Skip to main content

Response to "Marriage of a Thousand Lies"

I recently had the opportunity to read "Marriage of a Thousand Lies" by SJ Sindu and hear explanations of her work by Sindu herself. I found the book extremely interesting and was especially fascinated with how Sindu talked about rebellion. She talked about how she provided the main character with sisters to play against, who took different paths in life. One is in an arranged marriage, and one is off living a free, albeit disconnected life. The two sisters are both satisfied with their lives surprisingly, and I enjoy this part of the book because it provides us with a little complexity. A lot of writers taking on the subject of rejecting traditional norms would only cast an arranged marriage in a cold light, but Sindu chose to make it a successful relationship to give the impression that there are a variety of paths in life, not just two (the right and the wrong). One might choose not to rebel, but to bend to their society or parent's will, and still have a fulfilling life and relationship. Some may not as well, and some could be happy in either state of rebellion. In the end of the book Lucky, the main character, does not end up together with Nisha, her same-sex counterpart. Instead, Nisha agrees to a traditional marriage and Lucky is still married to her (gay) husband. I think this is especially daring for the author because it makes the story more about it's portrayal of societal norms and character, rather than relying on giving the reader what they want to see. It's a book that makes a statement; a statement that sometime rebellion isn't possible, and a statement that life is complicated, especially in cultures and societies that work against what as individuals we believe or feel is right. In the end, we should please ourselves and follow our own path regardless of others, but we are still subject to fate. We don't control our destinies, but we can guide it in the direction we think we will fit within most.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 10 - My Favorite Thing is Monsters

My Favorite thing is monsters is a graphic novel unlike anything I had read before. It’s a very open, intimate story about a young girl’s self-image. It feels like we can see through her eyes in this comic, especially because of the illustrative style. They’re rough, and this can be jarring, but their very emotive and serve to show you the main character’s thoughts and opinions, including those on herself. She portrays herself as a monster, and this parallel, quite literally shown is very impactful for the reader. We are struck by the gravity that one’s image has on their self-esteem and how those themes fit into an unstable part of one’s life. Growing up is hard, and coming to terms with one’s self is even harder as it’s a part of that process. The way that this graphic novel is able to abstract these concepts through the drawings is really effective.
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 11 - Twin Peaks

I watched Twin Peaks as an example of long-form television. I was already watching the series, but I continued with an analytical eye. Twin Peaks is primarily a crime/mystery/thriller show, but has undertones of the supernatural. The fact that it’s a visual media allows new clues and information, being revealed by the characters, to be segmented per-week. The story unravels slowly, but as the plot wears on many characters in the town Twin Peaks take a part of the spotlight. Some episodes will focus on some characters, and another on a different group. Most of the time it will feature at least some of the main plot-line and police force characters, but oftentimes episodes will be sprinkled in where the director focuses more on secondary characters, on a more personal narrative. I think this is how Twin Peaks became so popular, and how it really took advantage of it’s format. Television, specifically long-form, gives the director enough time to tell an, if not longer, wider story. A la...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 12 - Illuminated Page on Modern Media

  I illustrated this illuminated page in order to shed some light on what I see as a fear of technology, that it's hijacking our minds. In reality, technology only allows more seamless communication, for us to curate a mediascape for others to escape into. We are technology, but technology amplifies our ability to reach/manipulate each other. They are two sides of the same coin, and can both be positive or negative.
Post a Comment
Read more