Sunday, August 30, 2009
Climbing the Stairs Blog Assignment
Please discuss your response to Climbing the Stairs with the members of the class. In your discussion please consider gender issues addressed in the article as they relate to the book. What if the main character was the brother? What if the setting was in a different place and time how would the gender roles play out? Please pose questions and pick up and piggy back on each other's comments. Have fun!
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ReplyDeleteClimbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
ReplyDeleteBlog Discussion by Paula White
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel Climbing the Stairs and had a difficult time closing the
book each night before bed. I found that I could identify with each of the characters, especially Vidya, whose courageous, independent personality had me cheering for her when she yelled, “We’re not coolies” after a British girl pushes her at a train station; sympathizing with her as she tells amma how appa really died; and crying with her as she realizes that her strong feelings about women’s rights threaten the possibility of marriage with Raman.
Climbing the Stairs is laden with obvious gender issues that most readers find appalling, yet some of these concerns subtly exist in present day society. Padma Venkatraman organizes the novel so there are two different worlds in which Vidya lives. One is Bombay, her hometown, which seems to be more progressive and open to offering opportunities to females. Although the tradition of arranged marriages, babies, and a life as a homemaker is still expected, girls in this town are allowed to play sports in school and may even think about going to college. Yet, the household of periamma and periappa, Vidya’s aunt and uncle in Madras, is much more traditional. It seems ludicrous that women and men live on different floors and eat at different times. The whole idea of the caste system also puzzled me in Vidya’s grandfather’s home. It is hard for me to understand how human beings could treat others so inhumanely. Servants were not permitted to use the same dishes as the others of the household and were left to drink the coffee after it had percolated several times. But how is this different from the way the men treated the women? After all, the women were forced to serve the men before they could sit down to eat and they were not permitted to engage in their intellectual conversations. In addition, they were treated as animals and sent to the outhouse once per month. To me it seems that the females were actually treated worse than the servants in some ways because they were related by blood to many of the males and yet regarded as lower class.
In today’s society it is widely accepted for women to earn college degrees and work outside of the home, but is it understood and respected when a man wishes to stay at home to raise children and take care of the house? I think this is a gender issue that continues to remain a problem. I believe that many people perceive men to be independent, hard working, ambitious individuals who strive to climb the ladder of economic success. Changing diapers, attending story times, and preparing meals continue to be difficult for some adults to admire because these tasks may not fit the stereotypical duties of males. I remember participating in an activity in college many years ago in which classmates were asked to picture a variety of scenes in their minds which they would later be asked to describe. When the professor spoke of a brain surgeon, less than 10% of the class considered the individual to be a woman (and yes, there were many women in the class) and even more astonishing was the reality that no one pictured a preschool teacher as being a male. I attribute some of the responses to the fact that certain fields of work are typically female or male dominated, yet I believe we need to open our minds more and encourage the future generation to seek careers they admire, rather than ones which fit gender stereotypes.
Climbing the Stairs continued...
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the article Gender Issues in Children’s Literature I was reminded of how gender stereotypes are not only represented in some books but are also portrayed on television, in the news, and in magazine ads. Last summer I evaluated gender stereotypes in the media and found there are still many instances in which women and men are valued only for their bodies, rather than their minds. Clothing, makeup, exercise equipment, food, technological gadgets, etc. are usually advertised by thin, beautiful women or handsome, strong men. Do you agree?
Did anyone else find Vidya’s relationship to periamma one which resembled the classic tale of Cinderella? I found the description of periamma as the evil aunt (in comparison to the evil stepmother) to be similar to many fairy tales in which opposing forces seem to be black and white-good vs. evil. Malati reminds me of one of the mean stepsisters as she taunts Vidya and is responsible for her lack of friends in school. She also appears to be jealous when Vidya receives a beautiful sari from her grandfather, just as the stepsisters are jealous of Cinderella when the slipper fits perfectly. Although not gender related, I wonder how some readers perceive the descriptions of periappa as a man who waddles as he walks and makes sucking noises and belches during dinner; while periamma is portrayed with her stomach peeping out and rolling over the pleats of her sari. They both are identified by readers as lazy and greedy. Would these descriptions be stereotypical of certain body sizes?
The story would be completely altered if the main character had been a brother. Would there even be a plot? The title Climbing the Stairs would certainly have to be changed because males were permitted on the second floor and in the library. The gender stereotypes would not have been as pronounced if told from the viewpoint of a young man. The roles of males and females may have been described, but I do not think the basis of the story would revolve around gender issues. With a brother as the main character, the plot would probably have centered on World War II and the turmoil within Colonial India’s borders. The debate between nonviolent protests and participation in the war would have been central. The story may have begun with appa’s injury and evolved into Kitta’s fight for freedom. I definitely think the story is much more unique with a girl as the main character because Vidya’s voice is clearly heard and felt in a special way that leaves readers wondering and thinking not only about India’s role in the war and the oppression felt by these people, but also about the injustice brought about by the unequal and unfair treatment of women. The sixth graders in my district read quite a few novels coinciding with their World War II study such as The Cay and Shadows on the Sea. These stories focus on the war effort and the characters’ negative and positive experiences because of it, but there is little or no mention of discrimination based on race or gender. Thus, I think Climbing the Stairs could be used with students as young as sixth graders in order to introduce children to the realities of the caste system, gender inequality, colonialism, and oppression. I believe it would be a wonderful learning experience for teachers to divide their students into groups based on reading levels and have each group work in discussion circles to study different multicultural books based on a theme such as World War II. Students could compare and contrast the viewpoints of the main characters from different cultures. Gender stereotypes could also be studied in each of these books. What are some ways that you would incorporate Climbing the Stairs into your classroom?
Climbing the Stairs continued.
ReplyDeleteAltering the setting of the story would have played a major impact as well. If the story took place in the current day United States there really would not have been the issue of gender, although there may have been the matter of peace verses violence in the war in Iraq. If the novel had taken place in Germany during the 1940s, the author might have included the main character’s experiences growing up as a German child under Hitler rule or as a Jewish adolescent trying to escape persecution. Although gender issues most likely would have been mentioned, the emphasis would be on the treatment of the Jewish people and Hitler’s belief that the Germans were the master race. This conviction of a supreme race could be compared to the importance of the caste system in Climbing the Stairs. With a setting during the Civil War era, I wonder if gender would have been emphasized. Probably not. The focus would have been on slavery and the treatment of African Americans by whites. I do think that gender issues would have played a major role if the story had taken place during the 1960s and 1970s-The Women’s Rights Movement. The main character would have been fighting for certain rights such as equal pay for men and women who do the same work, as well as equal education for all.
