2/2: Naipaul: more questions!

NOTE: on Wednesday we will only discuss to the end of Chapter 8 (p. 140). We'll catch up on Monday. 1. Can anyone write an imitation of Naipaul's style? A couple short paragraphs will do. 2. The most important theme in Book One appears to be issues of power and hierarchy. Most of the relationships illustrate shifts in power relationships. In Book Two, Ferdinand gains more prestige and the Domain creates a new source of prestige. Is there a philosophy behind Naipaul's presentation of ever-shifting power relations? 3. On pages 88-89 and after we learn about Mahesh's business scheme and uses for western products. Can you relate these developments to i) the earlier discussion of math and/or the discussion of African use of products on p. 40? Have Salim and Mahesh become "mathematicians" as Nazruddin warned against? 4. From the beginning of the book to where we are now find some passages in which Naipaul characterizes "Africa" and "Africans"? With the boom and changes after the rebellion, is there any change in the narrator's concept of the "African"? 5. On page 95 Salim reveals, "I began to see the town as ordinary for the first time." We know that ordinariness and otherness are a continuing theme in the novel. Why does Salim's view of the town change? What is the significance of the change? 6. In the second part, the theme of "real" versus "unreal" becomes dominant. Compared to the earlier chapters, there are a lot more philosophical discussions. Look at the passage beginning "I became confused myself..." on page 124-125. What is "the Africa of words and ideas" and how does it differ from other representations of Africa in the novel? 7. Indar, during his long speech in chapter 9, describes the Domain as a "construct," but adds "all men live in constructs." Discuss the significance of the Domain as a comment on development in postcolonial Africa. 8. Salim gets to know a writer in the new world, Raymond, who is something of an official writer for the Big Man. On 136-137 Raymond talks about the difficulties of writing. Is this a Naipaul figure? What is the significance of the writer figure to the themes of the book (truth vs. falsity; being "nothing" vs. being something etc.)? 9. If tradition and religion underwrite many of the events in the first part, politics seems to be the active force in the second. On p. 133 Raymond, the white historian who "runs the show," praises the Big Man, the new African president. Comment on this passage in light of the imporatnce of history in the novel? How is Naipaul commenting on post-liberation African politics here? 10. While he initially felt like an outsider in the Domain, Salim finds himself accepted within it to some extent. After a night of music and a dance with Yvette, Salim declares that "I had found the kind of life I wanted; I never wanted to be ordinary again." (129) Explain this change in light of Salim's character through the novel up to this point. 11. On p. 97+, we read about Mahesh's Bigburger shop; it is obviously a satirical detail. Discuss the character of the Indian Mahesh as a symbol of an outsider's relationship to Africa. 12. A shift is described on p. 96: "We had been the intruders, the ordinary men... Without effort we had become, in a real way, the masters..."  How and why did "we" become the masters, and how was this shift brought about by the death of Father Huisman? 

Karol - Bend in The River -1/31

3. Most readers, beginning the book, would tend to associate the main character with VSN. However, their origins are different. Can you tell us a bit about VSN and look for associations between author and the character of Salim?

I apologize for posting so late. It took me a little while to place who V.S. Naipul was because I had been introduced to him through Paul Theroux's book  Sir Vidia's Shadow: A Friendship across Five Continents. Having no idea who the man was before I knew his drama it is refreshing to put a voice to the caricature that Paul Theroux presents.

My first impression of this novel is the imagery of unexpected awkward statement like the "beauty of numbers" (24) or  "Ghosts from the future" (27) the statement are then explained and push the narrative  along. The synthesis of enumeration in the first awkward statement then  explanation gives a consumerist hue to the tone of the book. I am also biased because I read what Edward Said said about this book before I began reading it.  Is it neocolonial to reject socialism and choose consumerist symbols over socialist ones? There are free market liberals out there.

Naipul takes a travelers risk in explaining this African non-place. Things are described as African and non-African the way a seasoned traveler would describe them. There is also this ambiguousness as well as acknowledgment of boundaries, natural boundaries, where African violence occurs. Or where it occurs in the Western imagination. There is no doubt that is a pro western narrative. 

 To answer the question:  Naipul is nothing like the protagonist in his book. Neither in ethnicity nor vocation. With this author it is important or me to separate the man from the work. Patrick French, in his biography of Naipul, accuses Naipul of being a sadist and a batterer of women.

