Discussion Question # 1 Submitted by Mrs. N. Buffonge.
In the family of Tara, Baba, and Bimla, One can see that there is a lot of resentment with each other. We see some of the causes and strains that exist between Bimla and Tara, but what is the underlining factor why Bimla and Raja are not close anymore?
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Discusison question submitted by Kendra Rover
ReplyDeletewhy would Bimla be upset by by the content of Raja's letter?
I think that Bimla and Raja are no longer close because he left home without informing her. She felt that in his leaving he betrayed their close relationshiop.We know f the many times that Bimla and Raja spent reading poetry with one another so we can interpret the closeness that they developed and can also understand they way bimla felt after Raja left.
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ReplyDeleteA factor that can be looked at in this regard is Distance, now that Raja has moved way, Bim is upset because we all agree that she had praised him and kept him on a pedestle in her life. Raja always looked down on Bim, but still always loved her because she had the same thirst he had for education. Maybe in a sense we can say that Bim was much more close to Raja than he acknowledged he was to her.
ReplyDeleteIt is also possible to say that, Bim is jealous because here she is stuck in Old Delh, looking after a brother who has not done more than five normal things in his entire life, while Raja gets to live out his dreams, leaving hers as dreams.
Latianna Robinson, Phylicia Joseph, Nikki Andrew, Annesia Evans..
Bimla and Raja are longer close as Bim felt that Raja was some what ungreatful. tis could be so as Bim took care of Raja when he was seriously sick. She gave up her life of happiness to look after him Baba and Aunt Misra. Still after raja got better he left and went to live with Hyder Ali Sahib. He never really considered the things the Bim sacrificed for him. Also the fact that raja only visited her once and the comments that he gave made her even more upset. Also the letter that he wrote to her contributed alot towards her anger. It may be Also that Bim was jealous of Raja.
ReplyDeleteShemez Browne
What was in the letter that made her so upset?
ReplyDeleteDid She over react? Would you have behaved like this?
THe fact that Bimla and Raja are no longer close has probably coem about as an evoltuion of loneliness into anger on the part of Bim. As children Raja and Bim are very close. They enjoy so much together. They would plan on having similar occupations - super heros - she would sit and listen to his poetry and the two wee practically inseperable. There was never a thought that their lives would take the two different paths that they did. Raja life is now one of fortune and Bim's is one of simplicity. She probably thinks that she too should have been afforded an opporunity at this fortune but her duty to her brother is more compelling. She feels left behind and significantly less improtant as Raja becomes more and mre successful and leaves her lonely.
ReplyDeleteWhen he finally does come to visit the two are from such different worlds now that it is almost awkward to be around each other it is his modern lifestyle versus to her conventional ideology and in an effort not to seem lacking or wanting Bim puts up a front of contentment when in fact she longs for the things that Raja has come by. The letter is not so much the cause of her resentment but it is more of a justification for it. Raja had thought he was doing Bim a favor by not raising the rent. She uses it as an excuse to resent him.
Roland Moore
It is the fact that Bim refuses to let go of the grudge that she has held against Raja for so many years, that makes her angrier with him and keeps the rivalry between them in existence. Bim was upset at the thought of Raja wanting to raise the rent but restraining from doing so because she was his sister. In her opinion, Bim felt that she should not be paying rent at all because she was indeed Raja's sister and deserved to be treated as such. Bim keeps this anger stored up inside her. This is evident from the fact that she chooses to keep the letter that Raja has sent to her, for so many years. This is what prevents Bim and Raja's relationship from ever mending. I don't think that I would have behaved in the manner in which Bim did. I think that she took the situation to a whole other level, when it could have been settled in a more simplistic and mature manner. Bim needed to be thankful at the fact that Raja did her a favour by not raising the rent and just let all of the hatred go, life is too short. However, Bim did not view the situation in this way. She was more willing to die with her grudge against Raja than to let it go. It was as if she was upset with Raja for leaving her alone with Baba. He had no right to make his life progressive. The fact that Bim refuses to let go of the grudge she holds against Raja does not surprise me one bit since, Bim's life has been at a standstill for so many years, without any intentions for change.
ReplyDeleteLatoya Letlow
The role that Baba plays in the novel is that he acts as a reminder to the other characters and what their lives were like. It was stated in the novel that Baba’s primary occupation was playing the gramophone and also his pebbles which he rubbed together until they were smooth and also which he got from Aunt Misra as a child. He uses them even into adulthood which is a clear reminder that he never changes only remains the same. Hence, his loud music and pebble playing contribute to his “sameness”. Also, Raja had bought him new records but Baba refused to play them and insisted on playing the old ones over and over again.