While reading the article Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language, I was amazed that I do not use gender-fair language some of the time. For example, I have found myself saying “postman, chairman, and hi guys”. I do not intentionally mean to promote gender inequality and find that these terms and phrases are ones which have been ingrained for some time. However, I know I need to make a conscience effort to alter my language. Are there other ways that you find yourself being insensitive to gender issues?
It’s clear that there are some gender stereotypes in relation to the way characters in the book are perceived. These stereotypes became more obvious to me as I completed the Character Trait Analysis Chart. Although Vidya is a determined, strong willed girl, she continues to be described as thin, small framed, and physically weaker than the men. Chinni Chithi is depicted as having a frail bent body with limp hair and a soft spoken voice, while Kitta and Raman are portrayed as handsome, intelligent, strong, tall, and well built. Even Raman, who seems to try to understand how women should be treated equally, ends up making the important decision to marry Vidya, without consenting with her first. As I thought about the character analysis chart and list of character traits, I discovered that even though both periamma and periappa are sometimes described negatively in the story, periamma tends to be the one who carries a greater number of negative connotations. She is the one who constantly bosses Vidya around and calls her father an idiot. Malati, also has the stereotypical female traits of being a beautiful, prim and proper young woman who is overly concerned with her looks and her future husband’s status in society. In the article Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias the author mentions that heavy emphasis on the assumption that female characters will marry, have babies, and depend on males is one clear indication of bias. One finding that did surprise me was the fact that the majority of children’s literature is dominated by male characters. It seems as if the teachers in the school where I work are always complaining that there are so many stories which feature female characters and thus, attracting to girls, while there are not enough novels with male characters that would be intriguing to boys. What does everyone else feel? Do you notice more texts with main characters as boys or girls?
Climbing the Stairs continued.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author chose an appropriate title for her novel. On a literal level, Vidya must climb the stairs in secret to reach the library, a place where she can escape the realities of life in her grandfather’s house. On a deeper level, Vidya is climbing the stairs to reach freedom, equality, adulthood, and all of her goals (going to college, becoming independent, etc.). Padma Venkatraman was climbing the stairs as a writer as she published this first teen/adult novel and has gone on to write more. After reading about the author, I am confident that the setting and characters’ experiences are authentic with the time period. Padma was born in India and had members of her extended family who participated in the war effort. Her mother and brother actually experienced the evacuation of Madras and air raid drills. Many of the characters in Climbing the Stairs are based on family members’ experiences in the 1940s. The author also conducted interviews of people living in India during that time period and spent many years analyzing research studies.
I am excited to be attending the New England Reading Conference in Rhode Island. I hope to hear Padma’s personal story and share it with you. Although this novel was quite different from Shaun Tan’s picture book, The Arrival, I feel that they both have the quality of drawing the reader into the story and leaving him/her with many unanswered questions which need to be pondered and discussed well after the pages of the book have been closed.
References
Venkatraman, P. (2008). Climbing the stairs. G.P. Putnam Sons: New York.
www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues
www.intime.uni.edu/multicultural/curriculum/children.htm
www.ncte.org/positions/statements/genderfairuseoflang
www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org
In the article Gender Issues in Children’s Literature it was mentioned that “Children’s books frequently portray girls as acted upon rather than active (Fox, 1993). Girls are represented as sweet, naïve, conforming, and dependent, while boys are typically described as strong, adventurous, independent, and capable (Ernst,1995; Jett-Simpson& Masland,1993).” I have witnessed this very thing in many books that I have read over the years, but Climbing the Stairs does something very interesting and positive. Padma Venkatraman includes this “typical representation” of girls/women and boys/men in her book because that is the stereotypical role of these genders due to the time period, country the characters live in, and cultural norms, but she also uses her main character and her immediate family to go beyond this stereotypical image of girls/women and even boys/men. Because of the culture that this book includes, this stereotypical portrayal of girls and women as being submissive in a “class” below boys and men is included, BUT that is not how the main character is. Vidya steps out from this. Venkatraman creates a situation where girls and women are acted upon rather than being active, as the article mentions because that is what is expected in that culture, country, and also during that time period. What I liked was that the author included girls/women and boys/men to fit the image of what is expected in that culture, but she also created Vidya, Vidya’s family, and Raman to step out of what is expected of their gender roles. Vidya is a very forward thinking and acting girl for her culture and the time period, but she is supported by her immediate family. Her father wants her to be educated and go to college, her brother Kitta values her opinions and thoughts and even pursues his own different attitudes regarding the war, and Raman respects and loves her for who she is. Venkatraman managed to create very heart warming characters that go beyond the norm for what is expected of their gender for that time period and culture. I like how she not only created Vidya to be an independent and strong character, but she also created appa, Kitta, and Raman to break away from the norm that revolves around men. In the same article it said, “Just as girls are trapped in passive and whiny roles, boys and men are rarely described as people demonstrating emotions of sadness and fear, having hobbies/occupations that are not stereotypically male and in roles where they aren’t competing or meeting high expectations.” Appa, Kitta, and Raman are not domineering or demeaning such as periappa. They have feelings, feel passion and sadness, and look beyond classes. When reading Climbing the Stairs, readers can see how boys/men and girls/women were supposed to be during that time and in that specific culture, but they can also experience characters who step away from the norm and be who they are because they want to be not because they are expected to be a certain way. I wonder what it would have been like to live during this time period and in this specific culture as a woman who was unable to step outside her predetermined role...
ReplyDeleteResponse to Paula’s Thought:
I agree that periamma was just like the evil stepmother in Cinderella! I had the exact same thought – down to the fact that Malati is just like one of the yucky stepsisters! Malati is jealous and horrible towards poor Vidya who basically has nothing now – no home, hardly any possessions, no books, no friends, and basically no father…. Vidya’s place in life is to please the rest of the family and clean up after them now! Her thoughts of going to college are gone. I know this is what is “accepted” for this time period and culture – but it is still appalling and angering because we are on Vidya’s side! I think I would be a lot like Vidya – unable to hold my tongue and just follow this role because that is what was decided for her. I was waiting for the fairy god mother to show up – maybe it was Raman? :)
www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues
This book would have been very different if the main character was the brother. There would be different responsibilities and roles that would come with this time period and culture if the main character was the brother – a male. I believe that he would have had a hard time in this family structure just as Vidya did – but in a different way. Even with being a male in a place where males were considered more important and in leadership positions, Kitta would not be accepted like every other male. I believe this because Kitta does not fall into the stereotypical norms of males portrayed in this book (ex. periappa). He supports his sister, her thoughts, and opinions, breaks rules to be with Vidya, feels empathy for appa and is his main caretaker, and has his own passionate views about World War II. He even stands up to thatha when he goes against the patriarch’s orders and joins the army to fight in WWII. He believes in himself and his own opinions. I think this would cause major waves and drama in this family, but as we know, we could rely on Vidya to support her brother if the roles were reversed!
