The Multi-Layered Godavari
Godavari is a great story for many reasons. But the two biggest themes that emerge are:
a) the drastically different voice; a woman writing about a woman &
b) the idea that a Pakistani writer is writing about Indian communal tensions.
The interplay between the writer's voice as a woman and the writer's voice as a Pakistani is one that makes Godavari an interesting read. To both these effects, we find that Fehmida Riaz explores the issue of the minority versus the majority. By weaving the narrative through the time of political strife and- keeping in mind her central characters as 'siyaasi Commies' who flee their homeland due to the oppressive Zia regime- she cleverly manages to touch upon the idea that migration is a desperate act, and the dismay migrants feel when they realize that their hopes have been dashed to find their new home is not much better than what they left behind. This is reminiscent of Marquez's collection of immigrant short stories, where he goes through the difficulties Colombian immigrants face. And Fehmida Riaz- on the same issue- manages through her intimacy with her female lead (Ma) manages to really give a feel of this melange of the troubles immigrant families and characters undergo.
But this story has its real clarity in the intricacies of the family itself. That we will save for the next blogpost. Ciao.
Godavari is a great story for many reasons. But the two biggest themes that emerge are:
a) the drastically different voice; a woman writing about a woman &
b) the idea that a Pakistani writer is writing about Indian communal tensions.
The interplay between the writer's voice as a woman and the writer's voice as a Pakistani is one that makes Godavari an interesting read. To both these effects, we find that Fehmida Riaz explores the issue of the minority versus the majority. By weaving the narrative through the time of political strife and- keeping in mind her central characters as 'siyaasi Commies' who flee their homeland due to the oppressive Zia regime- she cleverly manages to touch upon the idea that migration is a desperate act, and the dismay migrants feel when they realize that their hopes have been dashed to find their new home is not much better than what they left behind. This is reminiscent of Marquez's collection of immigrant short stories, where he goes through the difficulties Colombian immigrants face. And Fehmida Riaz- on the same issue- manages through her intimacy with her female lead (Ma) manages to really give a feel of this melange of the troubles immigrant families and characters undergo.
But this story has its real clarity in the intricacies of the family itself. That we will save for the next blogpost. Ciao.
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