Heat and Dust by Ruth
Prawer Jhabvala
From a Positive Psychology perspective
Heat and Dust is an extraordinary book.
This masterpiece has two heroines in my view:
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India and
Olivia
The country is fascinating in this story that presents the
reader with many of the aspects of this phenomenal land.
Even if or because it is so different, a reader is much more
interested in visiting after finishing this work, albeit things must have
changed from the time the narrative takes place.
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Olivia is
an English woman married to Douglas and an enchanting character.
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She finds
herself in some extreme situations, but there are so many strengths, facets
that we admire.
instead of keeping a "colonial" distance, this
protagonist immerses herself into this different culture
Another personage has the opinion that one can become too
much in love with India and get pulled to the other side.
-
To a great
extent, Olivia becomes Indian.
When the three families representing the British Empire in
this province have dinner one time, the subject of the burning of the wives is
brought forth.
It was striking to find the heroine on the side of the
suttee, at least to some extent.
The discussion referred to barbaric, frequently practiced
rituals wherein the widows of dead Hindus have been forced to die on the
funeral pure of their late husbands.
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One particular case is mentioned when the widow
did want to burn with the corpse of her former spouse.
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I would die for the one I loved
And indeed she loves her husband so much!
-
or doesn't
she?
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For she
not only becomes involved, mesmerized by a local prince, the Nawab, but she has
an affair with another local man!
I could and then could not understand her.
-
the Heat
and the Dust from the title are there for a reason.
-
They seem so overbearing.
Many of the people have to stay locked in their houses- the
English anyway- with doors and windows shut, in order to prevent the dust
storms from entering the houses.
The Nawab is also a character that, like the late Steve Jobs
had a reality discussion distorting field around him.
-
Charming, handsome,
princely, eccentric, flamboyant, princely, funny, otherworldly and yet capable
of patronizing gangs of looters and robbers in an attempt to recover from the
sorry state of his finances, stretched beyond breaking point by an excessive,
lavishing life style and entourage.
Olivia will have a baby.
She had not gotten pregnant with her husband for quite some
time.
-
So it is obvious that the baby will be Half
Indian.
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I was more than puzzled to read that Olivia
tells her husband about her pregnancy and he in turn makes all sorts of
preparations.
Some other characters in this chef d'oeuvre feel that the
color of the skin of the infant will give all the game away.
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This is an outstanding story of love, zest
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Joie de vivre
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Vivre a fond
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Plunging with abandon into another culture
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Choosing a completely different life
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Has Olivia done the right thing?
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Who can tell?
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