Anna - -1/31/11 – Naipaull

I think that the quiet start to the book makes for a firm grounding. Naipaul is ensuring his readers are serious. In order to get into the novel, A Bend in The River, you have to first pay close attention to the setup. Naipaul is not going to hook you in falsely with a mystical boom, he is going to set the landscape, the political scene, the serious tone and if you can tune in to hear the authors voice speaking low, as if to a grandchild, two notches below the voice of the others telling big stories in the den, you will be ready then, to hear the wisdom of a wise man. His thoughts, the self-depreciating ones, the honesty of his self-assessment and of the characters around him, are quite impressive.

I am interested in the way Naipaul draws impressions of new characters faces. He remarks especially on Ferdinand’s as being exotic as an African mask.  This has a bit of mysticism to it, I am not sure if it is racist, or in his intention anyway as what the narrator means is Ferdinand appears guarded, i.e. “masked”. His mother is the token exotic so far in the novel, Zabeth. She is the nearest thing to a “hook” the novel has in drawing the reader in. Is it fair to lead with a strong mystical tactic? I was surprised upon finishing the first chapter to see Naipaul then leading in a fresh direction, as if rolling out the dough of the first batch, the setting, rolling out some scenery to the right, rolling out some politics to the left. At any rate, it shows the depth with which the book will dive, not just an adventure story, not just a social narrative.

Dan -1/31/11 - Naipaul.

The first 20 pages or so really serve as an intro into this very detailed world that VSN brings the reader into. He opens with Salim’s first person narration introducing characters he has met as he opens up shop in a country in Africa. The way VSN brings the reader in with these first few pages is swift throwing the reader straight into this uneasy place.

             VSN uses Salim at first as somewhat of an onlooker or a guide into the world of the story. Salim goes into his background and various people and situations he has been in over the years. This is a useful tactic with a story that has a setting as dense as this. What really struck my attention was how some of these slaves (Salim’s family’s) were used more as servants than actual slaves. Sometimes even "preferring" the stability of slavery to freedom.  VSN uses Salim as a window or a vehicle into the world of the story.

Nick K

           Naipaul's style is highly organized. His chapters begin with a statement of sorts, or a piece of his history that he feels needs to be addressed; usually something unimportant. Chapter 2 is emblematic of this. As Naipaul's description of why he is not yet married unfolds, we learn of his ties to race, religion and the growing unrest not only of the narrator but also of Africa. And as these pieces of the metaphoric puzzle come together we breeze through the explanation of why he isn't married and move on to the next thing. His narrative voice, especially in this chapter, is like a ball rolling down a hill: we are constantly moving forward with the story but we need to see it whole.
           Yet it is not this simple, as the "ball rolls" the tone and syntax changes constantly. The best example of this is on page 9 with the two paragraphs beginning "But at night..." and "What a journey..." They both address more spiritual things like ancestry and such, but the tone of "you felt the land taking you back to something that was familiar," is incredibly different from the more serial style of the next paragraph. Naipaul shifts from concreteness to a quicker staccato style, which emphasizes the state His Africa is in. Both he and his place are coming feeling the tension of tradition and rebellion, highlighted through the style of  Naipaul's narrative.

Eidia- 1.31.11- Naipaul

7. Character transformations:

In terms of character transformations, there are several characters who have been examples of such a phenomenon. To this point, the prime witness of these transformations has been Salim; however, while he mentally notes the progression and gradual transformation of his fellow acquaintances, it should also be noted, that Salim as a person has begun to undergo a metamorphosis. 

Aside from the Salim's gradual rate of progression from a coastal dweller, to a trader, there is the obvious choice for this subject matter: Zabeth. 

Initially, Zabeth is mentioned as a trader, who keeps solely to her status as a marchande, but later with the inquiry of her distinct "smell", it is discovered that Zabeth is a practicer of witchcraft; furthermore, there is the mention of a son, Ferdinand. All of these discoveries, as well as transformations, from a woman of business, to a sorceress, and finally a mother, further develop Zabeth's character, they are solidifying qualities which make concrete a personality. They are definitive; hence, accomplishing Zabeth as an individual with many facets. 

In Salim's case; however, there is a fluidity. Yes, he has definitely transformed, for there are several examples of this. One such example is his diversion from a traditional Muslim upbringing, which has obviously been diluted by his own references to sipping lager and Portuguese wines at his new situation, as well as his several dalliances with local women, which he with much difficulty dissembles. Despite these elements, Salim's transformations are a subtle set, for he is still fluid, experimenting, mending, never at an extreme end of the spectrum of change.

