CHARACTER OF SHAMA in A House for Mr. Biswas (1961)

CHARACTER OF SHAMA

Her loyalty the family:-

          Shama is one of Tulsi’s daughters. Like other daughter, she is loyal to the family, First, she meets Biswas at the Tulsi store, and she likes and loves him. Then she marries Biswas at the Tulsi store and she likes and love him. Then she marries with the consent of her mother. Tulsi and her uncle, Mr. Sheth, she thinks that like other sons-in-laws. Biswas will be obedient to her mother. But Biswas does not remain dependent on Tulsi and rebels against her. Tulsi and Seth do not like it. Even Shama is also displeasured with him and thinks that he is a trouble maker tat Hanuman House.

A witty and Sharp Tongued Woman:-

          Shama is not a household doll but a witty and  sharp-tongued woman. Mr. Biswas speaks to her about her mother, her uncle and her two brothers in a mocking tone. At this time she does not favour him but rebukes him courageously. When he tells her that he is not happy after marrying her, she say that he has starting eating four times a day after marriage. On another occasion, he compares Hanuman House to a zoo and her two Brothers to monkeys. At this she retorts that he is a barking puppy dog in this zoo. Thus her ready answers are full wit and humour.

A woman of self-respect and independent mind

          Shame is a young woman of self-respect and independent mind. She is efficient and hard-working and different fields of work. As a mother he loves her children and as a wife she is very much devoted to her husband. She proves very useful to him. She neither pampers her children nor is very severe on them. She becomes angry with Savi when she does not tie her shoe-laces properly. She shows her efficiency when she organizes the house blessing ceremony properly well. She suggest Biswas how to keep accounts of the food-shop and also how he should deal with the customers. Even Biswas accepts her as good house-keep, a loving mother and an efficient helpmate. She tells her sisters that no woman should remain unmarried or childless. She does not want to be an undutiful daughter, sister, wife or mother.

Her own individuality:-

          She has her own individuality among her sisters. She is perfectly capable of taking her own decisions. She is an industrious woman and she is capable of intelligent conversation with strangers. She firmly tells Biswas that she no longer wants to stay at Chase. She also forces him to accept a new job that Mr. Seth offers him. When Biswas falls ill, she decides to shift him from Green Vale to Hanuman House again. As a house wife, she believed in economy, she spends little money for herself. She manages to meet all her needs of clothing with the gifts that she receives from her mother every Christmas.

          She accepts the inevitable with courage. She adjusts herself with Biswas and her children. She finds many defects in the house in Sikkim Street, but she stays that after a few repairs, everything will be alright. When Biswas dies, she exhibits the same stoic calm.

Conclusion:-

          Thus Shama  is a little irrational, but she is loyal to the Tulsi family. Sometimes she quarrels with Biswas, but she loves him deeply and she is ready to offer any sacrifice for his well-being and progress. Really, she is a woman whom we love and admire for her womanly qualities.