Slum dwellers are often treated as social pariahs and have become a marginalized section in any society. In fact, a burgeoning population of the metropolitan Mumbai city, which is the third most expensive office market, lives in slums like ‘Annawadi’. Unfortunately, these people find hard to escape from the endless dilemmas of day to day life, even though unprecedented economic booming has taken place for more than two decades as a result of global market capitalism. Katherine Boo, in her remarkable book “Behind the beautiful forevers” unfolds the world beyond ‘undercity’ people who are the residents of Mumbai slum named Annawadi, which is located beside the road to Mumbai airport in the shadow of luxury hotels. By documenting the deplorable …show more content…
Nevertheless twenty five years of globalization caused quirky economic growth and rise of standard of living in Mumbai. Yet 40% of Mumbai residents live in slum even though it has been listed as largest city in India with its luxury goods and glimmering facilities. This paper traces out how the economic growth in metropolitan cities has failed to deliver much to the most needed, vulnerable poor living in slums like Annawadi and the hindrances before them on their way of ameliorating their standard of living in the light of Katherine Boo’s popular book “Behind the beautiful forevers: life, death, and hope in a Mumbai …show more content…
Besides, the frog-eaters gave other non-frog eating, non-weed eating Annawadians “a felt sense of their upward mobility” (Boo Chapter 1). Nevertheless, Boo exposes the distressing picture of the slum residents, their struggles to escape from devastating poverty and most significantly, the conflicts under the clutches of corrupt officials by focusing on three families of – Abdul, expert sifter of garbage, Fatima, the emotionally troubled cripple and, Asha, the unofficial slum lord. The most significant thing is that “almost no one in the slum was counted poor by official Indian bench marks“(Boo 1) since the economic liberalization began. Out of these only six residents have permanent jobs. Annawadi sits on “a stretch where new India and old India collided and made new India late” (Boo 1) and even though the physical setting of slum is brimming with possibilities, most of them make their living through scavenging and trash
In Stevie Cameron’s essay “Our Daughters, Ourselves,” she proclaims “ We tell our bright, shining girls that they can be anything: firefighters, doctors, policewoman, lawyers, scientists, soldiers, athletes, artists. What we don't tell them, yet, is how hard it will be. Maybe, we say to ourselves, by the time they’re older it will be easier for them than it was for us.” My parents raised my sisters and I very congruous with this view. They would always tell us that we could do or be anything we wanted when we got older. However, contrary to Cameron’s apprehension on the matter, my parents always told us how difficult it would be straight from the beginning. They told us how financially strenuous becoming a doctor would be. They told us how
While it may be easier to persuade yourself that Boo’s published stories are works of fiction, her writings of the slums that surround the luxury hotels of Mumbai’s airport are very, very real. Katherine Boo’s book “Behind the Beautiful Forevers – Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity” does not attempt to solve problems or be an expert on social policy; instead, Boo provides the reader with an objective window into the battles between extremities of wealth and poverty. “Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” then, exposes the paucity and corruption prevalent within India.
It seems like a fairytale-like utopia until the narrator’s tour of the city takes a dark turn. Underneath the beauty, there is a dirty, broom-closet-sized room. A small, feeble-minded, naked ten year old child sits there in its own excrement. Subject to malnutrition and neglect, the child is only given just enough food for subsistence.
The Lais of Marie de France is a compilation of short stories that delineate situations where love is just. Love is presented as a complex emotion and is portrayed as positive, while at other times, it is portrayed as negative. The author varies on whether or not love is favorable as is expressed by the outcomes of the characters in the story, such as lovers dying or being banished from the city. To demonstrate, the author weaves stories that exhibit binaries of love. Two distinct types of love are described: selfish and selfless. Love is selfish when a person leaves their current partner for another due to covetous reasons. Contrarily, selfless love occurs when a lover leaves to be in a superior relationship. The stark contrast between the types of love can be analyzed to derive a universal truth about love.
