انتخابات الویرا

by V.S. Naipaul, مهدی غبرائی (Translator)

و.س.نایپل، نویسنده‌ی ترینیدادی هندی تبار مقیم انگلستان و برنده‌ی جایزه‌ی ادبی نوبل ۲۰۰۱ بیش از پنجاه سال است که می‌نویسد و تعداد آثارش به بیست‌وچند می‌رسد که نیمی از آن‌ها داستان و رمان است. غیر از چند جلد از کتاب‌هایش که دیگران ترجمه کرده‌اند، سه رمان دیگر او نیز به همین قلم ترجمه و منتشر شده است.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

279 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

V. S. Naipaul was a British writer of Indo-Trinidadian descent known for his sharp, often controversial explorations of postcolonial societies, identity, and displacement. His works, which include both fiction and nonfiction, often depict themes of exile, cultural alienation, and the lingering effects of colonialism.
He gained early recognition with A House for Mr Biswas, a novel inspired by his father’s struggles in Trinidad. His later works, such as The Mimic Men, In a Free State, and A Bend in the River, cemented his reputation as a masterful and incisive writer. Beyond fiction, his travelogues and essays, including Among the Believers and India: A Million Mutinies Now, reflected his critical perspective on societies in transition.
Naipaul received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded for his ability to blend deep observation with literary artistry. While praised for his prose, his often unsparing portrayals of postcolonial nations and controversial statements sparked both admiration and criticism.

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knockabout farce written by the 25 year old V S Naipaul all about amusing/endearing/silly/ exasperating types running an election campaign, buying votes, bribing other amusing/endearing/silly/ exasperating types and so on. Much fun, if that’s what you call it, is had with a starving mongrel dog that everybody thinks is obeah. Even in this borderline fatuous short novel dragged down by its British sitcom level elbow in the ribcage guffaws it’s obvious Naipaul is going to do something great very soon, and he did.

[Jayakrishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in an Indian state where Hindus, Muslims and Christians are constantly pitted against each other during election time by various political parties. The multi-cultural society in Naipaul's novel, set in Elvira, a Caribbean island is not too different from the one in my home state. I could completely identify with the machinations and blatant vote bank politics of the "powers that be". In this novel, the leaders are as wretched as the people they attempt to lead.

A lot of people like Naipaul's early novels the best because they were funny and not as bleak as his later work. Naipaul is uncompromising in The Suffrage of Elvira. He is downright cruel in his portrayal of a people who seem to revel in their uninhibited display of moral repugnance and stupidity. This is the society which he literally turned his back on, when he moved to England. He had said that if he stayed there, he would have committed suicide like one of his friends did. It was a society that had no place for a fine man like Naipaul.

Even in this comedic novel, Naipaul's prose is like a poisoned arrow that pierces your heart even though every single character is a total asshole who has no interest in democracy or a just society. But there is not a hint of sympathy or sentimentality (unlike say in Magic Seeds where Willie Chandran looks out of his window in England and contemplates quite sadly about the benignity of a tree). Naipaul once said that he has no interest in the emancipation of humanity and only wants to serve literature.

The ending, when a mob united by stupidity and jealousy, refuses a case of whiskey and instead demands the commissioning of Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious ceremonies was particularly affecting (you would know why if you live in Kerala).

Despite all the hilarity and colorful characters, a very depressing novel for me.

[Masood · Rating 3 out of 5]

داستانی درباره اولین انتخابات در ترینیداد، که دو نامزد انتخابات برای اولین بار وارد رقابت انتخاباتی می شوند و ماجراهای جالب و گاها بامزه ای در پی دارد و شکل گیری فساد سیاسی در هر جایی که ثروث و قدرت وجود داشته باشد را نشان می دهد. مردمی که با پول رای می دهند رای فروخته می شود شعار های انتخاباتی و شایعات و...

[Moses Kilolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Politics is indeed a dirty game. But this book is to make you know that it can be funny too. Naipul's intensely readable book, full of drama and raw humor, is perhaps the only book of its length that I've read in a day. (kuddos to me – building my focus, deepening my concentration.)

