulsi then invites Mr. Estate and he feels a sigh of relief. But this independence is short live. His house catches first is burnt down. Homeless he becomes gets a couple of rooms at Mrs. Tulsi’s former house where he stayed earlier. He feels disturbed. He feels no peace of mind and the condition of house is lifeless. Moreover Owad return from abroad and occupies two rooms of is house. As a result Mr. Biswas has to shift into another room under the strain and stress of living. He quarrels with Mrs. Tulsi and Owad. Tulsi asks him to quit her house. Then Mr. Biswas buys a house of his own in Sikkim Street in Port of Spain though he has to borrow an amount of four thousand dollar from his uncle Ajodha. Thus even with the debt Mr. Biswas has become the owner of a house and has achieved the fulfillment for this cherished ambitious. Thus he thinks that he has liberated himself from the strangle hold of Tusildom.
Individual and Social Development
We can study well that the conservatism of the Tulsi family is breaking away. Mrs. Tulsi who the embodiment of Hindu orthodoxy opposes the marriage of Shekhar with a Christian girl. After that, Govind also feel discontented with his life at Hanuman House. He becomes an independent from Tulsi family and works as a Taxi-driver. One another Son in law W.C. Tuttle also asserts his own independence and buys a house of his own and starts a new life. After running from England, Owad lives as complete westernized man and leave his mother and settles down in another home with his Christian wife. Thus the novel, besides, Mr. Biswas’s social individuality has been a study of the Old Hindu Culture. Coming into contact with an alien western culture, it has to shed its old customs and prejudices and has to adopt a new ay of life. The joint Hindu family system has broken down in the face of new social force and it is a good sign to develop.
Advancement a loss of the traditional values:-
At the outset the Tulsi family looks a complete and well-knit unit but gradually disintegrate because the various Tulsi family members began to adopt a new modes and ideas of life. For Example, Mr. Tuttle, a firm upholded defended by the old Brahminical culture is influenced deeply by western civilization and its literature, art and music. As a symbol of becoming a maiden, he purchases a four foot high statue of a naked woman. More other, the advancement made by Mr. Biswas means “a loss of certain precious traditional value”. The solidarity of the Tulsi family thus begins to crumble. Mr. Biswas rebels against the prevalent system of family. Shekhar’s getting married to a Christian girly and leaving Hanuman House to live with his wife’s parent came as another blow to the family solidarity. But when Mr. Biswas becomes ill, Govind is sent to his rescue. All members of the family then join in nursing Mr. Biswas back to health. Hence, once against, the Hanuman House has moved to be a sanctuary and a shelter for Mr. Biswas.
Rivalries and Jealous – Causes of Disintegration:-
The Hanuman House solidarity does not last long. The devoted Govind too begins to feel discontented. He often begins to make adverse comments on the family. Mrs. Tulsi’s influence thus is now on the vain, she appears to have lost interest in the family. Govind often, insults Shama and her Children W.C. Tuttle begins to cut down the cedar trees and to sell them for personal gain. W.C. Tuttle’s wife begins to cook separately for her husband and children. Even Mr. Biswas begins to steal oranges from Tulsi tree in order to sell them for personal income. The sense of oneness of the family is thus completely lost. Instead of developing mutual, sympathy, there begins mutual rivalries and jealousies among them.
The final disintegration of the Tulsi-clan:-
They all shift to Tulsi’s house in Port of Spain. Here the rivalries deepen. There is a rivalry between Govind and Chinta on one side and W.C. Tuttle and his wife on the other. W.C. Tuttle and Govind stop talking to each other. Both try to excel each other in hanging pictures and photographs in their room. The widow Basdai starts her own business by keeping boarders and lodges in order to make money. Shekhar is still loved by his sister, but as they are jealous of Dorothy, they do not feel close to Shekhar. Mr. Biswas too, set up an independent establishment. Then others too, move out of Mrs. Tulsi’s house to live separately and individually And Owad’s departure from his mother’s house is the climax of this progress family disintegration. Now all have lost their sense of oneness. Solidarity of family crumbles down. The old order changes completely. The joint family system has simple disintegrated, various family units which had together formed the back bone Tulsi-clan have dispersed by the time; the novel comes to a close.
Conclusion:-
In brief, the dissolution of the Tulsi family means also the weakening of these demotic emotions, achievements and bonds which are so necessary for the mental and spiritual well being of a human society.
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