ReplyDeleteClydecia Moore
Aunt misra provided a stable home for Bim and her other brother and sisters after their parents died and even when they were alive since her parents was never around.Also, intern the children provided a family for her after her husband died. They became her sole concern and in doing so she did not start a family of her own.As time went on she got old and her prospect for anothe marriage was lost. With Tara and Raja moving away aunt Misra felt lonley and neglected which eventually led to her death.
ReplyDeleteMarlia Laurent
i dont think that the resentment between raja and bim should continue. bim needs to forgive in order to grow and to change. if she does not then she will always remain the same in some way.
ReplyDeleteKeshane Grant
I believe that Bimla and Raja are no longer close because of the letter that Raja wrote Bim which hurt her alot. I do not believe that Bim should have kept a grudge against Raja for so long, she should have just let it go and continue with her life. Another reason why Bim and Raja are no longer close is because Bim took care of Raja while he was sick and it seemed to her that he did not care and just went away to live his life. I believe that Bim could have gone away and have a life of her own if she had talked to her sister and brothers about how she feel. She took the responsibility upon herself to stay in old Delhi and take care of her aunt and brother.
ReplyDeleteRaja and Bim had shared a close relationship in the household ever since he was sick, she was the main one who took care of him, read to him(which he loved,gave him advice when he wanted to or was about to do something wrong and most importantly they shared the same compassion and aspirations towards education.
ReplyDeleteHowever, after Raja moved away Bim became very upset mainly because she held a grudge towards him because he was ambitious enough to go after his dreams in life,while Bim stayed home upon her own free will to take care of her other sibling and her aunt.
It is quite evident that Bim cared more for Raja than he did for her. But eventhough, I think that Bim could have gone after her dreams like Raja did if she had simply let go of the fact that he left her behind, and move on into better things.
Well Latianna, Bim's personality is different from all the other siblings. As a matter of fact all the other siblings were the same. Now i know you may be wondering how so? Raja, thought about himself and his dreams only. Tara knew she was beautiful and also aspired to go places even though she was not as good with Education as Raja. Baba-it is not clear whether he is mentally retarded but even in this state of sickness, he is for himself. He plays his music unbearably loud, he expects his tea done in the morning etc etc...all of them think of themselves and Bim is the only one who thinks of the needs of others before thinking of her own and this is one of the reasons why it seems as though she remains the same because she wants to, but really she remains the same because she has to in order for her character to work with its personality...
ReplyDelete"How is the title of the book CLEAR LIGHT OF DAY relevant to the actual story"
ReplyDeletei disagree wit saying that bim was not ambitious, maybe she was not as ambitious as raja, but being that ambitious would require her to be self centered (just like raja) which doesnt fit into her personality.
ReplyDeleteher selflessness and sacrificial ways got into the way of her goals and dreams and thats is why she holds a grudge because know ones seems to notice how much she sacrifices.
The discrepancy that Bimla has towards Raja is that she feels that he is being pretentious with his whole lifestyle. She feels that he is coping Hyder Ali Sahib’s way of life. The numerous times that Raja went over by Hyder Ali Sahib's house, he eventually adopted or adapted to the culture that he found himself in while at Sahib's house –which was a high class life. In essence, Raja gradually evolved into a more sophisticated person; to begin with Bim is afraid of change, thus the disappointment that she had with him. In the letter that Raja wrote to Bim it stated:
ReplyDelete“It’s time you met your young nephew. We have bought him a pony, a plump young white one that the girls say looks like a pearl…when he sits on her back he looks like a prince in a Persian miniature…”
At this point Bim becomes infuriated as she implies that Raja only bought the horse to be like Hyder Ali, who always rode his white horse while they [Raja and Bim] ‘played in the sand by the Jumna’ when they were younger. Tara was trying to convince Bimla not to have a grudge against Raja because of his new found lifestyle, instead love him because he is her brother. Furthermore, Bimla felt a bit disturbed for the fact that Raja started writing his poems in the ‘Urdu’ language, but still had an appreciation for them: “Why not take up a more original subject for your new poem? You know- just for the sake of – originality.”
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Franchesca
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Franchesca..I love that response...
ReplyDeletecan anyone describe bim as an adult woman, including her attitutes towards her family members as well as her appearance in the clear light of the day
ReplyDelete