What Does Squatter Mean
This passage describes most individuals who go on and live in new societies and countries but are not quit accepted due to the difficulties faced by them of being an emigrant. For many people letting go of their past traditions and accept new ones is very difficult. As for Sarosh the character in the short story “Squatter”, he is unable to use the toilets because he is still living in his past traditions. He has not been accepted in the Westernized culture because, in the story we see him squatting on the toilet as he used to back in India. Also racial differences caused Sarosh not to be accepted, because of his skin color he is viewed as a minority and is alienated from the others. This passage relates to Sarosh directly, because we can see that Sarosh tries very hard to fit in and find a
…show more content…
place in this new world. He even goes to the doctor named Dr. No-Ilaaz, to get a cure for his problem.
This passage interprets Sarosh in a very metaphoric way; the toilet seat that Sarosh is unable to sit and pass a motion throughout almost his ten years of life is portrayed as his alienation in Toronto. He has not accepted Toronto as his home in ten years, which is then shown through the uncomforting and the inability to use the westernized washrooms. The illustration of the washrooms being both private and yet public in the same way, refers not only to washrooms in Toronto being public with small cracks on the side and feet shown. But also symbolizes the identity of the Indian which is both private and public to everyone. The identity of Sarosh is being hidden behind the washroom stalls and therefore, he is afraid that the identity he left behind back home can be seen through the narrow cracks between the stall doors.
This passage identifies the seriousness of the story told by Nariman in “Squatter”. Both the listeners to the story in the frame and out of the frame were confused of how to react with Nariman’s words. Both listeners were confused of the concept of the story being whether comedy or tragic. When Nariman began telling the tale of the difficulty of Sarosh passing motion in the westernized toilets, the listeners within the frame began to laugh, but soon noticed that Nariman did not hint to any laughter and if it was a comic tale, he would have let them know. This showed us readers what story it really was and made the audience take the tale of Sarosh in a more serious and mature way. Nariman through this story not only gave a bit of comedy but also, stated the importance of the story that going aborad does not only give happiness and success but there are struggles linked as well. The squatter used in a more serious tone described the struggle Sarosh had when in abroad. Therefore, because we knew how to react to this story, the message became clearer.
The three passages from the scholarly article that is useful to understand some of the other short stories are listed below.
I described the segment of Toronto's Gerrard Street known as Little India. I promised that when he visited, we would go to all the little restaurants there and gorge ourselves with bhelpuri, panipuri, batata-wada, kulfi, as authentic as any in Bombay; then we could browse through the shops selling imported spices and Hindi records, and maybe even see a Hindi movie at the Naaz Cinema. I often went to Little India, I wrote; he would be certain to have a great time. (58)
This passage is from the short story “Lend me your Light” a conversation between Kersi Jamshed through letters.
Jamshed had said very bad things about Indai (Bombay), he states that Bombay is dirty and is horrible. Kersi therefore, replies with the passage above referring Toronto as little India, the Gerrard Street filled with Indian culture and the amazing Indian food offered. Through this passage the audience learns that Kersi is fond of India and feels more homely in Toronto, Canada than Jamshed, who is currently living in America with no Indian culture around him. Kersi tries to explain to Jamshed that India is not that bad and their food and traditions is still alive in his heart, and to have it displayed in Toronto gives him great pleasure. We learn through this passage that the spices and food names of Indian food is still used in hindhi words because they cannot be changed. The meaning of Indian food will change if the name changes. This then shows how India is popular for its name and should not be hated by anyone. Kersi is seen to be proud of his homeland and which is why Kersi replies to Jamshed in a more serious tone in the reaction of Jamshed’s arrogant
letter.
Another passage from the short story “Lend me your Light” portrays Indians as weak immigrants who need to stand up for what they believe in. Stand up for their culture, for their beliefs. As read in the story, Jamshed goes against this passage and completely accepts the American culture, and leaves its traditions and his own Indian beliefs behind. But unlike Jamshed who has become one of them, Kersi has tried to remain with his ethnic background. He too has immigrated to Canada and accepted some of their traditions but has not let go of his own. To stay within the culture in a foreign country Kersi "became a member of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario. Hoping to meet people from Bombay” (57). Therefore, this passage makes the audience learn that just because an individual immigrant to a new country does not mean, he has to cut his roots off. Being in a new country and standing up for ones rights is important to keep the Indian culture alive. “Remind him he is a Zoroastrian : manashni, gavashni, kunashni, better write the translation also: good thoughts, good words, good deeds — he must have forgotten what it means" (60)
This passage is from the short story “Swimming Lessons”. The father of Kersi, living in Toronto is worried that Kersi must have forgotten its roots. So in this passage the readers can see that the father is commanding his wife and Kersi’s mother to write down, the culture he was brought up in. This passage shows the readers that when children go off in abroad, they barely come back to visit which worries the parents, and makes them wonder if the children have forgotten all the teaching and lessons on their family religion and fear if their children have cut off their roots to be accepted in the new country.
