EXISTENTIAL STRUGGLE AND EXISTENIAL CHOICE IN THE

SELECTED NOVELS OF ROHINTON MISTRY

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO

ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE (AUTONOMOUS)

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT

FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH

Submitted by

S.PARVEEN

(A19ENEA38)

Under the guidance of

Dr. P. Indhu sakthi, M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,Ph.D,

Assistant Professor,

PG & Research Department of English

ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE (AUTONOMOUS)

(Affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore)

CUDDALORE-607 001

SEPTEMBER 2020
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation entitled EXISTENTIAL STRUGGLE AND EXISTENIAL

CHOICE IN THE OF SELECTED NOVELS ROHINTON MISTRY is a bonafide record of the

project work done by S.PARVEEN., A19ENEA38 in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree

of BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH submitted to St. Joseph's College of Arts & Science

(Autonomous), Cuddalore-01 affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore carried out by her under

my supervision. The matter embodied in this dissertation is original and has not been submitted for

the award of any other degree.

Mr. V.R. Suresh Kumar, Dr. P. Indhu sakthi

Head, PG & Research Department of English, (Research Advisor)

St. Joseph’s College of Arts Science Assistant Professor,

(Autonomous) PG & Research Department of English,

Cuddalore – 1. St. Joseph’s College of Arts Science

(Autonomous),

Cuddalore – 01.

Principal

Place: Cuddalore

Date:

Examiners:

1.

2.
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the dissertation entitled EXISTENTIAL STRUGGLE AND EXISTENIAL

CHOICE IN THE SELECTED NOVELS OF ROHINTON MISTRY which is submitted by

meunder the guidance and supervision of Dr. P. Indhu sakthi, M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,Ph.D.,

Asst. Prof., PG & Research Department of English, for the award of degree of BACHELOR OF

ENGLISH (2019-2022) submitted to St. Joseph's College of Arts & Science (Autonomous),

Cuddalore-01 affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore has not been previously the basis for

award of any degree, fellowship or any similar titles.

Signature of the Candidate

S.PARVEEN

Countersigned by:

Dr. P. Indhu sakthi, M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,Ph.D

Asst. Prof., PG & Research Department of English,

St. Joseph's College of Arts & Science (Autonomous),

Cuddalore-607 001.

Place: Cuddalore

Date:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am thankful to the Almighty for His grace throughout my life.

I am deeply grateful to my loving parents for their precious blessings and for their full

support in my career.

I am especially grateful to our Secretary, Rev. Fr. G. Peter Rajendiram, M.A.,

M.Sc., M.Phil., M.Ed., Secretary, for giving me the opportunity to study in this institution.

I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr. M. Arumai Selvam, M.Sc., M.

Phil., PhD, Principal, for his encouragement and help throughout the project work.

I express by special thanks and gratitude to Mr. V.R. Suresh Kumar, M.A., M.Phil.,

B.Ed., Head, PG & Research Department of English for his support and guidance to

complete this project.

I am especially grateful for the chance to work on my project under the guidance and

supervision of my research guide, Dr. P. Indhu sakthi, M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,Ph.D .,Asst.Prof., PG

& Research Department of English, St. Joseph's College of Arts & Science (Autonomous),

Cuddalore -01, for her suggestions and motivation in completing this

dissertation.

Finally, I express my heartfelt thanks to my friends for their constant motivation which made

me to position myself in an outstanding way, especially in the completion of this dissertation.

S.PARVEEN
.

ABSTRACT

Rohinton Mistry is an influential writer in the area of Canadian Literature. Rohinton’s for this current

dissertation deals with the Existentialism in the novels Such a Long Journey and A Fine Balance.

Rohinton highly emphasize on portrayal of second world war and the partition between two

countries are used effectively to delineate the condition of Gustad. Both the novels come under the

Globalization in an Existential condition of human beings .Chapter I gives clear information about the

Canadian writers , works of Rohinton Mistry and the outline of two novels existential tenents in the

characterization of the characters. Chapter II potrays the concept of existentialism and the struggles of

the characters in the Such a Long Journey .The character tries to find the meaning of his existence in

Zoroastrianism .Chapter III reveals the Existential choice through the discovering in characters life. It

gives realistic representation of the community repression on the characters to make certain decisions

in the pressure of community and society . Chapter IV is the summation and Stylistic featurewhich is

applied in the novels of Rohinton Mistry .

 CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE NO

NO

I Introduction 01

II 06
Existential Struggle in Such a Long Journey

III 17
Existential choice in A Fine Balance

IV Conclusion 26

Works cited 31
 Chapter

Introduction

The beginning of eighteenth century, Canada enjoys an enviable position with a rich store of great

literature. Canadian Literature is a part of commonwealth literature. Canadian Literature may be

divided in to two parts. One part of Canadian Literature is culture of French. The other part is in the

traditions of England. On the other hand, Canadian Literature is grownup by immigrant authors.

Canadian Literature reflects three main parts of Canadian experience (1) Nature, (2) Frontier life and

(3) Canada’s position in the World. First is the effect of climate and geography on the life and work

of their people.

Frontier life is part of Canada’s experience and many authors have taken themes form West

world across Canada. Third, many writings reflect how Canadian writers feel about such positions

and problems. On the other hand, Canadian writings are an imitation of colonial literature, because of

the huge imaginations. Canadian literature has some following traits but it has no particular order.

Failure as a theme, humour, multiculturalism, nature, satire and irony and self deprecation are certain

subjects treated in Canadian literature.

The first Canadian Novelist is called John Richardson. His ‘Waxousta’ (1832) popularized the

nation’s historical novel and writers like T.C. Haliburton, William Kirby and Sir Gilbert Parker were

very famous in early stage. In 1880’s, Canadian literature began to be noticed around the World.

After 1990’s, Canadian literature is viewed as 8 some of the world’s best and Canadian authors begin

to increase the international recognition and awards. Rohinton Mistry belongs to the South Asian

Diaspora. The establishment of the South Asian Diaspora provides identity to South Asian Writers

including Rohinton Mistry.

1
 Fiction acquires inspiration and diverse perspectives from the life of common men, society and

the world in general. M.H. Abrams defines fiction as, “any narrative which is feigned or invented

rather than historically or factually true” . The simplicity and complexity are the vital focal points to

spin around creative construction and, “a work of literature is not created in a vacuum, the text is a

social construct and the creator is affected by the politics of time and place” (Pandurang 264). In the

midst of this variety of influences, an artist constructs a story based on the existence of common men.

