I just finished the novel last night - or, more precisely, in the wee hours of this morning. It was one of those times where you close the book, place it on your desk, and think: "ohhhh...kay??" What is this novel about? I'm not really sure - in a bad way. I feel like I'd have to read it again to get any significant grasp on it.
So even though I have yet to bushwhack my way through Midnight's Children, I'm pretty sure any future papers will analyze this work instead of A Bend in the River. However, I was going to write a paper the Naipaul book, it would definitely be a feminist critical perspective. The second most prominent idea I took away from this novel was that of wounded masculinity, and the need to dominate the feminine in order to compensate for a perceived loss of power.
-- The President's "monkey speech"
-- The Youth Guard's reaction to the monkey speech, in which they lash out at people they were supposed to protect
-- the juxtaposition of Yvette's sex versus brothel sex
-- Salim beating Yvette passage
But I have no real intent of carrying this out...so someone else can feel free to take this idea and run with it.
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