Theme of Village By The Sea

POVERTY:
•In the novel, poverty is what the main characters and their families and friends suffer from.
•They lack life's necessities, clean water, sturdy shelter, healthy and sufficient food, medical care
etc.
• This means they struggle through their days fighting to obtain these basic needs, even though
they are the simplest of things.
• We are shown in the novel how Lila is left to do all the chores because of her sick mother and
young children. Her mother is sick due to nobody understanding what is wrong and also they are
also unable to take her to a hospital because they have no means of getting there.
•Hari and Leela being the elder ones had to give up schooling and get a job for extra moneyfor
their basic needs
•Throughout the story we are given plenty of examples of poverty, whether it is in the small
village where families are very independent or in the large city of Bombay where there are lots of
people and we are told of the crowded slums. These slums are a prime example of poverty. 
 Child Labor
Defination
1. The term “child labour”1 is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood,
their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.
2. It refers to work that: -
• is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or -
interferes with a child’s ability to attend and participate in school fully by obliging them to
leave school prematurely
• or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy
work.

OR
1. The term 'child labour', suggests ILO, is best defined as work that deprives children of their
childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental
development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and
harmful to children, or work whose schedule interferes with their ability to attend regular
school, or work that affects in any manner their ability to focus during war and clubs and
boutros, school or experience a healthy childhood.
2. UNICEF defines child labour differently. A child, suggests UNICEF, is involved in child labour
activities if between 5 and 11 years of age, he or she did at least one hour of economic
activity or at least 28 hours of domestic work in a week, and in case of children between 12
and 14 years of age, he or she did at least 14 hours of economic activity or at least 42 hours
of economic activity and domestic work per week. UNICEF in another report suggests,
"Children’s work needs to be seen as happening along a continuum, with destructive or
exploitative work at one end and beneficial work – promoting or enhancing children’s
development without interfering with their schooling, recreation and rest – at the other. And
between these two poles are vast areas of work that need not negatively affect a child’s
development.“
3. India's Census 2001 office, defines child labour as participation of a child less than 17 years
of age in any economically productive activity with or without compensation, wages or
profit. Such participation could be physical or mental or both. This work includes part-time
help or unpaid work on the farm, family enterprise or in any other economic activity such as
cultivation and milk production for sale or domestic consumption. Indian government
classifies child labourers into two groups: Main workers are those who work 6 months or
more per year. And marginal child workers are those who work at any time during the year
but less than 6 months in a year.
 Child Labor In India
CONTENT OF CHILD LABOR:
•Child labour is the employment of children at regular and sustained labour.
•This practice is considered exploitative by many countries and international organizations.
• Child labour was utilized to varying extents through most of history, but entered public dispute
with the beginning of universal schooling , with changes in working conditions during
industrialization, and with the emergence of the concepts of workers' and children's rights.
• Child labour is still common in some places where the school leaving age is lower.

SITUATION OF CHILD LABOR IN IDIA:

•Millions of children in today's world undergo the worst forms of child labour which includes
Child Slavery, Child prostitution, Child Trafficking, Child Soldiers.
• In modern era of material and technological advancement, children in almost every country are
being callously exploited.
• The official figure of child labourers worldwide is 13 million. But the actual number is much
higher.
• Of the estimated 250 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 who are economically
active, some 50 million to 60 million between the ages of 5 and 11 are engaged in intolerable
forms of labour.
•Among the 10 to 14year-old children the working rate is 14.4 percent in India.

OR
1. Bonded child labour is a system of forced, or partly forced, labour under which the child, or usually
child's parent enter into an agreement, oral or written, with a creditor. The child performs work as in-
kind repayment of credit. In this 2005 ILO report, debt-bondage in India emerged during the colonial
period, as a means of obtaining reliable cheap labour, with loan and land-lease relationships
implemented during that era of Indian history. These were regionally called Hali, or Halwaha,
or Jeura systems; and was named by the colonial administration as the indentured labour system. These
systems included bonded child labour. Over time, claims the ILO report, this traditional forms of long-
duration relationships have declined.
2. In 1977, India passed legislation that prohibits solicitation or use of bonded labour by anyone, of anyone
including children. Evidence of continuing bonded child labour continue. A report by the Special
Rapporteur to India's National Human Rights Commission, reported the discovery of 53 child labourers
in 1996 in the state of Tamil Nadu during a surprise inspection. Each child or the parent had taken an
advance of Rs. 10,0000 to 25,0000. The children were made to work for 12 to 14 hours a day and
received only Rs. 2 to 3 per day as wages. According to an ILO report, the extent of bonded child labour
is difficult to determine, but estimates from various social activist groups range up to 350,000 in 2001.
3. Despite its legislation, prosecutors in India rarely use the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976
 to prosecute those responsible. According to one report, the prosecutors have no direction from the
central government that if a child is found to be underpaid, the case should be prosecuted not only
under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, the
case should include charges under the Bonded Labour Act of India. The few enforcement actions have
had some unintended effects. While there has been a decrease in children working in factories because
of enforcement and community vigilance committees, the report claims poverty still compels children
and poor families to work. The factory lends money to whoever needs it, puts a loom in the person’s
home, and then the family with children works out of their homes, bring finished product to pay interest
and get some wages. The bonded child and family labour operations were moving out of small urban
factories into rural homes.
 Comparison between:
Stopping by the Woods and I Believe
Similarities:
•Both the poems deliver a similar kind of message, inviting us to work.
• The poem I Believe presents the poet’s self-belief and the limitless possibilities in a man and
inspires us to work in the present in order to achieve higher goals.
• Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening narrates how the poet-speaker wanted to enjoy the
beauty of the snow-covered woods but he had to go, as he had other duties to perform.
• This gives us a message not to waste our precious time in the distractions and temptations of
life, but to make a good use of this life by working hard, for this life is really short and we have
many things to do, ‘a miles to go before we sleep’. 