The method of analyzing the quality of literary works is pursued on the basis of time, content or

the philosophy it advocates. The manner of analyzing the literary work evolves based on internal and

external factors. All of the literary forms in English literature are constantly growing with the

influence of external factors and also the internal urge to produce the works which can satisfy their

literary endowment. As a consequence, there is a variety of movements in English literature like

Classicism, Romanticism, Naturalism, Realism, Existentialism and the list is endless. Existentialism

unique in the sense that it mainly concerns with the philosophy of life. As the research topic is

dedicated to analyze the influence of Existentialism in the novels of Rohinton Mistry, it becomes

necessary to delineate the origin and development of existentialism.

The word existentialism was borrowed from the German word Existenzialismus.

Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish writer, used the word as Existents-Forhold in his Danish work.

Existence is the combination of the Latin term ex-sister. The meaning of this word is to move forward

and appear. Existentialism was born out of the catastrophe happened at the end of the 20th century as

a philosophy first in Germany and then in France. Peter Childs and Fowler Roger in The Routledge

Dictionary of Literary Terms define existentialism as “literary and philosophical responses to the

2
experience of nothingness, anomie, and absurdity which attempt to discover meaning in and through

this experience” .

Rohinton Mistry is an internationally acclaimed novelist. Mistry was born in the

Parsi community on July 3, 1952, in Bombay, India. Behram Mistry, his father, worked in

a newspaper advertising agency and his mother was a homemaker. His school life started with Villa

Theresa Primary School and St. Xavier High School. After completing his school, he joined St.

Xavier’s College, the University of Bombay in 1974. After his marriage with Freny Elavia, he

migrated to Canada and worked there as a clerk at Imperial Bank of Commerce. To elevate and

improve his interest in English, he joined English and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He

received his B.A degree in 1982.

He started his literary career with the publication of his first story One Sunday. This short

story won the Hart House Prize in 1982 from the University of Toronto. Again, he wrote his second

short story Auspicious Occasion which won the Annual Contributions Prize from the Canadian

Fiction Magazine. As a result of his continuous effort to evolve as a writer, he resigned the bank job

to become a full-time writer. Thereafter, his publication of short stories in various magazines of

Canada received positive reviews. Penguin published his first collection of short stories under the title

Tales from Firozsha Baag.

Later the same work was published in London and the United States of America under the

new title Swimming Lessons and other Stories from Firozsha Baag. The short story collection

received exceptional reception in these two countries and it was shortlisted for Canada’s Governor

Generals Award. Mistry started his literary career with the publication of Tales from Firozsha Baagin

1987. This short collection comprises of twelve stories set in the lives of the residents 34 of Firozsha

Baag, an apartment complex. Most of the stories in the collection reveal the characteristics of the

3
Parsi community like the voices, tones and social practices. All stories mainly revolve around the

Parsi community in Firozsha Baag .

Rohinton Mistry started writing his first novel Such a Long Journey. Mistry chose the title from

T.S. Eliot’s The Journey of the Magi. The novel was published in 1991 and was shortlisted for Man

Booker Prize. It also received Governor General’s Award and Commonwealth Writers Prize. Besides

winning many laurels, the novel also won W.H Smith/ Books in Canada First Novel Award and

Trillium Award. Rohinton Mistry’s first published novel Such a Long Journey has a Parsi family as

the background to narrate the conflicts of the country. Gustad, the protagonist of the novel, bears the

responsibility of protecting the family from the political turmoil at that time. He also accepts to help

his friend’s request and continue to help him even after knowing that it will dissolve the peace of his

time. His second novel A Fine Balance was Published in 1995. It captures the life of four common

people who are badly affected by the state of emergency declared across India in 1975. This novel has

also been shortlisted for Man Booker Prize in 1996. The work received Giller Prize and

Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1996. A Fine Balance, throws light on the effects of Internal

Emergency declared in 1975.

Family Matters was published in 2002. It portrays the family of Nariman who is affected with

Parkinson disease, fracture and the attitude of his family members in this tough situation. Besides

being shortlisted for the third time in Man Booker Prize, the novel was shortlisted for James Tait

Black Memorial Prize too. The novel was also shortlisted for the prestigious International IMPAC

Dublin Literary Award. Finally, Rohinton Mistry received the Neustadt International Prize for

Literature.

In 2015, he has been appointed as Member of the Order of Canada. Recently, he has been

honored with Brampton Arts Walk of Fame, Brampton, Orton. The novel also has political themes

4
which make the plot the backbone. The characters’ behaviour in times of crisis seems to be

unavoidable and test their level of honesty. The situations are also created out of the political situation

prevalent at that time. The novels of Rohinton Mistry clearly exhibit the characteristics of

existentialism through the characters and this contributes towards strengthening of the research taken

up. Rohinton Mistry creates characters in such a way that during the process of his character’s life,

they encounter the situation in which the experience that life is meaningless.

In Such a Long Journey, Gustad is perplexed to find any meaning in his life. Even, his religious

affiliation cannot console his inner struggle. The image of Gustad consistently decreases in the course

of the novel right from the beginning to the end. His life fails to make any kind of sense to him. All

his loved-ones face a series of problems which even causes him to be frustrated with life. The next

chapter proposes to study the existential struggle of the protagonist to discover the hidden meaning of

his life from the trial and tribulations on his own.

5
 Chapter II

Existential Struggle in Rohinton Mistry’s Such a Long Journey

Existentialism revolves around the belief that there is no meaning in life unless the purpose of life is

realized with the actions. The pursuit of happiness lies in searching for the meaning of life in actions .

This chapter is analyzes the existential struggle of the characters through politics, religion and

internal conflicts. Science, religion, and politics are the principal forces which try to impose

ideologies and meanings on human beings.

In Such a Long Journey, Gustad tries to find the meaning of his existence in Zoroastrianism

which teaches everything to him. He is a pious Parsi who follows the teachings of his God without

any doubt and believes that the foundation of Zoroastrianism is in the affection and love towards

fellow human beings. In the novel, Gustad is portrayed to be an respectful middle classman.

Whenever his belief is questioned, he prays to god more piously than before. He has such a strong

belief that any problems in his life will solve itself. Patience is the only solution to all the problems

for him. Domestic tragedies occur consistently in his life. Nevertheless, his belief in God is

unshakable. He never rises against God and questions his authority.

The significant focus of the philosophical concept of existentialism is on the conflicts of the

meaning and purpose of human existence. The existential struggle seems to take roots when an

individual starts questioning whether his life has any meaning, purpose or value. It should not be

understood as a negative attitude towards life. This is generally stirred by an unexpected event,

maybe a life-threatening issue. This induces the victim to introspect and retrospect, which ultimately

ends up with an awareness of the causative factors of psychological disturbance.