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the Power Point and list of adjectives that depict characters, it was often easy to pick out which words would be connected with male characters and female characters.(ex. male: successful, courageous, leader, etc. female: honest, timid, considerate, compassionate, etc.) The characters of Malati, periappa, etc. popped into my mind a great deal. They fit into those stereotypical words easily. Because of this, if the main character was the brother, I feel that the book would be written using different words and also have a different feel to it. We would be able to get a closer look at the male perspective in this book. We would know what went on in the rooms only the men went into, how they treated appa there, a more in depth look about what Kitta and the other males thought about WWII, and how they thought of females in general. The whole atmosphere of the book would be different. I think there would be a lot of indifference displayed by the males about how Vidya acts as well. They would ignore her and her ideas and the reader wouldn’t get a good feel for Vidya and how she is breaking the mold for females during the time period and culture.
I agree with Paula that the plot would be very different if the roles were reversed. I think the readers would lose some of the things that were learned by walking a mile in a female character’s shoes during this time period and in this specific culture. Kidya’s voice would be lost. We would not see how passionate she is about being educated, not being promised to a husband, wanting to do more than just serve men, the importance of reading to her, etc. These are HUGE issues that females had/have to deal with in life. I am sure that Kitta would be sympathetic as the main character, but the reader wouldn’t see how upset and scared she really is that she can’t be the person that she wants to be in life. I agree with Paula again when she wrote that if Kidya was the main character then Venkatraman would probably focus more upon his role in WWII and the unrest in India. We would see a different side of India and the culture. I wonder what the story would have been like from Malati’s point of view myself. I wonder if she likes being married and acting like a female is supposed to during that time in India….I think she was so excited and happy to be grown up and get married, but I wonder if she likes all that came with that? Is her husband like Raman or periappa? She was the “model” Indian girl -is she happy or longing to be with her parents again? What do you guys think?
Resources:
Children’s’ Literature and Gender PowerPoint
www.ncte.org
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
ReplyDeleteBlog Discussion by Paula White
I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Padma Venkatraman speak at the NERA conference and I learned some interesting things which I would like to share. When reading the book Climbing the Stairs I was pleased that the author had created the character of Vidya who stepped out of the expected stereotypical role of that time period. I agree with Megan that Vidya is a very forward girl who is supported by her family. Many readers believe that Vidya, as well as other characters in the story, are fictional and created for the purpose of making an interesting story. However, Padma stated in her presentation that this is not the case. Although the names are made up, every single character and incident are based on the truth. There were families as different as appa’s and periappa’s during this time period. There were also males and females who did not follow the stereotypical roles expected of them. In the article Gender Issues in Children’s Literature, Rudman (1995) recommends that gender-neutral books should have “characters which are portrayed with distinctive personalities irrespective of their gender” (p. 2) and Padma does this with Vidya and Raman. Yet, she creates these characters based on truth rather than for the purpose of merely including individuals who step outside of their expected roles.
It’s interesting that there are so many issues to consider in Climbing the Stairs (equality/inequality, World War II, treatment of the disabled, the Hindu philosophy, etc.) and yet the author mentioned that the one which often goes unnoticed is the central theme she had hoped readers would walk away with… the issue of violence/nonviolence. The one quote which Padma feels is the most important in the book is the following: “Appa was strong. He was tall. He could have pulled the officer down off the horse, thrown him on the ground and kicked him. But he did not.” Padma read this with such emotion that I felt as if I were right there on the ground with appa. She actually visits schools and teaches students how to incorporate nonviolence into their classrooms. She demonstrated several activities in which students compare and contrast the violence/nonviolence of today with that of the 1940s in India. I will share the activities with you in class the next time we meet.
Ryan and I had the opportunity to speak with Padma on an individual basis. We discovered some interesting things that went unnoticed during reading. First of all, appa’s and Raman’s names are based on the author’s last name (Venkatraman). Venkat is appa’s name (mentioned only a few times in the book) and raman is Raman. Did anyone else pick up on this? Padma also shared with us sample designs of “kolam” which are placed at the front door of Indian homes with rice flour. This tradition is done on a daily basis as a sign of celebration and welcome. Ryan has an actual sample. Padma gave me a small peace memento from her peace tree which I will be happy to show you.
Climbing the Stairs (continued by Paula W.)
ReplyDeleteThere are several ways to use Climbing the Stairs in different subject areas. Of course, in language arts it can be used to discuss gender issues and focus on character analysis; in social studies the topic of World War II and India could be studied; math lessons might focus on ancient Indian contributions to math; and art teachers could have students make designs similar to the ones done with rice flour. You can visit Padma’s website and email her for teaching ideas.
In response to Megan’s question about Malati: I do think that Malati was excited about the prospect of getting married and having babies just as many young girls are today. However, once the excitement of the wedding faded and she was actually faced with the fact that she would be leaving her parents at such a young age to raise a family and be a homemaker for the rest of her life, I believe that she was scared and a bit sad. To discover that your fate is determined by society in the teen years must be overwhelming. On page 153 in Climbing the Stairs, Kitta says, “She looks really sad to me” (referring to Malati as she is preparing for her wedding). On page 154 the author writes, “I saw Malati hang back and look at the house intently, as though she were photographing it in her mind…I could see that she was fighting her tears.” Although Malati would most likely do well in her role as wife and mother, I wonder if she would ever regret that she did not have the choice to make her own decisions about her life (her husband, college, etc). I bet that her husband will turn out to be more like periappa since he was the one who chose the groom and most likely was looking for characteristics similar to his own personality. If Padma were to write a sequel to her book, what do you think life would be like for Vidya, Kitta, Malati, and Raman? Would Malati turn out like her mother, perhaps bitter in her traditional stereotypical role? Would Vidya succeed in her quest for independence?
References
Venkatraman, P. (2008). Climbing the stairs. G.P. Putnam Sons: New York.
www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow...such great insights. Like Paula, as I read this book, I felt like I was standing right beside Vidya cheering her on and trying to understand how she was finding the strength to push through all of the struggles life was handing her.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that Padma sees nonviolence as the central theme. I minored in Peace and Conflict Studies in college and one of my classes was called Nonviolence: Theory and Practice. In that class we studied the lives of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr, exploring how they used nonviolence to bring about change. It was, and continues to be, very difficult for me to understand how people get the strength to endure such harsh treatment without reacting violently. I especially love appa's character for this reason. He didn't fight back as a "real man" would often be expected to do in today's society. I would image that many middle school children would find it very difficult to understand why appa did not fight back. His reaction is just not typical to the way violence is handled in many situations today.
