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A House for Mr Biswas
by V.S. Naipaul
by V.S. Naipaul
This was the second time I have read House for Mr Biswas. The first was for my English A' Level in 1981-2, the second in 2012.
I remember my first experience as a teenager being totally engrossed in this character Mohun that Naipaul had created. Tragic, comedic and the novel being a bit confusing at times getting to grips with the number of characters involved in this story.
At the age of 48 I had another read and the perspective is of course very different.
I think above all this is a very human story. It stays with you because there are some universal truths here. First or third world there is that struggle for independence and identity in the face of family - expectations or absence of, the environment you live in, economic insecurities. We all have to come to terms with these in our adult lives.
Reading the novel as a teenager, I guess I was on the cusp of entering that big wide world with many of the concerns expressed in this novel. How do you make your mark, be yourself and find what you are good at and avoid the sharks who "see you coming"..!
If you've never had to struggle, have been ultra confident in your life about who you are and what you want, then I doubt very much that this book is for you. Mr Biswas is the heroic anti-hero - the loser who won in his own way.
I remember my first experience as a teenager being totally engrossed in this character Mohun that Naipaul had created. Tragic, comedic and the novel being a bit confusing at times getting to grips with the number of characters involved in this story.
At the age of 48 I had another read and the perspective is of course very different.
I think above all this is a very human story. It stays with you because there are some universal truths here. First or third world there is that struggle for independence and identity in the face of family - expectations or absence of, the environment you live in, economic insecurities. We all have to come to terms with these in our adult lives.
Reading the novel as a teenager, I guess I was on the cusp of entering that big wide world with many of the concerns expressed in this novel. How do you make your mark, be yourself and find what you are good at and avoid the sharks who "see you coming"..!
If you've never had to struggle, have been ultra confident in your life about who you are and what you want, then I doubt very much that this book is for you. Mr Biswas is the heroic anti-hero - the loser who won in his own way.
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Scott
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Mar 08, 2012 11:18am
Hey I have a question. Is this book explicit? Moreover, sexually explicit or have nudity in it? Thanks
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Very much like yourself I read this as an eighteen year old in 1982 and it left a huge impact.I have not dared to re-read it (although I might still one day)..Your review,even without having done so,captures what I imagine would be my own response...Thanks for it.
Thanks for your comments David. Yes I think with a re-read you need to be prepared to be fairly constantly reminded of who you were when you first read it but at the same time, the story reveals itself to you at a deeper level because you can actually relate to Mr Biswas's journey and experiences..!