The first argument, Heble, talks about in his scholarly article is the dismantling fictions of identity. In which Nariman the story teller of “Squatter” goes against his own teaching and lessons given to the children. Nariman points out the dangers of Sarosh inheriting the cultures of abroad, the negative aspects of going abroad and gives a warning to the children to the life in foreign. However he himself has accepted foreign cultures, therefore contradicts with his own beliefs. For example, “Nariman owns a Mercedes Benz (a Western symbol of success and affluence), has cultivated the moustache of a Western movie star (Clark Gable), and likes to whistle a march from a Western film (Bridge on the River Kwai).” (53) By that proves, Nariman going against his own words. The contradiction of Nariman argues the truth and facts of his story.
The second argument, Heble,
Question #4
The characters and their experience in abroad are somewhat similar. They all have a connection or a link to their homeland that is still present in their hearts while living abroad. In the short story “Squatter” Sarosh tries very hard to accept the new culture and its westernized ways of passing motion on the toilet seat, however is unable to do so because is unable to forget its own past traditions. Sarosh is hybridizing its traditions in a way that, he is mixing its Indian culture to the westernized culture. Sarosh’s protagonist immigration experience is not as well as he planned, even though he puts all his effort to accept the new culture, he is still stuck with its Indian ways. An example of this is the toilet seat which symbolizes the discomfort and acceptance of Sarosh in Toronto. By not being able to pass motion in the washroom stalls, he proves that he still has India at heart and is unable to treat India as his home. Similarly in the short story “Swimming Lessons” even though Kersi does not come back to India, he still has India’s culture and traditions at heart has trouble adjusting to his new life in Canada, he feels dislocated from his Indian heritage as well as from the modern Canadian culture around him. He turns nostalgic and soon begins to feel loneliness and alienation he feels. He still is unable to completely forget all the teaching his mother taught him, the Indian customs that his mother had taught him. For example; the teachings of his culture of his roots through the letter sent by his parents that states, he is a Zoroastrian : manashni, gavashni, kunashni” (60). Lastly, in the short story “Lend me your Light” Kersi is living in Toronto for a very long time and has accepted Canadian norms even though many days he feels guilt for leaving his homeland. So when he received the horrible letter from Jamshed from America, criticizing Bombay as a dirty place, Kersi takes India at heart and replies to Jamshed making India known to be good for its culture. The example here is the letter that Kersi gave back as a reply to Jamshed, describing Toronto as Little India, serving the greatest Indian food and offering great Indian movies. Kersi hybridizes the culture of both India and Canada by joining the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario. Living in Toronto trying to keep his roots and culture alive is what Kersi does. Therefore, in all three stories it is seen that living abroad is great but, in all stories, the characters put an effort to keep their culture and beliefs alive.
place in this new world. He even goes to the doctor named Dr. No-Ilaaz, to get a cure for his problem.
This passage interprets Sarosh in a very metaphoric way; the toilet seat that Sarosh is unable to sit and pass a motion throughout almost his ten years of life is portrayed as his alienation in Toronto. He has not accepted Toronto as his home in ten years, which is then shown through the uncomforting and the inability to use the westernized washrooms. The illustration of the washrooms being both private and yet public in the same way, refers not only to washrooms in Toronto being public with small cracks on the side and feet shown. But also symbolizes the identity of the Indian which is both private and public to everyone. The identity of Sarosh is being hidden behind the washroom stalls and therefore, he is afraid that the identity he left behind back home can be seen through the narrow cracks between the stall doors.
This passage identifies the seriousness of the story told by Nariman in “Squatter”. Both the listeners to the story in the frame and out of the frame were confused of how to react with Nariman’s words. Both listeners were confused of the concept of the story being whether comedy or tragic. When Nariman began telling the tale of the difficulty of Sarosh passing motion in the westernized toilets, the listeners within the frame began to laugh, but soon noticed that Nariman did not hint to any laughter and if it was a comic tale, he would have let them know. This showed us readers what story it really was and made the audience take the tale of Sarosh in a more serious and mature way. Nariman through this story not only gave a bit of comedy but also, stated the importance of the story that going aborad does not only give happiness and success but there are struggles linked as well. The squatter used in a more serious tone described the struggle Sarosh had when in abroad. Therefore, because we knew how to react to this story, the message became clearer.
The three passages from the scholarly article that is useful to understand some of the other short stories are listed below.
I described the segment of Toronto's Gerrard Street known as Little India. I promised that when he visited, we would go to all the little restaurants there and gorge ourselves with bhelpuri, panipuri, batata-wada, kulfi, as authentic as any in Bombay; then we could browse through the shops selling imported spices and Hindi records, and maybe even see a Hindi movie at the Naaz Cinema. I often went to Little India, I wrote; he would be certain to have a great time. (58)
This passage is from the short story “Lend me your Light” a conversation between Kersi Jamshed through letters.