That day at the protest, it was not only important for appa to demonstrate his commitment to nonviolence, but I also think he knew that he had to show his daughter what it looked like in the most difficult of times. Throughout the rest of the book, there is evidence that it did have an extremely profound effect on Vidya. On page 182 she said, "I thought of the courage with which appa had fought before he had been beaten. It was a noble way to fight. I saw it more clearly now than ever. Appa was braver than any soldier on any battlefield. 'Appa died believing in nonviolence,' I said. 'If you join the army, you'll betray everything he stood for.' It is so good to hear that Padma is encouraging children and teachers to notice this message. With all of the violence in the media and in the world today, students need to try to understand that their is an alternative.
I loved this book and agree with Paula that it was very difficult putting it down. Padma Venkatraman’s portrayal of the Indian culture through the eyes of a young girl during WWII is fascinating. I started reading this novel unaware that I had some knowledge of this culture already. Last summer I read a book called Sun Flower and the Magic Fan which although was written about young Chinese women, the roles of men and women in the home and society were strikingly similar. I actually enjoyed Climbing the Stairs a little more because the treatment of women wasn’t as harsh and it was easier to read about (probably because it is intended to be read by children as well). I really loved Vidya’s thirst for knowledge and appreciated that she was allowed by Thatha to continue using the library even after it was discovered that she snuck up there. I anticipated many more disturbing consequences for Vidya and was pleased when they didn’t occur.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the novel, I could appreciate and respect the nonviolent approach by appa and others toward the war, but I identified a bit more with Kitta’s need to fight against the evil that was occurring across Europe and even in India. It may be because we know the atrocities that Hitler and the Third Reich committed. I think teaching nonviolence is vitally important, but I guess this has to be balanced with the reality of the world. I suppose it is hypocritical to teach nonviolence and then engage in war even if it is to stop a mass murderer however I don’t see that there was any other option. I guess it is important for some people, like Gandhi, to teach nonviolence and have that always be our focus and what we strive for, but when it becomes absolutely necessary we need to defend ourselves
Just a reminder that "ally" is really Nancy Powell, I can't change the name.
ReplyDeleteIn response to earlier comments about Malati, I feel like she was sad in part because of the realization that she may become the person being enslaved in someone else’s home without the protection of her mother as opposed to being the one doing the bossing around and being cruel. Because of her horrific treatment toward Vidya-especially at school- I tried not to have any sympathy toward her but in the end when Vidya was kind her it was hard not to feel compassion toward her as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this novel would be great to use in all area of the curriculum. I plan to use as a read aloud in my class, but may need to skip over a few areas with more mature content. The possibilities for discussion and for children to write about their thinking as it relates to these issues are endless. What grade level do you think is the youngest this book would be appropriate for?
It is interesting to think about how this book would have been different if written from Malti's perspective. I agree with Nancy Powell, it was very difficult to not feel compassion for Malti as she was leaving after her wedding. We can all think of a time in our lives when it was very difficult to leave home-summer camp, going off to college, moving to find a job, etc-but often we get past that initial homesickness. I'm not sure if Malti was struggling because she was going to miss her family, or if she was becoming aware of the freedoms she had sacrificed in fulfilling her dream of a traditional marriage.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this book is the PERFECT read aloud. I'm thinking that fourth and fifth graders could handle if edited slightly by the teacher. It provides the perfect opportunity to bring up the topics on the final page of the gender article. I think I'm going to read it when we do our unit on characters. I will use the characters to help build character trait vocabulary. In addition, it is a great opportunity to discuss how characters would act in different cultures during different time periods.
In response to the novel, I have to first say that I enjoyed it very much. The interaction between Vidya and her extended family after her father is incapacitated after his run-in with the British soldiers. Vidya's guilt over her father's "loss" is both heartfelt and realistic at the same time. Vidya's struggles with her coming-of-age throughout the novel are highlighted often. Coming from the more privileged region of Bombay, where Vidya was allowed to participate in sports (volleyball) as well as interacting on an academic level with her male counterparts was nearly non-existent as soon as she had to move into her Periamma and Periappa's home. Lucky for Vidya, the library acted symbolically as a safe haven for her. I sort of parallel this part of the story with Anne Frank, in a way, because Anne Frank had to hide upstairs during the onset of Nazi aggression, similar to Viday. All Anne Frank had were her thoughts about being a Jew in occupied Amsterdam as she wrote in her journal. A library, furthermore, is supposed to be an escape into seeking knowledge and experience, but Viday had to ask permission to go upstairs to get there.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure who alluded to it, maybe it was you Paula, and I can't look back or else I'm going to lose this idea, but I liked the allusion to Cinderella and how Vidya seems to be playing the subservient role of housekeeper/slave, which is exactly how her aunt, uncle, Malati, and Chinni Chithi treat her. A film that comes to mind, believe it or not, is "Bend it Like Beckham", a film made about five years ago that chronicled the life of a teenage Indian girl, who lived in England, but who struggled with fitting in. She was an avid and excellent soccer player who played on an English-dominated team with a Irish coach. The film did a good job balancing the teenage girl's home life, which was extremely strict vs. her desires to play soccer in college, which was not in her parents' best interests. She also lived in an extended family setting, with the grandfather and grandmother living with her as well. Some of the conflicts that arose with the teenage girl from the film and Vidya are pretty apparent and eye-opening. Both were overtly chastised for their ethnic background and religious beliefs, but both overcame them through their tenacity, their perseverance, and their intelligence.
Raman's foolishness at the end of the story, where he assumed that Viday would take him as his wife, was somewhat disappointing to me, though, I must say. I know that the conclusion of the novel ends on somewhat of an upbeat note, but I was upset that we are left to ponder the relationship between the two. Raman says that he would write often, but Vidya seems not to believe him. I guess it is sort of realistic, though, as well as keeping in line with Viday's strong-willed character, that she is never going to be a woman who will be pushed around or told what to do, which is exactly what Raman did.
Climbing the Stairs
ReplyDeleteBlog Discussion by Paula White
Malati’s, periamma’s, and Vidya’s relationship did remind me of Cinderella but now I am rethinking the character traits of these women after hearing Padma speak. Although many readers describe the characters in the book as having good verses evil qualities, that is not the way the author intended them to be perceived. Padma sees each character as multifaceted, having both good and not so good qualities. Periamma may be bossy and mean at times, but she does show her feelings of despair and love for her daughter when Malati is leaving home. Malati is unkind to Vidya throughout the story but does apologize to her near the end. Kitta seems to understand the rights of women and treat Vidya fairly, yet tells others of his plans of marriage before asking her. Each character is human and thus makes errors in judgment, some more than others.