Whereas Salim is adapting to a new place, new people, another character who parallels  his situation is Ferdinand. While Salim is confronting his new freedom, his ability to provide for himself, be responsible for a business as well as a caretaker for Metty, there is Ferdinand's transformation, his constant battle of altering both mental and physical qualities, which are affected by influences from both political aspects, as well as cultural ones. As a young student at the local lycee, it is quite clear via the text that Ferdinand is attempting to seek a balance between the cultural and the political, for he is attempting to be accepted, but the difficulty asserts itself with acknowledgement of his efforts. As an example, his mannerisms, body language, sporting his blazer, all possess a sense of experimentation, seeking a comfort level, which ultimately fails, for when the violent outburst occurs via political turmoil, Ferdinand immediately brings forth his cultural inheritance of bewildered, panicked, African style of anxiety mode. As a result, it is clear the Ferdinand is attempting to adapt and mold himself for the hierarchal authority, while Salim slowly incorporates smaller elements of transformations, adding to his existing identity, without diminishing his original sense of individualism. He is almost at an equilibrium. 

Jane - 1/31/2011 - Naipaul

 I found the character of Metty to be emblematic of the conflict between exoticism and the familiar in A Bend in The River. Salim describes the differences between the wealthy families of his native town and the slaves to be only behavioral, since, after centuries of interracial breeding, the Arabs and Africans look virtually indistinguishable. Once Metty is uprooted from the compound to join Salim, Salim anticipates that he will become withdrawn and despairing over the carnage he witnessed, but, instead Metty flourishes in the village- becoming well liked among the inhabitants of the village. He goes as far as to adopt a new name- a French word for interracial. This struck me as ironic that he would adopt a foreign word for something deemed in his native land as pejorative that now seems to be a way for him to own this prejudice or perhaps to say that it is no longer relevant. The dynamic between Salim and Metty becomes as master and slave is also altered- now becoming more equal companions.

Hannah-Naipaul-1/31/2011

Nazruddin has an interesting conversation with Salim about the "math" of business. He states, "A businessman isn't a mathematician. Remember that. Never become hypnotized by the beauty of numbers" (page 24). On a scale from one (or zero) to presumably twenty, Nazruddin condemns a man who "... buys at ten, sees it rise to eighteen and does nothing. He is waiting for it to get to twenty... But he has wasted a quarter of his life" (page 24). He tells Salim that he should be a true businessman and when the quality of his business reaches twelve from ten, he should cut his losses and go on with his life. In my opinion, Nazruddin is telling Salim to be content with where he is on the coast. Instead of running around trying to find a new life, I feel that Nazruddin is suggesting to avoid "... a little mathematical excitement" by staying close to home and with people Salim grew up with. He should cherish the relationships and commitments he has made with family and his community.

Nazruddin's intentions towards Salim didn't seem honorable at first because he was taking advantage of Salim's desire to get away, but he trusted him with the store and told him that "Business never dies in Africa; it is only interrupted". Nazruddin, instead of waiting for his store and life to get better, decides to make a change and hopes the same for Salim.

Jason- 1/31/11- Naipaul

The narrator, Salim, is definitely illustrated as someone who identifies and feels the suffocating grasp of his own community’s traditions and expectations for the life he is meant to live. There is a prescribed hierarchy in which master and slave conform to (the house slaves), particular unspoken arrangements of future marriage (between Nazruddin’s daughter and Salim), and an overarching sense that things will conform to traditions indefinitely. Of course, the narration describes Salim’s awareness of an impending end to his family’s way of life, though despite this consciousness of his place in the scheme of things, there are certain contradictions within Salim’s character. He seems completely ready to set out for adventure and escape the imminent collapse of his way of life on the coast, though once outside, he appears less intrepid as he might be; particularly when compared to Metty and Ferdinand. Further, Metty, Salim’s “slave” creates a much broader and immersed life for himself once outside of the east coast. One other aspect of Salim’s character seems to be the faithfulness that is perceived in him by Nazruddin that Salim himself does not believe he possesses. It is unclear exactly with this “faithfulness” is that Nazruddin believes Salim to have and that Salim denies, though despite this there are instances where Salim appears to exhibit a kind of “faithfulness” in the forests and rivers of Africa and the villagers who make their lives there. Salim at times seems to see a kind of eternal and calming quality within the natural African world while at others he appears to recognize this very same thing as an impossibility in the face of European colonialism and the kind of savagery he sees in the villagers who occupy the land.