6
 Gustad, the protagonist in Such a Long Journey, is an existential character in that

sense that he aspires to understand the meaning of his life through his belief in God. Existentialism

argues for the independence of a person in designing his own life. To define life in its purest terms, he

has to pursue truth keeping in mind that the consequences of his decision shape the entire course of

his life. Even though various factors prohibit him from finding the answers to the destination of his

existential journey, his untiring search yields the defining purpose of his life at the end. In order to

understand the existential struggle of Gustad, it becomes unavoidable to analyze the theme of Such a

Long Journey from three different perspectives. They are the influence of religion, corrupted politics

of India and the characters related to Gustad. The primary objective of this chapter is to identify

these factors which prevent Gustad to achieve his struggle to understand the primary purpose of his

life. Gordon Ekelund enumerates the existential nature of Gustad

The dynamic of “the journey” imbues these archetypes with life. For the technique to succeed,

there must be significant character movement, a striving towards some sense of personal

actualization. Characters must confront real choices in their lives, choices that hold tangible

consequences. Their actions must have an impact.

The epigraphs of the novel identify the existential nature of the novel’s plot in a nutshell.

Mistry chooses the first epigraph and the name of the novel, Such a Long Journey, from a great poem

Journey of Magi written by T. S. Eliot. The clear understanding of the following lines from epigraph

suggests that Mistry decides to weave the novel around the predicament of an individual who has to

undergo trial and tribulations to achieve the meaning of his life.

“A cold coming we had of it / Just the worst time of the year / For a journey, and Such a Long

Journey …” ( I ). The poem, Journey of Magi, is centered on the journey of three wise men to reach

the birthplace of Jesus Christ. They endure cold season which is the worst of the year. Their

7
journey is tiresome and the quest of three priests is spiritual and emotional. The title suits the nature

of this novel’s plot. As Magi, Gustad also makes a long journey to attain inner happiness in this

novel. In the search for meaning, he is destined to endure the loss of his close friends and peace of

mind.

The second epigraph captures the state of Parsis in India. When they landed in

India, the king Jadav made an agreement with the Parsis that they should only work for

the upliftment of India. Mistry chooses the passage from Firdausi’s Iranian epic, Shah-

Nama :

He assembled the aged priests and put questions to them concerning the

kings who had once possessed the world. ‘How did they,’ he inquired,

‘hold the world in the beginning, and why is it that it has been left to us in

such a sorry state? And how was it that they were able to live free of care

during the days of their heroic labours?’. ( I )

These lines exemplify the condition of the Parsis at present in India. The glory and

dignity of the Parsi community seem to vanish because of the exploitation and strict rules

of the religion. The responsibility of the present generation is to protect the pride and

nobleness of Zoroastrianism; otherwise, the religion has to face extinction.

The third epigraph is taken from the famous poem of Rabindranath Tagore’s

Gitanjali: “And when old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the

heart; and where the old tracks are lost, new country is revealed with its wonders” ( I )

This poem emphasizes the need to reconstruct the old values and in the place of old culture, a

new order should be established for the embellishment of the country. The epigraph identifies the

theme of the novel with an emphasis on the degenerated condition of the order in India. The lines of

8
epigraph also point out to the existential nature of the protagonist, Gustad. Rohinton Mistry interlaces

existential themes in the novel Such a Long Journey.

The novel exhibits one of the core tenets of existentialism that only the choices of human

beings define their life. Human beings are nothing but the collection of the choices they have made

throughout their life. As far as existentialists are concerned, the primary responsibility of a person is

to analyze their life from the subjective truth. The protagonist in the novel undergoes existential

struggle as a consequence of his series of decisions.

The protagonist, Gustad, leads the life with a strong belief in humanity. He makes a long

journey to come across the obstacles which prevent him to find out the true meaning of his life. In

Such a Long Journey, Gustad follows the principle of Zoroastrianism without any disbelief. His

devotion to humanitarian principles becomes unassailable. There comes a point in his life when all of

his beliefs are scrutinized. He encounters a series of disappointments and tests on his belief in God .

Rohinton Mistry sets the novel in a Parsi family with their economic, social and political

position in the country. There is a tremendous disparity between the people following Hinduism and

the condition of minority people like Parsis. The minority communities are rarely allowed to choose

the kind of life they want to lead in India.

Mistry tries to bring out the challenges of the Parsi community in Such a Long Journey.

Opportunities are not plenty for them as Tata enjoyed before Independence in the past. After the

death of Nehru, the policies of government have made the life of Parsi people even worse than before.

Gustad represents the plight of the Parsis who struggle to meet their financial needs. Even though he

works as a bank employee, his family budget does not allow him to pay even the consultation fees to

the doctor. The miserable life of the Parsi community is exemplified through the character of Gustad.

9
 Such a Long Journey reveals the existential struggle through the character of Gustad. The

peace of the family is deeply affected by his decision to go through the instructions of Billimoria. His

decision not only affects his own social image among the Parsi community but also the peaceful life

of his family members. Besides the misfortune of Gustad, the decision of his son who does not want

to join IIT affects him so much that it goes to the extent of sending out his son out of his house. In

Such a Long Journey Gustad is also placed in a position to follow the words of Zoroastrianism. At

one point of time, he oscillates over the belief of God and the ways of the world. He fails to attain

peace inside his mind.

Gustad is always alienated from reality. Wherever he is, his memory takes him back to his

boyhood days. He excludes himself from the surroundings because he finds solace only in those

memories. At the beginning of the novel, Gustad reminiscences about the desk of his grandfather.

Considerable space of narration is allocated to the kind of lifestyle Gustad lead when he was rich and

could afford everything. The Children of Gustad fail to appreciate the hardships of their father. They

care only about their future. Gustad is also not happy about them. He is especially indignant towards

the attitude of Sohrab and his other son.

The character of Gustad is primarily juxtaposed with religion to bring out the

existential attitude of Gustad. Misty focuses on the character of Gustad under the backdrop of his

religion, Zoroastrianism, which is slowly vanishing. Gustad represents the inner struggle that every

man faces in a family. As he belongs to the Parsi religion which instructs to follow inner happiness, it

becomes difficult for him to adjust with his religious belief and practical life. He thus oscillates

between the truth and reality. Whenever Gustad experiences the loss of faith in humanity, he is often

directed to the spiritual aspect of a human being.