As for the ending of the book, I do think Padma intended readers to ponder the way the lives of Vidya, Raman, and Kitta might turn out. Just as there are no easy answers in life, the road ahead will most likely have its ups and downs for these characters. I also think that more in-depth discussion takes place with novels that are not all nicely wrapped up with a fairy tale ending. The author has used this book with middle school students but I believe it could be tailored to fourth or fifth graders as a read aloud with thorough discussion.
As I approached the end of the novel I did not feel that Raman had acted that badly when asking Thatha for Vidya's hand in marriage. I felt that given the circumstances and traditions that the Indian boys grew up with, Raman was treating Vidya with much more respect than most other Indian males probably would have. I actually thought that Vidya overreacted and needed to explain herself more. I felt like Raman was open to her thoughts and ideas and would have been open to her wanting to continue her education as well.(as seemed to be the case in the end) I actually think he was thinking of Vidya by giving her a chance to get out of the life of servitude or marriage to the highest bidder to which she seemed destined. Although women in current day in the U.S. would never want someone to ask for their hand in marriage without their knowledge, it was a given during that time period in India and in some areas that tradition most likely still exists today.
ReplyDeleteIt has been enlightening reading the literature about how gender is portatyed in children's literature. I never realized how often male characters dominated children's literature. As I have been reading these articles I started to think about the read alouds I have read to my class over the last few years. Some of them include Bud, Not Buddy, The Watsons Go To Birmingham, Loser, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Tiger Rising, No More Dead Dogs, and one of the Series of Unfortunate Events Books just to name a few. Of all these titles only one has a leading character that is a girl, and she shares the spotlight with her brother. I was really surprised that I had not chosen more gerder diverse novels, but to tell you the truth I had never thought of it before. I am not saying that none of these books have any strong female characters in them, but these characters are in most cases insignificant to the stories. Reading these articles has really changed my outlook on how I will choose my readalouds. I am really hoping that authors like Padma Venkatraman continue to write novels that highlight female characters who are strong, independent and intelligent.
ReplyDeleteClimbing the Stairs
ReplyDeleteDiscussion by Paula W.
It is interesting that there are many children’s books with strong male characters. I find that the teachers at my school purposely choose books with these male characters for the intention of “hooking” boys into reading. It seems as if many of my remedial readers are boys and they enjoy the war and adventure stories which typically involve boys as lead characters. I wonder if boys would be as interested in Climbing the Stairs as girls would be. What do you think?
I like the idea presented in the article Gender Issues in Children’s Literature which suggests having students reverse gender roles in the literature they are reading (i.e. What if Sleeping Beauty was a boy?” This activity allows children to think deeply about gender issues and how they can become more aware of the stereotypes that continue to exist in today’s world. By educating students, we can help to decrease these stereotypes.
I also like the activity in which students use gender neutral names in the stories they write and then read their stories aloud so classmates can guess the main character’s gender. Would children base their guesses on gender stereotypes? Would the girls write stories about female characters and the boys write about males? I wonder if the main character in Climbing the Stairs would have been male if the author had been male. Definitely something to ponder.
References
Venkatraman, P. (2008). Climbing the stairs. G.P. Putnam Sons: New York.
www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues
It can often be difficult to find books that boys are interested in. About half of my fifth grade boys are reading the Alex Rider series right now. A friend of mine explained this series best saying that it is a James Bond series written for middle school students. The quick moving plot and action sparks great discussions among the boys who are reading them.
ReplyDeleteI think boys would really enjoy Climbing the Stairs, but teachers may need to spend a little more time selling it to them. The cover shows a girl in a dress, which would be enough to prevent many boys from taking a closer look. If you explained that it is set in India during WW2 and teaches the reader about what it was like to be in an Indian family during that time, boys might be more likely to invest themselves in the book. I am anxious to see how my boys react to it.
In response to the questions that were posed, I think that if the protagonist were male and it was set right now, it would be a completely different story because times have changed dramatically since WWII, when Climbing was set. If this was a male in America, right now, his opportunities would be pretty limitless. That being said, you still have to include financial issues as well. Some men don't have the same opportunities as other men. Just take a look at how many suburban kids go to school vs. how many inner city kids go to school. Most of the issues have to do with parents not having enough money for tuition. However, with the just recent cessation of the recession, community colleges have seen a dramatic boost in their enrollment, partly becasuse tuition is a factor for not only inner cities, but also some more rural areas of the country. I don't think that women get the short end of it today. Many of the women I know work full time jobs and raise kids, just like the majority of women today. They have little time for themselves, but what little time it is they value it as if it was going to be the last time they would have it. I mean, I guess it depends on a number of factors. If Vidya were to grow up in America before her father had the accident, she would be pretty well off. She was at a private school in Bombay, so I don't know why that would change in America.
ReplyDeleteClimbing the Stairs
ReplyDeleteDiscussion by Paula W.
Ryan, I’d be interested in hearing how the book works with your students. I agree that the cover is more appealing to girls. I wonder if Padma thought about this when she designed it. Would adding Kitta or Raman to the cover be more appealing for both genders? After reading Climbing the Stairs , students might wish to design their own covers. It would be interesting to see if there are distinct differences between the girls’ and boys’ illustrations.
In response to the novel Climbing the Stairs, I must say I agree with all of you. Once I started reading I became engrossed in Vidya's life. This novel stirred up so many emotions inside me,emotions that went from joy to horror. As Paula W. stated , the novel truly portrayed two worlds. In Bombay, there was a sense of hope for women where as in Madras life seemed grave and dismal for all young girls and women. Living in Bombay meant that girls were treated with more respect and with some equality where in Madras women were basically enslaved to their husbands and their families.