Will - Naipaul - 1/31/11 12

Will Simescu - Naipaul - 1/29/11 12Religious belief is a powerful, yet inconsistent, force in the novel. Often in the story it takes hold of people in times of uncertainty and violence. The old Asian couple Salim dines with once a week lost their business and their family during the uprising, yet they console themselves with religion and tradition: “They had done all that their religion and family customs had required them to do; and they felt . . . that they had lived good and complete lives” (p. 70). The night Metty tells Ferdinand about the violence in his coastal town, he describes the leader of the rebels who tore the town apart. When asked by Ferdinand why the man lead the rebels to kill the Arabs in the town, Metty replies: “He said he was obeying the god of Africans” (p.79). Religion is used to give meaning to bewildering violence. The most devout follower of any faith in the story, Father Huismans, also meets the most horrific end. A white European, he has an interest in African religious beliefs and constructs a museum out of tribal masks collected on his numerous trips outside the town. Though apparently fond of Africa, his museum reflects the hegemonic Western view of Africa: a dark continent whose history will be subsumed within the larger narrative of stabilizing European progress. Within this worldview, it is not contradictory or idolatrous for a white Christian priest to take an interest in African religious masks. The masks are stripped of their context and rendered as bits of local color, remnants of an almost extinct indigenous African culture. The narrator writes: "While he lived, Father Huismans, collecting the things of Africa, had been thought a friend of Africa." (p. 84) But Father Huismans’ efforts to “preserve” these objects fall into the “strategy of containment” discussed in “Intro to the Indo-European Novel.” His objectification of African belief contributed to the continued oppression of the African people. When he ends up with his head on a pike, he himself is objectified as a symbol of the white European oppressor.

1/31/11: Naipaul: Rachel

3.) Salim comes from a family of Muslim traders who moved to Africa, where they set up shop and became successful. (Yes? Yes, am I getting this right??) Salim is not ethnically African, just nationally.

To quote V.S. Naipaul's biography on the Nobel Prize site: "Born in Trinidad in 1932, the descendant of indentured labourers shipped from India, this dispossessed child of the Raj has come on a long and marvellous journey." They make it sound so inspiring...

9.) Being "nothing" = not incorporating YOURSELF into the idea of human history. Being "something" = a person like Father Huisman, who sees himself as part of a "historical river's flow"..he collects the relics of Africa to expand human knowledge. It's as though it were a big project he was helping complete.

Due 1/31: A BEND IN THE RIVER: choose from these questions

Pick one or two to issues, based on these questions, to address and include anything else you like in your post, especially responses to other posts, impulsive reactions to the reading, or links to outside materials. Posts can be informal - this is a chance to brainstorm about a splendid and subtle work. 1. Every first person literary work has a character who is not in the story: the implied author. And the character of the narrator, who is, of course, a part of the story. How does VSN create our impression of this character (the "I") in the beginning of the novel? Surely, it is not an aggressive or direct characterization. 2. The Nobel committee compared Naipaul to Conrad due to some similarity in their subject matter. And, indeed, VSN appreciates Joseph Conrad. But their writing styles are not similar at all. Look at a passage from Conrad and compare the style to Naipual's in the first chapters of this book. 3. Most readers, beginning the book, would tend to associate the main character with VSN. However, their origins are different. Can you tell us a bit about VSN and look for associations between author and the character of Salim? 4. Please sumarize the story so far. What happens? 5. Comment on Naipaul's approach as a storyteller. Surely, you'd expect a novel about a man relocating to a newly independent African state to be full of adventure. But the early chapters are a bit staid and quiet. Why do you suppose Naipual uses this approach? 6. Let's return to the idea that poor VSN is "self-hating." The early chapters contain many descriptions of Africa, not all of them wildly positive. What do you imagine is his intent in describing a post-colonial country this way? Specifically, how does VN use the words "African" and "European"? For instance, Zabeth's life was completely "African" - what does this mean? 7. Various characters undergo transformations in the way they are seen within this excerpt. Zabeth for one seems like a simple tradeswoman initially, but is later seen as a witch; Nazruddin is another; also, Ali or Metti: comment on the significance of these changes? 8. A related issue is the concept of exoticism: some characters are seen as exotic and a duality between the exotic and the familiar runs through the book. Who or what is exotic and has the glamour of exoticism? 9. The book begins with another duality: being "nothing" versus being "something." How does this duality play out as the book explores African identity versus European influences, particularly the issue of self-consciousness and memory and history? 10. Salim himself seems to embody this duality: nothingness versus identity. He is of the same age as Ali/Metti and Ferdinand, yet he is separate from both. Comment on his dealings with Nazruddin, Metti and Ferdinand. 11. One curious passage is Salim's conversations with Nazruddin, and Nazruddin's advice about business and math. What is the significance of this "math" thing? Also: are Nazruddin's intentions toward Salim honorable? 12. Few characters seem to be practicing Muslims. How does the spectre of religious belief hang over the story and influence events?