Tami Gilley

Bharati Mukherjee’s Answer to an Ever-Changing World

I chose to do my research topic over Bharati Mukherjee.  . . . Most of Mukherjee’s stories relate to the “phenomenon of migration, the status of new immigrants, and the feelings of alienation” as well as on Indian women and their struggle (Alam 7).  I chose Mukherjee not only because of her passion for writing creatively, but her passion as a realist as well.

 Bharati is so fascinating to me because she is not afraid to take chances in her work.  For example, in The Tiger’s Daughter, Mukherjee writes of a woman who has lived in the United States for several years, but decides to return back to her native India for a visit.  She quickly realizes that the country is not the same and that her memories of a somewhat prosperous lifestyle, no longer exists.  New impressions of poverty and political unrest cloud her thoughts.  Upon writing this novel Mukherjee decides to take a chance that most India born writers are not willing to do.  As Mukherjee explains to Gabriel, “ The majority, the Anita Desais, the Bapsi Sidwas, are expatriate Indian writers whose inspiration still derived from experiences that happened in India and at a time perhaps when they were not personal witnesses to those incidents.”  This type of comment shows Mukherjee to be one of the few writers from India that has no problem writing about the here and now.

Most of Mukherjee’s writing provides a clear pathway for text objective two.  She clearly defines the five stages and has no problem discussing her own journey to the new world.  Mukherjee’s thoughts define her as being someone who is less likely to make excuses for her circumstances but chooses to be creative and make the most of it.  As Mukherjee describes in her own words, “But the accident of suddenly being deposited in the New World meant there are no rules and so I had to find not only ways of identifying myself as a newcomer in the New World , but also find new forms of writing…”  This type of attitude is what separates Mukherjee’s writing from authors that choose not to change anything about their writing style.

Mukherjee relates her new form of writing in The Middle Man and Other Stories.  This is a collection of short stories that explore the uniting of East and West through Immigrant experiences.  Most of the stories in this book display graphic portraits of violence and hatred.  As Mukherjee explains to Ruta, “There was a constant domestic brutality all around me—extreme verbal abuse, physical abuse, of women, including my mother, which I witnessed, and a lot of it ritualized.”  Again, this alludes to the type of writer Mukherjee professes to be.  She makes no excuses, but gives clear explanation.  She realizes this type of writing may not appeal to the ideal reader, but knows she can create her own audience.

During the course of her thirty year tenure as a creative writer, Mukherjee has enthusiastically been engaged in redefining the American national identity from the perspective of immigration, which she relates as a cultural process that keeps the meaning of America alive to expose ones creative side.  With this, Mukherjee has no problem explaining that she chose to stay in America because of the personality to which it holds.  She finds great pleasure in saying that she is indeed an American writer that does not write about expatriatism in a fiction form, but a factual form.  I personally enjoy the fact that Murkherjee understands that by choosing to stay in American that a certain amount of assimilation creates a more comfortable environment.  As Mukherjee comically explains to Gabriel, “Because I married an American—I know more about American sports because he was a sports fan, I knew about Trivial Pursuit simply because I was a young dutiful wife.”  

However, Mukherjee’s creative style and character have not come without constant criticism.  As John K. Hoppe writes, “She is plainly disinterested in the preservation of cultures, the hallowing of tradition, obligations of the past.”  Again, this is the reason why I consider her to be such a great writer.  She takes chances that some writers are not willing to take.  Probably the most fascinating comment that Murkherjee makes to her critics derives from her take on multiculturalism, “…Parents express rage or despair at their U.S.- born children’s forgetting of, or indifference to, some aspects of Indian culture..I would ask:  What is it we have lost if our children are acculturating into the culture in which we are living?”  This particular quote sums up everything that Murkherjee’s is passionate about and her true desire for understanding.

As a future educator, I hope to one day incorporate the works of Mukerjee in to my classroom.  To me she is passionate about her writing and provides no excuses.  She eloquently handles criticism and provides her audience with more than a one- sided view.  I can only hope that in the future she will continue her style of writing and not succumb to any negative criticism.

Works Cited

Alam, Fakrul.  Bharati Mukherjee. New York:  Twayne Publisher, 1996.

Bharati Mukherjee. Gale Literary Databases Contemporary Authors. EBSCO. Neumann  Library, Houston, Tx.26 November 2007

“Decoding the language.” Women’s Review of Books 19.10/11(July 2002):  13. Academic Search Complete.EBSCO. Neumann Library, Houston, Tx.26 November 2007

Gabriel, Sharmani Patricia. Routes of Identity”:  In Conversation with Bharati Mukherjee. Ariel         (Calgary, Alta.) 34 no4 125-38 Oct 2003.

Donna Shotwell

French Canadians . . .

             . . . This knowledge has taught me several new things. Starting with the journey of immigrants from farms, to cities, and then a new country. Also, the important roles woman played outside the traditional, where they became a major source of the family income. My research has taken me to more intense thinking, about how long an immigration process like this one has been taking place in America. For example, today the Spanish speaking immigrants come to America for the same reasons as the French, and most are seeking manual labor jobs in chemical plants etc. in the south. Both are crossing land boundaries to the nearest industries in search of better economic opportunities. Next, I would like to learn about the influence French Canadians had on the communities of New England, where they lived.

            My research applies to our course in several ways. First, it follows the main objectives, and distinguishes Canadian immigrants as part of our nation’s heritage. The information brings into focus other French Canadian groups, besides the well known Cajuns. Also, the research shows Canada as not always closely resembling the American economy and culture. My research paves the way to exploring Canadian immigrants’ decision to leave their homeland and start a new life in America.