What is your reaction to Manju? Does she remind you of anyone you know? How is she like and unlike that person? What are the principal characteristics of her identity?
Manju's qualities surprise me in a way. So far as I dug deeper into the story, I was constantly reminded of how the demeanors of women in this slummed community really are. Zehrunisa, for instance, takes care of her children but complains and has a high temper, Fatima or The One Leg is untrustworthy and unkind to her family and neighbors, and Asha is too stern and strict of a mother to realize how great of a daughter she really has. All in all, Manju the youngest of all the women seems to have most of the sense in Annawadi and most of the faith to succeed. I react to this because she also has a keen observation for things that go on in her neighborhood, "In fact she liked being outside, peering into doors and collecting snatches of neighborhood gossip...". To me, Manju is a representation of a girl who looks out for everyone, who has sympathy and care for others, and who looks out for her own academic benefits as well. I regret to say, however, that Manju's qualities don't remind me of anyone I know. Her identity is a little shelled because she let's her mom's strict dominance take over who she really wants to be. Boo mentions that, "When studying, she sometimes fingered the scar on her neck from a night, years ago, when she'd stolen money from her mother to buy chocolates. Asha had responded with an axe." This statement indicates how Manju learned from her mistakes from trying to steal from Asha, but she is still entrapped in her mother's rules, which will make Manju do just about anything to please her. Touching that scar and studying symbolizes a sort of misbalance between what she wants to do in life and what her mom wants her to do in life. Her identity is masked to the extent where she uses a "Fair and Lovely Lotion" which helps her sustain a light complexion than choosing her normal complexion. Overall, her identity seems a bit American to me. She's smart, helpful, hard working, and beautiful, but she is not your ordinary slum dweller. Abdul even consider her as "the most everything girl."
Blog response #2
ReplyDeleteThe fact that we all speak and write English is a tremendous gift. As Manju stated knowing English shows superior knowledge in India and across the world. It is their ticket out of the slums. If they can educate themselves with English there is a chance for them in this world. This strikes me to the core. Both of my parents came from Poland and struggled with the English language. Because they weren't aware of the new found language they were mistreated and used. Everyone trying to survive and leave the slums must educate themselves to the fullest because they can still be mistreated outside of the slums. No matter what educational status they have people can't be trusted.