What is the central message of the I Believe?

The author sings the praise of ‘the audacity of
hope’ in this poem. She lifts the readers’ spirit by
narrating the many daunting tasks one can
undertake to make one’s life purposeful. Thus, the
message is one of ambition, altruism and
dedication. However, she cautions against the perils
of dreaming and neglecting the tasks in hand. Hope
must not be opium that makes a man sedate and
indolent.
MOV
 Bibliography
Theme of Village By the sea of Poverty:
•http://siansconcept.blogspot.in/2010/07/poverty-in-novel-village-by-sea.html

CHILD LABOR:
•Defination: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-
new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_557089.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labour_in_India
•Theme of child labor depicted in novel:
•Child labor in India: https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labour_in_India#Bonded_child_labour_in_India

Comparison between I believe and Stopping by the woods:

• https://englicist.com/questions/difference-i-believe-stopping-by-woods
Summary of TVBS
•The Village By The Sea, an award-winning novel by the prolific Indian author Anita Desai, is a heartwarming,
life-enriching story. Written with a simple sensibility, the novel offers readers a glimpse into the complexities
faced by an impoverished family in a small Indian village. This ingenious, inspiring work of fiction has
touched the hearts of millions, including mine.
•The story is set in a small fishing village, Thul on the western coast of India, some 14 kilometers away from
metropolitan Bombay, now Mumbai. In the beginning of the book, Desai mentions that the story is based
entirely on fact, as she visited Thul during weekends with her family. Her characters are based on people
living in the village. There are certain words in the native Indian language in the novel, which may be
unfamiliar to young English readers, and Desai has provided a glossary.
•The main characters of the story are Lila and Hari, two siblings in a family struggling to make ends meet. Lila
is 13 and Hari is a year younger. They have to shoulder the responsibilities in order to survive the harsh
realities of their family's bleak financial situation. With their mother chronically ill and their alcoholic father,
they have to earn money to run the household and educate their two younger sisters. As a result, both Hari
and Lila have given up their studies.
•Life is miserable for them. Lila has only a few days of work as a servant and Hari works a small plot of land
to grow crops. The crops never yield enough food for them and his small fishing net never catches enough
fish to fill the stomachs of his family. Hari is strong and wants to get a better job but he cannot tolerate the
turmoil of his family. He runs away to Bombay, known as "The City of Dreams," without telling his family,
leaving Lila to manage things on her own. The way the siblings make their way through this story and their
grinding poverty is remarkable!
•Desai brings Thul to life with subtle and vivid imagery. The vibrant descriptions help the reader delve right
into the book and reach the place metaphorically. Don't read this book just for the amazing storyline. Read it
for the "scarlet hibiscus blossoms," the "sweet-smelling spider lilies," the "bright, butter-yellow allamanda
flowers." Read it for the exotic species of birds -- the curlews and sandpipers, herons and kingfishers,
swooping to catch glistening fish in the "whispering waves." Desai describes the hue of the ocean from
coffee to peacock blue to emerald green. The reader is awed by the beauty sculpted in nature's mould.
•The only drawback I found was the lack of tension in the first half of the book. The story
proceeds quite slowly in its initial phase. But as you reach the second part, the story picks up
and you won't want to close the book until the last page is turned. I became personally involved
in the story and could even feel my presence in Thul. I could feel the "salty tang" of the wind and
the freshness of the waves. A good book like this takes you straight to the scene of the story and
makes you feel like one of the characters. What more can a reader ask for?
•The book is not only to be read as a beautiful literary work, or for pleasure, but for inspiration.
One has to accept the challenges of life and strive to meet them with dignity. This book is about
how Hari and Lila rise above their struggles and emerge victorious in their quest for survival.
•The characters are well drawn. Hari represents hard work and determination; his moral fiber
streaked with emotion. Lila is poised, patient, and tolerant. The story of their struggles and their
indomitable spirit is inspiring to those in similar circumstances and sure to regenerate lost
willpower and offer hope. The book is very well written and aroused my emotions; it made me
feel sympathy towards all of the characters. I cried about their struggles and pains, laughed and
rejoiced for their progress and gains.
•An important message the book conveys is the need for change for the better. Our surroundings
and environment are constantly changing and we must adapt our outlook accordingly. We have
to broaden our vistas in order to progress. As Heraclitus once said, "Change is the only
constant." There is one wonderful line from the novel regarding the same idea, "The wheel turns
and turns and turns; it never stops and stands still."
•Desai's writing style is pure and passionate. Her stories are straight from the heart. They
contain the flavor of the soil, and acquaint readers with Indian culture and traditions. I think
readers from most age groups will enjoy this novel. It is beautifully written, intricately woven,
and replete with creativity. Anita Desai has given us a literary gem. She truly deserved the
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, which she received in 1983. Kudos to her!