The story centers on the events that lead up to the election of one Mr. Surujpat Harbans to the Legislative council in one of Trinidad's counties. The politics played here are plagued by inexperienced ambition (in the case of Foam as a campaign manager), superstition where a dog is believed to be an obeah or an evil spirit – the child who brings him is fumigated -and such other trivialities such as greed and personal gain.

The candidates believe that the voters have to be bribed, and go ahead to openly do it, as well as the collaboration with their teams to subbotage those in the race with them. In the end, like in all cases, there are winner and losers, but Harbans win and subsequent celebrations are particularly marred by the very same voters. The celebrations, where whiskey is brought only to the committee, is ruined because the voters feel as the people who have put Harbans to power, they deserve the whiskey more. But the elections are over, so is their value in the thinking of Harbans and his committee. Angered, the people torch Harban's jaguar, - but its easily replaced by the insurance company.

By all means this is a fine novel and it did make me think there is nothing so repelling about intensely political writing after all. Some can be really funny – and uplifting, like this one is.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slapstick tale of shenanigans during an election in 1950s Trinidad. Harban a wealthy Hindu wants to be elected in Elvira a poor county with Hindu, Muslim, Spanish and Negro constituency. They are superstitious, uneducated and unused to elections. Harban needs the help of Baksh the Muslim Taylor, Chittaranjan the Hindu goldsmith who both can get votes.

What follows is a series of funny scenes with Tiger the dog, Foam, Baksh’s son becoming campaign manager and a lot of bribes. Misunderstanding galore. The battle with Ramogan the owner of the rum shop over fruit trees and in particular bread fruit with Chittaranjan his next door neighbor.

A good 3.5 story with the occasional laugh out loud moments. I felt sorry for Harban as when just when he thinks the bribes are finished along comes another reason for more money, such as the parade.

[Pascale · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lively comedy about an election in a backwater of Trinidad. For reasons that are never elucidated, taciturn Mr Harbans has decided to become an elected official, and to this effect he bribes all and sundry in his chosen constituency with money, liquor or empty promises. While the goldsmith Chittaranjan is easily bought with the dishonest promise of a marriage between their children, greedy tailor Baksh manages to extort money first to give Harbans the Muslim vote, then to stand for election himself so as to ruin the chances of the black candidate, Preacher. On the other hand, Baksh's eldest son works diligently as campaign manager, in part to get his own back on his rival Lorkhoor who has become Preacher's campaign manager. This is very much Clochemerle in the tropics, and Naipaul has a ball making fun of the bigotry and superstition of villagers of all creeds and colors, but in the end he soft-pedals and makes everyone rather likable. A fun, short read, but pretty inconsequential.

[Carlos Rubens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prime demonstration of Sir Vidia's power with a novel permeated with humour. The tripartite Trinidadian society and their surprisingly happy co-existence, superstition and the mess around a democracy in its infancy make this work a gem of Postcolonial Literature. Characters are rich and some are even present in other works such as Pundit Ganesh, from the Mystic Masseur.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naipaul's second novel again takes place in Trinidad. It is a spoof on democracy and elections in a developing country.

Mr Surujpat Harbans is running for General Assembly as representative for the village of Elvira. Of course he doesn't live there but lives in the city. He is financing his own campaign and visits Elvira to line up his supporters. The villagers, in just four years of democracy, have figured out how to make money for themselves by offering various services to the candidate.

This makes for a hilarious story as Harbans is fleeced for everything from posters to a loudspeaking van and a final cavalcade of taxis on election eve. Then there are the niceties of the Hindu vote, the Muslim vote, the Negro vote and the Spanish vote, not to mention various necessary bribes. One of the funniest lines comes from a less wealthy candidate who proclaims that there ought to be a law about how much a candidate can spend on his own election campaign. This story is set in 1950!

Apparently Naipaul's humor turns to a more bitter cynicism in his later novels, which I have not read. So far, in The Mystic Masseur and in this one, he provides great entertainment and an inside look at the various peoples who make up post colonial life in Trinidad.

[Joy Ramlogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

since I read this as a teenager, as part of the ritual of elections in Trinidad, I would re-read this book. Very few books like this satire are laugh till you cry in places. County Naparoni, the candidate and the plethora of Trinis are so real in places, that you wonder whether fiction imitates reality or vice versa. Mr. Naipaul our first and only (so far) Nobel Laureate for Literature is a master of voice - he uses standard english spelling with the tone and timing to replicate Trinidadian dialect. And what a ride it is, with his caustic eye and master crafting, political satire at its best.

