Critical analysis of a book, Nectar in a Sieve Essay

Critical analysis of a book, Nectar in a Sieve - Essay Example The hint of change provided in the lower status of Rukmani’s marriage is carried forward with the building of the tannery in her husband’s village. Conflicts of tradition and the outside world begin to insinuate themselves into Rukmani’s life, bringing change almost faster than she can adjust. Struggling through poverty and heartbreak, as well as the changing socioeconomic culture of their village, Rukmani demonstrates a quiet, pragmatic dignity that is concerned with life. By telling the story of a young Indian woman as she weds her husband and grows old with him, raises a family and suffers several hardships along the way, author Kamala Markandaya strives to present a picture of a changing world and how it is the love of a family that overcomes these tremendous challenges. Markandaya’s novel is a fictional account of an Indian woman’s experience in the rural villages of India presented in first-person narrative voice from Rukmani’s perspective. Because she never provides a village name or date, it is impossible to determine exactly when the story is taking place, giving it a timeless quality that speaks equally today as it did when it was written, shortly after India became independent of Britain. â€Å"Some readers of Nectar in a Sieve see Kamala Markandaya’s portrayal of Indian peasants as mythlike. One figure often mentioned as a model for Rukmani is the goddess Sita. Sita emerged from the earth into life when her stepfather was plowing his fields and became the wife of the Hindu god Rama. In the great epic poem Ramayana, Sita is a symbol of devotion, never-ending patience, and self-sacrifice. In art, she is often shown gazing at Rama with blissful happiness† (â€Å"Study Guide†, n.d.). Rukmani is indeed pr esented as the epitome of self-sacrifice and patience within the novel, consistently working to uphold the traditional beliefs of her