I’ve come back off holiday in time to see that my short story ‘Mother India’ is available to read on Five Stop Story. It’s a quick read, but I hope you enjoy it and get a few laughs. I explained in an earlier post my inspiration for this.
If you’ve not visited Five Stop before, I recommend you read some more of the stories on there, it’s got a great selection.
A review emailed from Jody:
Oh Gawd the opening line to this story immediately captivated me. I know it sounds so dork but wow I immediately related to that statement. Maybe not to the effect of being Indian, per se but to the idea of feeling as though one’s spirit/soul belongs to another culture, another society/ethnicity.
I loved how you showed this young woman travelling to another world so different from her own hoping to find a place for her soul to call home. How everything she had hoped and dreamed was not at all as she had anticipated. At the same time I do love how you showed without showing the flaws in her logic. She’s wanting a hollywood take on India, not what is really there. She misses the point of it all, and in doing so proves herself unworthy of the experience.
Instead of seeing the beauty of her surroundings she only sees the dust and dirt instead of appreciating that beauty is not always the aesthetic as we understand aesthetics. At the same time I love how you paint this beautiful picture of India, the land and culture even the scents. Its interesting too how she views herself and others around her. AT one time she believed herself to be a kindred spirit to this beautiful land, now she only sees herself as a stranger, a giant and an alien.
When I was an exchange student in Mexico I could really relate to her plight as being this towering stranger. Though up here I’m considered shorter, in Saltillo I literally towered over most everyone. I was the tallest in my class and everyone was my age. Not to mention I was the only pale face of the bunch. But where she dreads this difference and feels its negativity I always felt more honoured. That I was a representative of Canada and was given this opportunity to step out of my world and step into theirs.
Goodness the more I read this tale the less Ilike this girl. Her ignorance and callous thoughts is grating. She doesn’t see the poverty and instead judges and compares by what she knows to be ‘civilised’. By the same token I have to say kudos again for painting these colourful pictures of the cities bustling nature, its subtle beauty and vibrant life.
I do like too how you show without spelling it out how she’s come here to take and in turn the land is silently taking from her. She came there expecting some sort of dream, to tour like a princess or at least enjoy the lifestyle similar to her own. Instead of embracing and observing learning what she can she turns a blind eye and so now its like reality/truth is beginning to prod at her as though trying ot teach her a lesson she doesn’t want to grasp.
I do like too the darker undertone of this tale, the silent lesson learned and the harsh realities that far too many people ignore. How in spite of everything Bella has learned nothing. You only get what you give. Given that she was willing to give nothing but judgment, ignorance and arrogance she walked away with nothing but that as well…
Great job with this piece!! It certainly does give food for thought. Makes one step back and reconsider their views of the world and just where we truly believe we belong.
Ah so many people just like that, desperate for a quick fix. Well done.
Great piece. There are far too many people who have that outlook. If you need to travel to find yourself, you haven’t lived.