10
 The problem occurs when there is a vast difference between what he believes and

what others believe about life. His approach towards life is purely subjective whereas the

society acts against his belief system. His religion teaches peace and inner happiness whereas the

reality around him focuses only on personal needs. Gustad also becomes a victim in corrupted

political system. As a result of which, he struggles to discover his inner happiness and the real

purpose of his existence. Amin Malak describes the condition of Gustad :

Such a Long Journey tells the story of a sympathetic bank-clerk, Gustad

Noble, whose devotion to his family, loyalty to his friends, and love for his

Parsi community are continually tested through a series of mimetically

rendered events and situations. Loyalty and journeying constitute two

major contrasting patterns in his life: the first entails constancy and

commitment; the second mutation and metamorphosis. (108)

All his actions aim at achieving happiness through an act of kindness and patience. He tries to

discover the meaning of life only in the worship of God. Gustad finds happiness in leaving all his

problems to God. He seeks prayer as the only solution to resolve all his difficulties in his life. Gustad

finds solace in his life by reciting Kusti prayer every morning and pray for the welfare of his family.

Mistry indicates the belief of Gustad in Zoroastrianism through his prayer at the beginning of the

novel itself:

The first light of morning barely illumined the sky as Gustad Noble faced

eastward to offer his orisons to Ahura Mazda. The hour was approaching

six, and up in the compound’s solitary tree the sparrows began to call.

Gustad listened to their chirping every morning while reciting his kusti

prayers. There was something reassuring about it. Always, the sparrows

11
 were first; the cawing of crows came later. (1)

God becomes the solution to all the inner questions of Gustad and he obediently follows the words of

scripture. Nevertheless, the distance between harsh reality outside and the condition of being a

helpless common man deludes him to find out the real purpose of his life. As Gustad believes that his

fate has already been decided, he exhibits indifference to seek happiness from outside his home. He

cares only his day-to-day activities as a middle-class man in India. He does not indulge in any great

dreams, any great vision or great mission in his life. Gustad represents the life of an ordinary middle-

class man in India whose main concern is his family and its welfare. Gustad is obsessed with the

thoughts of his family and the uncertainty in the underlying purpose of his life.

Gustad is under the fear that his community may lose any time. The compound is the example

of his anxiety in keeping the family safe from the intrusion of other religions. Not only Gustad but

also other inmates of the Khodadad building are under constant threat of extinction. Even though the

principle intention is to protect his family from mosquitoes, Gustad considers the wall as a safety

cover from the enemies. Consequently, he comes up with the idea of inviting the street artist to draw

a picture on the compound wall. His idea goes beyond his expectation when the compound wall

attains a new connotation. It turns out to be the place of worship to all the passers-by. People stop

urination on the compound wall and the artist also gets regular income. The inmates of Khodadad

building live under constant fear. The agitation, helplessness, and insecurity unite them to protect

themselves from external dangers. They do not know what will happen the next day and it is very

natural for any human being to react like this in this kind of atmosphere. Mistry tries to bring out the

true face of people who live in limited numbers. Only a few characters in the novels have been

chosen from the non-Parsi community but their presence is immense. The wall painter is genial to

him and vice versa. As there are only a few people from outside the Parsi community, it also becomes

difficult to judge their behavior towards them.

12
 The compound wall serves as protection from the outside world. The wall symbolizes the

division between the Parsis and other religions. The inmates of Khodadad building feel secure and

they rarely come out from their place. Kutpitia has not come out of the building for twenty years or

so. Not only Kutpitia but also other characters refuse to come out of the building. K.Damodar Rao

argues that the pitiable condition of the Parsis forms the core theme of the novel.

Another important factor for Gustad’s anguish is the deterioration of his religion’s rituals. All

the religions in the world follow different kinds of rituals and customs. They are the identity of those

religions. Rituals are closely associated with the belief and growth of those religions too. In this

sense, Zoroastrianism faces the dread of extinction in the name of modernization. While it is affected

by the dwindling population of Parsis, the rituals also worry Gustad as most of the people are against

the Tower of Silence. Besides, Gustad attends the funerals of Dinshawji and the death stirs the

question of existing in this world and the purpose of living in this world. Gustad compares the death

of Dinshawji with humanity in general and connects his demise with himself. Gustad contemplates all

these in his prayers and tries to involve himself with the song of Dustoorji. Mistry captures the

existential anguish in Gustad when he recalls his memories with Dinshawji.

Gustad is reminded of his glorious past that prevents him from understanding that

his son also has a soul. Religion and his past life become his first preferences which

control his behavior. He is conscious of recalling the greatness of his religion. He is proud

to be a Parsi, but at the same time, the condition of his religion is in a pitiable state. The

threat from every part of the country forces his religion to change its age-old customs and

rituals. The Parsis are afraid to speak out their problems loudly as the political ambiance

control them to remain silent. The government tries to satisfy the needs of Hindus

whereas people belonging to a minority religion are suppressed and ordered to follow the

stringent rules. His family comes second in order as it is not under his control. Gustad

13
belongs to a family which has strong economic strength. The loss of bookstore casts

Gustad to his pitiable condition. At the end of the novel, Gustad gives up his family pride

and embraces his son. Series of losses create in him a kind of unbearable sorrow. He does

not like to give up his son again for his prejudice. He finally understands that human

beings are important than the principles. Maja Daruwala elucidates Gustad’s decision:

“For the Parsis perhaps the solution to survival is to move on. Willing to accept eventual

extinction they reject present degeneration and decay” (29).

As in Robert Frost’s Mending Wall in which the wall creates harmony between

two neighbors, in Such a Long Journey the compound wall creates harmony between

Parsi people and people of other religions. A street artist paints the gods of all religion

and thereby tries to make a livelihood outside Khodadad building. Gustad actually

suggests to him this idea to avoid urination on the compound wall. His intention is not

only to protect the wall from the municipality but also from mosquitoes. The stench of

their compound wall is powerful that mosquitoes become the permanent problem for

them:

But dinner was quite a challenge, with flies buzzing and hovering over the

food, and mosquitoes dive-bombing everywhere. Roshan shrieked each

time one landed in her plate, while Darius tested his reflexes by trying to

catch them on the wing. ‘Shut all the windows tight,’ said Gustad, ‘and

we’ll kill ones inside’. Everyone was sweating in the heat before long,

however, and the windows had to be opened. ( 79)

14
 Gustad respects his friends and the importance of keeping the people of his Parsi

community all the time intact. Even when he comes to know that his friend has used him

for his own benefit, he forgives him. As a bank employee, it is not ethical for him to deposit the

amount in a fake account, but still, he embarks to exercise the act in the name of his pure friendship

with Bilimoria. In this act, he is accompanied by his friend Dinshawji. Having understood the

problem of Gustad, Dinshawji, in the name of friendship, helps Gustad to deposit the money. This is

the circle of friendship. Mistry weaves the friendship of three different persons in an invisible thread.

