The Devoted Son by Anita Desai

In the story “The devoted son” by Anita Desai. The author illustrates strong and vivid meaning in the depth of the story. The Author portrays a truth. No matter how well progressive one is, tradition will always counter it.

Rakesh’s Father went ill and sick even though he was under a professional doctor who was also his son “One day when the father was really sick, having ordered his daughter-in-law to make him a dish of soojie halwa and eaten it with a saucerful of cream, Rakesh marched into the room, not with his usual respectful step but with the confident and rather contemptuous stride of the famous doctor, and declared, “No more halwa for you, papa. We must be sensible, at your age. If you must have something sweet, Veena will cook you a little kheer, that’s light, just a little rice and milk.

But nothing fried anything rich. We can’t have this happening again. ”(Desai, 79). We see essentialism, where the father expects his son to get him what he wants. At the same time we see Marxist theory where shift in the balance of power happens. Before the father had the power to tell his son what to do, and it seems like the father is still used to it. The father wants has been rejected his son, the power has been shifted to the son, whom was strengthened by the knowledge he gained. Not to say his knowledge was wrong though.

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The father then sits shocked with his eyes widely pierced out (Desai, 79). The tradition of the father kicks in because it was against the child to object on the father’s needs and wants. The essentialism here is clear. And that the shift in balance of power happens because of knowledge. Secondly Even though Rakesh has succeeded in prolonging his father’s life, Old Varma wanted to die. The medicines Rakesh’s father takes actually did make his father live longer and healthy, but actually he just also made his father hate living and suicidal.

Superego can be seen here because Rakesh sees that the right thing is that medicine and Vitamins pills will only cure his father. From the Knowledge and experience Rakesh had as a doctor, he knew exactly what his father should eat, the doze and the number of times a day. His purpose was only to make his father live longer. On the Other side Old Varma’s point of view is that his son is limiting his food for him, limiting the quality of the food, limiting the number of times he can eat. Rakesh rejects his father’s desires, where Varma sees it as torture. He complains to his neighbour about that.

He doesn’t even want to live anymore so he tells Rakesh “ Let me die, it would be better, I do not want to live only to eat your medicine” Clearly an image of depression and mental illness is seen through Rakesh’s father, Even though Rakesh just wanted to make his father live longer. This relates to the truth, where Rakesh’s knowledge is countering his father’s Traditional desires to halawi and Jaledi and other sorts of food which Varma is used to and enjoys eating. This leads to the father desiring death, and waiting for god to take him. Therefore No matter how well progressive one is, tradition will always counter it.

In the story “What is poverty” by T. Dalymple. He illustrates an important message that every country has its own definition of poverty. Corruption has started by the government. “They'll find her a new flat. They'll buy her new furniture, television, and refrigerator, because it's unacceptable poverty in this day and age to live without them… She’ll invite him there, he'll smash it up again, and then they'll find her somewhere else to live. There is, in fact, nothing she can do that will deprive her of the state's obligation to house, feed, and entertain her. ( Daliymple,3) The implicit meaning of this quote is that the British government will buy her a new place to stay, including the necessity and appliances. The man will get away though. In the end the guy will come back and damage the house and all this will repeat over and over. One of the literary devices in this quote is sarcasm. “…because it's unacceptable poverty in this day and age to live without them. [ furniture, television, and refrigerator]” The author sarcastically expresses his opinion on poverty in UK. It is not that important to have T. V or furniture or fridge; those items are for luxurious purposes. This portrays how high the standard of poverty in UK is. Although that sounds like a good thing, it actually is not. They get spoiled by luxury. Making them unable to see how hard it is to afford a flat or a television. This quote also has situational irony. This is because the women’s flat got damaged by her Ex-boyfriend, and even though she gets her rights from the law and gets a new house, she still will invite him over so he can damaged her new house again.

This shows how laid back the British citizens are specifically the ones living on the poverty line. In this case the woman abuses the law since she doesn’t care about the house. She didn’t pay for the flat. Who actually paid for it, are the rich people paying their taxes. This leads to the theory of representation, where those couples represent how laid back and lazy the British people whom are living on poverty are. The government’s opinion of how their society should be like and how the poverty standard should be spoils the society. Making them not feel how hard it is to work for getting a house or cleaning is.

