Bye Bye Blackbird Review
Posted On Thursday, August 14, 2008 at at 18:31 by rk rishikesh sinhaBy Pranati Saikia, New Delhi
Presenting a vivid description of immigrant lives in an alien land, the novel Bye-Bye Blackbird by Anita Desai is a psychological study, which deeply examines east and west encounter and deals with the perplexity and dilemma of immigrant Indians for little certainty of their existence under disgusting conditions in otherwise beautiful land of England. The novel highlights the susceptibility and vulnerability of Indian minds to English culture and hence to rich England, that enchanted them by its magical grace and tranquility; enthralled them by its abundance and sophistication. But at the same time, it also entangles, enslaves and disdains them with its authority, empire and disapproval for being 'coloured' Indians. The author has denoted immigrant Indians as 'Blackbird' and exposed the social disparity and discrimination that prevails in England. The author Anita Desai, winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award has wonderfully recreated the little India in this psychological novel of her.
Divided into three parts- arrival, discovery and recognition, and departure, the book opens with the story of Adit Sen, an Indian Bengali immigrant, and his English wife Sarah Sen and his friend Dev who arrives England to study. The first part deals with the Indian psyche of new immigrant Dev and his adjustment problems in the totally new and alien environment of London. It also explores the happy conjugal life of Adit and Sarah. In the first part, writer tells about Adit's deep adoration for England, who finds it dynamic and prosperous. He criticizes India for being somnolent and dull with no activeness. But on the other hand, Dev finds emptiness in the alien surroundings of London. He feels it sickening and revolting and wishes to go back to India, the land of brightness and warmth, status and freedom.
The second part depicts the magnificent sights of London, Dev's venture into the city and his amazement at private lives of Englishmen and the barrenness that enclosed them. Describing the gripping landscape and sights of London, the author vividly penned down, "...he walks the street and parks of the city, grateful for its daffodil patches of sunshine, loathing its sooty, sodden dampness eat toffee apples in petticoat lane and fishes limp sausages out of pools of fat in Lyons corner house lies in the grass under the green canopies of Kew gardens.... boastfully gazing at the peacock-blue and rose-red paper flowers in a Mexican boutique, then is enthralled by the massive, blank bulk of Battersea power station...he is the bewildered alien, the charmed observer, the enraged outsider and thrilled sight-seer all at once and in succession."
While revealing the void ness of English private lives, writer explains, "he walks down the street, thinking surely somewhere a child will cry, somewhere a radio will be playing, but the houses might be uninhabited if it were not for the window boxes of geranium, freshly watered, here and there, and the lights that come as in the dark...a cold wasteland of brick and tile."
At the same time, writer also manages to analyze the confused psyche of Dev as a new immigrant Indian who soon find himself besotted with the magic of England. He gradually feels a tumult inside him that disturbs him day and night and wonders him whether he should stay, or go back. As it is clearly illustrates, "he is perfectly aware of the schizophrenia that is infecting him like the disease to which all Indians abroad, he declares, are prone…He is not sure, any longer".
The concluding part throws light on the emotional upheaval, whirlpool of chaotic sentiments due to uncertainty of existence that is suffered by Adit and Sarah since ultimately Adit realizes that he is leading an unreal life in an alien land by imitating a fake identity and yearns for his motherland. He started feeling homesickness and decides to return back India. The writer has also beautifully portrayed the turmoil undergo by the English psyche of Sarah, the wife of Adit who prepares to own a new identity and a new life in India by embracing her husband's decision. It also unravels the decision of Dev who finally gets employment in London and decide to prolong his stay.
The whole novel delves deep into the psychological ups and downs of immigrant Indian minds and highlights the truth behind the Indians vulnerable psyche to English as it is explicit in Dev's admiration, "nothing in his past twenty- two years had resembled remotely this world ha had entered by stepping through the door of the king's arms, this world of beer-soft, plum -thick semi-darkness and its soft, thick characters. Yet it was known, familiar, easy to touch, enjoy and accept because he was so well prepared to enter it- so well prepared by fifteen years of reading the books that had been his meat and drink, the English books that had formed at least one half of his conscious existence".
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Divided into three parts- arrival, discovery and recognition, and departure, the book opens with the story of Adit Sen, an Indian Bengali immigrant, and his English wife Sarah Sen and his friend Dev who arrives England to study. The first part deals with the Indian psyche of new immigrant Dev and his adjustment problems in the totally new and alien environment of London. It also explores the happy conjugal life of Adit and Sarah. In the first part, writer tells about Adit's deep adoration for England, who finds it dynamic and prosperous. He criticizes India for being somnolent and dull with no activeness. But on the other hand, Dev finds emptiness in the alien surroundings of London. He feels it sickening and revolting and wishes to go back to India, the land of brightness and warmth, status and freedom.
The second part depicts the magnificent sights of London, Dev's venture into the city and his amazement at private lives of Englishmen and the barrenness that enclosed them. Describing the gripping landscape and sights of London, the author vividly penned down, "...he walks the street and parks of the city, grateful for its daffodil patches of sunshine, loathing its sooty, sodden dampness eat toffee apples in petticoat lane and fishes limp sausages out of pools of fat in Lyons corner house lies in the grass under the green canopies of Kew gardens.... boastfully gazing at the peacock-blue and rose-red paper flowers in a Mexican boutique, then is enthralled by the massive, blank bulk of Battersea power station...he is the bewildered alien, the charmed observer, the enraged outsider and thrilled sight-seer all at once and in succession."While revealing the void ness of English private lives, writer explains, "he walks down the street, thinking surely somewhere a child will cry, somewhere a radio will be playing, but the houses might be uninhabited if it were not for the window boxes of geranium, freshly watered, here and there, and the lights that come as in the dark...a cold wasteland of brick and tile."
At the same time, writer also manages to analyze the confused psyche of Dev as a new immigrant Indian who soon find himself besotted with the magic of England. He gradually feels a tumult inside him that disturbs him day and night and wonders him whether he should stay, or go back. As it is clearly illustrates, "he is perfectly aware of the schizophrenia that is infecting him like the disease to which all Indians abroad, he declares, are prone…He is not sure, any longer".
The concluding part throws light on the emotional upheaval, whirlpool of chaotic sentiments due to uncertainty of existence that is suffered by Adit and Sarah since ultimately Adit realizes that he is leading an unreal life in an alien land by imitating a fake identity and yearns for his motherland. He started feeling homesickness and decides to return back India. The writer has also beautifully portrayed the turmoil undergo by the English psyche of Sarah, the wife of Adit who prepares to own a new identity and a new life in India by embracing her husband's decision. It also unravels the decision of Dev who finally gets employment in London and decide to prolong his stay.
The whole novel delves deep into the psychological ups and downs of immigrant Indian minds and highlights the truth behind the Indians vulnerable psyche to English as it is explicit in Dev's admiration, "nothing in his past twenty- two years had resembled remotely this world ha had entered by stepping through the door of the king's arms, this world of beer-soft, plum -thick semi-darkness and its soft, thick characters. Yet it was known, familiar, easy to touch, enjoy and accept because he was so well prepared to enter it- so well prepared by fifteen years of reading the books that had been his meat and drink, the English books that had formed at least one half of his conscious existence".
Please subscribe to the blog.