ReplyDeleteThe main character, Vidya was truly inspiring for all women of that time and even in today's era. She was the type of person that had her own thoughts and ideas of what life should be like for her and she wouldn't sway from those beliefs. Vidya knew that society and her familiy expected marriage, children and a life of submissiveness, but she knew that life was unacceptable. Vidya wanted it all, she pined for a life where she could use her intellect and she wanted a relationship that consisted of respect and equality. Vidya was her own person and she wouldn't stand for anything less. Vidya's fiery spirit was depicted through out the novel. Her outspoken views always came through in the conversations she had with her brother Kitta and friend Raman. I truly appreciate how she stood up to her cousin Malati even though it often resulted in having her ears boxed by Periamma. The question that I have is where did she get the fiery spirit. I truly believe that she had those strong values of what life should consist of because her dad Appa. He was more of a liberal man that respected Vidya's mom, Amma. He truly had the dream that most parents have for their children. He wanted to give his children a good education and a better life.He valued education for both his children and more importantly he valued both his children regardless of their gender. I truly believe he wanted to leave that primitive way of living maybe this is why he dicided to live in Bombay away from Thatha and Periappa. Vidya witnessed that type of life and she pined for the same. She knew it was possible because she once saw a glimpse of it.
As for Vidya's cousin Malati, I strongly agree with most of you. I truly believe that she wanted to get married because she wasn't aware of any differences in what life had to offer. Remember ignorance can be bliss. Malati was brought up in a house filled with inequalities and submissiveness. This was truly the life she envisioned for herself. However, I think she was nervous and fearful on her wedding day. It is human nature to be a bit fearful of the unknown. She was moving into a new household and with new family members. This new life also meant leaving her parents and only seeing them when she was pregnant and ready to deliver. Another question I asked during the reading was why did Malati continuously torture her cousin. The response that I conidered was that Malati was insecure and maybe a bit envious of Vidya. Vidya represented something that was very refreshing, new and innovative which could be viewed as a threat. It was quite interesting that Periamma was compared to the wicked step-mother in Cinderella. The character of Malati took me back to a character in one of my childhood novels, Little House on the Prairie. Nelly Olsen was always torturing Laura Ingles and trying to get her into trouble. She saw her as a threat because she was a strong willed person who stood up for what was morally right regardless of the consequences. I remeber Lauara being that tom-boy (playing ball and fishing with the rest of the boys in town)It wasn't lady like but she didn't care what others thought. She had her own beliefs to stand by just as Vidya did.
After reading "Periamma's List" (Social Injustice) on Padma Venkatraman's website, I was not surprised to see that Padma minimized some of the stories that she included into this book. Because I have read another story that depicted a similar culture's treatment of women much more graphically, I expected even worse treatment toward Vidya and amma. Padma explains that periamma's behavior was completely consistent with the treatment of women at that time period (1940's) in India. This was how women were expected to be treated. It seems obvious that the culture (shaped by men) wanted women treated whis way so they could break them down and control them.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.climbingthestairsbook.com/
If you haven't had a chance to visit the Padma Venkatraman's website yet, it explores many interesting topics referred to in this book. Some of the topics include gender equality, social justice, Indian history and culture, etc. What makes it interesting is that Padma talks about these issues as they relate to the characxters in the book. It's a very interesting set-up and worth checking out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.climbingthestairsbook.com/
After reading the gender-equity articles online, I was surprised at what I sometimes still say and do as far as discussing gender roles in class. Now, keep in mind that I teach in an all-boys school, so we can get away with saying, "Let's go guys". I try to be careful about how I talk about certain authors in class. If we're talking about a poem, the term used is "speaker" so that any gender bias gets out of the way. The courses that I've taught so far at my school, including American lit, seems to be dominated by male authors, so I would always try to counter the male writers with a female writer. Most of the Native American lit, pre-Revolutionary War lit, post Revolutionary War lit, Realism, Romanticism and Transcendentalism, was dominated by male authors. I would try to make them read Anne Hutchinson or Ann Bradstreet and even Abigail Adams, but female voices in American lit were always a trial, no matter how hard I tried. Last year I tried to incorporate Toni Morrison's "Beloved" into the curriculum, but one parent had an issue with the material in the book, even though I said that I would be glossing over the "offensive" material as much as possible. My feeling was that these sophomore boys needed to hear another voice, and why not it be the voice of one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed voices of the post-modern age? My reasons I thought were sound. These were honors sophomores, who by the way, have to read Dante's "Inferno" this year as part of their World Lit curriculum. Also, I wanted to get away from the white male-dominated authors we had been reading since the beginning of the year. I lost this battle, as it was not going to be worth the effort of teaching this book. This parent actually came in with the book itself and her notes (a friend of hers was, of course, writing a doctoral thesis on Morrison, so she had her arsenal ready) and questioned me as to the validity of the source material and what her son would get out of it. I replied that I was taught this same novel during my sophomore year as well, which was true, and I remember not one ounce of controversy while reading it. Not one parent or student complained because the teacher knew we could handle the material. This particular parent would have none of it and couldn't see my point of trying to expand the diversity of authors that their sons would be introduced to. So much for trying to do something new and innovative with the curriculum. Catholic school equates to some severely uptight and opinionated parents who think that they always know what's best for their kids. I fear for some of these provincial views about society. I always say that when our kids go to college, that they might be ready academically, but as far as being open and in tune to how the world really works, they're in for a bit of a rude awakening.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the gender-based articles, I have to be honest in saying that the misogynist in me was saying, "yeah, right", while still realizing that the points being made about children's lit being dominated by stereotypical male protagonists still occurs. But why is this so? Don't female authors of children's lit books concentrate on portraying their female protagonists in positive lights? Doesn't some of the onus fall on the writers themselves? I know in this politically correct age that we always have to be aware of watching out for what we say and who we offend, but while reading some of these guidelines, most of them appeared to be in line with one's common sense, but who am I to say?
I really liked how in Climbing the Stairs, Padma Venkatraman focused upon several issues for the reader to pay attention to as he or she reads. She highlighted WWII, different cultures, religious beliefs, caste systems, equality/inequalities regarding men and women, violence, disabilities, gender, ages, etc. I am bummed that I did not have the opportunity to hear Venkatraman because I would have liked to have heard her speak about one of her main themes that Paula W. mentioned in her blog that was of importance to the author. She said that a key theme that Venkatraman wanted to highlight was the issue of violence and nonviolence in the book. I did pay attention to that aspect in the book, but it didn’t strike me as a main issue. Don’t get me wrong, it was important in the novel, but I felt that gender issues and cultural issues were displayed a great deal more. I also feel that even though the nonviolent tactics were displayed in the book and Gandhi was mentioned, I think that Venkatraman should have highlighted more positives that come from nonviolent means. In the book, a direct result from nonviolence is appa becoming injured and disabled. He did save the girl, but what is seen about appa after the beating stands out more than his heroic act and the girl’s life being saved. It does say in the book, “Appa strode down the street. He lifted the lady’s limp body in his arms, bending over her protectively. Blows began to fall onto his broad shoulders from the white officer’s lathi.” and “Appa was strong. He was tall. He could have pulled the officer down off the horse, thrown him on the ground and kicked him. But he did not.” This is definitely a powerful part and shows how nonviolence saved the women – but it came at an ultimate price. I would have liked to have seen more examples of how nonviolence is a positive means, because after this part all the reader hears about is how he becomes a “burden” and “weak” to his extended family and the reader also experiences Kitta joining the army which will end up with the use of violence. I think that is important for children to see as they read this book other examples of nonviolence and how good came out of it if the author really wants this aspect to stand out.