As the Parsi community is slowly decreasing in number, the characters understand the importance of

living together. It is very common for endangered species living together to protect themselves from

enemies. Here, enemies are none other than the people from the dominant community. Gustad and his

friend Dinshawji have been enjoying the friendship for the last forty years. Gustad maintains the

friendship with a person who often becomes ill or someone whose character cannot be judged easily.

Gustad is the only person who can predict the behavior of Dinshawji. Unlike Gustad, Dinshawji feels

that he is given a task equal to a secret spy. He is proud of himself. Dinshawji crosses the line when

he reveals the secret mission to the office secretary.

The existential struggle creates a marked change in the attitude of the affected. This way, the

existential crisis has to be viewed from a positive perspective. Some look at it as a burden but for the

creative individuals and philosophical thinkers, it is a precious gift. It makes them peer into the

conflict which by itself is a pleasurable experience. It provides a distinct image to them and sets them

apart from the people who suffer and perish with looking for a way to come out and survive

successfully and peacefully. In Such a Long Journey, Gustad is given a chance to accept the request

of Bilimoria. After a long oscillation, Gustad finally succumbs to the snare of friendship. The

decision changes the entire course of his life. Such a Long Journey captures the life of Gustad and

how his decision is directly connected to the fate of other characters. Unlike Such a Long Journey,

15
in A Fine Balance, God is not the subject of the conflicts. God is ignored as there is no control

extended from God. Only the choices of the characters decide their destiny. The next chapter

proposes to capture the fate of four main characters and the way their life changes upside down

because of their decisions at a crucial time in India.

16
 Chapter III

Existential Choice in Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance

The essential obligation of an individual is to characterize life from the selection

of choices. All human beings have the freedom to make decisions from the unlimited

choices. Choices have the ability to change the course of life. The aim of this chapter is to

analyze the existential choice of the main characters in the novel and how the effect of the

choices affects their life. Existentialists believe that in the world of meaninglessness only

the choices we make define the purpose of our existence. Novels of Rohinton Mistry

consciously drive the characters to make certain decisions in their novels. As Valmik in A

Fine Balance observes, “After all, our lives are but a sequence of accidents – a clanking

chain of chance events. A string of choices, casual or deliberate, which add up to that one

big calamity we call life” (AFB 564). The kind of choices they make actually fails to lead

them to a state of happiness. Instead of that, they are forced to lead pitiable conditions.

Commenting upon the theme of the novel, Pratibha Nagpal says:

The novel’s four protagonists represent the commonest of the common in

India and exist on its periphery by either belonging to a minority

community or by being the outcasts. Against this backdrop of the novel is

primarily a study about human endeavor for dignity and the endless

struggle of human beings to strike a fine balance between their own desire

for a dignified and meaningful existence by combating the pressures,

deprivations, injustices, and indignities of the hostile milieu. (46-47)

Pratibha Nagpal points out that the characters are intentionally chosen to represent India

17
from all walks of life. The characters also help to bring out the emotional aspect of human

beings. It becomes an important study to understand the psyche of individuals in difficult

situations. In A Fine Balance, the four characters struggle to exist in extremely difficult

situations by fighting with societal pressures and all kinds of emotional and physical

violence. The study focuses on the analysis of the choices made by these characters one

by one. Then it will appreciate the common qualities of their choices and impact on their

respective lives.

Rohinton Mistry intentionally portrays the real face of India as he sets the dark

periods of India as the background of his novels. In Such a Long Journey the war between

India and China, the partition between Pakistan and Bangladesh are used effectively to

delineate the condition of Gustad. In his second novel, A Fine Balance, Mistry chooses

the state of the Emergency to portray the inexplicable condition of the people. The novel

exposes the changes in Indian society from Independence to the Emergency imposed by

the then Prime Minister. Mistry ruthlessly attacks her in this novel. However, her name is

not mentioned anywhere in the novel. In the place of her name, the characters simply call

her as the Prime Minister. Mistry brings together the characters from the diverse

backgrounds in the darkest period of Indian history. The novel starts with the declaration

of the Emergency in 1975 and ends with the death of Mrs. Gandhi. Morey opines:

Ishvar and Omprakash have what is perhaps their first experience of the

unrestrained severity of the new order at the beginning of the novel when

their train journey to the city is interrupted by the discovery of a dead body

on the line ahead. Disturbing but seemingly innocuous at this stage – the

passengers merely lament this passing inconvenience: ‘Why does everyone

choose the railway tracks only for dying … No consideration for people

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 like us …What is wrong with poison or tall buildings or knives?’ (94)

There are many novels which delineate the atrocities and violence of Internal

Emergency. Out of these novels, Salman Rushdie’s Midnight Children and Rohinton

Mistry’s A Fine Balance drew the attention of the audience across the world. Both of

these novels use Bombay as a backdrop and the language of Bombay is effectively used

to reveal agony of the characters. Mistry chooses the Muslim minority as the backdrop

and Mistry’s novels have the Parsi community as the characters affected by politics. The

primary difference between these two novels lies in the approach to the narrative pattern

adopted by the novelists.

Rohinton Mistry approaches the problem of the Emergency in India from the point of

view of the common people. Surekha Dangwal compares the novels of Rohinton Mistry

and Salman Rushdie in an interesting way.As discussed earlier, the Emergency crippled four pillars

of democracy in India. In the name of internal security, most of the opposition leaders were arrested

and thousands of people were imprisoned without any valid reasons. Police forces functioned as a

puppet in the hands of dictators. Judiciary was not in a position to control the atrocities happening

in front of its eyes. Media persons were arrested all over the country and there was unrest prevalent

everywhere. The lives of ordinary people were far worse than rich people in thenovel. Ishvar and

Om are the representatives of the poorer section of India. Prime Minister disrespects the spirit of

the constitution and forgets the fact that India is a democratic country which allows the people to

behave in a respectful manner. During the period of twenty-two months of Emergency, Indian

people were afraid tospeak out their unrest to others. They were constantly underthe fear that

anything may happen to them.

