Chamdi has a hating relationship with Anand Bhai. From the time Chamdi hears his name he becomes fearful and knows that Anand is the superior one who he must answer too. Chamdi is a strong willed young boy and only likes answering to himself. From day one of meeting, they do not get along and are rivals.
Anand first sees Chamdi as a boy who is strong and that he can trust. This all changes when Sumdi and Guddi decide to go against Anand’s wishes and steal money that will not be given back to him. Anand sees Chamdi now as a threat to his “work” of stealing on the streets. Later when Anand finds out what has happened he tells Chamdi “You have to Pay” (Irani 245) “ You lied to me, so hold your tongue and slice it off’’ (245). Anand feels that the only way to remind Chamdi again that he is superior is to have him frightened and causes him pain by slicing his tongue.
Part of the rivalry comes from the boys’ style of living before they both ended up doing street work. Chamdi coming from an orphanage assumed that he did not have to “earn” his living and that he was always given food when he asked or was hungry. Anand had grown up having to steal to earn his food and his family’s home. After this hard work he figured that he shouldn’t have to work anymore and that if the street people wanted to beg on his street they would have to pay up to him. When Chamdi came to the streets of Bombay he thought that this was unreasonable paying for risking your life begging while Anand just sat at home with his whores.
Chamdi doesn’t like what Anand does to these girls at his house. He feels that they should be as free as they want. Not under any entrapment or force to have sex with Anand.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Apologia
Anosh Irani is a strong author who writes with powerful insight to what is not the norm of society. He is able to grasp the reader’s attention with vivid imagery and with the characteristics which he gives his characters.
Irani writes his story about Chamdi who is a 10 year old boy who has a point that “the grass is greener on the other side” from his orphanage. He has been very sheltered and does not see the dangers of the streets. The streets are a horrible place to be if you do not know the system and how it works. In today’s society, I know many teens who think the same as Chamdi in that there is better out there than what they have and want to go find it. Irani makes this novel insightful by, in a way scaring teens of what is out there past the comfort of their own home. He comes out and shows the reality of what it is really like if you do not have a decent home to live in and are out struggling on the streets. Irani, growing up in Bombay himself, he is able to reveal the painted picture that people have about the town of Bombay. Living there and being able to see both points of view that the town is a good place if you have a home. But once you step outside your home it is no longer safe and a dangerous world. Such as Chamdi who did not know better and wishes that he had never left the orphanage. He is too deep in trouble and became to close to Anand Bhai to go back home. There is no escape for him.
This was a great novel to be on the Canada Reads 2007 list. For those who read it are probably just as shocked as I am with the story. Even though fictitious, it is sad that many thousands of children in our world today are living just like Chamdi. There is no escape from what they are doing, even as much as they want to they can not get out. In the rare chances that children such as Chamdi are able to escape from this torment which they lived through daily, it will always be in there mind. Always some part of who they are.
This novel opened up my eyes, made me have to think outside the box. When people talk about aids in Africa, or the war in Iraq, I am sure that they picture it is bad but until being followed through someone’s life day by day, being able to see and witness everything these children have to live through and then still able to manage a small smile is a miracle. Irani should be looked at as one of a great author. His novels are inspiring and make you want to help someone who is unable to help themselves. If every other person in this world read The Song of Kahunsha the world would be a very different place. People would see that children living in the streets have it much harder off than you think. Sure they have no food and shelter which is sad but the deeper secrets that are hidden within them are terrifying. Like the things which they may be forced to watch happen, or what they are forced to do because of a person with higher seniority.
Irani writes his story about Chamdi who is a 10 year old boy who has a point that “the grass is greener on the other side” from his orphanage. He has been very sheltered and does not see the dangers of the streets. The streets are a horrible place to be if you do not know the system and how it works. In today’s society, I know many teens who think the same as Chamdi in that there is better out there than what they have and want to go find it. Irani makes this novel insightful by, in a way scaring teens of what is out there past the comfort of their own home. He comes out and shows the reality of what it is really like if you do not have a decent home to live in and are out struggling on the streets. Irani, growing up in Bombay himself, he is able to reveal the painted picture that people have about the town of Bombay. Living there and being able to see both points of view that the town is a good place if you have a home. But once you step outside your home it is no longer safe and a dangerous world. Such as Chamdi who did not know better and wishes that he had never left the orphanage. He is too deep in trouble and became to close to Anand Bhai to go back home. There is no escape for him.
This was a great novel to be on the Canada Reads 2007 list. For those who read it are probably just as shocked as I am with the story. Even though fictitious, it is sad that many thousands of children in our world today are living just like Chamdi. There is no escape from what they are doing, even as much as they want to they can not get out. In the rare chances that children such as Chamdi are able to escape from this torment which they lived through daily, it will always be in there mind. Always some part of who they are.
This novel opened up my eyes, made me have to think outside the box. When people talk about aids in Africa, or the war in Iraq, I am sure that they picture it is bad but until being followed through someone’s life day by day, being able to see and witness everything these children have to live through and then still able to manage a small smile is a miracle. Irani should be looked at as one of a great author. His novels are inspiring and make you want to help someone who is unable to help themselves. If every other person in this world read The Song of Kahunsha the world would be a very different place. People would see that children living in the streets have it much harder off than you think. Sure they have no food and shelter which is sad but the deeper secrets that are hidden within them are terrifying. Like the things which they may be forced to watch happen, or what they are forced to do because of a person with higher seniority.
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