Rugby School Essay Example

Rugby School Paper Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay, India to a Muslim family. At the age of fourteen Rushdie was sent to Rugby School in England. In 1964 Rushdies parents moved to Karachi, Pakistan. During this time there was a war between India and Pakistan, and the choosing of sides. Rushdie wrote his novel East, West based on the cultural similarities and difference and the relationship between east and the west. The theme of his work shows many connections, disruptions, migrations and shows the contrast between the religion, influence and identity between the Eastern and Western world. The first three stories are set in India; they involve the section titled East. In the short story The Free Radio Rushdie shows a comparison between the Indian society, its classes and its backwardness. The main priority of the Indian lower caste people being wanting to rise above all even if it means giving up their manhood. The story is about, a young boy, Ramani(symbolizes the Indian people) who is characterized as a teenage boy, and gets married to a thiefs widow(Indira Gandhi), who looks only for his downfall. Ramani, who is uneducated and is from the lower caste society, gives up his manhood in order to get a free radio which was promised, but never arrives. During the time of the Emergency (1975-1977) the basic rights and freedoms were taken away from the people. India had problems with over population hence, men were forced to give up their manhood (vasectomy) if not voluntarily then they will be forced to do so. We will write a custom essay sample on Rugby School specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rugby School specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rugby School specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Ramani in this case who did this voluntarily showed that the lower caste society would do anything for a little money or satisfaction, they also dont think about their actions and consequences and does things willingly and not ready to accept what they did was wrong. This proves that Indira Gandhi was trying to destroy the lower caste society since they werent of much use. This is an image of no unity among the people of India they did what they thought was best for them. They were so driven by the idea of having a free radio that didnt exist. The radio could also be a symbol of the unity of India. Since thats the only medium in which they can communicate. Since it wasnt possible to get the free radio it meant that it was never possible to achieve unity among the people. Ram always had the rare quality of total belief in his dreams, and there were times when his faith in the imaginary radio took us in, so that we half-believed it was really on its way, or even that it was already here, cupped invisibly against his ear as he rode his rickshaw around the streets of the town. (Rushdie. East, West. 27). This meant that there was a dream that was believed by everyone but for the benefit of one person everything could be destroyed. The tone of this story is like of a fable. He uses this tone because it was a way of showing what happened in India was wrong and it didnt do much good to people or the nation. And it is written in a way that he lets you decide if what happened was right or wrong. The diction and syntax in the stories of the east is that of an Indian lower class English that was influenced by the british and many words are derived from hindi/Arabic or Sanskrit like pukka.