Besides declaring Emergency, Indira Gandhi announced the Twenty Point Programme in the

name of welfare. The points targeted mostly marginalized people. The Twenty Point scheme failed to

19
protect the livelihood of the people. In the name of development, people were evicted from the slums

forcibly. Poor people struggled hard to get the place to stay for the rest of their lives. Rohinton Mistry

openly criticizes the attitude of the government in the novel. Ishvar, Om, Dina and Maneck represent

the victims of the Emergency. Ishvar, Om and Maneck’s train enters the city on the morning when the

state of internal emergency has already been declared. They come to the city for reasonable livelihood

but the cruelty of emergency drives them pillar to post. They expect mercy from the people in vain.

Instead of that, they are cruelly treated by the system. The slum in which they find asylum is

evacuated in the name of beautification of the city. Lisa Moody critically analyses the combination of

historical study and characterization:

The idea of historicity suggests that only by understanding the relationship

between the political and personal realms can a universal lesson be

learned. Mistry’s point is that the political and personal cannot be viewed

separately, and he subjectifies history, through the use of fictional

characters, in order to demonstrate the larger moral lesson; in this case the

Indian emergency of 1975 has had irrevocably damaging consequences on

the lives of every member of the nation and by extension, for every

member of a democracy. (35)

The Emergency barely allows people to recognize their identity. As even the

slightest spark of freedom is curbed, the characters in the novel find it hard to move

forward in life. The road to freedom is too long for them. They are not allowed to realize

the true purpose of their life. Every day, life throws unexpected rules for them. ‘The

survival of the fittest’ rings into their ears relentlessly. They are under the fear of the law

and order situation under Emergency. Having understood their present condition, the

characters try to adjust to the existing reality. Om and Ishvar are willing even to sacrifice

20
self-respect for the sake of being alive. Ishvar lowers himself before others to avail kindness from

them. They never try to understand their identity unless they are forced but the search for identity

dissuades them because of their struggle for survival.

In the novel A Fine Balance, Mistry also uses the character Dukhi Mochi who

belongs to a low caste, as the primary reason for the characterization of other characters.

Dukhi undergoes all kinds of obstacles right from his teenage days but “by the time he

entered his teens, he had acquired all the knowledge he would need to perceive that

invisible line of caste he could never cross, to survive in the village like his ancestors,

with humiliation and forbearance as his constant companions” (97). Mistry describes

the condition of low caste from the life of Dukhi.

In the novel, Ishvar is motivated to make a brave decision to survive in the city

because of Ishvar’s father Dukhi Mochi. The life of Dukhi changes completely when he

decides to break away from the customs of his village. Being born in a lower caste which

is considered to be untouchable, Dukhi faces inexplicable problems. The two incidents in

the life of Dukhi compel him to raise several questions about his present condition. The

first incident happens when Thakur summons him for a job in his house. His job is to

grind a sack of red chilies into powder. When the work is almost over, the mortar

suddenly split into two and a part falls on Dukhi’s left foot and crushes it. Thakur

becomes angry and beats him mercilessly. He denies him to pay the money for his work

and also threatens to hand over him to the police for his crime. Even though Dukhi has

faced humiliations before, he cannot tolerate the treatment he has received when there is

no mistake on his part. There comes a point in his life when he cannot tolerate injustice

anymore. He is portrayed to be the man of tolerance. He resolves to emancipate his sons

from these wretched conditions of the society which is divided under the name of the

21
caste system. Rohinton Mistry illustrates the incident to highlight the plight of Dukhi :

The Thakur’s wife was watching from the kitchen window. ‘Oiee, my

husband! Come quick!’ she screamed. ‘The Chamaar donkey has

destroyed our mortar!’. Her screams roused Thakur Premji, drowsing

under the awning at the front of the house, cradling a grandchild in his

arms. ‘What have you done, you witless animal! Is this what I hired you

for?’ ‘I swear on the heads of my children,’ begged Dukhi, ‘I was only

pounding chillies, as I have done all day. Look, Thakurji, the sack is

almost empty, the work -’. ‘Get up! Leave my land at once! I never want

to see you again…!’ ‘But Thakurji, the work’… He hit Dukhi across the

back with his stick. “Get up, I said! And get out!... Thakurji, have pity,

there has been no work for days, I don’t-”… ‘Listen, you stinking dog!

You have destroyed my property, yet I am letting you off! If I wasn’t such

a soft-hearted fool, I would hand you to the police for your crime. Now get

out’. ( 104-105)

The kind of language Thakur and his wife use to abuse an innocent man like Dukhi certainly evokes

discontent on the high-class people. Chamaars in the village of Dukhi are treated as untouchables

who are not even considered to be human beings at all. They are compared to a dog. The rich people

happen to be merciless and try to protect their honour among the people at any cost.

Secondly, the incident happened to his sons also make him discontinue the custom

of his village. The incident occurs when his two sons try to experience the learning

atmosphere of the school. They are fascinated with chalks and slates. When the school

children are playing in fields, Ishvar and Om enter the school through the window. They

start exploring the classroom. The boys head for the cupboard where slates and chalks are

22
kept. They draw a line on the board. In the process of exploration, they forget the time.

The school teacher standing behind them grabs their ears and drags them outside:

The cane was presented, and the teacher asked four older students to hold

the trespassers to the ground, face down, by their hands and ankles. He

commenced the punishment, alternating strokes between the two. The

watching children flinched each time the cane landed on the bare bottoms.

A little boy started to cry. When the two had received a dozen strokes

each, the teacher stopped. ‘That should teach you,’ he panted. ‘Now get

out, and don’t let your unclean faces be seen here ever again. (111)

The punishment of the boys postulates the kind of treatment untouchables received before

the independence. The action happens inside the premise of the school and the school

students are used to control the movements of the children of Dukhi. It is not surprising to

find the anguish of Dukhi when he finds that his children have been brutally attacked by

the teachers. The government urges the importance of education but what happens to the

children of Dukhi completely opposite to the vision of the government.

Dukhi is informed of the punishment in the evening. He becomes furious at the injustice meted

out to his sons. The only hope he has right now is Pandit Lalluram who is known for his justice in the

village. But, he is shocked to find that the Pandit also supports the upper-class people. When he

informs the reaction of the Pandit to his friends, Dukhi’s friends also ridicule him to bring the case to

the priest. As they know already that, the priest only supports the upper-class people and that bringing

up the case to him is useless. Dukhi immediately determines that his sons should learn tailoring to

come out of this class struggle.