Jamshed had said very bad things about Indai (Bombay), he states that Bombay is dirty and is horrible. Kersi therefore, replies with the passage above referring Toronto as little India, the Gerrard Street filled with Indian culture and the amazing Indian food offered. Through this passage the audience learns that Kersi is fond of India and feels more homely in Toronto, Canada than Jamshed, who is currently living in America with no Indian culture around him. Kersi tries to explain to Jamshed that India is not that bad and their food and traditions is still alive in his heart, and to have it displayed in Toronto gives him great pleasure. We learn through this passage that the spices and food names of Indian food is still used in hindhi words because they cannot be changed. The meaning of Indian food will change if the name changes. This then shows how India is popular for its name and should not be hated by anyone. Kersi is seen to be proud of his homeland and which is why Kersi replies to Jamshed in a more serious tone in the reaction of Jamshed’s arrogant
letter.
Another passage from the short story “Lend me your Light” portrays Indians as weak immigrants who need to stand up for what they believe in. Stand up for their culture, for their beliefs. As read in the story, Jamshed goes against this passage and completely accepts the American culture, and leaves its traditions and his own Indian beliefs behind. But unlike Jamshed who has become one of them, Kersi has tried to remain with his ethnic background. He too has immigrated to Canada and accepted some of their traditions but has not let go of his own. To stay within the culture in a foreign country Kersi "became a member of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario. Hoping to meet people from Bombay” (57). Therefore, this passage makes the audience learn that just because an individual immigrant to a new country does not mean, he has to cut his roots off. Being in a new country and standing up for ones rights is important to keep the Indian culture alive. “Remind him he is a Zoroastrian : manashni, gavashni, kunashni, better write the translation also: good thoughts, good words, good deeds — he must have forgotten what it means" (60)
This passage is from the short story “Swimming Lessons”. The father of Kersi, living in Toronto is worried that Kersi must have forgotten its roots. So in this passage the readers can see that the father is commanding his wife and Kersi’s mother to write down, the culture he was brought up in. This passage shows the readers that when children go off in abroad, they barely come back to visit which worries the parents, and makes them wonder if the children have forgotten all the teaching and lessons on their family religion and fear if their children have cut off their roots to be accepted in the new country.
The first argument, Heble, talks about in his scholarly article is the dismantling fictions of identity. In which Nariman the story teller of “Squatter” goes against his own teaching and lessons given to the children. Nariman points out the dangers of Sarosh inheriting the cultures of abroad, the negative aspects of going abroad and gives a warning to the children to the life in foreign. However he himself has accepted foreign cultures, therefore contradicts with his own beliefs. For example, “Nariman owns a Mercedes Benz (a Western symbol of success and affluence), has cultivated the moustache of a Western movie star (Clark Gable), and likes to whistle a march from a Western film (Bridge on the River Kwai).” (53) By that proves, Nariman going against his own words. The contradiction of Nariman argues the truth and facts of his story.
The second argument, Heble,
Question #4
The characters and their experience in abroad are somewhat similar. They all have a connection or a link to their homeland that is still present in their hearts while living abroad. In the short story “Squatter” Sarosh tries very hard to accept the new culture and its westernized ways of passing motion on the toilet seat, however is unable to do so because is unable to forget its own past traditions. Sarosh is hybridizing its traditions in a way that, he is mixing its Indian culture to the westernized culture. Sarosh’s protagonist immigration experience is not as well as he planned, even though he puts all his effort to accept the new culture, he is still stuck with its Indian ways. An example of this is the toilet seat which symbolizes the discomfort and acceptance of Sarosh in Toronto. By not being able to pass motion in the washroom stalls, he proves that he still has India at heart and is unable to treat India as his home. Similarly in the short story “Swimming Lessons” even though Kersi does not come back to India, he still has India’s culture and traditions at heart has trouble adjusting to his new life in Canada, he feels dislocated from his Indian heritage as well as from the modern Canadian culture around him. He turns nostalgic and soon begins to feel loneliness and alienation he feels. He still is unable to completely forget all the teaching his mother taught him, the Indian customs that his mother had taught him. For example; the teachings of his culture of his roots through the letter sent by his parents that states, he is a Zoroastrian : manashni, gavashni, kunashni” (60). Lastly, in the short story “Lend me your Light” Kersi is living in Toronto for a very long time and has accepted Canadian norms even though many days he feels guilt for leaving his homeland. So when he received the horrible letter from Jamshed from America, criticizing Bombay as a dirty place, Kersi takes India at heart and replies to Jamshed making India known to be good for its culture. The example here is the letter that Kersi gave back as a reply to Jamshed, describing Toronto as Little India, serving the greatest Indian food and offering great Indian movies. Kersi hybridizes the culture of both India and Canada by joining the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario. Living in Toronto trying to keep his roots and culture alive is what Kersi does. Therefore, in all three stories it is seen that living abroad is great but, in all stories, the characters put an effort to keep their culture and beliefs alive.