Daljit Ranajee's Blog: Blog of Daljit Ranajee
May 14, 2015
Echoes From Punjab readers
It's interesting to share the reactions of the readers of my novel, Echoes From Punjab. Women, raised in India and migrated to America in sixties, resonate with all the ups and downs of the protagonist and have no questions. But my daughter's generation of Indians and Americans react quite differently. A few questions come to their minds as they read on.
Why Jasmine chose to leave her motherland when she had servants, education, and a big house?
First of all Jasmine’s life was tied to her husband’s future. In the sixties mostly men came to USA for higher studies with the intention of returning, but they liked the opportunities and high living standards of America and stayed on. Fifty years ago, America, especially for Indians living in villages and towns, was a fantasy, a land of milk and honey, and metaphorically speaking dollars were hanging on the trees. Second, having servants was not a luxury it was necessity. There were no electric appliances, phones, cars, running water, flush systems etc. All chores were done by hand on daily basis. Moreover, labor was so cheap because the poor needed to do any kind of job to earn a living.
How can Jasmine become so friendly with her rival, Susan; why didn't she throw her out of her apartment?
Yes, an American woman would have thrown Susan out. Jasmine blamed herself for leaving her husband alone in a country of strangers for so long. Secondly an author must build a protagonist's character larger than life, doing something unpredictable and extraordinary. Also this shows the difference between Indian and American cultures fifty years ago. Modern India is quite different. The women in big cities and towns are equally educated. They are westernized enough to enjoy the freedom to choose their careers and husbands.
Why Jasmine chose to leave her motherland when she had servants, education, and a big house?
First of all Jasmine’s life was tied to her husband’s future. In the sixties mostly men came to USA for higher studies with the intention of returning, but they liked the opportunities and high living standards of America and stayed on. Fifty years ago, America, especially for Indians living in villages and towns, was a fantasy, a land of milk and honey, and metaphorically speaking dollars were hanging on the trees. Second, having servants was not a luxury it was necessity. There were no electric appliances, phones, cars, running water, flush systems etc. All chores were done by hand on daily basis. Moreover, labor was so cheap because the poor needed to do any kind of job to earn a living.
How can Jasmine become so friendly with her rival, Susan; why didn't she throw her out of her apartment?
Yes, an American woman would have thrown Susan out. Jasmine blamed herself for leaving her husband alone in a country of strangers for so long. Secondly an author must build a protagonist's character larger than life, doing something unpredictable and extraordinary. Also this shows the difference between Indian and American cultures fifty years ago. Modern India is quite different. The women in big cities and towns are equally educated. They are westernized enough to enjoy the freedom to choose their careers and husbands.