The government made the British citizens corrupted with their high standard of living, making poverty have a different meaning. In UK, poverty means to have T. V and a house given by the government along with the furniture. Secondly, the narrator shows how the British culture is falling behind. The narrator kept referring to the other 3rd world doctors that work with him. He portrays how dependant UK citizens are on the government, how they do not care of cleaning and their life has no order or appreciation and disrespectful culture. This shows Discrimination theory of difference.

The author shows that the British’s culture has an unhealthy essential life, versus the third world, where they work had to achieve a house, water or luxurious items. Narrator talks about the struggle going on to achieve a house. How the poverty is in India and Philippines. The author also illustrates the difference between the amount of respect given to the doctor between UK and 3rd world countries. UK had the man who cursed the doctors, but in 3rd world countries they probably will thank the doctors for helping them with their issues.

Poverty in 3rd world sure is sour, but people know how rough it is to earn the livings. While as UK’s poverty has a very high standard, the citizens do not know how hard it is to live, and they abuse the laws. Therefore every country has it is own definition of poverty. In the documentary "Ban into Brothers", Briski gives her view on an extremely important message. This message is that parents and society are the major influences on a child's future. Briski interviewed a boy who lived a miserable and struggling life. His name was Avijit. There is nothing called hope in my life" (Briski), said Avijit. Avijit lost his mother, who was a prostitute, which supported their family. On the other hand, Avijit is a drug addict (hash). Basically, Avijit is living in the very lowest class. He has no home, and education is not easy for him. Avijit says: "We don't have enough time to live let alone to study. " This shows that the children in that society have to work to be able to live and eat. Lastly, Briski illustrates Puja as a solid representation of feminisms in that community and the true power that women have.

Puja's families are all prostitutes. Her mother is a prostitute, as well as her grandmother. Although Puja dresses well and eats well, the method being used to support her and her family is entirely wrong. This leads to the analytical theory of commodotisation. Puja's lives in a society where prostitution is the only opportunity for females to support themselves and their families with enough money. This is evident when Puja's family pulls her out of school early in order to make more money, sooner, to better support their family. Puja's future is not bright at all.

Her family and her environment have ruined her life, and any hopes and dreams that Puja has for her future. She was destined to be a prostitute and sell her body, just like her older generations. Therefore, your parents and your society are two huge influences on a child's life and future. In conclusion, in all 3 previous steps, there is one common truth. In the stories of “What is poverty” by T. Dalymple, “The devoted son” by Anita Desai, and “born into brothels” by Zana Briski we see the common universal truth of, Education and Society raises one’s level into the world and community.

In The devoted son, we see that Rakesh was very well educated; his society was not a problem. Rakesh grew up to become a doctor. He became wealth. He stood out in his community. He was very well known, and people loved him. His father also was proud of him; they did not suffer from any health or financial issues. Rakesh was lucky to be one of the people whom are on the higher level. On the other hand the documentary of “Born into Brothels” Though the opposite was seen where children living in that society could not even taste hope.

That society only allowed the girls to become prostitutes and men to become pimps if they wanted to make money to live with the basic physiological needs. Others in that society couldn’t travel, just for living in that society; others found schooling not possible because their mother is a prostitute or a slave. Children mentioned in that movie, such as Puja and Avijit, they are living in the lowest level in their community and in the world. In the story “what is poverty” by T. Dalymple. Poverty had a higher standard, where television and fridge was provided. But the society had struggles within itself.

Lack of independency, and feeling the pain to earn money made them blind and turn into disrespectful, ungrateful, lazy, unhealthy community. They are living a good life maybe, but the society is not very well developed. People living in that poverty can be on the middle level. Without education, one cannot raise his level in the world, and without a proper society people will not have a healthy good future. Education and society are like stairs, where one needs it to go up higher, higher in terms of living standard. Therefore Education and the Society raise one’s level into the world and community.

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