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Q & A by Vikas Swarup

(2022-02-23 09:06:53) 下一个

I forgot exactly why I picked up this book for the long weekend. In the

dictionary, I have reached the word "Gandhi" which might have revived a

curiosity in India. I hadn't read anything about that country since "The Great

Indian Obsession." I just thought the story which inspired the 2008 movie,

Slumdog Millionaire, might be a good bet although I hadn't watched the film.

 

In about 300 pages the book recounts a dozen chapters of the life of young Ram

Mohammad Thomas, from his ophan childhood till he wins in a quiz show one

billion ruppees after answering correctly 13 questions. One or more sad stories

make the theme of each episode, exposing the shocking suffering of the people at

the bottom of the Indian society. It paints vivid pictures of the ills of

poverty, the senselessness of religious intolerance, indifference, corruption,

and other dark sides of human nature. Nonetheless, Q & A is able to blend in

humor, hope, and thrills throughout and reaches a happy ending where all the

hero's and his friends' woes are resolved by his big win. The ending feels

shallow and hasty but overall, the book exposes and entertains.

 

The author himself was from a lawyer family, worked for the government, and

served recently as the Indian ambassador (high commissioner) to Canada. His

background clearly shows in a few places in the book and his mastery of the

English language is admirable.

 

As usual, I recorded the paragraphs, phrases, and words interesting to me, (This 

might be the first time I could do so for an entire book.) including the two

snippets below that reveal the importance of English in the Indian world. 

 

    Without even trying, I became their leader. Not because I was bigger; not

    because I was more aggressive, but because I spoke English. I was the orphan

    boy who could speak and read the magic language, and its effect on the

    officials was electric. The head warden would ask how I was doing from time

    to time. The sports teacher allowed me to set up a makeshift cricket pitch

    in the front courtyard, where we got in four or five decent games before

    Munna broke the warden's window and all sports were banned. The stern cook

    occasionally obliged me with a second helping. Gupta never called me to his

    room at night. And the doctor put me in the isolation ward without the usual

    delay, thereby preventing me from infecting the whole dormitory. (p76)

 

        "My name is Raju Sharma," I say. There is no way I am going to use any

    of my real names in this city. Not after killing an unknown man on a train.

        "Oh, so you are a Brahmin?" she asks, her eyes turning even more

    suspicious. I should havve realized that a dark-skinned Brahmin would be

    something of a novelty.

        "Yes. I am new to Agra. I have come to ask if there is anywhere I can

    stay."

        "We have an outhouse where we keep tenants." I notice she uses the royal

    "we" instead of "I." "Right now no room is available. ... But you will have

    to manage somewhere else for a week."

        "Thank you, madam," I reply in English. "I will take the room, and I

    will pay you four hundred rupees next week."

        The lady looks at me sharply as soon as I speak in English. Her severe

    features soften somewhat. "Perhaps you can stay with Shankar for a week.

    Lajwanti, show him the outhouse." (p248)

 

I seemed to have spotted an error on page 113

    The diplomats and expatriates exchange gossip about their servants and

    colleagues and crib about the heat.

    

Did the author intend to say 'crab' instead of 'crib'? 

 
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7grizzly 回复 悄悄话 回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you very much, 暖冬, for reading and pointing out the meaning of "crib about" which I couldn't find in either AHD or the New Oxford American Dictionary. I should use online dictionaries more.

> being able to speak English gives him a sense of superiority
It might indeed. But the attitudes toward an English-speaking orphan on the street were more revealing, of the society as a whole.

There might be cases where 无为 can be understood as 'flow,' but I wonder the followup, '无不为' in the TaoTeChing, should be translated to in English :-)
暖冬cool夏 回复 悄悄话 to crib about== to complain about in an angry way (British English)
I did not know this either, until I consulted the dictionary online:

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/crib_2

For sure, being able to speak English gives him a sense of superiority:). Decades ago in Hong Kong, people there spoke either only Cantonese or English:)

You know what, I came across the word "wu wei" 无为 in English in reading The Atlantic. It is interpreted as "flow". I like this interpretation as it reminds me of the water.
Thanks for sharing this Indian movie.
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