ReplyDeleteTo continue.....
ReplyDeleteOn another note, after reading the articles and Powerpoint, the vocabulary that was used to describe appa during the part where he saved the lady was very gender specific. I probably would not have noticed it before, but after reading the article “Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language” and seeing the list of adjectives used to describe males and females in the Powerpoint, I zeroed in on the language. Words such as: strode, protectively, broad, strong, tall, etc. seem to be very male. The lady is portrayed as “limp,” her blouse is torn to show uncovered breasts, and it is written that she needs the saving. These words are chosen for a reason for this scene, even though they are very stereotypical. The NCTE states that, “Language plays a central role in the way human beings behave and think.” This is very true! Would Venkatraman have had appa save a man if he was being beaten? If it was a man being beaten, would he be “limp?” Would it have been as powerful if appa saved a man, not a woman? Probably not… Even though this part in the books puts appa and the lady in gender specific roles and stereotypical descriptions, the part would have not been as powerful to the reader if it was different. It was also said in the article that, “Word choices often reflect unconscious assumptions about gender roles.” The man is shown in the part as the hero, the savior, the protector, where the woman is weak and needs a knight in armor to save her, but I also feel that those same word choices send specific messages and create powerful images for readers. It shows how bad it really was during this time period for these people and what could happen on a normal day to someone. Sometimes it is needed to use those gender specific and stereotypical words and images to send a strong message to a reader. What do you guys think?
Resources:
http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/genderfairuseoflang
http://www.reading.ccsu.edu/Kurkjian/RDG667sp04/_private/gender.ppt
I agree with the thoughts about using this book for a read aloud for 5th grade and above students. I would definitely use it as a read aloud in my 5th grade classroom, but I would edit some of the language as I read it, like Ryan mentioned he would do as well. For instance, I would probably leave out the part where the women’s breasts were exposed when the soldier is beating the women that appa saves. Because our students are only children, as soon as that part was read to them, that word would be the last thing heard in their minds and the importance of that part would be lost to giggling because that word was said. That is just kids being kids. This book would be a great addition to a classroom for historical fiction, character units, multicultural units, and whole class, partnership, or book club discussions regarding gender and cultures. This book lends itself to many different types of discussions which is ultimately a great thing. It is very appropriate for this age group and many “what if” questions could be asked (ex. What if Vidya was a boy? What if it happened during this time period? What do you think Malati’s life is like now? Is she happy? etc.) Students love those types of questions! I would be very comfortable reading this book to my students (much more than The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian!).
ReplyDeleteDiscussion by Paula W.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Megan that the theme of violence/nonviolence didn’t stand out in the book as much as gender inequality and the caste system. However, after hearing Padma speak the words “Appa was strong. He was tall. He could have pulled the officer down off the horse, thrown him on the ground and kicked him. But he did not” (p. 51), I felt how important this theme was to the author. Padma did mention that she could have had appa survive the beating and be well once again, but she wanted to base her story on truth and let young adults know that standing up for the values one believes in does not always mean a happy ending. Appa was strong not only in physical stature, but also in his heart. He wanted Vidya to see that his actions (protecting a woman from harm via nonviolence) coincided with the words he preached. If the woman had been a man I definitely do not think appa’s actions would have been as powerful to readers. I also don’t think they would have been as authentic since men would not have been apt to protect other males in that manner during the 1940s.
I believe that Vidya probably got her fiery personality from appa, as Paula B. had mentioned. Appa chose to live differently from his brother in a way that allowed Vidya to play sports, consider college, and learn to treat others with respect even if they were of a different caste. Just as appa had strong beliefs in the caste system and the war, Vidya had her own opinions as to her choices in life. Kitta seems to have also developed a strong sense of self, even if his views differ from his father’s. What do you think about the personality of amma? I think she was somewhat content with her gender role. She did want the best for Vidya, but expected her to marry and have children. I envisioned amma as much weaker than appa (a typical gender stereotype) when it came to standing up for what she believed in. Several times during the novel, amma cautioned Vidya with glances or soft spoken words to remind her to be respectful to periamma.
I do agree with Megan that authors do need to use stereotypical words and images for the purpose of portraying the actions and attitudes of specific times in history. I believe that Padma uses gender stereotypical terms to authenticate her writing. At the NERA conference she made it clear that her words were characteristic of the time and place. “Even women of the highest caste were mistreated by males.” While some literature may create gender biases in which women are portrayed as sweet, dependent, conforming individuals who need to be taken care of by strong, independent men (Ernst, 1995); Padma’s depiction of the majority of males and females during that time period is based in truth. Of course there were independent women with fiery spirits like Vidya, but this was the exception.
In response to Chris, I do think that both female and male authors need to portray their female protagonists in a positive light. In addition, different cultures should be represented throughout literature in an unbiased manner. While reading through several research articles, I am finding that many authors write their stories for the purpose of highlighting the positive aspects of their culture. Nevertheless, when writing from a historical perspective, as in Climbing the Stairs, the truth concerning gender stereotypes and prejudice needs to be depicted.
www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues
NERA 2009 Conference: Rhode Island
When reading the article on Gender Issues In Children's Literature , I really started pondering about when gender stereotypes begin. As a Kindergarten teacher for thirteen years, I can tell you that young childen at the tender age of five have been exposed to so much gender bias.Stereotypes have already been formed so I completly agree that children's books along with the media, the internet and magazines have a huge impact on the image that children develop on male and female roles. Children at this age form images about what toys or games girls and boys should or should not play with or what colors are feminine and masculine. It is quite evident that stereotypes are taught by our society, so it is our job as educators to promote that gender equity. The article gave many suggestions and strategies for teachers to follow. I thought they were great ideas, but I often use a strategy during Reader's Theatre. Children automaticlly think that they are not allowed take on a role that is the opposite gender so I often give a so called "boy" part to a girl or vice versa. Believe me this often creates many questions and confusion. It becomes a great teaching moment. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing discussion. Thanks all for the sincere appreciation, it was lovely to read everything you had to say. There's more here than I shall respond to today - but I'll be at the literacy essentials conference - so perhaps we can meet again (or for the first time) and discuss some of this in a little more detail.
