Eidia- Naipaul paper- February 9th

7. A character study of Salim in relation to his concept of masculinity

In Naipaul’s novel, A Bend in the River, the concept of masculinity is not given a solid definition. Instead, the readers are compelled to use events and actions involving Salim, and determine Salim’s relations with his own masculinity.

As an example, despite moving away from his life on the coast, enduring the pains of the journey from the coast to the bush, Salim very much relied on certain aspects which still connected him to home, he still had a very fluid sense of dependency, which was further solidified by certain events. One such example is Metty’s arrival to town, including the arrival of pickles from Salim’s mother: “Ginger and sauces and spices from my mother.” (pg. 31) In the same passage, there is also a segment describing a photograph sent to Salim from his father, entailing the possibility of the co-existence of religion and modernity: “Two family photographs from my father, and a wall print on a cheap paper of one of our holy places in Gujurat, showing it as a modern place.” (pg.31). Maintaining these minute gestures between himself and his parents in a sense entails Salim’s continued openness towards drawing influences from his roots, whether they be dietary or religious. With a sense of ideal masculinity, Salim should as an individual, be able to dictate his own direction in life.

Another situation in which Salim compromises his own masculine assertions is his vulnerability to allow external figures dictate his viewpoints. With the case of Indar’s arrival, again there is a scene involving food sent for Salim from his mother. In this passage, Indar makes it a point, repetitively that Salim is to share the chutney with Metty. This scenario almost alludes to the notion that Salim is incapable of committing generous acts of humanity, as simple as sharing, without being reminded of doing so.

In his somewhat oppressed form of masculinity in more practical manners, Salim somehow discovers it hidden in his sexual encounters. He manages to accomplish himself, making himself more established in this practice. With prostitutes, Salim composed a choreographed manner of engaging in sexual activity, but at the same time concealing the fact from both Metty and Ferdinand. While Ferdinand did not inhabit Salim’s living quarters, Metty did; hence, this bringing in and taking out of the prostitutes became a crucial part of this routine, for Metty is not meant to be exposed to Salim’s new found masculinity. Engaging in his pleasure with the prostitutes, being able to conduct a sexual act was self assurance for Salim, that he did have control over his sexuality, but while he dissembled this from Metty, he was maintaining a sense of honor. He was keeping with whom he established the act with a secret, not that he was engaging in such conduct. Later, when Yvette establishes herself as Salim’s regular lovemaking partner, he does not find it necessary to retain this information from Metty anymore, for now, he is not only having sex, but he is having sex with a woman of class. He asserts his masculinity by not shying away from his deeds, for with Yvette, he acknowledges his associations with her,  for in most of their evening dalliances, Metty is present in the flat.