Passivity: A Way Of Life Essay, Research Paper

Passivity: A Way of Life.

The life of the main character – Rukmani was filled with hardships. Happy times

were a rarity, and everyday life was full of work from sunrise to sunset. Yet despite all

the work, her family was in utter poverty. Nevertheless Rukmani was always optimistic,

and accepted her life the way it was. Kenny, on the other hand, never understood why

they accept their poverty and always tried to get them to rise up. It is Indian ideology and

the belief in karma with reincarnation that led Rukmani and many other Indian people to

a passive life.

This passivity is seen throughout the book. However especially in the few

instances after major disasters and crises this way of life stands out. At first, Rukmani couldn’t have children after her first daughter. Kenny cured her, and then she bore five sons. Afterwards, she met Kenny and proudly said “You are my benefactor…have I not five sons to prove it?”(p. 36) Kenny answered, “Am I to blame for your excesses?” This was a half- sarcastic remark. However, only half – sarcastic. Ok, you need sons to work in the field, two sons can manage if Nathan managed alone. You can barely provide for a few people, but the family consists of eight. Yet everything is just fine.

Another instance is when the terrible storm hit the village and destroyed the rice paddy. When the storm finished, Rukmani just said that it will grow back and so did Nathan. At the time of the terrible drought the crop was destroyed, and even after cutting a deal of paying half the rent, selling clothes, and a few other things they didn’t have enough money to pay the half, Nathan wanted to sell the seed and a lot of other stuff. Rukmani pleaded with him “Let us only try,… Let us keep our hope for the next harvest.”(p. 80) Again there is the optimism.

Finally, she even confirms this passivity herself. When Kenny showed her the plans for the hospital, and the started to talk about the costs, Rukmani couldn’t understand why people gave so much money to help. Kenny said, “Because they have means, do no the sick die in the streets because there is no hospital for them? Are not your children born in gutters? Etc.” “You must cry out if you want help.” Rukmani then thought, “Well, and what if we gave in to our troubles at every step! We would be pitiable creatures indeed to be so weak, for is not a man’s spirit given to him to rise above his misfortunes?”(p. 115) And this is the essence of the argument presented above. They believe that their life is the way to fulfill the karma given to them. So Rukmani would fulfill her poor life as a wife of a farmer. And then, if she “completes” her karma, maybe she would be reincarnated into a being with a better life. And also all the hardships may be punishments for bad deeds in the previous life.

This is precisely why Rukmani is always so optimistic and leads her life passively through all the hard times. This passivity comes from the belief. Maybe it is a better way of life, the passivity worked for Gandhi’s independence movement. Plus, Rukmani did survive, and tells us this story as an old woman, probably hoping that she fulfilled her karma.