ReplyDelete1. Idea of using reader play to discuss gender and as a teaching point. Wonderful idea. Just wanted to add that a reader play version of CLIMBING THE STAIRS will appear in the January 2010 issue of the WEekly Reader magazine.
2. Periamma, periappa - stereotypical body type being equated with laziness. First, notice that Sarasa chithi (the other nasty one - the periamma groupie) - is "skinny as a lance" and just as lazy and nasty as periamma herself. I hope, though, that the way Vidya describes these three people can be a teaching point. It shows Vidya's immaturity in the beginning. I hope people who are large in body type are offended by the way she sounds at first - and go on to see how Vidya grows and matures. Words are very important to me - and that is one way in which Vidya develops in the novel. She is always intelligent - but in the beginning she sees periappa and periamma only through her old prejudices. She isn't too terribly warm to Malati either. It's only after the accident that she becomes more introspective. And VIdya grows as a result - into the girl who can reach out to Malati (who, yes, is excited at first about growing up and getting married and then becomes nervous and fearful when it finally hits her that she might be entering a household where she'll be treated badly) and into the girl who can see periamma's sorrow and feel compassionate toward periamma. Would the later VIdya have described periappa and periamma and sarasa chithi in the way she does at the beginning of the novel? No, I don't think so. Nor would she have tried to hide from herself the truth of what she sees - at first, she doesn't want to acknowledge that she knows appa has a blood stain on his shirt, she just wants to push that knowledge away from herself - something we all do I think - at times we see things that should be perfectly obvious to us, we note something feels wrong, but we try to hide the truth from ourselves because we don't really want to handle it yet; similarly, when Vidya is at the protest march, although she knows she is in danger, she doesn't want to acknowledge it completely because she's swept away by the very teenage feeling of invincibility - the "I'm 15, and yes, I do have the brains to realize this situation puts me in danger but hey, I'm not going to be hurt - I'm 15"! We've all been there, haven't way? Sometimes in my school visits I do spend a moment on this - because not only is it an interesting literary device (it heightens the reader's tension much more than just a "oh I was so scared" description by VIdya - because the reader wants to say, hey, Vidya, stop acting so foolish - you know they are going to hit people) - it also does make teens think for a moment of how they can or have put themselves in dangerous situations because they have that heady rush of teen excitment and energy.
Now, onto the protest march:
ReplyDelete3. Appa - nonviolence - weakened by this - what message does this send about nonviolence comment.
This is such an important part of the novel to me. Yes, absolutely, kids will say the nonviolence came at a price. It does. Especially in this case. BUt this is a perfect segue into a discussion. Does war come at a price? IF appa had beaten the man, would he have lost something? At the very end, VIdya says a part of appa is still alive (pg 228). What is this part of appa that is still alive and hidden somewhere within his body? WOuld this part of him have remained if he had given in to violence? What (if anything) would the world have lost in our shared human history if Indians had fought violently? Note that they could have done this very easily - and it would likely have been a lot faster- Indians hugely outnumbered the British and they could have killed them off if they'd organized into a fighting force (especially during WWII when the british troops were taking such huge beatings overseas). I think, anyway, and a few historians agree. Also, you could use this point to discuss, I hope - what if anything might Kitta lose in the years to come? He is such a thoughtful, peaceful person beforehand - how might the experience of war change him?
There are no correct answers to these questions. BUt they make kids think about the pros and cons of violence and nonviolence.
Also, bring this discussion, please, one level down - so the kids can see the role nonviolence might play in thier everyday lives - what do they lose or gain if they try to handle a conflict nonviolently? You could also tie this in to the stereotype of a man being considered weak if he does not fight back violently.
4. Raman
ReplyDeleteIt’s nteresting to me that one of you was shocked by Raman going to Thatha to ask for VIdya’s hand. If you closely compare Kitta and Raman, the difference between them is that Raman is often thoughtless and says and does things impulsively; in contrast, Kitta is extremely thoughtful. Raman for instance, early on, says that Vidya’s days in the outhouse did’t seem so bad! He also assumes women promise to obey men in the HIndu wedding ceremony. He is a nice chap and he wants to do the right thing. He loves Vidya for who she is. But he is also a product of a culture that he has been born in and has never really questioned (he doesn't have sisters, he says, during Malati’s wedding). Vidya pushes him to think about gender equality in a much greater way than Raman has ever done before. Raman is a sweet guy - but his lack of questioning his culture is pretty universal. And that brings me to my next response.
5. Parallels between USA and India
ReplyDeleteOften, we are shocked when we see expressions of inequality in another culture, but we rarely see that these inequalities are equally - yes, I'm repeating that word intentionally and to surprise, because I know we always like to think our cultures are at least a little bit better than someone else's - equally present in our own. At least in the largest sense , in the big picture view of history and world culture, I do think all cultures come out close to equal. For instance, consider the incongruity of India as a nation - having on the one side this nasty treatment of women - and having on the other hand elected a woman prime minisiter and having had a woman president (neither of whom was ever made to apologize for her statements about feminity the way Hilary Clinton was made to do). In India, women always had the right to vote, too. I could go on and on - but basically, if you look at India as a subcontinent - its history and its diversity - there are several examples of gender issues being ahead of some parts and some periods of/in American/European nations/histories. This is not to defend India - but rather to point out that our nation, the United States, also has several inequalities - and it is a great idea to get students to use this novel as a starting point to exploring the ways in which we as a nation are backward and behind others in terms of gender equality (girls playing with Barbies is so often excused or made light of - is this equality).
And to end this response, do please use the idea of the caste system to also get children to think of inequalities within the American culture. While caste is absolutely shocking - ask kids if there is a caste system in class/school. High schools always have caste systems. Also, what would Raman see if he traveled from MIT to Mississippi after he came to America? Would the lynching and segregation and rampant racism shock him? Is a racist society essentially or fundamentally different from a caste-ridden society?
And yes, everything in the book is true. As I say and will say again and again, extremes of thought, belief, action and expression exist within EVERY CULTURE at EVERY period in history - if you look closely enough. When Climbing the Stairs was written, appas were uncommon and periappas were common - but both existed - and there was more than one appa, there were several, several appas of different shapes and sizes and shades. I have to scream this so loudly that it makes me lose my voice each time. It is so very interesting for me to observe that when Americans born in this country write about a culture with which they've had a few months or maybe just a few years of contact, they may do so with impunity and have accolades heaped upon them - but when a person of color writes about her own culture, readers so often wonder (or assume) that she must be "making up characters for the sake of the story"? It makes me laugh a lot. I suppose I could get angry about it if I wanted to, but for now, it just amuses me greatly.