[Lobstergirl]

I want to read more Naipaul, but I couldn't get past p. 16 of this. I guess I'll hang on to it for a few more years rather than toss it in the dumpster, because other reviewers seemed to like its slapstick comedic qualities quite a bit.

[Joz1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you come from the islands, this book can not be put down.

[Bert van der Vaart · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.72 is in fact exactly right. If you are interested in better understanding Trinidad or ex-colonialism or the limits of democratic reforms, this book is a highly tongue in cheek observation of how the first election in an inland and relatively out of the way county in Trinidad and Tobago. Working through various soi-disant representatives of the different communities in the county (Hindu, Muslim, Christian/African-origin, and Spanish) in the wake of independence from Britain, a relatively depressed owner of a distribution/trucking company decides/lets himself be talked into running for Legislative Councilman of this seemingly neglected province in the hinterlands of Trinidad and Tobago. The various people who are trying to take advantage of the electoral process, and the uncertain understanding of most of the local voters is very well--even painfully ironically--described. There seems to be a fundamental issue with the alignment of interests, versus individuals trying to maximize the candidate's perception as to their being able to deliver key wedges of electoral support. And by dint of spreading around some cash for variously implausible excuses, the winning candidate then promptly drives off to the capital city and tries to return to his district as little as possible--albeit the one time that is recounted when he does, in considerably better style. All in all, the crowds get increasingly interested in exacting something back--whether a crate of whisky or a casket and burial services--from their candidate/newly elected politician. A witty and, if dated, still interesting recounting of the very imperfect system that (local) democracy is. Well, perhaps not sooo dated and certainly not limited to this province in 1950's Trinidad and Tobago.

[Virginia Brackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because The Suffrage of Elvira was one of V. S. Naipaul's first books, that it would be the first by him that I read seemed fitting. As one among many Americans who take for granted our ability to vote, I was fascinated by this story of a community first learning that process. Naipaul's endearing characters - even the rascals touched my heart -fascinated me with their love of education and their determination to honor their community of Elvira. In the politically charged environment, power struggles ultimately prove the strength of a culture that learns the change it fears is exactly what it needs. In the midst of chaos, the delicate development of a romance, determined to champion cultural superstition and a rigid social system, gave me hope for the indomitable nature of love. I highly recommend this book.

[Noah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read 10 books by Naipaul over the years and I'm a big fan. Unfortunately this one is by far the weakest. He tries to be funny, in vain.

[Bob Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Election is a bitch!

“The people of Elvira have their little funny ways, but I could say one thing for them: you don’t have to bribe them twice.”---Dhaniram

Well, the people of Elvira, a fictional village of the Caribbean island of Trinidad back in the 1950s, certainly did have their ways and a lot of them turn out to be wryly amusing. It’s one of the first elections to be held while the island was still under British rule, but the people—Afro-Caribbeans, Indians divided into Hindu and Muslim, a few “Spanish” probably come over from Venezuela at some point—get right into it, no worries. The voters are divided into those four groups, but there’s always the possibility that a few can be lured to change their opinion by….well….a little cash here….a few favors there….a promise or two. All kinds of intrigue pop up in the community, election workers might even change sides. “Those who are first, may later be last!” (Bob Dylan*—who was not involved, I should add). Yes, well, calculations of voter numbers keep changing right up to the end. Chittaranjan the goldsmith is the rich man of the village, with a beautiful daughter who might escape parental control at any moment, Surajpat Harbans is the Hindu candidate, Baksh, an alcoholic Muslim tailor vows to help him. At first. Baksh’s 18 year old son, Foam, will be Harbans’ campaign manager and he has eyes for Nelly Chittaranjan. Then, there’s Preacher, a rather wild-eyed leader for the African-descended population. Another character, who doesn’t say much, is Tiger, a stray dog hanging on in this world by only a miracle. Maybe he stands for Democracy, which ultimately works out in its own way but does remain alive. Plus there’s a host of other village characters whose opinions are always given forcefully and without regard for where chips may fall. This is one hard fought election and even includes an exploding Jaguar, less than a week old. The characters converse in the local dialect which is not hard to follow and gives a definite local flavor.
This is one of Naipaul’s early masterpieces. I read it way back in 1970, but recently re-read it and enjoyed it all over again.

