During my visit to Kashmir this winter, I picked up several books to better understand the region. I was especially excited to read "The House that SpDuring my visit to Kashmir this winter, I picked up several books to better understand the region. I was especially excited to read "The House that Spoke" by Zuni Chopra, as magic-realism is one of my favourite genres. However, I was disappointed to find the novel too simple in both its story and writing style. Overall, it didn't live up to my hopes.
When I flew to Kashmir this winter, I made it a point to learn more about the region. My first encounter with Kashmir was at the age of 10, when I visWhen I flew to Kashmir this winter, I made it a point to learn more about the region. My first encounter with Kashmir was at the age of 10, when I visited the Pakistan side with my father, Azad Kashmir. Now, at 28, I had the opportunity to visit from the India side, Jammu and Kashmir. Armed with only a faint awareness of its history and politics (neither of which have held much appeal for me as avenues of comprehension) I turned to literature instead: non-fiction with 'Territory of Desire: Representing the Valley of Kashmir,' fiction with 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories,' and the space in between with 'The Country Without A Post Office.' As I walked through the snow of Pahalgam and Gulmarg, was rowed across Dal Lake in Srinagar, Agha Shahid Ali's deliberately fragmented imagery of cracked portraits, flickering oil lamps, the saffron hue of the sun, and the picture-perfect yet hauntingly distant half-inch Himalayas, captured within a postcard from Kashmir, starkly contrasted with the stark reality of 'blood sheer rubies on Himalayan snow' unfolded Kashmir before me, weaving together beauty and brutality in a manner that was inescapable. I'm grateful to have found his poetry, as it has permanently shaped how I see Kashmir....more
The Brothers Karamazov is a blend of contrasting worldviews, embodied by its characters - the cold rationality of Ivan, the altruism of Alexei, and thThe Brothers Karamazov is a blend of contrasting worldviews, embodied by its characters - the cold rationality of Ivan, the altruism of Alexei, and the passion of Dmitri; this array of perspectives prompts readers to think about their own approach to life.
As I navigated the exceptionally well-woven web of relationships and ideas in this novel, I couldn't help but reflect on parallels with my own life and those of my friends. Some of my friends resemble Alyosha, embodying gentle stoicism, innate goodness, or warm empathy. Meanwhile, like Dmitri, other friends find ourselves wrestling with our demons, troubled by imperfection and impulses. Some of my friends also resemble Ivan, rationalizing all behaviors as “everything is permitted” (and who dares to counteract like Father Zosima, with a “everyone is responsible for everyone and for everything”?) However, all of us contain multitudes inside us, and Dostoevsky's refusal to offer a definitive answer reinforces the complexity of human nature, where morality is not a fixed point but a shifting landscape shaped by individual choices and circumstances.
So the novel probes the question of life's best path, mirroring the Karamazovian brothers' dual nature, each harboring conflicting abysses within. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov's turmoil stems from a relatable clash between his ideologies and conscience, echoing Dostoevsky's own inner struggle amid surroundings of moral ambiguity. Dostoevsky's personal battles, including a gambling addiction, epilepsy, torments endured such as the famous mock-execution ceremony which involved being led to believe he would be executed by firing squad before being spared at the last moment, serving as a form of psychological torture intended to break his spirits, jail time, and complex relationship with an avaricious, tyrannical father as reflected in Pavlovich's character (which the friend who cheekily recommended this to me was aware would resonate) shines through in this novel as a lifelong contemplation on the nature of good, evil, free will, and duty. Perhaps Dostoevsky believed that through such contemplation one could find redemption by embracing the truth of life's suffering....more
Loading...