The decision of Dukhi to break the customs is an important step in his life. Any

change in the mindset of the people can create a great impact on their life. As he is

23
“disgusted at such sophistry, Dukhi takes a daring decision to cross the caste-barrier and

sends his sons to be trained as tailors under supervision of Ashraf. This is the supreme act

of assertion on the part of Dukhi” (Siroha and Usha Rani 109). Dukhi’s unassailable

determination makes him a changed man. Dukhi explicates the characteristics of a person

who is conscious to come out of the shackles of Indian tradition. To create a certain limit

in the freedom of anyone result in serious consequences. The first decision the affected

person makes will create a tremendous transformation in life. Dukhi thus decides to

change his destiny by sending his sons to learn tailoring instead of tanning which is the

job destined to his family for ages. He decides to break that tradition and ready to open a

new chapter in his life.

In the novel, Dukhi is also shown to develop a friendship with persons of

religions. He develops a friendship with Ashraf who is a tailor by profession and treats

others as equal. Moreover, Dukhi develops the attitude of rising against the social evils

when he happens to find the rally in the city supporting the destruction of untouchability.

Therefore, Dukhi decides to send his sons to learn tailoring from this Muslim friend.

According to him, his profession is considered to be the lowest of all professions and

whoever does the job is not respected by others.

Ishvar and Narayan decide to choose their career in different ways. Ishvar wants

to settle down in the city and find an apprentice job in any of the tailoring shops. He

considers “Everyone is so poor. There is more scope in a big place” ( 122). Narayan

decides to open a tailoring shop in his village. Narayan sets up shop in his hut. He was

shocked when his mother tried to drive away a Bhunghi who had come there for a

tailoring job. Mistry clearly gets his message across by bringing out the real face of the

caste system through Roopa. Roopa is considered to be an untouchable in her village. In

24
the hierarchy of caste, she is placed higher than her own lower class caste category. M. N.

Srinivas rightly points out.

The caste system is so deep in her mind that she tries to behave like the people of upper

class caste. She grasps the opportunity to dominate lower class people below her class.She

adds, “How can you even think of measuring someone who carts the shift from people’s

houses”. Narayan dissuades her mother that he will sew for everyone. Even hisfather Dukhi is

against his son’s decision. Narayan decides to break the untouchability within his own

community first.The life of Narayan is the perfect example of how a person can overcome the

difficulties of the caste system. Narayan learned the same art as Ishvar but their path is

different. Narayan is sensitive to the needs of these people.

Existentialism posits that it is the responsibility of the individual to define his

actions through his choices and thus chooses to resolve the crisis of existence. In other

words, to act or to refrain from action or to withhold assent to his choice, by itself is a

choice. This way, it is generally perceived that human kind is condemned to freedom.

Ironically, the word or the meaning of freedom comes under enquiry in terms of Derrida’s

deconstruction. In the existential parlance, freedom, as it generally means does not

liberate but binds them to a critical knot. This concept necessitates the search for a vision,

an individual vision. The next chapter proposes to analyze the perspectives related to

choice and vision with a view to genuinely liberate the individuals from the existential

crisis.

25
 CONCLUSION

Litterateurs always strive for their unique identity across the global scenario and

Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Mistry and the like who are branded as third world writers are also

no exception. Mistry challenges this trauma by the concept of adapting oneself. The pain

and the pangs and the problems of assimilation are too intense to bear, but instead of

painting a dark picture, Mistry attempts to give a humorous tint to conceal the pangs. His

dexterous handling of the mundane realities of life with untrodden problems, the biting

economic constraints, political pressure and the social ills prominently highlight the moral

corruption prevalent in the country.

Mistry has created a niche for himself in the minds of the global readers by his

linguistic expertise, keen eyes and ears for people and their ambience and the ability to

blend the East with the West with the rich repository of words. Mistry’s greatness lies in

the ingenious handling of the social and cultural complexities that inflict the Parsi community in

particular simultaneously juxtaposing the sufferings of the people of other religions and communities

to prove that intense suffering is common to all the poor and the helpless. Their struggle for survival

despite the odds in life and their dilemmas of adjustment are challenges well-delineated.

The novels of Rohinton Mistry clearly exhibit the characteristics of existentialism.

The characters reveal that they can make decisions on their own and accept the

consequences of the decisions. This thesis captures the salient features of existentialism in

all the three novels of Mistry. Mistry is undeniably one of the few novelists who can

mingle political consciousness and the human psyche in the novels. Family values,

humanitarian values and ethical issues are the predominant features of existentialism

26
which form the backbone of his novels. The features of existentialism are interlaced with

the existential stand of protagonists and minor characters. As existentialism is based on

subjective analysis of human conditions, the protagonists in his novels behave in such a

way that their ultimate decisions lead them to make a subjective choice. Whether it is

Gustad in Such a Long Journey or the four main characters in A Fine Balance or Nariman

Vakeel in Family Matters, all of them sacrifice their individualistic attitude for the sake of

their ambitions.

Rohinton Mistry acts as a political activist in the novels. Politics is submerged in

the narration to bring out the social calamities of the nation. Even though he has settled in

Canada, his affection towards his homeland is evident in the portrayal of his characters

behind the petty politics. He bravely uses the dark periods of India as the backdrop to

enumerate the sufferings of his characters. Democracy is the only available weapon in the

hands of the people to change their fate. Politicians or the system in which they are living

leads them to the exploitation. Mistry never hesitates to voice out his personal satire about

the political situations in India through the actions of the characters. The characters of

Mistry suffer at the hands of the corrupted politicians of their own country. Though it

may appear that they tolerate the violence silently, they expose their longing to strengthen

the political system whenever possible. In the process of escaping from the political

system, they become the victim of the system itself.

Rohinton Mistry follows the path of existentialism in the way of portraying the

religious values in the novel. Gustad is affected by a dilemma over the belief of God.

According to existentialists, God stands in the mid to realize the real potential of the

choices of the individuals. The concept of God deters human beings to make subjective

choices. There are philosophical ideas which work around the concept of God. Those

27
ideas of God are age-old and it fails to make human beings committed to their opinions.

Existentialists consider that human beings conveniently attribute the consequences of

their problems to God. Existentialists place human beings responsible for their actions.

Secularism is the highlight of the existential transformation of his characters.

Existentialists reject the idea of religion in many forms. They oppose the views of science

or religion as they think that it destroys the independent nature of man’s ability to think

and decide. Existentialism is basically a radical movement and it does not suppose the

philosophical views of others. Mistry follows the footsteps of existentialism in this aspect.

