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| Sunday, 22 January 2006 |
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Reviews Nilani De Silva's Monsoon Dream : Heroic journey to unknown West Reviewed by Ranga Chandrarathne Monsoon Dream, a novel by Nilani de Silva, one of the successful immigrants to the West who is domiciled in Sweden with her Swedish husband and three children, is a poignant or rather a heroic journey of a village girl called Anushka to the unknown West, in search of a home, away from home, and freedom she cherished against all odds. The story starts with Anushka's uncalculated journey to UK, which ends up in her being detained in a refugee camp for illegal immigrants in U.K and deported to Sri Lanka. As most aspiring Asians who are longing for a new life in greener pastures, Anushka's perception of the West is built on scanty information she got through reading books and listening to BBC, which is popular among middle class Sri Lankans. She grows up at a Wallauwa, a manor house and belongs to a rich class of landed gentry who enjoy a luxurious lifestyle with many servants to attend to their household chores. "Anushka's house is a turbulent place with father playing the role of an absolute despot. The situation in the house is becoming worse day by day. Anushka being a girl with an iron will, challenges the prevalent social ethos that expects a girl to be calm and passive and a boy to be reserved without expressing his emotions. Anushka's father beats her up constantly to punish her for playing with Arundathi, a girl from the low cast impoverish section of population in her village and Muniandi, a servant boy of the house. When she is severely beaten up, it is Somawathi, a housemaid, who consoles her and balms the wounds. On one such occasion, her T-shirt was soaked in blood, which she later kept in a red trunk. However, the only consolation for her in a hostile environment is her mother who encourages her and shows Anushka that the only way to freedom is through education. That freedom she achieves towards the end of the story through her arduous journey to the West in search of a home, away from home and freedom from discriminatory cultural practices that are taken for granted in Asian countries. Nilani, not only portrays brilliantly the common plight of Asian women but also the passage to capitalism from feudal agrarian society where feudal lords such as Anushka's father enjoy all the comforts in life, while the rest of the villagers who are low cast, eke out a miserable life and live in abject poverty. But two girls Anushka and Arundathi make up their minds to salvage themselves from the common plight which befell on others and pursue their dreams. One to settle down in the West, and the other to become a doctor. Nilani also depicts the true hospitality of the West, especially in UK where racism is rampant and Asians or "Blacks" are considered as worthless as dust. This is amply demonstrated by the incident of an African girl committing suicide at the detention camp for illegal immigrants unable to face inevitable deportation. Anushka faces the grim reality of Britain where she is treated as an illegal immigrant on her first journey, and also the kind of ethnic enclaves maintained by expatriate communities in UK where migrants lead lives without being integrated into mainstream British society, and practise more or less the same customs they practised in their motherland in the east and the same kind of foods. On her second journey to UK to pursue her studies, Anushka stays with an Indian lady and wonders whether she is in Britain or India. The story ends with the reunion of Anushka with her estranged family in Sri Lanka. It is symbolic in the sense that it is not only a reunion of the West and the East, but also an amalgamation of positive human values that recognize no boundaries and unity celebrating the cultural and linguistic differences in a world shrunken by modern technology. The second generation of mixed parentage, that of Anushka's offsprings, enjoy the differences. The story ends with a happy note, Anushka's family planning to spend their next vacation in Sri Lanka suggesting the continuation of ties with one another. Monsoon Dream is also a story of a courageous girl who triumphs, at the end, realizing her dreams and much cherished freedom. Monsoon Dream was first launched in USA and New York Times comments, Monsoon Dream is the story of Anushka, a teenage girl in Sri Lanka, after being disowned by her family and encouraged to kill herself, leaves her native country in search of a new home and a way of life in England. Through various and quite gripping flashbacks we learn the story of her past, a tale that is at times ethnography, part mythology and part sheer poetry." Nilani de Silva presently lives in Stockholm with her husband and three children. She was born in Sri Lanka and moved to England to pursue her studies. She obtained her master's degree in Media and Communication in the UK. She has taken a break from her PhD Studies to give more time to the passion in her life, writing. This is her first attempt. Monsoon Dream is published in Sri Lanka by Vijitha Yapa publications. A new culture for a new society A New Culture for a New Society. The book was recently launched in Kandy before a very appreciative assembly. The selections have been made from over 400 articles and chapters of books published by the author during the past 60 years. Some of the articles were first published in foreign journals, the others in local journals and daily newspapers. The cover design of the elegantly printed book is by Sunil Fernando of Satyodaya Centre, Kandy and Crishantha Wijerathne of Ruchira Offset Printers. It shows the deep roots of a bush of tea. It is on these deep roots of the culture and civilization of our country that a new culture has to be constructed for a new society. The book has five sections: Plantations (7 articles), The Inter-Ethnic Question (3), Socio-Spiritual Issues (9), Personal Reflections and Memories (9), ending with reflections on "Sri Lanka One Year after the Tsunami", and a long section on Development (8). At the launch the author was introduced by Mrs. Jean Arasanayagam (Writer and Poet) and the book by Rev. Jeffrey Abayasekara (an Anglican priest, fully committed to justice). Fr. S. Maria Anthony, S.J., the Jesuit Provincial who commissioned the publication of the book says that it is the fruit of commitment to the cause of the poor and to the promotion of justice over the last thirty years or more. Further, it will provide valuable source material for students who wish to study the plantation community, inter-ethnic relationships, socio-religious and developmental issues. The book is available in several bookshops and at Satyodaya Library Unit at Rs. 600, postage included. Cheques, etc., should be made payable, A/C payee, to Satyodaya. The cinematic beauty of 'Gods and Monsters' by Dr. Vidura Mahendra When we talk about gods it creates a special religious notion in ourselves. But how can we talk about gods and monsters on a level in par. Well, this is something that I have come across in a cinematic portrayal. One wonders how often this