People
The name of the woman who had an affair with Nathan
Kunthi
Name a motif found in Nectar in a Sieve
The bonds of family, the conflicts between traditional life and modern life, the differences in cultural values. Man verses nature is a motif explored as well.
Explain where we see the theme and/or motif of "adapting to change" in the novel.
Above all else, Ruku must learn to deal with change in her life. The arrival of the tannery is the biggest and most disruptive change but there are countless others: her marriage, motherhood, the fates of her children, moving to the city. Nathan instructs Ruku on the importance of adapting or bending to change in order to survive in life. Like Ruku, everyone faces changes. The way in which we respond to those changes carries over into how our lives will play out. Despite her initial reluctance, Ruku does learn to become adaptable and thus survives many hardships that would have broken a less flexible person. As she comes to know well - life is always uncertain and plans must be adaptable.
When does the climax or turning point in the novel occur?
The climax of a plot is the major turning point that allows the protagonist to resolve the conflict. The end of Part I brings the climax of the novel - after years of struggling against nature and the tannery, Ruku and Nathan lose the battle and their land. Unable to pay the land dues, they are forced to leave the only way of life they’ve ever known. This greatest change brings Ruku her greatest challenge yet; because Nathan is old and unable to get employment elsewhere, they must travel to the city to find and live with their son Murugan.
The oldest son of Rukmani and Nathan
Ruku and Nathan’s oldest son - Arjun takes a job at the tannery and leads a strike of the workers. After he looses his job, he had his brother Thambi travel to Ceylon to work on tea plantations.
Define what is a literary antagonist and name an antagonist found in the novel
The antagonist of a story is the force that provides an obstacle for the protagonist. The antagonist does not always have to be a single character or even a character at all. In this story, no one character serves as the antagonist. Rather the forces of change and nature provide Ruku with hardships to overcome. Flooding rains, drought conditions, starvation and death all conspire to challenge Ruku’s strength. Ruku must also face the disruption of her traditional way of life (by the opening of the tannery) and learn to adapt to new situations (such as life in the city or her illegitimate grandchild). The tannery proves to be the source of much of Ruku’s hardship and ultimately costs her family their land. Kunthi and her attempts to blackmail both Ruku and Nathan are also part of the antagonistic force in the novel.
No matter what hardships tear at her resolve, Ruku never entirely loses hope for the future. Her ability to find joy in small, everyday things allows her to see possibility even in her darkest hour. Ruku realizes that without hope there is no joy in living and without joy there is no life. Although her hopes are dashed again and again, Ruku never ceases to develop new ones - even at the novel’s end, she is full of hopes for the future of her children.
Describe the setting of Part I and Part II of the novel.
Part I of the novel is set in an unnamed village in rural India. No date is given but the setting is probably some time in the first half of the 20th century. The villagers live in simple mud huts with thatch roofs and are largely subsistence farmers. The main crop and diet is rice supplemented with vegetables and some fish. They enjoy no modern convinces - no running water, indoor plumbing or electricity. Most are illiterate or have little education. Marriages are arranged and girls are married young. The arrival of a tannery (a facility for making leather) in the village disrupts the quiet village life.
Part II of the novel is set in an unnamed Indian city. Compared to the village it is crowded, loud and dirty. We see mostly the poverty stricken areas of the city where the hungry and homeless struggle to survive.
The name of Rukmani and Nathan's son who decides he cannot be a farmer.
Selvam (Ruku and Nathan’s fifth son); he goes to work with Kenny instead.
Name a theme found in Nectar in a Sieve
The power and importance of hope and the challenges of adapting to change.
Explain how we see the theme and/or motif of "family" play out in the novel
Ruku’s family was the most important thing and the one thing she could never fully lose. Her family bonds were certainly tested - she lost sons to death, to moves and to personal weakness but maintained strong relationships with the family that was left. She also understood the importance of love and acceptance of family members even when their decisions or beliefs were not her own. Her relationship with Puli shows her understanding of the need for family bonds. She attributes the lack of such bonds to much of Kenny’s unhappiness. Ruku’s bond to her husband is most touching and clearly shows the true definition of love.
Describe the British colonial rule of India
From the early 1800’s until 1947 India was a British colony. Under colonial rule, the Indians had little authority and most remained poor and uneducated. Even today, many in India live in rural villages like the one described in the novel.
The matchmaker for Ira (Irawaddy)
Old Granny - An old, unmarried woman who makes a living from buying and selling vegetables - Old Granny serves as matchmaker for Ira and later dies penniless and alone in the street.
Ruku is the first person narrator of the story. Ruku tells the story as an old woman looking back on the events of her life, so she reflects in addition to simply narrating. Ruku knows only her own thoughts and information given to her by others.
Explain how we see the theme and/or motif of "cultural differences" play out in the novel
This theme is illustrated in Kenny and Ruku’s relationship. Although they were friends, the two frequently disagreed with or misunderstood one another. What Kenny saw in Ruku as ignorance and weakness, she saw in her self as signs of strength and simple wisdom. The best example of this is Kenny’s insistence that Ruku should ask for help when suffering. To do so for her would be a sign of failure as in her culture strength and grace were gained only through such suffering.
Define protagonist and explain who is the protagonist in the story
The protagonist of a story is the main character who traditionally undergoes some sort of change. In this novel, the protagonist is Ruku, an Indian woman from a rural village.
Ruku and Nathan’s son who goes to work on the tea plantation.
Thambi - Ruku and Nathan’s second son - he joins his brother Arjun in working at the tannery and in leading the tannery strike. He also goes to work on the tea plantations.
What does the rice symbolize in the novel?
Rice represents life. Without it they die. When Ruku must ration her last ollacks of rice she literally counts the number of days they will live. Ruku and Nathan go to the temple for rice so that they may survive in the city.
Explain how we see the theme and/or motif of "Man vs. Nature" play out in the story
Nature provides constant challenges in the novel. The poor who work the land are most affected by nature’s fury as is clearly seen during the flood and drought. Despite nature’s ability to harm, Ruku still finds it a beautiful and peaceful thing - in fact, it is one of the reasons that draws her back to her village. Ruku’s statement that nature is like a wild animal one has tamed is fitting.
Name the author of the novel and give a brief background about her life (need to mention where she was born/lived, century she lived in, and any influences on her)
Kamala Markandaya - was born in the town of Mysore in Southern India in 1924 to a Hindu-Brahmin (the highest Indian caste) family. In 1948, Markandaya moved to England; she married an Englishman, and made England her adopted home although she continued to visit her homeland regularly. The duality of her life influenced her writing and allowed her tell stories from both a British and Indian perspective.