The multi-award winning documentary ‘Born Into Brothels’, directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman, acknowledges the lives of children who have unfortunately been trapped within the Red-Light district of Calcutta, India. This red-light district is recognized by the world as the second-largest red-light district in the world, containing several hundreds of multi-story brothels with an approximated 11,000 ‘sex workers’. Typically, as a high school student of Western Civil origin, I have not been subjected to this kind of raw violence and confronting and cramped living conditions. I recognized that my generalized emotion throughout the entirety of the documentary was sympathy directed toward the children who were outspokenly forced to endure
Mike Davis in his book Planet of Slums, discusses the Third World and the impact globalization and industrialization has on both urban and poverty stricken cities. The growth of urbanization has not only grown the middle class wealth, but has also created an urban poor who live side by side in the city of the wealthy. Planet of Slums reveals astonishing facts about the lives of people who live in poverty, and how globalization and the increase of wealth for the urban class only hurts those people and that the increase of slums every year may eventually lead to the downfall of the earth. “Since 1970 the larger share of world urban population growth has been absorbed by slum communities on the periphery of Third World cities” (Davis 37). Specifically,
Because young girls and women around the world are beginning to alter themselves to fit a certain mold, people are starting to realize that a pretty face and one’s youth is a factor that has been hurting the world for many years. So much so that a person is willing to kill to obtain beauty. This is truly and amazing yet sickening fact and the more we emphasize on one’s appearance the more catastrophes like this will happen.
The article, “Education, poverty and schooling: a study of delhi slum dwellers”, highlights that “education positively influences poverty reduction, while poverty, or low income, adversely affects the quality and quantity of education”. This model is very much apparent in Jackie’s life. As she lacked formal education in the early stages of her life, she remained in the cycle of poverty even into her adulthood. Without the knowledge of how to change things and the inability of doing so, it is very much difficult, if not impossible, for her to get out of this infinite
Brenna Strickland Miss Sibbach AP English III 12 December, 2014 The Journey of Love In Their Eyes Were Watching God Janie’s relationships unceasingly alter her perception of love. Since birth she has traveled on a journey to find true happiness which included love. Through her three opposing marriages, her grandmother and a strong friendship she eventually succeeded in defining love. Throughout the novel, Janie molds her opinion on love based upon her experiences in life.
I had never really even heard about tenements until I read this book, and it really enlightened me to how terrible of a time it was for everyone who just wanted the opportunity for a better life for their families. It makes me glad that I live in a time where many people don’t have to live in these conditions, but it also makes me more aware of the poverty that still exists today. I think that there is a lot that we, who are fortunate, can do to help those who are living in poverty.
In order to raise awareness of the staggering injustices, oppression and mass poverty that plague many Indian informal settlements (referred to as slum), Katherine Boo’s novel, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, unveils stories of typical life in a Mumbai slum. Discussing topics surrounding gender relations, environmental issues, and corruption, religion and class hierarchies as well as demonstrating India’s level of socioeconomic development. Encompassing this, the following paper will argue that Boo’s novel successfully depicts the mass social inequality within India. With cities amongst the fastest growing economies in South Eastern Asia, it is difficult to see advances in the individual well-being of the vast majority of the nation. With high
In the second chapter of the book "Planet of Slums," Mike Davis seeks to answer what characteristics and types of slums are prevalent in different parts of the world. Davis continues his startled, alarmed, disgruntled and depressing tone from the previous chapter. Overall, the chapter is divided into two parts. The first part attempts to explore and examine the global slum census, and the other part describes the various slum typologies
AA theory by Clive Bell suggests the pinpoints the exact characteristic which makes a work true art. According to Bell, an artwork must produce “aesthetic emotion” (365). This aesthetic emotion is drawn from the form and formality of an artwork rather than whether or not it is aesthetically pleasing or how well it imitates what it is trying to depict. The relation of objects to each other, the colors used, and the qualities of the lines are seemingly more important than what emotion or idea the artwork is trying to provoke. Regardless of whether or not the artwork is a true imitation of certain emotions, ideals, or images, it cannot be true art unless it conjures this aesthetic emotion related to formality (367).
The definition of beauty is varying among different people in the world. Even though almost everyone knows the term beauty, many people are struggling in defining it and persuading others to agree with their opinions. Beauty is defined by a combination of qualities existent in a person or thing that fulfills the aesthetic feels or brings about profound gratification. Many people define beauty as a term to describe a person’s physical appearance; they often think that beauty comes from magazines, video girls, or even models. Although the term beauty can define a person’s physical appearance, true beauty lies in the way one acts and thinks rather than the way one look.
"Be your own kind of Beautiful: My pursuit for True Beauty." Most everyone has seen the Oscars, and heard that famous phrase "And the Oscar goes to....". I've waited with baited breath to see who would be chosen for the honor of best actress, best actor, or best film etc. Over the years I've noticed an increase in these types of award shows. I've also noticed a influx of Actors, Actresses, musicians, models donning the front covers of Magazines. All of them seem to look perfect. Perfect Body, face, and smiles to match the clothing line or movie they are endorsing. Beauty and Perfection seem to be ubiquitous. And I've asked myself, what makes them the most beautiful