The Village By the Sea Essay Questions

What does the lack of reliable parental figures mean for the children?

While it is not Mother's fault she is ill, she cannot parent her children, and neither can Father, a drunk and a profligate (albeit a poor one). That means that Hari, Lila, Kamal, and Bela are responsible for working, cooking, shopping, cleaning, and generally taking care of their and their parents' needs. This is not an easy task, especially for such young children. It causes immense stress and sadness in the two older children, who, instead of spending their days playing and dreaming, are worrying about whether or not to go to Bombay or how to stay out of the way of cruel neighbors trying to punish their father. Lila is forced to become a parent to her sisters while her parents are at the hospital, and Hari seeks out another parental figure in Mr. Panwallah. Desai gives the children a happy ending though, with Father quitting drinking and Mother getting healthier, and the reader is able to hope that things will improve for them in the future.

Why do the villagers have a love-hate relationship with Biju?

Biju is a boaster and a braggart, and flaunts his wealth to the rest of the villagers. He is "dishonest and perhaps a smuggler" (42), and when he helps rescue the fishermen towards the end of the novel Desai writes, "This was a great day for him, the day when the prowess of his own superior boat had been proved for all to see. He was only sorry these thick-headed fishermen refused to see it" (202). Obviously the villagers have trouble with him for these reasons, but it is more complex than that. Many of them "were proud, to, that someone in Thul was able to build such a thing, even if it was Biju" (42). Biju is one of their own and his success reflects on them as well. And though he cannot help touting his own superiority, Biju risks a great deal to rescue the fishermen. The villagers "seemed to have forgiven Biju at last for his boasting and arrogance...That great storm had brought all the fishermen together, they had realized how much they depended on each other and needed each other" (259).

How does Hari change over the course of the novel?

At the beginning of the novel, Hari is very unsure of himself and is easily swayed by events and other people. He does not know exactly what he is supposed to do to help his family and wishes he could simply dream and play and go to school as children should. When he hears of the factory and then the opposition towards it, he still does not have a firm conviction either way. He eventually allows the desire to defend his village and see Bombay to take him to the big city, but he rapidly becomes aware that life there will be a new kind of harshness. While he is in Bombay, Hari experiences sensations of loss, confusion, anxiety, weariness, and despair. At the same time though, he is growing stronger in himself. He has an aptitude for watch repair and embraces it. He comes to a decision about where and with whom he truly belongs. He makes wise choices with his money. He embraces Mr. Panwallah's advice to always learn and grow and fight for himself and what he wants. By the time he is home, Hari is more mature, confident, and wise.

Does Desai end the novel on an optimistic note? Why or why not?

Generally, yes, especially if you're a child reading the work. Father has quit drinking, Mother is healthy, Hari and Lila are bringing money to the family, and Hari has a solid plan to earn money when the factories change the landscape and composition of the village. Desai writes, "Life seemed perfect to them at that moment" (260), and the final image is of Hari calling to Lila to see how their mother is among the women wading into the sea and scattering flower petals and colored powder. Indeed, this is an unabashedly happy scene.

However, the adult reader may be a bit more skeptical about whether or not this future can be sustained. There isn't enough information about Father to ascertain if he has truly changed. Hari's plans are good but will take a while to realize, and the changes the factory brings might not even all be apparent yet; he will have to adjust to things he cannot yet foresee. And Sayyid Ali will not always be at Mon Repos, so Lila's income may vanish as well. Calling attention to these uncertainties is not intended to diminish the happy ending, but to simply suggest that Desai is not a complete fantasist and subtly suggests that life is indeed full of ebbs and flows.

What is the novel's message about gender and gender roles in India?

Both Lila and Hari are hardworking, smart, thoughtful, and caring, but Hari is a boy and thus is afforded different responsibilities and roles in his society. He is supposed to provide for his sister's dowry and bring money to the family; he gets to travel and protest. Lila by contrast does women's work, but also by virtue of the situation the family is in, has to step into more masculine positions by working, providing, etc. Hari thinks of his sister in a traditional way but has these assumptions upended when he sees a women's protest in Bombay. Upon his return home, he tells Lila, "'I've brought money back with me, too. I want to discuss that with you—and with Mother when I go and see her.' He did not mention their father—he knew that would be useless" (225). Desai's characters thus occupy a traditionally gendered society that is grudgingly shifting a bit due to necessity, but through her characterization of Hari and Lila, Desai suggests that girls are just as capable and valuable as boys, and that better things happen when the genders work together.