Rachel - Ghosh, 4/20

I will have to agree with Will's stance, regarding how Ghosh writes views free will.  In Sea of Poppies, the characters are products of their circumstances.  They aren't much like Dicken's protagonists, who struggle against their difficult circumstances and go from rags-to-riches; rather, Ghosh's characters are trapped in a situation that they must navigate, but with limited prospects for happiness.  Though I'm not too far into the book yet, I don't get the sense that it will end well for any of the characters.

Take the child-bride Deeti, for example.  She is impregnated by a man and gives birth.  It is not because she want a child, but because her in-laws wanted one.  (At least, we assume it is the brother-in-law who did the deed.)  She is now living with a daughter because of what other people - most likely men - decided.  She does not even exercise the right to control her own reproduction.  Pro-choice, anyone?

This thematic thread continues on page 112.  We see pretty clearly portrays how Ghosh portrays free will within the context of Western capitalism and its Smithian economics:

"Mr. Burhnam blew out a mouthful of smoke.  'Let me be hoenst with you,' he said quietly.  'The truth is you have no option.  Your debts to my company would not be covered even by the sale of the estate.  I am afraid I cannot wait much longer.'

'Mr. Burnham,' said Neel firmly, 'you must forget about your proposal.  I will sell my houses, I will sell the budgerow, I will sell everything I can - but I cannot part with the Raskhali lands.  I would rather declare bankruptcy than hand over my zemidary to you.'

'I see,' said Mr. Burnham, not unpleasantly.  'Am I to take that as your final word?'

Neel nodded.  'Yes.'

'Well then,' said Mr. Burnham, staring at the glowing tip of his cheroot.   'Let it be understood then, that whatever happens, you have only yourself to blame.'

The fat, white businessman blowing on his cigar/cigarette/cheroot/pipe/whatever is an image I've seen in Disney movies (Oliver and Company), cartoons (Rocko's Modern Life), countless books, and graphic novels.  In 2011, it is an image that has stuck in the cultural consciousness.  On Ghosh's part, I don't think Mr. Burham is a particularly innovate character...yet he's he's still a striking one.  I think that's part of the author's charm.  He takes tropes (the noble freed slave, the innocent village woman, the corrupt business man), and really carves them out in minute detail.  Plus the voyage is pretty fun.

Every novel needs a good voyage.  Even if you don't have much free will to decide where it takes you.