[Jeff Keehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in 1980, 40 years ago. I don't recall anything about it. I was in my Naipaul phase and I read everything I could by him. Back then it was not easy getting hold of a book, especially an obscure book. If your local library didn't have it, you had to buy it. Books were expensive so I would always go to the Used Books stores and search for it. I recorded my reads in my journals back then but I never made any sort of comment after finishing the book. I loved Naipaul at this juncture: his books took me places strange and scary and he was always an insightful guide.

[Jethro Elsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful exploration of (nascent) democracy at its most personal and mercenary. The raw tribality of the process as described captures an aspect of politics and elections which is often underplayed in countries such as the UK today. But it's such a powerful undercurrent in all elections.
Tied to the acute political insight is the literary quality, which being a book by VS Naipaul is inevitably very good. Written in the vernacular of the time (or so I assume) it is very readable. And being only just over 200 pages long would be a good choice as a beach read for a holiday.

[Tom Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

love his dialect books. Reminiscent of Steinbeck's 'Sweet Thursday'. Both of which tell of events circa 1950. Written 1958. The Suffrage as in suffragium or as a pun of suffer age ... poor Harbans, though later, we find that not true.

When I am down and in a funk, VS comes through. Of his many reads, this his most humorous (yes, misanthrope VS appears in the background).

[Mojtaba Rafiei-korogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

بر خلاف "خیابان میگل" که قصه‌ای بی‌نمک و ناگیرا داشت، انتخابات الویرا بسیار خواندنی و حتا هیجان‌انگیز است. شخصیت‌های دوست‌داشتنی و بعضن عمیق در داستانی پرپیچ‌وخم و پرجزئیات گرفتارند و هرکدام سعی می‌کنند ماهی‌ی خودشان را از این آب گل‌آلود صید کنند. می‌توان این داستان را در کلاس‌های رمان‌نویسی و حتا فیلمنامه‌نویسی به عنوان نمونه‌ای درخشان در زمینه‌ی گسترش داستان تدریس کرد

[Leonarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobelprijswinnaar Naipaul is een meesterlijke verteller die het leven op Trinidad treffend weet te beschrijven. In dit boek staan verkiezingen op dit kleine eiland centraal, met kandidaten uit verschillende religieuze groepen, die met horten en stoten, met geloof en bijgeloof, hopen de juiste strategie te hebben voor de winst.

[Laurens · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Naipaul’s earlier novels and my first introduction into his work. He was destined to do great things later on and this satire, still only his second novel, already shows. In one word: rumbunctious.

[Javier · Rating 5 out of 5]

En El Salvador el Naipaul profundo.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read!!

[Dave Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and all to real. In an age of election fraud claims, this book provides a humorous narrative of all the shenanigans that go into “democracy”.

[caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

read it in humor in comic lit.. was certainly a book and certainly had humor but was not the most engaging read of the semester

[Heath Flax · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded, by mathmatic standard, down to 4.

[Satu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning was slow, but the end was hilarious.

[Don Annand · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comic look at the universal pitfalls of politics, the back room deals, the campaigns, the lobbyists and the fickleness of the candidates and voters. Based in Trinidad, with a diversity of races and religions, this story could easily be transposed to Canada, the USA or many European countries.

[Salvatore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a Trinidadian episode of Veep.

I like that we never get to hear the political views of those running. We just see the people involved in getting votes.

Also, the election in this novel seems very similar to those that occur in America. Hmm...

'This democracy is a damn funny thing.'

[Aditya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious black comedy of ne'er do wells in the vein of A Confederacy of Dunces. I cant say how much cultural inside-baseball you need to get this book, but being Indian American mysel I was laughing more at nuances that I was reading into the work that Naipul may or may not have intended. His strong racial hand is still present here, but I say throw PC to the side for a bit and enjoy this bit of political satire. Hell, its not like this election makes any more sense than the USA in 2004.