Gustad having faced all kinds of misfortunes in his life tries to recapture his ideologies in

any way possible. He accepts the advice of his friend and visits the temple of the Virgin

Mary. There is also a glimpse of secularism in allowing the pavement artist to paint all

the Gods on Khodadad’s compound wall. He makes all the people secular by allowing

them to worship all the Gods every day.

Such a Long Journey manifests the existential tenents in the characterization of

the characters. As the title indicates, the journey of Gustad exemplifies that life is a riddle

and it can be solved only with the choices. The journey is continuous and the external

factors cannot stop its function at any time. The ultimate purpose of human beings in that

journey is to discover the meaning of life. Gustad strives to realize the meaning in all his

actions. He is firm in his belief that family is everything to him. His religion possesses the

ability to solve all his problems by directing him to the ethical way of life. When his life

faces a series of crises, his faith in the religion is shaken, he starts questioning the

meaning of his life. It becomes tougher and tougher every day. Finally, the death of Tehmul

reawakens in him again that life is a long journey. It does not stop for anyone. The responsibility of

human beings is to accept the journey with an open mind. He prepares to direct the journey with his

28
new set of choices. Mistry represents the condition of middle-class man in this sense that he bears the

agony silently to make his family members happy. His mission is to provide a life which consists of

only happiness and a great future. Not only Gustad, but his wife Dilnavaz can also be considered as

having existential characteristics.

The novel is the representative for a new trend of globalization in an existential condition of

human beings. The geographical borders have become blurred to create a global village. But the irony

is that the cultural differences persist. The cultural and psychological affinities seem to create new

and ever changing mental borders which very often criss-cross and these result in a new kind of

physical borders. The conflicts arising out of these factors shatter man and leave him in a depressed

and frustrated state of mind. This state of mind facilitates his herd mentality which is rather

convenient for the exploitative politicians and administrators. Here arises the necessity to make

people aware of their freewill and choice.

Within the overall canvas of omniscient realist narrative, Mistry not only chooses

to change narrative perspectives but also provides a multiplicity of perspectives. The humanistic

approach of his narrative discourse and the grandeur of his backdrop narrative ensure a universal

dimension to his characters who ultimately became embodiments of a universal human life. Mistry

focuses on the contradictions in the Parsi experience - the contradictions arising out of twin

belonging: one to the community and the other to the nation. This causes an acute dilemma as it is

related to the conflict of interest between in- group membership and the nation. His novels seek to

evolve a visionary pattern that balances Parsis’ community- centred existence and the larger national

framework.

With great integrity of imagination, Mistry portrays sensitivity simultaneously to

the wholeness and fragmentations, the pitfalls and cruelties of his world whereby he tries

to prove that universal lies in the ordinary. Mistry’s heart extends compassionately for

29
uprooted and re-rooted and proceeds to document cruelties imposed on people of urban as

well as rural India. For them, maintaining stability in the midst of irrationality of the real

becomes an everyday struggle. His chief concern all through his works is to bring out the

theme of heroism in ordinariness. Hence, his novels can be called as survivor novels

because they are deeply engrossed with emotional, political, social and economic

tensions, injustices and contradictions. His exhaustive explorations bring out human

weaknesses as well as redeeming qualities, thereby making how everyday life itself is

heroic.

The research offers further scope to investigate the novels of Rohinton Misty on

the premises of Ecocriticism. As most of the novels of Mistry are set in Bombay, the city

is treated as one of the characters. Besides, the place of residences of the characters plays

a pivotal role in determining the characters of the novels. In Such a Long Journey, Mistry

makes all of his characters to reside in Khodadad building which protects them from the

invaders. In A Fine Balance, the novel happens in and around the house of Dina. Family

Matters has two houses of Nariman as the central problem of conflicts. The study on the

connection between nature and the characters has a larger scope to bring out the

ecological aspect of his novels. On the whole, it is observed that the ideas of existential

thinkers are interlaced as the principle source of inspiration to deal with the life of the

characters in the novels of Rohinton Mistry.

Works Cited
Primary Sources:

Mistry, Rohinton. Such a Long Journey. London: Faber and Faber, 1991. Print.

30
---. A Fine Balance. London: Faber and Faber, 1996. Print.

31
---. Family Matters. London: Faber and Faber, 2002. Print.

Secondary Sources:

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7th ed. 1941. New Delhi: Harcourt India,

2001. Print.

Ball, John. “Taking the Measure of India’s Emergency.”Rev. of A Fine Balance, The

Toronto Review of Contemporary Writing Abroad 14.2 (Winter 1996): 86-87.

Print.

Belliappa, K.C. “Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance.” The Literary Criterion 32.4.(1997):

20-30. Print.

Bharucha, Nilufer E. Rohinton Mistry: Ethnic Enclosures and Transcultural Spaces.

Jaipur and New Delhi: Rawat Books, 2003. Print.

---. “From Behind a Fine Veil: A Feminist Reading of Three Parsi Novels.” Margins of

Erasure: Purdah in the subcontinent Novel in English. Ed. Jain and Amina

Jasbir.New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited, 1995.174-185 (175). Print.

---. “When Old Tracks are Lost: Rohinton Mistry's Fiction as Diaspora Discourse.” The

Journal of Commonwealth Literature 30.2 (1995): 57-64. Print.

Bhattacharji, Shobana. “Remembered Time.” Rev. of Family Matters, The Book of

Review 26.7 (July 2002): 4-5. Print.

Bhautoo-Dewnarain, Nandini. Rohinton Mistry: An Introduction. Cambridge India, 2007.

Print.

Biring, Jagroop. S. “Rohinton Mistry’s Family Matters: a Critique of ethnic discourse.”

The Quest 20.1 (Jun 2006): 54-61. Print.

Childs, Peter, and Roger Fowler. The Routledge Dictionary of Literary Terms. London:

Routledge, 2006. Print.

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Dangwal, Surekha. “Image of India in Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance and Salman

Rushdie’s Midnight Children: a comparative study towards diaspora

consciousness.” The Commonwealth Review15.1, (2004): 67-77. Print.

Daruwala, Maja. “Frayed Cambric – Parsi Predicament.” Rev of Such a Long Journey.

The Book Review 16.2 (Mar-Apr 1992): 28-29. Print.

Devi, Maja J. “The Politics and Poetics of Ecology: a reading of Rohinton Mistry’s Such

a Long Journey.” Indian Journal of Postcolonial Literatures 11.2 (Dec 2011): 86-

98. Print.

Dodiya,Jayadipsinh. The Novels of Rohinton Mistry. A Critical Study. New Delhi:

Sarup & Sons, 2004. Print.

33