type of descriptive work of art comes to the silver screen. In 1998, a young American film director Bill Condon took the task of creating both the god and the monster on the same surface based on the novel of Christopher Bram. The theme of the film was based on the life of the legendary English film director James Whale who was famous for directing the horror classic Frankenstein in 1931. The films like The Old dark house (1932) based on J. B. Priestley's short story, Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The kiss before the mirror (1933) and many more subsequently made him a household name throughout the UK and in the world. These horror films have been inundated with filmgoers in the 1930s and still remain some of the all time favourites, despite seventy odd years having passed by. Whale's cinematic eccentricity was well portrayed by the English actor William Pratt well known as Boris Karloff on the silver screen. Whale made him an overnight star. Boris Karloff still remains the favourite 'Monster' despite many films being reproduced subsequently. The interesting part of the legendary director remained a myth till recent times. People knew him as the 'King' of horror movies, nothing less or more. However, it seems the passage of his life and love was not extrapolated by anyone significant until Condon's film that has taken the limelight. It may be due to so many reasons as to why and for what reason etc. But as Whale himself shows in his horror films, the end was not conspicuous hence a lot to think subsequently. I feel for this reason Condon has made an effort to research this unique character. It is not often we find film directors (James Whale) have reclusive lifestyles contrary to their profession. In Condon's film we see the beauty of this character uniquely performed by another great actor Ian McKellen. McKellen acts as Whale and shows his stream of life flowing in many a path. The fame he renders due to overwhelming popularity, happily married friends, critics and alone with some strange characters he feels so special about, but feels deprived of. Condon then tries to divert our attention to more subtle variations of Whale's life particularly of his love life. It may be difficult to understand in a predominantly heterosexual society, but the scrupulousness to form love and affection having been frustrated in numerous occasions has been brilliantly created by Condon in a breathtaking cinematic beauty. He uses an ordinary young gardener who comes to do gardening in Whale's house that he later develops strong feelings for. The affair between Whale and the gardener was not profoundly intimate but appears to be more of a friendship. The character takes a further plunge when he wants to open himself up in an intimate manner. The relationship nevertheless grows into something special rather than the expected due to the constant intricacies they encounter. There are also some characters that have been used pertinently to depict the nature of Whale's character. A housemaid who believes being homosexual is a sin or blasphemy for religious reasons feels deprived of her opined. As a gross story this is not a huge impact as one would imagine. But the creativity of this unique character and the cross-examinations within himself in a way, together that has been brilliantly portrayed by Ian McKellen are quite phenomenal. McKellen was later nominated for the best actor, Oscar genre. As for the Sri Lankan cine lovers this would definitely be a novelty to assimilate. It also shows the scrupulousness of the homosexual or the gay relationships which we have not hitherto addressed significantly in Sri Lankan cinema due to the subtle cultural impacts and complexities of certain segments within such work of art. Whale has spent most of his life creating 'monster' movies of extreme success but in himself he had an uncharted territory that nobody had ever looked into and for that very reason Condon has titled this film as 'Gods and Monsters' a true treat for cine lovers. (email: [email protected] ) For a war free world... by Shaun D. Paul Russian Literature is full of human interest fiction - novels, poetry and short stories. Among much talked personalities Alexai Phatyanov is a poet who has won the hearts of all Russians. Phatyanov who represents the Russian post revolutionary era is respected in his country even today, with his poetry being recited at grand functions. Thanuja Dharmapala translates some of his selected poems and presents to the Sinhala readers as Phatyanov's Love. As Phatyanov has written much on love affection and war, here Thanuja also accumulates such kind of 50 poems in her effort. Phatyanov, as a poet who wished a war free land to live has always brought out the emptiness, rudeness and ignorance in the war while promoting love, affection, tenderness, respectfulness for human kind, etc. In most of the creations, the speaker is a soldier who separated from his loved ones for a long time. Almost all his creations invites the reader to personalise the experiences he underwent as their own. In one untitled poem written in 1944 he says: "When I received your letters I feel again That smile, tenderness and all Sunshine, sky and life is still worthy Then, courage comes unto me to invade the enemy camp .....? He further describes all these things because of you, because of sunshine, because of the earth and because of both of us. That is all. He teaches the world to love each other and live in peace and harmony. All of his poems are full of humanism and the translator has been capable of giving the original idea to the Sinhala reader. Most of Phatyanov's poems follow the Haiku tradition and Thanuja keeps that style even in Sinhala verse. The poem The Return which he reminds us of the mothers' love for their sons is a good example for the above. 'Phatyanov's love' by Thanuja is a book which should definitely be in your book shelf at least to teach the next generation to work for a war free world to live in. A Comprehensive History of Sri Lanka A Comprehensive History of Sri Lanka: from prehistory to Tsunami, Written by Dr. Nath Yogasundram was launched on Friday, January 20, 2006 at 5.00 pm at the National Library services Board by Vijitha Yapa Publications. Based on factual details, this book traces the history of Sri Lanka from prehistoric times to the present days and includes details of the invasions of the island by Western Nations and the current ethnic conflict. Dr. Yogasundram also elaborates on the Stone Age culture, hydraulic civilization and the development of the society, which changed eventually due to internecine battles that allowed a decadent and divided society to develop. The story of the tragic Tsunami is also portrayed in a heartfelt manner. The book maintains not merely an easily comprehensible style for general reading but also provides a detailed description of Sri Lanka for the more serious researcher. A retired vascular surgeon by profession, Sri Lankan born Dr. Yogasundram was educated at St. Thomas College Mount Lavinia and completed his higher education at the University of Ceylon. He now lives in the United Kingdom. |
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